{"id":2377,"date":"2013-01-08T07:43:07","date_gmt":"2013-01-08T12:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/activistfaith\/?p=2377"},"modified":"2013-01-08T12:43:41","modified_gmt":"2013-01-08T17:43:41","slug":"experiencing-the-pain-of-others-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/activistfaith\/2013\/01\/experiencing-the-pain-of-others-3.html","title":{"rendered":"Experiencing the Pain of Others"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mother Teresa has said, “Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.” My friend Dan King experienced this during a recent trip to Haiti. His reflections are shared for you below. Definitely worth your time.<\/p>\n

+++<\/p>\n

I’ve never seen such extreme hunger.<\/p>\n

It was a hot day. A really<\/em> hot day. Our team just spent
\nabout two hours packed into a school bus to get here, and then boarded
\nthe rickety wooden boats to cross Lake Azuei to get to this village. It
\nwas isolated from civilization in more ways than one.<\/p>\n

Our host pastor had been visiting and working with these people for
\nseveral months, and our visit with them was intended to bring a glimmer
\nof hope in support of the ministry that was already happening.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>We
\nwere fortunate enough to have a great deal of corporate support that
\nallowed us to purchase about 1,500 pounds of food items to deliver to
\nthese people. We had rice, beans, oil, and noodles. Our host pastor
\ninformed us that many of these people hadn’t eaten in about three weeks,
\nand the food we brought would last them approximately 2-3 months.<\/p>\n

Oh, and then there was the clothing. Judging from the naked children
\nwalking around, it’s obvious that this was needed just as badly as the
\nfood that we brought.<\/p>\n

If I’m honest with myself, then I’d have to say that I’ll never truly understand what their lives must be like.<\/p>\n

I can’t.<\/p>\n

Especially considering the short time we were there.<\/p>\n

Sure, I could see that the land was dry and rocky. It must be
\nimpossible to support any substantial livestock, let alone farm the
\nland.<\/p>\n

The only transportation that I saw were the boats that brought us
\nacross the lake. So getting to any ‘nearby’ work would have required a
\ngreat deal of effort and expense.<\/p>\n

There was no electricity. No running water. No phone lines. And I know it’s hard to believe, but there was also no cable TV.<\/p>\n

They were literally disconnected from civilization.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>After
\nbeing there for a little while, I easily understood their hunger for
\nfood. As we distributed the food, people would regularly send their
\nchildren back to cut in line and get more of one item or another. It was
\ndifficult turning them away so that we could guarantee that there would
\nbe enough for everyone.<\/p>\n

Then we brought out the clothing. You’d think that it would be okay
\nto open a suitcase and expect people to remain calm and orderly. But we
\ndidn’t (or couldn’t) understand what it’s like to need (anything) that
\nbad.<\/p>\n

Chaos is the only word to describe what happened as the people mobbed
\nthose who were trying to distribute shoes and clothing. It was so
\nchaotic that the police officers that traveled with us literally went
\ninto riot-control mode.<\/p>\n

It was (and still is) difficult for much of our team to understand
\nwhy many of these people would act so uncivilized. Many of us judged
\nthem for it.<\/p>\n

But that’s because we failed to understand their hunger. And not a
\nhunger just for food, but for any of the bare necessities that many of
\nus take for granted.<\/p>\n

It’s hard for any of us to imagine why someone would go crazy for a $3 pair of flip-flops.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>That is unless you’ve walked on that hot, rocky dirt in your bare feet for most of your life.<\/p>\n

I know that when I get really hungry, and choose to ignore it long
\nenough, then my blood sugar will start to drop. As a result I get
\nfidgety and\u00a0agitated. I do and say things that I normally wouldn’t do. I
\nloose my ability to think straight, especially as it relates to food. I
\nthink that this must be a small glimpse into what their entire lives<\/em> are like.<\/p>\n

This experience and realization helped me learn how important it is
\nto not judge without fully understanding what motivates one’s behavior.
\nIt made my heart break with compassion for these people.<\/p>\n

Their poverty is so extreme.<\/p>\n

Their hunger is so deep.<\/p>\n

Their need for someone to save them is so great.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lord, I pray for the people in that village on Lake
\nAzuei. May the food and clothing that we delivered be a great blessing
\nto them. And may they see that it was the Love of a Savior that brought
\nus to them. I pray that You continue to provide and pour out Heavenly
\nLove on these people that they may be drawn to You and realize salvation
\nin You. And may You heal their land. In Jesus name, amen.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dan King is a blogger at BibleDude.ne<\/a>t and cofounder of the Activist Faith movement (coming soon) at ActivistFaith.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

+++<\/p>\n

\n
\n
DILLON
\nBURROUGHS is an author, activist, and cofounder of Activist Faith.
\nDillon served in Haiti following the epic 2010 earthquake and has
\ninvestigated modern slavery in the US and internationally. His books
\ninclude “Undefending Christianity,” “Not in My Town” (with Charles J.
\nPowell), and “Thirst No More” (October 2011). Discover more at
\nDillonBurroughs.org<\/a>.<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mother Teresa has said, “Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.” My friend Dan King experienced this during a recent trip to Haiti. 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