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.”