Haiti is More

More water...

I purposely left the object off the title sentence because it doesn't need any more specificity.

Haiti is more--period.

Ironically, we typically focus on how Haiti is less--

• Less rich 
• Less stable 
• Less comfortable 
• Less safety 
• Less accommodating 
• Etc. 

But I believe that Haiti is more. Look at that list again. We can all agree it. Haiti is-- 

• More poverty 
• More instability 
• More discomfort 
• More danger 
• More harsh 
• Etc. 

Now that was just a twist of linguists. And maybe that means that all of this--more or less--is just a matter of perspective and I only say that Haiti is more because God is calling me to it and someone else might think that Cleveland or Azerbaijan are more in the same way I think Haiti is. But I don't buy that. Because I know what I've experienced.

• I've experienced more failure since moving to Haiti than ever before. 
• I've experienced more pain than ever before. 
• But it's not all bad, I've also experienced more joy. 
• The days are longer here. 
• The nights are louder. 
• Haitians work harder than any people group I've ever met. 
• But they have taught me so much about rest as well. 
• Spicy foods are spicier here (thank you Andreline). 
• Sweet drinks are sweeter here (thank you Tampico). 
• I could go on. 

I have a suggested explanation for all of this: Haiti is raw. God created this life and life in Haiti is about like he planned it (assuming you take the fall into accout). Life in other places (let's face it, I'm talking about the great US of A) seems to be more processed, more polished. Sure it's prettier, and easier, but we lose something in the process.

It's like we've covered life with a blanket to make it softer but lost its shape in the process.

It's like we've processed life into a fast-food hamburger. It's predictable, but lost its flavor.

It's like we've built a road up the mountain of life. The climb is easier, but it's lost its meaning.

It's like we've added guardrails to the scenic router. Sure it's safer, but the views not as good.

We do all these things in attempt to make life better. But then we experience a place like Haiti and we realize that softer, easier, predictable, safer are not better-- they aren't more-- they are actually less.