Haiti July 28, 2015

Report by Melissa

LOVE. All we need is love! To hold a child in your arms – a child that doesn’t speak your language, has no shoes on its feet, most likely has eaten only one meal that day, all while holding the innocence of the world in its eyes – is one of the most bring you to your knees emotions I have ever felt. To be in a third-world, poverty-stricken country, I have never experienced a love so pure. A love that enables two teenage boys to walk down the road holding hands, older children watching over and protecting smaller children, and the overwhelming embrace that Craig and I received. To walk into a village and immediately feel the love, I can only describe it as God’s love! Not only is it most wonderful to see children who don’t complain, fight, talk back, yell, disobey or sleep all day, it’s more incredible to feel and experience the genuine love they have for one another, not to mention a complete stranger!

Oh, how much these sweet children have taught me in 1-1/2 days! One of the things my new friends taught me led me to think of this simple motto to live by: “Back to the basics.” We don’t need fancy clothes, expensive cars, eating out multiple times per week, a gym membership, mani/pedi’s, etc. All we need is something to cover our bodies, a mode to get from point A to B, eat to live–don’t live to eat, walk around the block for exercise and do our own nails. No one “deserves” these things or is “entitled” to these things. So why do we spend our time consumed with things that have no meaning? Instead, I think we could all get “back to the basics,” love and serve the Lord with all of our hearts, consume and focus ourselves on what should be our #1 goal–being a light in this dark world by demonstrating God’s true love. Drop the “fillers” in your life and focus your energy on demonstrating God’s love in every single thing you do. It’s amazing to witness the true blessing that comes from dropping the “fillers” in life, and how essential it is to replace that energy with the enthusiasm and joyfulness of spreading God’s love and Word.

I thank God for laying this trip on my heart and Craig’s, and for giving us the courage to take a leap of faith. I have gained a new respect for Bro. Chuck in seeing the love, hard work and dedication that he gives day in and day out here. I am beyond thankful that God put Pastor Jeremy and Kristin in our lives – not only do they serve as mentors, but also as the pathway that has led Craig and me to humbly and graciously serve our Lord and Savior!

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Report by Stephanie Wehunt

Today we are at Jerusalem IV doing a medical clinic for the community. We’ve been here for just a few hours but we have seen over 70 people already, and this is a slow day compared to yesterday. As I stand back and watch the doctors and nurses caring for these people, I am humbled. There is no sickness or illness that is turned away. If our team can help them, they will. These people are getting medicatioins that we, in the US, take for granted every day – like Tylenol, Tums, allergy medicine, antibiotics – and they are very thankful for them. I am amazed at how loving the people here are to us. We live very privileged lives in the US and the Haitian people know that, but they are so happy for us to be here with them. It would be very easy for them to be hateful or offended, but that is definitely not the case here. The children are angels, there is no other proper way to describe them! Most of them have various illnesses, they wear the same clothes for several days, they are blessed if they have good shoes that fit, but they are the happiest children I have ever seen. My heart will be forever changed by what I have seen here, and I’m only on day 3. I’m excited to see what is in store for the rest of this trip, but already I have seen the work of Jesus in a big way. These are precious people, and I am so thankful that God gave me the opportunity to be here.