Make Believe

I've been a Christian my whole life, I don't remember not being one.  But I've also been known to question is there a god, is heaven or hell real, is this all just make believe for grown ups?  Thankfully, God is big enough for all those questions.

After spending a week in Haiti, I don't think I'll ever have those questions again.  In an unfamiliar land, surrounded by unfamiliar sights and sounds, God showed up.  I got to see and experience, even in the shortness of a week, moments of heaven and hell on earth.

Hell, well that wasn't unexpected.  I've seen the images on the news, read articles in magazines, did research on the country before I left.  Even with that, I wasn’t prepared to experience it first hand.  It's been over a year since the earthquake, but the broken concrete buildings and, the rumble in the streets stands as an unintentional memorial to what that day must have been like.  

I saw the tent cities, they are all over the city of Port au Prince.  It seemed anywhere they could find open space, a tent city arose.  “Tent cities” is really a misnomer.  Tarp cities would be a closer to reality.    When we asked if police will enter them to patrol, the response was "no one goes in there".  Imagine that... a place that no one will enter.  It’s a place that takes something as romantic and peaceful as a rainy night, and gives it new meaning.  For rain means no sleep, concern over keeping oneself and your possessions dry, the fears of cholera, and the coming hurricane season.  

Hell is in the reality of a being a resevek.  They are the child slaves of Haiti.  It’s the 10 year old girl that sells herself.  The little boys standing in traffic with a towel rubbing dirty vehicles as they sit in traffic.  Or in the desperation of two boys running along side your truck, hoping for just whatever you can spare.  

The chaos, the garbage, and lack of the staples of life are breath taking, heart breaking.  Not enough available water, food or shelter to go around, it’s humbling.  

Heaven, now this I didn’t see coming.  But I experienced heaven on earth as well.  I heard it in the voices of people singing worship songs that were familiar but not known to me.  In laughter during games of duck-duck-goose and soccer.  The beauty of a child playing with a kite, made of trash.

I felt it in the hugs of children who I’ve just met, and in the their hands as they held mine and dragged me to go play.  It was in a little girl’s patience as she taught her language, or colored me a picture. 

I saw it in a woman named Cee Cee who took care of me, and made me feel at home in foreign land on my birthday.  In a man named Pastor Daniel.   The way he laughed, sang, and danced with the children that are in his care.  It was there when I sat and listened to stories of a life of service from men named John, Norman, and Robinson.  Good men, men that inspire.

It was in the generosity of a people with little, yet they wanted to give a group with much, something to show their gratitude for coming to be with them.  

I felt heaven in our group.  A group that started out as strangers, but quickly realized we weren’t strangers at all.  It was obvious to me in the love, care, laughter, joy, prayer, and worship of our group.  We might not be the next great worship band, but I have no doubt we will be singing together again in heaven.  

So now when I am asked is God real? Does heaven exist?  How do know there’s a hell?  I will tell them a story about Haiti.  And I will thank God for the opportunity to do it. 


-Nate Weibye