Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Focusing on the Present


One of the many reasons Haiti has captured my heart is the fact that it is 1.5 hours away from U.S. soil by plane.  The distance from Miami to Port-au-Prince is about around 700 miles, the same distance from Minneapolis to Denver.  I don’t know why this fact always surprises me.  But I know I don’t ever want to forget it.

One week ago today I returned to MN after 2 months in Haiti.  Many people have asked, and yes, it has been hard to assimilate back into my life in MN.  However I have been surprised as to what is hard.  I have adjusted to having warm showers and driving on smooth roads but there are things I am struggling with.  

I know that I will return to Haiti, but I don’t know when or what it will look like – that is hard.  God has placed opportunities to serve and I desire to work with Haitians to help them help their communities thrive – that is hard because I know there are opportunities to serve right here in MN as well.  I left people I love and enjoy working with and that have such potential- that is hard. 

On another level, straddling life in two countries each with unique characteristics, opportunities and qualities is extremely hard.  I find myself comparing the two – the pros and cons – reasons to stay, reasons not to.  More so, I find myself trying to determine where god wants me, when, why and for how long. 

But, here is what I have discovered.  God doesn’t put a time line, deadline or to-do list together for you.  My job is to live each day in the present, to serve each person I meet and make sure to spread love and truth wherever I go.  Today that might be at the St. Louis Park Target, next week it will be the Columbia Heights Family Center, hopefully it will be back in Haiti sometime soon. 
For now, I have peace that god has set me where I am supposed to be.  That is all I can ask for.  

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