Transition

I didn't do a great job of keeping this updated this summer. Time runs away from you when you're having fun and resting in the fact that you know you're in the right place at the right time. So, I want to take a minute to tell you how God used me this summer and how He is working in me now. 

This summer, I was blessed to work with two other interns for an organization called Praying Pelican Missions. I don't use the word "blessed" lightly. I think that we as Christians often throw that word around to make others feel "less than". But in this situation, I can truly say that I was blessed. Caroline and Brittni are incredible women of God and my life has been forever changed by knowing them. 

These women have already spoken thoroughly on the topic of transition. You can read Brittni's blog here. Caroline writes about transition on this site. But I wanted to add a little bit about what I personally have experienced and hopefully shed some light on what short and long-term missionaries experience when they transition to and from another culture. 

Haiti is a place that captures a person's heart unlike any other. I know that I can speak for many when I say that my first time in Haiti was a life altering experience. The culture is incredibly welcoming, but also very different from our own. When we are serving, we can't just "go to walmart" to get something that we need. If we're in the city, we can go to Deli-Mart and get something close to what we needed. But even that can be a process depending on the time of day and the traffic. 

So many people ask me about the food. The food is delicious! We eat a lot of rice and beans. Fresh chicken, beef or goat is also a staple at most meals. And there's nothing like a cup of cold, freshly squeezed cherry or grenadia juice to refresh you after a day of passing buckets of concrete. 

Driving is a culture in and of itself. To most of us "blan" (foreigners), it looks like mass chaos. However, after you've been there a while, you can see that the horn isn't used just to make noise, it is used to communicate. "Hey, I'm turning left." or "Hey, I'm going to pass you." 

I don't even know where to begin when describing the people. The men and women we work with are the most selfless, protective and Godly men and women that I have ever encountered and will ever encounter. I can't begin to know how to use words to tell you what these individuals mean to me. 

Church in Haiti is an event. It happens early, and it happens often. Believers in Haiti wake up early on Sunday morning for the 6:00 AM church service. When they arrive they are in their best attire, including their bleached white button downs and beautifully pressed dresses. There are services throughout the week to facilitate time of prayer and petition and to simply worship the Lord in song. 

After serving in Haiti for eight weeks, I have now been back in the states for three weeks. While I was serving in Haiti, there were days that all I wanted was a glass of sweet tea. I wanted to talk to my mom for longer than fifteen minutes. I wanted to go see a movie.

But transitioning to being able to have those things in a quick-minute is no easy task. 

My first week home, I'm certain that my dad thought I was either deathly ill or angry at him. I didn't talk much at all. The truth is, I didn't have anything to say. How do you go from two such opposite realities so quickly? I ate lunch at La Maison at noon and had an Arby's roast beef sandwich at 10:30 that night. 

It takes time for your body to transition. Going from all natural foods to processed foods takes a toll on your digestive system, if ya know what I mean. :) Also, air conditioning is COLD. 

It takes time for your mind to transition. "Mwen ka ede'w?" (Can I help you?) doesn't make sense to most English speakers. Neither does "Mesi" (thank-you) or "Padekwa" (You're welcome). Trying to buy dish soap and having to choose from thirty different scents is more overwhelming than one would imagine. 

And the most difficult part of transition for me is my emotional/ spiritual transition. I've just come from a place where I've seen God move in incredible ways. I've also seen things that are so heartbreaking, words truly can't describe them. I've also seen beauty beyond anything imaginable. 

How is one supposed to reconcile living two completely opposite lives? What do I do now with the experiences I've had? How do I move on with life as it was, but remain changed because of the opportunity I've had to serve?

These are questions that I wrestle with on a daily basis. I imagine that these are questions that most, if not all missionaries ponder often. 

It has become easier over the last three weeks to live life normally here. I am back at school in some semblance of routine. I am constantly in contact with my friends in Haiti, and my American friends here who served there with me. But even then, there are nights like this when I can't sleep because Haiti is on my mind. It is and will forever be in my heart. 


If you've made it this far reading my poor writing, I want to share a bit of scripture with you. 

"12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." Philippians 1:12-14



I'm certainly not in chains like Paul was when this scripture was written, but I do find comfort in the fact that my time of transition is not in vain. I pray that others were and still are affected by my time in Haiti. I pray that God will continue to use the work that I did to glorify Him.


All that is to say, please pray for your missionaries. Whether they are at home or abroad, they are experiencing things that we will never understand.

(Every time I've use the word missionary or missionaries in this blog, I've given you a link to a site for a missionary that you can be praying for. Take the time to look at their blog or website and pray for them specifically.)

Love you all dearly.

This is a waterfall in Hinche, Haiti where I served my last week. This is the beauty I'm talking about. 

This is me and the other two interns from PPM. This is also completely typical behavior :)