Day 4-Village Day

Journal:
We set out this morning for village day.  Goal:  To share the Gospel and the Love of Christ with others.  The first village we went to we split up and walked throughout with our interpreters.  Michelot took us to a home of a women who has 15 children.  5 living and 10 deceased.  She told us that the witch doctors had eaten 5 of her children.  WHAT?  After we left we all asked what in the world she meant.  The interpreter explained that she meant that The Witch Doctors sucked out their souls.  The village that we were traveling through had many homes that were believers in voodoo.  Although the women we talked to said she was a Christian, she also turned to voodoo in desperation when her children were very ill.  She said there were no fathers present helping her with her children.  She was sad.  She told us she had no money or food.  We prayed with her. 

We then walked up a big hill to a private orphanage that was owned by a US church.  It was very impressive.  It was very "Americanized".  Big playground, clean, state of the art kitchen and GREAT BATHROOMS!!!!!  I didn't really have to go to the bathroom....but I wasn't letting this opportunity pass me by :)  

We were quickly told by the interpreter that we need to get to the bus to leave the village ASAP.  Confused...we followed directions.  After we were all on the bus and pulling out of town our intern, Tiffany, told us that there has been some unrest in the area and road blocks and demonstrations are being set up.  The unrest is due to the rationing of power that was being supplied to the villages by a cement company.  Villages have not been receiving the power that they were promised and people were speaking out.  The main highway going from that village to the MOH campus was going to be shut down soon by demonstrators and we needed to get on the other side of the demonstration in order to make sure we can return to MOH.  

At that point we moved to a new village.  

We were now next to fields where a soccer camp put on by a NFL player, who was also staying at MOH.  That camp was a happening place to be.  I can't remember the exact numbers but the first day they had about 100 show up...By day 3 it was 300...and then they ended up the week with somewhere like 500 kids.  The man who was organizing it all was a fish out of water...but he gave ALL THE GLORY to God for running that camp.  He said it was better than he could have dreamed.  

So, we walked around the new village.  (I wish I would have written down the names of the villages.  I'm so bad with names!)  We stopped to talk to a man.  He invited us in.  He was very serious and cautious when we got there.  (The most cautious of any Haitian I had met so far.)  After being with him for just a short time, he started to smile and loosen up.  We met his wife and his 2 children.  He told us he was employed at a factory.  (This was the first employed Haitian I had met!)  They went to church up the road.  He told us that the Lord was the foundation of his family.  He asked us if we would tell him a bible story.

PANIC.....my brain froze.  What do I know....what do I know??  Daniel, the ark, Moses, Jesus, Jonah....oh no....I have no clue what to tell this man....I think I know bible stories...but well enough to tell them?  

Luckily, our intern was "on it" and she said something about good soil.  A light bulb went off in my head.  YES....good soil!  The seed dropped...  

She then told him the parable of the sower.  (Mark 4)

She told the man that his children are being raised on good soil.  She said she will pray that they will grow closer to Christ and become leaders in Haiti.  He nodded.  That is this prayer too!  

It was a very cool moment!

Then another interruption.....the interpreter's phone rang again.  Michelot told us we need to get back to the bus NOW.  Road blocks were moving closer to MOH campus and they needed to get us back.  As we drove closer it was evident that getting back on to campus was going to be tricky.  The entrance to the campus was blocked.  (It was not an attack against MOH...but MOH is located in a prime area for demonstrations.)  The bus took us down a back trail.  The bus driver was determined to get us back on campus safe.  He and other MOH workers took a part of the chain length fence down to get us in.  I was never scared! 

After we were back on property we saw a lot of smoke (a bus was set on fire) and heard many gunshots.  I headed back to our room and was pleased that they turned on the power.  (Usually there is only power from around 7:00p.m.-6:30a.m.)  I turned the fan my way, wrote the first part of my journal entry, read my bible, and took a little nap.  You would think with everything going on outside the gates that I would have been a little messed up.  I wasn't.  I was right where God wanted me to be.  I pray for this country!
Lord, Help me to be FOREVER ruined for the ordinary!  nic

After thoughts:
Last week (The week of July 2nd) a strong storm blew through.  I was in bed reading a book.  I had wanted to go to bed hours earlier but my book sucked me in.  It was almost midnight and the power went off.  One fire alarm started beeping...then they all started beeping.  (At least one did not have battery back-up which then lead to all alarms setting off a warning beep.)  Beeping...everywhere.  Ben and I were both frustrated.  Then Baby girl woke up.  She was screaming.  We found candles and a flash light.  (I am kicking myself for not getting some sleep hours earlier.)  As I walk around with a disturbed 1 year old I start to get really, really frustrated.  WHEN IS THE POWER GOING TO COME BACK ON?  It was getting stuffy, I was uncomfortable, tired, and annoyed.  45 min. later it came back on.  I gave baby a little milk and then put her to bed.  I crawled into my bed.  I couldn't get the Haitian demonstration out of my mind.

