Lessons Learned

Since Sunday night/early Monday morning, Gabrielle and I have been back in 'Les Etats-Unis.' Neither one of us thought about about the fact that we were leaving Haiti until the plane was lifting out of the Port-au-Prince airport. Consequently, reverse culture shock has hit us pretty hard. Although the majority of Gabby's experience was different from and longer than mine, we have still been able to connect with each other on the difficulties of adjusting back into American culture. Despite the challenges of readjustment, the distance gives us time to reflect on some of the lessons learned during our trip. Below are a few of them!

1) A lesson in faith, trust and flexibility. Sometimes God calls us to things that don't make 'sense' or don't fit into the schedule that we've made for our time or our life. There were many moments during the trip when our leader, Ms. Apollon, felt God calling us down a path that didn't make any sense to Gabrielle or me, practically speaking. We had to learn the hard way that when we try to stick to our own human plans and don't trust in God and His provision, there are serious consequences! God's way is always the best way. There's a song by Donnie McClurkin called "I'll Trust You Lord" with these powerful lyrics: "I know that faith is easy when everything is going well, but will you still believe in me...when all the things around you seem to quickly fade away...will you let go? Will you stand on my word? Against all odds will you believe what I have said? What seems impossible, will you believe?...Yes, I will trust you Lord" During our trip, we were challenged to a deeper level of faith, trust, and flexibility.

2) A lesson in perspective. The larger vision for our trip to Haiti was to provide summer educational opportunities for children in rural Haiti, a majority of whom would otherwise not have access to education. However, as mentioned in earlier blog entries, it took awhile for us to work with the children we had planned to work with. At first, I was so focused on getting to Kenscoff and Jacmel (the two towns where we were hoping to do the majority of our work) that I completely passed by the street children I saw every day. It was when Gabrielle suggested that we 'steal' street children (see earlier entry) and work with them that God opened my eyes to the need that was right in front of me. These children were amazing, and we had a wonderful (if at times challenging) four days playing soccer, teaching English, art and Bible classes with them. As a result of the experience, I learned not to be so blinded by the greater vision that I miss the smaller work that God has laid right in front of me. The experience reminds me of the parables in the New Testament where Jesus talks about the need to be faithful in little before much can be entrusted.

3). A lesson in humility. This trip was not the first time I had been outside of the US, nor the first (or even second, or third) time I've been in a developing country. Neither was it Gabrielle's first time in Haiti--she's been traveling there to spend time with family ever since she was little. Nevertheless, there were still times when we had experiences that taught us how much we have to learn, not only about Haiti, but also about educational work, ministry and missions. As Confucius stated, "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." I was definitely humbled during the trip, both spiritually and physically. I can only pray that God will continue to grow us in wisdom and knowledge. As David wrote in Psalm 130, "If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness so that we can, with reverence, serve you." (130:3-4)

That's it! Of course, there were more lessons than I typed here, but in the interests of length you'll just have to ask us about the rest ; ). Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. We could not have done it without you! Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we work to prayerfully adjust back into our homes. Please also continue to keep Haiti in your prayers!

Grace, peace and love to you all.--Anna Hunt

Ps. This last entry isn't the end of our blog's life! Gabby and I will continue to use it (probably Gabby more than me) to post Haiti related events, benefits, news and such. So, stayed tuned!

We are all Missionaries

My first five days in Haiti, I was traveling with Gabrielle's mom, Ms. Apollon. We were in Carrefour-feuilles, a town not far from Port-au-Prince, staying at the home of an evangelist/pastor there. At one point during that time, I was having a conversation with one of the young men in the church there. We were talking about what we wanted to be when we 'grew up,' and I mentioned feeling called to missions. His response was, "But you are already a missionary!" Those words have stayed with me throughout our time in Haiti, and especially now, as our trip draws to a close.

These last few days Gabrielle, Ms. Apollon, Marckley (Gabrielle's cousin), Keesandra (a Barnard student) and I have been pouring our time and energy into a group of about one-hundred children in Kenscoff. Our work has been difficult on several levels, because on top of the challenges of teaching three classes with a minimal amount of teachers and a huge age range (from five to sixteen) the leaders of the church there are currently torn apart by strife. It has been hard at times not to let our relationship with them affect us as we taught classes and spent time with the children. At one point, the pastor was even threatening to have another community leader killed. As a group, Gabrielle, her mom, Marckley, Keesandra and I had to talk and pray about if it was even safe for us to stay in Kenscoff.

The trouble we faced in Kenscoff has made me think twice about what it means to be called to ministry. It was obvious to our group that because the pastor in Kenscoff was making such serious threats, he had strayed from true Christian ministry and leadership, (as hard as that might be to define.) Erwin McManus makes a stab at it in his book, Seizing Your Divine Moment: "To follow Jesus is to move with God. When you become part of God's movement, you are a missionary. Every missionary has a mission. The mission gives him both intentionality and purpose...he is required to seize every divine moment. Is it possible that God longs for this for all of us?"

As our time in Haiti draws to a close, I find myself thinking about what our mission is in Haiti. I have no better words than to rephrase what McManus wrote: to follow Jesus and move with God. We have done so with the usual human mixture of success and failure. However, I hope that we have been able to bring a a part of God's justice, peace and hope to communities in Haiti. I am so, so glad that God asked me to come to Haiti. I have met people who will be on my heart and in my prayers once I leave, and I have probably learned more from those I have met than they have from me. At the very least, I am overwhelmed with how much I still have to learn, not only about Haiti, but also about ministry!

Nevertheless, the young man I spoke with during my first few days in Haiti was right: I am already a missionary, as are all of us who strive to 'follow Jesus and move with God.' The question is no longer 'are we called to missions,' but where are we called and how will we move? I hope that I will always have the courage to follow and move with God wherever that might lead.---Anna Hunt