Church

We were in Haiti on a Sunday so we had the privilege of attending church while we there. This church like most Haitian buildings/homes had no windows, the windows are cut out with decorative iron bars over them but no glass. So as I sit in the back of this church I am aware of how I am the most comfortable temperature wise I have been the entire trip as the breeze blows off the ocean and into the church where I sit on the end of the pew making googly eyes at the adorable toddler in front me. I was so calm and relaxed, just at peace during this service.

We were told it would be about 2 hours long and that it would be done in Creole. I would be lying if I didn't say I was dreading it. What I experienced blew me away. It became one of my top 3 moments of the trip. I vividly remember standing swaying to the worship song they were singing, I knew it in English but just hummed along, tears streaming down my face. Not because of how poor these people were or because I felt sorry for them but because I felt the Lord in that place, it was a Holy feeling. Hearing songs you know and sing in English being done in another language does something to you, it shows you how small the world we live in everyday really is. That our God is bigger and spans so many languages, cultures, and countries. They don't care who can sing and who can't, it's not about being good at singing it's about praising Jesus and doing it BIG. They all wear their best clothes and again the siblings take care of each other and the moms rock babies to sleep on their laps and about half way through just like any church at home, the kids get anxious.

We were welcomed by the pastor that was filling in, he spoke English and invited a member of our group up to pray over the whole congregation as he translated, what a powerful experience. They had each of us introduce ourselves by name so they could welcome us, we held their babies and their toddlers hands. 

It is a moment I want to replay in my head over and over again, what a surprise to find that one of the moments I was dreading because selfishly I was afraid I would be bored or uncomfortable, became one of the defining moments on this trip.