A Haitian Welcome

The concept of "home" fascinates me. Upstate New York is my home. I've made San Diego my home. Is God adding another home to my list?

When meeting the interpreters in Haiti, they often said, "I am so happy to have met you." At first, I attributed it to a second language issue. While talking with them, I realized it was a genuine sentiment. It was not a mistranslation of "nice to meet you;" they knew exactly what they were saying.

Dorly would say to me, "It is a blessing to know you; it's a blessing." I was surprised to hear such a reaction. Sure, I'm wonderful, but even my ego is not that large.

In America, "nice to meet you" is an automatic phrase used. I feel like I often cruise on auto-pilot when meeting new people in San Diego. Small talk can be painful and seems more like a chore than a delight. It's always safe to ask someone in San Diego where he or she is from, because it's a transient city. Few people are from San Diego. I enjoy meeting new people, but I'd prefer to skip the pleasantries and talk about something real.

In Haiti, they take "nice to meet you" to the next level, and they mean it.

While trying to process this gift of welcoming, I thought of Jesus. He wants us to greet everyone we meet as if it's a blessing to know them. People who enter our lives are not on accident. From meeting your best friend to your waiter at a restaurant, God introduces us to people. The people we meet are a gift from God.

With such an inviting atmosphere and feeling filled with God's presence, it's no wonder Haiti began to fill like home.

My last night in Haiti, I sat with Dorly on the steps that were outside of the house. I told him, "Haiti feels like home." I saw a small animal dashing downstairs. "Was that a cat?" I asked. He responded, "Yes."

I had not seen a cat in Haiti all week. God uses cats in my life to communicate to me. (I swear I'm not a crazy, cat lady!) He will often send a cat to comfort me as I walk around a neighborhood. While I was sad about leaving Haiti, I cannot help but wonder if He was confirming this feeling of home. Will I return to Haiti? Will God continue to use me to serve my friends in Haiti? I know He knows the answers to these questions, so, for now, I'm content to wait and see.