Haiti

It's been a long 7.5 years since I've left the country on a mission trip.

Oh how I missed it...

As I've been home and processing or recovering from the "Holy Week Hangover" as some people call it (hints why this blog post is now over a week past when I originally started writing it), I keep asking myself, "how do you summarize a trip like this?"

I realized it's been way too long since I've done a trip like this. I took my first "official" mission trip in high school, and took one every year after that (sometimes more than once a year) until 2006. I loved it; I really did.

Then, I went to South Africa for three weeks over Christmas and it was hard. I had a great time and made memories that I still reminisce about often. But overall, personally, it was a tough trip filled with homesickness, missing family and friends and holiday traditions, and even quite a bit of anxiety about being 24+ hours away from home. I easily allowed 7+ years to pass, filled with many excuses before I jumped back on a plane overseas.

But, man! How refreshing it was to be back in it this past week!

It was such a great reminder of the awesome God we serve, His faithfulness, how much sin sucks and how much we need His righteousness!

While I was there, I really didn't feel like I was doing a whole lot. And, I didn't really "do" a lot, but a lot impacted me. It's always crazy that the people I'm going to serve end up being way more of a blessing to me than I feel like I've ever been to them.

I didn't realize the weightiness and love I would bring back for this country, for a group of children who are being raised by Haitian nannies and American mission directors.

In light of spending a week at a place like Have Faith Haiti Mission, everything here just seems like not such of a big deal anymore. Before I left for Haiti, life was busy. I'm a *bit* over committed this year at school, we've had some fun social events with family and friends lately and our schedules have just been hectic.

But, when you come back from a week like I had, you realize what's really important. End of grade testing just doesn't seem like that big of a deal anymore. Filling out every piece of paperwork at school just isn't so urgent anymore.

Slowing down, building relationships, making an impact for the Kingdom, enjoying God's people and His creation is what's important. It's so easy to forget that and for me to get wrapped up in the stress of school/work. But, it's just not that big of a deal. It doesn't need to consume me...it shouldn't consume me.

I've found myself watching the clock this week, thinking of the schedule the Haitians and my friends are following, and smiling, so thankful for the work my friends are doing, thankful these children have a safe place to live with access to food, water, shelter, and education.

Words just can't describe or fully convey the awesomeness of this trip...Yes, I'm exhausted. After lunch everyday this week I've been ready for a nap. I didn't get to lay around for a week for spring break like my body probably would have liked. But, it was all worth it, even if I just made a minuscule positive impact in just one little person's life!

*photos coming soon*

For other posts on our week, you can check out The Hambricks' blog and my sister's blog.