"Aren't you scared?"
"Be careful!"
"Isn't it dangerous?"
"You came all by yourself?"
"You were alone in the airport?"
"Weren't you nervous?"
"I can't believe you came alone!"
"This is Cami, she's from Florida and she traveled here all by herself!"
"You're the one I heard about who came alone."
If I have heard one of these statements once, I heard them all several times.
Back in October, when I decided to make my trip to Haiti, I knew I was supposed to go alone. Russell, having been, knew what to expect. Knowing that Shelley would meet me at the airport and I would be with her family after that, he said I would be fine. I trust my husband. He knows what I am capable of.
Shelley asked me during the initial planning stages if I was going to come alone or with a team. I told her alone and asked if she thought I was crazy. She wrote back, "Absolutely not."
I had read a blog from Heartline Ministries in Haiti several months before and part of it had just stuck in my head.
"Often, I will hear from someone or from a group who say that they
would like to come and then they ask if it is safe. I confess that I
get rather irritated when I hear that question.
I usually reply back cordially and ask if God has called them to come
to Haiti. And if the answer is yes, then I tell them it is safe."
With, this quote in my mind - I plunged ahead. I KNEW I was supposed to go. I KNEW God had a purpose and a plan. I cannot explain it any other way.
Maybe the fact that once I was at the ApParent Project, I was surrounded by a 2 story concrete wall with barbed wire around the top and men who worked security at the main gate, had something to do with it.
But, not one time,
during my planning or my actual trip, did I ever feel unsafe. Not one
time did I feel as though I was in danger. Maybe I'm incredibly naive -
or maybe it was the fact that God was with me the entire way. Right by
my side. I have never sensed His presence and purpose so strongly in my life. It
was more like this incredible peace that goes beyond understanding.
For that entire week, I was on a divine appointment with God and NOTHING
was going to happen to me that God wasn't going to allow. Why worry
over it? He was in control.
I have been thinking about this a lot this week and when I decided to blog about it, I decided to go looking for the original blog post from Heartline. I didn't realize I would have to go so far back. It was posted on February 16, 2011. I didn't start planning my trip until October. God was working and preparing my heart 7 months before I even knew I was going anywhere.
But what struck me was the rest of the post. The part that I quoted above was all that I really remembered. The rest of it means so much more now that I have gone there myself.
Posted: February 16, 2011
I often receive e-mails from some that would like to come to
Heartline to visit and help out. We appreciate those that come with a
purpose, they certainly make a difference. Often, I will hear from
someone or from a group who say that they would like to come and then
they ask if it is safe. I confess that I get rather irritated when I
hear that question.
I usually reply back cordially and ask if God has called them to come
to Haiti. And if the answer is yes, then I tell them it is safe. As
safe as it was for Daniel in the lion’s den and for the three Hebrew men
in the fiery furnace and even as safe as it was for Stephen when he was
stoned and ultimately as safe as it was for Christ when He died on the
cross.
I strongly believe that “safe” is overrated if it means will I be
safe physically. The better question is, “Is it God’s will for me to
go?” If the answer is, “Yes” then how much more safer can you be than
in God’s will. This may not mean that harm will not come your way but
what is that compared to being in God’s will. Was Jesus safe?
BUT I HAVE recently been spending some time thinking
about Haiti and have finally concluded after 21 years of living here,
that it can be a very dangerous place. Some may be saying, “Ah it’s
about time John got his head out of the sand and admitted that Haiti can
be a dangerous place.”
Yes, those of us who live here can be in great, grave danger. We can be in danger of:
- Becoming numb to the cries of the poor.
- Not being moved to anger and compassion at the conditions in which many people live.
- Looking but not seeing.
- Hearing but not listening.
- Seeing what is but not what can be.
- Thinking that we need to change the Haitian culture to look like our culture and that the people aren’t doing it right because they don’t do it like we do.
- Thinking that living here is a sprint, when in reality, it’s a marathon.
- Being so practical about what we need to live that we limit God in what we do.
- Not totally depending on God for God’s work.
- Thinking that doing is more important than being.
Yes, it is true Haiti can be a dangerous place, perhaps as dangerous as where you live.
John McHoul
At this point - all I can say is "Wow!" - We are all in danger - no matter where we are.
