My First Christmas in Haiti

Christmas is a time to remember the great gift that God have to us in sending His Son, Jesus, to this world to save us. For this, I am so grateful! How people recognize this around the world is different.

Some say to fail to plan is to plan to fail, but I have learned that this is both true and false during my first Christmas in Haiti. Let me tell you how...

The night before Christmas Eve Day, Al and I made a plan that would include me spending time with his family while he stayed in town to fulfill his obligations. We would potentially meet up later to spend the evening together. Neither happened. This plan failed. What happened instead was even better.

Because of transportation problems, I had to scramble to find a way to Al's uncle's house. I finally walked down with Jose who got a message that choir practice had been cancelled- one of Al's obligations. I called him and plans changed. We both went out to Gressier-bwhere his family lives and where we will live in a couple of months-and spent most of the day framing the ceiling and a door. We really enjoy working together and had a great time that day.  Sometimes plans change for the better!

The evening plans changed too. We didn't plan to go to a gift exchange for Al's prayer group, but we did and had a great time. We didn't plan on talking on the roof with Al's cousin dancing around, but we did and enjoyed our conversation. We planned on getting ice cream, but it was really busy-this just gives us an excuse to get ice cream another time.

Sometimes to plan is to fail (the plan failed, but we still had a great day!), but what happened on Christmas Day shows that to fail to plan is to fail as well.

I woke up early again on Christmas morning. Church was going to start at 7 instead of 6, so I had a little more time to sleep. It lasted until 11. It was really great though. The leader that day was a great friend of Al's, so it was fun to see someone I knew up there. Al didn't have appropriate shoes for church, so he wasn't able to come. I went home after church.

It was like any other Sunday. We ate, we talked, we rested, we worked some. I felt lonely and wanted Christmas to be special, but failed to plan. There was no special meal or music or gifts. It was just different.  Those things aren't the point anyways are they?  I brought my Bible into Jose's room and read her the Christmas story in Creole. I explained to her that my dad would recite it every Christmas. I guess I should try to memorize it in creole so i can recite it year after year too. My family called later that night and it was good to hear from them.

My first Christmas in Haiti wasn't what I expected or what I was used to, but I did learn that flexibility is key when you make a plan or when you don't make a plan. That's not really what Christmas is about though, is it?  Christmas is a time to remember the great gift that God have to us in sending His Son, Jesus, to this world to save us.

And That's Okay!

The permanency of my life in Haiti is becoming a reality.  I wake up in the mornings early to the sound of brooms swishing on cement, dishes clinking while being washed, and names being called from across the house to bring this or that here or there.  After I brush my teeth, I finish getting ready--usually braiding or twisting my hair, applying sunscreen to the tops of my ears and face, putting on another colorful skirt and t-shirt or blouse--before sitting down at the table for my sweet, thick cup of coffee.  I read, pray, and write while the bustle of the day swells around me and I notice that Pastor Samson is just about ready to go.

Today, this is exactly how my morning went.  Most mornings do.  However, this morning I realized, again, that this is my reality.  This is my life.  I am far from the family that I love, the place I grew up, and the traditions that I have been accustomed to.  So, this morning, I missed  my family in the states.  I missed them so much that there were rain drops--big ones--falling from my eyes.  I spent some time praying and asking God to give me His peace and comfort.  The peace and comfort that can only come from Him.  He does give comfort, cut what I realized today is that it is okay to miss my family sometimes.  It's okay in the midst of the busyness of ministry, life, and learning in Haiti to cry sometimes.  It's okay.

I knew for a long time that I was going to have a different life than many would expect.  I knew I probably wouldn't be living near my family.  I knew that it would probably hard to leave it all behind.  I was right.  It is hard.  And that's okay!

I look forward to many years of serving the Lord in Haiti alongside my soon-to-be husband as well as trusting the Lord that He will take care of us totally and completely.  I know that He will lead and guide us as we lean on Him.  I know that He has called us together.  And that's more than okay.

