Angela Kohls was our Stewardship Witness during the services on October 1 and 2 where she offered the following testimony of how St. Bart’s helped her to see life in an new way.

Going to Haiti was one the most amazing, rewarding experiences I have had in my life and I am so thankful that I got to experience it with such wonderful people. I learned so much:  I learned about being grateful for what you have. l learned that it’s possible to be happy, regardless of where you are in life. And I learned that sharing and communicating LOVE between people, doesn't require us to speak the same language.

One moment that will definitely stick in my brain forever is when one day I couldn’t finish the chicken from my lunch, and Father Noe took my plate, added some rice and gave it to the children outside. When I walked out, I was so taken by the way the children were politely, almost tenderly sharing it equally with each other. They carefully passed around that one drumstick, each taking just one bit at a time, it even feeding their mother and one more person.

In our country, I’m just so accustomed to kids grabbing at what they want, throwing tantrums when they don't get it, the tender, caring way they shared that meal with one another was such a moment of grace to witness.

It also had never occurred to me that some of those kids spend their whole day at the school, and don’t eat anything the whole time. It made me instantly more thankful that we had cooks and a generous food supply with us during the trip  and more profoundly, for the first time in my life, i found myself being  grateful about something that I have always taken for granted:  Simple food. I have never experienced what if feels like to go without food -- and in this country, I probably never will.

That experience began to open my eyes to all other other things I don’t really think about that I have, that I should be more aware of and more grateful for. I am grateful we have an organized government, I am grateful that we have a good economy with different kinds of jobs to study for, I am grateful that we have paved roads leading anywhere we could want to go. There are countless everyday things that I usually would not give a second thought to that I really thought about once I saw what they were like in Haiti. I am so blessed that I got the opportunity to help build this school, that will provide a quality education for the people living in Lauranette.

The experience has made me a more grateful person who is more aware of the many blessings in my life, and someone who determined to share them with the world no matter where the future leads me.

Thank you to the people of St. Bart’s for making ALL of this possible.

If you would like to help St. Bart’s continue to reach people like Maria and her son Acelin, become a partner in the ministry of St. Bart’s today by making a pledge you can make an online pledge today.