si Bondye vle

I apologize that I have not taken the time to blog. Nothing “out of the ordinary” has happened lately. Living in a guest house has provided plenty of privileges as we tour teams around the area (beach, restaurants, etc.). I purposely didn't want to get in the habit of sharing only those times because that's not what I am down here for, and definitely not typical life in Haiti. Yet, in the process of avoiding only blogging about those times, I have failed to share what life is really like here.

There is such a stark contrast between life in the United States and life in Haiti. I've come to see that our life in the US has become so artificial, and I believe that is part of the reason that we, as a country, are drifting further and further away from God. We assume that water comes from the faucet in the bathroom, light comes at the flip of a switch, and food comes off the shelves at the grocery store. When something isn't there, we make a phone call or drive to a different store and the problem is fixed in less than a few hours. We don't think we need God because we have come to believe that we have everything under control.

Yet, more than 4/5ths of the world know that that is not real life. Water comes from rain and the rivers that God has provided, and you may have to walk several miles to collect it and bring it into your home. Light comes when the sun rises and is gone when the sun sets. Even those that are blessed to have electricity have learned to not rely on it; it never lasts 24/7, and there's no guarantee that it will stay on until the same time every night. Food comes from your garden... your fruit tree... the fields that you work in. If the weather's bad or the crops produce poorly, you don't eat. That's life...

A common phrase that you hear in Haiti is “si Bondye vle,” “if God wills.” The Haitians are aware of God's provision and control of every moment of every day. It is evident in all walks of their life. People ask me if it's difficult to live in a country that lacks many of the modern conveniences that we have come to believe is “life.” I consider myself blessed to see and experience what life is really like among people who have no running water, electricity, or Wal-marts to shop at, and are still happier than many that live in the US. I hope that I always live with a Haitian mindset: daily grateful for God's provision, and continuous trust in His plans for the future.