Lessons in God's Providence

Oftentimes, we know what is true and right, but we do not always live as though it were so. For example, I know that life is better when God is in control, but I usually try to steer my own life anyway. This year, God is teaching me the difficult yet beautiful lesson of complete reliance on Him. This lesson is even more intense during the past three weeks in Haiti. Because when I am here, I have to rely on God to renew my strength and energy each day or everything seems to fall apart. At home, I can easily fake the ability to function on my own strength. Here, God is showing me how weak I am in concrete ways. Though he is breaking me down, he is also showing what great things He can accomplish through me when I allow Him to fill me daily with the love and strength He requires from me that day.

This week was a special week in the history of Mission of Hope. For the first time, Mission of Hope ran Vacation Bible School (VBS) on property. Although churches all across the United States host similar programs during the summer, VBS is an idea that is completely new to almost all Haitians in the area. School buses left MOH and picked up kids at the two closest villages: Source Matelas and Titanyen. We were originally told that the children would be between first and sixth grade. Not the case. A couple hundred kids streamed from two crammed school buses- aged one through high school. Each day their number increased. Today, which was the last day of the VBS week, we had well over three hundred children.

Day One was chaotic.

I could feel how unequipped I was for leading my group of volunteers in the Bible Story station, in which we had to somehow capture the attention of a group of 50-70 children at a time for a half hour. To make matters worse, our translator made his frustration with the program known through his words and actions, which only increased the negativity inside of me. I knew that eventually this program would work, but I questioned whether I could survive until then. Still, I knew that I was running on my own strength, and I could see that my translator and others around me were depending on human strength, energy, and patience as well. I could see how inadequate we were for this task, and it sent me literally to my knees that night looking for help from the One who deserves all the glory for this ministry.

I was desperate. I knew that the message of God's love is the cornerstone of the VBS ministry and the key to transforming Haiti. I knew that this ministry belonged to God, and if humans were in control, we would fail entirely. And sure enough, God answered my prayers. God showed up. And it is amazing how beautiful life is when God takes control. Each day got better, and I watched as Haitian kids today got on stage and rapped about Jesus while the crowd of three hundred jumped to their feet cheering and dancing

There are five stations at VBS: bible stories, crafts, sports, community health, and lunch. My favorite day of crafts was tie-dyeing T-shirts. Many of the students wore the shirts to VBS the next day. We were able to give them a new shirt, but unlike just donations of clothes to the poor, the children could also take pride and ownership in creating it. We also found out this week that we will be receiving supplies to give kids important vaccinations through community health. One of the most powerful stations is the meals station because for many of these children, this is their only meal. Toddlers scarf giant plated of rice and beans until not a grain of rice or single bean is left. It is a reminder of what poverty looks like on a daily basis and a reminder of why we are here.  To share God's love with the poor as God changes us and teaches us His hardest lessons.