{rice, beans & love}

The past few weeks all I feel like I have been doing is “talking”. Between Tytoo and my house, we have had several groups coming to “talk”. Although I realize the important in all this “talking” (planning for the future, discussing what we can be doing better and so forth), it has been exhausting. Many moments where I just want to say enough talk already, just let me work!

The problems in Haiti are so complex, so complicated, so massive, so everything that all these conversations sometimes lead me to frustration and feeling like no matter how many women I employ through ViBella, how many children we educate through Touch of Hope, how many kids we house at Tytoo….there will just always be more. Seriously, there’s just so much work to do, so many lives who need help and just so little resources.

I spent this morning with a friend in the Port-au-Prince and we were “talking” about all the progress that has been made in the city: garbage clean-up, stoplights and numerous other things. But what my friend said to end the conversation was, “we talk about all the progress, but when I really sit back and take it all in, there is still so far to go.”

Indeed there is.

Then, just now I read my devotion (which I didn’t have time to do this morning) and the Lord told me this, which led me to writing to you all now…

There is no condemnation for thos who are in Me. The law of the Spirit of Life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Not many Christians know how to live in this radical freedom, which is their birthright. I died to set you free; live freely in Me!
To walk along the path of freedom, you must keep your mind firmly fixed on Me. Many voices proclaim: ‘This is the way for you to go,” but only My voice tells you the true way. If you follow the way of the world with all its glitter and glamour, you will descend deeper and deeper into an abyss. Christian voices also can lead you astray: “Do this!” “Don’t do that!” “Pray this way!” “Don’t pray that way!” If you listen to all those voices, you will become increasingly confused.
Be content to be a simple sheep, listening for My voice and following Me. I will lead you into restful green pastures and guide you along paths of righteousness.

I really like the “be content to be a simple sheep” part, being content with the circumstances, with what I had, with what I can do and doing all of it as sheep serving a great Shepherd.

sunset view from my porch this evening