Dawn

I am sitting here, forced by lack to do nothing else. I am reflecting what that does to me. I need oil for the generator to run saws and water, but there is none available. I tried to have someone go get some yesterday while we were on the road. But we could not contact the person who knew what I meant when I said I needed 10-W-30 motor oil. Perhaps his battery was dead on his phone, maybe he had no time left on it and couldn’t purchase more minutes because he was out of money. What do I know of hardship? My body already wails for a real bed, the smell of clean sheets, air conditioning, my senses are starved, struggling with the depravation around me. I love this place and hate it all at the same time. Can it be this is some sensation of the God I serve? What must it be like for Him in His universe where the perfume of goodness, grace, and glory has been replaced with the sordid odors of corruption and decay coming from His beloved creation? Corruption foreign and alien to who He is. When will it be enough, His patience is so much more forbearing than mine. I don’t long for luxury in the same way I once did. But I do appreciate the semblance of cleanliness, freshness, order, and having enough. I think it burns within us because it reveals something of the heart of God. He is not at home in this filth, but His love is where His people are. His love permeates the stench; His joy renders the darkness with piercing light, shadows quiver, and then dissipate before the radiance of His presence. I know this because I have experienced it this week. As I sit here this morning contemplating my lot in life, and my growing love for this people, my perspective begins to clear; the fog begins to lift, like the dawn’s first light. I get to experience it early in Haiti because there are no blinds for the windows, for that matter there are no windows. You wake up early not because of an alarm clock, but because the light is so bright your mind tells you it’s time to get around for another day of life! When you get to the street, it is already loaded with activity. Time to go get some more work done. Time is ticking away on our final production day! Blessings.

P.S. Per your request, the little boys name is Matieus. He is being taken care of by Rob's family now. Robinson would like to keep him, but it has been left in Naromie's hands. He is a riot! You can see another picture of him with my dad on an earlier post.He is 2 years old.