Blog written by Ann Magnuson on her second trip to Haiti
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7
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As the trees meet the clouds, they sway for our attention. The earth sings God’s glory in a sun scorched land where water is sparse and soil nearly infertile. I’m amazed vegetation thrives in an unlikely place. God’s people, like the trees, soak in every drip of the Spirit so to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Whether in season or not of season, we are called to cling to the Rock that is higher. Whether we can see God’s handiwork or we rely on a faith without evidence, we are called to cling to the Rock that is higher.
God’s Word is rich with promises for His poor. Maybe not for this life, but the next. Depravity isn’t a state of living but a state of mind. Even so, we long for solutions to the Haitian’s hardships. “If one part suffers, the whole part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:26
How such beauty coexists with such brokenness, I cannot comprehend the mind of God. Nevertheless, I’m reminded by God that we aren’t called to serve so that we can see an end to poverty. “The poor will always be among us.” Rather, God’s work is amidst the process. Humankind shouldn’t struggle for freedom, but we are free to struggle. When we want to know answers, God simply wants us to know Him. Mmm, how true is that? Oh the present sufferings amounting to an incomparable glory to be revealed in God’s Haitians…. I will never be able to fathom. “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:20 Amen Heavenly Father.
Many Hands is a nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty through long-term, locally led community development. Since 2008, Many Hands has partnered with communities in Haiti and now also serves families in Abaco, Bahamas, through integrated programs in health, education, housing, agriculture, economic opportunity, and leadership development. Nearly 150 Haitian staff lead the work in Haiti, while a network of Many Hands Thrift Market stores helps fund the mission, allowing more donor dollars to directly support life-changing programs.
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