As a part of Kairos from Lutheran Church of Hope, Sarah has come back to Haiti one year after her first visit. She returned with new life experiences which have shaped in her a different worldview. Keep reading as Sarah shares her story. 

To read yesterday’s blog, click here.

I first came to Haiti in March 2017 not knowing what to expect. My sister had been before, but I didn’t know what God would do with me during my time there. I saw it as a unique experience and another country checked off my list. I left renewed and excited to give my life to God. I came back in May 2018 a broken sinner, with fresh battle scars from our world. I had walked away from God and the church and had came back. I had questioned anything and everything. I was lost.

Myself and a child in March 2017.

Haiti has changed so much since I was here. There are new buildings on campus, newborns to hold, and families to feel the blessings of our great Savior. But it’s also the same, there are still the sights, the smells, the sounds of roosters in the morning that I remember as if it was yesterday.

I’m also different, but still the same. I’ve grown immensely throughout the last year. I’ve changed my degree program, accepted new jobs, and gone to new places. I’ve been through some of the highest highs and the lowest lows. But I still have a passion for people, an adventurous spirit, and a Mary Poppins bag ready for any event.

God is constantly using our God given talents to change us and morph us to better serve His kingdom. Experiences like this unleash talents we do not even know we have. Before coming to Haiti, I didn’t know I had a passion for selflessly serving others. Ever since then, I keep coming back to Romans 12:13, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.”

In Creole, when you say good bye you say “Ale avek bondye“ meaning “Go with God.” We are not called to stay with God, we are called to go out into our local communities, our own countries, and abroad. It’s important that when we hear the call, we act.

Sarah Ripperger

Myself and a child in May 2018.