Haiti Here He Comes

My husband is a good man, no, I mean a really good man. For the last 10 years, his hopes and dreams always include, in some respect, saving the world. He served a mission 13 years ago in Port au Prince, Haiti. He has always loved that place, like only someone who gave his soul to it could. He went back 7 years to help again by building an orphanage, and kept wanting to return and help more, so you can only imagine his devastation as such a tremendous earthquake rocked an already teetering country. He spent a week with a pit in his stomach, reconnecting with people he hadn't seen in years, texting, emailing, calling, checking on his friends and their families. There was good news and bad news, tears and celebrations, but he was like a caged animal, wanting to take a running leap and try and put back together what had been destroyed.
Then, this opportunity arose: http://www.meridianmagazine.com/humanitarian/100121haiti.html

Mike was ready and willing, as he always is, and I was nervous, selfish and scared as I always am. There is a definite reason he was meant for me. He is faithful, brave and selfless and I could use more of that in my personality and character. He asked if he could go, I cried, thought and worried, then that day, Friday, I read a verse in the Book of Mormon about sacrifice, I flipped on a random recorded Oprah and it was the Haiti special, I felt a peaceful feeling when I asked God if it was an okay decision; I told him to go ahead and apply.
We waited all day on Saturday to see if he had been chosen. In many ways, I was hoping they didn't need him, but I knew he needed to go. They needed Haitian Creole speakers to help translate for everything they were doing and there just aren't that many fluent creole speakers. We got the email on Saturday that he was chosen to go on the first flight...Wednesday morning with 150 others.

For the entire weekend, I've leached on to him and not let him go. I even let him keep his arms around me for most of the night, and usually I can't sleep like that. On Saturday night, we sat on the couch, and I had to tell him how I felt about him...that he is my absolute everything, that because of him marriage is better than I ever imagined it could be, that he is the most selfless and kind man I've ever known, and that I don't know what I would ever do without his love for me. It's constant and infinite and more than I can even grasp. Plainly and simply, he is the best.

So, he better be careful and come home, because I am literally nothing without him.
Perhaps I'm feeling dramatic, but Haiti is a scary place right now, even when traveling with police officers and military personnel. I don't know how women with husbands in the military do it all the time...it's impossible for me to say good-bye and he won't even be gone for too long. We'll be okay, though very lonely without him. What would I do without a loving family who is willing to keep us company and our spirits up while he is gone?

He leaves Tuesday night. I've already broken down multiple times today and cried hard tonight. He knows things will be okay. He has that quiet confidence that only a man so sure of himself, his duty, and his love can be. He knows he is doing the right thing...and so do I, though I'm still scared and emotional. We'll keep everyone posted as we find out more.

If you have money or medical supplies to donate, their group is still in need. They still have 450 other qualified people just waiting to go and Healing Hands for Haiti is an amazing organization that has been helping the Haitian people for years. Here is the place to donate and find out more http://www.healinghandsforhaiti.org/

Keep Haiti and Mike in your prayers...we know they'll need it.

***UPDATE: Looks like they are not cleared to leave for a few more days. We're being patient and enjoying the extra time to get Mike ready and us used to the idea. Seems I'm doing lots better today with the whole idea. Thanks for all your sweet and supportive comments.***