Until Next Time....

Made it to American soil..hahha, that sounds like I am an explorer. I am on my 7 hour layover in Florida. Crazy..trying to adapt, and for some reason it feels harder than usual. The sounds, the televisions, the people, the stuff...hard to believe that yesterday I was sitting in the streets of Cite Soleil looking at a land that was the complete opposite. Today we were in the air for 1 1/2 hours and as we descended all I could see from the plane were nice rooftops, buildings, and baseball fields. As my plane left Haiti I looked down on the Haitian land to see blue tarp roofs, tin, and an American base. Two different worlds. They seem like complete opposites, but somehow they are only 600 miles from each other.

Adapting...so tired. I think if someone pushed me I might fall over. My eyes hurt, my feet need a good scrub, and I need to do a couple loads of laundry, but I am in the states safe and sound.

I really believe that God is drawing us deeper and deeper into His heart, in the heart of Haiti. Yesterday I sat across the table for my Haitian brother and listened as he shared some of his heart about Cite Soleil, his people, his dreams, and struggles. I wanted to weep. I thought about it, but didn't know if it would be fair to him. I have not lived his life. I hear his pain, but I have never felt his pain. I have not seen life through his eyes. I have heard his heart and struggles, but I have never had to embrace his struggles the way he has had to embrace his struggles. He told me a story about the UN coming in to "keep the peace." "Keeping the peace," turned into a shoot out where 17 people lost their lives, 2 being children. When the shoot out was finished the UN brought the bodies to the street and they were left there for family to claim. My brother asked me, “Why does this have to happen?” “How is this good?” We want a different Cite Soleil.

I wanted to weep with him, give him answers, and tell him it would get better, but it hasn't. It has been this way for a long time. The streets of Cite Soleil still hold garbage, the people are jobless, the children are hungry, their playground is a backyard of trash, there is constant "security" of the UN, and when it rains their houses leak. What is the answer? As I look at my brother he smiles and says, "I have faith that the Lord will bring change." What power in that sentence. Doesn't God tell us not to loose heart? I think about how many times I have lost heart in my daily "obstacles." Then I look at this man that has seen it all and he is telling me that he has faith that it will change. He has not lost heart. He has not lost faith. He is running the race and keeping the faith. So blessed to know this man and also encouraged by his faith, his story, his faith and love for his people and our God.

Yesterday as we rode out of Cite Soleil I turned around to see the sun setting and I thought of the verse, "I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn." Thought of Cite Soleil, my Haitian brother, all the children in Cite Soleil, the land, and the simple fact that we need to be praying for Haiti. For the healing of the land, for the people, the children, the new president, the development, the hearts of the people, and for their strength and faith.

I want to thank you all for your support, love, and prayers during this time. We really could not do it without you all. Your truly make this happen. If you are interested in getting involved with Making Roots please contact us at admin@makingroots.org. Until next time….until we hit Haiti again….we love you!