"I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted."  Job 42:2  That means even when it's hard.  That means even if I cry sometimes.  That means even in the big things.  That means even in the little things.  I KNOW THAT GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS.  And that's excellent.

The Building Could Not Contain the Praise

It almost sounded muffled in that high ceilinged church.  Not muffled because things were quiet and still.  Muffled because the room could not contain the sound of the two thousand people of God singing His praises.  There was music. There was singing. There was dancing with joy before the Lord.  I couldn't hear them, but I am sure the angels were rejoicing with us.

It seemed as though the building was going to explode!  I thought my heart would too as I sang along with the songs I knew and listened carefully while the church sang.  Echoes of "hallelujah" and "Mesi Jezi" filled the air.  This went on for almost two hours before the preacher came forward and preached.   Hands were often raised and "Amen" was shouted out frequently.  I believe God was glorified in this night.  In each night.

This is what happens during a conference night at Cote Plage.  This particular conference is happening every night at 5pm from December 4th until the 31st.  I have gone two nights so far and both nights have been incredible.  Worship, praise, dancing, singing, clapping, shouting, preaching, praying, and listening to God's Word preached is a great way to spend an evening.   Now, that's amazing.

What a welcome!

Tuesday morning I arrived in Haiti.  Almando met me at the airport and we wasted no time jumping back into ministry.  We visited Life is Hope orphanage and checked in with Pastor Jean.  He was glad to see us.  The kids looked happy and well so that was refreshing to see.  We were back in Carrefour before noon.  Busy morning! The house I have been calling home was getting a facelift when we arrived there.  Several men from the church were painting and at noon they all took a prayer break.  Al and I joined them.  I felt so at home again with the scripture reading and prayer and singing.  I don't know how long that time lasted, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Yesterday, we visited Haiti Christian Orphanage.  The boys were so happy and excited to have us around.  We met with Pastor Rick about visiting more often and he was glad to know we would be around.   All the traveling in the last couple of days has really made me need more sleep at night, so I was showered and in bed by 8 pm last night and am still feeling I need more sleep in the coming days. We are looking forward to many more visits in the coming weeks with both Haiti Christian Orphanage and Life is Hope Orphanage as well as many churches and pastors around in the area.  It really is amazing how much there is to do and how God really has opened doors for us to be involved!  It is all for His glory!

Ordering Orange Juice and Other Blessings

The 24 hours before I travel always seem to be some of the most stressful hours I experience.  The 24 hours before I left Minnesota today were no exception.  Yesterday was going to be a busy day.  I began the day early because I couldn't sleep.  I decided to write thank you cards and put Christmas music on my iPod--both good things.  A great way to start my morning.  Going to church was refreshing and then I got to mom and dad's.

We were going to be celebrating Christmas as a family prior to my leaving, so yesterday was that day.  I, being the procrastinator that I am, had everything laid out that I needed to pack, but hadn't put it in my suitcase.  I rushed to the kitchen to gather my remaining various electrical cords and proceeded to knock my iPod off the counter.  It shattered on impact.  This little gadget is super helpful for work and communicating with people while I am in Haiti.  I was super bummed, but somehow--by some miracle, I got it replaced before dinner.  I'm gonna say that was a huge blessing from God.

Later, after a fantastic time of food, fun, and fellowship with the family and some emotional goodbyes, I found that I couldn't find my passport.  Uh-oh.  That's a frustrating and stressful thing--especially when I thought I knew where it was.  For the calm of some fabulous family members and the sorting through all of my stuff, I am truly grateful.  They looked in places I wouldn't have thought of, then Josiah--my new brother-in-law--found it in a notebook. I have no idea how it got there, but I do know that I am glad we found it.  Another HUGE blessing!

So, this brings me to today.  After another almost sleepless night (even though I went to bed around 10:30, it was around 3:10 am when I prayed to have just one good hour of sleep), I woke up early and finished things up and headed out the door with my dad.  It was time to go.  Hours of driving and running errands ended at the airport when I said my last goodbye to the best dad a girl could ask for.  He walked me in and carried my luggage--one bag weighing in at 43 pounds and the other at exactly 50.  He even had to carry my pink coat that I left behind as he walked back to the truck.  I am blessed.  Thank you, God.

