In Reality

I have had "remember to blog" written on my calendar every day since Christmas this week and each of those days, I even had something to blog about.  

On Christmas, the blog was going to be called "Christmas at Our House" and it was going to talk about all the festivities that took place whether it was getting over a sickness or cooking the second Christmas dinner (Al had to cook two because I was in bed with the flu), exchanging gifts and sharing the Christmas story here or skyping into the Christmas gathering my family was having in the states.  

The next day, the blog would have been called "No Balance" as Almando and I crashed hard that day and didn't know what to do with ourselves because we weren't working and didn't have anything to build.  We slept.  We learned that we don't have a balance and need to figure that out in the near future--so you can be praying for us.

Thursday night we went to church and I was reminded of how important it was to be filled up before serving and pouring out.  "You can't give" would have been the blog title that day, because when you don't have anything, you can't give anything.  That night, I watched a 5 year old worship the Lord with such innocence, passion, and joy and I prayed that I would be drawn into that place.  Filled with the love, joy, peace, passion, and Spirit of the Lord.

Friday would have been called "Changed Plans" as we were helping out another PPM Trip Leader with an airport pick up that was delayed so we couldn't make it home that night.  But, the conversations I had with the group that evening were refreshing and a blessing that made the changed plans look not so  bad.

Yesterday--if you saw my facebook status, you would already know--would have been called "Long Day".  From the car breaking down to cooking food all day long for a group of hungry people from the church, it was a humorously long day.  In the end, all was completed, everyone was happy and had a wonderful time of fellowship (and food), and we rested.

In reality, today is Sunday, and I am much too late to write all of these blogs, but you can see bits and pieces from these little snippets!  So, today's blog is called "In Reality" where sometimes life gets too busy and sometimes you just need to rest because tomorrow is another day.  And in this reality we live, for now.  It's fitting because it's almost the end of the year and it's time to look again and see how we spend our days and our limited time.  I want to learn to balance my time better and learn to keep things in perspective so I am not easily stressed or overwhelmed.

The pastor today preached on Psalm 90.  Verse 12 stuck out to me and it will be my prayer.  "So teach us to number our days so we may get a heart of wisdom."  Wisdom to know how to use our days for the glory of God.  Wisdom to know when to rest.  Wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silent.  This week showed me that I need this wisdom.  Maybe some of you do too.  

It's my prayer today.  Please join me in praying too!  

The Middle of the Sandwich

We all know that the middle of the sandwich is always the best part.  This is definitely true for our trip to the DR.  You may have read about our adventure on the way there and our time on the way back was a learning experience to say the least, but our time with Pastor Espady in Santo Domingo was phenomenal!

When we woke up the morning after the day like no other, we met Pastor Espady for real.  He was ready to share his vision and he did.  He went to the DR as a missionary in the 80s and has been there ever since.  He planted a church in a bad part of town and prayed.  The church started with 7 people (including him and his wife) and 5 of them left.  They prayed and prayed.  Three more people came and in 1991 the church grew a lot.  Now, they have over 400 members and so many more that want to come to their church.

Pastor's heart is for the Haitians who have moved from Haiti to the DR, so he has programs for the children to help them transition into a Spanish speaking school environment.  He welcomes individuals and families into the church when they first arrive and have no where to go.  Many people sleep in the church every night.  He helps with finding lodging, clothing, and schooling.  He gives all the glory to God.

In our time with Pastor Espady and his family, we were blessed beyond what we could have imagined. We felt like members of the family by the second day.  Almando and Giovanni (Pastor's son) were fast friends as they had so much in common with drumming, loving the Lord, and languages.  The fun didn't stop as we explored the city and helped our friends from the states catch Pastor's vision for his community.

We packed so much into the time that we were there and were so blessed by our time that we didn't notice we were tired until we got home.  Then, it was time to rest.

We never know what our week will bring, but we are glad that in the middle of the bread is the best part of the sandwich!

A Day Like No Other

This morning we woke up in Hinche, one of the larger cities in the Central Plateau.  We had traveled from our home to Pignon and back to Hinche yesterday for a meeting with one of our pastors.  We were delighted to find that the road to Pignon has been worked on quite a bit, so when we went to bed we were in good spirits and ready to see what today would bring.  

The plan was to travel from Hinche to the Domincan Republic border in the morning and reach Santo Domingo by mid-afternoon, but the road held many surprises for us.  We left Hinche ahead of schedule and turned onto a gravel road.  That road, we found, should not be taken to the Dominican border.  We drove through the rivers and around the woods and and over the mountains and asked for directions multiple times--everyone gave us different directions--but found ourselves on those gravel roads (that weren't in the best condition) for a very long time.  

When we finally made it to the Dominican border, we were so grateful that Almando speaks Spanish because he had to talk to guard after guard at the many check points on the very long paved road.  We drove through town after town having to ask directions for how to stay on the main road.  I was at a complete loss because the little Spanish I used to know left my brain when I started learning Creole.  Finally, as it was getting dark, it started to rain and the roads were not lit, so we had to slow down as we neared our destination.  

Since we didn't have a map and the city was so confusing, we stopped.  We don't have a phone that works here, so we were lost and tired.  We walked from Burger King--where we parked--to the gas station next door to see if we could find a phone.  I, again, was at a loss and there were no phones.  Then a gentleman walked up to us and asked us if we needed help...in English.  We were both so glad to hear those words.  He let us use his phone to call the pastor we were going to meet with and actually talked with him for us to make sure he knew exactly where we were.  After everything was settled, we thanked him over and over and turned to go back to Burger King to wait, but not before our "Good Samaritan" said, "God bless you" as he turned to walk away.

