Before I went to Haiti the first time in February 1999, I really had no heart for international missions. I had been Development Director for Helping Hands across the County, a Baltimore County Maryland based, help organization, founded by Pastor Jim Reilly. We collected food throughout the year and delved it out to families in need. We also had a Thanksgiving dinner for people who couldn't afford it. Some were single moms and their kids, some elderly. We did this with a lot of class. We took reservations, provided transportation, even had a host/hostess, waitresses who took their orders and bussers to clear the tables. Those three or four years that I was involved were some of the nicest Thanksgivings that I had.
I also spent 1 or 2 days a month at the Helping Up Mission in downtown Baltimore. Helping to feed the men, playing the music for the evening service and occasionally preaching a message. There are many homeless drug addicts who have gotten back on their feet and been reunited with their families thanks to the faithful service of the Helping up mission.
So what does this have to do with my first trip to Haiti? Well, in my mind there was so much work to do here! My wife at the time was involved in the international missions board at our church and I (stubborn) wanted nothing to do with that! "So much to do here at home", I would say! "What is the sense of helping outside when we can't even get our own society straightened out", was another of my tag lines!
Long story short we were called to another local church where I met Pastor Mike Hall who was the founder of Hope International, Inc. A ministry to Haiti. Little did I know that by that move, my life was about to change!
STAY TUNED!!
No comments:
Post a Comment