When you think of a broken community what comes to mind? Haiti, homeless shelters, abused homes, third world countries. How about the thought of our own community, our next-door neighbors, and our little towns being protected by a bubble being broken, the true community that needs fixing. As I traveled around Haiti the sights and sounds of pure joy hit me. The laughter of children, honking of cars, and the beats of drums along with dancing and singing crowding the streets. I see the streets as a giant farmers market. Stands fill the side walks with candles, clothes, foods, and floods of people grazing and looking for items that are not a "want", but a need in everyday life. Passing by houses, as an American they would not live up to our standard, but for the Haitians they are proud to call a place home. Whether it's sticks and tarp or a broken and cracking building it is a home. If we were to bring someone from Haiti to America and show them our house, what emotion would you feel? Confident or shameful due to the amount to irrelevant "crap" we call necessities. Ten o'clock hits our home towns and as Americans we isolate ourselves. We run inside and watch T.V or use electronics. My flight to Haiti was delayed so we had to drive though the town at night. I feel like The Lord was showing me what a true community was to be like. As we drove the streets were lit with candles, friends and family gathered enjoying what we have forgotten, face-to-face interaction. Buses filled with singing people filled the streets as children ran freely without fear. They didn't care that there was no electricity. They didn't care they didn't have any earthly treasures. You may ask, how can such joyful expressions be seen so clearly on their faces? As is says in Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up your earthly treasures where moth and rust destroy them, and where theives break and steal, but store your teasures in heaven. For where your treasure is your heart will be also. Our true joy will never be satisfied to the full hunger and thirst our body need if we treasure earthly things. I went on that trip thinking I would be changed by the orphans and maybe even change lives myself. Who knew The Lord's plan was so different. I was brought to Haiti to veiw a community that loves The Lord with all they have and a not a community as separate, but as whole. With putting greed and want away they have created a community that focuses on constant joy, abundant love, and aid to all neighbors. Yes, Haiti is a third world country and has and overload of poverty. Yes, the goverment struggles, but the church is alive and creation is happening. Why can't we do that in our community? I'm not saying destroy our government, but maybe focus some more on joy, love, and the treasure that can be taken into God's kingdom. This is what I call a community and I think as a nation we can do this. Whether it starts now or years later I know that this is my goal and it's not an impossible one.