Over the past few days I’ve laughed and smiled so much that my face hurts! When you’re surrounded by suffering and pain in Haiti – you often feel guilty if you’re really happy. You know what I mean? How can I smile and chuckle when the people I would laugh with can’t even feed their children every day? There’s something unsettling about that. It’s SO easy to lose sight of Joy when you’re surrounded by so much sorrow.
In October we visited St. Louis du Nord (for less than 24 hours) right after Catalyst. It was so great to see our Haitian friends. If I heard it once – I heard it 20 times – – We miss you joking with us. We miss you teasing us! We miss your laughter!
A few weeks ago I decided for the first time since we’ve been in the Mole to surprise everyone and play games instead of having our usual devotional time. We started off playing hot potato. Then two rounds of musical chairs – which Momma Gigi claimed victory as she used her bum to scoot the littler people out of their chairs! We ALL laughed until we cried. We moved onto relay games and ended the hour exhausted from the fun! I heard the Pastor talking to his wife as they were leaving – “This was a great surprise! I really needed to laugh today!”
Ecclesiastes 3
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
How often do we forget there is a time to laugh and a time to dance? As I begin to close down on these 30 Days of Thanksgiving – I didn’t have any trouble thinking of something every day! I might have to think about how I want to share it – but the blessings were there to be counted. And if we can list even 1 thing – we should be dancing a jig of joy!
What I realized after my visit in St. Louis and that hour of play was that I needed to lead the staff in laughter! They NEEDED me to help them laugh! They NEEDED to be reminded there is JOY in this world! God created laughter and He has definitely blessed me with a sense of humor! This fall He showed me that He NEEDS me to use it! He NEEDS me to show people that you can still laugh in the midst of life. Everyone needs that break from reality!
So today I am thankful for laughter!
For being able losing ourselves in a moment!
