When you have to pack your family of five into the confined space of 10 total suitcases (no more than 50 lbs each), you realize that SO many of the "needs" in your life were really wants!
Needs: mosquito netting, Tylenol, Imodium, vitamins, 2 pairs of clothes each
Wants: xbox, couches, hot water, electricity, 10 pairs of clothes each!
My children are already packed for the move, they consolidated their clothing and favorite toys into a suitcase and a carry-on. I am having a bit more trouble. Do I need to buy expensive water filters or stock up on bug spray? Should I get my kids a DS/PSP or other entertainment, or will our lives be so full of things that don't need to be plugged in and updated that we would rather raise chickens and read books than beat the latest Mario Bros? I can only hope so!
At the beginning of this move, Carl and I planned on bringing with us a washing machine, a generator, a couch, and a whole shipping crate full of our "essentials." Financially that has now been proven impossible for us. So now we are redefining our needs:
We need to treat each other with love and respect.
We need to care for the poor of our world. It is not just a religious mandate, it is the only way of life that makes sense to us.
We need to have laughter in our lives!
We need to provide medical care and the security of absolute love to our children.
We need to be who we are, not who we are supposed to be.
We need to accept who others are, not who we want them to be.
We need to trust God and our fellow man that all of our needs will be met as we open our lives to the children of Haiti and to the calling that we feel so strongly.
Needs: mosquito netting, Tylenol, Imodium, vitamins, 2 pairs of clothes each
Wants: xbox, couches, hot water, electricity, 10 pairs of clothes each!
My children are already packed for the move, they consolidated their clothing and favorite toys into a suitcase and a carry-on. I am having a bit more trouble. Do I need to buy expensive water filters or stock up on bug spray? Should I get my kids a DS/PSP or other entertainment, or will our lives be so full of things that don't need to be plugged in and updated that we would rather raise chickens and read books than beat the latest Mario Bros? I can only hope so!
At the beginning of this move, Carl and I planned on bringing with us a washing machine, a generator, a couch, and a whole shipping crate full of our "essentials." Financially that has now been proven impossible for us. So now we are redefining our needs:
We need to treat each other with love and respect.
We need to care for the poor of our world. It is not just a religious mandate, it is the only way of life that makes sense to us.
We need to have laughter in our lives!
We need to provide medical care and the security of absolute love to our children.
We need to be who we are, not who we are supposed to be.
We need to accept who others are, not who we want them to be.
We need to trust God and our fellow man that all of our needs will be met as we open our lives to the children of Haiti and to the calling that we feel so strongly.
Krystal...life, condensed...poetically and perfectly said...Thanks for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteLove and Hugs :) Dani
As a missionary with 25 years experience, I would recommend bringing Cipro over Imodium. In fact, was just discussing this with a Haitian doctor not long ago who was so happy to hear me as a 'layperson' promote this. Imodium is pretty much only if you have diarrhea and HAVE to travel. It does nothing to kill the bacteria causing the diarrhea, and in fact by 'plugging you up', it usually means the sickness stays longer as your body is not able to clear itself of the bad stuff. Cipro will kill the bad bacteria that cause most cases of diarrhea.
ReplyDelete