Next Year

It’s been 7 months now that I’ve lived in Haiti. In a way it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, but it also feels like I’ve been here forever. Lately I’ve really been thinking about the future. With my summer break fast approaching I’m wondering what next year is going to bring. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I want to be here. But where at here? And what should I do while I’m here. Somehow teaching English for another year doesn’t seem like enough. I wouldn’t mind teaching English. I just don’t think I want to do it as a full time job. I want to have the freedom to other things too. And what about my living arrangements? Right now, the place that I’m staying feels like The Hilton. I have tile floors and running water. We have a generator here that gives us electricity now almost all day. It makes me question if I could/should handle something a little more difficult. I have the option of living more among the people. Paul wrote in the bible that we should become all things to all men so that we may save a few. I understand what he’s trying to say. If I want to help the Haitians; first I have to become one. But I also fully understand now how difficult that is. Every weekend I’ve been staying  in a town called Grand Goave. There is no running water, no electricity, and no privacy. The privacy thing is the hardest. All I have is a thin white sheet to hide behind while I use the bathroom. Lord help me if I ever get sick there. Every day we have to walk down the road to get water. We fill up buckets and then carry them back. I have a toilet but I have to pour water from a bucket into it to make it flush. I don’t know how I would do that if I was sick! And having stomach problems is just a way of life here. Also the food situation is scary too. Let’s just say Haitian kitchens are a health inspector’s nightmare.  I never cared about that kind of stuff when I first moved here, but I changed my mind a little after I got food poisoning a couple times. It sucks!!

All these things make me question whether or not I can survive getting closer with these people. But Paul’s words always echo in my ear; “we must become all things to all men”.

As hard as it is every time I visit Grand Goave I can’t wait to go back. My Creole gets better with every visit. I’m a little bit more relaxed too. If God is calling me there I know he’ll give me the strength to deal with the obstacles I’ll face. Trusting him, that’s the key. Trusting and obeying…..