We sat in Burger King and waited--and enjoyed a burger of course.  When the pastor arrived we were so relieved--Almando because we wouldn't be lost anymore and me because he speaks Creole and I could actually talk to him!  He had us follow him to a hotel not far from his church through tunnels and back roads (we never could have gotten here on our own) which is where we are now.  All checked in and exhausted.  

There are so many things we saw today that we haven't seen before.  So many beautiful things!  We were blessed with safe travel and the wisdom to know where and when to stop.  Our "Good Samaritan" will not easily be forgotten.  And we are here.  We are safe.  We have a place to sleep.  We had an unanticipated adventure today, but, again, we will be going to sleep looking forward to what God has in store for us tomorrow!  This has been a day like no other.

Hospitality is Key

During the last couple of weeks, we have been doing our fair share of hosting guests in our home.  I find this part of ministry wonderful and tiring.  We have been hosting pastors and friends in our home sharing with them what we are doing and what the vision of Praying Pelican Missions is in Haiti.  It has been great to be able to share this with others, but very tiring too!  Here's what those days look like.

We wake up early, have breakfast, and take some time for prayer before one of us heads into town to pick up our guests.  For this case--we will say Almando went to town.  Before he goes, we make a list of the things we need from the market to be able to make a wonderful meal for our guests.  Then, we usually send someone to the market for us.  After they leave, I sweep, mop, wash dishes, and begin preparing the meal (while listening to Christmas music of course).  I text Al to see how much time I have before they return.  I rush around always thinking of more things to do.  I shower, I finish cooking, and I try to set the table before they get back.

When they arrive, they tour the house while I'm finishing up.  I give them water (sometimes I need to be reminded about that one...) and we announce the the food is ready and call everyone to the table.  I serve the food and then sit down with everyone else.  I hear comments like "we are not used to this kind of food...is it good?" or "this is really good, we are used to eating it with rice."  I laugh to myself as the cultural differences in cooking are obvious even though the spices are the same--even the ingredients.  All goes well, we share our hearts and answer their questions.

At the end of the time, we usually pray together and Al says goodbye to me again as he brings our guests home.  I stand at the sink and do dishes wondering where the time and the food went.  I am happy that we shared our heart.  I am happy that they understand.  I am happy that they came.

Making those around us aware of who we are and what we are doing is so important as we have waited too long to do this in some cases so others thought we were avoiding them--when really we were simply busy working.  Relationships are needed in everyone's life--even here.  Being able to host people is such a blessing.  Knowing how to show hospitality is needed.  I am so grateful for these opportunities.

Thank You!

Tuesday was the day.  Almando and I woke up excited because we knew that the day would bring something different.  As we waited for our ride to come pick us up--and the gift--I was thinking of two very special people who may not be the first to see this, but I hope they know the blessing they have been.  They have been great prayer warriors and supporters of our ministry.  They gave us a gift to give to an orphanage.  Tuesday, we were able to deliver that gift.

The playground equipment where it was made.

So many people have come to love the kids at Life is Hope Orphanage.  So many people have visited them and given sacrificially to make sure these kids are taken care of.  Tuesday, I watched the kids, who were waiting patiently inside the house start chattering away and getting excited to see what the big truck was there for. Inside the truck, was playground equipment we brought from across town.  They watched as it was taken out of the truck and placed where the playground will soon be.  They giggled as Almando showed them how "monkey bars" are supposed to be used--by being a monkey.  These kids were excited to say the least.

When we left, the playground still needed to be "grounded", but we were assured that it would be done before the week is through.  The kids were ready to play and Pastor Jean (the director there) was so grateful.

I have been thinking what a blessing it is to be able to deliver gifts like this one to people.  It's not about me or about the giver.  It's about God.  These kids needed something to play on.  God moved in the hearts of people to give a gift and moved in our hearts to know how to best use the gift.  All to bless these children--children God calls us to care for.  It's amazing, really, to see God working.  Thank you to everyone who listens to the Lord and obeys His voice when He calls you to give.  You never know when--or to whom--you will be a blessing!  Today I am thankful for all those who give.

Turns out...it's not the dust!

On Wednesday, we visited the clinic again to see the doctor.  He concluded that I have been coughing, but not because of the dust.  I thought it was just dust.  I am grateful today because it's a bronchitis that has been terrorizing my system.  Praise God it was not something worse!  So, I am on a cough syrup to help me stop "dry" coughing and develop a "wet" cough, and my gland--although I still have "bubble neck"--will eventually go back to normal!  Now, it's just a waiting game, but I am glad I know what is causing the problem.  It's not the dust!

Thank you, friends, for your prayers as I have felt them and needed them!  I am so thankful for all of you!

Thankful

These last several weeks, I have realized how thankful I am for my wonderful Haitian family.  All of them have been a blessing to me lately in ways they probably would never think would be blessings.  From hearing the laughter of Al's 12 year old cousin when she plays tricks on me to making her laugh when I attempt to be funny in Creole.  Or the phone call from an uncle asking how I've been doing since I was sick.  The overall encouragement and support this family gives is amazing.  I don't think they signed up for the job of being Creole teacher, security guard, or errand runner, but they all help me out with all of these things almost on a daily basis.  

I was reminded of this the other day when a boy from the community stopped by the house, as I requested of him, and asked for me.  My family made sure that this boy really knew me and I really asked him to come see me.  I overheard them doing this and it felt like a hug saying "We are here.  We love you.  We will protect you."  I don't feel as though I need protection, but knowing that my family loves me in that little action was a blessing.

Each of Al's brothers, who live next door with the rest of the family, each have special qualities that I have loved from the beginning, but being around them more and more has made me appreciate each one greatly.  They are always willing to help me with anything--running to the market or putting hooks on my shelving.  It's a blessing to have them all close by to laugh with, worship with, or work with.

