So in less than 2 weeks I leave for my first ever international missions trip. I’m pretty darn excited if I do say so myself. But to be completely honest I’m a little terrified. 15 of us are going to load up on a bus, get on a plane, and fly on down to one of the poorest countries in the world. In a world that sees so much hate and hurt in “civilized” societies like the United States I can’t imagine to see the pain and hurt in the eyes of the people we meet in Haiti.

Where we are going is 1,439 km away from the worst mass shooting in American history-the shooting that happened in Orlando-the most “magical” place on earth. As America is trying to sort through this tragedy and pain we are going to be stepping into a country that hasn’t stopped feeling the pain from the earthquake that destroyed the country in 2010. But this is something that we are sharing as a country. Whether pain and loss is felt through senseless violence or unavoidable environmental tragedies it’s still grief. In a world where discrimination and division tears us all apart, pain doesn’t discriminate. Everyone feels pain no matter their age, culture, religion, sexuality, race, etc.  One thing I’ve learned in life it’s that no one person’s pain is greater than the next and that pain is one of the few things that translates through all languages.

But, pain is not the only thing that spans race, religion, and language-Faith, Hope, and Love are also international languages. These are the alternative international languages  that we are striving to bring to those we meet. This is the bridge that we are looking to build with the hundreds of kids we are about to meet and undoubtedly fall in love with. We hope and pray that the limitations of Creole to English do not interfere with what we are trying to teach. The power of Faith in the one who is all powerful, the comfort of Hope for a better future and finally the Love that we share in Jesus Christ.

Because in a world where evil and pain run rampant we can only fight back by reaching out to our fellow neighbors whether they are next door, in a different country, or in the Sunshine state and walk through their pain with them. We can’t just wait for tragedy to strike before we act. God calls us to be proactive; to love now, to serve now, to work now.   I remember hearing the news and thinking just what is wrong with our world that someone thought it was okay to go and take the lives of 49 people. I remember watching the footage of the aftermath from the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010. We have all felt the grip of pain and anguish. We’ve all had to try and pick up the pieces and move forward-knowing that this is a long process to find some sort of peace and normalcy. But in a few short days we are going to go and play with kids that know nothing of the tragedy that struck Orlando-nothing of the political mess that we Americans have stirred up. They are simply trying to move through the tragedy their own country faced and still faces today.

So I pray for peace for my team-that we go down there with a clear head and open heart. I pray that we have perspective and patience with the language limitations that we will face down there. I pray for strength to do the work that God is calling us all to be apart of. I pray that our hearts break for these children. I pray for safe travels but most importantly I pray that we take this chance to  travel 1,439 km south of the most magical place on earth and we are able to bring not the suffering that Orlando is facing but what Orlando is now trying desperately to demonstrate to the world: love.