About a month ago I spent most of my day organizing sponsorships for children in Haiti by getting their information together to share with the public. I started to take pictures of what I was making and sending to my friends. These kids were so cute. Some have dreams of becoming a doctor and some want to become business women one day. However, unlike many Americans, to make these dreams come true they need sponsors for schooling.

As I was working on this, I started thinking back to when I first wanted to go to Haiti. I was 21, I was about to graduate from college and I either wanted to travel to Haiti or take a full time position at a corporate company. I left that decision up to God. He decided it wasn't my time to go to Haiti yet and instead gave me the position with this company.

Years later, I still longed to go. I still felt as though he was calling me to do his work there. I am not sure if it was being scared or just unsure what to expect but I just wasn't pushing myself to go. But as God would have it, one day everything changed. I met a woman who was in the process of starting a non-profit to help a village in Haiti. Right then and there I asked if I could go with her and within minutes I was planning to go on a plane 8 months later to Haiti.

Of course nothing with missionary work is ever easy like people think. I had to raise funds to go and I had to deal with many people in my life not supporting my decision but I knew that this wasn't about the money or them, it was about finding any way possible to serve God's plan for me. So I did just that. I found the funds, the Lord only knows how because sometimes I feel like it fell right into my lap. I also had to stand up against friends and family that continued to shut down the idea of me going to Haiti.

I dealt with fear, tears from fighting and lots of prayer that God would take care of me through it all. In July of 2015, I board the plane to head to Haiti for the first time and it indeed changed my life forever.

Before Haiti I did missionary work in America and Africa but never anywhere else. The culture was different, the food was different (but so delicious) and I had to learn to work along side people that didn't speak English. In every aspect of 'culture shock' I fell in love with a village in Haiti. Since July 2015 I have gone a total of three times, one in which my mother decided to come and already planning our next trip back in 2017.

"Missionary work teaches you something that I would have gone without knowing, if it wasn't for finally taking the leap of faith and going."

I think I can speak for more missionaries when I say we normally get more about our serving then we planned and each trip I learn something new and God continues to push me out of my comfort zone.

Through each mission trip this is what I learned:

Trust God Always

Trust his plan. Do not fear what he wants you to do. He will provide if you allow him to. He helped me raise the funds for three trips to Haiti and he has opened the eyes of those around me who for the longest time didn't want to understand my path. Each time it is never easy but if you give it to him and trust him, he will provide you more then you even imagined. It was probably the hardest thing to give him complete trust, but when I finally did, my life changed for the best.

Take Care of Those That Need It

Every time I see someone that needs care, I think "What would Jesus do?", he would help them. That doesn't mean these people have less in certain areas then me in life but sometimes they don't have the resources we might have. For instance, in Haiti we came up the mountain to work along side, yes work side by side with the people of Haiti to put on a medical mission trip to 688 people in 4 days. They needed the help, so we were there to provide the resources for them.

Do Not Discount Others Based on Culture

Society today is extremely frustrating when it comes to judging other cultures and making your own the best. I heard it best when someone asked my mom if she believed this culture wasn't always worse off, she said

"No, they just live differently then us, but they are full of love and happiness."

I watched someone that asked this, bite their tongue realizing they didn't understand other culture to judge, they only knew what the media shared.

What Really Matters

Sometimes we get so hooked on the material things we forget that sometimes its the little things that really matter like laughing, family & friends, having ONE pair of shoes, being able to get an education, have a meal every day or even have running water. There are so many moments where we forget what really matters. We sometimes get caught up in how much money we make, who likes us or what our title is to really remember that sometimes, well most of the time those things will never make us happy.

Love Comes in All Forms

Everyone has a different way of showing love and that is okay. I learn that sometimes love comes with a smile, a hug or a gesture. Sometime it is letting someone come into your home and eating you last bit of rice or maybe it is giving the last of something you have because you want to show them love. Love comes in many forms and we need to embrace each one.

It's Okay To Go Against Those That Love You

This is the hardest one to believe because well that is extremely hard. I believe this when it comes to God's plan. God needs us to follow his plan and the rest will follow. I can promise you that. For years I had to go against what other people thought to prove that it wasn't about them, it wasn't about me but it was about God's plan instead. It took a lot of tears, fights and tough love, but I continue to do what God wants and I am so thankful for that!

Friendship

Friendship is something you can learn here, it is something that sometimes you don't have to go on a mission trip to learn however mission work taught me something about friendship. You can be friends with people of all shapes, sizes, cultures and even through language barriers. I was taught loyalty from my friends here, who supported me and I learned what friendship is with people in the same town of LaFond

He Has a Plan for You & For I

God's plan for you and I are so much greater then we will ever know. The more we give our life up to him the more he will provide. Listen to him and your heart.

Being a missionary, changes your life. It teaches you so much about what truly matters, how to serve and how to love.

Interested in learning more about mission work in Haiti, how to donate or how to sponsor a child, visit www.reachoutlafond.org. Reach Out: LaFond is a 501c non-profit organization that was start in 2014 after three women came together with a shared loved for the community of LaFond, Haiti. Since then Reach Out has put on three outstanding mission trips and have created many opportunities for this community.

To learn more about Lisa's experience or contact her directly about her mission work to Haiti, email her at info@selflovebeauty.com.