Sweet Friends and Family…
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
If ever there has been a community filled with brokenheartedness; If ever there have been families whose spirits have been crushed; If ever there have been hearts that are troubled and are searching for more- I believe they would be found within Haiti’s borders. I realize that I don’t need tell you of the earth-shattering events that took place in Haiti on January 12, 2010. The 250,000 lives that were lost….the more than 1 million Haitians that found themselves homeless. You’ve seen the pictures, heard the stories and….if you’re like me…..you have probably tired at times of hearing the devastating statistics and horrible depictions of the broken lives of those currently living in one of the world’s most impoverished countries.
So…. I say....let’s be different. Let’s flip the coin. What if there is more? What if…on the other side of all of this pain and suffering and hurt and loss...is hope and love and healing and redemption? What if tear-stained faces can become beacons of hope; if piles of rubble can become a testament to something hugely beautiful? Because if the Lord is indeed close to the brokenhearted, His presence must simply consume Haiti. So much so that your lungs are encapsulated by Him with each and every breath, that your hands brush His with each movement. And as that beautiful picture illuminates the intricacies of my clouded mind, my heart begins to beat faster...the corners of my mouth begin to turn up into a smile...and the deepest being within me begins to dance!
I believe that Haiti’s story is just beginning to unfold. The Haitian people are responding to this disaster with painful curiosity- in ways that demonstrate nothing but the truth of the Lord's presence in the midst of brokenness. A nation rooted in a religious history of mysticism and voodoo practices, Haiti has turned primarily to its voodoo priests in the midst of crisis. But something different is stirring. Something new. Realizing that they themselves cannot answer the 'why' questions regarding the nation's recent events, even the voodoo priests are looking to the Christian church for answers. Yep...my friends... He's breathable...He's touchable. And He's there!
Nic and I were recently presented with the opportunity to go and be a part of what the Lord is doing in Haiti, and we couldn’t be more excited! On June 11, we will board a plane to Haiti with 9 others from our home church- Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas. “What will we be doing?” you may ask. We will be partnering with an incredible Christian aid organization called Thirst No More, who currently has teams on the ground working in Haiti. Check them out at www.thirstnomore.org. So you may still be wondering...“No, what will you really be doing?" Well? Laughing and loving and praying and sharing and working and serving and building and giving and….once again…..loving. Just as the needs of the Haitian people continues to change with each passing day, so does our itinerary...making the details of our trip slightly tricky to spell out. We may be playing with orphans, building homes, helping construct temporary housing (as many are still sleeping on the streets and in tents), working to create clean water solutions, or delivering basic necessities to those who have none. We may be entering into villages that have yet to be touched since the earthquake. We may be praying with those who have lost their entire family…whose only question is “why?” We may be loving on the man whose hope has been lost with the home he has worked his entire life to keep. Our time in Haiti will likely look a lot of different ways, but if I've come to know anything in the past 25 years...it's that God knows what’s up!
Another truth I have been reminded of time and time again is that God’s plans are much larger than anything I could conjure up in my tiny head. His view is panoramic, while mine is likely to that of a 200 year-old pin hole camera. And I am so, so excited that the Lord has made Haiti a part of our journey! We would love for you to join with us in prayer as we prepare for our time in Haiti. We ask for prayers for safety- for a hedge of protection not only around our bodies- but around our spirits and minds as well as we seek to saturate every thought, word, and action with the love of Christ. For softened and guided hearts- both for our team and for the Haitian people- that the Lord will prepare conversations and interactions where He can intercede. And most of all, we pray that ultimately...whatever happens is what the Lord wants to happen. Whether encouraging, challenging, uncomfortable or exciting, that it will all be His! I plan to post regular prayer updates on this blog, and invite you to visit us often here on the world wide web. (You can also subscribe via email at the top right-hand side of the page here). We are also developing a prayer team through a personalized online portal we have created. We woud love for you to join with us in prayer via this prayer team. If this sounds like your cup-o-tea, please click the link at the bottom of this post, and it'll take you there! :)
The total cost of our trip will be around $2700. Knowing that the Lord has a panoramic view and that He is way rockin', we know He has His hand in all aspects of this trip, including our finances! Much of the cost will help to cover travel expenses as well as all of the project supplies we will use while we are there. If you feel you would like to join with us financially, please check out the link at the bottom of this post. Nic and I are beyond excited, and would love to chat more about what our time in Haiti will look like! I have a feeling we have many pictures and stories in our near future, and we can't wait to share them with you! Thank you for loving us. For praying for us. And for standing with us. We are beyond blessed!
And here...my friends....is the link to our online portal: Taylors in Haiti!
