Flying back to Michigan in January entails your own private plane. Though God provided the extra seats and legroom, my designated spot was next to an older lady named Bonnie. High off my richest life experience yet, I greeted her and asked where she was flying from. Though I was asking her, I was more excited to recount where I was coming from than to hear about where she had adventured off to before returning home. My tale included the jungley mountains of the Hogar de Niños of Santa Barbara, Honduras, where the Friendship team stayed for about two weeks from December to January. Bonnie would surely be interested in what I had to say!
Bonnie, probably smiling under her mask, replied, “Haiti.” According to all possible stereotypes, Bonnie does not look like someone who would visit Haiti.
Bonnie first traveled to Haiti twelve years ago. American Airlines had just begun offering flights to Haiti with a total of $32 for the five-star service and smooth ride. Bonnie worked at a hotel and was able to get a long weekend away for herself. ‘How nice!’she must have thought, ‘I finally get some time to relax!’ However, when exiting the airport, a young mother came to Bonnie cradling her child. Their quick interaction revealed that the mother could not afford her daughter and that the mother expected Bonnie to care for this child. The relaxing weekend turned into a tricky legal process where Bonnie tried to adopt her daughter. Unfortunately, due to complicated legalities between the United States and Haitian government, Bonnie was unable to bring her daughter home to the US. Thus, for the last twelve years, Bonnie has been traveling to Haiti to visit her daughter in the growing children’s home, now housing about fifty children! All of these children are supported by Bonnie’s income and donations. I pounded her with question after question. The conversation died eventually, and we both rested for the next few hours of the trip.
Upon waking up, I remembered something in my bag. It wasn’t the soggy baleada from the Honduras airport, but the donation money left over from the trip. I felt convicted to leave it with Bonnie. Prayerfully, I wrapped it up and, before parting ways with Bonnie, handed it to her and reminded her to find me on Facebook so we could keep in touch. I later learned that the money was enough to support an eight-year-old girl’s education for a year.
The conclusion of this trip stands out to me even when I consider everything that happened during the entirety of my experience. I went to Honduras to grow my walk with God through the means of spending time serving in the Hogar de Niños run by REACH International. Glenn Rusell, who planned the trip, emphasized the importance of adaptability. He did this naturally by never communicating the plan for the day simply because he often had no plan. “Just connect with the kids!” he instructed.
Leaving so full from the blessings that the children and staff at the Hogar had shared so generously with me, I thought God had done an excellent job! His hand had guided me into a place that loved freely. He had blessed me with a new family and a rich life experience. It was then my job, of course, to tell the whole world about my beautiful family at the Hogar! And the world, of course, would listen and be changed like I was! Well, God did not end the story there. My mission trip continued onto the plane, answering the prayers of an eight-year-old girl who dreamed of finally going to school.
During my time there, from December 29th to January 11th, my life overflowed with friendship and service and green nature and baleadas … but the mission trip extended onward outside of my plans–and I’m not referring to the bug scars that I still carry or my annoying friends from the mission team that still keep in touch. I did not pay to go on this trip because I wanted to talk with strangers on the plane. Yet God provided the money for me to go to meet the kids and make friends, but also to share His hope with my eight-year-old friend in Haiti.
I hate following a specific curriculum. It always stresses me out that I need to fill the box within the lines. Unfortunately, that is often what it takes to be successful in our classes–but I’ve learned that God does not work that way. Uncle Paul shares powerful insight when he states: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). The God who created the jungley mountains of Honduras, the loving nature of the people I met, the plane itinerary squeezing me next to Bonnie–He is the one that offers to plan our lives with richness every single day. I paid for the trip–another miracle–to continue this life path that He has thoughtfully, meticulously, compassionately shaped for me.
I pray that we all may experience a life rich with the service and growth that God has molded for us. We have been instilled with innumerable gifts, all necessary for preparing us and others for God’s plan to take us home!
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.”
(Romans 12:6 NKJV). May we all walk in the light of our great God’s love to see firsthand the richness He has in store for us!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.