From immediate family to extended family, down here, I have been blessed.  Just as I am blessed with a wonderful family still in the states that I love and miss dearly.  For both of these families, I am thankful.  

Pray

Sometimes we have those weeks that are more difficult than others.  This week has been one of those weeks, so, dear friends, be praying.  Here's why.

On Tuesday, I developed a swollen gland.  Through that night, the swollen gland multiplied to several swollen glands on the right side of my neck.  I had no other symptoms or fever or anything.  By Wednesday morning, the right side of my neck was visibly swollen and we headed to the clinic.  The doctor put me on an antibiotic and told me to double my 1,000 mg dose of Vitamin C.  Along with rest and liquids, I have been trying to make sure I am diligent in taking the medication.  Between Wednesday and now, there have been stomach aches, fevers, headaches, and a literal pain in my neck as the glands remain swollen.

This morning found us at the clinic again, this time for the dreaded blood tests.  We will receive the results on Monday, but in the meantime, friends, please pray.  Pray for complete healing.  Pray that this  infection would be just a random mystery that is miraculously removed.  I believe that God can heal me and I believe that He hears the prayers of His people, so pray friends.  Above all things pray that His will be done.

It's different for me to write this way, but I hope you understand and pray.  Thank you in advance for your prayers.

"Soley la Toujou Leve"

In church on Sunday, the congregation here in our community took some time to praise the Lord because, after the hurricane passed us by, the sun still rises.  The eye of Hurricane Sandy did not actually strike land in Haiti and we were fortunate in that, but we still got plenty of rain that caused flooding and the loss of many things and over several lives.

Last week, when Sandy was on her way through this area, Almando and I were leading a trip in Gressier, Haiti, so I kept a close eye on the storm.  Our teams were great and we continued working as planned.  Our day to see more of Haiti was changed to a morning of worship and an afternoon of seeing more of Haiti.  Our teams made it home safely on Friday, but the rain continued.  

Flooding was a major problem especially in the south and in low lying areas.  Rivers that are normally just more than small creeks quickly turned into raging rapids and people crowded to the bridges to watch the river expand and gain depth.  The rain in the mountains washed much dirt and gravel across the main road and into the ditches and beaches on the other side.  We ventured further than our home to see the river in Leogane and were surprised to see its depth too.

That was Friday.  Everything was wet and chilly.  On Saturday, though, the sun rose.  Praise God!  The sun rose!  Everything started drying up and warming up.  Soon, we won't even see evidences that there was so much rain last week.  We will just remember the sun.

The message at church goes through my mind often.  The sun still rises after the trouble times, the dark times, and the gloomy times.  The sun still rises.  

By Faith...

Sometimes you will meet someone who reminds you of Hebrews 11: the Hall of Faith.  This week I was reminded again of Hebrews 11 in someone I have known for a long time.  Her name is Mona, but we call her Sister Mona.  She has been serving in Haiti for 20 years but that doesn't make me think of the Hall of Faith, there is so much more to Sister Mona that does.

Good Shepherd Orphanage is where I met Sister Mona and also where 30+ kids live and many, many more find the love and care that they need.  She loves all of the kids no matter where they come from and she wants to help the ones that she can.  She knows she can't save every child in Haiti, but she can help those who are in front of her.  And she does.

Each year, Good Shepherd Orphanage hosts a Christmas party for children in the Port-au-Prince area.  They send out the buses to pick the kids up, bring them to have a wonderful meal, and receive a present before bringing them home.  This would be a big undertaking for 50 kids, but they will be hosting almost 2,000 this year at this one party.  Sister Mona loves putting all of this together so much that she has decided to bring the party to a couple other orphanages this year as well as the general hospital.  She is planning it in faith as the funds have not come in to provide for the food...yet.  God will make it happen.

Besides the Christmas season, Sister Mona works hard to help more kids get an education.  She started a sponsorship program in which the children would receive everything they need for school for a year including one hot meal a day, books, uniforms, shoes, and book bags.  This program had 22 children in it last year and 22 again this year even though the sponsors didn't renew their sponsorship.  Sister Mona is providing these things for these 22 children knowing that God will move in hearts to sponsor these children through college.  She is doing this by faith and was so excited to show me the packed book bags ready to deliver to the children when we visited her last week.

In serving at the orphanage, Sister Mona works by faith.  In life, she does too.  She considers herself a volunteer and trusts God with her every need.  God provides.  She knows this.  She trusts that He always will.  For her life and for the children.

God does the same for all of us, if we would let Him.  What a great God we serve that we could just live and let Him work.  One thing Sister Mona always tells me, "I don't even feel like I am working.  I'm just having fun!"  She just has peace from God and faith in Him that makes her find joy!  All these things are from God.  I am so thankful that I have a friend in Sister Mona who continues to show me and remind me that God is Faithful and He has a plan for each of us!

Something Familiar but Never the Same

I am currently sitting at a restaurant not far from the airport waiting for a team of 34 people to come in.  Their flight is delayed, but that's okay because it gives us a little more time to feel prepared for the upcoming week.  This is what we do before a trip begins.  We get to this side of town early to make sure we are on time for our teams, then we wait.  There will surely be many hugs and warm greetings that come as our staff trickle in as well all wearing the blue and orange PPM T-shirts.  Then we wait some more.

Once the airline website says the plane has landed, we know we have a certain amount of time before we head to the airport to wait with a crowd of people in anticipation of seeing a sea of blue t-shirts walking toward us.  We often use the saying "a watched pot never boils".  Then, they finally will arrive.

The bus ride is usually filled with lots of questions, introductions, and small talk on the way to wherever we will be staying or with a lot of sleeping people.  As the day and week goes on, we will get to know this group very well--some individuals better than others. We will help them serve well, help them process what they are experiencing, and encourage them to continue serving well after the trip has ended.  When it is time to say goodbye, we know we will be sad, but we also know that this is not goodbye forever as we are part of the same family of God.

