Becoming Aware: Witness the process

Want to watch as someone becomes aware of the plight of orphans? As someone's eyes are opened to the James 1:27 call? Here's your chance.



Whitney



For those of you that don't know, Zack and I worked in youth ministry when we first got married. Following a stint as a youth pastor at a start-up church, we decided to take some time off from youth ministry. But in the fall of 2003 Zack and I accepted our friend Donnie's invitation to teach the 12th grade Sunday School class at the church we were attending.

That experience was one of the most challenging of all of our ministry experiences! We dealth with a group of high school seniors, most of which were incredibly cynical and defiant. Looking back I know it was a good experience for us to learn and grow, but in the moment it was tough.

But not all of it was tough. There were a few moments and a few of the students that kept us going. One of those students was a young lady named Whitney. Whitney was kind and soft-spoken, but when the moment was right, she was vocal & unapologetic about her faith and her beliefs. She was preparing to attend UGA and hoped to march in the Redcoat Band. Whitney was one of the bright spots in a difficult situation.

And now, Whitney is about to have her eyes opened.

Last week, Whitney departed for Haiti. For most of this summer, she will be working at an orphanage there called Orphanage on the Rock. There is a ministry based out of North Wake church in North Carolina (http://haitilove.net/home/) that coordinates mission trips and her stay.

Whitney hopes to be able to blog weekly on the Haiti Love website, so be on the lookout for her observations. And check out the website to see how you can help!

So what can you do now that your eyes are being opened?

• Pray: pray for Whitney's work. Pray for the children in the orphanage. Pray for the work being done by Haiti Love. Pray for financial partners to step forward.
• Give: The Haitian government is cracking down on orphanages for a variety of things, including the lack of resources to adequately care for children. This includes this orphanage. Check out http://haitilove.net/2011/05/welcome-to-haiti/ to read more and find out how you can help through financial support.
• Go: This organization is constantly looking for teams to come on mission trips and for people like Whitney to volunteer their time and talents to the children of Haiti. Check out http://haitilove.net/going/ for more information.