Haiti in our hearts

Last year at this time Taylor and I had just returned from a two week trek to Haiti working at the Hope Alive Clinic. Our European ventures were fantastic and something the two of us will have stories and memories forever. But Haiti was a different experience in so many ways. 

We transitioned from the comforts of home to a land mired in poverty and gutted by ongoing devastation. Schools without roofs. Generations of children are being raised in orphanages while the countless others are living in make shift tents along the coastline. It's a world we cannot wrap our heads around and it is a world that neither of us can soon forget. 

My heart was so very proud of Taylor taking time out of her summer last year to serve in ways most teens would either shun out of inconvenience or avoid due to discomfort. She did neither. For two weeks she smiled, interacted and loved kids for who they were. No strings attached. 

To then witness this kid refuse to leave her passion behind in Haiti she pushed for her school's interact club to take on Hope Alive Clinic and find ways to fund raise for them. Bam! I am biased because she's my kid...of that I take ownership, but having worked with teens for years now I am so blown away at her passion and heart for others. For a year she has sold hundreds (and I mean hundreds) of pretzels, brownies and cookies along with making close to a dozen car washes happen in the heat, cold and in between. The kid has chutzpa, baby....

So last week when she was able to hand over a check for close to $1,500 for Hope Alive Clinic I was not only proud as a parent, but as a person. I thank God for her heart and ability to look beyond the surface and know that our efforts and our passion can make a difference and can change lives. That money WILL save lives and WILL have an impact in a way that we cannot comprehend. I'd say for seventeen, that's not too shabby. 

My hope for my family is that each day as we leave the house we live our lives seeing the world as Christ intended. We are not meant to not be served, but to serve. Our lives are brief and having the ability to see people's hearts and their needs is so precious and so very important. If we live for ourselves only and to serve our needs we have lived in vein. When our lives come to a close our degrees, money, things and status fade. That, my friends, cannot be taken along for the next chapter. It is what we leave behind, it is our words, our actions and our passion. Are we leaving imprints on the hearts of others?  Live fully, love authentically and push yourself beyond your comfort zone... those are a few ingredients to start knocking your socks off and breathing life into your life.