The only that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 5:6b
"One of my lifelong goals would be to work with orphans...I might go to Haiti because there is an orphanage there that I would like to volunteer at. Then I might stick college in somewhere around there.”
So reads an excerpt from the 8th grade journal of Kathryn. By the grace of God, five years later, that far away dream of thirteen year-old me will soon become a reality. Instead of going straight to college, I will be spending the first semester of this upcoming school year volunteering at the exact orphanage that I made reference to back in 8th grade. Here is a small part of the story of how it came to be that I am taking a gap year and working with orphans in Haiti…
The date was Monday, April 16, 2012: just two weeks away from the May 1st college decision deadline. Although I hadn't officially proclaimed it, I knew I was going to go to Hillsdale College. That's what everyone assumed. That's basically what I told everyone. My scholarship there was too good to pass up. The school itself was too good to pass up. The classes entranced me, the students shared my values, and they had an Intervarsity chapter so I would be able to go to Cedar Campus. (A vital component to the perfect college experience, in my humble opinion!)
But something wasn't right. I was excited about Hillsdale in my head, but not in my heart. The closer May 1st got, the more fearful and agitated I became. I avoided conversations about the decision. I avoided thinking about the decision. I avoided praying about the decision.
On that Monday night in April, my parents came into my room before bed. “Kathryn,” they said, “You seem very unsettled. May 1st is soon. Is there some way we can help you with this decision? Is there something specific holding you back from Hillsdale?”
I didn’t understand the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I thought of all my good college options, and couldn’t explain it to my parents. So they prayed for me, said goodnight, and left. Clara and I turned off the light, pulled up the covers, and started to doze off.
Then, all of a sudden, a spark lit the tinder of my heart. That idea I wrote about way back in 8th grade had never died. And now, quite abruptly, it resurfaced in the forefront of my brain. It was nearly midnight, but I sat up in bed in a feverish excitement, turned on the light, and half in confidence, half in terror, I looked my sister in the eye and said, “Clara, I don't want to go to college next year. I want to go to Haiti and work in that orphanage.” I emailed the orphanage volunteer coordinator right then and there, just to see if anything would come of it. Of course it was crazy. Of course it would never work. Of course I would go to Hillsdale in the fall. But I just had to send that email anyway.
The rest of the week was a whirlwind of conversations, emails, shock, and excitement. I felt like I was jumping off of a cliff, but at the same time, for the first time in this whole college decision process, it felt so right. The orphanage needed volunteers starting in August of 2012, and the details lined up immaculately. With a gap year planned, Hillsdale in the fall of 2013 now seemed perfect to me.
I have always loved children, and orphan care and adoption have been important in my life ever since I can remember. The stories of the little ones at God’s Littlest Angels (GLA) in Haiti tug on my heart and call me to service. At the beginning of the summer, another orphanage in Haiti was shut down for neglecting its children. Twenty-three of these orphans were sent to GLA Haiti, many of them sick and malnourished, and at least one who had to be hospitalized for rat bites. During my time at GLA, I will be assigned to a small group of children who need one-on-one attention. I will help with their physical, social, and emotional healing and development, spending my days from 8:00-5:00 with these particular children. I so deeply desire to care for them, help them heal, play with them, and show them that they are loved. I can't ever replace the role of parents in their lives, but I can help bridge the gap.
I plan to be in Haiti from August 26 through November 5. My spring and early summer have been very busy. Now that Fierce Compassion release events are over and I am back from a week of family camp, I have six weeks to prepare for my departure. During this time, I plan to read about Haiti and cross-cultural ministry, finish my immunizations, pack my bags, and raise funds for this venture.
My expenses are as follows:
Flight $480
Room and board ($30/day x 71 days) $2130
Airport pick up/transportation $100
Supplies for orphanage (if funds allow) $200
Total $2910
I would be grateful if you prayerfully considered whether you would like to be a part of my team. More than anything, I covet your prayers to blanket me throughout my time in Haiti. I would also love to have your company through this blog as I write about my experiences.
You have been instrumental in bringing me thus far. You have shaped me into who I am today. You have loved me when I did not deserve to be loved. Many of you remember when I was the shyest and timidest of little girls–you talked to me even when I hid from you, and you gave me opportunities to grow even when I didn’t seem to embrace them. You offered me your time, your wisdom, and your love. So many of you showed me through example what it means to live for Christ. You gave me a part of yourself that will go with me to Haiti.
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love…My vision is that my time in Haiti would count, that I would be able to show love to fatherless children, that I would be driven by faith expressing itself through love.
Kathryn
