The joys of life are hidden behind the hard situations and painful experiences. The Haven CRC team breaches the barriers of language as they take on the challenges a day of serving in Haiti has for them. 

To read yesterday’s blog, click here.

A smile surpasses the boundaries of language. It may be a child receiving a new pair of shoes, a worker learning a new trick of his trade, or a smile in passing that changes one person’s idea of the other. This morning, I got the chance to pass out shoes at a school, and as you can imagine, it was chaotic, each child excitedly rushing to the shoes, trying to find a size that fits, and hoping that the “cool” shoes come in their size. Not everyone was happy with what they got, but when a kid got new shoes that fit, the smile on their face conveyed a joy previously kept hidden.

Sizing Tom’s shoes.

Isn’t that how all of Haiti is though? The joys of life are hidden behind the hard situations and painful experiences. The beauty of this country is hidden behind bumpy roads and dusty paths. But if you aren’t looking for what’s hidden you’ll never find it and you might miss the boy jumping and crying out with excitement when he sees the gifts, or the women who laugh as they work in the kitchen, finding joy in their everyday tasks, or even the tree that hides behind a wall but blooms with brilliant pink flowers.

Looks like a Dr Seuss Tree

Have you ever met someone for the first time and already thought you knew what their life is like? Here the stereotype of being “blanc” follows us around as children run behind our truck and everyone waves from the side of the road, asking for something. There are pre-conceived ideas of each other on both sides. But our daily interactions continue to break down these false impressions and remind us how similar we really are.  We saw this today when we visited the waterfall at Bassin Zim where Haitians and Americans alike found a common interest – we all love to have a good time!

Bassin Zim

Tomorrow is our last full day, so we’re faced with a question: what is left undone that we came here to do? We all came here with hopes and ideas of what we thought needed to be done, yet living in Haiti for even a short amount of time readjusts those ideas and hopes. Some of our goals have been accomplished – an upgraded solar panel system has been installed. Some of our hopes have been put on hold – a roof project will have to wait. An unexpected task was put in our path – some of our group prayerfully addressed the mixture of Christianity and Voodoo in some friends’ lives. Yet we all feel like we have accomplished the purpose for which God brought us here even if it doesn’t look like what we had in mind at first. And that brings a smile to our faces, a smile that surpasses the boundaries of language.

Trinity Kraal

Many Hands for Haiti Campus

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