I've told this story to several people, but there are many more who haven't heard it yet. I remember the first time David came to our Missions meeting at church and spoke about Haiti. Interesting. Then he showed pictures. Ok, so it looks pretty and green. But wait, look at how much the men are sweating. Their shirts are soaked. Gross! It's really that hot and humid? Count me out. Then David spoke about the smells - from rotting garbage, unbathed bodies, raw sewage, you name it. Anything capable of stinking, did. I am so NOT going to Haiti. E.V.E.R. I don't want to sweat like that. I don't want to smell that stuff. And to top it off, I'd get filthy dirty and maybe have a cold shower to look forward to at night, after fending off rats and swarms of mosquitoes. Right. He went on... I tuned out....
Haiti just moved to the top of my cross-off list.
Then David started talking to me about going. Thank you, but no. I'd see him at church and go out of my way to avoid him. He'd see me and start talking about Haiti again. Umm, still not interested. Thanks, anyway. Then he called me at home. Thank goodness for Caller ID! Made it easy to not take his calls. He persisted. Doesn't the guy get the hint?! Let me spell it out... I. a.m. n.o.t. i.n.t.e.r.e.s.t.e.d. i.n. g.o.i.n.g. t.o. H.a.i.t.i. p.e.r.i.o.d.!!
He persisted. Still. <sigh>
Ok, fine. I fired a thousand questions at him, "What if...?", "Why this....?", "What about....?" If I couldn't dodge him, at least I could try to dissuade him by asking questions. He patiently answered all of my questions, many of which I asked two or three times. You'd think he'd notice by now how creeped out I was about the thought of going to Haiti. I mean, seriously, who would want to take a woman to Haiti who didn't want to sweat and gag from stinky smells?
I'd come up with another question. He'd have the answer. This wasn't working out the way I planned.
He wasn't taking the hint, and still kept insisting I go. He suggested I speak with some of the men who had gone, get their perspective. "You'll love it! The people are amazing, you'll fall in love with them. God is so alive there. They will take such good care of you. You really ought to go."
Ugh. That really wasn't what I wanted to hear. Yes, they told me, they did sweat; it was hot. But the food was good, the country was beautiful and the entire trip was an adventure. Go, they said. Just go. My resolve was weakening. Ok, but what about the expense? Gosh darn it, God provided for that. Was there NO way I could get out of going? Didn't look like it.
Long story short, I went. I loved it. God kept showing up all over the place. The country was beautiful (and yes, filthy and dirty). The smells stunk like nothing else. It was hot. I sweated like crazy for quite possibly the first time in my life. Seriously. My clothes were soaked. The mosquitoes chewed me up. But I stayed healthy! I made some cherished friends. My heart was broken by the plight of those who have nothing, and still give you everything they have. Crazy. Their faith in God was palpable. It was REAL. They knew their God was with them and would provide for them. They showed me what living by faith looks like. You could see it in their smiles and hear it in their singing.
I came back with loads of photos and videos and couldn't stop talking about the trip.
What happened to make me go? God. He had a plan. Isaiah 37:26, "It was I, the LORD, who decided this long ago. Long ago I planned what I am now causing to happen." (NLT) I can't claim to fully know or understand His plan for me, but now I have a better understanding of what it's like to let Him lead me along. I tried to pull a Jonah and run from God and His plan. I'm glad it didn't happen.
The call went out for participants for the 2013 Haiti trip. "If you don't email me, you're not on the list and you won't go," said David. My response? "Keep my name on your list from now on. Don't take it off!!"
Love God. Go love people. But wait, there's more....
