Open Hands & Open Doors

I admit that before I went on this mission trip, I really didn't pay much attention to less fortunate people in my own city, let alone those in another country. Yes, sure, I give financially to some local organizations, serve my community here & there, and give time and money to my church. But I've never really checked-in emotionally to this demographic of people. Frankly, I get caught up in the "I have enough work taking care of my own (fill-in-blank)". It is crazy, how little my world had gotten...my friends knows how much I joke about living in "the bubble" of our own zip code.

My eyes flung open within a few minutes of hanging w/ the kids at the 1st orphanage...


It was nothing that was said, but just an overwhelming change of heart and perspective, seeing and experiencing life outside my cozy little world...seeing my own kids in the faces, and high-5s, and embraces of these orphan kids...


I realized while walking away from that 1st orphanage, that I wanted Payton (my 7 yr old) to start grasping, right now, that his life is much bigger than just his own cushy little world. Stacy made a little 20-page picture book to bring with me, filled with pics of her and the boys. I carried it in my backpack, which I ended up taking w/ me everywhere we went. At Jumecourt Orphanage, a couple of the boys asked if I was married or had kids. So I grabbed my book to show them...they loved looking at the pics, laughing at some of the silly pics of the boys. I caught the sarcasm in the 11 year old's tone (in the red shirt) when he asked "THIS is YOUR wife?!?!"...


They were asking me about Payton (how old he was, and if he liked to play soccer). I told them how I was going to one day bring Payton down there with me. And I asked them to say hi to my boy on video, to start Payton's journey of getting outside of just his world of 1st grade, and video games, and "stuff"...



It was pretty easy to get jarred out of my world down there (no cell phone does that pretty swiftly). But it's not like a mission trip to Haiti, or anywhere else, is the only path to discovering how life is way bigger than our own limited perspectives. I've wasted years being lazy & selfish at the crossroads of a situation where I could have helped someone in a big way...b/c I wasn't paying attention enough to even know I was wearing blinders that kept me from seeing how much more to life there is than just my own (fill-in-blank-here).

Check out this quick video...



This cozy little world we create for ourselves can be a pretty exciting adventure when we pay attention, and ask for open hands and open doors.

Coming Back

On Sunday a.m. we packed into the van and drove about 10 minutes to Pastor Kisnel's All-In-One Village where they do church every Sunday from 8-11 a.m. Yes, 3 hours of church...in an open-air tent...no a/c or cool gentle breeze...dressed in their Sunday best (a lot of guys did wear a tie & sport coat).

The night prior, our Global Orphan leader, John Carr, prepped us for what the church service would be like. I sensed God's whisper, "pay attention tomorrow & notice how big I am".

I'll share the details another time, but check out this short video I shot during the service...



(Here is link if video above doesn't open)

We learned afterwards that there was a worshiper of satan at church that day checking this Jesus thing out. He was one of the young men in the white shirts in the front right, about 4 rows back. He was still talking with Pastor Kesnel about Christ with 3 other young men when we left a couple hours after church ended. I think God was pulling him close.

So big is our God...that He even shows up at a make-shift church structure made of 2x4's, USAid tarps, and a floor made of tons of golfball-to-baseball-sized rocks. There, Jesus Christ is alive and present, because He hears His people calling to Him (click that link). He even hears His children who have gone astray and are chasing after someone or something else...even following the devil. He hears, and this is exactly how He responds...




(Here is link if video above doesn't open)

American lifestyle breeds these deceivers of lust, money, self-image and self-worth (the pursuit of "stuff") that dilute our once-childlike faith & love of Jesus...we become watered-down in our faith...or indifferent altogether.

In my community, probably like yours, it's more common that someone "that's gone astray from God" looks like this "indifference" instead of actively & knowingly worshiping satan. Maybe we even "go to church" but never truly follow Jesus. And maybe there's a legit reason...I was there before, too. That's actually exactly WHY he still shows up (click that link).

If you are in Tampa, check this out.

If you're somewhere else, check out this or this online.

No matter how far we have gone away from God
(yes, even with all your baggage),
He is eager to have us back...

highway driving

Obviously, driving in Haiti was an adventure. Their rules of the road are so drastically different than ours. What they drive and how they drive it is boarder-line crazy. If/when children are in vehicle, I do not think they discuss what at age to turn the baby-seat forward, if its a 3-point harness system, or how old to use the booster seat for Lil Johnny. I'm pretty sure they don't even have or use lap belts for the adults.

