Last Night of the Best Summer

I have not written anything in awhile because I have been too busy living and loving and praying with the beautiful people of Haiti.  Tonight is my last night in Haiti.  I went to church tonight despite the tropical downpour with hopes of seeing the friends who said they would meet me there.  Some came despite the rain, and Gismene and Kelidha showed up with T-shirts on which they had written in marker "I love Erica for every day."  We couldn't stop laughing and exchanging bits of Kreyol and English and singing songs to the God who brought us together.  This is what life is about- loving, laughing, crying, praising God, and above all, yearning for Jesus to return and make heaven and earth new.  This week, God revealed to me once again how raw and heartbreaking poverty is, and in those moments, I wanted Jesus to come more than I had ever wanted before.  It was a glimpse of what is in the cries and faces of the people praying all around me, and I realized we can never grow close to God if we are content with the world.  When we are not hoping for Christ to transform this earth and end its suffering, then we are not serving in love those people who are suffering.