At the end of the tunnel
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
I wake up and go to wash my face and not a drop of water will come out. My water tank was empty.
I receive a call from a friend saying he had found a great van in St. Marc, one hour North of me. We arrive and find out that there is no bus to be found, but we are told there are several in Port au Prince. So we take the hour trip back towards home and another hour trip towards the city.
Yes, indeed we did find two beautiful vans that could be used for mission teams and the children . The van would probably seat around 15 people. Only problem was there was only one seat in the van. The rest were missing.
(For you all that know this culture, asking questions and calling ahead would of done no good)
As we head further into the city, we pass street orphans and beggers, awomen trying to sell her 5 tomatoes, people without limbs. A dead body. Poverty to the extreme. Yet everyone looked content.
Light at the end of the tunnel
We were trotting right along when right in the middle of the intersection our car stalls and then completely goes dead. (We just got it out of the shop two days before) As I sit inside sweating like crazy (because I'm not aloud outside in this part of town) men from every direction came to try and help. When nothing worked, they would leave.
Love your neighbor as your self.
The sun was bolting down its heat. Everyone should have been worrying about their own life, but they still came. Not one of them asked for anything in return for their help.
It started getting late and I needed to be home by dark. We negotiated with a tax driver to tow us.
The normal hour long drive was quite an adventure. We stopped 7 times....yes, 7!
3 times because the rope broke, twice for police, and twice because the taxi broke Down.
Usually we are able to just pay off the police. Seeing that the driver was suppose to wear a seat belt, yet the car did not have one. His license was from the Dominican Republic. No break lights, no form allowing us to be towed. But the grace of God was with us.
The rope was so short, we were being drug only two feet behind the taxi. When he hit the breaks, we are suppose to hit the breaks. Since he didn't have break lights we most definitely ran into the back of him.
No big deal though, no one said anything. We just laughed and kept driving.
Maybe that's why I looked at the Haitians and saw contentment in them. Maybe that's why in the middle of poverty, they still smile. Maybe because they look at life and the problems as a puzzle that will be solved in time.
They've dealt with hardships their whole life. They look at life not as hard but as challenging. A challenge they know if they get through, they can smile, knowing they have accomplished the impossible.
Maybe there always is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to believe that you see it.
Needless to say, we didn't drive home in a beautiful new bus. But I did make great memories with the Haitians that would walk through fire for me. Because they never stop believing in the light.
Not every situation is like this and not everyone will see the light. But on this particular day, God allowed me to see the goodness in these people. The love they are willing to give. The hope. The light.
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
I wake up and go to wash my face and not a drop of water will come out. My water tank was empty.
I receive a call from a friend saying he had found a great van in St. Marc, one hour North of me. We arrive and find out that there is no bus to be found, but we are told there are several in Port au Prince. So we take the hour trip back towards home and another hour trip towards the city.
Yes, indeed we did find two beautiful vans that could be used for mission teams and the children . The van would probably seat around 15 people. Only problem was there was only one seat in the van. The rest were missing.
(For you all that know this culture, asking questions and calling ahead would of done no good)
As we head further into the city, we pass street orphans and beggers, awomen trying to sell her 5 tomatoes, people without limbs. A dead body. Poverty to the extreme. Yet everyone looked content.
Light at the end of the tunnel
We were trotting right along when right in the middle of the intersection our car stalls and then completely goes dead. (We just got it out of the shop two days before) As I sit inside sweating like crazy (because I'm not aloud outside in this part of town) men from every direction came to try and help. When nothing worked, they would leave.
Love your neighbor as your self.
The sun was bolting down its heat. Everyone should have been worrying about their own life, but they still came. Not one of them asked for anything in return for their help.
It started getting late and I needed to be home by dark. We negotiated with a tax driver to tow us.
The normal hour long drive was quite an adventure. We stopped 7 times....yes, 7!
3 times because the rope broke, twice for police, and twice because the taxi broke Down.
Usually we are able to just pay off the police. Seeing that the driver was suppose to wear a seat belt, yet the car did not have one. His license was from the Dominican Republic. No break lights, no form allowing us to be towed. But the grace of God was with us.
The rope was so short, we were being drug only two feet behind the taxi. When he hit the breaks, we are suppose to hit the breaks. Since he didn't have break lights we most definitely ran into the back of him.
No big deal though, no one said anything. We just laughed and kept driving.
Maybe that's why I looked at the Haitians and saw contentment in them. Maybe that's why in the middle of poverty, they still smile. Maybe because they look at life and the problems as a puzzle that will be solved in time.
They've dealt with hardships their whole life. They look at life not as hard but as challenging. A challenge they know if they get through, they can smile, knowing they have accomplished the impossible.
Maybe there always is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to believe that you see it.
Needless to say, we didn't drive home in a beautiful new bus. But I did make great memories with the Haitians that would walk through fire for me. Because they never stop believing in the light.
Not every situation is like this and not everyone will see the light. But on this particular day, God allowed me to see the goodness in these people. The love they are willing to give. The hope. The light.
Love this! !! Expressed so well. Take notes to write your book one day!!!
ReplyDeleteBlessed every time I stop in to check your blog. Prayers for you! Thank you for sharing with us! (Mary Ann, Kentucky)
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