MORE TO COME Larry Bailly
18414 Broadway Ave.
Snohomish, WA 98296
360-668-5031
Over the last 12 years I have had the privilege of traveling as a short term missionary to a number of countries. I have been to Haiti 11 times, Mexico 7 times.
I have also been to Cuba and most recently to Vietnam. .Each of these trips has had a project as part of the plans, and in most cases, the project was started, completed or additional work was done as time allowed.
On each of these trips, and especially since I have become more relaxed in different cultures. I have had the extraordinary pleasure to spend time with people from every layer of society. I have had conversations with laborers, professional people, and educators and of course other missionaries. I have been able to interact with people of different ethnicities, religions, races and from every point of view. Some of these people have been harsh and rude, others humble and proud, but by and large nearly all have been friendly helpful and willing to engage in conversation even when language was a barrier.
I have come to some very basic conclusions concerning my fellow believers and non believers as well. We are all humans, with very similar and basic needs and desires.
Fathers are fathers wherever I have gone, most are mainly concerned with protecting and providing for their family. Their dream is to provide a better future for their children, no matter how unrealistic that must seem. Mothers are the anchor for the family in every culture I have interacted with, and they are truly the motivation for the men who are in their lives. They have the deepest of concern for their children and only give up hope for them when there is nothing remaining that can help.
Children are the hope we should all see for mankind. We absolutely must see that they are educated, fed and given an opportunity to grow and see what God has planned for their life. That means we need to look way beyond ourselves and do what we can to be sure that the blessings we enjoy for free are available to the rest of the World. It takes so little to educate and feed children in other countries.
No matter what you might read about the generosity of the United States when it comes to Foreign Aid, only about one half of one percent of the budget is actually spent towards improving the lives of others in the World. Far more money than that is given and distributed through charities, mission organizations and other Governments. It isn’t all money that is given, a lot of sweat, tears and lives are given, often at great risk and personal sacrifice. I have a lot of respect for those who are willing to give their all for a cause, including our military, the largest mission organization on Earth.
VIETNAM
Of all of the missions I have been on in the last 13 years, this trip with Free Wheelchair Mission www.freewheelchairmission.org was by far the most rewarding. In just 4 days we assembled and distributed 240 wheelchairs. Not just any wheelchair, but distinctive ones with a resin chair for seating, and mountain bike wheels for use on uneven terrain.
We were able to get very personal in our delivery and the change in a recipients life was immediate and unforgettable. Lives were changed not just for the recipients, but also for families, friends and caregivers. A few of the distributions were:
1. A former Vietnamese soldier who had lost an arm and a leg to a mine. He had been imprisoned, his throat slit and he had been crawling for over 50 years. He smiled profusely and cried when lifted from the ground and placed in his chair.
2. A 17 year old boy with cerebral palsy who, in spite of his size, had been carried almost his whole life by his mother. The change was seen in her face immediately. A huge burden was lifted.
3. Linh, a street vendor that our team came across in the local market. He had taught himself English while crawling with flip flops on his hands to sell souvenirs. At 24 he was living on his own, but having a difficult time making more of his life from the level of the sidewalk. On our last day, he received his wheelchair, in front of his mother and many of the local people in the neighborhood he lives and works in.
In each of these cases, there was more to the story. The fact that we were from the United States and followers of Jesus Christ was announced and acknowledged. At each distribution, the local Red Cross, the local Government and the Central Communist Government were all present and included.
That we could all work together for good was evident and appreciated by all. Many of the local people would help us after just a few minutes of seeing what a little kindness could do for people they would never have seen before. The distributions certainly brought a feeling of community to the crowds.
NEXT
In January I will be taking a team to Haiti. We will be covering the hospital project at Passe Catabois with medical support and more construction. One project we hope to complete is the erection of a windmill. The hospital now has 24/7 power, and the first c-sections have been done to make the availability of a fully functional operating room official.
We will also have a small team at the House of Hope in LaPointe. My daughter, Rachel will be spending time there with the kids. She will have an additional skill this year as she is taking ASL in college and will have time to spend with the group of deaf folks who always seem to know we are there. Treated as outcasts by most society in Haiti, they enjoy time with “blans” who will just hang out with them. We also get a few younger Haitians who want to practice English with us. My ESL certification comes in handy at times.
THANK YOU
To many of you who have given in the past to help support my trips and the projects we have done. At times the small amount of work that gets accomplished seems insignificant. Whether you use the water in the bucket or the starfish analogy the fact is: if we don’t try to help, nothing gets done.
If you would like to help, please make donations to the Haiti fund at Snohomish Community Church, 13622 Dubuque Rd., Snohomish, WA 98290. Leave the memo section blank on checks, but attach a separate note that the donation is for Haiti.
As always, if you would like to join one of our teams in the future, space is still available. Contact me at baillybusbarn@juno.com , call me at the above number or find me on facebook.
Linh and his mother, Vietnam 2011
