Guest Blogger: Amanda Sisti

Haiti: relentless heat, undrinkable water, and sleepless nights. Though a trip such as this one is truly a blast, it is not relaxing vacation on a beautiful sandy beach (the beaches are made of rocks… Ouchhh!). After spending Sunday attending Pastor Rene’s church and swimming in a very clear and very blue ocean, I woke up Monday morning ready to go out and engage with the locals.

We began our journey down bumpy, busy streets to our first work sight: Camp Abraham. I was beginning to get tired of the sweat and was growing more and more afraid of
germs when we arrived. We stepped off the bus and the children looked at us through excited and hopeful eyes. We pulled out jump ropes, frisbees, and soccer balls and, as we began to interact with the children, nothing else mattered. The blazing sun suddenly did not seem as hot, the ever present and mightily prevalent germs did not seem as scary, and any amount of exhaustion seemed to vanish. As I turned a rope for the children to jump, not only were they smiling, but I, too, was glowing with joy to be with the children. We played with them, held them, and took pictures, one of there favorite things to do (they love to see themselves in the photos).

Soon after, we began our program complete with music, a skit, making bracelets, and sharing testimonies. We may not have been able to speak their language, but no member on our team let that become a barrier. We loved them in spite of challenges, and we hopefully planted seeds in their lives that may someday bloom into brilliant verdure.

Not only was in impacting on their lives, but on mine as well. To see that much joy in the children, to experience a piece of their culture, to break down any boundaries that stood in our way is an experience never to be forgotten. There is no doubt that God is at work in Haiti, and I am blessed beyond belief to be a small part of that transformation.