Love All
JENNA FORD
What does it mean to love all?
For me, my most memorable experiences of “loving all” occur in Haiti...just a short 2 hour flight south of Miami.
On the southern coast of Haiti in a tiny village of Cyvadier stands a 6,000-square foot concrete building the Haitian people call “The House of Life.” American medical volunteers together with a staff of 30 Haitians provide essential medical care to 10,000 people each year during four two-week medical clinics and weekly “urgent care” clinics.
Makendy was a two-year-old boy who, a week prior to my arrival in November 2015, fell into a fire. His grandfather was his caregiver, as his parents were dead. Sobbing, his grandfather clung to him as he carried him through the clinic gates. Burns covered his entire upper back, left ear and neck, and most of his left arm. In the United States, he would have been admitted to a burn unit and likely have gone to the operating room to have the dead skin removed while asleep; we don’t have that luxury in Haiti. We made do with what resources we had and tediously worked to create a clean base for healing. We could have sent him away to the hospital, but his family would have had to pay upfront for every medication or supply. Instead, it took planning and lots of time, as every day for the entire two weeks Makendy and his grandfather came to the clinic for him to soak in a tote and have a clean dressing change. We all showed love by giving him snacks or high-fives while he soaked in the makeshift tub, playing videos on our phone as a distraction during dressing changes, or just encouraging the grandfather for raising this boy and embracing him in a hug or a hand on the shoulder. Despite the language barrier, we established a connection with this boy and his grandfather, and that’s what matters most!
We won’t all go to Haiti, but we all can work towards establishing human connections. The concept of loving all is not in the romantic context — but can be done by sharing our time or talents with others. Similar to the popular five love languages was how we showed love to Makendy: words of affirmation (encouragement to the papa), acts of service (medical care), quality time (playing videos), physical touch (hugs and high fives), and receiving gifts (snacks).
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
As Christians, we have chosen to follow the one who set the example for us. Following Jesus means to love all kinds of people — not picking who we do and don’t want to love based on whether they talk, look, or act like us. The main underlying principle of the Bible is LOVE...to love everyone and to be loved. We shall love all people with the love of Christ that is inside of us. I believe this world could use a whole lot more love, and I hope you do, too!
How will you show love to all? And if you can’t do all, how will you show love to more?
Jenna works full time as a nurse practitioner but is heavily involved with a medical non-profit in Haiti called FOTCOH, which stands for Friends of the Children of Haiti and is based out of Morton. 2020 will mark her 13th trip. Most Haitian people will never see a medical provider in their lifetime. Check out more at www.fotcoh.org