I was without power for 45 min.  I expect power 24 hours a day.  I get annoyed when I am inconvenienced by a storm.  The Haitians are not promised power 24 hours a day.  They are only promised power for a few hours.  Then they don't even get that.  They certainly don't ask much from their government (not near as much as Americans).....they just want what has been promised to them.  The road block was their way of saying....HEY, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO US.  WE FEEL FORGOTTEN!  Can you blame them?

I have thought a lot about this day.  I thought about the gunshots, fire, and screams.  It's just not what I'm used to.  But God hears it all of the time.  It's happening all around this world everyday.  This is not my reality...but this is many, many people's reality.  I felt safe when I got back on the MOH campus.
 One of the other adults was having a really hard time.  She was not having a hard time dealing with the "scary", she was having a hard time dealing with the fact that we were brought back to safety.  She told me, "I don't want to be a safe Christian!"  "God does not call us to be safe!"  I knew what she meant although I was glad we were all tucked back on the MOH campus.  But, my mind has been wrapped around the topic of "safety" since.

I have had several conversations with a girlfriend of mine.  She doesn't ever pray for safely as in physical safety.  She prays for safety as in eternal safety.  She prays that her children will be drawn towards Jesus and be spiritually safe.  Jesus LOVED his disciples.  They were not safe Christians and most of them died in the name of Jesus.

I guess all I am saying is....I fully trust in the Lord's plan for me.  I do not know what that plan is.  I'm choosing Him and that may not always put me in a "safe" place.

I can predict it now....there are some of you rolling your eyes and thinking I'm nuts.
I think I am almost okay with that.

Day 4 was a crazy day.  It started crazy and it ended with stomach cramping and several trips to the bathroom.  That's right.... Haitian Sensation has begun :)

I'm still thinking about Day 4.  I'm thankful for Day 4!

Soccer camp that was going on. Jay Feely (kicker for the Arizona Cardinals) ran this camp all week.

Walking around the first village

This flag symbolizes voodoo.  

Smoke left over from the burning bus

Day 5....The low point of my trip.  More soon...

Day 5 Workday

Journal:
We spent the day painting.  One of the homes we painted was for a man, his wife, and daughter.  He was an importer before the earthquake.  He lost his home and his workplace in the earthquake.  He showed us pictures of his daughter (who was at school) that were taken in his old home pre-earthquake.  They were nice pictures and he lived in a nice home.  He lived a middle class Haitian life.  Then the earthquake...No home...no job to go to.  It was all gone!

I worked hard in the morning but started feeling horrible again before lunch.  I took a nap at lunch and spent the afternoon on the bus.  It was really, really hot.  I only got up when I needed to figure out where to go the bathroom.  It was just bad.  I even ran out of toilet paper and turned to Clorox wipes.  BAD NEWS!  As soon as we got back to campus I went to bed.  I just felt horrible.  

I was also feeling sorry for myself.  It was not one of my finest moments.  

One of the adults on the trip had an international calling plan.  I used her phone to call home and wish big sister a happy birthday.  From the second my husband answered the phone I was a mess.  I felt horrible....I missed my kids, husband, and bed.  Talking to the kids was so hard.  

Being sick and away from home stinks.  

I'm sporting the same clothes as the first paint day.

  I didn't want to get paint on two outfits. 

I was leaving most of my clothes in Haiti and I didn't want them all to be messed up.  

The very funny interrupter, Michelot!

  This next photo is one of my favorites!!!  

This little guy in purple had a toy.  

He showed it off to all of us.

It was a broken top to a baseball trophy.

You can tell in this picture how proud of it he was.

Oh....how spoiled my children are!!
How spoiled I am!
In my house this would be trash.
This was his treasure!

My goal on day 5 was to fake it so I could make it.  I faked it well until lunch....but then it was over.  I was not the only one that had fallen ill.  Out of the 10 females in our room, 6 of us fell ill.  I'm not going to lie....IT SUCKED!  I was so hot, nauseous, crampy, and physically exhausted.  I wanted to go home.  I hated that I wanted to go home.  I cried several times that day because I didn't want "to want" to go home.  The biggest boo fest was after I got off the phone with my kids.  I was an ugly case that day.  

After I got off the phone with my family I got out my iPhone and flipped through my pictures.  I looked at my kids....but also looked beyond my kids.  I looked at my home.  I thought to myself, I would never be able to show my pictures to my new Haitian friends.  I would be embarrassed.  I live such a privileged life.  My home would be like a royal castle to them.  I live this way not because I worked myself out of the slums.....simply because I was born in the US. The land of opportunity and the American Dream.  I have hardwoods....they have tents.  

