Time

One of those things that God blesses each of us with is our time. Time is the one thing that we receive that once it is gone, it is gone forever.

I began to take the command of the Great Commission seriously several years back. The one word that has always stuck with me in Christ’s command is the word “GO”. Recently, I returned from using some of the time that I have blessed with from a short term mission trip to Haiti. The time that I spent in Haiti was my offering of the blessing that He has extended to me and using His blessing to extend to others for His Kingdom.

In my life, I have seen poverty in other countries as well as in this country. However, it is hard for me to put into words the level of poverty that I witnessed first hand while in Haiti. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. The Haitian people live a hand to mouth existence in that they simply scratch out a life each day. Whatever food they get for the day is consumed that day. Personal financial resources are scarce and financial wealth is virtually non existent. With that fact, you would think that the extreme poverty I witnessed would breed extreme despair but that is what I did not see. I did not see a poverty of the soul in the Haitian people. It has been said that the eyes are the windows to ones soul. The eyes of the Haitian people that I came in contact with were filled with a hope and joy that was infectious. The Haitian people are incredibly gracious and hospitable.

The true joy of the Haitian people was evident to me the Sunday morning I was able to worship in the Grand Guave Church. The service was done in Creole (Creole is the native language of Haiti. It is very similar to French.). I was able to understand the message that was being stated. The service lasted 3 ½ hours. The air temperature was at least 95 degrees and the humidity easily pushed the heat index to 110. As I sat there watching this celebration, I wondered to myself how many in the states would be willing to sit through a service of this length let alone sit through it with the heat and humidity?

To me, how this nation become so impoverished is irrelevant. What is relevant to me is the fact that the nation of Haiti in close proximity to our nation which is the most blessed nation in the world.

I think we can agree that God has blessed those of us who reside in the country greatly. I don’t say that to shame you but rather ask how are you using those blessings you have received to bless other?