Proper Instruction

Julie has made a pretty good joke of how some things were not given proper instruction. Take for instance riding a motorcycle for the first time in a dress! Some explanation would have been helpful in light of how skirts are prone to catch air! She has provided great humor through our entire stay. After our session with the school children doing thank you cards tonight it was time to start doing the hardest part of the journey to Haiti, saying goodbye and leaving. Placing our last tender kisses on the orphan children, hugging them tight, feeling their love, and reassuring them of our support. Telling the people who have labored long and hard with us this week goodbye, giving final hugs, sharing many tears. So many special and loving people are here. Fighting through the day-to-day struggle to simply survive, yet doing it with joy. It will almost tear your heart in two. When we arrived back to the house tonight, I caught Julie in a more somber moment, and playing on her lighthearted comments from earlier, I said; “sorry Julie, I probably didn’t properly prepare you for this either.” We both chuckled as we wiped moist eyes. There is a great sadness in saying goodbye here; there are so many unknowns, so many harsh realities. You can say “I will see you next trip,” but it doesn’t mean that it will be. We have the grace of this moment only, so finite, so defined, so raw. Herein is another great lesson from this country. Live today only, revel in its reality, be joyful in each breath. We have don’t have the promise of the next breath, just this one that we are currently taking in. So as we share our last moments, as I ponder the laughter and the joy in the living room as we pass out the softball team tee shirts from this summers softball season, I soak in the journey of the past few days, I rejoice in the solitude of my heart, giving thanks to God for His faithfulness in this trip, praying for all the lives we have touched, that the miracle of grace will continue to flow through God’s labor of love here in St. Marc and all of Haiti. Rejoice with us, sorrow with us, soak in this season of life and be glad. Lord willing tomorrow we take to the skies to return home. This will be my last post from St. Marc. We will do more blogging on the way home, and over the next few days we will get up pictures and more thoughts. Thanks for following the blog, please stay in touch, we labor on in faith and all of you are part of the journey! Blessings from our hearts tonight!