A little bit of a lot --Haiti thoughts, A Water Truck Run, How lucky I am, and Encouragement

When people ask “How is Haiti?” I look at them and reply, “It’s incredible.” Not because it’s so much fun, not because it’s so nice here, not because I feel safe to do anything I want to, not because of any normal reasons. It’s incredible because it has stolen my heart. I have fallen in love with the beautiful children, I’ve fallen in love with the simplicity of life, I’ve fallen in love with the people I get to interact with. The country of Haiti is not incredible in and of itself, it’s the people that live here that make the country incredible. Haiti is full of poverty that no human should ever have to endure. People living in less than tents, people with nowhere to lay their heads at night, people who live with bugs flying and crawling around them all the time, people with no electricity or running water; but yet they endure. They don’t know what they don’t have. They have adapted to how they live and are truly survivors. Each and every person I have met here has impressed me in some way or another. I’m so blessed to be able to live here and get to know these incredible people.

I was trying to get a picture of these boys splashing and playing in the water, but it ended up being more of the boy with the bike.

Today I had the opportunity to go to Cite Soleil, the poorest slum in the western hemisphere. I saw living conditions worse than any person should have to experience. Everything was built from what they found, tarps, sheets, metal, pieces of wood, and pieces of cement if they are lucky. Flies were buzzing everywhere, there was a stench present, broken glass and trash were everywhere, and electricity and running water werenon-existent. But I saw hope. In every child that smiled because we hugged them, held them, kissed them, loved on them, in every bucket of clean water we were able to fill, in every child that could speak English (in the poorest slum, mind you), in every sound of laughter, in every hardworking woman or child, in every conversation I was able to have, in every piece of joy we were able to spread—I saw hope.

A mom handed me her baby because she wanted a picture of him with me, I jumped at that opportunity!

We were there with a water truck that makes daily deliveries to these areas that have no running water, let alone clean water. Can you imagine not being able to wash your clothes, take a bath, wash your hands, drink water, play in water - ever? We can fill an entire oil truck full of water for only $7. Seven dollars, that is all. We partner with Haitians who drive water trucks into these neighborhoods and are able to love on the kids and help people take buckets to their “houses.” As soon as we step off of our trucks we are surrounded by kids holding our hands, hugging our legs, staring at us with their beautiful eyes, yelling “Pote m', pote m'!” (carry me), and stealing our hearts.

This girl stood at the entrance of an "alley way" (it was only big enough for one person and they don't even have to reach their arms out all the way to touch the "houses" on either side) and said "hey you!" and looked super cute! I passed by her several times carrying water buckets and had to stop for a picture.

We were able to fill buckets and buckets and buckets of fresh clean water today. We were able to love and hold kids—many naked ones. Each and every one of them just wanted love. They wanted to know that someone cared enough about them to take a moment to make their day. I’m so glad I get an opportunity that most people who go with the water truck do not get and that is to go over and over again. I hope these kids start remembering me and as I learn more and more Creole we can have real conversations. I want to laugh and play with them as we splash in water and skip down the street. I want to create many zanmis (friends) in Cite Soleil where the people live worse than you can imagine.

Loving on the kids of Cite Soleil... such beautiful sweethearts!

As soon as these people get water, they are taking baths and washing clothes. But, my favorite thing to watch is the kids splashing and playing in the water because they know there is enough. They don’t have to be super conservative because of water trucks like the one Healing Haiti provides. I love watching people lap up clean water, finally able to get a fresh drink after being in the heat all day. I love getting dirty from water splashing while carrying it and then picking up dirty children. I am so blessed to be here.

This sweetheart came up and hid shyly behind a tree while we were waiting on the water truck to fill with water. We invited him over and gave him some candy and then he sat right there. I asked if I could take his picture, he said yes, and when I showed him the picture he said "Meci." Such a sweety!

People tell me they are so impressed with me living here or they don’t know how they can do it. But I don’t really have it that bad off. I have a job, I have running water, I have access to clean drinking water as often as I want, I have electricity most of the time, and I have access to plenty of food. I mean, I’m sitting here on my laptop, using the internet! So many people in this country have never even seen a computer! I’m not giving much up by being here. I can’t see people as often as I’d like to and most people are no longer just a simple phone call away. That stinks, but that’s the worst. I still have Skype, facebook, and e-mail and I’ll make due with those.

This girl was attached to my side at one of our stops.

People here are much worse off than me. My above thoughts and observations explain it all. I don’t have to say it again. I have so much. My worst problem is learning to speak the language and transportation issues. Seriously? That’s all. I don’t have to fend for my life each and every day, I don’t have to wonder when the next time I can eat will be, and I can leave this country at any time if needed or wanted. These people do and can’t.

God has called me here and that is why I can live here. Yes, its hard at times, but so was living in the states and working with homeless people. So was being a counselor at camp sometimes. There were times when I didn’t want to send my girls back home to the places they cried to me about. My heart has been broken so many times for other people, but each time God reminds me that He has a plan. He has a purpose beyond anything we can imagine. God is bigger than all the trials, heartache, and pain.

I’d like to encourage you to give whatever trial, heartache, pain, etc. that is weighing on your mind right now to God. Completely and entirely and take rest in the fact that He has it under control. God loves each and every one of His children (that’s us!) and does not want to see any harm done to us. He holds us close to his heart and wants to give us God sized hugs. Let Him work in the way that He has planned—its far better than anything we could figure out! Remember, God loves you, He loves the starving children in third world countries, He loves your hurting neighbor, He loves your enemy, He loves the sick child, He loves the dying elderly, He loves each and every one of us. DO NOT ever forget that He loves you and wants what is best for you!