He Opened My Eyes to the Work of His Hands

Mid summer I received a song video from a friend. It was Hillsong's "Oceans Will Part" From the minute I heard the song I knew God had sent it to me. The song became my daily pray request to God as preperation for the trip. These are the words of the song: "If my heart has grown cold,there Your love will unfold: As you open my eyes to the work of Your hand. When I'm blind to my way, there Your Spirit will pray; as you open my eyes to the work of Your Hand. Present suffering may pass, Lord, Your mercy will last; As you open my eyes to the work of Your hand. And my heart will find praise, I'll delight in Your way, as You open my eyes to the work of Your hand. Chorus: Oceans will part; nations come at the whisper of Your call. Hope will rise; glory shown. In my life, Your will be done.

I had no idea how God was going to open my eyes. How He planned to break my heart as His heart is broken. Each one of the team have had a defining moment - each different and on a different day, in a different place, where we truely felt the broken spirit that God wanted us to know and understand. My bone rattling, cut to the core, moment was Monday. All the ladies went to the school to see your wonderful donation of formula passed out. I was very excited to see God's hand at work bringing hope to many with out hope.

Chuck advised us to ask if we could photograph them first. We understood and respected this. Some had arrived at 7 AM waiting 2 hours. You could see small groups gathered around the yard talking, laughing, sharing conversation. My eyes floated over the group and back again. My heart was smiling because I knew babies were going to have food for another week. As I surveyed the area again, my eyes stopped at a very thin mom dressed in white, holding a small baby wrapped in a white blanket. She was all alone leaning against the building. We made eyes contact, as I proceeded to walk toward her. I ask if I could "photo" pointing to the camera. Her head shake said, no. I smiled, said thank you and started to walk away. Another Haitian lady must have been watching, she spoke words of Creole to the mom. What ever she said, changed the mother's mind and she nodded, yes. This little girl that lay in her mother's arms was so emaciated, skin over a very frail form. The mother lifted her dress, the belly of this black baby was white with scabbies, ribs visible, arms and legs the size of a pencel. I took several shots, thanked the mom and started to walk away. Words of Creole were spoken as mom placed her hand on my arm. I thanked her again, turned and went to walk away. The Haitian lady that had been there began to speak to me, jesture to her breasts and point to the mom. I finally understood what they were saying. Mom needed milk. I shook my head no and said, "I don't have." They didn't understand my words but my head shake was clear. The Haitian lady knelt down and put her fingers around the mother's leg. Yes, her fingers encircled the mother's leg. Mom's hand reached out to me again, with desperate eyes looking straight through me, I felt she thought if she let me take "photo" she would get formula.

I did not have the athority to hand out formula to them. There is a very structured procedure that gives Tina ways to track who can and can't receive the milk. As they arrive they are given a number and served in that order. Any change to that procedure would create total chaos. I just wanted to run, I wanted out of that space. I heard the voice of our Lord say open your eyes see the work of My hand. But all I could feel at the moment was a 2 ton rock in the pit of my stomach. This mom thought if she allowed me to take her "photo" I would give her formula. I was in a state I deep saddness. The feelings of defiling this women filled me, I had robbed her hope for a "photo". My heart was broken in a way I had never experienced before. Tears filled my eyes and I had to get out of there. Sweet Laura saw my dispare and warapped her arms around me, as I tried to tell her what I had just done to this women. Laura ran up the steps to the office where the formula was handed out to see what would happen to this mother and if she would get formula that day.

The answer was yes, she would but not till all the regulars had been taken care of. That eased the pain some but I continued to feel I had robbed her of hope. She moved right beside me knelt down holding her baby. Out of the corner of my eye I would see her look up at me. I had to move.

My joy was restored when Cork came back. I was scanning his images on his camera, there was mom and baby in the office. Baby was being weighed, measured and a record started. Mom received her formula. God knew I needed this conformation. Cork had no idea what he had photographed, we were in different groups, he didn't know the story till I collected my sobs long enough to share the story with him.

Thank you God for gloriously breaking my heart.
Marie Quick