This is always a familiar process, but each team and each individual we meet is different.  The ministry may look different and so will the time spent in fellowship.  Be praying for us this week as we serve in Mariani with a group of 34 people and 3 other wonderful PPM staff members.  This is not just another week.

Home Sweet Haiti!

After a six week visit in the states and a travel day full of interesting experiences from delayed planes to airport slumber, we made it home to our little house in Haiti.  When we left Minnesota, we had grown accustomed to the one shower a day routine of most Americans, then we remembered why we take so many showers in Haiti--it's much warmer here!  We breathed in the humid air, looked at each other knowing that we would no longer be needing chap stick.

As we were driving through Port-au-Prince we noticed some changes like the Palace being taken down, new stretches of roads, and more tent cities being emptied out as people move to more permanent residences.  We arrived at our house around mid-morning, so not many people were around.    I jumped right into unpacking and Al started putting together much needed appliances we brought with us from the states such as a ceiling fan that is now swirling above my head.

We kept ourselves busy--unpacking, organizing, and reorganizing all the while trying to wrap our minds around what is next.  We have two weeks of trips starting this Saturday that we are looking forward to, but--for those of you who know--there are a lot of last minute details that will be falling into place during the next couple of days. While you are reading this, please pray for those details to fall into place easily so we can relax and enjoy our last two days here with our family before heading out.

It happened again!

I was somewhere between St. Louis and Knoxville yesterday when the thought crossed my mind: "is this really my life?" There I was driving down the freeway, listening to worship music, sitting next to my first Haitian friend-who is now my husband on our way to visit a church that has sent multiple teams to encourage pastors in Haiti through Praying Pelican Missions and it just felt unreal. I thought about pinching myself to see if I was dreaming, but since I was driving I didn't think it was a good idea. This was not the first time the thought had crossed my mind and it won't be the last--I am sure.

The last week and a half, Al and I have been in every time zone there is in the lower 48 states. We have driven from Minnesota to Washington to Montana to Colorado to Tennessee...so far. The purpose behind the trip wasn't to see the far corners of the US, though we have seen a couple of those, the point of our driving around was to connect with and visit our dear friends and prayer warriors and share with churches opportunities to partner with us.

My brain can't quite comprehend this reality of living a life so full of love, ministry, and faith. Who am I to live this life? Who am I to serve the Lord? How blessed I am to be a child of God. How blessed I am to be a member of this family. This Body of Christ.

As we were sharing with the church this morning it happened again. "Is this really my life?" Yes. It is. And I am part of this Body of Christ that crosses states and nations! As we continue on this journey, please be praying the God's will be done in our lives. And that He is glorified in us.

Watched. Humbled. Blessed.

Something has been brought to my attention as Almando and I have finished our summer trips in August and have been traveling in the states these last few weeks.  We are watched.  Whether that is on facebook, on trips, speaking at churches, or traveling across the country we are watched by many people.  Knowing this, causes me to look at my life--at who God created me to be--and, when I look, I see that I am a mess.  

A friend came to me the other and told me that we have affected his life and his family's life.  He talks about us often to his church family and watches how his family is touched by being connected--even in a small way--to us.  Hearing his words brought me to tears.  Even now, those words are ringing in my ears. He reminded me that God is using us even when we don't realize it.  I was humbled by this reminder and realization knowing that I am still a sinful human being that God chose to represent Himself on earth.

We have been given the opportunity to speak in two different public schools in two different states and have seen God work through those times as well.  The presentation is mostly answering the questions that so many people ask about Haiti and the people living there, but we can't talk about Haiti without talking about the ministry that we are doing.  After we were finished speaking at the school today, I was approached by a young girl asking for more information.  I don't know if she knows the Lord, but I know I can pray for her and talk with her about opportunities in Haiti which include so much more than just going to Haiti for a week.  What a blessing.  How blessed we are that God chooses to use us in ways we don't expect.

So, something that God has laid on my heart is that we are indeed watched by the world and they are looking for His love shining through us. I am humbled because God is using me in ways I may never know and giving me the privilege of being His representative on earth.  We are blessed because He continues to give us opportunities to serve Him and share who He is with the world in many different ways.  Praise God for all He is doing.

He is so good!

A Changed Destination

This week, Al and I are leading a team from Michigan who have been planning and preparing for their time in Haiti for over 2 years.  That, in itself, blows me away, but there is a combination of stories that show how God really works in amazing ways in the background.  Here is a very brief version of some of the stories I have been told this week.

In Michigan...
There was a team of 22 people who had put so much time, energy, prayer, and effort into preparing for a mission trip to Haiti.  They went to a short term missions training conference in Canada and have worked together as a team to make sure they were ready.  In their hearts, they felt called to serve at an orphanage for the week that they would be down here.  They were placed to serve in Gressier, a community at the southern edge of Port-au-Prince.  They received the news that they wouldn't be serving at an orphanage for the full week, but would visit an orphanage a couple of times during the week.

As the trip approached, there were a number of things that happened that were confusing and hard for the team to accept--one of which was a pretty serious surgery on the group leaders' shoulder.  They pushed on, knowing that they were going to be in Haiti soon.

In Haiti...
Al and I received a call from our boss a week before this team arrived and asked if we would be willing to switch with him to lead this team instead of the team we were scheduled to lead.  He told us that we could change the location that the team would be serving in if we wanted to do that as well.  We talked it over and thought about the possible locations for this team to serve in.  We thought of an orphanage that has been asking us to bring a team.  We decided that we should lead this team and serve at this orphanage.  We had heard nothing about this group or their desire to serve at an orphanage or anything about them at all.

