So far, I’ve written about a variety of trips I’ve taken — from thrilling hikes like Angels Landing in Zion National Park, UT, to relaxing moments on 7-Mile Beach in Jamaica. Each of them gave me clarity in its own way. But there’s one trip that stands out as deeply shaping my understanding of what it means to live far from empty: my journey to Haiti.
Several years ago, my good friend and next-door neighbor felt led to take his family to Haiti to serve at a school and orphanage. I had the privilege of visiting them for a week. Here’s the catch: I went alone. It was my first time traveling outside the United States — my passport had no other stamps. When the immigration officer in Port-au-Prince asked me, “First time anywhere?” and I nodded yes, his puzzled look said it all.
From the moment I landed, I knew this trip would be different. My friend met me at the airport with some of his kids and a few Haitian children from the orphanage. He loaded us all into the back of a caged pickup truck, and as we drove through the city at night, I realized just how far from home I was.
That week was unforgettable — and unsettling. I never once felt safe. At night, gunshots echoed outside the compound where we stayed, its concrete walls topped with barbed wire. During the day, we drove through mountain roads stripped bare of trees to collect food supplies, only to be held inside a distribution compound because bandits were waiting to ambush vehicles leaving. I was told bluntly: Haitian justice is different.
One of the heaviest moments came when my friend explained that, just a week before I arrived, two men had been murdered outside the girls’ dorm where his family lived. These men had been harassing his wife and threatening to kidnap her. Local neighbors — quietly and decisively — had taken matters into their own hands.
I asked my friend how he could keep raising his kids, living in constant risk, surrounded by violence. He looked at me, then gestured to the children laughing and playing nearby.
“Look around,” he said. “These kids are the reason. They need someone to help them break the cycle of poverty and violence that runs rampant through Haiti.”
That was purpose.
Lesson: Purpose Found in Service
That trip taught me something that’s stayed with me ever since: one of life’s greatest purposes is to serve others sacrificially. Success, comfort, and achievement may fill a moment, but only service fills the soul. In Haiti, I saw purpose lived out in daily sacrifice, in courage, in choosing to love and protect others no matter the cost.
It reminded me that purpose isn’t always about grand plans or personal milestones. Sometimes it’s simply about showing up — to give, to serve, and to lift someone else. That kind of purpose fills us in a way nothing else can.
🌱 Reflection Questions
- When have you stepped outside your comfort zone and discovered something meaningful about yourself?
- Who in your life has modeled a strong sense of purpose? What about their example inspires you?
- What does “serving sacrificially” look like in your current season of life?
- How does fear or the desisometimes keep you from pursuing growth or purpose?
- If you were to look back years from now, what would you want to say you gave yourself to — beyond just your own success?
🚶 Next Steps
- Identify a Small Step of Service: Find one tangible way this week to serve someone else without expecting anything in return. It doesn’t have to be big — it just has to be intentional.
- Name Your Growth Edge: Write down one area of your life where you feel stretched right now (relationships, career, faith, etc.). What’s one action you can take to lean into that discomfort as a chance for growth?
- Reach Out for Perspective: Connect with someone who inspires you by how they live with purpose. Ask them what keeps them going when things feel risky or overwhelming.
- Revisit Your Word of the Year: If you’ve chosen a word like move, reflect on how you’re living it out. If you haven’t chosen one, now might be a great time to pick a word that captures the kind of growth you want to pursue.
- Plan a Space for Clarity: Whether through travel, retreat, or simply unplugging for a day, create intentional space to reflect on your purpose — not just what you’re doing, but why you’re doing it.
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