Beautiful Things
I love the line from the Gungor song, “Beautiful Things”…
“You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us.”
No where is this more true than in Haiti.
Throughout this week I have seen God bringing beautiful things out of the dust and the dirt of sin and brokenness and death.
On Wednesday, we visited the Apparent project. I am not sure I understand the full scope of this non-profit…you can read more about them on their own website, but here is the description of what they are about. “The Apparent Project artisans guild uses discarded materials such as cereal and cracker boxes, oil drums, and trash paper to create beautiful “upcycled” pieces of jewelry, journals, and stylish home decor. While redeeming the Haitian landscape, these artisans are also bringing new hope to their families, employing themselves for a brighter future and earning the means to pay for their children's food, shelter, and education. That means less orphans, less crime, less garbage, less stress, and a whole lot more beauty.”
Beautiful Things. Out of the Dust.
Thursday we visited Grace Village. Grace Village has established itself in a place that means “less than nothing.” (Titanyen) And they are doing incredible innovative things that I cannot fully describe in a blog. They have a school for 380 children, an orphanage to 44 children, a medical and dental clinic, an aquaponics initiative, etc. After touring the Village it is clear that they are not just “giving a man a fish, but teaching him to fish.” And they are doing it in incredibly innovative ways. They are constantly looking at how they can tweak and refine their process, so as to make the most long term impact in Titanyen.
Beautiful Things. Out of the Dust.
And throughout this week, as I have gotten to know a team of 15 other people, and heard their stories, and watched them shed tears, it is clear that God is making beautiful things out of this group’s dust as well.
The stories go on and on. I don’t yet know the full history of religion in Haiti…I don’t know how long ago Christian missionaries came to this place. I just know that it has a reputation for things such as voodoo. But it is clear after spending a week here that this has changed and is changing. It is not just other missionaries and short term mission teams here that are doing the work of bringing beautiful things out of the dust. In fact one of the most powerful things I was able to see this week was to get up at 6am and trudge down to worship at the Haitian church down the street, and to bear witness to the Spirit of the LORD at work within this beautiful people.
And today…another “water truck” day. Holding babies and children. Loving on them, and helping them to see that there is some beauty in this dusty world. Pouring out water, and pointing them to the “living water” of Jesus.
And visiting General Hospital where we had the opportunity to drop off care bags for children and families, and to pray with them. And for the veterans in the group there were signs of beauty out of ashes again…in seeing dramatic improvements in the state of the hospital itself.
And then again back in my mind to Thursday (yesterday), when we visited the mass grave where roughly 300,000 people are buried from a devastating earthquake 5 years ago. And remembering that some day God literally bring beauty out of the dust at what we call the resurrection.
Until then, may Jesus continue to restore and renew what is broken…and bring beauty out of the dust.
—Russ Peterson
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