A week went by after we let our boss know that we would take this team before we talked to the group leader for the first time.  They were scheduled to be in Haiti two days after that call.  On that call we talked about the projects for the orphanage, the lodging at the orphanage, the donations the orphanage needed, and so many other things.  I could hear the group leader getting more and more excited about the upcoming trip.  We hung up the phone and said, "See you on Saturday."

On Saturday...
The team arrived a couple of hours late, but excited to be in Haiti.  We heard their stories.  They shared all the things God had done for them.  They began making themselves at home.  They started forming relationships with the kids.  They started serving.

And now...
Today, after a couple of days of great ministry, I know that God had this in mind for this team before we knew about them.  He put Al and I with this team at this orphanage for this week for a purpose.  Today, as the team was presenting the many suitcases full of donations (peanut butter, soap, toothpaste, clothes, shoes, school supplies, and so much more) from their church a couple of things were brought to my attention.  First, that the church members kept showing up with more and more donations even as the team was heading out of the church to catch their flight.  One church member even paid for ALL the extra luggage (quite a hefty fee) so all these donations could get here.  And second, that their luggage tags had all the "old" destination addresses written on them.  Sometimes we make plans and we think they are the best, but God has already determined what steps we will take.

"We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps."  Proverbs 16:9

5 Surprising and Humbling Words

The last two trips Al and I led have been in new locations where relationships are just beginning to be formed.  The pastors of these churches have been such a blessing and the teams we have led have been amazing to work with.  I have been blessed to remember not only why we do what we do, but that God continues to use us in different ways.  One way that I have been blessed, surprised, and humbled by is in hearing 5 words attached to my name.  Those words are "Will you translate for me?"

This is an exciting breakthrough for me that I didn't think would happen so soon, but God saw that it was time to give me understanding and words to translate.  It is a blessing and a surprise.  I didn't think it would be humbling, but now that those words are used so often all I can do is thank God for His provision in this area.  He is so good.

I have found that teams will often ask me to translate words and phrases for them in the past, but these last two weeks have been different because Haitian children, adults, and even pastors have asked for me to translate for them.  Wow.  Even though I always wanted to get to that point, I didn't think that it would come so suddenly.  Praise God.

On Sunday last week, Pastor Jacky called me up front and had me translate from Creole to English for the team even though there were other translators present.  He must have known I needed to be pushed just a little bit to start to have the confidence I needed to translate well and to get the first time behind me.  What a blessing.  I was nervous, scared, and humbled, but praise God that He truly did give me the understanding that I needed to translate well for the team.

I know this doesn't sound like much, but those 5 words were truly surprising and humbling to experience!  As we continue to lead teams, I am looking forward to many opportunities to use this language to be able to bridge the language barrier gap for teams to be able to minister and share their stories well.  I am also excited for the relationships that I will be able to form now with the help of God.

Thank You, God, for this blessing.  Thank You for choosing me to serve You here.  Please continue to use my tongue and my mind to bring You more glory.

All because...

3 weeks ago I met a young lady. Her name is Wilda. Wilda showed up at the work site where we had a team serving. She seemed curious about the team and what they were doing. They were building a house for a family who lost their house in the earthquake 2 years ago.

As the team got to work, I walked over to Wilda to talk with her. I asked her about herself. She is 24 years old, has a 18 month old son named Junior, and lives not far from where we were serving. She talked with me for a while that morning and watched as the team cleaned, knocked down remaining walls, and carried many blocks up a steep hill.

The next day, she showed up again but she was more talkative. For some reason, I asked her if she went to church and she said “No”. I asked if she had accepted Jesus into her life, she also answered “No”. My heart instantly ached for this woman and her son. I called Odne, my brother-in-law, over and had him talk to her about a church nearby that we had been attending. We invited her to come the following Sunday.

The last day the team was serving there, Wilda hopped in line with the team and helped them pass buckets of sand down another steep hill. She was talking with the team as much as she could and they loved her. As we were leaving, Wilda was not there, but we prayed for her anyways and at the meeting that night, we talked about her again. We prayed for her that night again. I know the team will remember her.

That Sunday, the church was packed. I didn't see Wilda come in, but when it was time for the visitors to introduce themselves, she stood up. The person talking with the visitors asked who she was and where she was from and if she had accepted Jesus into her life. She answered the first two questions easily. The third one, she hesitated on. He asked her if she would like to accept Jesus into her life right now. She said yes. Tears came to my eyes. I looked at Al and smiled. Praise God!

I exchanged numbers with Wilda and have been getting a few messages here and there. Tonight, I saw her around the community. I greeted her and she asked when we will be seeing each other again. I hope to see her and spend more time with her again soon.

It is interesting to me that even though Wilda and I live in neighboring communities, we wouldn't have met unless this team would have come. We wouldn't have met if the pastor in that community wouldn't have invited us to serve at this location. We wouldn't have met if I was placed at a different site that week. I am honored to have been a tool for God to use in this way. I don't take credit for myself, but rejoice that God is doing a great work.

May God continue to use me as we continue to serve with our teams in different communities for the next month or two. It is a beautiful thing God is doing and it is a privilege for me to be His servant here.   

Market Day!

Since we moved to Gressier in February, I have had to learn a lot of things like when it is the right time to buy food, what foods are "in season", and what day is market day in town.  If I want to buy chicken, I can't do it at 3 in the afternoon.  If I want to buy salad, I must do that before noon.  Potatoes don't really matter and fresh spices you can find almost any time.  It is mango season now, but not in the mountains or up north.  Avocado will be coming soon and it's always time for bananas.  When different things are in season, our menu will look different, but the market will always be the same.

Market days are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in Gressier and you can tell!  The street where the market gets set up is lined with merchants trying to sell their goods from fresh vegetables and fruits to frozen or fresh meats, from fresh spices to packaged ones, from huge bags of rice to packages of spaghetti and cans of milk.  You can find almost anything at the market if you go early.

