It hurts so much to say good-bye!



There was a buzz going on for months about our Haiti mission trip!  Exciting plans were being made to help countless people in Haiti.  Every detail possible was thought of, including how much bug repellant to bring, what kind of soap to use, and how many changes of clothes to bring.  Lodging, plane tickets, vaccines, and countless other details were taken care of in preparation for this mission trip.

One thing that wasn’t discussed in preparation for the trip, though, was the tremendous sacrifices being made by the wives and children of those who were going on this mission trip.  They stepped aside and gave their full support knowing how difficult this time of separation would be.  They didn’t even know if they’d be able to receive a daily text message, let alone a phone call.  And, yet they selflessly said, “Go.  I want you to go and serve those in need.”   

For years I was “the preacher’s wife”– the one who got to stay at home.  Maybe that’s why I’m especially aware of the pain that those who “don’t get to go” feel.  It’s such a mixed bag of emotions — wanting the one you love to serve God in the mission field, yet knowing that you cannot be right there alongside the one you love because of responsibilities at home that must be carried on.  Truthfully, being left behind stinks! 

As I watched Natalie and Eden say their good-byes to Jimmy, my heart ached.  I saw tears streaming down their faces, and I wanted to say, “This isn’t fair.  This isn’t how it’s supposed to be!”  And, yet I knew that this couple, like every other couple that was part of “Team Squirt”,  had made extreme sacrifices so that those in need could be served.  Those who were left behind, in my opinon, are our unsung heroes. 

Without those who stayed behind, we would not have had the amazing team that went to Haiti this March!  Without selfless giving, selfless loving, and selfless dedication to God and mankind, all of the wonderful things that were accomplished with the orphans, the homeless, the sick, and those in prison never would have happened.

To those who stayed behind……guess what?  YOU are just as much a part of “Team Squirt” as the ones who set foot in Haiti.  You sacrificed your hearts, and that’s the only thing that God wants from any of us!

Love and thanks forever and ever to ALL the team members — to those who went to Haiti and those who stayed behind!   
Clara