Its just better to show you...notice a few things while watching:

1. This is a highway from Port Au Prince to the orphan villages we visited.
2. Notice right away our van is slowing down w/ the rest of the cars, in both directions. This section of the highway had been washed out and was to pot-hole/crater-ridden to pass w/o going really slow. If you look at the road, really there are pot-holes even in the parts we're going fast.
   
3. The U-Haul truck packed w/ bags of what looks like bags of rice...and packed w/ people. See what I mean by no seat belts!
4. that crazy colorful pick-up truck is a "tap tap" which is their version of public transportation.
5. No, bikers don't wear helmets there.

Our driver is not "playing chicken", this is just how they pass each other...

Haiti Unplugged

Our church's worship leader, Blaine Albright, led our trip. The guy is an incredible human being. And he is actually a real live rock star...but he's choosing to serve and honor God with his life instead of chasing money and fame for himself.

He brought his "backpack" guitar with him, and rocked-it-out for us every day...


I'm not exactly the most musically gifted person, so it was so cool to be a part of experiencing God using music to reach people.

Every day, at every orphanage, Blaine was connecting with these kids musically (not to mention the people in our group). If he wasn't on the clock, he needs a few extra vacation days this year.

Here's a picture of him teaching one boy, Sam, how to play guitar...


(yes, I was jealous of Sam, too)

Here is a little Haiti Unplugged...Blaine making music with one of the girls at the 1st orphanage we visited...



(if you can't view the video immediately above, click the title of this blog post and it will direct you to the actual website which will allow you to play the video...its worth it:)

We Don't Notice

On Saturday night 1/21/12 we regrouped w/ our Global Orphan leaders, John & Abby Carr. This was probably the most personally-impactful time each day...realizing what had happened that day as we shared stories.

John shared the same story that Jesus shared years ago, about a widow living in extreme poverty, and how she still gave sacrificially. Then John shared some "in-the-trenches" perspective of poverty (I'll paraphrase to how it applied to me)...

"Some things that poverty causes that we do not notice b/c we're not living in it...

Choices:

1. which clothes or shoes to wear...the black shoes to match the belt?...gray shirt w/ khaki shorts?
2. which course to golf...the farther one w/ the tougher back 9?...or the close one w/ tight fairways?
3. which Starbucks to go to...the closest one w/ no parking but new swanky chairs?...or the farther one w/ plenty of parking and a drive-thru?
4. which bathroom to shower in...the bedroom w/ awesome showerhead?...or the kids' with the super water pressure?

(that is a shower at Jumecourt orphanage...the water is not warm)

Privacy:

1. there is no place to be alone...
2. no car to go drive in...
3. no bathroom or bedroom to shut door behind...

(this is a boys' bedroom...do the math on how many kids sleep in there...I wouldn't want the bed next to the open windows when its raining...)

Opportunity:

1. cashiers in Haiti speak SIX languages.
2. "overqualified" workers take any job they can get."

Question: How could these people be so joyful without choices, privacy or opportunity?

3 Orphan Stories - A Turning Point

***A QUICK NOTE - several people have asked me where to get emailed when I make a post. Look above about 2 inches & put your email in the "FOLLOW BY EMAIL" box just above the datae of this post title "3 Orphan Stories - A Turning Point", and just under the header pictures at the top. You'll have to verify a word, and confirm your request in your email inbox.***

It was Saturday morning, 1/21/12, and we were about to hit our stride w/ "orphan time", visiting multiple orphan villages each day from this point on. Our Global Orphan leader, John Carr, shared with us 3 brief stories of 3 specific children at the Jumecourt orphanage & how they ended up there. I think John intentionally shared these stories at this point in our trip to help us pay attention & not obliviously overlook the life-changing moments we would soon be a part of with these kids. I'm grateful for his leadership, wise beyond his years.

We had already met & played with lots of the children, and knew for ourselves that these kids seemed joyful, caring, and happy to be a part of their community of orphans. They really didn't seem too much different from my own kids, aside from the absence of deodorant, glitzy recreation, and electronic entertainment. That made it unknowingly easy to overlook the fact that they are orphans...in an impoverished country.

Without knowing their stories, it kind of made it safe for us to physically & mentally be there w/ the kids...but emotionally and spiritually not really have to be invested. I didn't realize any of this until I reflected on this all when I got back home.

Click below, I read my journal'ed notes of the stories of 3 of the kids at Jumecourt, as John told us...

The hotel's rooftop deck where we sat fell quiet. I think it was all 10 of us in our group, but maybe it was just me that was hearing God's simple, gentle, loving whispers...

-"Grasp how important it is to Me that you are here physically, emotionally and spiritually.

-Now go, love these kids as I love them.

