I was blind but now I see is a very known statement from the Gospel of John, I have always read over it quickly never giving it much thought or relating it to my life. As many of you known I recently went on a trip to Haiti, This was my second time visiting the country. This trip was different thou, weeks leading up to the trip I wasn’t super excited about the trip. The packing and time taken off work were becoming more of a burden rather than a build up of something special. My perspective was off, I allowed little things that mean nothing to really get my focus off God and want he planned to do in my life.
The second evening we were in Haiti we went to the famous Obamaville which is a huge tent city. We did ministry and handed out candy. After our time in the town square an intern of the Mission of Hope pulled a Haitian woman into our vehicle, This led to a stop where our team got to pray for a crippled boy, a mother, and her child. This was very powerful time, and following it I walked back towards the truck and noticed a group of about 4 little boys. I approached them and did the classic pound the fist sign and as the first boy was about to punch my fist he faked me out and him and his friends proceeded to laugh at me. It was quite humorous. During that interaction with those boys I had a moment in time that I can’t shake. These boys where in bad shape, they had bloated stomaches and I’m sure were lacking in just about every nutritional category. That however did not stop them to have a moment of joy and happiness in suffering. Those smiles will never leave me.
In my life I can sometimes get down about little things that in the big picture mean nothing. Luxuries that I take for granted should not drive me into a cycle of depression or anger. This idea of joy in suffering is something that is very new to me and I’m starting to understand it. No, I can’t relate to being hungry or thirsty but I’m a soul needing love,mercy,forgiveness, and joy just like those boys. When I don’t have anything according to the world I have plenty according to God. Maybe all this stuff that I add to my life isn’t good and really it’s just a burden on my soul that already has enough through his Love. The trip was filled with many great moments and I could spend days writing and reliving this trip. God changed my heart and I’m very thankful that I had the opportunity to go and go with a group of people who I love.
I was blind but now I see.
