Ellen's Time in Haiti
Is it naïve to think that one can go on a month long mission and expect only the indigenous to experience a radical change within? The Holy Spirit is far too powerful to be limited to such thinking. What I experienced in Haiti with the Wesley Foundation at Louisiana Tech was nothing short of a spiritual awakening and a revelation of my true self. I was surrounded by eleven beautiful and faithful servants of Christ who encouraged me to see past the modern ideology of short term mission work, dig deeper into the roots of my faith, and find my home within the body of Christ and His followers. Each week, a new layer began to reveal itself- leaving me raw, exposed, and enlightened by the mighty works of Jesus Christ.
Week one. You feel the excitement buzzing through the air (as well as the mosquitos) as we begin our first week in the village of Sous a Philippe. We adapt to our routine, and soon their life becomes our own. Every morning and afternoon, we would all work together, Haitian and American, to mix and pour the concrete needed to lay roads throughout the village. The reality of being drenched in sweat at all times as the new normal set in, and a newfound love of children blooms from within. I saw Jesus in these moments, passing buckets filled with concrete to one another and helping wherever necessary. I felt Jesus in the sun beaming down on us as we worked, and in the gentle breeze that seemed to come at just the right time. I heard Jesus in the rhythm of the music as we worked and in the laughter of the children and workers. It was easy to become distracted by the beautiful sights and sounds that come with the village.
Week two. With one week finished, I felt like I had the reigns of this mission in the palm of my sunburnt, blistering hands. I had always been confident in my ability to take control of any situation I found myself in. I felt like I was making decent connections, but they were only surface level. I was yearning for a deeper connection. I pushed myself to work harder, meet more people, and learn Haitian Creole. The problem didn’t lie in my connections with the village, my team, the land, or the sea, but rather within myself. After having this revelation of my obsession with trying to be perfect and likeable, I did what I always did when I discovered things about myself I didn’t like: I ignored it. Though, this trait was addressed and conquered when my leaders pulled me aside and encouraged me to take a deeper look within myself to expose the real me. How fantastically terrifying?
Week three. This is the most pivotal week for me. I couldn’t do a lot of work due to a torn labrum and separated bicep tendon that I had been struggling with long before we left for the mission. Fatigue and homesickness plagued my once lively team. Jesus was removing all of my distractions in order for me to achieve the spiritual awakening my soul craved. I decided to take all of my team leader’s advice and find who I really am and who I want to be as a Christian. If you haven’t read New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton, I highly recommend. In the first five chapters, I quickly discovered the blueprint of my brain and the answers regarding why I am wired to obsess over perfection, success, and attention. I spent a lot of time meditating and praying over this period. My mission was almost over, and I had to make up for lost time.
Week four. I spent this week saying goodbye to the family I found in Sous a Philippe. I felt a lightness in my spirit. However, the idea of leaving these people I now call brother and sister sickened me. I tried to learn as much as I could from the people of the village. I craved their simplicity and their radiant, pure joy. They had so little, yet their spirit flourished. I could literally hear God in the crash of the waves to the shore and feel him hold my hands when a Haitian would take mine into their own. He was there, dancing around with the white and yellow butterflies. He was there in the starry night sky as we worshipped under the stars. He was there with us for each bandaged wound and there with us in every fallen tear. I had never felt more comforted in my entire life. I felt as if the blanket of the Holy Spirit covered my shoulders and told me to make Psalm 61 my own personal mission.
Haiti changed my life inside and out. I no longer looked at the world with veiled eyes. I was this body of fire and passion for Jesus. Much like Paul, my blindness was washed away and I had a burning desire to serve Jesus and show others what He has done for me in that special place. I found myself in this forgotten island, tucked away in the Caribbean Sea, surrounded by goats, donkeys, my team, and the Haitians. Sous a Philippe will always hold a special place in my heart, and I could never repay it for being the altar in which I gave my soul as a living sacrifice.
The Author:
Ellen Herrington is starting her second year at Tech in the fall. She writes music and sings beautifully. She also loves sports and will definitely beat you in basketball. She became involved at the Wesley Foundation her freshman year before joining the mission team to Haiti.