Sorry it’s been awhile since I blogged. I’ve had a chance to reflect a bit and write out some of my thoughts. Make sure you read all the way to the end – there’s pictures at the end!!
As you know I went out with a Ft. Lauderdale team to Maniche. I had been really discouraged about the language barrier. Yes I was born in Haiti, but I had missionary friends. It didn’t help that I was really shy. On the contrary I still can get around and I know more than people think I do, but there is a limit to what I know. Being younger then I didn’t really see the need nor have the desire to understand and speak the language. Now being a little older and wanting to have a closer and deeper relationship with the Haitian people, I’m trying to soak up the language as fast as I can before I leave. Thankfully I have awesome Godly people helping me in the RMI missionary and national staff. They haven’t given up yet! Sad to say that I only have two more weeks left in Haiti to keep practicing, but I’m very excited to get back home and practice it with a college friend named Petey who is Haitian American.
I’ve been able to get close with each team and have learned many things with each one. The first team I went out on and got to know is the team from Estero near my home area and their sister church is called Cherette. I learned that God can use anyone and anything for His glory or to encourage a fallen spirit. There were many there on that team looking to impact, encourage and have a new beginning and personally I think everyone did find a little of it all.
There was a church here on the mission center helping build houses with RMI the same week from New Jersey. I learned from them that hard work is necessary to get the project done. They worked so hard and got so much done with the project. In four and a half days, they figured out how to put one together then took it apart and started to make jigs for the next team.
The next week there was a team from Des Moines, Washington. They were also working on the housing project. They worked hard and got the job done! But that’s not what I learned from that team. I learned many animal stories and how to be inspired. God inspired me to pursue Him and His Word, and He also inspired others around me to pursue Him and His people. I also learned a lot about what people believe about the “Historical Jesus” and the “Christ of Faith”. I’m reading a book called A New Perspective on Jesus by Charles Stanley. It’s definitely a hard read for me so I asked the pastor on the team some questions about it. He explained a lot about the topics “Historical Jesus” and “Christ of Faith” and what people believe about them. It was very insightful and helpful!
Then came the Maniche Sister Church. A shout out to JUDY MANGO!!!!! She really likes mangos. We had some good laughs. The team was fun and has great people involved. We all had fun painting the church together. Yeah oil based paint - just guess how many half white and half black kids were running around. Ha-ha But I’m glad there was enough paint thinner to go around. Special shout out to John. He stayed with the project all the way through. We all sort of quit after a few hours in that sun. I taught the kids how to play Ninja Warrior. It’s a game that I learned in college. You stand still and at the count of three you make a funny pose. When it’s your turn you try to hit the other person’s hand so you’re the last man standing, but the funny part is when you strike you have to freeze if you miss or not. So as you can imagine there were some pretty funny positions. Good Times! Even when we didn’t have time to play with the younger ones we saw them trying to play with each other later on their own. It was the cutest thing ever. Later on we found a few minutes to a play with them so that was really fun. I know we impacted those young people and kids by giving hope and love to them. Showing God’s love to them. Their smiles and laughs were all I needed to know that God is working in their lives through us. Hope goes a long way when there seems to be none. The Ladies tea was the exact same. We served them yummy treats and played a game with them. They sang to us and we danced together. We got to bless them with gifts. We got to shower them with love and compassion. We gave them a break and let them be kids again. You could see the stars in their eyes while they sang for us. You could see the fireworks go off playing the game. The Haitian women don’t have too much time for fun or relaxing so for us to serve them is beyond humbling. The ladies teas for teams are my favorite beyond comparison so far to anything I’ve done. It was sad to say goodbye to the team on Friday, but they are new found friends. I can’t wait to keep up all the new relationships I have formed over these five weeks!
Since I’ve been back at the mission center I’ve been helping with Hope for Kids. Today we had church then the Thompsons and I went to the beach! The forecast looked horrible but we went anyway. It didn’t rain at all when we were there. It was pretty dark over cast and windy but I still had a lobster meal, snorkeled, and went shell hunting! It was a lot of fun to get to know Rob and Becky and the kids better also! Then when I got home I played dominos with Gary and Marilyn, had dinner and watched a movie. What a hard life of a missionary. HAHA ;)
I have about two more weeks left in Haiti. I’m stationed at the mission center for now but Saturday I will go out with another team from Lafayette, LA to their Sister Church in Picot. I’ve been to this church a lot so it’ll be cool to see how much it has grown in the past four years. Tomorrow I’m heading to take pictures for Hope for Kids at a school about two and half hours away. So I’m getting up early but should be back by lunch! Pray that we keep safe…
Here are some pictures!
Sharing some scripture at one of the Ladies’ Teas.
Getting some work done!
I LOVE the Haitian food!
Taking a couple of team members for a ride.
Your sister in Christ,
D
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