I love each group of people we serve through The CAMP. I leave our time spent together always having learned something new. The kids teach me about joy and remind me how important it is to be carefree once in awhile. The youth keep me constantly busy trying to answer their questions, while also laughing at their antics. The young adults motivate me to find ways to support their dreams and empower their leadership abilities. The adults inspire me with their perseverance despite many challenges and how hard they work for their families. But there is a specific group who bless me immensely with their wisdom. Every time we have the chance to talk, I walk away with a different perspective. That group of people is the elderly or “granmoun” as we say in Kreyol.
The majority of families we serve through the Food Kit Program are elderly, those that are unable to come and attend various programs at The CAMP, so instead, we go to them. Often when I ask how they’re doing, they usually give me a breakdown of their aches and pains. Getting old here is difficult because the work never stops. Best case scenario, your grown children take care of you, worse case scenario, they don’t. Either way, the elderly are always busy—cooking cleaning, making fishing nets or planting gardens. Most move slowly, but they keep moving. Many have trouble with their eyesight. A lot live up the mountain where the road is almost completely washed out, and currently impassable by car from the three tropical storms we’ve had this summer. Yet Madame J welcomes us into her courtyard and greets me with a hug and a kiss on each cheek. She tells me about the message she heard in church on Sunday and how the Lord always provides. When I ask Madame J how she was doing, she responds, “With Jesus, I am good.”
It was the way she said it so matter of fact-ly. With the unshakable confidence that she really wasn’t concerned with any of the issues at hand, because she has Jesus and He’s bigger than that. We have a lot of beautiful sayings in Kreyol about God, but the way she said "With Jesus, I'm good" just touched my heart in a different way.
What an incredible way to walk through life.
It doesn’t mean there isn’t hardship. It doesn’t take away our pain. It doesn’t simplify the difficulties we live through in life but at the end of the day deep down in our soul we know none of these circumstances can even come close to the compassion of the Lord. Circumstances are trivial and temporary, but His love and peace is eternal. When my situation dictates my attitude, I won’t get anywhere. But if I’m walking through it with Jesus, step by step, my soul knows His goodness is greater than all else that is before me.
Through natural disasters + instability…with Jesus, I am good.
Despite frustrating + difficult seasons…with Jesus I am good.
Even with all the questions yet to be answered…with Jesus, I am good.
With Jesus, I am good. May that refrain forever be on my lips as I continue to discover His peace that passes all understanding.
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