Because He Lives (by Shelly)

It is after midnight and I am sitting at the computer trying to upload some photos. Only a few short yards away, church is happening ... yes, at midnight ... an all night service is going on next door. Right now, they are singing "Because He lives," and as I write, the tears are falling down my cheeks. "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future and life is worth living just because He lives." Granted, they are singing in Creole ... but I have sung the words a thousand times. It is affecting me more deeply tonight than ever.

Today we spent a few hours walking through the village of Bercy. I was blessed to see so many children smile at us and want to be with us. I was saddened at the conditions in which many of them lived. I was blown away, as I have been many times before, to walk into someone's home that was just a bit bigger than my bathroom ... and to see that 8 people were living there. My heart broke as I listened to a woman wanting to give a child away. It was painful to realize that as much as I would love to change the world, to have some sort of an impact on some part of Haiti, I can do so little.

When I sing the words to this song, I mean what I am singing with all of my heart and it usually brings me to tears. But to hear it tonight, after our day today ... and to think about the words ... to know that the people who are singing the words live in the village that I walked through this afternoon. They are singing with every fiber of their being ... I am more than blown away by their incredible faith. "All fear is gone ... I know He holds my future ..." I don't have to worry about where my next meal will come from or if I am going to be able to afford to provide for my child tomorrow ... yet there are often times where I feel my faith wavering.

The mission here in Bercy is not just about the orphanage and caring for its children. Certainly, that is a huge part of what is going on here, but there is so much more ... the families, the church, the community ... it goes far beyond these orphanage walls. The needs are great ... the resources are few. Father, teach me to be more like You. Teach me to love as you love. Show me all I need to see and change me in ways that I have never imagined possible. Make my life a prayer to you. Every hour of every day. Every minute of every hour.

I feel so blessed that God has given us the opportunity to love on these children, here at the orphanage and those in the village. We are honored to be called to this mission and to be a part of His plans for these little ones as we spend our summer here. We are not kidding ourselves and know that it is a difficult road and that things aren't (and won't be) easy ... by any means. But God is faithful. And already, He has blessed us with strong bonds and a love that runs deep. "Because I know He holds the future ..."