I had the privilege of going to Haiti on a short-term mission trip led by Maggie Mohr. The trip itself was the capstone, but the preparation and learning leading up to the trip are really what started to challenge my thinking and change my heart.

I always want to jump right in to help, or offer assistance. Learning through Maggie’s experiences, both good and bad, and now my own, I have come to learn that “doing for” and “doing with” are not the same.

I have seen that helping by “doing with” can make a huge impact. Even if not much gets done, just the act of being there, building relationships, and coming alongside the community to help can be meaningful. These relationships are mutually beneficial as well. The joy and love I witnessed down in Haiti were incredible.

Since our trip to Haiti, I am working on being more joyful and loving. Before the trip, I would find myself frustrated when things didn’t run on schedule. Now, if our schedule gets interrupted, I try to find the joy in the situation. When my car doesn’t start because the battery died, I now focus on the joy of owning a car. When my toddler is screaming and won’t leave the house because he wants one more banana, I’m happy that I have a healthy toddler and fresh fruit to eat in the house.

“When my car doesn’t start … I now focus on the joy of owning a car.”

It is moments like this that I know my heart has changed because of the experience in Haiti. I feel incredibly lucky that God somehow connected me with the Mohrs, and that my first mission trip was led by Maggie. I do feel that God will lead me back to Haiti and on other missions within the next year. I can’t wait to see how God will continue to move in all of this.