Tom's Wrap Up!

I am writing this in a quiet living room in our host’s house. One hour ago in this very same room, tears were shed as we hugged, shook hands (even some fancy secret handshakes), and expressed our love for our Haitian friends. The dust has settled, and most are in bed now, while others and still quietly packing for the trip home tomorrow.  I wish I would have blogged during the beginning or the middle of the trip, not the end. The end of this trip is filled with a mix of emotions that are difficult to express. Joy, for the relationships we’ve planted. Excitement, for our home coming. But with that also come the sadness of leaving our new friends and new family. Maybe some are feeling frustrated, that there is so much need and we can only do so much. I personally feel tired. I think it’s safe to say we are all very tired at this point, but in a good way. In a way that feels like we gave it all during our short time here. I am proud of Dolly and Jess doing the English lessons, Gary and Carnel teaching at the churches and University, and the rest of the group doing amazing things at the camp and our host’s house. The reality is, this is a foreign land to us and we are overwhelmed. Be it emotionally, spiritually, or physically, we are overwhelmed since we first stepped off the plane.  There is a lot to take in here – some amazingly beautiful things and some truly sad images that will forever be scanned into our memories.

Take what I say as something positive. Yes, we are tired. But God is working here and there is hope for Haiti! We are blessed to carry out His Will. We come out of this with awareness and a heart to help make change a reality.

I am sure from previous posts people have mentioned how amazing our hosts have been. But I will reiterate, this is the coolest group of people I have ever met and I am blessed to know them. May I learn a fraction of their meaning of ‘hospitality’.

Thank you for all the prayers and support to make this trip happen. We can’t wait to share stories and photos of our trip with all of you.  I hope that you will continue to pray for Haiti. Pray for schools getting the funds to stay open – education is crucial. Pray for the missionaries that have devoted their lives to teaching about diseases, medicine, construction, and numerous others. Pray for the hospitals that are constantly overwhelmed. Pray for the churches that serve the people in so many ways.

 So now I will retire with the rest of the group, and try to sleep as I reflect on all the events from our trip. Good night, and God Bless Haiti.