My husband Mark, my four kids and I just returned from a trip to Haiti to help our dear Haitian Pastor/friend Maula Jean Marie and his wife Elda, as they prepare to open a training center at their Youth With A Mission base in Gonaives.
During our stay we found the obvious, a beautiful country with beautiful people littered with poverty and lack of education. We also found life bustling from every corner. In fact the hardest adjustment for me was the constant uninterrupted chatter that vibrated through the streets all day and night. From the roosters crowing at 4 in the morning until long past the time we laid our heads down to sleep there was unconstrained movement and life in the streets.
I realized that aside from some of the luxuries we take for granite in the States like, air conditioning, pavement, our children's right to education, plumbing, clean running water, employment, the safety in traffic laws, and a governing body that is generally for the people, we also have the luxury of peace and quiet when we want it. We just close our doors and isolate ourselves in our own worlds and enjoy the solitude. That is a luxury we are accustomed to that isn't even missed in Haiti, but that's not what surprised me the most.
Since I teach workshops to help people discover their mission and purpose in life, I know that one of the effects of not having vision in life is unemployment, homelessness, the misery of being ill placed for one's particular gifts and missing one's calling, or even worse, death, yet I wondered how this translated in a 3rd world country. I was some what surprised when seventeen year old Casimir, Maula's son, engaged me in conversation one evening. I found out that what's true in America remains true in 3rd world countries, because as the Bible teaches, "Where there is no vision people perish." Proverbs 29:18
After Casimir inquisitively inquired, I briefly shared about my workshops assuming that because his English was limited he wouldn't understand. Boy, was I wrong. He continued to probe me with questions on how he could be sure to walk in God's purpose for his life. Here I was in a country where the lack of opportunities meant that most people stood on the street peddling their particular wares everywhere you looked and yet this young man knew he had a passion to become a doctor and an eye doctor at that. Maula and Elda have imparted great truth and value into their children, causing them to reach beyond their circumstances to reach with God.
After I learned about Casimir's vision for his life I encouraged him to guard it like a fragile seed that God would water and cause to mature. This stirring conversation led to being invited to speak to the youth in Maula's group,The King's Kids and prayerfully imparting seeds of vision and destiny into their lives.
The next morning I felt led to ask Casimir to pray for the headache, oddly enough behind my eye, that I had struggled with for several days and when he did it disappeared. As God was faithful to use Casimir I now encourage him to step out in faith and pray for the sick when ever he has an opportunity as he begins on the road into his purpose and calling.
During this time in Haiti although God did many wonderful things in all of our lives, what transpired for me personally was far from what I had imagined. I had no idea that I would go to another country to receive further specific confirmation for what I feel called to, or that I would witness first hand God's intention for all of mankind, poor or otherwise to get a hold of His vision for their life and like Casimir to become a solution to a problem that exists in the world. My eyes were truly opened to God's heart in new ways.
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