One of the Austin Stone members and worship leader, Aaron, recently went back to Haiti where 2 of their children are from. He wrote this e-mail to his wife. (You can see why he is such an amazing song writer as well!)
“This is the first time I’ve been here in 2 years.
It’s completely unchanged.
Other than the new road that leads to nowhere and the many buildings no longer here because of the earthquake, this place remains the same.
Same poverty.
Same brokenness.
Still over-run by orphans and the sick.
Still oppressed by darkness.
Still stuck in a vicious cycle of corruption and evil.
Nothing has changed.
It seems untouched.
Women still abused.
Children still sold for sex and slavery.
White people still taking advantage of the black man, and black men still bitter about the white man taking advantage.
Nothing has changed.
Trash still clutters the streets, and weariness clutters the human heart.
Darkness still hangs at the end of every street, next to smoldering rubber tires and gang fights.
The land is still Barren.
Trees are still distant memories to a lost generation.
Nothing has changed.
Children still wander the streets without food in their bellies or fathers in their hearts.
Missionaries still love and care for the forgotten, while America chooses to forget while saving their money for a new car.
Orphaned teenage mothers still cry for their newborn cholera-stricken baby’s fever to finally break.
Nothing has changed. Progress seems invisible.
But our God and His Kingdom are also invisible.
They aren’t made up by progress, governments, and paved roads.
His kingdom contains things like faith the size of mustard seeds.
Cities on hills.
Fisherman turned missionaries.
Women who pour perfume on dusty feet.
Peacemakers and forgivers.
Those who hunger not for food or drink, but for righteousness.
Friends that turn cities upside down with a crazy gospel.
And children who kill giants.
His kingdom is different.
The invisible here contains things like faith, trust, love, kindness, and generosity. And even though its invisible, I can see it.
So even though nothing has seemingly changed, everything is changing. And the fight must continue. So, we keep giving. And crying. And pleading. And hoping for Him to come back.
This we boast in… He is unchanged.”
Hopeful and encouraged that we serving a God that is unchanging!
(original post and application by Jamie Ivey here: http://dreamingbigdreams.net)
Beautiful Feet 