Haiti - Day 1 - First glimpse

Wow, what a week! It is nice to be home and to be able to rest, but it is so bittersweet. 

We miss our new brothers and sisters and we even miss the heat (I've been cold since I've been back!) But most of all, we miss all the hard work - - - God's work. 

Thank goodness we have plenty to do right here until the next journey!

Haiti is an amazingly beautiful country, with beautiful people and hearts to match. We will never forget our time there and hope to see our friends again in the future. Thank you all for praying us through this trip, we could feel God's protection and strength all around us as we worked throughout the week.  We will give you an over view, day by day, of our week. Most of this is coming straight from a journal I kept while in Haiti. Enjoy!

Day 1 - Saturday 6/2/2012

Today was wonderful, stressful, exhausting, and exciting all at the same time. Maybe it was waking up so early (1:30 AM), being on 2 planes, in 3 airports, worried that anything I ate could ruin the rest of the day,  or maybe it was the realization of my complete lack of ability.
Praise God that I am not required to be able or worthy to do His work - because I would fail every time.  I try to make this feeling allow me to focus on God more, to rely on him, to trust him and obey, because it is easy to feel so depressed - like you can't possibly handle any of the tasks at hand, or that you're completely powerless.  I have thought many times today "I don't know if I could do this everyday, long term, different places/climates/food all the time. Is my heart strong enough? Is my faith deep enough? Do I know what I'm doing?" and the resounding answer is "NO!" none of the above... but my God is more than strong enough to make up for all of my shortcomings. All he needs is a willing and obedient heart - That I can do.

Today started early, 4 AM call time to be at the church and ready to go. Neil was the first one there, and Brandon and I were 2nd! (Yay for not being late!) The next car to pull up was such a surprise and blessing. John and Jackie Fry (whose life is a miracle and testimony itself) came to pray with us and see us off! This is what the church is for! Jackie's faithfulness and presence continue to awe and inspire me to deepen my own relationship with God. (Which is exactly why I prayed for complete restoration and healing after the accident. I, among many, have SO much to learn from this strong woman of God! Praise Him that she is doing so well!!!)

We arrived at the airport early and Rachel switched with me so I could sit next to Brandon on the plane to Miami. I am so glad she did because we were able to meet Lindsay. She is a beautiful 23 year old girl who went to Shiloh High School and graduated the year after me (in my same school district)! She is in law school at UGA and wants to become a diplomat and eventually an ambassador. She is fluent in Spanish and is teaching herself french! Her grandparents were actually born and lived in Haiti and moved to the USA where her parents grew up and raised her and her family. She has never been to Haiti before. She was on her way to an internship in the Dominican Republic. She wanted to visit Haiti while she was in the DR, but her mentors told her it wasn't a good idea, her family being Haitian, and the issues with border control between the two countries. We talked a lot about missions, and about faith. She said she appreciated how Brandon and I spoke to her about our faith and our call to missions. I pray that she will find her heart for God again, that she will not let the negative opinions about 'church' dictate her future. If she got nothing else from our discussion, I pray the Holy Spirit reminded her that she is responsible for her own relationship with our Heavenly Father and that she is so useful to the Kingdom. She has a heart full of passion and love and desires to help people. I pray, Lord, that you will keep Lindsay safe during her 10 week stay in the DR and that you lead her down your path and that she may listen to your voice. Thank you for letting us meet Lindsay.

We had a layover in Miami and were able to get something to eat. I was scared to eat anything big, as I knew in about 4 hours the heat would be overwhelming. I ended up eating Wendy's french fries and Brandon got some pizza. (of course he's never worried about anything like that!)

When we got on the plane from Miami to Haiti, I was alone on my little row all the way up until the last 2 people I saw boarding the plane. I was thinking, aw man! So close! But WHAT a blessing and joy, and I am so thankful I was seated next to 2 wonderful people. Casey and Naomi Gustafson. They are from Iowa City, Iowa and attend Faith Baptist Church with their 4 children. They were also headed to Haiti for mission work. Casey is very tall and is built like a super hero and Naomi is very delicate and naturally beautiful (come to find out she is/was a ballerina!). Talking to them throughout the 2 hour flight was rewarding in many ways. Naomi's parents were and are still full time missionaries in Africa! She was born in Bolivia and grew up all over Africa. She had wonderful stories and assured me that growing up as a missionaries' kid was the most amazing upbringing. (so encouraging). Her parents do a lot of work in Northern Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as South Africa. I hope to meet them in our journey there. We talked much about our faith and beliefs and encouraged one another in living a life of doing God's work. I pray for the Gustafsons; for health and safety while in Haiti. That their church continues to fall in love with missions and that Naomi and Casey will be integral in helping their faith family reach the people of the world with the Gospel. Thank you, Lord for a new brother and sister.

