Sarah's Story

Haiti is unlike anywhere else imaginable. I have witnessed incomparable richness in morals, values, and the fruits of the spirit. Although there is strife and worry, love and hope outweigh those fears everyday. My name is Sara Ness and I have been to Haiti twice --- in the summers of 2019 and 2021. In Love and Grace Ministries, I not only found purpose, but I found family. Family that lovingly guides me and will never let me go. Family that knows Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Family that holds my hand, even from over one-thousand miles away.

Love and Grace Ministries opened a door that I will never close. My college roommate, Emma Ryan, stated that she would be going on a mission trip with her team from Hilton Head, SC. Emma opened up to me about the boys at Love and Grace as well as the mission work done previously. I felt a pull in my soul and a longing in my heart to travel to Haiti. I wanted to go for service but found that embracing and sharing the joy of the Lord was much more fulfilling. I expected to help others but ultimately found that they helped me as well. Looking back at that first trip in 2019, I remember John 13:7 which expresses, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

During my first trip in June of 2019, our team raised funds to construct a church roof as well as conduct Vacation Bible School (VBS) at two churches. We climbed on top of a roof on the side of a hill to manually place steel and oh boy, was it a steep drop-off! Other team members and I took turns attaching the roof. On this trip our team hand-poured a concrete roof as we work hand-in-hand with local Haitians and our Bridge boys. Although most of our team was covered in concrete (yes, it came off thankfully), we found community and compassion across that roof. As we climbed a short, unstable ladder to the top, you could see the full skyline of the area. We created an “assembly line” as we passed 10 pound buckets of hand-mixed concrete down the line to be poured. I was told to stop after hurting my finger but did I stop? No. I wanted to continue to experience this unmatched joy. However, during a break, I was able to talk to a local who stated he was from the Dominican Republic. We talked and he expressed that Jesus was a part of his life. As a smile lit up my face, I began to work alongside him. As man after man climbed up that ladder, eager to help in our pursuit, I remembered 1 Corinthians 10:24, “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”

We conducted VBS at Pastor Augustine's church. The children we met and the smiles we saw were irreplaceable. I will never forget seeing the familiar faces of these children, with their arms reaching out towards me and their hearts open to receiving the love of Jesus. Walking through that small church, I felt profound joy and opportunity that can only be found through Him. Our team held two days of VBS and fed over 150 children. In 2019, our team was met by 250 children when we were only expecting 150 children. I looked fearfully at Nan, the “Mom” of Love and Grace Ministries, in which she responded with “God will provide.” And He did. And guess what? The same situation occurred in 2021. At this moment, I remembered The Feeding of the 5,000, also known as the "miracle of the five loaves and two fish." God continues to provide, despite fear. God continues to protect, despite hurricanes and civil unrest. God continues to love and show our boys life beyond poverty. These occurrences are miracles in my eyes and unforgettable signs of God’s love.  On this occasion, around 20 children became so excited that they surrounded me dancing, jumping, and singing. I will never forget the incomprehensible joy of that moment.

It is truly in the little moments and small things that we see Jesus. He is in the bright, scorching sun of a Haitian morning. He is in the nighttime skyline as we play cards. He is in the pitter-patter of feet running around the orphanage. He is in the education our boys pursue. He is in the songs we sing during devotion. He is in our slow-dances on the roof and our head-bopping in the van. And He is in our memories, of those past and those present.

Our Mission Team has the goal of not only sharing the word of Jesus Christ but also the love and care that each of these children deserve. These children crave meaning and connection, longing for a solution to the destitute they face. We show them that the answer to all of their worries is Jesus. We show them grace, perseverance, and joy that is unmatched but most of all, we show them our love.  These boys and this work are lo mwen (my gold). And as always, mwatye nan kè mwen an Ayiti (half of my heart is in Haiti).