Hunger - Wed Update (Jacmel Team)

Morning began with coffee and lots of it. The middle of the week brought all of our aches and pains out but they are solid reminders that work is being done. We quickly left for the church after breakfast. It rained all night last night but by morning the sun was creeping in. Late morning yielded our prettiest day to date in Haiti. But that wasn't the only thing beautiful about our day.

VBS continued and the kids are really taking to our people. What used to be frightened waves, now are "hold me". It's great to see and the kids are having a blast with the experience. Scott and Betty Anderson went to the Jacmel town market to pick up some supplies for our light construction efforts. They returned with all supplies in a much more prompt fashion then Austin, Beau and I the day before. While VBS was taking place, several of us finished the benches alongside our Haitian workers. After building a prototype yesterday (from scratch), we produced 4 today. After finishing with 6 new desks for school, we moved our focus to an area which need roofing. In the picture above you can see James Todd and Beau Wells applying the tin roof over a soon to be bathroom area. Today was by far our most productive day. We're starting to see a difference and it's giving us the extra boost we need.

There was a brief effort to try and link a live video with our Wed Night Bible study at FBC Dalton. Everything was hooked up and ready to go.....except......Haiti's internet durability. It would be silly to complain, so I won't. 

Our day ended with a fantastic meal. We had BBQ chicken, rice, avocado slaw, mashed potatoes, and some amazing natural juice. It was a wonderful meal provided by Pastor Duplusey and his wife. They have been fantastic hosts and gone above and beyond for our group. They have truly given us their best and we will never forget it.

Trending on earlier posts, God really spoke to me today. Lunch arrived around 2:00 central time today. About 1:45 someone from our team ( I don't remember who) looked at me and said, "Are you hungry?" I replied, "I'm starving". Shortly afterward I walked to a nearby window and look across the tents lined up beneath and around the church. I saw a young girl holding her sister in her lap. Her arms and legs were skinny and her body frail and the weight of the comment I had made moments ago hit me like a ton of bricks.

 Starving...really Christian? No, you're not starving, you're just not comfortable. You don't have snacks so you're not in your routine of eating every three hours. How embarrassing that moment was for me as I sat there and watched those kids. How crystal clear God was. I'm not sure I'll use those words again. Because I'm not and never have been starving and after seeing people who at times have been, the exaggeration (while innocent) is insensitive. I'm not asking for people to follow suit. I'm not asking for anyone to understand. I'm simply asking for people to see this first hand. At some point in our lives, and there will be opportunities for most, we all need to experience Haiti.