My name is Jon Landis and this is my story. I grew up in Texas with my parents, 1 brother and 3 sisters. We went to church religiously but it really had no meaning to me. Not recognizing the significance of the spiritual values of my parents I stepped away from church completely in high school. I was cynical toward God - I saw Him as distant, uncaring and detached from my world.

My skepticism continued throughout college and medical school. Knowing I was headed towards becoming a doctor and would be helping people I felt that would be "good enough" to get me on God's good side. While I was in medical school in 1989, I married Dawn, my high school sweetheart. I graduated from University of Texas Medical Branch and we moved to Pittsburgh so I could attend my residency at Allegheny General Hospital. I have continued my medical career in Pittsburgh and currently serve as the Medical Director for Emergency Services at Canonsburg General Hospital. Dawn and I recently celebrated 20 years of marriage and have 3 sons: Jared, Aiden, and Ethan.

While Dawn preferred that we attend church, I was the cynic who kept us from going. After our first son was born, I thought it would be a good idea to go to church for the kid's sake. We had tried several churches in the past which did not resonate. Friends of ours invited us to Orchard Hill in 1995 and we felt like this was the place for us - the messages were clear and seemed to actually be applicable to my life. It quickly became clear that if I wanted church to have an impact on the life of my children, I needed to take it seriously for myself - not just for my kids.

Slowly I began a spiritual journey to learn more about my faith in God. I attended a few classes, a Bible study and became an official member of Orchard Hill. I began to see that church was more than someplace I was supposed to go. I began to see the difference between going to church and devoting my life to pursue my faith. My growing faith was tested when my mother died in 2007. Though I eventually overcame the hurt and anger, I still maintained an air of cynicism - not really quite understanding God and how He related to everyday life.

The opportunity for real growth came 2 years ago when I was invited to be part of a men's small group. Meeting early in the morning every other week, I became surrounded by a consistent community of people on the same spiritual journey. This has been instrumental as I make progress in my own spiritual maturity.

Our group learned about an upcoming serving trip for adults to travel to the EBAC orphanage in Haiti. I hesitated to go; I was afraid that exposure to the poverty and depravation of Haiti would reignite my cynical view of God - that I would question how God could allow such terrible conditions to exist. After some prompting by others who were taking the trip as well as personal prayers, 3 of us from my small group decided we would go together and support each other in the experience.

Through the experience in Haiti, my hardened cynical heart was finally softened. Within hours of our arrival, 2 of us visited another orphanage. I will never forget how it broke my heart to see a roomful of infants in cribs - all clean and well-kept but knowing they had no one to love them the way I loved my own sons. I knew right then that this trip would be series of heart-stirring events. I was amazed by the attitude of the children at EBAC. These children, brought up knowing Jesus Christ, maintained a constant attitude of joy and thankfulness. Though they lived in abject poverty under the worst of conditions, they took joy in the smallest things in life. They didn't complain when lunch consisted of a half of a piece of bread with a little ketchup or when they had to sleep 4 to a bed. They showed me that it didn't take material possessions to be happy. In stark contrast, some of those we met who grew up outside of the orphanage were angry, hostile and even somewhat threatening. The difference between the light of hope in Jesus and the dark of despair was drastic.

My experience in Haiti has filled a gaping hole in my heart. It took the cynical and questioning piece of my heart and filled it up with the goodness of God that existed in the orphanage despite the poverty. During our last group devotional time together during the trip, I prayed that I could take this filled up feeling and apply it to this life I have been given back here in America. The trip to Haiti was like a spiritual boot camp for me - an intensive short-lived training which would prepare me for a lifetime. Though I know I am still on a journey, I am beginning to understand my own purpose - to make a difference right here where God has placed me - to carry this joy to others and bring light into a world filled with darkness. My name is Jon Landis and this is my story.