Day 1--Showing up and paying attention

Birmingham, Alabama

6:00 am

We leave for Port-au-Prince today. After months of preparation and planning, we are just hours from our departure. Four of us traveled here together from Fairhope. We'll meet Heidi (from Kentucky) in Birmingham. Her husband and I know each other from seminary. At the airport, we'll meet three others with whom we'll partner in ministry and service this week. We are grateful to Regions Bank for their donation of the transportation of the team. It will be a great gift to the ministry efforts.

In the coming week, our team will serve in medical clinics in and around Port-au-Prince. Though I am a minister and not a medical professional, I am willing to serve any way I can. I told the doctors and nurses to give me the jobs that allow them to do their jobs. We will also work on installation of water purification systems. The water systems will also save lives. Access to clean water is a great need in Haiti. The key to the systems will be that the Haitians must be able to maintain them. The goal is long-term sustainability. I am excited to partner with folks from SIFAT (www.sifat.org). It has been too long since we've worked together last. SIFAT representatives will install the water systems.

8:30pm--Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The team is gelling well. We met Andrew from Knoxville. He is a physical therapist who looks forward to using his expertise here. Brian, aka Cowboy, is serving on behalf of SIFAT with the installation of the water systems (www.cowboyandcourtney.org). Chris is here in his work with a ministry called HaitiServe (www.haitiserve.org). He will connect different ministries together for the common purpose of service to the people of Haiti.

After we settled in at the guest house, we went across town to the Haiti Christian Orphanage. They serve approximately 65 boys and have been here for nearly 50 years. After the earthquake, they opened their compound to those who lost their homes. Over 200 people are living in tents inside their compound. From children just a few days old to the elderly, they do the best they can with the little they have.

As soon as we got out of the truck, one boy

about 7 years old walked up to me. I looked down and gave him a smile. He smiled back and took my hand. He wasn't about to let go. We walked hand-in-hand, without a word, all around the compound. Another boy about 10 years old showed me the tent where he and his 23 year old sister live. Their mother couldn't care for them both anymore, so she sent them to live together in the tent city. He doesn't know where his father is. With pride he showed me his little tent, one mattress and small bag of possessions.

As I settle into bed, questions roil in my head. How will we make a difference among so many? What will the week ahead bring for our team? How can I contribute? I pray that I will open my eyes to the mights things God will show us. I pray that I will show up and pay attention to what God is doing.