Blessings

What a difference 5 hours on a plane can make.  On Monday I woke up in my king-sized bed, got up and took a hot shower, pulled my clothes from my walk-in closet, and then headed to my fully stocked refrigerator for breakfast.  It was about 35 degrees and a gentle rain was falling and it was so peaceful.  A handful of hours later, and where do I find myself?  Port au Prince, Haiti.  A place where one may not have a home, much less a bed, hot water is scarce, and an empty stomach can be more frequent than a full refrigerator.  35 degrees became 90 degrees, rain turned to sunny skies, and peacefulness was replaced with a wealth of horn honking, dog barking and rooster crowing.  Our team of 7 loves it all!

When I returned to White Bear Lake, MN from my last trip to Haiti a year ago, I shared with people what I saw and what we did and invariably people responded with, “We are so blessed”.  And, of course, there’s some truth to that.  People from the U.S. are blessed in many ways.  And yet, so often it seems that we in the U.S. equate “blessings” with how big our house is, whether we have the newest and best technology, and, you know – the material things we showcase to prove we’re successful.  So, my question is, are we as blessed as we think we are?  The Haitians have a lesson to teach all of us who equate blessings with “things”.  For, instead of spending time on amassing material goods, they focus on relationships, their faith, and maintaining a “get back on your feet” mentality.

Today we took a 7-hour bus ride to Jeremie, Haiti – a region hard hit by Hurricane Matthew in October.  145 hour per mile winds blew down trees and homes, and relentless rain washed away roads, farms, and belongings.  But these Haitians are a resilient people.  There was a definite hustle and bustle – new and shining rooftops reflect the sun, farms show signs of life, and markets are open for business.  Yet, there’s plenty of work to be done.  Food is scarce and people are hungry so we’re preparing food packets, distributing vegetable seeds, and purchasing livestock.  We hope it helps.

Which brings me back to the topic of blessings.  I think the Haitian people have helped me more than I could ever help them by teaching me what the true meaning of being blessed is.  They have shown me that God’s blessings are all around us.  Blessings are not what make us content but are rather those things that help us to connect to Him.

Beth Simms