Day 2: Water Truck Day!!

When Jesus proclaimed the new reign of God's kingdom on earth, he invited human beings to help. He told his disciples, "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matt 9:38).

Today our team was sent out to be disciples of God, to be laborers. The day started by working together to prepare breakfast and share it together.  We got our hearts and minds ready for the day ahead. There were team members with knowledge of what we were going to experience today and there were those of us yet to experience what the day would bring. 

Our schedule was to deliver water to 3 different stops in Cite Soleil. The journey to Cite Soleil started with a stop to see the water trucks being filled at the filling station. Once the truck was filled we continued on our way to our first stop. Once there we began to unload from our"Tap-Tap" and a flock of children came running out to greet us. We then hook up the hose and the people come to line up with buckets of all sizes and types. They bring wheelbarrows and tin bowls. The children bring small buckets they can carry or push. Our job is to have 2 people on the water truck helping to fill buckets and once the buckets are filled we help to deliver to their homes.  We were laborers. We were also a kind, loving, and friendly face the people have come to rely on. Especially the kids. The kids, they are also the focus of our stops as well. They are bursting with life. They are bursting with smiles and love for us, for people they have never met. They hang on you, they walk with you, they make you laugh, and they even make you cry.  The sights and sounds of the area are something that you have to experience for yourself. I say this because from one stop to the next the sights and sounds are different. The sounds you can imagine. The laughter and crying of children. The music and dancing in the streets. The water filling the buckets. The sights are something altogether different. Every person on this team saw something different. They caught a glimpse of what life is like for this community. They saw pain and they saw joy. They saw garbage lining the streets and tin roof shacks with dirt floors. They saw parents disciplining their children and expectant mothers carry buckets of water on their head and a child on their hip. There were old women and young women and children of all ages working and laboring to get the water to their families.They get the water, cook the food, and keep their families going. The men and even older boys line the streets watching while the water is being carried down the street by their wives, their mothers, their sisters, and by us.  

This was by far, one of the most humbling days I have experienced. The people of Cite Soleil are beautiful. They are happy. A simple "Bonjour" can put a smile on their face that genuinely can light up the world. They are kind and humble. It is incredibly hard for me to know and to see how they can be so happy with so much poverty and so little resources . It's the only life they know. It is their way of life. It is simple and it is humble.  I have reflected in the past about whether things are needs or wants. After today, I can say with certainty, I do not need all that I have. I would like less wants in my life and many more needs. I need to continue serving the Lord. I need to continue to be a laborer. I need to treasure this time with these beautiful people and this beautiful country. I couldn't ask for better "laborers" to spend this week with.

God uses humble servants to accomplish great things. We are accomplishing great things.

~Heather Karpinski