Taking our families to Haiti forever impacted and changed our worldview. We spent four full work days in the poorest section of Haiti. At times, it was nearly too much to bear.  It’s heartbreaking to realize that a week of our summer is a lifetime away for too many people in Haiti.  Our brief four days of work saw the completion of a duplex home that will house two full families.  Those two families were able to move from dirt floors and mud thatch roof and walls to a standing structure that will not have to be rebuilt after every rainy season.

Our children were able to love on other children in the village, changing their perspective of life forever.  Several of the kids have written about our trip in school reports.  Here is one excerpt from an 11 year old girl who traveled with us.

“What I learned from Haiti is that we should not take things for granted.  They are in a drought, they don’t have a nice house, they don’t have food, and most don’t have God.  Counting their blessings, it’s just good to be alive.”

We celebrate the awareness of world beyond our privileged border.  We celebrate God’s goodness in allowing friendships to be formed with people from another culture.  I’ve savored the impact on my family as my own 8 year old daughter recants her favorite Haitian friends’ names, personalities and the different games they played together. While we have vast lifestyle differences, our Amazing, Gracious God shows up just the same.

The highlight of our trip was the dedication day upon completion of the duplex house.  Completion of the house was satisfying, but participating in the spontaneous worship celebration with people who live in the village trumped every other highlight. Indeed, we serve a mighty God, who used us when we decided to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” We dream about returning… about witnessing further promised hope and manifestation of a better future.  But most of all, we dream of spending eternity with friends from different cultures and with different earthly tongues during our week in Haiti.