2 August 2012

This is Taylor, I am with a group from North Carolina. Today the group decided to walk through the village to get to our work site, it was very nice to see more of the village than just through bus windows. Even though some places were rough, I enjoyed getting more personal with the community and meeting the Haitians. While in the village, we came across a beautiful house, one of the nicest we had seen. The lady welcomed us into her home, we were told that her and her family were being sponsored. It's amazing what people can accomplish through giving and helping one another.
After, we went to the local orphanage, where my heart broke for these children. So many are sick. We had the opportunity to share a little of the gospel with them. One of our own from the group, Teresa, told the bible story of Noah's Ark to the children with a translator. I was overjoyed by the kids responses with animals. I liked that she got them involved in the story. After, we passed out colored construction paper and crayons for them to draw the animals that were mentioned in the story. So many children crowded around me wanting me to draw them pictures and write things. I drew a camel, a few giraffes, then I began to write "Jesus loves you" and " Jesus is the way, the light, and the truth." They loved it. There was one little girl that stuck out to me the most from the group, I do not know her name, but she couldn't have been more than 2 years old. She was sick and all she wanted was for me to hold her. I did for a little while, then as soon as I went to put her down, she would bring up her knees and start crying, it broke my heart but I knew I had to leave, she did this 2 more times. I wanted so badly to take them all with me and  heal them the best way I could.
 As Christians and as Americans, we still take for granted everyday what we are being handed everyday, whether it is shelter, food, clean water, clean clothes, or love from our families and relationships, yes we consider these things as necessities, however, we fail to realize these are in fact, luxuries. If you don't get anything from this, understand this...what you (Americans) see in the US on your television sets, on the news, (when we hear of disasters, poverty, things we fear in our country)  by being a part of a mission team or coming here and seeing these things with your own eyes, you will have a hard time understanding our thoughts and feelings. I hope the thoughts and feelings of me and others before me as you read this moves you to grow, to learn, and help those who need your God given abilities. Please pray for these children, these families, and this country and all those in need and working for those who need. God bless you!