Today was a day of inspiration, love, and genuine compassion. As we progressed through our morning ritual of being blessed with an amazing breakfast and sharing laughs, the thought of embarking to Grace Village was flowing through our bodies. While riding in the tap tap, I thought about the children and what they would be like and how our amazing group could help make a positive difference in their lives. We were welcomed to Grace Village with open hearts and open arms from the children. Immediately the children saw us and with smiling faces, I knew today would be a memory we would never forget. The day at Grace Village began by meeting the children and getting to know them on personal levels. With each conversation, we opened our hearts to loving children who were looking for someone to play games with or just talk. As the day progressed, we became connected with the children and learned what amazing individuals they are. No matter their life situations, the children showed off their glowing smiles and opened their hearts to us. What truly struck me was the connection that I had with a boy that reminded me so much of how I grew up. The boy was shy, loving, and peaceful and always had a smile on his face. His unforgettable smile brought ultimate levels of joy and happiness to me. Even though few words were shared between him and I, he brought out the best in me and made me realize that life is precious and a simple smile can make all the difference in the world. After hours of playing, we made our way to the church/feeding building. It was amazing to see how a group of children got along so well and how each child was so peaceful enjoying their snack. What really inspired us today was how the children sang in such love, care, and passion towards God. No words can fully describe the tears shed and joy that our team felt seeing those children sing and the love that sprung up towards heaven. Our hearts stopped in those moments of seeing how amazing those children were and what made them so cheerful. Along with these amazing, inspirational children, came a host family who found the light and followed in the calling from God of mission in Haiti. The family showed such sincerity in what they were called to do and live on what God has in store for them. It was amazing to see how a family could come from our culture and see the best features of a struggling country and attempt to make a difference in the lives of Haiti. We learned of the vision of Grace Village and heard about the true love being put into action by people who desire to give those children more opportunities in bettering their lives. We were inspired and took away from this experience a sense to find true passion within our hearts to take every moment here and believe that God is guiding us down new paths in order to find our calling and shine our light through helping others. Seeing the smiles and genuine compassion illuminating in and around us, I knew that today was precious and memories were made that will last in our hearts forever. The underlying message is to always cherish the little things in life that make you smile and hold close to your heart those memories that bring you joy and happiness. Life is too short, be who you are destined to be and don't be afraid to open your heart to new things and find God's light in times of happiness and sadness.
Published by Kasey Buchheit
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