Honestly, I don't know the "why."

I can tell you when it started and how it's evolved...but I can't tell you why I've felt the tug on my heart to go to Haiti. 

About 8 or 9 years ago. That's when it started. Before the earthquake in 2010 that left hundreds of thousands of Haitians displaced, and many, many lost their lives. Seeing pictures online, my heart broke. I remember literally sitting in front of my computer and tears streaming down my face as I looked at the devastation that was going on - 1,500 miles from my comfortable computer chair, with my fresh glass of ice water, in my heated/air conditioned brick home, wearing clean clothes, with a full stomach. And then, it all hit me, like the flood gates had been opened. I cried. I sobbed. I prayed for that tiny Caribbean country - a place that, until that moment, I knew absolutely nothing about. 

As I cried and begged God to help restore the lives of the Haitian people, at that moment, I felt that one of my life's purposes would be to go and serve the people there. 
What should have scared the snot out of me, actually gave me an overwhelming sense of peace. A lot would have to happen in order to make that happen. While I've always "wanted" to serve on a mission team, I wanted to make sure that this would be something divinely orchestrated by Someone larger than i. I began to pray about the opportunity to - one day - be able to go to Haiti and do something...anything...help, love, smile, hug...whatever I have to offer, if God would allow it to work out, I would go. 

That's how it began. That's how Haiti was laid on my heart. Through prayers, tears, and pictures. Seems crazy, I know. But, in an effort to be transparent, I'll be completely honest. I've prayed for years to be able to go there.

The images I see online of the people in Haiti: they're beautiful. Their eyes, their hopes, their pain, their hunger for so many things that we take for granted. They're starving yet their eyes look so beautiful. Eyes are truly the windows to the soul. 

In 8 days, Lord willing, my feet will touch foreign soil for the very first time, with a team of complete strangers that I do not know at all. 
And I honestly couldn't be more at peace about it. I'm extremely overwhelmed, but not scared or nervous yet. Again, I can't explain it, but I know this is His plan for me at this time in my life.