Joy & Love

Love is overflowing.  A couple weeks ago we visited a hospital in Port Au Prince and I met a boy named Sebastian.  He had very big bright eyes and was probably around six years old.  He was running around and jumping on us – he seemed healthy and I was rather confused why he was in the hospital.  The next time we visited the hospital I saw Sebastian, except this time he was very skinny, seemed very sad and wasn’t responding to anything.  A couple days later we went back to this hospital and Sebastian was hooked up to an IV and looked very sad and in pain.  I put Sebastian in my lap and just sat with him.  He held onto the cross on my necklace and I asked him about Jesus.  After a couple minutes I began to pray some prayers I knew in Creole.  He started praying the prayers with me and his face lit up, as did mine.  We prayed the different prayers and sang the prayers and we laughed and smiled together.  A couple days later I saw Sebastian at the hospital, except this time he was with his mother and his two siblings.  They were so happy to be with him and hold him.  I went right over to them and spoke with them and prayed with them.  I witnessed to such beautiful love. 

Joy is present in the midst of suffering.  The other day we visited a woman who was very old, lonely and ill.  The moment we arrived at her home she went into her tiny rundown house and pulled out a couple of dirty old chairs for us to sit on.  This woman kept repeating Mesi Jezi, Mesi Bondieu – thank you Jesus, thank you God, with a huge smile on her face.  She was overwhelmed with joy, just by our simple love.   I am feeling challenged to continually love people all the time.  Mother Teresa says that the worst poverty is loneliness, or not feeling loved.  So many people are hungry and thirsty for love.  We have given much love to people and have also received much love in return. 

Today we went to Grace Village and ran a faith lesson with the orphans about the importance of having faith.  We had praise and worship, played games, and danced around.  We planned on running a very elaborate activity and it did not go as planned whatsoever.  God has some different plans and the day went amazing.  Thank you Lord for the gift of joy and love.  May you deepen these fruits of the Holy Spirit within us. In Christ, Dylan Himmerich