Mountain Top Experience

It's so hard to just pick one thing that happened in Haiti that left a huge impact on me. This is the 3rd year I've gone to Haiti and this year my 10 year old daughter, Abby, went with us. It was so amazing to see God use her and watch her walk grow, but I think I would have to say my mountain top experience happened on a mountain. This year the team built a house for a young couple that lived on a mountain. The trek up was very difficult for us Americans, especially with supplies. However, when we met the couple, it was well worth it. The young lady was 7 months pregnant and had the sweetest spirit. We were very lucky to have a nurse on our team, Laura, so we checked the young lady's blood pressure, asked how she was feeling, and gave her vitamins and stuff for the baby. (It was kind of like a mini baby shower.) While the guys worked on the house, Laura and I sat and visited with the young lady and some kids. The Holy Spirit prompted me to tell some Bible stories. Even though I had been teaching VBS to the kids during the week, I was not prepared.

I racked my brain for a story and thought of my son, Noah, and his favorite Bible story, so I told them the story of Noah's ark. (I'm sure that surprised you.) The kids were glued and hanging on every word. We talked about the rainbow and how God always keeps His promises. Next we told them the story of when God gave Abraham and Sarah a son. Yet another story of God being a promise keeper. Last we told them the story of David and Goliath. We told them that God uses the willing regardless of size or ability. After we were done telling stories, the young mother-to-be asked if we would name her baby. I have never been so honored. Laura and I talked for a bit and I said that she should name the baby David, so that she would always remember how big our God is. We headed back down the mountain for lunch. I fell twice on the trip down and decided I wouldn't go back up. (To be honest, I was sore and feeling too tired to go up again. I was relying on my strength and not God's.)

The guys went back up the next day to work on the house again. We were going to an orphanage, so most of us didn't go back up the mountain. We went to pick the guys up for lunch, but I stayed at the bottom of the mountain with my daughter and Laura. They came back with a message for me. She thanked me for the stories and said that she missed me. After lunch a small group of guys were headed back up the mountain to finish up the house. I asked if I could go along. When we reached the top, I waited by a tree. Pastor Benito told the young lady that I was back and she came running to meet me. She asked if I had received her message. We sat around and visited. I asked if they would like to hear another story. She was nodding her head excitedly and trying to get the kids to say yes. After they did, she told one to go get me a chair. We sat together and I told them the story of Jesus' birth. We talked about how it was unlike any other birth and how God was willing to humble Himself and be born in a stable for us. I told her that there is nothing special about me, but that God chooses to use me. I encouraged her to tell her baby stories from the Bible.

As we were getting ready to leave for the last time, she promised to have Pastor Benito send me a picture of baby David. I told her that baby David's picture would be hung up in my house when I got it. She told my husband that the baby would be named David even if it's a girl. We prayed for her and her little family and asked God to bless them and let them be a light on the mountain top. I am so thankful to have met her. I will never forget her. She was so thankful for everything we did, even though to us it didn't seem like much. I pray that God will help Baby David to grow strong and do great things for Him in Haiti.
Written by Sarah T