ivy and orchid

Friends, the month we have been back to Haiti has been a hard one. We began school and things were cruising. Abigail and Keenen were doing well and making friends while Shawn and I fell into our positions and we were busy! Then Abigail got sick with a high fever (105) and Keenen and I got a high fever and a very sore throat. Then Shawn got Chikungunya (another mosquito-borne virus very similar to Dengue but not as severe as last time) and 6 of our teachers at the school got sick, including the director of the school AND her family. The fuel crisis continues throughout all of this and fewer people are able to make it into town and into school because of the lack of fuel or because of road blocks created by people just fed up with the government. You see, a lack of fuel means no power for your house if you have power, no power for any transportation and this all results in an increase of food prices. Also, because Haiti is in such debt, they are expected to raise diesel next month whic...

I knew once we began school, life would be busy and we would get into a routine and life would feel "normal." We have been in Haiti for one month and there is still so much I need to learn. Kreyol: Next week I will officially begin my Kreyol lessons so I can speak with teachers, staff, people at the market, neighbors et al. Not only do I want to communicate with people, but I want to show Haitians that I am making an effort to assimilate to their culture and not impose mine. Shawn has a good understanding of French (and a lot of courage) which helps him. Abigail is learning French along with her classmates and Keenen has been working on counting in Kreyol. Driving: I have only driven as far as the school which is about a mile and half. I should venture into town, but my fear of causing a lot of car accidents stops me.  People: One month is not long enough to understand a culture. I am still learning my role as a missionary in a country with a deep-rooted history. On t...

The beginning of our time in Haiti began very well! We made great progress getting our house ready for the year, increasing our Kreyol and meeting many Haitians and Missionaries in the area. It was great seeing the impact that God has had through missionaries over the years. The Good News is spreading in Cap-Haitien. While you can hear the Voodoo drums at night, you also hear Christian songs and worship played through loudspeakers during the day.   We got the sink and running water! Our friends built this while we were sick to protect our water heater.     However, the third week we both fell ill. We initially thought it was an allergic skin reaction, but it turned out to be a serious tropical disease. God provided so many people that supported us over the next two weeks, for which we are eternally grateful. Missionaries from many different organizations rallied behind us to help us make it through. We were treated diligently at Bethesda (the ...

For the first time in my life, I am a minority. It’s a weird feeling that, no matter what I do, I cannot “blend in.” I can learn Kreyol, learn to cook Haitian food or walk like the Haitians (ok, I might not ever be able to carry huge amounts of weight on my head), but I will never be able to hide the fact that I am white.   Furthermore, I am a minority, but I still have white privilege.  What I am having a hard time with is, being a foreign minority figure with privilege, it takes time to build relationships. I am learning how my neighbors “do life.” In America, we have ‘Game Night’ and ‘Movie Night’ and outdoor yard games galore. However, when you are in a country that doesn’t dwell on material possessions, the best thing to share is each other’s company. During this time, I must accept that this is a slow journey and that is why we would like to be here for the long haul.  On the other hand, kids are able to just jump in and start relationships instantly. I ...

Hello everyone! We have officially been in Haiti for five days, and a lot has happened. First off, this week has been made possible  by Melissa and Steve Gross, who have been missionaries in Haiti for 6 years. They have given up a week of their time in the States, apart from their children to help us get ready. We will stay in their house until our house is livable. They have fed us, introduced us to other missionaries [who are doing amazing things], translated for us and helped us get what we need to live here. They are pretty amazing! Let me start with our house: We live on a Habitation which basically is a large property with many homes on it. It is an extremely beautiful property with an amazing view of the mountains and the Citadelle in distance. It has mango, avocado and cashew trees, peacocks (which sound like loud cats) and the Grosses have a turtle pond which has occupied much of Abigail and Keenen's time. Our home Our bathroom has everything we need to use i...

Last year, we were driving in Michigan at night and there was a terrible snow storm. The snow was so bad that all we could see was blinding white snow on the windshield. We couldn't see anything in front of us or even which part of the road we were on. Sometimes being a Christian feels like this. At times, God is so clear about what he is doing in our lives and other times, he is as clear as the snow on your windshield in Michigan. However, we do not have to worry because God has made promises to us: Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you . (Matthew 5:12)  We have the promise of our reward in heaven. We know that on the other side of the storm is the prize. So how do we get through the storm? . . .let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfec...

Throughout Lent, I thought a lot about what life would have been like when Jesus was on earth. Great multitudes came to see him and hear him talk, but how did they find him? It’s not like Jesus hopped on Facebook and created an event and he didn’t check in with Mary on the phone to let her know he was in Jerusalem for the month.  Thousands of people sought after Jesus to hear his stories and learn from his lessons. And today, we can do the same. Although Jesus now resides in heaven, we are still able to seek him and find him.  But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.   ( Deuteronomy 4: 29) A week ago, I was not actively seeking God, but I found him. I was on my way to Aldi’s to do some shopping and as I turned onto one of the busy roads in town, I passed a colorfully painted school bus in the parking lot of Walmart. Now this may not be exciting to you, but I dream about...