April 4th

I have learned so much in the past 5 days since we have been here, its unreal! From how Hatians drive to why you don't stick your arm in a hole with no gloves on to pick up the root of a banana tree because there's killer ants in Haiti that like to eat your arm off! (ok..well maybe I exaggerated a little, my arm isn't gone it's just has a lot of bumps.. I'm ok mom:)) The most significant thing I've learned thus far is from today though.When we arrived today, at the village we had been working at on Sunday, we were standing around figuring out our jobs, I saw this little boy who was 2 or 3 years old and immediately we smiled at each other and he shied away with a smirk on his face. I knew from then on, that village would be hard to leave because of this compassion and love I quickly had for this little boy. Later I learned that his name is Tipapa. Everywhere I went I found this boy following me. I would be sitting down trying to play with other kids and he would come up to me with a handful of rocks and a huge grin on this face with the whitest teeth ever and I would say, "Merci! Merci!" (Thank you! Thank you!). We also tossed around the football (an American one!) and rolled a toy car back and forth over and over again. I taught him how to count to five and say 'I love you', most adorable thing ever, though he had no idea what it meant. When it came time to leave, I tried to avoid saying "Orevwa" (however you spell that..it means "goodbye"), but he found me every time and I finally had to say it and we were gone.
Yes, it's heart wrenching to leave, but it's only a day. Yes, it's hard to not worry about him, but I have no control. Yes, he's going to be in my prayers, there's not a doubt. But, ultimately it's this love and compassion that needs to carry over to those I encounter everyday back home. It's a different kind of poverty in Missoula, I don't regularly worry about children being fed in our hometown. But, there is a spiritual poverty that our hearts need to be breaking for, they may have a warm place to stay in the winter and food to put on the table, but do they even know Jesus Christ and what he's done for them? There really is nothing I can do for Tipapa, but pray continuously and even then, God is in complete control. Every relationship I build in Missoula I can follow up on and actually be there to make a difference.
Today has been one that I will never forget, I'll hold on to these memories as long as I can. The Haitian people will always be on my heart and I hope that one day I will be able to come back in the near future. But, right now God has placed me in Missoula to bring him all the glory. Please pray that we, as a team, will be open minded to whatever God has I store for us these next four days!
Love Always,
Aud(: