As many of you know already, God has provided another opportunity to minister in the country of haiti. these are the events that led up to this trip. Four weeks ago, i received an email from my team leader. It said that he and his team were planning on going to Haiti the first two weeks of March. Well when I read this Ii knew it wasn't feasible. I couldn't afford to miss two weeks of classes. So I quickly emailed him back and told him I wouldn't be able to go. I suggested that if it was possible to move the trip to the second and third week of March. That way I would only miss one week of class and then spring break. He said he'd ask and get back to me. Well day went by and the organization wasn't telling him anything. So I began to lose hope. I stopped praying about it as faithfully. It wasn't until a conversation I had on facebook chat, that God opened my eyes. I was sitting on facebook and someone popped up on chat. It happened to be Susette, the missionary here at MDL in Haiti. She asked me if I was going to be able to come back. I told her the situation and she was very encouraging. She told me to keep praying. She told me that it was only a matter of time before I was going to be back in Haiti. She said when God wanted me to be back, he would provide a way. So after that conversation I started praying with a fresh understanding of God's perfect timing. Days later, I received and email in my inbox from my team leader that said that they were going to be going to Haiti for one week.....the second week in march. Well I got very excited and started praying and called my parents and told them to do the same. I talked to my professors that day and asked what they thought of the idea of me missing one week of school. All of them were very supportive and willing to help me get caught up. After classes, I talked to my parents once again. That night I bought my ticket to Haiti. The very next day I received a phone call from my team leader. He said that an opportunity had come up for us to stay for two weeks.........the exact time I said would work best for me. It was so crazy to see that despite the fact that I had kind of given up on the trip for a time, God worked it out perfectly to the time for me to go. It was incredible to see God provide financially as well. I was truly humbled as students at my school would come to my dorm room and hand me $20, $175, $300. It was so evident that God wanted and needed me to be here.
since being here I have been helping to teach the preschoolers. we have been teaching them colors, numbers, letters, and proper classroom behavior. It has been quite the experience. Who knew three 4 year olds could be so crazy? But I had a great time teaching songs and just interacting with each one of them. In the afternoons after school was done, I was able to help out my other team members with building cement countertops, doors for the new school, a roof for the cooks, generator covers, and various other building projects. Today we went and saw more of Port-au-Prince. We were in awe of the immense amounts of destruction - buildings collapsed, cars smashed under the rubble, homes flattened. There was so much destruction. The people have formed these tent villages where they keep all of their belongings inside a tent or under a makeshift tent or home made of tarps or any other materials that could be salvaged. We were able to see the palace which was severely damaged by the earthquake. We also saw the largest Catholic church in shambles. Rumor has it that many of the criminals that escaped the prison during the earthquake are living in the remains of the Catholic church.
In this time, it has been amazing to just see the way these kids have responded to the earthquake. Just the other night, I was at the boys home and had the opportunity to talk to one of the kids. He shared with me where he was when the earthquake hit and what he saw. It was mindblowing as I listened to him telling me how he saw buildings collapse all around him and buildings falling on people. It was such a blessing for me to just be there and to listen to everything he saw and felt as a result of the earthquake. I felt as though little by little his memories of that horrific day were being lifted from his shoulders.
Well I better stop writing now. This is getting pretty long. If you actually read this whole thing, kudos.
- josiah
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