"Why in God's name would you go there..."

This post was titled by a nurse at my doctor's office. She called me today because my doctor wrote that I needed an appointment with Infectious Disease Control (the Travel Doctor) and she needed some more information from me. So I told her the reason why, and she replied, "I don't know why in God's name you'd want to go there." One statement was droppable, but she went on to say "I can tell you it's going to be hotter than hades." I decided not to snap and correct her, which I was on the verge of doing considering my past week. I knew that this nurse was picking up the work load of two people. I just remained as pleasant as I could because she was really helping me out.

This brings me to the fact that so many people don't understand why I'm going to Haiti. I could do my PIPing/Internship at any other school in the area, but I'm choosing Haiti. The real thing about it is that I don't really understand it either. For some reason, God has put the children and people of Haiti in my heart in a strong way. The past 6 years of my life, I have had a longing to go to this country, completely opposite of my world, and do whatever I can to help them. And still the reason I cling to that I am actually going is God, there is really no explanation because this trip has fallen so easily to me.

I'm not saying that to be a "Christian" you must go and serve in Haiti, or Africa, or the Dominican. I'm just saying that this is what God has given to me as His plan for my life. His plan is different for everyone. When you see a glimpse of it, cling to it.

The school that I will be teaching in is not much different from any school in the Erie Area. They may not have the most up to date or "practical" things that US classrooms have, but they have more than most other children in Haiti have, a safe, secure school where they are being taught by a (real) teacher. They have supplies, desks, a chalkboard.

I am so excited to get to teach these students in such a raw way. It will be so refreshing because I think sometimes kids minds get clutter from all the buzz that we have in the US. I mean right now I'm typing this, but I also have four other tabs open, iTunes playing, Twitter app open, and another window with a giveaway that I'd like to enter. That's all just on my computer, I also have my phone on, and I can hear the heat running. It's 8:28 in the morning on a Saturday, and that is all that is going on in JUST MY BEDROOM. It's quite crazy when you think about it. So that leads me to wonder, how are young students US classrooms feeling? My bet is that some of them are okay with it, some of them could have more buzz, and many, many need less. My prayer is that while I am in Haiti, I can learn how to cut out "buzz" in both my life, and in my future students' lives.

To end this post, I will post pictures of Kate and the school and some of her students.

Aren't they beautiful!