THEIR VOICES SWIRLED around her head like a tornado in the spring, wreaking havoc on her already confused thoughts. Her graduation dinner clearly wasn’t the best time to discuss her decision to go to Haiti. The storm broke in all its fury with her confession, made just after the graduation cake was cut and served. Her piece, covered in white frosting with a few red flowers, sat untouched in front of her. Everyone had an opinion, and everyone was talking at once.
“Kayles, isn’t this kind of sudden? I mean, you would need to leave a few days after Christmas. That’s less than two weeks away.” Always practical, David immediately resorted to number crunching.
“Aren’t the conditions pretty rough?” her mom chimed in.
“How are you planning to pay for this?” Her dad frowned.
“Is this a good idea? You’ve never lived outside of Tuscaloosa,” Gran interjected.
“Have you really thought this through?” By the look on Micah’s face, Kaylan knew she should have told him earlier.
“That sounds like an adventure. Where can I sign up?” Seth’s enthusiasm drew a small smile.
“When were you planning on telling us?” Her dad’s voice rose above the fray, but before Kaylan could respond, Sarah Beth rose to her rescue.
“Mr. Richards, Kaylan and I have prayed about this for a while. We really feel like the Lord is calling us to Haiti now. I know we can make a difference.”
Only Nick remained quiet, his eyes taking in the action. A quick glance at his face reminded Kaylan why she’d been drawn to him in the first place. He assessed a situation before he responded. As his eyes swerved to hers, she saw a glint of admiration and curiosity before she looked away. She didn’t want to deal with that now.
Her head buzzed. Could she really do this? If God had called her to it, He would see her through it. Wasn’t that what she had always been taught? Yes, this was a commitment the Lord had placed on her heart. He would walk with her through every step. The sweet reassurance sank and took root in her soul.
Silence descended as Pap stood, knuckles rapping on the table, every bit the retired state judge who could still command a room. “Now, let’s stop asking all these questions, because the last time I checked, the Lord seldom calls us to do what is realistic. He calls us to be obedient, and that sounds like what my Sugar is trying to do here. Now I, for one, am going to support her.” He nodded at his wife and wrapped her hand in his, taking his seat.
Tears filled Kaylan’s eyes.
“Before you say anything else, can I at least answer why Haiti? Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere. I want to help train parents how to take care of their kids’ nutritional needs, and I want to teach them about Jesus.” A current welled in her heart and spilled out of her mouth. “Haiti is right in our own backyard. The people are stuck in an awful pattern. I want to help fix it, not just stick a Band-Aid on it. Sarah Beth and I believe we can help change things.” Passion burned within her and would not be quenched. She had finally put a name and a task to a calling she had feared to voice.
She held her breath, looking to her parents. She didn’t need their approval, but she craved their blessing and the support of her brothers.
“Mom, Dad?”
Micah winked at his sister and then looked at their parents. “If this is something Kaylan feels she needs to do, then I think we should support her. I won’t lie; I’m a little worried. Haiti isn’t stable politically or economically, and from what I’ve heard, that often causes unrest among the people. But whatever happens, she’s tough, and God’s in control.”
Her mom turned to her. “Kaylan, could you tell us more about what you would be doing?”
Kaylan nodded. “Sarah Beth heard about this organization called Hands and Feet for Haiti, which is dedicated to helping the people of Haiti. Rhonda Ames, one of their staff, runs a clinic close to the slums. I’ve talked to her over Skype, and she would train me in some basic medical care so I can help out in the clinic. She says I would be able to use some of the things I learned as part of my nutrition degree too, since Haiti ranks among the bottom three countries in the world for daily caloric intake. They need major help.”
Her mom gestured toward Sarah Beth. “What about you, Sarah Beth? Your degree is in teaching, not anything medically related.”
Sarah Beth jumped in. “This mission also engages kids in the slums who can’t afford school. I’ll work with some of the kids during the day to teach them basic reading or writing with the help of local translators.”
“And where would you stay?” Mrs. Richards kept her tone light, but hesitation marked her words.
“We worked that out too. Rhonda, the woman who runs the clinic, has a room available at her house with two beds that Kaylan and I can stay in.”
“And how long would you be there?” Her dad’s question was the one Kaylan had been dreading.
“Six months, but they’d really like us to stay a year,” Kaylan responded.
Her dad frowned. “Wait a minute, Kaylan. Do you mean that you might forgo your internship to stay in Haiti? You may not get another shot. Those internships are hard to come by.”
“I know, Dad. But I don’t have to make that decision right now.” From the corner of her eye she saw a glimmer of a smile light Nick’s features. She fought the urge to look at him.
“Honey, you know how competitive this internship is, and you know how hard you’ve worked. I will have a difficult time blessing this trip to Haiti if it will put your future career in jeopardy.”
“I thought about that. And believe me, I will weigh my options very seriously when it comes time to make that decision.” She swallowed hard, refusing to second-guess herself. “I have to trust and believe that the Lord will show me the next step. And Haiti is my next step, Dad. This is so much bigger, so much more important than just Sarah Beth or me. These people are the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. I don’t have to be completely qualified or equipped to help; I just need to be faithful. I’ve really prayed about this, and I’m so sorry I didn’t talk with you sooner. I just got so busy that it snuck up on me. But I want to do this now, more than I want to sit home waiting for my internship to start. I need your support on this.”
“So you two have made up your minds? You both want to go to Haiti? Y’all worked hard and decided to graduate a semester early. Are you sure this is what you want to do with that time?” Kaylan’s dad looked from her to Sarah Beth and back.
“Yes, sir,” they answered together.
“What’s communication like? Would we be able to talk with you?” Mom asked.
“Internet is really sporadic, so we might be able to Skype at night. Phone reception might not be clear all the time, but I’ll get an international plan set up so that I can call home.”
Her dad sighed and ran a hand over his five o’clock shadow. “Well, sweetheart, this is ultimately your decision, and it sounds like you have all the details worked out. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Let me know how I can help you get ready, hon.” Her mom offered a small smile before she began to gather plates.
The family rose to wash dishes and clean up after a long day of celebration. As Kaylan left the dining room to see Sarah Beth off, she caught Nick studying her, a hint of admiration in his eyes. He’d definitely added a twist to her graduation day. As much as she was drawn to Nick, she wasn’t quite ready to deal with what he had to say. Maybe it was nothing. After all, their romance had been brief, close to two years before. But after the way he’d looked at her today . . . Her heart raced, and the response scared her. She still cared, more than she wanted to, more than she’d realized.
She would at least give him a chance to talk, and she would pray. As Micah had reminded her, the Lord was in control and had good plans for her, but on a day of so much change, it was hard to see the direction this train was taking her.
“If this is a taste of life after college, I should never have graduated,” she groaned as she walked her best friend out to her car.
Sarah Beth wrapped her arm around Kaylan’s waist. “It’s not that bad, Kayles. One tough conversation down, only about a million more to go.” Kaylan shot her a look that drew a laugh from Sarah Beth. “You’re an adult now, Kayles. You are fully capable of making your own decisions. Your parents understand that and will adjust. This is a new life stage that everyone will get used to. The question is, are you going to allow their hesitations to dictate how you respond to what the Lord is calling you to?”
Kaylan nodded as she hugged Sarah Beth good-bye. She had an odd feeling that as difficult as it had been to face her parents, and as hard as it had been to see Nick again, Haiti would be a whole different kind of difficult, one she looked forward to with terrified anticipation.