I checked my facebook from the airport and a friend who I hadn't seen in over 5 years was at the airport at the same time.  We got to talk for a while and reflected on how God truly does lead us to where we need to go.  With me, it is Haiti.  With her, it is Texas.  What a blessing to be able to share some down time with a friend from so long ago and see how God has worked in our lives.

To the orange juice.  God blessed me with some amazing sleep on the airplane.  I got on, sat down, and promptly fell asleep.  I don't remember taking off.  I don't remember landing.  I do remember ordering orange juice and falling back to sleep before the flight attendant could hand it to me.  She had to practically shake me awake to get me to take it.  I drank it quickly and was sleeping again.  I remember little else.  When you have had the 24 hours I have had, that kind of sleep on an airplane is a HUGE blessing--even if I probably shouldn't have ordered orange juice in the first place.  I am glad it is what I remember from my flight.

God pours out blessings in big things and in little things.  I am so glad He does.  I am looking forward, now, to arriving in Haiti tomorrow morning and jumping into ministry and life.  I still can't believe that this is my life.  This is what it looks like.  This is what God has called me too.  He doesn't need us.  He just chooses to use sinners to serve Him and somehow make His name great!  I am praying that I will seek Him more, love Him more, and serve Him more each day.

Culture Shock Included

One would think that with all the travelling I have done in the past that I would be used to the differences between here (wherever here is) and there (wherever there is), but I'm not.  It started in Trinidad.  The year was 2002 and I was on a "worship" focused mission trip.  I was there for 10 days, but during those days my life changed forever.  I realized then that I was humbled that God would choose to use me and blessed that God would choose to use me.  Humbled and Blessed.  Those two words have stuck in my mind a lot lately.

In leaving Trinidad that first time, I experienced reverse culture shock for the first time.  I became angry and bitter and didn't know why.  I was angry at myself, angry at my culture, angry that I had to leave a culture and people I had come to know a little bit a love a lot.  For the next six months I struggled with this.  Since then I have been serving in several different cultures for a variety of time periods.  For some reason, the coming and going doesn't get easier with time.

I've been in the states for just under a month now.  I am heading back to Haiti in exactly two weeks.  Even though I have only been here a short time, culture shock is in full swing.  Not so much anger this time, but confusion.  My two worlds and homes are different.  I love them both.  My heart aches to be in Haiti, then my heart aches when I think about leaving my family.  Both homes feel normal to me and loving and welcoming.

God has called me to a different life with culture shock included.  I know that God will continue to give me the strength to face the different aspects of culture shock.  He didn't say that this life would be easy, but being in the center of His will is so worth it.  God is always with me, no matter where I go.  He can do all things, even when I can't.

What a blessing to know all these truths!  I can't wait to see what He has planned for me in the next two weeks and when I return to Haiti!  He is at work.  I know He is great!

God will Provide.

My grandfather passed away almost four months ago now.  He was a great man of prayer and had an unshakable faith.  He had some tough times in the last 10 years of his life.  He lost his wife, Carol, to cancer, he had heart surgery a few months later, and finally he had pulmonary fibrosis which claimed his life.  His faith--he never lost that.

The Sunday before he went to be with the Lord, I went to visit him.  We talked about the sermon that morning, about my upcoming trip to Colorado, and about my ministry.  I was back in the states for a couple of months and I was really struggling with culture shock and wrapping my mind around what it looks like to be a missionary on stateside for a while.

One of the things I remember most about that conversation involved support.  Grandpa asked me how my support raising was going.  I answered with this:  "It's difficult...but I know God will provide...somehow?"  Grandpa looked at me very seriously and told me that I had to get rid of the "somehow" and "question mark" in my sentence.  I need to be confident in this:  God WILL provide.

Since then, God has continued to prove Himself faithful and my grandpa's advice stays with me.  I remember that God WILL provide for every need--every day.  I just have to remember to trust in the Lord and have unshakable faith like Grandpa.  And know.  God will provide.