“Letters of Love” are one of the ways we encourage and share stories at Lovelight stories! It’s a storytelling technique that helps to convey more than just words on paper, but to invoke feeling, understanding, and meaning through the style of letter writing! These letters are a way to encourage those whom the letters are intended for, while also telling a story through the unique perspective of the writer’s experience.

Our team had such an impactful experience that we’ve already found ourselves describing our trip as being so much more than what can be seen or heard. Alas, I hope these “Letters of Love” help you to feel and better understand what’s happening in La Beyi, written by each member of our team.

As many know, I’m co-leading a mission trip back to Haiti this June (Yay!). As part of our leader training we had the opportunity to experience a poverty simulation lead by HOPE International. I was eager to partake in the experience for the first time, not knowing at all what it would entail. I was pleasantly surprised (and surprise is the name of the game)! We were taken through an immersive experience forcing us to make decisions and actively partake in roles to stay alive. It really hit home for me. After all, imagining what it would feel like to live in extreme poverty while carrying the immense heartbreak and burden it brings, is what ultimately drove me to walking with people living in poverty in the first place. I’ve often thought, “I don’t know what I would do if I were forced to survive on the streets”. This simulation helped uncover some of that in a deeper way – so much so, that I eagerly want to share it with you! 

In speaking with Ashley Dickens, the HOPE experience facilitator afterwards, I learned she’s already written a story about the experience and I decided there’s no better words than hers to share it with you!

My anthem for 2018 was “Courage”. Courage to step out and do what’s been on my heart, push myself in new ways, and be who God created me to be. I’ve decided to carry over that same focus into 2019, because I’m so inspired by others who live with courage each and every day – […]

Ever wonder how exactly your donation is being used when you give to a cause that stirs your heart? Curious to know whether the approach you’re supporting truly makes a long-term, sustainable impact? Me too. I often struggle with the complexity of how to give in a healthy way, while truly knowing my support is […]