Matt Muraski is the VP of International Programs and Supply Chain for Feed My Starving Children.

 “There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If it were not true, I would have told you. If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be there where I am.” John 14:2-3 

It was 4:30 AM Sunday morning when we arrived at the Minneapolis airport. Junior Obrand, FMSC Regional Program Coordinator for the Caribbean, Jon Zaugg, FMSC’s professional videographer, and I were embarking on a trip to Haiti.

It always surprises me to see how many people are at the airport this time of the day. All going somewhere, getting from here to wherever “there” is for each of them.

Our first “there” in remote Northwestern Haiti to visit a longtime FMSC Distribution Partner Living Water Ministry (LWM).

To get to LWM’s compound just north of Anse Rouge, we flew in a single engine plane operated by Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF).

The flight lasted about 45 minutes and we were greeted at the very short dirt and rock airstrip by LWM staff.

The next 10 miles took over an hour, one bump, muddy path and steep hill at a time before were arrived to our first “there.”

LWM is situated directly on the Caribbean coast and is as beautiful as it is remote.

This partner started ministry efforts in this previously unreached area of Haiti in 1986. It serves over twenty small villages but concentrate the bulk of the work in six villages.

LWM’s primary mission is to reach those who have never heard the Gospel and display God’s compassion by caring for their physical needs and spends considerable resources on feeding programs and sustainable development activities that stimulate the local economy.

The village of Ti Anse is a small fishing village of about 250 people. LWM had done an informal survey of the village in the past and discovered that over 60 percent of the families had experienced the death of a child before the age of five.

Malnutrition was thought to be the major contributor to that sad statistic.

The good news is that after utilizing FMSC MannaPack Rice and MannaPack Potato-W, the situation has, as far as LWM can determine, been remedied with no known deaths due to malnutrition.

LWM, supported by FMSC donations, has accomplished this in this village and at least one other.

I often marvel at how those boxes of donor-funded, staff-lead, and volunteer-packed FMSC meals get to each of the “there” places.

Northwest Haiti is one of the most remote locations on the island but each box arrives just where it is supposed to.

I believe that each person in this eternal compassion chain has been called to be at their special “there” to accomplish the works that enable LWM and other organizations around the globe to eliminate the devastating effects of not having enough to eat.

In it all, His love and promises to His children are fulfilled creating that wonderful thing called hope.

Not the hope that wards off dread, but the hope that fuels dreams and provides the necessary energy to get to the next place in this life’s journey.