No doubt Haiti is hard and Haiti is hot. If there were ever a place where bad attitudes could emerge and frustrations could explode, this would be the place. Rocky terrain and long days! But the team was phenomenal. Typically AIM does a morning ministry and an afternoon ministry. On this trip, we have gone non-stop mornings, afternoons, and evenings. There was no free time except an hour and a half on the very last day.
We’re talking about hiking mountains, hours of preparing skits, debriefs, and worship into the am’s with few hours asleep. We may have averaged 4 hours a night. What drove this team? What was their motivation?
I am reminded of the cross and why Jesus endured it. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. He would suffer the physical pain of crucifixion but even worse experience the wrath of God poured on Him because of our sin. He bore the curse we could not bear. What gave our Savior the endurance to stay obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross? It was for the joy set before Him. He would be highly exalted and given the name above every name. He would be given an inheritance of nations!
What motivated our team was the joy set before them. Yes, we had long walks up hills, but they knew what awaited them on top of the mountain would be kids and their smiling faces. Yes, they endured long days and long nights, but they knew what it would lead to: the witnessing of God’s work in their lives and God’s work in the lives of others. They left it all in Haiti. They served for the joy set before them as their efforts would be seen as pleasing in the sight of God. They served for the joy set before them knowing their labor would lead to the joy of others as they encountered Christ. So, they pressed on…learning skits, preparing for Vacation Bible School, scaling up the rocky terrain, and forcing themselves to stay up into the wee hours of the morning. For the joy set before them.
Oh, what a joyful time we had with the Lord!
