When you live in Haiti there’s a balance you have to maintain. You see so much heartache, death, & disease – it’s easy to become a blob of tears. But if all you do is cry every day – then there’s little time for Kingdom advancement. But at the same time you have to be careful that you don’t go to the other extreme. You don’t want to become numb to the suffering around you…… or you can miss out on a God-ordained appointment. It can be a delegate balance.
The other day we were packing our crates & barrels with Asher. As we drove through an intersection there was a man carrying a sign.
Asher: What does that say?
Me: Will work for food.
Asher: Oh. I just work for Papaw.
It made me smile for a moment – – but I knew Asher really didn’t understand. How could he? He doesn’t have to work for food. He doesn’t have to work for clothes. He doesn’t have to work for his needs.
But that’s not the case for so many of the children in Haiti. We live in a town where child-slavery is rampant. Even though they work for their keep – they’re the last ones to eat. Many times they’re not even acknowledged as children. They’re property.
I don’t understand why some children are born into the world of wealth- while others are fighting just to survive. I don’t understand why I was born in Kentucky and my very dearest friends were born in Haiti.
What I do know is that my children are blessed to not know what true suffering is. What I know is that I need to count my blessings and name them one by one every single day! What I know is that though my struggles are my realities – there are others who’s realities are truly life & death struggles.
What I do know is – though I may have not been born into a poor country – I can impact one.
What I do know is – though there are children who are hungry -I could “work for food” to feed some of them.
What I do know is – though there’s suffering everywhere – I could choose not to look the other way.
I don’t understand how things work – but I do know I have been blessed and God’s given me a job to do.
So today I’m thankful that my children have never known real suffering ….but it’s also my prayer – that one day they will help end the suffering for others.
SO Thankful…Day 6
A few weeks ago I shared the blog – Not Her Day. It was about a mother who had 4 children. She couldn’t feed them every day – she simply didn’t have the means to do it. So each day she watched two of her children eat a small meal – while the other two children watched with empty bellies.
I can’t even fathom that. I see it here every day – but only recently did I really imagine what that momma must feel like. What sorrow she feels in the depths of her soul as she watches her children suffer right before her eyes. Life’s not fair – we know that as adults. But how do you make children understand that?
There are other mothers who wander from house to house – sleeping on porches and under trees – no roof above their head. No way to keep the rain off of their babies.
There are mothers who live in huts with mud floors. No mat. No pillow. No place to lay their head. The rain pours through their straw roofs and they spend the night holding their babies who are cold and wet. What a long & miserable night – for both momma and baby.
There are mothers who’s babies suffer in ways we could never think of….
My parents used to sing this song at every church they spoke at:
There’s a roof up above me
I’ve a good place to sleep
There’s food on my table
And shoes on my feet
You gave me your love Lord
And a fine family
Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me
Unlike millions of other mothers – I can sing that song and mean every single word.
Today I am thankful that my children have never known real suffering.
Categories: Mission Stories
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