"Lucky to be in Haiti"

As our team hesitantly strolled in the doorway of a four wall concert brick church, church members were on their feet singing and clapping. We don’t know the song or the words but we happily clap along. They all seem to clap at a different tempo but in rhythm.

Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

The church, filled with Haitians on one side and our American team on the other. A torn blue tarp lines the center aisle. We sat in our comfy chairs church, members collected from their homes, as they sat on old rackety wooden benches. We were covered with the shade of the blue tarp as they sat in the sun.

Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

The Haitian preacher begins by saying “We are lucky to be in Haiti”. Are you crazy? Maybe the heat got to him. This place is awful, they are not lucky. It’s hot and no escape from the heat, trash is every were, it smells bad; they have little water, little food, little money, no jobs. How can they be lucky? We’re lucky; we can leave and go back to Disney World with our AC, trash pickup on Tuesday, Target and comfy beds.

He continues that they are lucky to be free, free to go to church, free to own bibles and read them as they wish, free to worship under the sun, free to sing about how great our God is. Free, they are free and lucky to be free, but lucky to be in Haiti? I don’t know about that.

Colossians 3:15-17
Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father.

All week long I looked for the “luck” of being in Haiti, and all week long I looked for an escape. Escape from the smell, escape from the sounds, escape from the people, the heat, the congestion, the dust and dirt, trash, filth. All week I looked for where this fit in my life. What lesson was I to learn from this? For 2 weeks after our return from Haiti I continued to wonder where all of this fit in. Should I buy things; clothes, food, gifts? Should I even waste the 3 or 4 dollars to buy a birthday card, only to be added as trash? Should I replace the sunglasses I gave away in Haiti or should I just deal with it? What was frugal? What was necessary?

As all these thoughts ran through my head I found myself thinking, “Man, they’re lucky, they don’t have to worry about this kind of stuff”, and at that moment I finally got it. They were lucky to be in Haiti, lucky that they don’t feel the need to keep up with the Jones’ because there were no Jones’. Lucky their world didn’t revolve around making a dollar only to buy more stuff, a bigger house, a better car, the finest this and that, jealousy, envy, greed and discontentment. To accomplish what? To fill our pride and feed our egos? Did having stuff make us lucky?

Isaiah 64:5-6
You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Isaiah 63:9
In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angle of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days.

When you are at the bottom the only place to look is up. You’re humble, thankful and more importantly you realize you can’t do it yourself. You realize you need something bigger than you. You rely on grace, hope, and faith which makes you closer to God. God alone makes you full, content and happy.

Job 8:5-7
But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.

Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. While we wait for the blessed hope- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I Timothy 1:15-16
Here is a truth worthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.