Mark and I were blessed to have been a part of the team from LifeSong Church on a recent mission trip to Jacmel, Haiti, serving in the community of Morne Oge. I’m sharing my journal and my heart, plus whatever new thing God is sure to reveal over the next few weeks. ~ E
9/24/13
Hebrews 5:14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Our day started much like yesterday, with a time of preparation on the roof of the hotel – devotion, conversation about the day ahead and prayer – then a tap tap ride from hotel to Restoration House where the team enjoyed another wonderful breakfast. We split off in pairs and threes to resume the various projects underway. I was blessed to be able to accompany Dr T to the clinic again, taking along with us four more duffel-bags full of much needed medical supplies. One of the nurses took time to help me sort and put meds away. Dr T. jumped right in again, tending to almost 20 patients with loving compassion before lunch.
The exam room is very small. Doc begins examinations with the patient and either Reggie or Aly who take turns acting as translators, but soon there is a crowd. Several of our young friends from the community came to the clinic to help and hang out, wanting to be a part of what was happening there. It’s just how this culture and community does life, all together. It’s what I picture life in America to have been like back in the day, before technology. The patients didn’t seem to notice or care about the extra visitors, so when in Haiti …. !!
Patients were still lined up when we left to head over to the feeding program, which is served in shifts at the RestorationMinistriesChurch. There are nearly 600 sponsored kids in the feeding program, fed 5 days a week …. for some this will be their only meal of the day. Our team ate with the kids today, a special thing for all of us since team member Caley had sponsored a Milk Day and Pastor Lefleur had provided a chicken leg as well. It’s a beautiful thing to watch how it all works to feed that many children, and to see the kid’s excitement over having meat and milk with their usual rice and beans. Those faces melt my heart.
The team ate quickly and went to the preschool next door, to help with day two of sizing all the children for clothing and shoes. It was well organized and things flowed pretty well, sizing around 100 kids each day. Of course kids are kids and you have to keep reminding them to stay in a line. And since kids are kids, you had the occasional line-breaker trying to get the advantage, and the disrespectful ones who mock all efforts to maintain order …. after a couple of warnings the offenders were asked to leave and come back tomorrow. Things instantly settled back down and the sizing continued without further disturbance.
After dinner out on the town with Restoration Ministry staff, we returned to the hotel to debrief.
Satan knows my areas of weakness, my hurts and my past ….. and when an innocent comment was made tonight it stung. All my life I have felt less than, not good enough. Although I am sure in my head the comment was not intended to hurt me specifically, it pushed my insecurity button and my heart ached from the old, too familiar pain.
I had not thought much about “discernment” today, until this moment. I realize how easily Satan can use an innocent comment to try to inflict pain, create conflict and division and make me lose focus on The Mission. He never lets up! If he can make me take my eyes off God, even if just a moment, he’s done his job. In the past I would have reacted so differently, but I am on solid food now …. I know how to discern between his deceptive tactics and God’s truth, the reality of who I am in Him. Discernment. I am reminded of Ephesians 6: 10-18, and I stand on God’s word, strap on my armor and thank Him for the freedom and victory I have in Jesus.
We’ve switched rooms tonight, because our door won’t lock and toilet won’t fill up across the hall. This room is brand new and nearly finished, just not completely ready for guests ….. it’s all good though, we have air conditioning, a bathroom and a comfy bed.
all4the1 