Okay. They weren't kidding... it is HOT!!! But it is also beautiful and sometimes breezy! The drive through Port-Au-Prince was breath taking and heart breaking at the same time. Behind flowering trees were rows and rows of tin roofs and tarps, and there is garbage everywhere. But all you have to do is raise your eyes just a little to see the majesty of God's handiwork in this land. The mountains here are green with trees and spotted with homes and villages. This constant backdrop allows you to see this country for the beauty God intended for it. And when you see the smiling faces of the Haitian people, you see it again.  These are His children, also. They are also made in His image. And they are in need.
I am amazed by the local Christians we have seen so far. Raising their voices loudly to the heavens and dressing in suits and ties with shiny shoes through burning, hot, dusty roads lined with rubble and trash. The church we are staying at is 5,000 strong and packs out each service where worship can last over 3 hours. What a family. What a testimony to their countrymen. Lord, if there is anything we can do to help these people, allow our bodies to serve.

The food is wonderful! We got settled into our rooms and had our first Haitian meal: Rice and beans with red sauce, baked chicken and fried plantains with the most glorious fresh cherry juice. Even though I did end up feeling sick and not being able to eat much, I thoroughly enjoyed what I had! [side note---it was not the food that made me sick, but my malaria medicine! resume journal] I pray that I can acclimate to the heat/food/lack of normalcy and not be a hindrance to the mission. Lord give me strength. Protect our bodies and keep us able to do your work he with our Haitian brothers and sisters.

We are showered and bug sprayed, fans are blowing and we are ready to fall asleep on our air mattresses! Lord keep us as we slumber. May the rest provide us with excited and willing minds and hearts as we worship with your church tomorrow morning. Thank you for loving us and for the opportunity to serve you. AMEN.

Hope you enjoyed day 1 - Saturday/travel day! Sunday morning was amazing and we will talk about it on the next blog! View more pictures from day one on our Facebook album: Haiti 2012 Pics

Happy birthday to the Church!

It has been so wonderful being a part of Vineville Baptist Church and learning all about the seasons of the Church (as a whole). From Advent and holy week, to celebrating Easter for and the Ascension, to this Sunday which is Pentecost - the birthday of the Church.

Pentecost was the day when God breathed his Spirit onto the Apostles and gave the gifts that would allow them to spread the word of Christ throughout the nations. Praise God!

Thank you Lord, for sending Jesus your Son, and for giving us the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to guide us, to teach us and to convict us when we sin so that we may repent.

Happy Birthday to the Church- may we continue to do the good work God has given us to do, until the day our Lord brings us Home.


This was a Hymn we sang this morning, and the words (especially the second verse) mean a lot to us!

Wind Who Makes all Winds That Blow

Joseph Parry, 1879

1. Wind who makes all winds that blow—

gusts that bend the saplings low,

gales that heave the sea in waves,

stirrings in the mind's deep caves—

aim your breath with steady power

on your church, this day, this hour.

Raise, renew the life we've lost,

Spirit God of Pentecost.

2. Fire who fuels all fires that burn—

suns around which planets turn,

beacons marking reefs and shoals,

shining truth to guide our souls—

come to us as once you came;

burst in tongues of sacred flame!

Light and Power, Might and Strength,

fill your church, its breadth and length.

3. Holy Spirit, Wind and Flame,

move within our mortal frame.

Make our hearts an altar pyre.

Kindle them with your own fire.

Breathe and blow upon that blaze

till our lives, our deeds, and ways 

speak that tongue which every land 

by your grace shall understand. 

Be born in me

I hope that everyone who is reading this has had a chance to listen to the album The Story, based on the book of the same name. If you haven't you are really missing out. Each song on the album is based on a different Bible character and tells their story through song. Seriously, listen to it.

So, I was listening to Mary's song this morning while driving and a few small words really stuck out to me. Btw, Francesca Battistelli sings this song and it's one of, if not, the best on the album. The words she sings are, "Holy is He, blessed am I". Immediately you want to say, "yeah, so what? She was definitely blessed". I agree, but what we need to think about is that she knew she was blessed.

Mary could have looked at the situation with disdain, similar to the way Moses did when he was first called. One can also make the argument that of the people with big responsibility in the Bible, no one had a bigger burden than what Mary had. I'm sure the angel told her, "no more McDonald's for you Mary, this baby's going to be perfect!" Mary never focused on that. She said I am blessed by God. The first challenge for us is when God says, "go" or "do this", that we don't look at the situation with disdain; we look at the situation and say, "Wow, the God of the universe chose me. I am blessed." Thank God that He chose you to be apart of His plan, because the Bible says that sometimes there are those who are not chosen.

In Luke 1:38, Mary says one other thing that I love in response to her news. She says, "I am the Lord's servant." Do we really believe that about ourselves? That's what we are whether we want to be or not. Someone who does not believe in God is still a servant of God they just don't know it, or choose to ignore it. What we as Christians need to do is embrace that title. If we can truly grasp that concept and embrace it then a lot of the selfishness we see in ourselves, in Christians and in our churches today will fall by the wayside. If we truly believe we are God's servants than we stop everything we are doing when God calls us. A servant doesn't say to the master, "yeah, later" or sigh and mope around while he/she does it. A servant says, "yes sir, right away."

Praise God that while we were still sinners God chose us, and that goes for His work too.