On Saturday, we went to the market with Daniel, Almando's little brother.  He walked with me looking for chicken, onion, spices, and oranges while Al was on a mission to find all things needed for a fresh salad.  Daniel is a great negotiator.  We found a woman selling chicken and asked how much for two of the large pieces which could easily feed 3 people.  She told us we would pay 100 gourdes.  I thought that was a great price, but Daniel said (in Creole), "My dear..." and continued on negotiating.  She threw in an extra drumstick.

The same thing happened with the onions.  The lady started bagging them up and Daniel and Al both said, "Dear...those small ones?"  We ended up with so many for a low price we were able to share with Al's mom.  Carrot, garlic, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, limes, and oranges followed in the same fashion.  Almost all of them for a lower price than the original or extra for the same price.  All of them fresh!  Crisp sandwiches for lunch and a fabulous salad for supper.  Fantastic!

My goal is to be able to negotiate just like Daniel one day on my own.  To run down to the market and find what I need, get to know the sellers at the market and find the best prices.  Living and serving in a foreign country is a little different than living in the states for me, where even going to find food to put on the table is challenging, but praying that God would continue to help me learn and live and serve Him well here in Haiti!

All for His Glory!

Here we are...

Almando and I just delivered messages from a team in Washington to the kids they fell in love with while they were serving here in Haiti.  Seeing these relationships continue to grow and the kids light up when they hear the messages is such a blessing.  This is how partnership looks.  This is how lives are impacted, not just here, but in the states as well.  In fact, I have been thinking about that a lot lately as I look at how our time is divided up.  


I have found that our ministry has changed some to being a missionary not only to the people of Haiti-- working with pastors churches and orphanages-- but also being a missionary to the teams who come to serve as well! It sometimes surprises me--even though it shouldn't--how many of them leave changed and more in fire for God.  Helping them through the culture shock experience, assisting them to serve and learn as much as they can while they are here, and preparing them for their journey home is really rewarding! I find myself encouraging them to continue to minister when they return to the states because their mission trip doesn't end in Haiti.  It's just part of the mission that God has called them to. I pray that they remain changed and serve God more in the states now.


We have begun to encourage the pastors we work with and our in-country staff to share their stories and encourage the short-term missionaries to continue to grow in their faith and be bold in the US as well.  Almando and I are grateful that we are involved in such a ministry--encouraging pastors, church and community leaders, orphanage directors, teams, and our staff as well as many others to continue to serve the Lord well!  Praise God for giving us such an opportunity as this!  

Reflections

We just dropped our last team of the month off at the airport.  They had an early flight this morning.  These have been three different but great weeks.  I have discovered that each team and each week of ministry are very unique and have their own sets of joys and challenges!  God works through each of them in different ways and continues to surprise us with how He works and changes lives.

Our first week, we were at Life is Hope Orphanage and the team was very energetic and passionate about working and loving on kids.  They were a blessing to work with!  Our second week was spent moving a lot of blocks at Mariani to build the walls of the church.  The team was willing and determined to see progress in their work and in their relationships with the children and workers.  This last week was also spent at Mariani with a joy filled youth group who worked quickly to pass buckets of concrete to pour the columns in the walls of the church and took the time to love on the children.

Each week of ministry was a blessing.  Each team was a blast to work with.  God is truly amazing in bringing people together to accomplish His purposes.  All of this ministry is done under the guidance and leadership of the local church, so the partnership is always there--the Body of Christ truly coming together.

These were the first three of many trips Al and I will be leading this year.  We know that each one will have challenges and each one will be exactly as God wants it to be.  He is the One who is working here.  We are just serving Him.  How refreshing to remember that He is God!  He can do ALL things!

Friends, be praying for us as we continue to grow together.  Pray for us as we have a couple of days of rest before meeting with more pastors, churches, and organizations to make more partnerships and set up the trips for the summer.  Each season is exciting, but I am looking forward to hearing the vision that God has laid on each pastor's heart and talking about how a potential partnership could encourage them in that vision.  These next two weeks--before our next set of trips--are going to be exciting!  Pray that God would guide our conversations and our steps.  Pray that He would give us wisdom. He is God!

A Fantastic Finish!

We--me and Al--have been serving with a group from Living Faith Fellowship this week and it has been a great week getting to see God working!  Praise Him for His goodness.  Here is their last Trip Journal entry talking about the final hours of their final day of ministry serving at Life is Hope.  This is where I have been and what I have experienced!  Keep watching the trip journals for where we are at next week!  God is Good!

There was a brokenness in that room that could be felt. Walls in hearts being broken down, language barriers being broken down, and even pride being broken down. We knelt before each child to wash his feet. We knelt before the pastor and the staff. We prayed as we washed. We cried as we washed. Some of us washed the feet of the children we had become so attached to. Some of us washed the feet of those we just met. Some of us had messages from God for those precious children. Some of us simply wept.

They also wept. They knew the point. They knew the purpose. They cried openly. There was a brokenness. I watched as we took turns bringing children to the basins of water. I watched the tears fall. I heard the whispers of prayers. I heard the sobbing. I heard one of the older boys accept Jesus into his heart--he was one of many this week who gave their lives to Christ. I heard the worship in the distance as the children waited.

These were beautiful tears. I have never seen such a sight before. God was present in that room--in that place. This is how He led us to conclude our time at Life is Hope. This is how we did. God touched lives here. His Spirit was very present. His heart for these children was evident. He loves them all so much--and we got to show them just a small part!

Family, friends--thank you for your prayers. We know that they made a difference in how this week happened. In how open we were to God's leading. In how He chose to work! We praise Him for this! We pray that we will not forget these precious children. We hope that you remember them too! 

