I fell in “like” with Haiti before I even stepped off the plane. But I’m here now. I’m here. And I’m in love.
It has been months of planning and dreaming and worrying and talking and praying about this trip. And months of wondering and there have been a few tears.
I’ve been reading and listening about Haiti. I’ve been trying to understand her history and her heart and maybe it’s a little like trying to understand God before you’ve actually experienced Him.
You know and you know and you know, but then when you really MEET Him, you really get it. Your head knows long before your heart knows and understand.
We are a ragtag bunch of storytellers here on this island trying to understand and steward well the story of Haiti.
So I’m letting the sights and sounds and beauty and hurt of Haiti soak deep into my soul. I’m practicing being present and thinking of today and the future and of others. I’m trying to let my heart peek out of walls that I’m just now realizing I’ve built against the world. I’m singing today with other Haitian believers on a Palm Sunday of praise.
Hosanna, Hosanna.
And I’m learning with my heart this week rather than my head.
Sometimes it’s hard to be a heart-learner. It means humility and falling on my face and on my knees when my INFJ brain just doesn’t get it. It means that I have to let go of what I think I know and let Jesus speak inside my soul. It means that listening is more important than talking. It means that empathy is better than saying “I understand.”
It means that this little nation has stolen my heart.
Hope, rescue, and a future. Isn’t that what He came to do? Isn’t that what Palm Sunday and the resurrection is about?
Isn’t that what Hosanna means?
Joy, praise, adoration.
We can praise Him for what He hasn’t done yet but WILL do with us. We can be joyed because He has come and for the things He has already done here in this dirt. We can say “Hosanna” for a little country that has a future and a hope because of Jesus.
In this week leading up to Easter, we all have a chance to be a part of the story that He is telling in this wide world, we have a chance to be a part of Haiti’s story.
Can we all be a part of this story?
We are with an organization called Help One Now. Help One seeks to empower local leaders and come alongside them to break the cycle of poverty one community at a time and what we are trying to do this week is very simple.
We’re attempting to sponsor 100 children in Drouin. Just 100. It’s something we can do; it’s tangible, it’s measureable, it’s do-able. We want to prevent families from breaking and we want to help keep a community whole. To see the children in Drouin who need a sponsor, click here.
And we’re going to build four more houses in Ferrier. We want to organize 100 Garage Sales for Orphans. Can we rescue, house and love 25 more orphans in Ferrier who haven’t been able to experience long-term care yet? I think we can do it. But we can only do it together. To learn how to host a GS40, click here.
{You can also find us here on Instagram and Twitter under #HONbloggers. We are telling the story both with our words as well as our photos. Besides myself, we’ve got Amber Haines, Sarah Bessey, Laura Tremaine, Erika Morrison, and Krista Smith with us. Each of them are beautiful sisters and warriors in this fight.}
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Bev Duncan @ Walking Well With God says
Sarah,
I have a beautiful and vibrant painting in my family room by an artist from Haiti. My family, too, has fallen in love with the beautiful people who live there. Sometimes it is hard for me to fathom that people who live in such poverty can express such love for Jesus. Perhaps that’s where we all need to get to – a place of destitution and poverty – before we can truly receive what our Savior has to offer. Hosanna! Praying for your group…and your journey.
Blessings,
Bev
Janet says
Hi Sarah,
This line struck me I’m trying to let my heart peek out of walls that I’m just now realizing I’ve built against the world.” I have put up my own walls too. Your words have such beauty. Thanks for sharing in this space today.
Sarah S says
I love the GS4O idea. I will be praying about this. Thanks for opening your heart, eyes, and ears. Thanks for tearing down the walls in your own life. Thanks for taking the risk. May God bless you and the work you are doing.
Jennifer Lee says
Following every word that you all are sharing. Praying for you.
Crystal Stine says
Praying and cheering and shedding some tears with you as this beautiful band of traveling sisters invites us into the story. So grateful for all of you!
Meredith Bernard says
This is a beautiful post about a beautiful opportunity to help beautiful souls. Thank you for what you are doing and your willingness to go and do and tell. And this one line speaks to me more than any, “You know and you know and you know, but then when you really MEET Him, you really get it.” That is SO true. Until we meet Him we don’t KNOW Him and until we GO and DO and SEE we don’t really get it, do we? Praying for God-size change through all you are doing in Haiti this week.
Brigetta says
I’ve always wanted to do what you are doing. Soak it in and soak it up. I was just planning a garage sale. Taking a look at GS40! So cool to partner in this.
Renee Swope says
I have a feeling I’m about to fall in love with Haiti this week!! Following and praying for each of you there. Peace, hope and a future… in ways only He can build, through your hands and hearts this week.
Naomi Liz says
“You know and you know and you know, but then when you really MEET Him, you really get it. Your head knows long before your heart knows and understands.”
This so perfectly sums up how I feel about traveling and building relationships in other countries. (I’m totally a language nerd so what follows may or may not be of interest… 🙂 but I think there is such richness in language, and knowing how something is described in another language can bring so much depth and understanding.)
One thing I love about Spanish is that there are two different verbs for “to know.” (OK, I did *not* love this in Spanish class, trying to figure out the differences. But I {mostly} love it now. 😉 )
Saber is usually referring to head knowledge (“I know how to swim” or “I know Spanish”). Conocer, however, has a more relational connotation (“I know that person” or “I met him last week”). You can even use it in place of the verb “to visit” when you’re talking about a country or a place. Instead of saying, “Have you ever visited Haiti?” You could say, “Have you met Haiti?” “Do you know her?” Ah, I just love the depth that communicates!
This post is so beautiful, and I look forward to reading more from all of you. Blessings to you as you continue to “conocer” Haiti and meet her beautiful people.