This morning a guest shared how
much he appreciated the gift that Gerritt/I are willing to be here and
serve teams like his while they are in Haiti. While I appreciated the
compliment, it also got me thinking about what gifts Haiti is/has been
giving me. There are too many to count, but some that come to mind are:
*Laughter. Whether it is with our 17 girls, guesthouse staff or
something funny that get us thru the toughest days - it is truly the
best medicine.
*Being teachable. This includes being flexible to what God has
in store each day (not what the planner in me has in mind), looking @
life thru anothers' lens (including but not limited to my hubby!) and
quite literally learning new things like how to make banan fri for the
first time the other night (thanks Louise!)
*Love. This word has
some many definitions and encompasses so much. 17 girls who have
experienced so much hurt in their short little lives but give Love,
God's love for me even when I don't deserve it, Gerritt's constant love
for me when he sees me at my worst and so much more.
*Friends. The friends we
have met on missions trips over the years are such a gift to us now
that we are here full-time. Many of them have given so much time and
energy as we settle in, asking nothing in return. Their presence
literally brightens my day. Both of us wish our dear friends back in the states could be here every day with us, but we also know they are always a email/FB/skype away :)
