“But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God” Psalm 146:5. These words, written in Creole, were the first words I saw entering the Mission of Hope compound, my home for the next seven days. Reading this, I assumed it was appropriate for the mission, but quickly realized how abundantly the nation of Haiti lives this passage to its fullest.
Each morning I prayed for Christ to open my eyes, push my boundaries and use me as an instrument for Him. I realized I needed much strength. As I walked into the unknown I became anxious that I wouldn’t have the words of hope for a nation enduring so much devastation. But as I stepped off the bus I was greeted by the open arms of children who wanted nothing more than love. As the day developed, I seized every opportunity to share the Gospel. I was welcomed into the living quarters for a family of seven, a temporary tent established after the earthquake. The father asked me to pray with them as he shared their story. My heart sank. I pleaded to God for words of comfort. Face gleaming, he looked at me and repeated these words: “…but I know that God is great; nothing is impossible with Him. He feeds the sparrows, he will surely feed us. God is the God of miracles.”
We walked back in silence. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so evident in a people stripped of everything; they overflowed with joy. It contagiously poured out of them. I distinctly witnessed a people that earnestly put God first in a nation struggling to meet their basic needs. It brought this question: Why, in an affluent society, do we rely on our own measures? Why, being blessed beyond our means, do we quickly forget where our priorities lie? Far too often, we seek Him only in trials when we have nowhere else to turn.
Mission of Hope sought to bring life transformation to every man, woman, and child in Haiti. Somewhere along that mission my life was transformed. I was given the hope in something deeper than any amount of wealth, education or success could ever hold - hope and joy in the Lord our God.
- Nicole W.
Each morning I prayed for Christ to open my eyes, push my boundaries and use me as an instrument for Him. I realized I needed much strength. As I walked into the unknown I became anxious that I wouldn’t have the words of hope for a nation enduring so much devastation. But as I stepped off the bus I was greeted by the open arms of children who wanted nothing more than love. As the day developed, I seized every opportunity to share the Gospel. I was welcomed into the living quarters for a family of seven, a temporary tent established after the earthquake. The father asked me to pray with them as he shared their story. My heart sank. I pleaded to God for words of comfort. Face gleaming, he looked at me and repeated these words: “…but I know that God is great; nothing is impossible with Him. He feeds the sparrows, he will surely feed us. God is the God of miracles.”
We walked back in silence. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so evident in a people stripped of everything; they overflowed with joy. It contagiously poured out of them. I distinctly witnessed a people that earnestly put God first in a nation struggling to meet their basic needs. It brought this question: Why, in an affluent society, do we rely on our own measures? Why, being blessed beyond our means, do we quickly forget where our priorities lie? Far too often, we seek Him only in trials when we have nowhere else to turn.
Mission of Hope sought to bring life transformation to every man, woman, and child in Haiti. Somewhere along that mission my life was transformed. I was given the hope in something deeper than any amount of wealth, education or success could ever hold - hope and joy in the Lord our God.
- Nicole W.
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