This past Monday I went to Christianville to a clinic run by our friends, Dr. Jim and Sandy. Magdaline had some funky freckles that I wanted looked at and possibly biopsied for skin cancer. While we were waiting our turn to see Dr. Jim I talked with another woman who was holding this tiny baby girl, Tifi. The woman had told me that her mother had left her on the side of the road to die. No one wanted to get Tifi because they were afraid that she was possessed by the devil and was left there to die. This woman and her husband found Tifi and have been taking care of her for over 5 weeks now. They thought she was almost 3 months old.
It was time for Tifi to see the children's doctor while we were called to see Dr. Jim. I watched as the Tifi was weighed, 7 lbs, and the woman tried to feed her with a bottle, which Tifi didn't want. The woman ended up opening the bottle and trying to feed her by pouring the formula in her mouth. Instead it went all over her outfit. Everything in me just wanted to take that little baby and just feed her myself.
But I could feel God stopping me. God has been stretching me lately in how I serve the Haitian people. In the past I have just done it myself. I'm sure that if I would have gone over there and said 'I will take care of her.' They would have let me. The view point of 'I'm white, so I can do it better' is hard to break. I could feel God saying to me, 'Wait and watch'.
I watched as the children's doctor worked for over an hour with the mother. Talking with the adoptive mother, helping her feed Tifi, working with her, encouraging her. Here was this Haitian family, though not by blood, that loved this little baby. They had gone against the norm and saved this little girl. They had the heart and willingness to help and the doctor choose to strengthen that instead of belittling and taking over. And who was I to break this beautiful thing? I could see that God was showing me that I needed to strengthen and empower the people I served and not just do it for them.
Too often missions come in and serve the Haitian people without involving them at all. This is a problem that I have in our church. Omega and I run a children's church every Sunday. We have 50-60 children that come now and it is too much for just 2 of us. I have been trying to encourage the pastor to find people in the church to help serve. But it's all for not. A lot of Haitians don't see the need of serving their community when blancs just come and do it for them. It's important that we have a balance and are sharing the joy of serving. It's their community.
3 comments:
This is a beautiful lesson, something I needed to read this morning. Thank you!
I agree completely. Today I was correcting all the plumbing at a Guest House for Medical Teams to stay at when they come to serve at the HHM clinic. But, it dawned on me, why am I doing this, when I have a Haitian with some plumbing experience; I should of been assisting him and encouraging him to become a better plumber. That way he would be equipped to find good work, so that he can provide for his two sons and wife. I felt like I was hurting him by taking his work from him and doing it for him; because I felt like I knew how to do it better than he did. But, when I began just guiding him, and assisting him he did a perfect job for me. As much as I want to do the work, I have to stop and realize I'm doing nothing for him by just doing the work for him. Instead, I'll be working with him again Monday, and this time, I will assist him and help him grow in his knowledge and skill-level. I was speaking to my Haitian foreman, and he agreed that I was doing nothing for him by doing the work, He told me that I don't need the practice but he does.
A Very beautiful lesson indeed. Something I have struggled with as a mother as well.....letting him do what God has created for him to do without me doing FOR him all the time. The Haitians are Gods people who have extraordinary gifts and you are leading and encouraging them! Just Beautiful!
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