A Whirlwind Weekend...

I’m back from my trip to Haiti. What a whirlwind! It felt like I was gone for a week and not four days. That’s not a bad thing- the days were so long and full…We had an amazing time. God did “immeasurably above and beyond” what we ever thought possible.

Here are the highlights:

1. Our flights were smooth and all of our luggage made it and was transferred to the right people (we were bringing some bags down for another mission).


2. The road out to Pestel was so bumpy. Potholes everywhere…more like craters! We didn’t have far to go but could only travel at about 10 miles/hr- so it was slow going! Thank goodness it was dark when we were driving or we would have seen that we were driving very close to the edge of the mountain! Yikes!

3. The place we stayed was quite comfortable. My dad and I shared a room- He was very patient to go outside with me every time I had to use the outhouse. I was afraid that someone would walk in on me while I was “occupied”.

4. It was great to be in Haiti with my dad- he was such a good sport with trying new foods, surviving the bumpy roads and meeting so many people. He seemed to really have a good time. It was especially good to have him along as he offered a lot of wisdom and advice throughout the trip.

5. Our land is HUGE. It is just a minute’s walk from where we stayed. Initially, I saw a small rectangle piece and thought that was all we had. It was small but larger than I was expecting. We started to explore the land and discovered that our piece kept going and going. We purchased it for such a small price and received such a huge plot! The area in front will be perfect for a sports field!

6. Our meeting was a huge success. We had invited 19 pastors and school administrators. We prayed that we would have 10 show up. We were stunned when the room was packed with over 40 men and women. Some even came from other villages in the county to hear our presentation. They were so happy to hear our plans and offered a lot of suggestions and ideas. One particular man was a huge encouragement to me as he said that he knew we were doing this project for no self-gain but because God wanted us to! I was so glad that they “got it”. Another young man specifically asked me if we would hold children’s Bible clubs. This is my heartbeat and I was so happy to be able to tell him that we would not only hold clubs but train the teachers to conduct the clubs too.

7. The trip was full of new experiences- I was able to visit a number of communities that I had never been too. It was so beautiful and each place was unique.

8. I was able to visit with a number of friends from PWH and that was an incredible blessing. My sponsored children came to see me- and I loved seeing them and especially seeing my little girl in the clothes I had bought her.

9. God orchestrated a “chance” meeting (though there are no chances with God!) with a pastor that I have a huge amount of respect for. He offered a lot of wisdom regarding ministry and personal things. It was defiantly the highlight of the weekend.

10. And last but not least- I was able to spend the weekend with my two closest Haitian friends. They were our constant companions- took such good care of us too. We laughed so much and truly enjoyed each other’s company. I miss them so much!

Thank you all for your prayers! There is a lot to do now- surveying the land, final paperwork on the land, fundraising, choosing representatives from the village to work with us, meeting with our Advisory Council…so much to do. Pray for us.
Love to you all…

Prayer Requests- 3.23-3.26

I can’t believe I’m headed to Haiti next week!  I’ve been busy packing supplies today and it is getting me excited.  Along with the excitement is a bit of anxiety- as these meetings and contacts are crucial.  Below is an email I sent out to friends about the trip.  Please be praying for us!


Dear Friends-
It has been a few months since I've updated you on the ministry I am now working with.  I am so excited to share with you what God is doing!  For those of you who are not aware, I recently co-founded a non-profit ministry with a Haitian man here in Stamford- H.O.P.E. Mission International.  We have chosen to begin our work in Pestel, Haiti.  Our first project will meet a crucial need in the community and it is one that the community cannot provide for themselves. Our plan is to build a community library and youth center.  The library will enable students, teachers and pastors to access materials that they would not be able to otherwise.  We also envision using the facility to hold weekly Bible clubs for the youth and Bible studies for the adults.  This building will be used as a tool to meet needs in the community and ultimately share the gospel of Christ.
 
The reason I am writing now is to ask for you to pray specifically for us over the next two weeks.  We have desired to take a trip to Pestel for some time and anticipated going this summer.  But God has seen fit to orchestrate a trip this month- March 23-26th.  We have two goals for this survey trip.  One, to meet with the local pastors and school administrators to share our project with them.  This meeting will allow us time to get to know them and vice-versa as well as get a feel for the community needs.  Second, we will also be checking out the land we recently purchased and researching building materials/costs. 
 
Below are some specific prayer requests for you to pray about:
 
1.  An invitation to this meeting will be delivered by hand to 19 pastors and school directors next week.  Pray that they will receive it without incident and will be encouraged and excited about the project.  Pray that at least 10 are able to attend the meeting (Meeting to be held 4pm- 24th).
 
2.  Pray that there will be no opposition to the project proposal- but that all will be encouraged by its prospect.  Pray that God would be raising up those He wants to be involved. 
 
3.  For safety as we travel- in the air and on land.  We will be driving 5 hrs west of Port-au- Prince to a rural community.  Pray we have no problems with our rented vehicle.
 
4.  That God would have us connect with the people of HIS choosing while in Pestel.  That we will be sensitive to His leading and have wisdom.  Pray that a Godly man will come forward to be our contact person in Pestel and that he would be honorable and trustworthy.
 
5.  That our visit would be an encouragement to the pastors and believers in the community.  That they would not feel threatened by our project but instead will begin praying for it and seeking ways to participate. 
 
6.  Most importantly, that we would be where God wants us, when He wants us to be there and connecting to the people He wants us to connect with.  That we will be sensitive to His leading and direction.

Withdrawal...

It’s been 11 months since I’ve been to Haiti. Talk about having withdrawals. I miss it so much I have to “chat it up” with all the Haitians that work at the local grocery store in Stamford- just to get a tiny taste. In August, I traveled to the Dominican Republic and worked with Haitians in the sugarcane bateys- and it was an unique adventure but just not the same as being in Haiti. My reason for not traveling to Haiti has not been for lack of desire but due to the political unrest and wave of kidnappings throughout the last year. Thankfully, the atmosphere is much more peaceful due to the recent elections.

Finally- I am heading back to Haiti! I’ll be leaving in 3 weeks for a four day trip. It will be short but hopefully productive. We will be traveling to Pestel to meet with the local pastors and school administrators to discuss the community library and youth center project. We will also be surveying our land and gathering information about building materials. This trip is so important in preparing the foundation of our ministry.

The best part… My dad is coming with me! It has been my hope that members of my family could join me on a trip and see this country that I have fallen in love with. And now it’s happening. And, I think he is excited to go (I can’t tell…but you never can with him!).

As the dates approach, I’ll share more specific prayer requests- but I do ask that all of you pray about this. There are a lot of logistical items that need to be worked out before our departure. Pestel is very rural and communication is not easy. Also, pray as we plan out our presentation and “plan of attack”.

I’m so excited…I think I’ll start packing!