I had never gone on a mission’s trip before.  Not knowing what to expect left me a bit scared, but knowing that I could be able to show God’s love to people who were in need is what made me be bold and tell myself “You’re going no matter what!” I did have a hard time financially and with my documents, but I knew that’s where God wanted me to be.

Going to Haiti was definitely a life changing experience. I have always been grateful for all the blessings God has given me.  Until you witness the poverty that there is in other third world countries you don’t really see how truly blessed we are. I saw children who weren’t clothed. I saw homes that were the size of my bedroom. People in Haiti don’t have clean water, but yet that’s what they have to drink.  Many of the children that we saw were orphans. Those children live day by day not knowing when and where their next meal will come from.  I’m a counselor and I take care of kids.  Nothing breaks my heart more then to come back home witnessing what I saw in Haiti and knowing that children in America are oblivious to how lucky they are to have parents who give them everything they want.  Aside from that we are a society that is very self-centered.  Most Sundays before I went to Haiti I would tell my mom I had nothing to wear to church.  In Haiti everyone wore not only their best Sunday outfit, but the only Sunday outfit they own.  But they make sure they would go all out for church.  Aside from that, many of them have to walk very far to catch a bus that then takes them to church. Everything we want is at our disposal.  I was definitely convicted of the complaining words coming out of my mouth.

Despite the fact that people in Haiti don’t have much and they can only truly relay on God for absolutely everything, they worship God with all they have. I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.“ (Psalm 7:17) But us who have everything and are so blessed we can’t worship Him with everything we have one day out of our “busy lives.” I’ll be the first one to admit I don’t read the word every day and at times I struggle with spending time with God.  But if he gave his life for me so I could spend eternity with Him, then me taking time out of my day should be no sacrifice.  Haiti convicted me.  In the end I was blessed by the people, instead of me blessing them.  I will never be the same.  That amazing country and its people will always have a special place in my heart.  I can’t wait to go back.

By~ Claudia Aleman