Lesson: Beauty in Haiti

I am continually learning that there is a lesson in everything, big or small in my life. Living in Haiti has allowed me to see a lot of beauty: of God’s creation in people and in nature and even beauty that He has created within me.

I am in awe each time that I realize and remember that God cares about my feelings, even the ones that aren’t so spiritual. Living in Haiti you are constantly drenched in sweat, covered in bug bites, and in general just looking like a hot mess. The worst is on days when it rains for a short period of time, causing it to be more humid, which means things are even more sticky and sweaty.

One day I was walking through the market with the girls, our normal Saturday morning routine. We were headed into town to run errands and exchange money. As we walked through the town square and towards the “bank”, a woman passed me in the street and said, “ou bel”. She called me beautiful. It was the simplicist words, but it was such a reminder that I am beautiful even on days that I don’t feel as such. I have learned that even wearing a pair of earrings, makes the biggest difference in feeling a little bit extra special even when my hair is a hot mess. Moments when you feel beautiful are typically in short supply. On many days when I feel that my love abounds to deeper levels as I exudes Christ’s love, grace and mercy. There are very few days that I actually feel as though I am exuding beauty.  Not that God cares what I look like when I am showing the beauty of His love, as a girl I sometimes do wish that I look nice.

Lesson: My feelings mean something to my Father, even the ones as simple as wanting to feel beautiful. So He sends someone to compliment me as I walk through the marketplace. God continually reminds me that I am beautiful, loved, and cherished… after all, we are all created in His image. He looks at me amidst my sweatiness, bug bites, and hair a mess and through my brokenness and says, “I love you, I will choose you again and again and You Are Beautiful.”

Amen.