Steve
What Specific events have helped inspire you to participate in this mission trip?
Previous mission trips.
The greatest growth in my understanding of God’s global mission of healing and reconciliation of humanity has come through my journeys to Haiti and my support of a small boy’s orphanage on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Working in community, I have experienced a depth of brokenness and despair in Haiti I could not possibly have imagined any other way. The plight of these 17 boys, as well as the whole country for that matter, is heart wrenching. It is here that John Wesley’s words speak louder than any other time, “do all the good you can…” Yet in the midst of this third-world culture broken by greed, fear and power, I’ve also experienced a spiritual vitality that is alive, passionate and sustaining. With little in the way of comforts or conveniences we take for granted, the Haitians worship in song, dance and prayer for hours on end. Worship is not just part of their schedule; it is their breath of life, their source of hope and their promise that God is with them. God’s grace poured out upon them.
Why do you feel called to participate in this particular church activity? (i.e. spiritual formation)
I come on this trip to be with the real world in which the Gospel moves and in hearts and hopes of the Haitian people who represent the best of Christian discipleship. It is my reality check and an opportunity to recalibrate my spiritual compass. While in Haiti I pray this simple prayer, “Grant me an encounter with you today, O God, that will change my life, no matter what.”
Describe what you hope to gain from this international mission experiences
Our culture is disconnected with the world as it really is and sometimes I get drained and empty trying to find the depth of spirituality and faith that is both vulnerable and alive. In Haiti I can be a servant, a disciple and the learner I was called to be and absorb a deeper spirituality than I find anywhere else. I am humbled here and my faith is tested and purified again and again. I also find the Gospel comes alive in me in this place in through these people.
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