My heart was broken on Day 5!  Broken is exactly what I needed!

Day 6

Journal:  (a quick morning entry)
Traffic Jam!  I guess this is the norm since there doesn't seem to be any traffic laws.  We are just sitting. It is SOOOO HOT!  Traffic here is crazy.  People drive crazy.  I'm shocked that I have not seen any accidents
(Entered later)
Today was village day.  In the morning we went to a beautiful village.  There were less tent structures and more concrete houses.  We were told not to take pictures in the town b/c there is a strong Voodoo influence and taking a picture is like sending bad luck to them.  

We first visited with three men.  Two of them were brothers and one a friend.  One of the men did most of the talking.  He asked us to pray for his walk with the Lord.  They did not attend church.  He said they used to attend church when MOH sent a bus to pick them up but he said the bus no longer comes.  
Pray for them.

We then stopped to talk to 2 women.  They said they were so happy we stopped b/c people usually walk by them.  (There were very intimidating looking at first.)  One lady had a daughter named Annelie :)  They wanted us to pray for their activities.  (We were not sure what that meant.) (Often things are lost in translation.)  She was not interested in asking us questions...she said she just wanted us to get to the praying part.  They had beautiful smiles!!  Walking further I picked up a little girl.  She was maybe 2.  She didn't try to talk to me, but she was holding on for dear life.  I carried her and sang to her until we got to the river.  I kept asking the interpreter if it was okay that this 2 year old is traveling with me further and further away from her home.  He said it was no problem.  (SO CRAZY!)  She had orange hair which is a result of malnutrition.  I didn't continue the river walk with the others, I just sat by the edge and sang and held the girl.  

Emily had been very ill since Tuesday night.  (She had the worst case out of any of us.)  Although she was still looking pretty yucky, she came with us.  Walking in the heat was hard for her...but God provided for her along the way.  I loved hearing her tell about it later on.

God continued to bless us both through the day and we were well by the end.  

After lunch we went back to a village that we painted at early in the week.  It was the home village to several of the interpreters.  It was a village that was known for prostitution and nude entertainment.  We toured the village and went to random stops that Michelot wanted us to see.  He took us to one of his friend's homes.  It was a house with just 2 chairs, a school desk with a laptop and a turntable on it.  Michelot created a serious dance party.  It was very entertaining.  As we were leaving he said....STOP, WE HAVE TIME TO DANCE!  (This became a trademark saying amongst our group :)  

We went onto the house that we painted early in the week.  We then stopped at her neighbors (the place where the other group painted her hair shop.)  She invited all 9 of us into her very, very small home.  She collected chairs so we were all sitting down.  She was SO HAPPY to have us there.  We sang and prayed with her.  It was another one of my favorite moments on the trip.

We returned to the bus where others had been playing soccer and other games with the local children.  It was so awesome to watch the youth interact with the kids.  REALLY GOOD STUFF!!

Our mission is over.  I'm feeling very mixed.  I miss my kids and I'm ready to see them....but I don't want to leave Haiti behind.  

Pics from the second village

Gas stop

 Dance party stop....

Met up with the others from our group.  

They had been playing hard with the kids.

I finally whipped out my camera.  

I got some good shots.  

I wish I would have used it more during the week.  

Notice the homes in the background.  

They were more like the homes we know.  

They even have flushing toilets!!  

When we needed to use the bathroom we would tell one of the interpreters.  

They would then find us a place we could go.

  

I didn't use the bathroom in this village but a number of teens did.

The people living in the homes would allow us in to use their bathroom.

(The lady did ask if the youths needed to pee or poop.)

She just let them come in....several times.

How would I feel about a bunch of strangers coming over to use my bathroom over and over?

This boy plans to enter into ministry.  

With God's help he wants to transform his village one family at a time!

I love this picture of Tim and Neal praying with him!

Trying to cool off at the end of the day.  

I was not supposed to have my skirt above knees.

I see here I had my skirt hiked up trying to stay cool.

Oops!

These kids were so precious!

On the bus ride home we drove by what was left from Tuesday's protest.

The bus that we traveled on the last day had MUSIC!

Party on the Blood Romeo!

These teens ROCKED MY WORLD!

One more post coming...

Day 7....Free Day and final thoughts

Thursday night concluded our mission work.  Friday was a free day.  We took an hour bus ride to a resort where we played in the pool and ocean.

One huge treat was their fresh mango smoothies.  

It was the PERFECT treat! It was COLD and yummy!

 I actually spent most of my day on their Wi-Fi checking in with my husband, children and mom.  I was so thrilled to see everyone!  Emily took a picture while I was talking to my kids.  

