Saturday, July 6, 2013

Final Hours!

Well, here we are! Spending our last few hours in Haiti.
Things are a <i>little</i> crazy as we try to pack things up, and get ready for our soccer game with the locals.
In just a little while, most of us are going out to play "football" with some people we promised we would earlier in the week. I'm so excited, as I didn't get to the first time (:

   This week has been, for lack of better words, <b>amazing</b>. We have done so much each day, that it feels like each day has been two days. And yet, none of us can believe that the week is already up. It's really sad. A few of us want to stay forever. Some of the others cannot wait to be home. But all of us have grown so much this week, and wouldn't have trade our experiences for anything. God is so good, and He has proven so faithful to us this week. Reflection last night with our team was really, really beneficial, and we really needed it. It was good to wrap up the week by just observing and praising God for what He has done. All of us have grown so close together; we're like a family.

   Some big things I've learned this week are these:

-God has a plan, and a purpose. It sounds so vague, but He knows EXACTLY what He's doing, and He knows exactly where he
      wants us to be.
-Haitians are beautiful. So many people portray them as poor, pathetic people, which is just not the case AT ALL. Two
      traits that stood out to me are that they are joyful, and they understand the word "community" <b>so</b> much
      better than we do. Sure, some of their country may look like a dump [but some of the land is so, so beautiful as
      well], but it doesn't take anyone long to realize the true beauty of Haiti is in its people.
-Be where you are, and focus on the relationships. It was so easy to be distracted, even by other things that were going
      on where I was. For instance, a lot of the time I got caught holding a three year old girl, who was asleep. It was
      easy to think, "Man, I should be out playing with the kids, that would make more of an impact." That is not the
      case at all. God has you where He wants you to be. And you are making a HUGE difference. Just let Him use you
      where you are.


With that, I ask for your prayer. Transitioning from Haitian life to American life is NOT going to be easy. Sometimes I forget that when I go away on trips, life back home is still moving on. We need prayer to help us remember that even though we have just had this <i>incredible</i> experience here in Haiti, no one else back home has. So please pray that our reentry will rely completely on God. I'm almost a little nervous, but I know that if I can just focus on where God wants me to be at home, it will be alright.

Thank you so much for reading, and praying. Your prayer is the biggest impact you can have. Also, please pray for safety in the airport and plane. [Also, you can pray that I don't throw up on the plane ride home...that would be good.] God is so good, and He uses His people!

Can I get an Amen? (:

-Clarissa

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