Here am I

Pretty sure everyone who doesn't live in a shell knows there was an earthquake in Haiti in January. When the earthquake happend, our church sent a team of doctors and nurses down to help. As soon as I heard about the trip, I told my mom I wanted to go. Even though I wanted to go, I knew there were people who could go who could give more at the time than I could. Being a super emotional, tender-hearted person, I also knew it may not be the best idea for me to go to a place where so many were hurting. I was sure I would spend the week I got back crying my eyes out, because I couldn't bring everyone home with me. On top of all the emotions, I also thought it may not be the best thing for my health to go out of the country to a place where so many diseases were everywhere.

After realizing all this, my husband and I decided to donate money to the team that went. Even though it has been over two months, I still think about Haiti often. I try not to look at pictures and articles, because it only made me sad. Still thinking there wasn't much I could do, I just continued to pray for the teams going to Haiti.

Last week, our Sunday School teacher was able to go on a trip to Haiti. Sunday morning, he showed us his pictures and told us about his trip. Through his pictures, I was able to see so many children who were so thirsty for love and attention. Sitting in Sunday School, God began to change my heart and show some things to me.

My health isn't great. But my God is. If He wants me in Haiti, my health is not an issue. I may be a little scared to expose me and my lack of immune system to a place where conditions aren't so great. But I'm even more scared to ignore the calling of a Heavenly Father who holds His children in His hands.

I'm not a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. I may not be able to provide much of any Haitian physical needs. But I know the unconditional love of an Almighty God, and that can satisfy the emotional needs of many. If anything can give hope to people in need, it's God's love. His love just happens to be one thing I know about and one thing I can show to others. Therefore, it would not be a waste for me to go to Haiti.

If I'm good at anything, it is loving. I had heard it wasn't the best idea to hug on the kids, because of the diseases they may carry. But when thinking about this, God laid something on my heart. If I hug a child, and I contract a disease they carry, so what? At least on more child was able to experience a love they didn't deserve, just like I did when I met my Father. At least I will come back to a country where medicines and doctors aren't hard to find. If a disease isn't curable, at least I was following the commands of our Lord when He said, "Love one another." I can't be sitting here worrying about how it will effect my quality of life, if I love on another person who needs it.

In Isaiah God asks, "Whom shall I send? And will go for us?"

To that I say, "Here am I. Send me!"