Reflections on Haiti: I Wait for My God

[from Friday, June 29]

First day in Haiti! I'm with the medical team for now, and this morning we started our day by going to an orphanage. The medical team did a clinic for them; I took the names and ages of the kids. (It's one thing to learn the phrases for how to ask their names and ages; it's a whole other thing to learn what their answers mean!!) Oh my gosh, though; it was so fun!

After I finished the forms, I taught some of the kids how to play Ninja. Entertaining with the language barrier! There was one boy named Steve (when I heard it, I said "I have a brother named Steve!!" and Ric had to translate for me to explain to the poor confused kid why I'd gotten so excited. But when Ric explained, Steve's face lit up); he was awesome at Ninja-- we started calling him Ninja Steve.

There was another girl named Emmanuela-- she wore a red, tattered dress, but she had one of the most beautiful smiles. I took pictures of the kids and showed them on my camera; they loved it so much. I think I could have kept them entertained doing that for hours! They got really into making funny faces for the camera. I was so sad when we had to leave. Who wouldn't be, right? They all lined up at the gate and sang a thank you song.

One of the men from the staff was holding a baby. He motioned to her and then asked me "Do you have one?" I said no.

"Are you married?" Again, I said no.

"When will you get married?" I shrugged my shoulders and smiled.

No idea-- I told him.

I motioned to the baby he was holding.

Is she yours?-- I asked him. "No," he replied.

Are you married? "No," he replied again.

I smiled. So when will you get married?-- I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders like I had done. But he didn't leave it there like I had done. He was smiling, but now he got serious. "I wait for my God," he said, "I wait for my God."

Lord, why can't I have that same simple and strong faith??