Two Coins Too Little

*Image of the inside of the prison. The cells can hold up to 30 men with only standing room.

"Give out of your poverty." This is a heavy hitting phrase on the mission base in Haiti. I probably hear it a handful of times a day, and as much as I hate it, I know that it's something I need to hear.

It's no secret that Haiti is an impoverished country. Being here on mission I have met many teens who have only one meal a day, if that. They come from hard working families, who will do whatever it takes to provide for their children--unfortunately opportunities don't necessarily abound for families to provide food every day. They travel long distances just to get water, and it's not even filtered for drinking. I have seen children and adults walking those great distances with shoes that are falling apart. They really are living in poverty.  To them, I am rich. I have good shoes, good clothes, and food in my stomach every day. My natural inclination is to give to them what I have because it would seemingly fix the need. But, instead I am called to give them Christ and that means I must give to them out of my poverty, not out of my excess. Giving them my material things would be too easy.

So where I am I impoverished? In my energy, in my joy, in my patience, in my trust in God. In these ways, I have been the poor woman who gives her last two coins and even that is too little. They need and deserve even the energy that doesn't exist. They need someone to love them, to share the Gospel, and to forget about the comforts that await me in the states. They need me to give to them until it hurts. They need me to give out of my poverty so that they may experience Christ.

This hasn't been easy for me, but it has been in those moments where I feel completely impoverished, in my energy, my joy, my patience and my trust, that God moves in mighty ways. Here is just one way:

I had only 2 hours of sleep the night before we headed to a local prison to pray with the prisoners. I had no energy and quite the lack of joy. I was so tired, from the many long days and nights preceding this one, that I wasn't even sure how to pray for those things. Once we arrived to the prison, we had to wait outside, in the sun, for half an hour longer. It felt like an eternity. I was miserable and questioning why I came here. We finally got inside and I walked from cell to cell with the group, letting them do all the praying and the talking. As we were about to leave, the first cell, reserved for women only, was near the exit and I headed toward it. A woman in the cell called out to me and had a very large smile on her face. She put her hand out for me to hold. She remembered me. I had been there about two weeks earlier, when I sang and prayed with her. She began to cry all the while with a  smile on her face. She was so happy to see me...not because there was something so special or different about me, but because I took the time to pray with her the last time I was there. Clearly she had encountered Christ and that brought her joy, even in the midst of her terrible living conditions. Her joy was then contagious and on a day that I really needed it, she brought Christ to me in return. I forgot about myself and gave her my hand. It was a brief encounter, but a lasting one. That joy helped me to carry on through the day, to serve and to give out of my poverty to others I would meet. So, even when I felt I had given the last two coins, it was in fact too little...there was still more to give as the woman in the cell reminded me.

Please continue to pray for this mission as we lead teens, and the people of Haiti, closer to Christ.  Pray that I can continue to give out of my poverty.

Engaged and Sent: Marriage Prep and Haiti

This year I’ve had two big proposals, both prompting a mighty big yes, and a lot of unknowns. Just one month after I agreed to serving a summer mission in Haiti, Ian asked me to be his bride, which of course I happily said yes to as well. My yes to him, stirred a yes from him to join me in Haiti…so here we are. Engaged and sent… on mission!

Many have called us crazy for agreeing to a summer of hot and humid weather, cold showers, questionable water, bug nets over our beds, unknown adventures/challenges, and a slew of other things. But most of all, we have been asked a million times, “What are you going to do about the wedding in November!?” This has been my favorite question, because it allows me the opportunity to share mine and Ian’s heart on what we’re preparing for: a marriage, not a wedding!

A wedding lasts one day, and a marriage lasts a life time. Sure the cake needs to be ordered, a DJ hired, dresses found, and invitations sent out…but the most important thing is to work on our relationship so that we enter a lasting marriage. What better way to prepare for marriage—a lifetime of being selfless, serving one another and being challenge and uncomfortable—than to spend 3 months in a foreign country, leaving all comfort and predictability behind? 

Since the moment we said yes to this mission, we have gone through many ups and downs. From trying to fundraise the money to be sent, to airline tickets, packing, getting finances and bills in order to leave for a long duration, joining bank accounts, sending out save the dates for our wedding, finding my wedding dress, spending time with family and friends before leaving, and a ton of other things that inflicted stress and anxiety, we have learned that we can get through anything together as long as we keep Christ as the center. This truth has only been more evident upon our arrival here in Haiti. 

We have been tested in our relationship by the hot weather (that makes anyone cranky), the long days and nights, the bumpy and long drives around the country, the lack of sleep, the same food every day, the cold showers, the giant tarantulas and packs of mosquitos. We have been challenged to make time for one another in the midst of community living, on a base, where there is no place you are truly alone. We have been challenged to find ways to communicate in private without privacy, and even more in being kind to one another when we are hot, humid, and frustrated with a task. But the answer has been the same through each test. God wins. Not just his love of each of us individually wins out, but his love of us and his blessing of us as a couple preparing to enter the Sacrament of marriage wins. Beyond the challenges, I am in awe of the incredible blessings. 

Seeing Ian give a talk to the Haitian teen boys about being men of God, or the way he lights up when he is serving others, or working on building a roof/a wall—whatever—has blessed my heart and made me fall more in love with him. Watching him be selfless when I was sick and uncomfortable in another country, bringing me food because I was too weak to get it myself reminded me of the vows we will make to one another in November. Yes, we are here serving the people of Haiti, sharing Christ with them, but I can see that God needed us here to help us prepare for marriage. 

We have had Haitians, and visiting Americans, share their joy with us that an engaged couple is serving on mission together, and while we are flattered, we are also truly humbled. As an engaged couple, who is sent on mission, we have been entrusted with a lot and so much is expected of us here. Please keep praying for us as we strive daily to grow in holiness and set an example for those we encounter. Pray that our relationship continues to withstand the challenges we come across and that we can inspire others in Haiti (where there is a VERY low rate of marriage) to commit not just to Christ, but to one another, keeping Christ at the center in family life. 

Be assured of our prayers for you too! And, keep your eyes open for weekly updates and glory stories from the mission.