The final day of service... A joy and a sadness. It is good to have accomplished so much, but we know that it is almost over.
We finished projects at the Consolation center today. The electrical in the library is as good as it can be. The bed nets are as far as they can go. The plowing is done. The solar panel rack is on the roof and the work is in the record books.
It was very hard saying goodbye to the girls today the smiles turned into blank looks as we got into the truck. I'm sure they have seen it many times before. Friends come, love them up, and then leave. We hope that they remember the love and not the goodbyes.
What wonderful hospitality we have been shown by all of our hosts. We have been fed authentic Haitian food all week long and chauffeured from 1 place to another meeting our every need. I'm sure they had many other things to be doing this week, but they graciously accepted us as part of their families and treated us as though they'd known us forever. We are so grateful for all them.
Even in his unavoidable absence, Ken DeYoung provided friends who treated us as well as Ken himself could have.
Tonight's supper was hosted by Eddie and June. Eddie is the director at the consolation center. We didn't know it until after supper, but June returned to work today for the first day after being on maternity leave. I'm sure she was exhausted. She fixed. A wonderful meal of chicken, rice, bean sauce, and a delicious salad of beets plantaines and onions.
Upon returning to the hotel we had worship, talking about where we have seen God this week. Unanimously, we spoke of people we met, the hospitality we have been shown, worship we have experienced, and lives touched. The work was done, but the ministry was certainly in relationships, not tasks.
As we travel back to Port au Prince tomorrow we will once again be immersed in the depth of urban poverty. Not a trip we look forward to because it is so hard to admit that such want exists so close to our own shores. It w will be a humbling reminder that the work we have done is just a drop in the bucket. As I have reflected before, however, if we made a difference to one person for one day... We made a difference. Indeed we made a difference to many. I pray We made a difference to...
-Johnny the disabled boy who captured my heart.
-"Mama" who practiced both leadership and English on us.
-the families who will live in the two houses we built and the two others you bought.
-those who will eat food grown in the ground we plowed and those who may earn some badly needed income because of what they learn from that land.
-Wadsene and Jasmine who need special encouragement.
-the children who each have something of their own to play with.
- the two young men and one young woman who gave their lives to Christ sunday morning.
-40 beautiful young ladies who will have mosquito nets on their beds.
-Samula and Wenadine to whom I just tried to give special encouragement.
-Bernadette, the house mother who showed such love for the girls.
- the missionaries ; Les, Katherine, Andy and his wife.
- Ministers and administrators Wadsene and Jasmine, Eddy and June, Evald, Daniel, Jimmy and many others.
-our artist friend Honell.
-and anyone who saw that strange bunch of Blanche (white) people roaming around their neighborhood and realized that they are not alone... Someone cares.
We do care, because God cares! Good cares for all of us more than we can imagine.
I'll write again tomorrow.
blessings,
terry
sent from my s3
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