I can do Nothing on my own.

“I can do nothing on my own.” John 5:30

I read this scripture this morning and was reminded how ESSENTIAL this is to KNOW and LIVE and BREATH here in Haiti.

Respire Haiti has 10 people here this summer….some are permanent, some are just for the summer…and we are SO blessed.  God has us working on tasks from construction to agriculture…from Restavek research to music, art and dance classes.

We have our school of 350+ children, our feeding programs of 700+, our Café/Bakery that we are working on, our Medical Clinic that is opening, our Recycling Program that is starting, all of our construction happening and MUCH more….if I let myself for even ONE second think that this is ME  I would be CRUSHED with the stress of it all and how overwhelming this is….If I let myself for even ONE second think that I was the one who HAD or NEEDED to do all of this…I would suffocate from all of this.

But…I am BLESSED to be reminded….this is NOT me, this is Christ’s vision for Gressier.  I am just a small part.  I am BLESSED to be reminded that, “I can do NOTHING on my own.”  That it is only by the power, strength and courage that the LORD has granted that makes anything happen…

I’m reminded of this continuously just by how crazy our days are here….A day here in Gressier is unexplainable…it can range from having a pregnant mother show up at our house and deliver her baby…

To having 35+ people in our house every day this week serving the Lord in amazing ways.

But it can also range from dealing with and trying to find solutions with the abuse, discipline and punishment here in Haiti.  Visiting restaveks homes and talking to their “caregivers” about the importance of their attendance at school and the importance of them being treated like a child…

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All of this and Haiti can overwhelm you to the point of feeling like NOTHING you do will make a difference….that there is no REAL progress…that this is all a LOST CAUSE…and if you let it…you will dig a hole around those thoughts, make yourself comfortable and stay there…

OR you have to choose more than that.  Choose Christ.  Choose to see the Progress, the potential.  You have to CHOSE to see that Christ is the person doing this anyway and our job is to OBEY Him, whatever that looks like, no matter how hard that is.

Lord, thank you for reminding me today, that I can do NOTHING on my own…that it is only because of your amazing sacrifice for us that any of us are able and blessed to serve YOU!  Thank you Lord for this amazing team, thank you for their hearts, their visions, their desire to serve you and the people of Gressier.    

Please be praying for Kyle, Kathryn, Amanda, Alex, Joel, Sam, Josh, Hannah, Sophie and myself this summer as we are blessed to be the Lords hands and feet here in Gressier.