The Power of Waiting: How Advent Can Help Us Connect with Those in Need

In the Christian tradition, Advent is a special season of hope and expectation.

The power of waiting can be life-giving for us and for those we love. In a world that tells us to move on quickly, Advent invites us to slow down and remember what is most important.

In our culture, we have unlearned waiting.

• We receive the whole season when it drops on Netflix
• We order online to receive our packages as early as the next day
• We text or post on social media to get an immediate response

Unfortunately, waiting is quite familiar for those we care about in Haiti. Children know what it feels like to wait for their next meal to come. School-age kids understand what it feels like to wait for school to resume, and parents for when the next paycheck will arrive.

As we reflect on the waiting that those in need around us experience, we might find our own Advent season enriched. When we wait with those who are struggling, we show them that we see them, that we care, and that we are in this together. We offer a simple, but powerful, witness to the love of God.

We invite you this season to join us in waiting, together – our supporters, our staff, and our Haitian brothers and sisters – as we look forward to hope.

This year has been particularly difficult for Haiti, as the country experiences continued hostility, economic struggles, and unrest. May it serve as a reminder that hope is coming, and that in time we will see an end to Haiti’s severe hunger problem.

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