Hosting Guests: In our Home and In our Country

We hosted our first guests in our new home a week after we returned from our honeymoon. We excitedly prepared chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, and fresh squeezed orange juice. We cleaned the entire house and we were ready. Our day started early that morning because it was a Sunday and church started at 6am. By the time they arrived, we were tired. We welcomed them and gave them a tour of our new home. They were surprised at how quickly that house had been transformed into a home. We had some time to laugh and make connections between cultures and ministries. What a blessing to be able to have a place to host people.

These last couple of weeks have been overwhelming and restful at the same time. We have been busy working on our house, meeting with pastors, visiting the two orphanages we have partnerships with, and setting up ministry sites for teams who will start arriving on Saturday. Just when we started getting used to married life, we are hopping into a different “season”: Trip Leading Season.

In March alone, Praying Pelican Missions will be receiving over 140 short term missionaries in Haiti. We will be serving in 4 different communities and will be working with 4 different orphanages during this month.  Almando and I will start off leading a group of 33 people serving at Life is Hope Orphanage.  The Lord is really blessing this orphanage and all those who live there.  Stay tuned to see how things have progressed!  In the coming weeks, I will be working on blogging for our teams, so if I don't blog here, please check out the Praying Pelican Missions website to see what the teams we are leading are doing.  

Be praying for us as we are kickin' our life into overdrive.  Leading teams together will add a different dynamic to our marriage, so be praying that we continue to be completely centered on the Lord and what He wants for us!  We desire to give Him all the glory and point to Him every moment of every day.  He is so good to let us serve Him this way.  Pray for us as we host guests in our home and in our country!  For His glory!

New Chapter

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

I am once again beginning a new chapter in my life.  From now on, I will have a partner in all the adventures and plans and ministries God has in store for me!  That's right, everyone, on February 11, 2012, I married a wonderful man:  Almando Jean Louis.  We met in August, 2010, before this blog was even created, before I even felt called to Haiti.  God knew what He was doing when He brought me to serve Him here in Haiti.  He had more than ministry in mind, He had Al in mind.

The wedding was wonderful.  The week before was a little stressful, but the day was fabulous.  My family came down to experience a little bit of Haiti and celebrate our wedding with us.  It truly was a blessing.  We wanted our wedding to be focused on God because we want our life to always point to Him, so we included a time of worship--which we led together--at the end of our ceremony.  Worship was what brought us together in the first place.  The love and passion for our God is what drew us together.  And that is how we wanted to begin our life together--worshiping the God who worked in our lives to bring us to this: our marriage.

Looking back on that day, one of my favorite moments was when the doors opened and I saw the church all decorated for the first time.  I actually barely saw the decorations.  I looked down the aisle to the man I was going to marry.  I saw him before he saw me.  When he saw me, the excitement on his face and in his reaction made me laugh while I was walking towards him.  He threw his arms in the air and jumped off the "stage" and onto the floor where he greeted my dad with a HUGE hug!  I thought he was never going to let dad go!  We walked up the stairs together and thanked the Lord for this day...this love...this relationship.  What a wonderful experience.

The rest of the wedding was a mix between Haitian and American cultures, traditions, and languages.  God was with us.  Now we are looking forward to a lifetime of love and worship and serving the Lord together!  All for His Glory.  Always pointing to Him!  He is so good to us!

Friends, keep praying for us!  We are heading into several busy months of meeting with pastors, setting up trips, leading trips, and maintaining and growing relationships here in Haiti.  We will be needing your prayers and encouragement!

Fresh Look

Fresh look Setting up for teams to come is part of what I do here in Haiti. Teams expect to be well taken care of when they come with Praying Pelican Missions and have an opportunity to genuinely partner with a church while they serve. Besides the service side of things, we believe it is important to show the teams the beauty of Haiti.  One Saturday afternoon we decided to go on a hike to explore a possible "recreation" option for a team.  What we experienced was more than what we would have imagined. After driving through a very dry area of the country where almost everything was brown and through some very steep mountain roads, we got out of our cars as they could go no further. We were a little intimidated by the walk before us because it looked alike the great wall of china but straight up. That was just the beginning. We went up and down these steep hills, jumped over small rivers, climbed over a fallen tree, and balanced on a slippery block wall before reaching our destination: a cold spring flowing from the mountain.  The beauty of creation and the miracle of a spring in the desert made us repeatedly say and think, "wow, our God is amazing!" Surrounding the spring there is a community. A community almost untouched by the outside world. A community where transportation consists of walking or riding a donkey. A beautiful community. After wading in the water for a few minutes we began the hike back down the mountain. I saw a building that looked like a church and a man who looked like a pastor sitting next to it. I stopped to greet him.  He was the pastor of this church. We chatted for a few minutes and exchanged contact information. He expressed a desire to have missionaries come and help with his church and the school in the community.  I look forward to connecting with this pastor again soon to see if this would be a good place for a team to partner. To think that all of this was discovered because of a search for a beautiful "recreation" option. We were able to find a beautiful area, a new community, and maybe a new partnership. All for the glory of God!  Praise His Holy Name!

Back to Basics

Our new Praying Pelican Missions missionaries arrived three weeks ago:  Marlo will be here for one year, and Bethany will be here for four months.  Both of these young women have a passion for God and for children that inspires me! 


Some of the questions I was asked upon their arrival was "What are our goals?", "What exactly do we do?", and "What will our typical week look like?".  I have thought about this long and hard and decided that I should share my ideas and answers to these questions with you, my prayer warriors, supporters, and friends.


So...


What are our goals?
As Praying Pelican Missionaries, our main goal is to develop relationships with pastors, churches, communities, orphanage directors, children, and any one else who is placed in our path to learn about their history, vision, heart for ministry and encourage them in whatever way we can to achieve the vision that God has laid on their heart.  This means that we visit and pray for our different contacts, find new contacts, learn a lot about different areas, find where we can place teams, and figure out how we can best serve our pastors, leaders, and orphanage directors.  All of this we do for the glory of God.  