-Let Me use you to be a part of their story of knowing My love for them better.

-Go and be My physical hands for them to hold, and My arms to hug, and My legs to play futbol.

-I AM very alive here, and very real to these kids."

John finished by saying, "Global Orphan wants 'adult champions' for the kids." It was clear that this was a turning point in our trip, for me at least, from "we're just here playing w/ these kids" to "we're on a mission here w/ these kids".

Knowing these kinds of stories are the soul-scars of the kids that were climbing on us, kicking soccer balls past us, and braiding our hair...it flipped a switch inside of me that rarely gets flipped. I looked around at my 9 American friends, realizing I was right in the middle of the biggest privilege that God has ever honored me with, outside of leading my own family. This was 1Corinthians 12:27 coming to life in front of us.

Call it what you want, but it could not be clearer to me how God would use these stories to teach us that:

1. us "ordinary guys" can be desperately-needed father figures to neglected & abused boys.
2. God still lifts people out of the trash, cleans them up, and uses them for GREAT purposes. NOBODY is too dirty, too messed-up, or too-far-gone for God.
3. God shows Himself all around us...in "coincidences" and in the world's hurts...if we'll only pay close enough attention.
   

Entrusted With Much

Most mornings, I'm up in the 5:00 hour. So I get to hang out w/ Parker (my 12-month old) in the a.m. before Stacy and Payton wake up.

I keep the TV & Blackberry off now, Haiti-style, to keep the world from intruding on our time. He sits on my left hip/lap, leans back into the crook of my left arm, and I usually use my right hand to hold the bottle for him. Here's kinda what we look like...

When this calm mood overtakes him, it's really the only time I get to hold him while he's still. I get to sit there and look at him, hug and kiss him, as he's in the process of beef'ing himself up for his eventual spot on Da Bears D-line.

If you've ever held a child like this, you know the feeling, especially if it's your own child. It is this physical touch of love, care and safety that all humans are naturally wired to need. Especially for a baby, though, who doesn't yet understand what's going on, it's like that just becomes how they learn "love".

Both my kids have grown up w/ this time. They don't know life without the loving touch of mom & dad, the caring & safe arms of us both. We, and our kids, probably take for granted, even overlook, the whole "physical touch" thing on most days.

And then, there are the children who are born into a life very different from ours...

I was getting a tour of this orphanage's dorm rooms from two 10-yr old orphans, when I saw this little guy. He was just left there, at the edge of this empty bedroom. The way my 10-year old tour-guides didn't even notice this little guy, it was clear that the baby didn't get much attention...not like our kids get here in America. It was my first sobering reminder of the logistical realities of an orphanage. The adults have so much work to do & so many kids to take care of, they physically can not be "with" the babies all the time. We try and throw our money at these situations, but its loving human hands that are needed. The harvest really is plentiful...and the workers really are few.

He looked up at me and I saw my own 12-month old in him, just wanting my attention & affection...wanting to be held. That's what we did this mission trip for, to "hold and love on kids"...so I did...

I noticed (immediately) that his onesie was not snapped over his crotch. He wasn't wearing a diaper...his junk was just hanging out. WARDROBE MALFUNCTION?!?! ("no damage" in the video meant I didn't get pee'd on). I learned later, the babies don't wear diapers at this orphanage b/c they just pee/poop so much that they just let them do their thing...no diapers to clean that way. Of course, I was told this LONG after I had gotten down on that little carpet and held onto this child, and laid on the ground by him. It made sense, later, why the smell of urine was so strong in that room.

At least an hour later, after I had played a few games of soccer, and hung out w/ some other kids, I peeked my head inside that door to check on this little one...

He was still there. Alone. No attention. This is just how they live. I pulled up that blue chair to the left, sat down right over him & "shush'ed" him to sleep. About 5 flies landed on his face/head. He didn't budge, though...he seemed used to it. It was pretty noisy too. This was his late morning nap routine I guess...just a few steps from the open doorway to the older boys' soccer games...

Oh, its not all too enjoyable to think about, let alone watch. Its much easier and pleasant to just stay in my own comfort coma, not thinking about these children, and these circumstances. Honestly, that's how I've lived for 32.5 years. Its easy to be deceived into not reaching beyond my own family. This little baby's situation, though, very quickly started to put into perspective the life that I and my family get to live. And how important my attention, and physical touch is to our kids. It brought to life what Jesus said in Luke 12:48 "...when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."

This little guy, this story, shook open a closed-door way-deep in my soul, revealing the truth that I have so much more to give to others...yes to my own 2 kids...but not limited to just them. We all do. The harvest really is plentiful...and the workers really are few.