Haiti Mission Reflection from Terri Ellison

To think back on my time in Haiti there are so many moments that will stay with me in my heart forever. I was immediately blessed and amazed by the LiveBeyond organization and their passion for serving the people of Haiti. That type of passion is contagious and their mission of reaching people for the Lord by caring for their physical and medical needs is inspiring. The courage they exhibit as they enter the villages to pray for, feed, and be available to the locals is humbling and motivated me to push myself in areas I may otherwise be uncomfortable.

Worshiping and attending service with the villagers was another memory I will cherish. Their hunger for the Word and desire to boldly proclaim their love for the Father was amazing. In the face of oppression – at the risk of alienation or harm – they are unashamedly madly in love with the Lord.

The part of the trip which pulled the most at my heart, though, was working with Johnny’s Kids. These are some brave, hard-working kiddos!! Their ability to overcome not only their “disability” but also the severe stigma that comes from being “different” in a third-world country was inspiring. Watching Johnny’s Kids assimilate with the other children during free time, church, and mealtime was motivational. It was obvious that some of the children still felt uncomfortable around our Kid’s, but the Haitian staff and older children did an amazing job demonstrating the proper way to accept them and show Christ’s love for all. Before LiveBeyond came to Thomazeau, the local villages would often shun individuals with disabilities. Thankfully by loving on, caring for, and helping Johnny’s Kids to overcome their obstacles, many in the communities are beginning to accept these children and understand that they are not a “curse” or a “burden” but wonderful blessings from the Lord.

The vision of LiveBeyond is to eventually have an entire building dedicated to rehabilitation and I would love to go back and serve those precious folks again. I am indeed blessed to have been given the opportunity to serve here!