Sometimes we have more tangible goals we can reach on a daily basis, but, overall, this is what we do.


What exactly do we do?
We have been given the amazing opportunity to meet with and encourage pastors and leaders in Haiti.  When we are meeting with a pastor, we ask him about his history and about what God has laid on his heart.  We learn a lot before we do anything else.  We are beginning to write down the history for each pastor like a biography and also write down where he sees his ministry going.  This is an exciting part of the "job".  I have loved learning about these pastors.  We ask him how we could encourage him and explain to him who we, as Praying Pelican Missions, are. After building a relationship with the pastor, if the pastor desires, and it's a good fit, we offer to bring a mission team to partner with him in ministry. We work with the pastor to determine ways that the team can encourage him and his congregation as well as serve his community


Basically, we make sure our relationships with our partners are healthy, we develop new partnerships, and we work to encourage them in their ministry as much as possible.


What does a typical week look like?
Each of our weeks will look a little different.  Some weeks, we have teams, so we are leading them on their mission.  Some weeks, we are doing set up for the big mission season coming up--which includes finding lodging, transportation, cooks, and effective ministry for our teams.  Some weeks, we are visiting our current partners to see how ministry is going, asking them follow up questions, and learning more about them.  


We have different weeks, but we are typically pretty busy with everything that is going on.


I think it is so exciting to know so many different men and women of God doing so many wonderful things and being able to just learn from them, be inspired, and pray for them.  Maybe God will even allow me to be  in some way involved in their ministry from time to time.  What an exciting life and ministry.  I am again humbled and blessed to be where I am doing what I am doing.  


I am so glad Marlo and Bethany stopped and asked me these questions so I could reflect on how God has chosen to use me.  I am so glad He has chosen me.  I am so blessed.  


And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.--Hebrews 10:25

I Remember that Day.

When the earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, 2010 that left thousands and thousands of people dead, many more people injured, and a city filled with the dust of collapsed buildings I wasn't there.  I remember that day.  I remember getting a call from my boss.  I remember talking to my co-worker and friend, Jim, who had connections in Haiti.  I remember hearing from my grandpa that my missionary relatives in Haiti were okay.  I remember that day.  I remember it well.  I didn't know how much that day would change my life.  I didn't think it would really affect me.  But it did.

Praying Pelican Missions was praying about opening a new country in 2011:  Haiti.  The organization hadn't served in Haiti before the earthquake at all, but, after much prayer, we decided to move forward in planning trips the July of 2010.  A year earlier than we thought.  I volunteered to go help lead groups in Haiti in August that year.  I didn't know that God would call me to this place.  I had already been in Belize and Jamaica that spring and summer and I was ready to be home for a while, but it was time to go to Haiti.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, January 13, 2012

In those first days here, I found a great friend in Almando Jean Louis who is now my fiance.  He was here when that earthquake hit.  He has a story about that day.  He was spared along with his family on that day.  I've heard him tell the story several times.  I've heard him talk of the dust and the hope after the dust settled.  I've heard him talk about the fear people had and still have two years later of falling concrete.

I didn't think that January 12, 2010 would still have an impact on me, but it does.  It really does.  As I have been living in Haiti for a while now, each of my friends here have a story from that day.  Most of them were here. Almost all of them lost someone.  I remember that day, so do they.

January 12, 2012 marked the second anniversary of the earthquake and it was a day when shops and schools were closed and 4,000-5,000 people were remembering that day and praising the Lord for the life they have been given.  We heard testimonies of the rescued.  We heard shouts of praise to the King of Kings.

That day will be remembered for a long time.  That day will continue to impact the people of Haiti.  I remember that day.

Random Thoughts I'd Like to Share

I have been having a lot of random thoughts lately and would like to share some with you as I have experienced life here in Haiti.

1. I've always wondered why missionary women tend to braid their hair.  I still don't really know, but I braid my hair often--it adds a little variety to a ponytail.
2. The chill in the air here in the evening, night, and early morning combined with the heat of the day really reminds me of a Minnesota early fall or late spring--no frost here though.
3. Almost everyone here gets a cough during the winter months because of the lack of rain.  It is really dusty.  Even the trees aren't as green, but it's cool so a lot of people enjoy it.
4. You can recognize a taxi by a red ribbon hanging from the rear-view mirror.  Good to know in downtown Port.
5. Waiting for 3 hours at a hospital is sometimes frustrating--especially after the doctor I was waiting for was in his office the whole time, but the relief of finally getting what I need far out-weighs the frustration with JOY!
6. Living with a family in Haiti is the best thing I could have done for the past several months.  They have adopted me and I have had a chance to learn what living in Haiti really looks like.
7. I may be gone all day long, but only get couple of little things done.  Those little things MUST be looked at as important little things because they ARE.  They just take a lot of time to get done.
8. Planning and preparing for too many things at once can be overwhelming.  Remembering that GOD is in control is KEY!
9. When a small child on a tap tap turns to me and says "Blanc, wi?" (meaning "White Person, yes?"), I can't help but smile!  As the child turns to get off the tap tap and says "Orevwa, Blan."  I don't have a choice.  A smile, a wave, and a laugh is sure to follow.
10. My favorite part of church has been when the whole church is worshiping and praising and suddenly, the power cuts out.  All that can be heard are the 3,000 voices singing praises to the Lord!  It's amazing!  It's beautiful!  I love it!

Praise the Lord for random thoughts.  For all the things I am learning.  For all the things He is teaching me.  For how He chooses to use me.  And that He calls me His child.  I am so blessed!