I had the privilege of spending my entire summer living with, learning from, and loving on a community in Fond Blanc, Haiti. These once strangers, are now my family. These 45 beautiful children that live at the orphanage I lived in, they hold a part of my heart; a very large part of my heart that I won't be getting back. And I don't think I want it back. Leaving those precious little souls was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do in my life. Having to say goodbye to them... [through tears of gratefulness and joy for the time we had & pain and sorrow for the end of something beautiful] was something that I could have never been prepared for.
Fond Blanc was home.
That orphanage was home.
Those children were family.
I could never have imagined the way that God was going to shape my heart for His children in Fond Blanc, but it was something I would not give up for anything. This summer was hard, tiring, draining.. exhausting in every way. Tears came frequent. But so did laughter. And so did hugs. This summer was joyous, life-giving, encouraging, and beautiful. Beauty was found in the brokenness. Love was found in the hardships and pain. I could have been having the worst day and then I would feel little arms around my waist, a hug from one of my littles. It didn't necessarily make the day less hard, but it was bearable. The children learned soon into the summer that they couldn't greet me without a hug. It came to a point where I would walk into a room and they would walk towards me with their arms outstretched. I didn't have much of my own to give to these children this summer, but I did have a whole lot of something that wasn't mine to give away. The Love of Christ. I was given this love, to freely give. The more I gave away, the more I would get back. There was a song that the children taught me this summer..
||Mwen renmenw na non le Seye
||Mwen renmenw na non le Seye
||Le mwen we na ou, lanmou Bondye a
||Mwen renmenw na non le Seye
This song translated means 'I love you in the name of the Lord, I love you in the name of the Lord. And I see in you, the love of the Lord. I love you in the name of the Lord.' And this became the theme of my summer. I was loving these children with a love not my own, and in return was able to see the love of the Lord. As I write this post through tear-filled eyes, I think about my children that I had to leave. I think about what they are probably doing right now as I write this. And I think of how I wish I was there with them. In these moments when I miss them most, I get to look back and remember the fond memories I hold in my heart.
Some of my favorite times spent with these children was during our nightly church service. We would sit in the back, they would fall asleep on my lap. When service was over, I would get them to their bed, kiss them on the forehead, tell them goodnight and I loved them and sneak out of their room. Those were the most precious moments to me. I hold them very dear to my heart. Sometimes it is overwhelmingly hard to be away from them. But although I cannot be there with them physically, I can do something far greater for them. And that is to pray. I pray to God often when I miss them so much that it hurts. I pray that He would hold their hearts and mine. I pray that He would give them peace. I pray that He would pour HIS love over them. I pray that He would make Himself known to them. I pray that He would protect them, hold them, and be near them. I pray that He would have His way in their lives. And I pray that He would be a Father to them.
These pictures are the faces in my heart that bring me oh so much joy.
Fond Blanc was home.
That orphanage was home.
Those children were family.
I could never have imagined the way that God was going to shape my heart for His children in Fond Blanc, but it was something I would not give up for anything. This summer was hard, tiring, draining.. exhausting in every way. Tears came frequent. But so did laughter. And so did hugs. This summer was joyous, life-giving, encouraging, and beautiful. Beauty was found in the brokenness. Love was found in the hardships and pain. I could have been having the worst day and then I would feel little arms around my waist, a hug from one of my littles. It didn't necessarily make the day less hard, but it was bearable. The children learned soon into the summer that they couldn't greet me without a hug. It came to a point where I would walk into a room and they would walk towards me with their arms outstretched. I didn't have much of my own to give to these children this summer, but I did have a whole lot of something that wasn't mine to give away. The Love of Christ. I was given this love, to freely give. The more I gave away, the more I would get back. There was a song that the children taught me this summer..
||Mwen renmenw na non le Seye
||Mwen renmenw na non le Seye
||Le mwen we na ou, lanmou Bondye a
||Mwen renmenw na non le Seye
This song translated means 'I love you in the name of the Lord, I love you in the name of the Lord. And I see in you, the love of the Lord. I love you in the name of the Lord.' And this became the theme of my summer. I was loving these children with a love not my own, and in return was able to see the love of the Lord. As I write this post through tear-filled eyes, I think about my children that I had to leave. I think about what they are probably doing right now as I write this. And I think of how I wish I was there with them. In these moments when I miss them most, I get to look back and remember the fond memories I hold in my heart.
Some of my favorite times spent with these children was during our nightly church service. We would sit in the back, they would fall asleep on my lap. When service was over, I would get them to their bed, kiss them on the forehead, tell them goodnight and I loved them and sneak out of their room. Those were the most precious moments to me. I hold them very dear to my heart. Sometimes it is overwhelmingly hard to be away from them. But although I cannot be there with them physically, I can do something far greater for them. And that is to pray. I pray to God often when I miss them so much that it hurts. I pray that He would hold their hearts and mine. I pray that He would give them peace. I pray that He would pour HIS love over them. I pray that He would make Himself known to them. I pray that He would protect them, hold them, and be near them. I pray that He would have His way in their lives. And I pray that He would be a Father to them.
These pictures are the faces in my heart that bring me oh so much joy.