How about a beach post instead?
There is a sweet young family that lives on campus with us. We have been blessed with such a strong, precious community.
Meet the Meadths...
Their baby boy turned one this weekend. To celebrate we headed to the beach.
The beach is about two hours from where we live.
Aaron drove us. What a stud. I was so proud of my husband. I wasn't a freak of nature wreck on the way to the beach because all my little boy treasures were inside the vehicle. Oh happy day.
The trip to the shore is sort of like a never ending drive through. There are merchants on the sides of the road trying to sell you their goods. They bring ice cold drinks right up to your window. I'm "that mom," who thinks Coca Cola may be one of the most socially irresponsible companies in the world so cokes were a no go for my kids...even though they were oh so tempting since ice was floating inside each bottle. Talk about ice cold!
I don't ever want to sound like someone who lives my life by a bunch of "do nots." I don't think that's an accurate picture of the gospel at all. I don't see not financially supporting coke as a "do not." Instead...I love thinking about all the nourishing, life giving foods and drinks that exist out there that turn something as simple as eating and drinking into a chance to be a part of something beautiful and redemptive. It brings me great joy to partner with companies that are socially responsible...who care for people more than they care about a greater profit. Supporting socially conscious companies, or heck...a man on the side of the road selling the avocados he knocked out of a tree that morning is a way to push back the darkness in small ways. That gets me clapping.
Speaking of which...look at these amazing banana chips we found! Super cheap. Super sweet and salty. The perfect snack for little boys.
The beach was beautiful. I kept waiting for Jack, Kate, Hurley and the gang to climb out of the trees onto the shore. The water is clear. I'm sure Crayola snatched up the color of the water to make one of their vibrant blues.
Another sweet couple who teach with Aaron and live on campus went with us. They are a constant presence in our life. We love them. Meet the Saylors...
It was a beautiful day at the beach.
We needed to get out. It was fun to celebrate the youngest Meadth's birthday.
On the way to the beach we got to see a lot more of the country we are now calling our home. Strange to be on our way to the beach for a day of rest and fun and yet on the way we saw heartbreaking poverty.
The further we traveled from Port-au-Prince the worse the living conditions became.
Naked babies
Children wearing old, ratty, hospital gowns for clothing
Men and women naked, bathing in dirty water...washing their clothes in filthy streams.
That glazed over look of someone stuck in a sadness that will not end.
Even on a day when we were headed to the beach to enjoy one of the most beautiful places on earth, we had to drive through two hours of visual reminders of the devastating effects of poverty.
Friction
In America I was able to hide from the truth...to move far enough away from it that I never saw poverty, smelled it, held it, or looked it in the eyes.
There's no hiding in Haiti.
Constant friction...that war inside as we look around and come face to face with how people on this earth are living while the rest of us are blissfully unaware.
I live among the broken. The hurting. Women in such devastating circumstances that they are handing their babies to perfect strangers to raise.
The friction hurts and is awfully uncomfortable every single day. But it's good and right to see the suffering. When it was invisible to me, it didn't mean it wasn't happening.
Sitting on that lovely beach I was reminded of how much Haiti is a visual...a flannel board lesson if you will...of the gospel. Such devastation. Such pain. Such sin...Haiti's sin and our sin...my sin...for allowing anyone to live the way these people are living while we fill our lives with more and more worthless, unnecessary junk. And yet the beauty...like that beach...the potential. The times when I see God clearly...His love for Haiti...His love for mankind...His grace in the middle of such sadness and despair.
Sitting on that beautiful beach in this country filled with garbage, hurting people, babies covered in scabies I felt like I was sitting on the shore of hope. God sweetly refreshed me with each wave, whispering..."I am here. I am in Haiti. I am the God who makes something beautiful out of ashes. I have not forsaken this place. The church is not dead. My people are waking up. They are hearing the cry of the oppressed."
9 comments:
What a beautiful post, Heather. Thank you for your eloquent writing. It's so fun when God is SO NEAR, isn't it? I love that He is comforting and talking to you in the midst of the ugliness that is in Haiti.
Nature has a way, doesn't it? I sit outside at night all of the time just to be restored by the sounds, smells, and peaceful feeling I get from being outside.
Sometimes I run out there and hide behind the shed right around bath/bed time...you know the time of day when kids turn into werewolves or something?
But seriously, I get it. I'm glad you got to experience that part of Haiti.
Oh Heather. That was beautiful.
I had been curious about the poverty. If it would be better or worse the farther away from the city you got. In my mind I wanted it like it is here. Kind of dirty, hard city life, but sweet farms out in the country. I have to remind myself that this is a third world country. And what I have seen here of poverty, will not relate. Keep bringing it, girl. Help us keep our heads on straight.
This was a very moving post, Heather. It spoke to me on so many levels. I heard some of your words stick my head over and over again. I think that's what God does when He wants us to learn something. We hear it over and over.
I think He let me know that the sadness I had that I thought would never end was for a season. There is a time for hope, a time to wake up, to change, to let Him use you and move and stretch you and recreate your life. I wasn't open to that before. I wanted what I wanted. Your post (and more) really said to me, "It's time for change." I hope you don't mind - I linked to your blog in my post about my thoughts on it as it relates to changes in my life.
Thanks for your vulnerability and sharing. It is so good to hear how God is working in your heart and that you are so open about the truth of it. It's never easy, and I know you encourage so many people because you see that and speak the truth of it honestly.
Blessing and prayers for you all and Haiti...
I'm one of those people who is waking up. Thank you for this post.
p.s. Our dishwasher broke in July 2008 and we never got it fixed. I try to spend my dishwashing time praying instead of sulking (doesn't always happen). I'll pray for YOU next time I wash dishes.
Love from Ohio!
Papita is my favorite Haitian snack! These banana chips are the best!
I will be working with the medical team at Heartline Sept 23-30. I know I will see more of Haiti's poverty and inequalities than I have on my previous eight trips there.
I am hoping to worship at PAP fellowship the sunday I am there so maybe we will meet each other. :)
Heather,
I am so glad I "stumbled" on your blog via Small Notebook. I have been praying for your family & the work God has you doing in Haiti.
You mentioned that Coca Cola may be one of the most socially irresponsible companies in the world. Where did you find this? I did a search and have not found anything.
Thanks again, I look forward to your posts!
Kendra...
It was a couple years ago when I read about some issues regarding Coca Cola and social responsibility.
I'm sure you can find something online if you look up Coca Cola and India, or Coca Cola and social responsibility.
Lots of the articles were related to India. In a nutshell, Coca Cola was depleting the already scarce water sources in India, and selling products that contained poison in them. Only in India...nowhere else.
Let me know if you can't find the information. When I looked a couple years ago, it was all over the internet.
They are also rated an "F" company by Better World Shopping Guide for the same reasons listed in all those articles.
Heather
Thanks Heather!
When I read: http://www.indiaresource.org/campaigns/coke/ my heart broke for the people in India. I too can never in good conscience support Coca Cola.
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