I spun my cup mindlessly with my thumb and middle finger making imaginary circles across the plain wooden high top table in Caribou Coffee. Listening. And talking. And sharing where God had brought me the last few months and where I anticipated him leading. And questioning. Wondering. Courtney listened to me pour out my open-ended thoughts and half completed questions. Just like she had so many times throughout the years and tears. Gently encouraging and sharing the lessons Christ had been teaching her, this friend had already caused me to look at things differently before my Americano had stopped steaming.
“What would life look like if we didn’t care for things so much?” And “Christ has called us to serve, to give. Not to be the next person to reach the elusive ‘American Dream’”
True. What if things . . . objects . . . tools . . . personal achievement – didn’t hold such a lofty place in my heart? What would a heart totally determined to give – to love like Christ – look like? I was outwardly nodding my head and inwardly praying these questions took root in my heart and would not be forgotten. My thoughts started to scatter and then dance and then . . ..
“Come to Haiti with me.”
What? Already? I mean she already has a tangible way to experience the thought – the idea of giving up things to go and be the hands and feet of Christ?
Courtney explained how God had led her to the desire to go on a mission trip to Haiti this summer. How she was sacrificing to make it happen. How she was already starting to pray for these people she was going to meet.
I wanted to sign up immediately.
But really, how could I make it happen? My Americano was almost gone and time for remembering priorities quickly returned. Priorities. Man made, self imposed priorities. Like finances. And safety. And comfort. And silly things like that.
I started praying that God would make a way possible and that more importantly he would change they way I viewed things. And people. That people, his people, would always be more of a priority than my comfort and my things.
Then there was a speaker at church who spoke of going to Haiti and preaching there. He showed pictures of beautiful faces with sparkling smiles who literally had nothing. Photos of places still re-building. I knew that night I needed to go. To see those faces and learn from them what contentment in Christ alone means.
I emailed Courtney that night and told her I was going with her to Haiti.
So – one month from now, Lord willing I will be standing on Haitian soil, working alongside the Haitian people, serving and learning. (Trip dates – June 6 – 15, 2014)
I know it will be difficult. I realize my heart will probably break a hundred times over. I am praying that God would change me as a result of this trip. I am seeing that he already has.
Will you pray for me? Pray as I prepare for this adventure? Pray for the people Courtney and I will be working with? Pray that the impact of this trip would have eternal reach?
Mission of Hope, Haiti is the group that we are going with and I highly recommend spending a few minutes checking out their website and the ministries they are doing in Haiti – www.mohhati.org.
Also – keep following along here for details of this trip and please contact me with any questions, thoughts, etc. you might have. I would love to talk about this to anyone and everyone who has the time and interest to listen.
alongthegravelroad 