Tuesday evening at church the local prosecuting attorney spoke to the youth about his experiences serving a mission for the church in Haiti 20 years ago, and then returning after the earthquake there this year. To be honest I really wasn't interested and really didn't want to go, but I didn't have a good excuse so I went and my heart was touched.
The speaker told in vivid detail of poverty and squalor and desperation and of faith. How does a person hold onto faith in anything when living in shacks made of cardboard and sheets? Scrambling for just enough food and water to keep themselves alive day to day? Here I am feeling sorry for myself because both my sliding glass door and my screen door need new door handles and they're so old even the company that made them can't identify them, my oven door needs new hinges, my car has a small oil leak, and I really need to lose weight. Wow...my problems seem suddenly so insignificant!
Our speaker told of how everyone sleeps outside since the earthquake because they are afraid of being buried in rubble in the event of an aftershock - most do not have tents even, but hang sheets to shade them from the sun, when it rains in the middle of the night they stand up til it stops. Yet even under these conditions they hold family home evening complete with a song, and a prayer, and a lesson. I am ashamed to admit that I can count on one hand the number of times our family has had family home evening in the last 12 months.
It was a humbling experience. I am filled with a new appreciation for all that I have, I am truly blessed. I have a renewed desire to be the best I can be, because I have been reminded of how much I have and what a great advantage that gives me - my focus has been all wrong for a while now. I need to refocus on the things that are truly important, building my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my family.
1 comment:
I left feeling very grateful for what we have, it did end up being a good night and I too was touched.
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