Once again my trip to Haiti has come and gone. But, my emotions are still running high. When I first arrived this year I felt so comfortable...that feeling you get when you finally go home. Almost too comfortable. Then I remembered that I had prayed that I never become this comfortable because I don't want to forget why we go. We don't go to just build housing or bring presents for the Haitians. We don't go to feel good about ourselves or put another notch in our missions belt.
We go because of this:
This isn't a photo of an abandoned home...this IS someone's home.
Children live here. They play here.
Mother's do their laundry here among the piles of trash.
Haitians live here.
This isn't fake news...this is real.
I stood in the center of this and I cried.
I cried for the mothers who have to endure this daily, the children that have no where else to play but in a trash pile right next o an open well.
The well is directly behind these two children
This area is lower than the alley that you walk on to get to this living area called Bethel. So, when it rains this fills like up a bowl with trash & waste water. Meaning the well has been completely contaminated. There are buckets next to the well attached to rope so someone is using this water for something.
Bethel I & II will be the next project we are involved in. It will be slow going because there is demolition as well as rebuilding. To add to it there are families living in these homes that we can't displace. So, the work has to be done one living space at a time. Once complete these people will have a beautiful place to live.
But, what about the rest? MANY people live like this in Haiti, many people go days without food, fresh water is hard to come by, jobs are hard to come by. I pray for the Haitians and I pray for God to show us what else we can for these people.
Why Haiti? Why not right in my own back yard? Because God has placed this nation on my heart. He has given me a passion for these people. The poorest American has it better than the people of Haiti.
While driving around the city of Cap-Haitian you get to see a lot of things. People rummaging in garbage for food remnants. And, Haiti's garbage isn't like our garbage. America's garbage is 'clean' compared to the piles of garbage laying in waste water that you have in Haiti.
Trash is piled on the streets
This water is running out from the pile of trash.
My heart aches each time I leave. I feel as though I am not doing enough. Once a year I go with our group do some work and hope & pray it helps someone. Throughout the year I pray for this nation & look for more opportunities to help. Please join me in my prayers.
