~ Haiti Bound ~

Leaving in 12 hours for Haiti, what’s going through my head? People have been asking me this all day, and you'd think I would know. Not so much. It helped me to re-read my blog entry I wrote the night before I left for Peru... the condition of my heart is in a similar spot. I don’t know how to describe whats going on really, i DO know that I’m ready. If you’ve talked to me at all these past weeks, especially the past couple days, you would surely know how providential this whole journey has been, a journey that's led me to quit my job and buy a one way ticket to this beautiful place of suffering... He is so good, so present, so real! I’ll later share the story of how the holy spirit has had his finger slowly stirring the events of my life, all for His glory.

Fear... excitement... joy... anticipation... nervousness... uncertainty... all words I could use to describe how I feel. Some a bit contradictory i suppose, but there’s certainly an underlying confidence in it all, a confidence in His providential hand having a firm grip on my heart, my salvation, my life, wherever that may lead. None of this makes sense, i know... it just doesn’t. I might be a bit crazy... But for the glory of God...

As I said in my first ever blog before leaving for Peru..

“I’ve in sitting here decided that given the unknown audience, nothing would be more appropriate than to on this journey be completely transparent and real with you all along the way. If there’s one thing i can’t stand its writers block, a subject i’ve unleashed pages of disgruntlement towards. I want you to know what I see, but whats more I want you to know what I feel, and for this I need to let down my guard and just be...”

The hope would be to effectively bring you all, my family, my dear friends, into the experience... I want the raw nature of working with these people to drip down and touch each one of you. I pray that, while i’m not the best writer, my words might be more than just words, that they would maybe evoke in you something more, that they might cause you to really beg the holy spirit to speak to you as He has me... and that you might listen, and then act.

I have such a heavy heart right now, all good, just heavy. I hope to share in more detail with you all later the story of these past weeks... although i'm sure it will be outweighed by my experiences there. However, its a story worthy of nothing less than all my capacity to give praise and thanksgiving to Him who orchestrated it all. And every day, I need Him more than i did yesterday.. its lovely!

Its late... I’m exhausted... but ready.

I would ask for your prayers... I feel them. The prayer support I’ve felt here has been unlike anything... friends/family laying hands on me in prayer, over the phone, or even through email... they are felt.

As my eyes fight a lame fight to keep me awake, I would leave you with this... a verse a dear friend of mine shared with me, one she held close to her heart as she traveled to Uganda, a verse which helps me make sense of this all.. it reads

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem (haiti?), not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:22-24

Shalom and love to you all!

luke