Haiti Trip

I visited the Village of Galette Chambon, Haiti in the Summer of 2019. I had the pleasure of partnering with But God Ministries and spent a week experiencing the Haitian culture. The orphanage, Children of Christ Home, houses and provides for 14 children. I was able to teach the 9 girls how to sew and together we made each of them a dress or skirt!

Loudie ~ What a beautiful smile this girl has!! This dress has become the garment I am most proud to have created ... Being able to experience the confidence it brought touched my heart so warmly! Loudie was very shy at the beginning of the week but after spending time designing the dress with her & taking time to let her sew it together allowed us both to gain a bit of pride!! The way she lit up when she first put on her dress has easily made it onto my list of favorite moments!! Many design elements of this dress exemplified Loudie’s traits; the gentle yet playful fabric captured her personality so well. It was a dream come true to be able to use one of the gifts God has given me to bring joy in such a simple way!

Good words from my father: "This picture of our daughter Ashton was taken last week while she was in Haiti. It has quickly become one of my favorite pictures of her. If you look closely, you can see the conflicting emotions on her face. The feelings of both joy and heartbreak are vying for space on her face. Draped around her neck and holding tight is a little boy with cerebral palsy. This kid loves to walk and took up with Ashton when she walked through his village one afternoon. His name is Maykel, and though he likes to walk, he has difficulty doing so. His family has equipped him with a staff. It helps him keep his balance. Attached to the staff is a strap on the other end of the strap is a small piece of steel which when dragged along rocky ground sounds like a ringing bell. The ringing helps Maykel's family know his location. For some providential reason, this little boy had an immediate affinity for Ashton. So they took one another's hands as they walked through the village and surrounding area. Even with the staff, Maykel still has trouble walking, so several times along the way he fell and other times, merely stumbled. In these moments, Ashton would lift him back to his feet or steady him as he caught his balance. However, no fall or stumble dampened the delight Maykel had in getting to go on this walk. His struggle to merely walk did not deter him from the deep enjoyment of walking. At the time of this walk, Ashton had already spent about a week in an orphanage teaching older girls how to sew, then designing and making each girl a new dress or skirt. It had been a good week. Yet, something in this walk with Maykel broke her heart and caused her joy at the same time. Maykel's difficulty and delight in walking touched a profound place inside Ashton. Joy welled up, her heart broke, and tears followed. The paradox of heartbreak and joy in the same space often happens when following Jesus. I once heard a young lady speak of spending time with Mother Teressa in Calcutta. After this time of ministering in the heat and hopelessness of Calcutta, Mother Teressa came to the young lady and asked a question. Looking deep into the young lady's eyes, she inquired, "Did you feel the joy?" The young lady did not respond. She looked at Mother Teressa, silently showing she did not fully understand the question. After all, she had spent the week caring for leprosy patients, malnourished children, and people nearing death. It was not exactly a joy fest. So Mother Teressa ask the question again, "Did you feel the joy?" Letting the question hang there for a moment Teressa then added before walking away, "If you did not feel the joy, it does not count." For decades this story has both challenged and haunted me. This picture of Ashton and Maykel helps in some small way to clarify Mother Teressa's probing. Following Jesus can be difficult. It is often an uphill climb. At ministry points, there are discouragements and disappointments. There is heartbreak. Yet, Jesus promises life and joy to those who follow him (John 10:10 & John 15:11). To be fully alive and to feel joyful are part and parcel of following Jesus. May we never forget we are to be people of life and joy. May we also remember this life, and this joy comes as we follow Him, and following Him requires a cross. Oh, and it is not His cross; it is your cross (Matthew 16:24). We dare not forget that we follow a man who is "a man of sorrows, a man acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3) If you follow him closely and if you follow Him long, you will know painful heartbreak and joy unspeakable. Then with much amazement, you will find that joy and heartbreak are not in opposition to one another in the light of Jesus. Maybe this is why Paul said, "I want to know Christ in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering."(Philippians 3:10) So I hope your heart breaks today by that which breaks God's heart and may you know the unspeakable joy of walking with Jesus."