Chapters of a book...

The book of my life was written by God before I was born. Like any book, it has many chapters expertly crafted by the the author, each one building on the preceding.  At times while I was living them the chapters seemed disjointed, sometimes leading me farther and farther away from where I knew God wanted me to be.

Destiny...

But God never gave up on me, never waivered from wanting the best from and for me. Every now and again, through the din of life a chapter would be played out that grabbed my attention if only briefly... a gentle push back on the path that I'm destined to follow.

Contributing...

And so it was when the chapter in my book titled Haiti was played out, perfectly written. It was a chapter that involved a long series of events, thoughts, challenges, messages, and decisions dating over two years. From an eye catching Village Team video, to charity dinners, to a series of church services that all seemed to be telling me to contribute in my community; to stop talking about it and get up and do it. That community for me is worldwide, for all Children of God.  Deep down, Haiti inexplicably kept calling.

Disciples...

My heart and the hearts of a dozen other Christ followers, disciples all, in different chapters of their own books and from many different communities around the country, gathered in one specific place at one specific time for one specific purpose... to spread the word of God to a bunch of Haitian children struggling for an identity in the midst of severe hardship.

Seeing God...

The chapter wound it's way around Port-Au-Prince; to the rural town of Leogane to see the works of World Relief, our hosts; to a church in Carrefourre Feuille with a school attached, destroyed by the earthquake and now housed in makeshift temporary shelters.  During the journey we encountered many people of faith and stopped for awhile to teach and play with some children in a broken land.  Amid the rubble, we saw God everywhere, sometimes subtly, other times staring at us right in the face.  What an epiphany... to finally have the open heart that allowed me to see it all.

Memories...

The journey ends with all safe and sound back in the US among suportive friends and family. But the story continues every day, its difficult to bookmark the end of this chapter. Haiti wants to keep appearing in my thoughts and prayers, flashes of a brother and sister forever etched in my memory.

Clarity....

I'm still not sure what the future holds or if I will be outwardly changed forever by my experience.  What I do know is that the world appears differently for me now, clearer, and with more purpose... and that every chapter of my book following Haiti will be played out differently with more prayer, compassion, and humility than it otherwise would have.

John "Jack" Bell