a thousand words

I dont have a lot to say for this post, nothing actually. I simply wanted you to see all these beautiful faces that say so much more than I can about what God is doing in Haiti.

Take a peek! And pray for these sweet sweet children.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/In_Pictures/photos/greta_home_and_academy/

ready freddy

“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Amos 5:24

The countdown clock is still ticking. I officially have 43 days until my feet touch Haitian soil. I finally finished my monstrous stack of paper work and have begun the immunization process. (only 2 shots, 2 pills, and 7 months’ worth of malaria pills to go)

This weekend marked the dedication and opening of the Greta Home and Academy. I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to be down there, to see those sweet faces run into their new home for the first time. Thanks to our broadcast team, I was able to see a smidge of it. You can watch it here http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/haiti_orphanage/

Watching this video not only brought me to tears but strengthened the growing anticipation I have to be in Haiti. With each beautiful brown face I saw, another fear I had about the move vanished. It has been such a perspective check as I weigh the things that will be challenging, that I will miss in the states, to the lives I will get to be a part of.

I don’t know if you have ever moved to a foreign country or done anything that was new and challenging. I am sure you have, everyone has dreams and the Lord allows us all to take part in bright and beautiful things. For me, the first month of this dream coming to reality has been a whirlwind. I could only think about logistics. My brain didn’t even begin to factor in everything I would be doing. It wasn’t until a service a few Sunday’s ago. Pastor had us praying 4, really 5 prayers because of a 2b prayer. His last one, our commitment to laboring so that others may know the love of God, his glory in them, his purpose and plan for their hearts hit me. It like really hit me. I crumbled thinking of the kids I was about to spread the Holy Spirit to. Crazy thought- Jesus is using me to show children in another country his love. What?! That is crazy. But not. It’s what I have prayed for and desired for so long. I guess the crazy part is that it’s happening, right now, not like 10 years from now when I am married and my life is ‘together’ News flash: we don’t have to have all our stuff together and spiritual ducks in a row for God to fulfill dreams in our life, or better yet use us for His kingdom. Isnt that wild?

Back from my tangent, if I even had a point to begin with, Jesus is really beginning to show me the impact of what I will be doing in Haiti. And its really only because of him. I wouldn’t want to go without Him.

When I tell people I am moving to Haiti, I usually receive the same response…”Oh Haiti? Wow, they really need help. They will always be so poor and destroyed.” As overwhelming as that sounds, I don’t believe it for a second. Yes, the statistics, disease and poverty of Haiti are staggering BUT Jesus. But Jesus wants to heal and restore them. But Jesus wants to bring justice (“like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream”) to this nation. But Jesus is sending people, like myself, like so many others, to bring his power love authority healing compassion and spirit to the people. Please join me in saying and praying the right things about this country- that blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are those who thirst for they shall be filled, that this nation is healed, the people are coming to know him and there is always hope.

Thanks for your support, questions, excitement and prayers. I could also use a mosquito net, bug spray, backpack and 6 months of shampoo. Just kidding, that’s what Santa is for.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and stops to pray for the 80 children who just received a home for the holidays. Pray that they would also receive the love and abiding presence of Jesus this year.

Jwayeu Nwèl!

i am moving to haiti

Hello hello. You may or may not know this by know but, I am moving to Haiti. In January. It sounds crazy even to me but really incredible at the same time. It seems like forever ago that I was blogging about a trip to India to work at orphanages and now only 6 months later I'm back at it, doing something really only Jesus knew I would be doing. And maybe Gracie, she usually knows these things.

I will start off with the basics, the 411 of what I will be doing. On January 30th I will land in Haiti and after a month of touring the Samaritan's Purse field offices and projects (FYI my job is through SP) I will make my way to a city called Leogane. Here I will be living and working at the Greta Home and Academy. In case you don't know anything about this, which most people don't, I didn't, Greta Van Susteren is a Fox News reporter who helped start, build and fund this orphanage that recently opened in April. They now have a little under 70 children living there and attending the on site academy.

With the Greta Home I will be working with the director doing a few things:

1. teaching English...I am NOT a teacher, but I do know English, so it should go pretty well.
2. working to develop programs, efficiency, sunday schools, and organization for the home. In other words, being my administrative, organized self.

I am sure there is a lot more that I don't even have a clue about right now but that for now is how I understand my job role to be.

I am currently freaking out. In a good way. Its like the anticipation you have before you go on a roller coaster you've never ridden. You are really excited and ready but the anticipation and the unknown gets you. And there are so many unknowns. I wonder what it will be like in Haiti, who I will meet, what the kids will be like, or the food, or the spiders (dear Lord please help me) or the electricity/lack there of and all the things I will learn, about Haiti, living overseas, the people, my heart, Jesus, what Jesus wants to do in Haiti....the list goes on and on... and on and usually starts when I wake up and continues until I fall asleep.

All that to say I don't get much sleep at night and Im really really excited. I am so thankful that Jesus wants me to do this, that he has made the way for it to happen and that he is going with me. I remember journaling in July after I went to the Philippines about being ready for this part of my life, for what I knew ultimately was going to happen and it is absolutely surreal that it is happening.

That is a mouthful for now. 53 days seems like a lot but I'm sure it will fly by and in the meantime I will have plenty to process here.

Pray for me!