Fellow Missionary "Jennifer Franco"

As I prepared myself for Haiti, I tried to picture the utter poverty I would face and the hungry children I would meet, so that I wouldn't be too shocked. I had been to India the year before, so I knew what real poverty looked like, but I didn't want this trip to just make me feel sorry for them. I wanted to go see them and do something about it. Because any sane American who visits this particular orphanage in Ouanaminthe would feel "bad." But unfortunately it is too easy for us to see them and go back to our old lives and do nothing. But of course I was still shocked. Because when you see impoverished orphans on TV, they're usually crying and reaching for food. But when you actually go there, you realize that that's their way of life. They don't know how to live any differently. And amazingly, they still choose to trust the Lord to provide their next meal, because they don't know where it's going to come from. And not only do the children have awesome faith, but they also have the joy of the Lord. They were so welcoming and so happy to see us when we stepped out of our luggage-packed van. I will never forget they way they were all dressed up in their Sunday best for church; the girls all wore dresses (donated to the orphanage) and the boys wore their nicest outfits as well. It was funny because we were actually the ones who felt under dressed. I remember getting back home from Haiti and not being able to stop thinking about those kids. One of the main things God showed me while I was there was how possible it is to help those 31 kids. If every person who visited the kids stopped going out for coffee 5 times a week, or decided to spend less money on Christmas presents, or even started eating out less-- anything we want to do-- if every person sacrificially gave just a little bit of money every month to this orphanage, they might not have to wonder where tomorrow's food will come from. And Pastor Willio might not have to turn down child after child because of a lack of food. It is so possible for us to help them in a huge way without even giving very much. The Bible says that true religion is looking after widows and orphans, because they're the ones who don't have anyone looking after them. God loves to see his children giving to each other.I think that Americans, when faced with the thought of donating money to a far-away orphanage they've never seen, think, "Oh, well I don't have much money. How would my tiny contribution help an orphanage full of hungry children?" And I think that's where most of us are wrong. Because that little amount of money you can give to those kids is like gold to them. And I guess it is hard to think that way until you've been there. Though you certainly don't have to visit the Haitian children to give money to them, I would certainly recommend going. Those kids will make you feel at home (ironic, I know) and will lovingly welcome you with open arms even if you can't speak their language. For me, going to Haiti wasn't necessarily "heartbreaking." Honestly, I didn't cry over what they didn't have. Moreover, the trip made me realize how much I have, and how much of that I don't need. And, of course, how incredibly easy it would be for me to give some of what I don't need to them. I hope to visit Haiti again sometime soon, because it is NOT easy for me to stay away from those beautiful little faces for too long. And I encourage you to consider going as well! The web site you can visit is www.hopegivers.org. Who knows? Maybe you're the next one God will send to Ouanaminth, Haiti!