Thoughts from Haiti

I just arrived home from Haiti. I wrote this for my church's blog and thought I'd share with you all as well. To read more about our visit click here.

I’m tired. Run down. Seen too much. Overwhelmed. The team is getting a little delirious. By the end of each day, we surprisingly experience a lot of laughter. Probably a way to cope with all that we’ve seen each day.

What do you do with the overwhelming stench that hits you when you enter a tent city? What do you do with the heartbreak of a girl who lost her entire family in the quake? What do you do with the sideways cross painted in the voodoo temple?

The people here have endured much. The human spirit is amazingly resilient. The people want to work. They want to care for their families. I have been impressed by the way these families dress sharp and have their hair done. They have not lost their dignity.

Yesterday we attended a good sized Pentecostal church. It was definitely an interesting experience. At one point, our entire team was on the church floor as the bishop poured (literally poured!) oil on each head and asked us to bless them. 700 people later, we had finished the job! While this was foreign to me, when I got past my own insecurities and just viewed it as an opportunity to pray, I was amazed by the way God allowed me to pray on their behalf. I was especially moved each time I prayed for a young man. I could tangibly feel the burden for these young guys to step up and lead their future families and communities courageously. Looking into their eyes I saw so many possibilities.

Today we are attempting to finalize the plans for Children of the Nation’s work in Haiti. We are finalizing board members and formalizing partnerships with other agencies so that together, we can offer the best care possible.

We just got freed from a traffic jam due to a strike. A drive that should have taken 30 minutes took 3 hours. Unbelievable.

I am tired. Ready to return home. Excited to see my family once again, and not looking forward to the long flight ahead.

Before I move forward to visions and plans for what this means for me and my community at home, I want to sit in this moment. To remember these people. To remember what I’ve seen. To be still and know that He is God.

See you soon,
Pastor Adam