Day 9
January 7th
Thursday
Wow! So here we are, the end of the trip. With all we did and all we went through it seems impossible that all of it took place in nine days. There really isn't a whole lot to tell about the last day. I didn't go to bed until around 1:00 am and I was up by 4:30am. But just like the day traveling to Haiti - I woke up wide (sort of) awake. Shelby & Amanda's boyfriends (Aaron & Caleb) who had been there since before Christmas were flying home to the States this day as well. Their flight was 2 hours before ours so that meant we all got to leave early. Thanks guys!!!
I had hoped to get some sleep on the road, but that's impossible on Haitian roads. So, I spent my time staring out the window at the scenery we didn't get to see on the way in (since it was night time then). Haiti really is beautiful if you can look past the poverty and trash. Once you get away from the city there is grass & trees. It is in a tropical climate after all.
I debated whether or not to tell this little bit of info. I haven't even told Keith about it. I'm still not sure what to make of it, whether it was a tired brain, or a thin veil that was pulled back for a moment. You know how as a kid you'd look at clouds to see what you could see in their shapes? As I stared out my car window that morning, it was overcast. These weren't fluffy white clouds, but grey & gloomy. Normally when you see shapes in clouds it's a bunny or dog or something. As I looked, I saw in the shadows of the clouds the stereotypical image of the devil's face - horns and all. I stared at it for several minutes and it didn't change. As I stared I prayed. I prayed for Haiti, for the Kids in Bor Kanal, for God to make himself known to the people of Haiti. I closed my eyes and prayed some more. When I opened them the image was gone and in its place was a cross. I'm still not sure if it was a tired mind that was making up things or if God was allowing me to see something else. I really don't know. But I do know I saw it. I know, I know, I'm just making the case stronger for me being a nut. I'm cool with that!
Normally, I would chalk the above situation to imagination. But, God revealed something to me in my journaling time that has caused me to wonder. I didn't have time to journal Wednesday night. We were too busy getting things packed and just enjoying our last moments in Haiti. So, on the plane ride from Haiti to Miami I wrote my journal entry for Wednesday. Often when I journaled, as I wrote things down God spoke in that moment. Here's what I wrote for Wednesday:
"I felt God's presence. I had an image in my mind that morning of angels lining the path from the cars to the church and surrounding the church. I don't know if it was of God, but it blessed me.
"As kids were being let inside, the group leaders gathered behind the podium and sang, 'We're standing on Holy Ground.' Oh my goodness! It just hit me! There's a line in that song, 'And I know that there are angels all around.' I think God just told me that He placed that vision in my mind. Praise Jesus! God spoke to me in a supernatural way!!! I can't wait to share this with someone!!!"
Did God speak in an audible voice? No. Did I hear him? Definitely. No doubt in my mind about that.
We were blessed on the trip home and didn't have trouble getting to our plane on time. We did have to run through the Dallas airport again to make our connection (they even had to hold the plane to get our checked baggage on). For the first time as I relate this experience to you, I'm fighting back tears. It was such a relief to be headed home to my family. I had been too busy to really think about missing them, but that never stopped my heart from aching for them. I know God called me to Haiti, I didn't know why until he told me that I was called to teach the kids in Bor Kanal. Now that my mission in Haiti was complete I was ready to claim my prize. I had run my race and I ran it with everything I had. I'm feeling that relief all over again as I finish telling my story.
But that's the kicker isn't it... this isn't the end of the story. Who knows how long I'll live. My earthly mission isn't complete until the day I die. God didn't give me life to have me teach 3 days in Haiti and do nothing else with my life. Here in the U.S., for now, my mission is my kids and my family. Some days it is hard to see it that way because it comes naturally - this is the job, the lifestyle I have chosen. But my kids are a gift from God. The next time you hear me gripping about them you have permission to remind me of that - sometimes we all need reminders of our missions.
I don't know what my mission assignment will be a few years from now. But it doesn't matter. My job is to focus on the here and now. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own without adding to it if I've heard God's calling on my life for the future - especially if I haven't been focused on what he's calling me to do now.
So what's your mission? You don't have to go to another country to have a mission. It could be a neighbor, a friend. Heck, yesterday in Dillon's there was an older gentleman behind me that didn't know how to use the self-checkout. Do I work at Dillon's? No. Did I help him anyway? Yep. (Did the Dillon's attendant even notice? - no). It doesn't matter if it's a big mission or even an important one. What matters is if you pay attention to what God is telling you to do and are OBEDIENT to it. You can't avoid the small assignments because you're waiting for your big one. Do you really think God is going to give you something big if you haven't proven yourself with the small things? Would you trust your teenage kid with the Porsche if he hasn't proven he can drive the Pinto? Didn't think so.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Thank you to all who have sent me encouragement to keep writing this. It has been hard, but totally worth it - just like going to Haiti! You may not realize it, but your encouragement also helped keep me accountable to God to write this daily. (Because there were a couple of days that I would have really liked that extra hour of sleep).
Well, I welcome any questions you have. There are plenty of stories I didn't tell, so feel free to ask. Thanks for sticking with me the past 9 days as I relived this journey.
God bless!
Naomi <><
Oh, I almost forgot. I've had a couple of people ask... if you want to pass any of this along to other people - feel free. Even if it's just to make fun of the crazy (hopefully effective) nut. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment