Haiti and Me

11 days till my due date.

I am starting to hit the miserable phase. I can’t sleep anymore. Today I’ve been tired, nauseated, and headachy. I haven’t been productive at all – other than redesigning my blog!

But it’s all worth it. I can’t wait to hold my little Christian.

In much-more-important news, it’s been over a week since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. I’ve felt very connected to this tragedy through several avenues.

Three families from the church I grew up in were in the process of adopting orphans from Haiti. They were expecting to have to wait for years. Now the adoptions are being expedited, and Lord willing, the little ones will be home within the next week!

Two families from the same church were medical missions hosts to little toddler girls from Haiti. One of the little girls just returned to her home country a few days before the earthquake. They do not have contact, so are unsure of how the girls are doing.

The sister of a friend from college was in Haiti during the earthquake. Her parents lead several missions trips there each year. Thankfully she was not hurt.

One of the directors at Water Missions International used to be an elder in my old church. They have been working overtime to provide clean drinking water to earthquake victims.

My dad and a couple of other people from the church are hoping to travel to Haiti next week to visit the orphanage where the adopted kids are coming from – to assess needs and do medical relief.

When I was in high school, my parents and I sponsored a child from Haiti through Compassion International. We were unable to continue sponsoring her, and since then I been able to sponsor girls from Honduras and Ethiopia. But I haven’t forgotten Youseline, and I hope she and her family are safe.

The singles’ group from the church I’m in now took a missions trip to Haiti this summer. They did lots of fundraising, and we were able to see their pictures and hear their stories when they returned.

It’s amazing to me how many connections there are through the body of Christ to this suffering nation. My husband has reminded me how important it is to pray for them.

In very late pregnancy, it seems as though there’s almost a “license to complain.” It is a very difficult time physically and emotionally. But I am truly spoiled – blessed with a healthy-so-far little one, a husband who works hard to provide for me, freedom from having to work this last month, and most of all, “every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3).

I have the simplest blessings. Clean water to drink, food to eat. A place to sleep at night. Not having to worry about my unborn child getting enough nourishment. Not lying awake wondering if the roof will come tumbling down on me during an aftershock.

Most of all, I have forgiveness for my sins. I am very performance-oriented naturally, and on a day like today where I haven’t checked things off my to-do list and I’ve gotten very little accomplished, I feel as if I’m somehow less of a child of God. But I know that’s not true. Jesus paid the debt for my sins, and I am adopted and called to obedience as a gift of grace.

I feel like this was a formulaic post, but it’s what’s on my mind right now. I’m off to salvage what remains of the day. Pray for Haiti!

Photo credit: United Nations Photo

Edited to add: My husband sent me this video of a young man trapped underneath a building in Haiti.