Day 1 - Scott/Loween Team

"Word"

Our team safely arrived in Haiti earlier today. We’ve received an orientation to the guesthouse. We have shared in fellowship. And we broke bread over a fantastic meal prepared by our wonderful hosts.

Yet, how do you describe such a day?

Those of you that have shared in a Healing Haiti mission understand the meaning found in the word of the day. For those of you that have not, it’s the challenge of summing up your day in a single word.

To start our week, and our team Blog, I wanted to share the words from the team tonight. It seemed an appropriate way to start. Here are the words from today.

Gratitude. Gratitude for safely making the trip. Gratitude for overcoming the anxiety associated with the unknown. Gratitude for new friendships. Gratitude.

Beginning. Beginning a mission together. Beginning of friendship. The beginning of something amazing. Beginning.

Purpose. After seeing the sights from the roadside, there must be a purpose. Purposefully giving of our time and talent. Purposefully giving ourselves up. Purpose

Invitation. Receiving a personal invitation from God. Being invited to share a journey. Being invited to open my heart. Invitation

Faith. Faith to overcome anxiety. Faith to overcome fear. Faith in myself to change. Faith in allowing myself to form new bonds. Faith.

Empowerment. Empowered to be present. Empowered to give of ourselves. Empowered to live in the moment. Empowerment.

Impatient. Like an impatient child waiting for Christmas to come, so was waiting for this day. Ready to be here. To be back. Impatient.

Joy. Joy in the faces of friends. Joy in a hug from a Haitian friend. Joy in my heart. Joy.

Love. The first time you step foot outside in Haiti, the smells overwhelm your senses. The first time I thought, “what am I doing here”. Today, I smelled love. Love.

Sent. The weeks leading up to the trip are a challenge. Work, preparation, and anxiety over travel day all cloud our mind. Yet, we are sent. Keep things in perspective because, We. Are. Sent.

Those are the words I heard tonight. What I felt, is much more difficult to write here.

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the Lords voice saying, “Who can I send? Who Will go for us?”

The lord does not ask because he doesn’t know. He asks to stir our soul. Tonight our souls are stirred. Like Isaiah, we respond “Here I am. Send me.”

Tonight we rest. Tomorrow, we’ll start with Love as our motivation.

~Aaron (and Team)