Now is a good time.

Our first flight departs in just 4.0 hours, and by Monday afternoon we will be landing on the cherished ground of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The first time I stepped foot on Haitian soil was in June, 2012 with my then 15 y/o son.  He’s returned every summer since.  Now, he’s a High School Graduate, and I’m a Team Leader, and this will be his 4th and my 3rd time back.  And Dad and Sisters are joining us this time – what a joy!

When I first went to Haiti, I admit, I was hard-pressed on every side.  We were moving our family to New Mexico, and the movers came to load our entire 12-year-entrenched-life and possessions just days before we embarked.  I was a wreck and thought to myself hundreds of times, “This is a terrible time to go on a Mission Trip!”

In the end, it was God’s best timing.  In the midst of the chaos and stress, I needed to be reminded of just what matters in life.  And I can tell you, it’s not the contents of a fully loaded semi truck headed half way across the country.

It requires faith to step out and seek God’s path, and life will always try to get in the way.  Let me rephrase that, convenience, convention, schedule, activities, even common sense, will always try to get in the way.  And not in a good way.

If you think about it, it’s never really an ideal time to travel to a 3rd world country – filled with burning garbage, poverty, disease, hardship at every turn – and immerse yourself (at least in our 1st world mission trip terms) in the culture and truth of their tragic circumstance.

I mean, what about my health, my safety, my internet, my email, my Facebook, my A/C, my favorite foods, my Netflix, my job, my house, my yard, my comfort, my vacation time, my Life?

That’s the point. 

I traveled to Haiti again in 2013, the first summer after I moved to New Mexico, and the shock wasn’t so great.   I saw beyond the shabby exterior, to the shiny interior of the beautiful people of great faith who call Haiti home.  I was blessed beyond measure to receive a revival of faith from those so much less entangled than me.  I awoke from my 1st world slumber (at least for a time) to see the excess of my ways, and my lack of faith when I’m blessed with abundance – in every way.

As I prepared to return this June, life again tried to thwart me.  We’ve had recital, birthday, out of town trips, book proposals, illness, sports banquets, end of school exams, out of town guests.  A graduation.  A party.  It’s been a May for the ages, I’ll tell you.

And as late as 2 days ago, I wasn’t even sure I was going to make it.  I was completely incapacitated in bed with a stomach bug for 2 solid days.  I was hardly able to move my head or walk to the much-needed facilities.

What was I thinking.  It’s too much to go to Haiti on top of all this mess and chaos! 

Wrong.

If we look only at our busy, over-scheduled (I admit!) over-stuffed lives, we would never see beyond ourselves to leave it all, even for only 8 days.

But when we look into the eyes of poverty-stricken Haitian Children for a moment, we know.  haitian child

I Know. 

What we can do is enough today.   And even if the timing isn’t right, now is the time.  God will work it out, and work in us.

I would covet your prayers for our group of 16 from Minnesota and New Mexico from June 1-June 8, 2015 as we travel to Haiti to serve and be changed.  If you’d like to keep tabs on our journey, you can follow our Team blog here.

[reminder]Have you ever considered a mission trip overseas? If you’re interested, Healing Haiti offers week-long missions to Haiti year round. [/reminder]

{I will not be posting here during the trip, as my priority is to serve my Team wholeheartedly this week. I will share my insights upon my return.}