I’ve always been drawn to issues of social justice. We did a Strengths Finder training last week, and my #2 strength is empathy. That could explain more than a few things about my life, but it is probably the part of my personality most drawn to service work.

Living in Haiti has exposed me to stories of injustice that are absolutely harrowing. I could fill my blog with shock-value examples, but the shock wears off after a while. And while shock elicits response, it doesn’t necessarily produce change.

The reality is that I haven’t been able to get to some of the elders lately because of violence in their neighborhood. The reality is that Haiti is a country with more barriers than solutions and sometimes, my empathetic heart has to look away because I’m not able to bring the solutions that are needed.

So I focus on the small moments of worship in an elder’s yard or home, intimate moments where I can hold one of their grandchildren or exchange a broken Creole greeting.

I had the privilege of growing up in church and hearing countless missionaries preach and share their stories. But, my actual introduction to missionary life wasn’t like the stories. I didn’t go out blindly into a community to build relationships and preach the gospel.

I was essentially handed a list of names, 48 elders in two communities I was to be somehow responsible for. And I was handed a small church group and told that I was there to support their mission.

I was given a bed in an apartment above a clinic on a compound where I’d live with a few other American volunteers, a handful of Haitian staff, and about 45 Haitian children and teenagers. And I’d be expected to know a lot of things that I just don’t know.

I didn’t really choose who my people would be, who I would spend time with, or whom I was going to be ministering to. It all came with the assignment.

And it has been challenging and wonderful. Those assigned relationships and tasks have been divinely arranged. I love my people. I love my job.

And all the unassigned friendships I’ve stumbled upon have been a blessed bonus. The Lord continues to bring people (and a kitty 😉) into my life just when I need them.

1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

I spent the morning delivering photographs to about half of the elders in our program. Today was just me and a translator, wandering Titanyen trying to remember how to get to each house and asking for directions often. I am sunburnt, and my legs are jelly from all the walking and climbing. It was such a fun day!

When you give someone a photograph in Haiti, they are unlikely to shrug, say thanks and move on. The experience is more like this: lots of laughter. Gasping and close studying, rattling on in Creole much faster than I can keep up with. Sometimes hugging or kissing the images. Definitely hugging and kissing me. Often calling friends or neighbors over to see, if they haven’t invited themselves already. Polite and impolite banter. Gratitude.

The week before I left for a Minnesota visit, one elder in Cite Soleil asked me for a picture of himself and a picture of me. A little embarrassed, but honored that my friendship was important to him, I decided to comply. I decided to print out a picture of myself for each of the elders, along with the pictures I printed of them.

This has led to the humbling experience of having Haitians openly critiquing my photos, but mostly it has led to wonderful interactions with the people I love. One dear man told me today that I bring him great joy and that he prays for me as he sleeps at night. Others I haven’t been able to interact with as much, asked me not to forget them and to visit more. So far, each one has received me into their home with no reservation, eager to wit with me for a moment.

A few of the elders have cell phones. Most probably have access to a mirror, though I haven’t seen many. Most probably have a few photographs. Still, it isn’t a given that you’ll get the chance to take a good look at yourself every day. A current photograph isn’t easy to acquire in Haiti, which is why I print them via Amazon or Walgreens when I’m in the states and bring them back. It is a gift I am happy to give. And I am thankful to the elder team who took some wonderful updated and silly photos when they were here last month.

I’ve been thinking about the significance of images this week, and it was one theme we touched on in the Bible study I attend this past week. If Jesus was the image of God, and we are all made in the image of God, there is something Holy we see when we see images of ourselves. There is something Holy we see in each other, something we recognize, the image of God.

^“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Colossians 2:15-16