As Mother Teresa said of the lepers and orphans on the streets of Calcutta, “Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.”
This has spoken to my core and shakes me every time I think of those words. Because It Is True.
Everytime I see a child with her belly sticking out. With orangish hair. With cracked skin. My heart hurts. I wonder when the last time she ate was and I wonder what her life is like. To be hungry. All the time.
This starving, malnourished child. Jesus in disguise.
Would you look at Jesus and think, “Oh how sad.” And move on with your busy day? Or would you help feed this child?
Yesterday I met an 85 year old woman who walks everyday to get water to drink, cook and bathe with. Everyday. Miles with a huge, heavy water jug.
This Elderly woman. Jesus in disguise.
Would you look at her and think, “Thank goodness that’s not me.” Or would you help support people building water wells?
What about the woman I met who has 8 children and is struggling to feed them, clothe them and send them to school.
This struggling mother. Jesus in disguise.
Would you look at Jesus and say, “I’m not helping you, you should have stopped having children when you couldn’t take care of them.” or would you just LOVE this mother and help her provide for her children?
Today I spent all morning at the temporary “school”. Creating files for all of the children there for the Respire Haiti sponsorship program. These beautiful children, able to go to school now, not waiting until they have their full required uniform. (I can’t even tell you how many kids I took pictures of that had on two completely different shoes).
These eager-to-learn children. Jesus in disguise.
Would you look at Jesus and say, “I shouldn’t have to help you, you’re government should help you.” Or would you help children in Haiti who don’t have free education.
None of the negative questions above are what God calls us to do or say. We are NOT called to judge. We are NOT called to disapprove. We are NOT called to “fix” people, countries or governments.
We are called to LOVE. We are called to help. In fact we are commanded to serve. To serve the least of these.
If I thought that I had the ability to “fix” things, I would drive myself insane here in Haiti. God never told me I was coming to Gressier to fix people or to change a system. God brought me to Haiti to love. Person by person. Child by child. Family by family. Each one Jesus in disguise, fighting to eat. Fighting to survive.
God brought me to Haiti To get lost on the mountain Yesterday (don’t worry mom it was daylight) and find two more children who have never been to school.
God brought me to Haiti to feed hundreds of children spiritually and physically every Saturday on the mountaintop in Gressier.
God brought me to here to tell YOU about our neighbor, Haiti. So close to the U.S. That it takes me less time to get from New Orleans to Port au Prince then it does to get from New Orleans to my sister in Los Angeles.
Haiti, our backyard. One of the poorest and most needy countries. God called me to be the voice of the more than ONE million orphans here. To be the voice of the 300,000 Restaveks here.
We are NOT to judge, or to put on blinders and pretend it doesn’t exist. We are called to fight for the fatherless and serve the least of these- the orphans, the poor, the widows. ALL of them. Jesus in disguise.
…For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me, Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’. And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:35-40
meganboudreaux.com 
wow! SO WELL SAID!!!
Great Blog, Megan!!