This is my third time at the Bercy orphanage. The first time here, I visited for a couple of hours one evening. I had empathy for the children. I left sad and confused ... wanting to do something but feeling quite overwhelmed with it all ... I desired to pack a couple of children into my carry-on and take them home to a better life. The second time I spent time here was just a couple of months ago, when I had the opportunity to take my 7 year old daughter with me and spend over a week living in the orphanage. A very different experience than the first. My daughter Lexi and I spent endless hours with the children and fell in love with many of them. I wasn't "sad" for them, but almost jealous of them. I saw a love for each other, a love for us, and a love for Jesus that ran deep. As you sit on a bench outside the orphanage with a precious child on your lap who begins to sing the words to "Jesus loves me," you can't help but get tears in your eyes
We spent a day at the beach and on the way home, the children were singing one song after another. I remember driving along the not so smooth roads, watching the sunset over the ocean and hearing the words the children were singing, "There is none like You, no one else can touch my heart like You do. I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You." My eyes filled with tears as the words sank deep into my soul ... and I started thinking about my own life. Take away my house, take away my car, my "toys," and then my family ... would I be completely satisfied with just HIM ?? As much as I would love to tell you, without a doubt YES ... I'm not so sure it would be that easy. But you listen to these children praise the Lord ... you see it in their eyes, you feel His eternal presence ... and you KNOW without a doubt that they mean every word they are singing and that these little ones are wrapped in His love here at the orphanage. Jesus is present at the Bercy orphanage. His love runs through this place and every time a child breaks into song, whether in English or in Creole, you can't help but feel it. Each and every child here soaks up every bit of love we want to give them ... you can't hug them enough, you can't love on them enough ... but the love you feel in return almost makes you feel like you are falling short of giving.
As I said, this is my third trip down to Haiti and the orphanage ... I leave on Friday and am already teary-eyed when I think about it. I long to take children with me because I know how much I miss them while I am in the states. I have become connected and deeply care for so many of them. My heart gets left behind every time I leave Haiti and I know that this time will be no different. I can't wait until I can plan my next trip down. I can't wait to here them yelling for "Sha - Dee" as the truck drives up, or in the morning when they wake up ... Dada (Daphne) the most precious little six year old you will ever meet. She has a beautiful smile that lights up the entire room. It is especially beautiful with her top two front teeth missing. Her eyes are big and incredibly gorgeous and she loves to sing and dance. I love the way she says my name and my heart melts every time it is uttered. She sings her heart out to Jesus and has a joy that runs deep. When Dada is in the room, you can't help but smile ... as I write about her now, she is standing behind me saying "bon bon" which in Creole means "cookie." You can't resist her smile and her sweet little voice ... enough that you walk away from the computer for a moment and hand her a cookie. "merci" (thank you) she replies ... and life is good!
I wish that photos could truly share the feeling and the experience of being at the Bercy Orphanage because I've taken hundreds. I wish that you could hear the laughter and the singing. I wish that you could experience Haitian worship at its best ... there is nothing else on earth like it. Rusty and Cheryl have incredible hearts and love these kiddos like they are their own ... I thank God daily that they give and give and give the way that they do in order to care for and bless these children in so many ways. It was great to go to the supermarket with Rusty and a few of the older girls ... wanting snacks and perfume ("to make us smell good") ... and seeing how they've got him wrapped around their little fingers. Precious and sweet and Papa Rusty loves every moment of it.
I still long to take children home with me in a suitcase ... and one day, perhaps one or two will be coming home in my arms ... but until then I will continue to pray for them and love on them and give them all that I can give. Some of them want to be teachers ... some want to be doctors. All of them want to be held and loved ... please lift them up in prayer today as you pray for your own children ... pray that their dreams come true ... knowing that they love and depend on the same Jesus you do.
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