WOW...today was another good day. Just hanging with the kids and loving on them. Each one is different and have their own way. Some will come up and sit on your lap or want to be picked up. And some shrink back like "Who are you strange person?"
The big kids have been great to teach us Creole. Then we had a discussion about me NOT being Haitian, although they still don't believe me. But that was interesting and funny and of course I tried to go into my Africans in the Diaspora lessons to explain the answer to their question of "If I'm not Haitian, then why is my skin the same color as theirs!" So Yvonne and I made up a song and dance about African ancestors and I'm sure at that point we both just became crazy Americans!
We also got to see several children from HAF dedicated today. That was cool. Always a reminder of why any of us who work with children in ministry do what we do....to see them given back to the Lord, to see the adults commit to raise them to know the Lord, and ultimately to see those children one day give their lives to Christ.
Then we got to go to church and hear a service in Creole, then later we went to a church service on the beach with other missionaries. It was beautiful to sit in such an awesome location. Beverly, one of my roommates, told how watching the waves crash against the rocks reminded her that no matter what obstacles come our way or crash against us, we just need to stand on the Rock--God is our solid rock.
Then I met this brother and sister. I went to talk to the girl thinking she was Haitian and she spoke perfect English. She told me she was from Canada....WOW....talk about blowing my mind. She and her brother are both adopted. Their adopted parents bring them back to Haiti so they get to see their birth parents. The kids were great---Sophia and Jesse. We were talking and he said, "we have 4 parents." When I asked him how did they come to have 4 parents, they told me their story.
Then we came back and hung out with the kids some more...and oh wait....there was the football coach who shared at Church on the Beach. When he was in high school an old man gave him this advice and he shared it with us. "Whenever you face obstacles in your life....1) Pray about it 2) Do something about it and 3) Rest! Then the coach really did come out in him and he reminded us of what he tells his players. "Go hard! or Go Home!" OK! So I choose to Go Hard.
One of the funny things was at dinner that night. It was supposed to be a treat for us because it was going to be an American dinner. It was funny because before I came, I just kept thinking, what if they serve goat head stew or something like that. I can't eat that I thought, but I wouldn't want to offend anyone. OK....goat head stew? Don't know where I got that idea from.
Anyway, I had loved the Haitian dishes we'd had...rice with some kind of red Haitian sauce, chicken, and some kind of spicy coleslaw. Loved it! One day for breakfast was oatmeal and bananas. We also had fried plaintains, Haitian Kool-Aid (pineapple flavor). Breakfast this morning was great....eggs, bacon, and jelly toast. Teressa and I managed the bacon, some pork and some turkey bacon....We laughed about why call it bacon if it's not made of pork. So we cooked the turkey bacon in the pig grease!
So the only dish so far I haven't liked was the American meal, but dessert was carrot cake cupcakes and the buttered toast for dinner was the bomb. So I just went to the fridge, grabbed a piece of ham, and slapped it on the buttered toast. Voila!
Later, we broke out our electronics...I-Phones, mp3 players, even digital cameras...which the kids all loved. I even got a request for Justin Beiber. I was glad I had some to share. So tomorrow I'm supposed to bring it out again because the kids had to go to bed.
After that we had our sharing/devotions time with the team. One of my roommates shared a heartbreaking story. It broke her heart and when she told it, it broke mine too. We had chicken for lunch and there was a plate for the bones. I thought it was for Drake, the dog. But later, the kids lined up and they were eating and sucking on chicken bones. I did not pay it a second thought.
But this was the heartbreaking part that was shared. Who were we to eat the chicken, but the kids got the bones. WOW! Who indeed? I get the kids sucking on the bones....my kids do it....chicken, ribs, etc. But I think it was the thought that we sat there and feasted like kings and queens and they got the scraps. I did wonder if my reaction was a little bit of American self-righteousness! Like...."Well, I never....."
Now, let me say that the kids had already eaten dinner...and I'm pretty sure that they had the same thing because I had talked to one of the kids earlier about what we were having for dinner, but I think it was the contrast.
One of the staffers reminded us that it is good that our hearts hurt so that we don't forget. So that is my take away today coupled with the coach's advice. God does do a work in our lives, but it is not enought to hurt or feel sad...now we have the responsibility to do something about it. It may be something big or it may be something small, but God never gives us a revelation just for knowledge's sake. It is always a call to action. I am reminded of James 1:22 "But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says."
So what are you going to do with what He has revealed to you?
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