After all that, I'd like to summarize my thoughts about my missions trip to Haiti in several points. These are observations, lessons, etc. I hope you enjoy.
1. Being a missionary can be hard. I mainly learned this the day I was sick. Being a missionary isn't all about fun and games. You get sick, you feel lonely and depressed sometimes. You experience things you don't ordinarily experience in the U.S. The good thing is that if you truly know God, you'll get over those difficult times, and the good times will seem even better.
2. Being a missionary can be boring. I know, that sounds really bad, and truly, we should never think of the Christian life as "boring." But I'm trying to make a point. When you go on a missions trip for a week or two, you go through a tornado of activity, and you get all pumped up and excited, but the reality of a missionary's life is very different. I learned this lesson while I was sick and at the guest house all day. You send e-mails, you hang up laundry, fold sheets, help with the cooking, take a nap, etc. In fact, when I titled day three as "Finally, On to Mission," I made it sound as though that day was wasted. But I believe differently. God had a purpose for that, if it wasn't just to remind me what being a missionary is really like.
3. You may have to learn to do things you would never do in the U.S. This became clear to me at Valley of Hope when we stayed there for three days. One thing is using a bathroom with men and women. There is only one bathroom and there was a lot of people. The strange things was, I don't think I thought much about it at first, until shower time came. Yes, there are stalls, and walls between the showers, but it sure is odd to hear women and men voices talking while they are taking showers.
4. Haitians are very affectionate. They are much more affectionate than most Americans, especially myself. They hold hands, hug, kiss, hang over each other. Even grown men hold hands with no embarrassment and no connection to homosexuality. It is really sweet to be around people like that.
5. Being a missionary is wonderful. I could probably think of many other points and lessons learned, but in order to not bore you, I though to end on this note. God can do amazing things in your life during a missions trip. Even if you have never felt the call to foreign missions, I believe you should go on a foreign missions trip at least once. You never know how God will work in your life, and you never know, but you may even receive the call to something you never thought you would want to do.
1. Being a missionary can be hard. I mainly learned this the day I was sick. Being a missionary isn't all about fun and games. You get sick, you feel lonely and depressed sometimes. You experience things you don't ordinarily experience in the U.S. The good thing is that if you truly know God, you'll get over those difficult times, and the good times will seem even better.
2. Being a missionary can be boring. I know, that sounds really bad, and truly, we should never think of the Christian life as "boring." But I'm trying to make a point. When you go on a missions trip for a week or two, you go through a tornado of activity, and you get all pumped up and excited, but the reality of a missionary's life is very different. I learned this lesson while I was sick and at the guest house all day. You send e-mails, you hang up laundry, fold sheets, help with the cooking, take a nap, etc. In fact, when I titled day three as "Finally, On to Mission," I made it sound as though that day was wasted. But I believe differently. God had a purpose for that, if it wasn't just to remind me what being a missionary is really like.
3. You may have to learn to do things you would never do in the U.S. This became clear to me at Valley of Hope when we stayed there for three days. One thing is using a bathroom with men and women. There is only one bathroom and there was a lot of people. The strange things was, I don't think I thought much about it at first, until shower time came. Yes, there are stalls, and walls between the showers, but it sure is odd to hear women and men voices talking while they are taking showers.
4. Haitians are very affectionate. They are much more affectionate than most Americans, especially myself. They hold hands, hug, kiss, hang over each other. Even grown men hold hands with no embarrassment and no connection to homosexuality. It is really sweet to be around people like that.
5. Being a missionary is wonderful. I could probably think of many other points and lessons learned, but in order to not bore you, I though to end on this note. God can do amazing things in your life during a missions trip. Even if you have never felt the call to foreign missions, I believe you should go on a foreign missions trip at least once. You never know how God will work in your life, and you never know, but you may even receive the call to something you never thought you would want to do.
Thank you for sticking with me during this adventure. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing about it, and I hope to go back before too long.
God bless!
Elisabeth
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