More than a Simple Gift…

A year ago almost to the day I made my first trip to Haiti. And as we know I have fallen hard for the people of Haiti. After 4 trips now under my belt I am tired. I am tired of the fundraising, of trying to re-arrange my life schedule to go and nurse every day only to come home and pick up where my life went on. And after every trip I say to myself… ok, enough, slow down. 

And then I will get an email from one of my translators reminding me I am loved by them:

Hello Stay, (this is their nickname for me)

              I am very sad cause I don’t hear from you Stay.

Please stay,tell me how was your trip home? How did you find your family? Say hello to your Mom for me and thank her for me cause she has put some one as you on the earth to be my friend for ever.I do appreaciate you Stay and I will keep on praying God for you and all your family. Please let me hear from you cause I thinking of you a lot Stay.

May God bless you for ever and evermore.

                                   Love,

                                          lots of love.

Hey Stay it’s garry .how are doing .it been a long time i don’ t have your  news .i know in the name of the lord everything is fine for you .you do miss me.so i want to know when you come back in haiti because i  would like to see you  when you come . i don’t have time to go in the internet  from time  to time  . i do love you .

                                

And my longing to return to my beloved Haiti is stirred once again. All of a sudden asking people for money or supplies or trades for work becomes easy. The tiredness I feel pales in comparison to what life is like living in Haiti. Excitement to return to my other family drives me to keep going, keep writing, keep sharing with everyone the stories of love and suffering.

In November the tone of the emails changed…

Hi!! My friend where have you been cause i don’ t have your news. We need your prayer we have a cholera epidemic in Haiti!

Stay, please tell me how you and your family are. will you come back to Haiti my friend? It is awful cholera  epidemic and people are dying. We are scared. 

I knew even before the cholera broke out that I was going back, but I did not know what would be in store for me when I got there. I don’t think any of us did. My love for my Haitian family and friends grew ever stronger as they worked through their fears day in and day out, watching their neighbours being carried in on the brink of death.

In February of this year, before my 4th trip the Press Club held a fundraiser to pay for the trips. I knew if there were any ‘leftover’ funds I would leave them with the orphanage. I also knew which one I would leave the funds with. One of our security guards named Jackson also runs an orphanage with at least 35 children. He is a kind man with a humble heart and I wanted very badly to bless him and the children in his care. 

When I found out he no longer worked for the organization I was so disappointed and did not know how I was going to get in touch with him. It seemed nobody had his phone number and I was getting no response to my emails. I told God that if He wanted me to get this money to Jackson He was going to have to make it happen. One day on my way to clinic I saw Jackson standing in a crowd of people waiting for a tap tap and made the driver stop so we could make arrangements to visit with him and the children. A teacher once told me that when you change just one letter Disappointment becomes His Appointment… I believe me spotting Jackson in a crowd of people was divine appointment.

A few weeks after I returned home to Canada I received a letter from Jackson, and with it a picture. The subject of the email was entitled ‘More than a Simple Gift’:

My dear friend Stracey 
I want to take this time to say a big thank you to you, and to translate the expression of gratitude from the heart of the Orphans children to you. For your gift, and your humbling Spirit .The spirit of love and of compassion that you have for the country of Haiti and its people in need. Your gifts by the time you gave it to us made a big difference in the life of these children, additional meals for them. May God the father keep using you in powerful way to make a difference in this world of darkness.

You are special Stacey

Thank you!

The most recent of emails I have received was from SP asking if I would once again return to work in the cholera clinics during their rainy season. They are projecting 800000 people will be infected with cholera. Can I save 800000 in 2 weeks? Nope. I cant even save 800. 80 will be a stretch. But I can wholeheartedly love and care for 8 people. May not seem like much but ask those 8…

In this life we cannot always do great things. But we can do small things with great love.  ~ Mother Teresa

One Love,

Stay ♥