This Crazy Beautiful Frustrating Country

It's been a stressful couple of weeks, lots going on, many days serving in a variety of ways off campus,  not a lot of office hours, work piling up with limited time available to accomplish everything, plus massive amounts of general Haiti frustration, think entitlement spewing everywhere ruining your day,  no ink or paper to print anything out and orphanage directors calling non-stop hoping I somehow have all the answers to their immediate needs (I don't, in case you too thought I just might). Now insert 4 kids who need their momma's attention too, have to get to school on time, finished homework and eat 3 times a day, every single day (!!!) and then take Kenol out of the equation because he is in Austin for meetings all week, so now I'm in charge of laundry (We're all re-wearing our cleanest dirty clothes tomorrow...sorry!) and today our nanny wasn't able to come to work because her mom is sick.

Welcome to my life people.

Sometimes serving is difficult, painful even. Sometimes I feel like people should be thankful but all they do is stick their hand in my face waiting for me to give them something. Sometimes you just need to print something and there is neither paper or ink to make that happen, or maybe there is paper and ink but no power because Haiti.

It seems simple things are never simple here. Today I wanted to print out notes for the 3cords Bible study. A simple task in theory, but not so simple in execution. Trying to print a page of Bible verses truly should not be this difficult for the love of all that is good and holy. There were actual and literal tears.

Yesterday I needed to find 10 families in Levek and collect some basic information. Seems simple enough right? Yeah, it's not. Yesterday was our 3rd attempt on collecting this information, a total of 7 hours spread out over 3 days to have ten 5 minute interviews.

It's no wonder nothing starts on time, life is just really stinkin' hard and nothing seems to go the way it should. Praise the Lord Haitians have such an amazing attitude when it comes to things not happening as they are 'supposed to' and ample patience. I feel like I'm A-L-W-A-Y-S the first to be impatient and frustrated when things don't go as planned. Did I mention I married Haiti's most kind and patient man. Ugh!

Ok. Breathe and focus on the good things.

I am thankful everyday the sky is bright blue and the sun shines bright.

I am thankful for palm trees, mangos, fresh bananas and a view of the Caribbean sea from my house, from my office, from my workout path.

I am thankful for kind eyes and big smiles in the midst of chaos.

I am thankful for Toro and year round sandal wearing.

Thank you Jesus for these things...or I would never survive.

Rachel

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