Shipwrecked
On February 19th our family moved to Haiti! After years of preparation and planning we finally joined our co-laborers, Jephthe & Mitou Lucien, on the field in a full-time capacity. Though moving to another country seems like it would be a climactic experience, the transition was simply an uneventful change of address.
During the first few weeks, we spent our days meeting people in town, discovering all the small shops, and continuing renovations on our home.
Last month, however, two things happened that quickly revealed what life in Haiti is really like: our container arrived and then our vehicle arrived. Though we had been patiently awaiting their coming with great anticipation, we soon discovered that water flooded up through the floor of the container, and our vehicle had been smashed on all sides.
We spent the last few weeks salvaging our belongings, and recently we began submitting claims to the shipping company with the hope we will be compensated fairly. To further complicate things, our vehicle is being held by Customs in Cap-Haitien. Customs originally imposed an import tax equal to the entire value of the vehicle—without even considering the damage. Though they have lowered the tax a bit, our vehicle is being held in a location that has all the features of a junkyard, and we are still in negotiations.
On a brighter note, Pam’s lifelong friend, Kelsey Young, and her brother Travis, visited us in March. Having them in town was a breath of fresh air, as we shared stories—past and present, and enjoyed the time together. Also, Seth McKennon and Kevin Sutherland from Mosaic Church in Miami stopped by.
Currently, we are staying with Jarod & Jennifer Ebenhack while we have been unsuccessfully trying to get our vehicle (the Ebenhacks live three hours closer to the port than we do). We attended college with Jarod & Jennifer, and we share similar passions for transformational discipleship and sustainable development work.
Although the past month has been full of frustrations and setbacks, we can truly say that we have felt a peace that only God gives. Amidst the disappointments, damage, corruption, and waiting, we have been given a taste taste of the everyday struggle that most people in Haiti face.
John Piper once wrote an article called Don’t Waste Your Cancer just before having prostate surgery last year. Similarly, yet due to our circumstances, we don’t want to squander this moment—our “cancer” per se—to be sensitized and teachable, as we trust God in all seasons.