Break my heart for what breaks yours....

I think that one thing about being involved with Compassion is that it continually reminds me that I don't live alone in this world and that everyone has struggles and often we cannot imagine others' struggles unless we hear it or see it from them directly.

Today, I was going about my day as usual.  I have been feeling stressed and upset about many things, as I often can become.  I went to my mailbox and was pleased to see that we had received letters from the Child Survival program we sponsor in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 

As I opened it while sitting at my counter with my lunch before me, I saw a picture of a beautiful women, with skin the color of mahogany, and two precious-looking girls standing in front of her.  The littlest with her finger sticking in her ear, like little ones sometimes do at picture time.

But they were standing in front of a tent, which I learned in the letter was their home.  And I am not talking about a deluxe canvas edition like I once saw on television that wealthy executives were using to go "glamping" (a new trend for the elite who want to get into nature, without actually having to sleep in nature).  I am talking about your standard, run-of-the-mill, 5-person Coleman tent.  The letter said that she, Ambroise, lived there with her husband and 4 children.

Now I don't know if you have ever slept in a 5-person tent, but when they were taking the measurements to decide how many people could sleep in these tents, they must have been using midgets, because no 5 people I know could fit in them comfortably.

This family of 6 isn't going to be there for the weekend either.  It is their home.  So, all their possessions also must fit inside this small area with them.

Have you ever been in a tent when the sun comes up in the morning and you instantly feel like you are in an incubator?  The average temperature in Haiti varies from between 77-84 degrees, depending on the time of year.  And the ground is normally hard packed dirt.

I saw this picture and read the letter that said they were thankful to have the tent as their home, since many they knew did not have anywhere to live. And that she was thankful that she had a job as a cook and preschool teacher, since there is no work to be found for her husband.  She was also thankful that through the Compassion program they get food that they are able to cook their food at a neighbor's, since there is no room for cooking in their tent. And that her daughter, Etienne, who had a bad skin condition received medical care.  In the picture, the skin on her round cheeks is beautiful and smooth.

I said out loud to God, "But, Lord, they live in a tent." And as the words left my mouth and hit my heart, tears sprang to my eyes and I said again to myself. "They live in a tent." - And the earthquake was over a year ago.

All the things that I complain and stress about on a regular basis suddenly felt so unimportant.  All the things that I can say I do for others suddenly seemed way too little.  Because 100s of people in Haiti, maybe even thousands, are thankful because they have a tent as a home.

As I sat at my counter, in a house that always is a continual comfortable temperature, eating my sandwich that I prepared from my refrigerated meats and cheese and vegetables, I realized that it is so easy to get comfortable and forget how comfortable I am.

That is why I am thankful for my relationship with Compassion.  Because I am always introduced to people like Ambroise and Etienne.  And even though my heart gets broken often from it, it is the best broken heart I could have.  I realize that God put us on earth together at the same time for a reason and I don't want to forget it.

In honor of Mother's Day, you could help another mother in need.  If you would like to support a child survival program, you do not have to write letters.  It is $20 a month and will go to support all the mothers and babies enrolled in the program until the children are old enough to go into the child sponsorship program.  You will receive a letter a couple times a year from a mother whose child is in the program and from the pastor of the church where the program is facilitated. 

You can visit this address to get more information or to sign up to sponsor a Child Survival Program.  http://www.compassion.com/contribution/csp/default.htm

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message.