10 Things I Missed About Haiti (Matt)
I am writing this from Haiti rather than from America like I initially thought. We are trying to catch back up on blogging after taking almost a full month break in December (which was worth it) as we tried to spend time with family, catch up with friends, and do some fundraising around the end of the year. It is actually much easier to write this blog now that it would have been while we were in America because we are experiencing all of the things that we missed while we were away. It is also difficult to remember all that you miss about this place when you are in the middle of family and friends, people who speak your language, your own culture, and hot water and a/c (we live in Florida so we still needed a/c even in December). Now that we are back, I remember what all I missed. So here it is…
- Our Kids – I actually never forgot how much I missed the kids. I thought about them every day and could not wait to be back here with them. Leaving them gets harder and harder each time we have to do it, and any time I am in America I am thinking about them. I love all of them and it is very difficult to not be here.
- Friends – As much as I have friends in America, I have friends in Haiti also, and I miss them when we are gone.
- Christianville – This is where we live in Haiti, and it is an incredible place. They do so much good around the community, and it is fun to be a part of this place.
- A Routine – In Haiti, we have a routine. It is a tough routine without a lot of rest, but it is a routine. There are many days when we break the routine and when other things happen, but there is something comforting about having a plan.
- Not Wondering – This may seem strange, but in America I always wonder what is going on with our kids. Are they doing well in school, are they safe, are they sick, and other questions like this are always on my mind, and when we are here I always know the answer.
- Being Laid Back – I know that I am becoming less and less laid back the longer I am running this ministry, but it is nice that the culture here is so laid back. I can also say that this can be one of my biggest frustrations, but there are times when it just feels good to now always be rushed.
- Being Here for Christmas – I want to say that I would not have changed our Christmas in any way, but there was this big part of me that missed not being with the kids on Christmas. It is different here, it’s not like they were going to wake up to a bunch of presents and big excitement about what was going to happen. But there is this different excitement. It seems like it would be more pure and less affected by the materialism found in America.
- The Adventure – This is another one on the list that could be one of my biggest frustrations as well as something that I miss when it is not there. Living here is a constant adventure. Doing something as simple as driving down the street can turn into something crazy, and just seeing where GOD leads us each day…we just never know.
- Always Being Around People – While we are here, it is never a challenge to find people to hang out with. In fact, today at around 11:00, we went over to a friend’s house and just hung out for about 15 minutes and you can do this pretty much whenever you want. Everyone here is so friendly and so eager to get to know you and hang out with you, and it is definitely not always like that in America. This too can get old, and there are times that we feel lonely even in the midst of all of these people, but for the most part, it is nice to have this type of community.
- Being Home – I still cannot fully call Haiti home, how could I? I remember when I moved to Florida for the first time, it probably took me at least 3 years to call Jacksonville home, and now we are moving completely out of our home country and into a whole different culture. However, this is becoming home, and it will continue to become more and more so the longer we are here. Honestly, I’m ready to have a home again and my home is here.