Clean Water and More

When I turn on the faucet in my house, clean water comes out. This may seem like a simple thing, but it is something I am thankful for. While I was in Haiti, I had to remember to fill a cup with filtered water to brush my teeth. I had to make sure I didn't rinse my toothbrush with the running water from the bathroom sink or I would likely get sick. Above is a photo of one of the water fountains in Anse a Galet on La Gonave, Haiti. The people there have to go and get water from this fountain, as you can see by the various containers all around. Then they have to carry it back to their home. I simply turn on a faucet.

One cool program that is going on in Haiti is the CHE program (Community Health Evangelism). Part of the education provided through this program teaches people that placing water in clear soda bottles in the sun for six hours works as a UV filter to purify the water and make it safe to drink. God is amazing! He's provided the sun and the knowledge to make changes like this that can save lives. For more on the CHE program, check out: http://villagehealtheducation.blogspot.com/

There are many other things I am thankful for. Today I need to do some laundry. This means I will throw some clothes and detergent into my washing machine and turn it on. After that I'll throw it in my dryer. The lady on the left did my laundry for me while I was in Haiti. She used a garden hose, large tubs, and a clothes line. She washes the clothes by hand on a concrete slab. She is a sweet lady, and I told her how much I appreciated her hard work (actually I had a translator tell her, since my Creole is almost nonexistent).

Yesterday I went to the grocery store, which is about two minutes from my house. The missionaries we visited in Haiti have to go to the mainland for many things. This requires a boat ride that is at least one and one-half hours long, then a drive about two hours, and that is one way! Below you see a photo of a refrigerator being loaded onto the boat to transport it from the Haiti mainland to La Gonave.




What are you thankful for today? Most of all, I am thankful for God's love. "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
I John 4:16

God loves you, and He loves me. If you'd like to find out more about my adventures in Haiti, please go to Sarah Shares.
                                         ~ Sarah

Quakes, Faith, and Hope



A few times I've been up several stories in a building and felt it sway slightly and vibrate, but I cannot even imagine the actual earth shaking under my feet. I just returned from Haiti, where I saw the devastating effects of the earthquake they endured last year. Above is a photo of a mass gravesite in Haiti, where approximately 200,000 earthquake victims are buried. Now the people of Japan are suffering from the effects of an earthquake and a tsunami.

One thing I know in the midst of these tragedies is that God is love. That is an enduring truth that has not changed and cannot be shaken. As Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, stated so clearly, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)



This sweet girl came up and walked along with me, holding
 my hand and pointing to things for me to take pictures of,
saying "photo, photo". Smiles are the same in every language!



These boys in one of the poorest areas in La Gonave, Haiti,
were having a great time playing soccer with a tennis ball.

I have many stories and many images to share, but for now I just want to encourage you that there is hope in Christ, and there is peace in Christ. One missionary I met shared that he was working in construction when he felt like the Lord was asking him what he was doing that had eternal significance. That was the beginning of his journey into missionary work and sharing the great news of the love of Jesus Christ with the Haitian people. So many things are temporary, but a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ is eternal.

 Going to Haiti was an incredible adventure and privilege that I won't forget. As I said, I'll be sharing more. In the meantime, remember that you are loved and there is hope!

15 Pounds of Crayons

What do 15 pounds of crayons, 60 toothbrushes, 462 scrub uniforms, and a big bag of silly bandz have in common? They are all among the many things people have donated for the mission trip to Haiti. I have been amazed at the generosity and thoughtfulness of people as they've heard I'm heading to Haiti. It's an exciting privilege to be able to deliver these gifts. I've packed over 300 pounds of donated items! It was an interesting challenge dividing things up so that each bag weighs less than 50 pounds.

I look forward to taking these supplies, and I am eager to help out in any way possible. There are 8 of us going together, and the whole reason behind this trip is to share God's love. God is love, and He loves each of us so much that He wants us to be in a real relationship with Him. This is actually possible through His Son, Jesus. Don't miss out on this. Life is too short to miss the whole point.

As it says in 2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."                                                                                      

For more details, check out: http://sarahshares.com/YouAreVerySpecial.html
Live for what lasts!
                                                                                            ~ Sarah

Chocolate Chips and Malaria Pills



The marketplace on La Gonave, Haiti.



Today was a day of running some unusual errands for my upcoming mission trip to Haiti. I picked up packages of live typhoid vaccine and malaria prevention medicine. Not your everyday trip to the pharmacy! As the team and I prepare, we've asked the missionaries who live there if there is anything they'd like us to bring. One small request is for chocolate chips. Personally, I often take for granted the fact that I can so easily stop by the grocery store or pharmacy or a multitude of other places to pick things up. Almost any time I feel like it I can pick up some chocolate chips and bake some cookies.

I'm going to Haiti for a mere 8 days. There are people who have dedicated months and years to serving in Haiti. They've sacrificed and given so much. It really puts things into perspective for me. Right now there are many power outages in my area. When our electricity goes out, it seems like such a major inconvenience, but there are many in the world who don't have electricity or clean water or even a roof over their heads.



This woman welcomed a baby who was abandoned into her small home.

 
Yet in the midst of the poverty in Haiti, there is evidence of hope. In this photo you see a woman who has hardly anything, but she has a love for God and is sharing that with others. She lives in one of the poorest sections on La Gonave, yet she has opened her small one room home to others with less than her. She reminds me of the woman that Jesus noted in Luke 21 who "out of her poverty put in all she had to live on". She has true riches. May you and I go after true riches, the kind that last.



Hope and Haiti

I am so excited, because in February I will be traveling to Haiti with a mission team. A year ago today a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, and there is still much rebuilding and repair to be done. I'm not exactly sure what my role will be on this trip, but it will be interesting to find out. Many times in life it is the willingness to act and to be available that are more important than the talents we have.

This will be my second trip to Haiti. The first was a couple of years ago, before the earthquake. I found the Haitian people to be kind, generous, and joyful. Many have so little, yet they share with others in whatever way they can. I gained so very much from that experience - much more than I gave!

I'd say the biggest lesson I learned on my last trip was to elevate relationships. Don't take for granted the people in your life. Treasure them. Don't let yourself get too busy to miss out on really looking and really listening. Value the moments and the memories; enjoy the adventure of life!

 

I'll keep you posted on this next trip. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. Thanks for taking time to stop by!

                                                                                      ~ Sarah