A Life Worth Living: A Family’s Gift

After numerous trips to Haiti on medical mission trips, Dave wanted to do more than just show up and treat the people. Each year in the rural countryside, Dave and his fellow doctors, nurses and volunteers would make a 3-hour climb up a mountain.  Carrying supplies on donkey’s backs and taking the simplest of treatments and medicines, their efforts kept the community alive.

The small village at the top of the mountain was in great need.  They faced malnutrition, no water source, lack of education and little contact with the civilized world.  Each day the woman carried jugs down the mountain to the nearest water source, a roundtrip trip of four hours. Sometimes the water spilled and the village didn’t have enough water to meet everyone’s daily needs. The water they fetched also was untreated and caused sickness among villagers.

Dave knew this was a harsh reality and wanted to do something to help these people he loved and served every year.  Despite the language barrier, he built great relationships with villagers and knew that they were a great blessing in his life.  Medicine wasn’t enough to save these people.  Dave wanted to do more than teat symptoms.  He wanted treat the problem at its core.

Back home in Ohio, Dave, his wife and four children were planning their Christmas gifts for one another.  He suggested a new gift idea, a radical gift that no one expected.  He proposed to give the villagers the gift of plentiful, clean water.  He asked his family to take all the money that they would have spent on gifts for one another and spend it on a simple water system for the villagers in Haiti.

Inspired by his heart-felt suggestion, the children quickly agreed that it was a great idea.  That year the new dolls, sports equipment, music CDs, and the beautiful kitchenware would not be under the tree.  But no one complained and everyone gave cheerfully.  The family willingly sacrificed their material possessions to give life and health to those in desperate need.

Dave made some phone calls, wrote the check and the plan was fulfilled.  A small pumping station at the base of the mountain pushed the water through a pipe to the people on top.   Dave didn’t even have to travel to Haiti to oversee the project.

The following summer Dave and his colleagues again left Ohio to treat the Haitian villagers.  He looked forward to seeing the people in better health with an improved quality of living.  Little did he realize the vast impact his family of six had made on this mountain community, nor what he was about to experience.

Making the trek up the mountain, Dave rounded the bend and entered the village. Quickly the local pastor rushed up to greet him and thank him for his contribution.  Word spread of his arrival and each and every Haitian on the mountaintop came running to greet him.  Within moments the people swarmed Dave to greet him with applause and tears.  Some just wanted to touch him.  To them Dave was a celebrity, a legend and a leader.  His family’s gift had saved them.

Dave was overwhelmed with emotion and praise to the Lord.  What he saw as a simple donation impacted hundreds of lives.  He gave out of his abundance to those who had nothing.

 © 2011 Designed to Serve®