Tent Cities

Yesterday, we made our first visit to Temonet, a local tent city. The people who live there are from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti's Capitol city. Their homes were destroyed so they were sent here, to St Marc, far from anything they have ever known, to live in tents.

As I walked up to a group of little kids playing in dirty water, I noticed a baby off to the side. She was crawling alone, trying to eat a rock. I picked her up, she had no diaper on. She was sick with stuffy nose and difficult breathing. I asked all the Haitian women who were there wher he rmother was, but they didn't know. I held the baby for half an hour, watching her little eyes close as I rocked her to sleep. When the time came to go, her mother was still not back, so I left her in a basket with another mother watching over her. She cried as I put her down, reaching up for me to hold her again. Broke my heart into tiny pieces. I wanted to take her home, give her a better life. If only it were that simple.

Being in Temonet has given me new perspective on Haiti. Seeing how they live in a tarp covered home and they were happy about changed my heart. Looking into the dark brown eyes of a 7 year old girl taking care of her little brother changed my heart. Watching 5 year old boys kick an empty water bottle to play soccer changed my heart. Holding a sick baby changed my heart.

I want more. I want more love for these people. I want to know more of God's heart for these people. I want more for them. I want them to know the love that I know. I want their hearts to be captured by the Father. I want Haiti to be changed.

Someday, the world is going to look at Haiti as a beacon of light. They are going to see God by looking at Haiti. Countries around the world will look here and see how a country that was once sold to the Devil 200 years ago is now being governed by God. God is here. God is moving in Haiti.