Time is quickly going by, and even with my journal and pictures that chronicle my time in Haiti, many of the once vivid memories find themselves fading. And so I'm thankful for this little rock that's no bigger than quarter.
I remember very distinctly when I was given this memento. I was walking aimlessly around New Life, listening to the mixture of cries and laughter coming from the kids playing, and the soft chatter in Creole wafting from the kitchen. I stopped abruptly when I noticed a good friend bent over, intently looking at the pebble drive. "What is she doing?" I incredulously wondered. Curiosity got the best of me and I inquired what she was so focused on. "Finding heart shaped rocks," was her reply. Skeptically I asked,"have you found any?" "Here you go," she said as she placed this heart in my palm.
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"No way," I thought to myself, "she actually found one among the millions of stones strewn about"...but then she found another, and another (guess there's more than I thought! lol). I slipped my heart-rock into my pocket and continued walking...in many ways, it became a symbol of my trip.
Our time in Haiti was mostly made up of rubbing shoulders with lots of different people. Whether that was at the construction sight, driving through the towns, sight-seeing, or just around New Life with the children and staff. I was so blessed to come in contact with many beautiful hearts. Many of those hearts intent on serving the King and then there were many broken hearts in pain from the effects of sin. My journal entries are constantly retelling how I chatted with so-and-so about this ministry, or that pressing need in the community, how the kids were stealing my heart, or late night worship sessions...or just enjoying a simple game of Dutch Blitz. "Spent the remainder of the day loving on the kids. Paulson, Rosena, Lovelita...and many others. Love these kids....Ate dinner with some of the group from Rhode Island. We had a beautiful time of worship in the chapel, followed by a walk through the girls dorm to say goodnight to the kiddos....It is so refreshing to be in the thick of a predominately unselfish environment. Every person here is working hard to the good of someone else....So awesome meeting new people and learning about the visions God has burdened their hearts with." I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
So many individuals came across my path. Beautiful hearts, every single one of them.
No matter where you are it's very easy to just look at the masses and not see hearts and souls. Especially in Haiti, when the needs seem so glaring. But I never want to loose the reality that each person is unique in God's eyes, special and valuable beyond description to Him. And that's what I want that tiny rock in my purse to remind me of...the lovely people I met while there, and the very individual, beautiful hearts of the people of Haiti that are in desperate need of the gospel preached, and love of Jesus exhibited.
"Give me Your eyes for just one second,
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see."
- Brandon Heath
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