That night we went through our clothes and shoes and bagged up things to leave in Haiti.  I left my first and favorite running shoes behind.  I hope their new owner loves them as much as I did.

The last night was bitter sweet.  I was ready to see my family...
but I felt like I wasn't ready to leave Haiti behind.  I was still feeling so raw.

I can not express enough what a blessing the teenagers were.  I LOVED THEM!!  They were so funny and sweet.  They were awesome servants not only to the Haitians but also each other.  The biggest thing that the teens taught me was to LIGHTEN UP!

Our whole team was a beautiful combination.  

Other special relationships formed on this trip!

We were part of a organization called Lead222.  

It was Servant Leadership Training for teens.

We had Lead 222 meetings every night.  

There was great worship music and several great speakers. 

Two of the speakers were pro football players.

We also had daily devotions and challenges.

It was a great addition to the trip!

One thing I have not mentioned is how beautiful Haiti is.  

Really, Really BEAUTIFUL!

And can I tell you...each time you ask Haitians what they would like us to pray for they so often tell us first to pray for their beautiful country!

So my take away...
I know I have typed so many words in the last week....yet I have a hard time putting it all in words.

A year and a half ago I prayed that the Lord would call me somewhere where I could get my feet dirty for Christ.  I looked down at my feet on the last day and started crying.  It was an answer to my prayer and up until that moment I forgot I asked!  I immediately grabbed my camera.

Since I have been home I have had a lot of people tell me how good I am....

It really bothers me.  This was not me being good.  I'm actually pretty crappy most of the time.
I am not some great person b/c I did this.  This was a blessing to me.  I feel privileged.  I served my God and for that I am thankful!  I am over the moon thankful that He called me and I was listening.  I know He has called me before.  I'm sure I had really good excuses not to answer.  I am so thankful that Jesus uses a crappy sinner like me to be His hands and feet.  I could not have done that trip alone.  God was my strength.

Two years ago I would have never imagined I would be serving in Haiti.  Luckily, I am part of an awesome church that helped me see what my responsibility is to other brothers and sisters in Christ.  I absolutely think that the poor, lonely, and hungry are my responsibility!  And now that I have seen poverty at it's worst firsthand....I am doubly responsible.  There are so many ways that we can be a part of world change.  If you can't get out and help locally or world wide, then let your financial blessings bless others.  You can be a part of missions without leaving the country or your home.  There are many people that are ready to head out to the mission field and can use financial backing.  You are not just helping to fund their trip....you are helping to further God's Kingdom.  With your extra dollars and prayer you are getting the gospel out.  HOPE and LOVE!  Another way to help is through child sponsorship.  I have been a fan of Compassion for years.  By sponsoring a child you are giving them the tools they need to become a healthy, educated leader in their community.  By your sponsorship you don't just help bring that child to Christ, but you also bring their family to Christ.  Mission of Hope in Haiti also uses child sponsorship to educate their students.  It's like $38 a month.  Less than dance lessons and swim team.  Less than a cable bill.  And it's amazing the way the Lord blesses you when you bless others!  Do for one family what you would like to do for a whole community!

There are needs everywhere.  That is what my biggest prayer for myself is.  I am praying that God will continue to open my eyes to the needs in this world.  Many of those needs are in my own neighborhood and community.  I love the line in the song "Refuse"
 that says, "I don't want to wait for someone else to do what God is calling me to do myself!"

So will I go back?  YES!  I will be back as soon as I have the opportunity.  Hubby and I decided a few years ago that we would take turns.  We would each go every other year.   That is now going to have to be reevaluated.  I'm ready to go back NOW...and I want hubby to go there too!

I'm so excited to see what God has in store for us!

Lord,
Help me to be forever ruined for the ordinary!

I am thankful!

She turned 11 while I was gone....

So, I'm late on this post.

She is 11.

Big sister has left the elementary school and is moving on.  I really can't believe it.  Lucky for me (and her) the school she is moving on to is a 6th grade school.  The whole school consists of all the 6th graders in the district and the core classes are single gender.  SCORE!

This oldest daughter of mine saves me most days.  She unloads the dishwasher, distracts her brother, loves on her baby sister whenever needed, and knows how to disappear to her room with a good book when I'm ready for all children to be tucked in for the night.  She jumps in to help many, many times a day.

She is a rule follower, a voice of reason amongst her girlfriends, and she loves to serve.  Currently she uses sarcasm frequently which goes over well about 50% of the time.  Although hubby has a little trouble communicating with her at times....she is easy going.  She has excellent manners and is well spoken.  She loves Science and she reads a ton.  She is however a horrible speller!  (I'm afraid she got that one from me!)  She is an excellent swimmer and enjoys swimming on the year around swim team.

I love this girl!