I have come to find that weekends are something to greatly look forward to here in Haiti. Saturday began with waking up at 6:25 for our 6:30 staff meeting, but still managing to get there on time. I was able to get plenty of sleep that night. It was wonderful!
Saturday morning in the Miriam Center consisted of two teams coming in (Kelsey and Tore’s) to help us clean. We were able to take out all of the kids mattresses in order to bleach and whip each of them down. When then took each of the mattresses upstairs to dry them. It was great to see all of these people willing to help these kids.
It was during this time that Kelsey made quite the comical discovery. While the groups were busy at work getting all the mattresses out of the first room and bringing them into the courtyard, one of our cutest and highest functioning kids, Joseph, had be follow him into the boys room across the way. I thought he was trying to tell me to grab his mattress to which I told him, “pita, Joseph” which means later Joseph in Creole. Turns out this wasn’t what Joseph was wanting to show me. He soon after this brought Kelsey in and showed her his mattress. When he did this, Joseph took the blanket off his bed and revealed to Kelsey that he had stashed scrambled eggs under his blanket from breakfast. Kelsey made him throw these away and Joseph was NOT happy with her at all.
After we finished cleaning the mattresses, Kelsey, Tore and I went upstairs to our girl intern room and had snacks and took a mental and physical break from it all. This was a great time to get to hang out with the two of these lovely girls and just relax and rest for a bit.
After lunch, I was able to go with Kelsey’s group to do hut to huts. I had asked Autumn the night before if there was much going on downstairs in the M.C. the next afternoon. She told me there wasn’t and told me I could go. Thanks so much for letting me if you are reading this Autumn. You’re the best!
During our hut to huts with Kelsey’s group we passed out TOMS. This was such an incredible experience. TOMS donated 30,000 shoes to three different churches within Haiti. NWHCM’s church received a third of these. Many of the sizes of shoes we had left were very small. That was the hardest part: having to tell kids we didn’t have a size big enough. But for the kids we were able to fit for shoes, it was so cool. Plus we were able to pray with many of the kids and families. I was personally able to size a cute little girl named Francilla early on. She then proceeded to hold my hand and follow our group around as we went from hut to hut for the next hour and a half or so. She was so precious!
Passing out TOMS was a super cool blessing for me to be apart of. Having a few pairs of TOMS myself, I always thought it was a really cool company and great thing to support. But I never heard about anyone actually giving out shoes before. So it was incredible to be apart of it. Plus, I had heard rumors that the shoes that they give the kids are of higher quality. This is true. Their TOMS actually have these thick rubber soles. I would highly recommend supporting TOMS. I think they are doing great things. I had always thought the only bad thing about TOMS is that they didn’t spread Christ as well. But they donated their shoes to a church to give away and gave us the chance to enter homes with shoes and then have the chance to pray and preach the Gospel.
Another organization that I support much more than TOMS though is one that is dear to my heart because a few of my friends from A&M actually created it, called Soles for the Savior. They go into countries with shoes, wash the children’s feet and then pray over each one of them. You can check them out here:Soles for the Savior
My Sunday consisted of church and resting. I love the Sabbath day here in Haiti because everyone takes it very seriously here at the mission. We don’t go out except to church and we all have the chance to rest. Today I took a nap and listened to a podcast from the Village Church out of Dallas, Texas on fear and love. The podcast was about how sometimes we do things for the Lord out of fear and reverence rather than out of love for Him and love for His people. It was really great and super convicting because I have found myself doing just that thing at times in my life.
Today as I was laying in my hammock and listening to this podcast I was reminded of a sermon at my church in College Station, New Life. This sermon was out of Exodus and on the importance of the Sabbath. It was super convicting when I first heard it. However I feel like it can be applied even more in Haiti. Here I am waking up at 6:15 every morning (except for Sunday when we get to sleep in for about an hour. TGIS: Thank God it’s Sunday) no matter when I go to bed. And the days are exhausting. I can truly only rely on the Lord for my strength and rest. Sundays are my day of rest, but no matter how restful my Sabbath day can be here or make in the states before I go to class the next day. No matter how rejuvenating and peaceful my Sundays on earth are, the will always end. But they serve as a great reminder of the eternal Sabbath we will one day receive.
Goodnight from Haiti!
”…Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”
Matthew 11:28-29
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