For some reason there was a lot of traffic on the drive to Onaville one morning. No one really knew what was causing the delay, but the slow drive allowed me to observe the people on the side of the road. Every time I take this drive, I am amazed at the difference in our cultures. The buildings are run down and the roads need repair, but the lifestyles of individual people are even more striking.

As we turned down one street, we noticed three young women standing together with their infant babies on the side of the road. Two small children sat on the ground next to them, and they all looked like they were waiting for a ride. I couldn’t help but think about my own daughter, who has one little girl and recently welcomed a baby boy with her husband. I thought about the contrast between not only American and Haitian lifestyles, but between the two cultures as well.

These young women looked happy, and they were enjoying conversation with one another the same way my daughter does with her friends at the park in America. But against the backdrop of rundown buildings, dirty streets, and rough public transportation, it puts things into a different perspective. The two worlds are very different, and many people know immediately which scene they would choose. But if ministry has opened my eyes to anything, it’s that it’s very challenging to assess reality based on superficial distinctions. Without Christ, the “better” situation becomes infinitely worse, and on the other hand, knowing Jesus infuses joy, meaning, and purpose into even the toughest situations.

Two very different worlds; one wholly faithful God. As I think about the differences between my comfortable culture in the US and the challenges that characterize life in Haiti, I am reminded of God’s promises to meet all our needs in Christ. I pray that God would use His church to draw Haitian people to Jesus through the power of the gospel.

Wiley Kennedy serves as Director of International Ministries with Connect 2 Ministries. To learn more about Wiley, visit Who We Are, and to learn how you can make a difference, visit Join an Outreach Program.