Haiti - It's a game changer

I'm still waiting on the words to describe Haiti. To make up for my lack, here are some photos from our trip. Just know that there is no way these pictures, or anything I could come up with to say, can ever do it justice. You have to go. You just have to experience this country and its resilient, hope-filled people who are in the midst of a rapidly spreading revival.

A hillside

Children singing to welcome us to their orphanage

A church that's been meeting in a tent since the 2010 earthquake.

More shots of the orphanage

These kids were all precious and hungry for affection.

It's so hard to know that I'm nice and comfy at home, and they're still there.

This is the backyard of the orphanage

This is one of the bedrooms. I'm pretty certain they don't have enough beds.

You see that boy in the orange shirt? He's forever in my heart. I wish he could have come home with me. Unfortunately, we don't meet Haiti's standards for adoption, or he might have!

Busy, busy city

Top view of the tent/church. Service was beautiful. (Sorry these got out of order.)

They are working on a new building, but funds are short and so are hands that have time to work.

Here is another church. The pastor is hoping to bring a well to this village, so the families do not have to walk so far for water.

This is a different orphanage, it has recently expanded.

Outside view of the building

These kids are fortunate to have a playground.

There are some beautiful views in Haiti.

Here is one of the largest churches in Haiti.

Another scenic shot.

This is the school we stayed at while we were in Haiti.

This is a bedroom in a house we were welcomed into by a local woman. This house was built with help from an American church partnered with the mission agency we traveled with, as well as the church being built above. They hope to fund the well for the village I mentioned before, as well. So much need...

So, Haiti is such a difficult place to describe. It's dirty. There's trash everywhere. That's what I noticed first. After a few days, though, I didn't notice these things so much anymore. Instead, all I saw was the people. Haiti has a lot of people, and I can't speak for everyone, but those we worked with were just remarkable. They did not match their surroundings. They made so much from so little. They worked so hard and were so grateful. They have a faith I don't think we'll ever know from our over-privileged vantage point. They sang a hymn in their beautiful creole language that made me want to have a faith like theirs. They sang, right next to the rubble of their former church building. They sang, most of them having lost someone dear to them in the earthquake. They sang, with barely a place to call home and clothes to wear and food to eat. They sang:

"Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

Morning by morning new mercies I see

All I have needed thy hand hath provided

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me."

I am still humbled by that memory. I, who balance my checkbook and grumble that the numbers aren't high enough. I, who whine at the grocery store because I can't have everything I want and stay in budget. I, who have a pantry full of food and a closet full of clothes and 2 cars to drive.

I want to know what it's like to have little more than my daily bread and still call God's faithfulness great.

Then again, I guess that's easy for me to say from my place of abundance. I just hope that if I ever find myself in a situation of having little, I will prove myself to have the beautiful, bountiful faith of the Haitians I was blessed to meet.