Helping The Ones That Stay Past Our Time Here
When I think of how we, as foreigners, can help Haiti, many answers come to mind. Firstly, I begin to brainstorm all the ways we can help the country that is known as the ‘poorest in the western hemisphere’. Well, maybe we can build then. Hand out food. Drill wells. Provide medical care. Pass out clothes. Provide jobs. All being ways that many are helping in Haiti, ways that are often beneficial and needed. When my mind goes to helping Haiti, I think of all the physical ways we could help those living in hard conditions.
Many times at Breathe, we are able to help in these physical ways. Ways that allow us to leave the country thinking, “this is what I did, and it helped someone in a way I saw instantaneously.” Full bellies, hydrated bodies, a building to call home. We love meeting the physical, and I believe that Scripture is clear, it honors our Papa in heaven when we are able to do these things.
At Breathe, there is another approach we enjoy taking to how we can help Haiti. It’s simple really, but oftentimes less ‘fulfilling’. We don’t always see the fruit in the moment, as we sometimes (secretly) wish for (I’m the biggest culprit, okay!?). So what is it then?
Helping The Church
Simple. Obvious even. What a beautiful mission – to encourage and build up the church that will be here years and years past us. Even myself, as someone who doesn’t desire to make anywhere else but Haiti home, the church in Haiti will outlive me.
In its simplest form, the church is always the answer. It is the astounding answer our Father in heaven gave us to mend the brokenness of our world. I am certain that through the church and those that love our God, Haiti will be helped. As foreigners that love the Lord, quickly visiting a little island on the Caribbean – this must be our biggest goal, to help our brothers and sisters in the church, and through this strategy, Haiti will prosper in ways unimaginable in the name of Christ.
