Monday, August 25, 2014

What I didn't share yesterday

Follow up to our few minutes of sharing about Haiti at church yesterday.  I think being sick, home for just a week and trying to put a year in Haiti in just a few minutes was more challenging than I anticipated. I left feeling like there was so much more I wanted to say to our church family who played such an important role...

In the few minutes that Tim and I shared at church yesterday about the last year in Haiti, I felt like there was SO much more that we wanted to say and it’s really difficult to put it all into words.
I don’t want to bombard everyone from all directions about Haiti, but there are a few follow up thoughts that have been going through my mind and more about the heart behind the few things we were able to share.
First, we didn’t do anything special or out of the ordinary.  GOD did. We were going about our newlywed life just figuring out what was next and God put the opportunity to move to Haiti in our path. He gave us the strength to say yes and He provided the sustaining grace to face each day.  What seemed impossible one day was HAPPENING by God’s strength and provision the next. It was like a wave that couldn’t be stopped. God was doing the work and He invited us along for the ride. We couldn’t have made it all happen…I know that for sure!
If someone told us to put all of our possessions in storage and quit our jobs and move to a 3rd world country we would have thought that sounded crazy, just like anyone else.  But in so many ways God’s will was so evident and more powerful than the craziness of it all. It was one of those situations where it felt crazier to say no even though there was a list of reasons to run in the opposite direction. So if I can, I’d love to challenge you to entertain the crazy ideas! It doesn’t hurt to ask “what if?” It IS scary and at times you will wonder what have I done!?  But, the underlying assurance of knowing that God is directing, providing and leading gets you through those really tough moments. Ultimately our faith was strengthened in those times we found ourselves at our end emotionally, spiritually & physically. We found ourselves clinging to the truths of the gospel to sustain us and motivate us to continue on.
Secondly, we want to express our gratitude for the ways that Redeemer served us from afar. So many of you provided help in various ways from moving, packing, taking care of vehicles, airport transportation, logistics, care packages, painting and unpacking in our new apartment this last week. I could go on and on!  We felt encouraged and very much a part of a family. We hope that we can serve others as well as we were served. We look forward to opportunities that God may open for us to serve missionaries overseas or even people in our own neighborhoods.  When we felt lonely and isolated, we know there were people we could always reach out to and depend on for help & guidance.
God provided for us and answered specific prayers through all of you.  We learned about the opportunity in July and moved in September last year. It all happened so quickly! What seemed like an impossible amount of money to raise for our financial support to go was quickly provided and even exceeded our goal.  What would have been a barrier and even prevented us from going wasn't even a worry. The kindness and generosity of people we know well to people we’ve never even met blew us away. We were challenged in a lot of ways to ask ourselves how WE respond when a need is presented and humbled by how God provided through our brothers and sisters in Christ.  
We loved receiving the thousands of meals that you all packed around Christmas time. We had the privilege of delivering those meals to orphanages and even our neighbors in Port-au-Prince.  The craft supplies that were donated were SO much fun to share with children who may not have the opportunity to color, play or enjoy being creative and having fun. With so many needs around us each day, these things were such a blessing to be able to share with others.  We are also encouraged to look around our community now that we are back home and look at ways we can serve and meet needs right here. We came face to face with hundreds of orphans and God has burdened our hearts to continue helping in some way. But we also want to serve and care for the least of these in our own city. 
We are grateful to be a part of a community that said YES with us.  My prayer is that in whatever God is calling you to do whether its reaching out to a lonely neighbor, moving to a neighborhood out of your comfort zone, traveling overseas, really anything that God puts on your heart that seems crazy, we could encourage you to take the risk, go down the bumpy road, get your hands dirty, ask for help and do whatever it is God has equipped you to do to make an impact for Him.  The craziest decision I’ve made so far is moving to Haiti and you know what? It’s the BEST decision I’ve ever made. And just because God opened the door and directed doesn’t mean it was easy!  I’d say quite the opposite. We were in lower valleys and higher mountains in the last year, but what we learned above all was that God NEVER left our side.  Thank you for going on this journey with us. We look forward to serving with you and seeing how God will continue to challenge us individually and as a church body to take bold steps to serving those around us and encouraging each other along the way.  
Aimee

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