Wow- God blessed our team with an incredibly eye-opening and love-filled day today. Each day in Haiti is something new and exciting, so we all feel very grateful that we were given the emotional and physical strength to participate... though we were two members short today as Ethan W. was stuck in bed and his dad stayed back to care for him (Please keep Ethan in mind during your prayers and ask God for Ethan's recovery and healing!).
Today began with a team breakfast and prayer to set the stage for a busy day of serving our Lord! We loaded up our tap-taps and took off for another water truck day in Cite Soleil. Water truck days consist of going to a neighborhood in Cite Soleil and filling the residents' buckets with water... the children of those collecting water swarm to us, so if we aren't carrying/distributing buckets of water, we are holding a few smiley kids in our arms! The children don't have many material possessions (many don't even have clothes on), yet they are happier than you would ever think. God shows His love for us through those kids' beautiful smiles and the way that they wrap their arms around us so tightly. We are constantly inspired by their unending happiness, because it is honestly so humbling that they have nearly nothing that we do, yet they have all the joy AND more than us!
After our first stop, we had to refill the water truck at the city water supply. There, we ate lunch and took a breather before the next stop. However, while I was eating, I caught a glimpse of a young boy looking at me... I waved and said hello, but his face was sad and he said a word that means "hungry" in creole. My heart automatically broke because I wasn't allowed to give him any food, and I also wasn't allowed to give him bandages for the many wounds that I later realized he had. He didn't understand that I couldn't give him anything, and I felt so helpless because this poor child was hungry and hurt and in need. So I gave him the only thing I could, which was love. I loved on him for a good long time, and God just knew that I needed the child more than he needed me at that point. He showed me how to love by cleaning dirt off of me with his own shirt and wiping my tears away... It was such an emotional encounter, but I am blessed to have held my little brother in Christ and again be shown Jesus' overwhelming love.
We had another water truck stop afterward, then headed home to change and made our way to an orphanage. We visited an orphanage called La Loo that houses 55 children. Upon arrival, the beautiful children gathered and sang us a welcome song. We got to love on them all afternoon, playing duck duck goose (otherwise known as duck duck duck duck goose), drawing with chalk and playing soccer. One child drew a gorgeous chalk portrait of our team member, Taytum, which was the sweetest sentiment one could've received. We toured the orphanage, and I was amazed at how the caretakers were able to keep everything so well-kept while also fulfilling all of the children's needs. It's always difficult to visit a home where children don't have any parents, but I stay strong in these moments by reminding myself that God is their daddy and He is all that anybody needs. We are blessed to be filled with love to give to God's children.
We are now back at the guest house... tired is a common theme among us. We are resting and gearing up for a big day in Grace Village tomorrow :) Blessings!!!
