sometimes I wish I could paint
I would paint the mountains, I would spend a lifetime painting the mountains.....
I love the look of the mountains, so gigantic and full of mystery, yet so warm and inviting. all at the same time.
spring is the worst though.
finally warm weather and clear skies, when I look out on the glorious mountains they call me. they call me to explore and adventure.
but spring is the worst, to much snow for exploration, to chilly for much adventure.
I am sitting here at a lake when I should be heading to work.
I just LOVE escaping to quiet, lonely places.
even just for ten minutes.
it makes my day.
I can't stop thinking about my latest trip.
Haiti.
beautiful countryside, beautiful people, beautiful culture, with my beautiful friend Shari!!!
mango trees full for the picking, smiling faces yelling "blanche, blanche" as we drive by, and the smell of fire. whether for cooking or getting rid of garbage, there is always smoke in the air.
the beautiful kids we got to love and play with for a week.
those kids who might never have a family, who are hard for some people to love because of their mental and physical ailments.
the ones I love even more.
Those kids stole my heart.....Denley, Monel, Immanuel, Christine and Christina, Mckinsley, Joshua, Anderlin.....the list goes on.
one day we got to go do street evangelism. And when I say street I do not actually mean street like you would think in north America, it is more wandering from one house to the next in the village of Don Don. The biggest challenge for me was walking into the yard of a home which was clearly owned by a witchdoctor. The side of the house had a devil painted on it, with snakes surrounding it in red-the one of two colours that represents witchcraft in Haiti. A fire place fenced in meant for sacrifices.....
there was definitely a heavy feeling walking into that place.
And I am expected to share the gospel with people of this home?
people who clearly worship the devil?
people who have for generations given themselves and their households to satan and his work.
scary.
but God was with us.
we shared.
they listened.
God did his work in their lives.
we ended that time with the wife of the witchdoctor kneeling in the dirt, hands raised, praying to Jesus for freedom and relationship. wow. I'm getting goosebumps just writing about it.
that stood out to me, I think it always will.
yes I have been places with witchdoctors before, yes I have been in churches surrounded by witchdoctors chanting their curses on me, but to go to one of their houses and talk about a God who is love, who brings life, and who is so trustworthy.
that is completely different.
I thank God for that opportunity.
we were blessed with being involved in many other areas of missions.
me in the clinic, seeing the sick, and hearing the "lub-dub" of babies hearts in the womb.
In the classroom teaching and sharing, English, math, health.
Then there was Coleen and Kate.
Two long term missionaries who graciously offered their home for us to stay for a week.
They are amazing women of God.
They pour themselves into their work, their mission field. Following the call God has for them and jumping in with both feet. They have both spent the closer end to ten years in Haiti as missionaries and it was a blessing to be able to walk alongside them for a week, consume their wisdom, and observe their lives of missions as I strive to live with more of a missions mindset here in Alberta.
They are great role models. They live their lives with purpose, spending time doing the important things, and not wasting time.
I hope to see them again.
So that is basically my two-week trip in a nutshell.
I am sure if you ask Shari she would tell you a whole different perspective. I love that, different perspectives that is. Life would be boring if everyone viewed the world with the same lense, from the same point of view.
I learnt a lot this trip, as I do most trips.
But this trip was really eye opening to me about my life and my future.
My heart is in missions and it always will be. But this trip to Haiti made me realize the apathy that our church in Canada portrays. The need for missionaries here, for believers who are pursuing a relationship with Christ above all else.
For a generation who stops wasting time on unimportant things and makes room in their lives for focusing on the things that really matter.
Even though most of the time I wish I was living in a hut in Africa, or on the amazon I realize that God has me here. In Southern Alberta, in Pincher Creek. That He wants to use me here and now.
I don't want to miss what he has for me.
