BEEP,BEEP,BEEP… SNOOZE… BEEP,BEEP,BEEP… SNOOZE… BEEP,BEEP,BEEP… Now you are late. Rush to get out the door and go to work. Lunchtime means: hurry up and eat because it is never long enough. Work is done so you go get the kids, plan for dinner, make dinner, try to get some down time, before you know it… time for bed. You do it all over again the next day. You probably know this all too well.

I want to take you to another place for a moment, a place where time and things don’t seem to suck you dry of your limited energy, a place where you can exhale. Let me take you to Haiti, but let me set it up from the beginning.

Back in November there was a call to send a construction team to Haiti to build a bathroom for elderly women and their caretakers, which included, but was not limited to: running a water line, raising the floor, installing a toilet, shower, sink and spicket, and building a septic tank. The team would need to be ready by… WHAT?!… April!! So God, as He always does, began to work. One by one God called the eight individuals who would stand together, lock arms and trust (even when it was hard) that God was going to lead the way. The team prayed hard, worked hard and made the best out of the short time we had to be ready. It included spiritual preparation, meetings and fundraisers (pink flamingo adventures in wee hours of the morning). When the time came to go we were as ready as we were going to get and God had given us immeasurably more than we needed! We were blessed!

Now… let’s go! Let’s fly away to a place that will steal a piece of your interior.

We fly into the capitol of Haiti during the busiest day of market. People are everywhere, carrying on with their lives, tables set up with food, supplies and other merchandise, and traffic that made Chicago driving feel easy and safe. The buildings are made of concrete or metal with tarps, each with a touch of colored art. So much is going on as you look out the window. One could only think to themselves… How? How can I help? That answer would only be revealed throughout a week of unexpected treasures.

We arrived at the compound, settled in and got a tour. It felt like a tropical safari with a touch of summer camp. We were home for the next week! Sunday kicked off with church. Two and a half hours in a large room with a metal roof, listening to preaching in another language, filled with Haitians… and of course us “blancs.” We played with some children and then headed back “home.” The rest of the day we played with the orphans on campus and prepared for the construction project. Every night that week the team would come together pray, read, and talk about God. Those times cleared the way of all distractions and concerns. Those times empowered us to do more than we knew.

Monday started the week of construction. It all began with a vision, an idea and headed off in the direction of reality. Everyone on the team played a huge role, each paying attention and working hard to take the next step towards completion. But, it wasn’t only about the work… a couple of the locals came to help so there we were, working side by side learning from each other, laughing together and helping one another as sisters and brothers. The two elderly women Alencia and Mercylee and their caregivers Lucy and Almond were also there. They were given suitcases full of surprises, but most importantly, love! We all shared it, expressed it, lived it, and we received it, the power of love.

The days we noticed were different. There was time. We woke up, gathered, prayed and ate breakfast. We sat and talked for a while, went to the job site came back for lunch, then hung out some more. We went to the job and worked, came back and again got together with friends. At the end of the day it was time for reflection and devo’s. Time slowed down, we didn’t have to fight off distractions to spend time together and with God. He had our attention! Our prayers never went unanswered.

Mid-week we had a chance to go to a wedding of a special Haitian friend of ours. A wedding in Haiti is a lot different than in America. It was right off the ocean and lasted four hours… four hours and the reception hadn’t even begun! Everyone who was there looked amazing, dressed to impress, and every single person was having a great time. We had to leave because it was getting late. We said our good byes and carried on back to the compound.

As we drove, I noticed people and what they were doing as we passed by. They were talking to each other, one man was sitting on a chair watching everybody drive by, another was helping a guy with his motorcycle, a couple was walking slowly along the side of the road laughing. It hit me… they are just living life, not too busy for each other, but enjoying life! Two and half hour church service, four hour wedding, no rush to be at work…they get it! Here were people I thought needed so much help (they do) but it was me too! They found treasures on the inside. Though they were poor on the outside, they are rich on the inside. WOW! It became apparent that we all could learn from each other.

As the end of our week there came to an close, we had completed as much on the construction project that we could. This includes all the piping laid, the base dug and filled for septic tank, running water, floor poured, and the beginning of the block wall complete. There was a lot of great progress. We left with the additional opportunity to bless more Haitians with the opportunity to have jobs finishing the rest while we were away.

We spent our last day unwinding at the beach, swimming and enjoying the moment. We baptized a member of our team and soaked up the mighty work of God together. Before we know it we were back in the arms of our loved ones again in the United States. The trip was nothing short of amazing and we will never forget the experience!

So what is the answer to my question: how can I help? LOVE… love those God puts in our lives and take time with our family, friends, our neighbors and even our brothers and sisters across the world. Take time to love! Thank you Lord. Let us love you above all!