Picnic Tables

On my last day in Haiti I set out to make a picnic table within two and a half hours. Seemed simple enough.  We had the wood, the tools, instructions and even the motivation!  After all we had spent the entire week eating our lunches leaning against trees and sitting in the back of the truck. It would be nice for the kids to have a place to sit outside to eat.

Mission accomplished. We built the table in about an hour and a half and had a moment to enjoy it with the kids.

Sitting at the newly finished table with my friend Luckson

and several of the other orphans at Harvest Care.

Now for the perspective change. When we asked where to place the table we weren't given an immediate answer. In my mind I knew the perfect spot.  Outside near the well, half under a tree, half out in the sun. It would be a great spot.  But when we finally got instructions it didn't end up under the tree by the well.  We took the picnic table inside.

It turns out it wasn't a picnic table at all. It wasn't for leisurely sitting in the shade enjoying a meal. It wasn't for playing board games with your kids. Instead of a picnic table we build a school table.  A breakfast, lunch and dinner table. A table not of leisure, but of necessity.

The this photo you can see the table as it sits in the school/orphanage. At right is Kelly the man who runs the home and school. When we brought the table over he stopped what he did and walked over to it, staring at the pile of lumber organized by screws into a table. He placed his hand on the table and walked a step admiring it.

His reaction was impactful. It hit me hard. To me I had built a picnic table. To him I had provided a surface for change. For kids to take in food, and to sit and work on lessons.

We built the table in under two hours. It will sit there and have an impact for years. I hope I can spend many more hours of my life having that kind of impact.