Hope for the Future

"Be willing to go out on a limb with Me.  If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be.  Your desire to live a risk-free life is a form of unbelief.  Your longing to live close to Me is a odds with your attempts to minimize risk.  You are approaching a crossroads in your journey.  In order to follow Me wholeheartedly, you must relinquish your tendency to play it safe.  Let Me lead you step by step through this day. If your primary focus is on Me, you can walkalong perilous paths without being afraid.  Eventually, you will learn to relax and enjoy the adventure of our journey together.  As long as you stay close to Me, My sovereign Presence protects you wherever you go." --December 9 Devotion from Jesus Calling

Grace Village--Day 6

Our time spent at Grace Village today was in stark contrast to the depravity seen yesterday in Citie Soleil.  Grace, in all it's colorful beauty reflects loved, nourished children playing and learning. Their eyes light up with joy. It provides hope for a better Haiti.  Our team created an organized lesson plan including science and creativity along with an educational lesson about Minnesota. As the saying goes, "the best laid plans..." Similar to our children at home, they had their own ideas and we instead learned from them. Faces were painted instead of pictures, necklaces became belts and "sink or float" became throw and "DUCK!".  Due to the language barrier, a snowfight ensued creating chaos, but the laughter and joy was universal. The children LOVED to slip and slide, throw snowballs and feel the energy from the harmless fight.  It was magical to watch. 

After our visit to Grace, we stopped at the mass gravesite.  It was humbling to stand on hallowed ground.  To think about the magnitude of death and destruction is unimaginable and incomprehensible.  A few of us walked to the mountain top overlooking the weed covered gravesite.  The energy felt was that of conflicted peace and tragedy.  One of our driver's shared that he lost his finacee in the earthquake and another shared he was a drink of water away from his own destruction.  When something like that happens on a scale so huge and so far away, it is easy to forget that each victim is someone's mother, fiancee, or child.  Time passes, weeds grow and life goes on and out of the rubble becomes a new home and new futures for those left behind.  -Beasy Juanitias