Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Not-So-Secret Angels
I know, I know. I'm a terrible blogger, but here I am! Some things are just blog worthy. :)
My 2nd graders (along with the other two classes) are doing "Secret Angel" these last couple of weeks before Christmas break. I joined the second grade team for the first time this year, and this is one of the many awesome traditions set. I'm crazy about it. All kiddos filled out an information page of their favorite things, drew out of a basket, and are sworn to secrecy as to not give anything away. For those of you wondering...yes, they do this very well! Their first gift requirement was to write their Secret Angel a letter, which was due yesterday. I'm really sorry you didn't get to see these notes. Sweet and so very funny. Not only did they write a letter, but many attached their Angel's favorite candy or book or drink with it. One of the highlights of my year so far was not only seeing their excitement as they dropped their gifts into the box when they got to school, but watching them come into the room later to find the letters and gifts from their Secret Angels sitting on their desks. Pure happiness, joy, and delight. I smile just thinking about it.
The Scripture verse we're focusing on this year is 1 John 3:18, "Let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth." My heart is still warm and fuzzy from a class talk we had yesterday...regarding Secret Angels and this exact Bible Verse. I encouraged my kids to say a prayer for their friend every time they drop their gift into the Secret Angel drop box. I told them to ask God to bless their friend and help them through the day. I also encouraged them to pray for themselves- to ask God to teach THEM something as they are giving and being a blessing. As 7 and 8 year olds, they are loving with actions and in truth. They are experiencing what it means to love on others and bless people. They are learning that we don't give just to receive, but that because we love Jesus, we encourage, we say kind things, we build each other up, we pray for each other. They are doing just that. I got to hear these prayers out of their own hearts and mouths this morning. All I can say is God is so good. My prayer and that He continues to give them these desires to lift others up, to be blessings, and to serve as they grow in their faith and walks with Him. Reasons why my job is the greatest. :)
Always, the Lord uses my students to reveal things to me, which can get pretty hard. :) He shows me things daily through these people I spend my days with, and I really am extremely thankful for it. This is something that really tugged on my heart yesterday. When we get so busy meeting daily requirements of our jobs, families, and life in general, I know it gets hard to focus on much else. We have gifts to buy, gifts to wrap, parties to throw, food to make, houses to clean, kids to bathe, deadlines to meet, alarm clocks to hit snooze through (if you're like me), traffic to grumble through (if you're like me), and the list goes on and on. However, the words He gave me yesterday to share with my babes, I needed. So, here's your encouragement as well!
Let's spend some time this Christmas to live out 1 John 3:18. Live out the gospel...share the gospel! Leave some notes (handwritten), buy the food or coffee for the person behind you in the drive-thru, strike up encouraging conversations for people who need it, smile a little more, thank someone for their hard work, and you get my drift. :)
It's Jesus' birthday. Make Him famous all for His glory. "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Happy Christmas to all and all a good night.
<>< Katie
Friday, April 5, 2013
Prone to "wonder."
I read a blog the other day by a man named Jon Bloom. He had a neat outlook and perspective on our "wonderment." In this blog, he stated, "The devil is going to do his level best to keep you stupid and senseless." Meaning, Satan does not want us to wonder about things (for lack of a better word). He hates us wondering because it has a great tendency to lead us to worship.
I might be the only one, but when I get to wondering, it more times than not leads me to do the opposite of worshipping my God. It usually leaves me burdened, lonely, frustrated, and confused. My "I wonder's" quickly become, "God, why...?" That's why I know the Lord used this man and his words to uplift and encourage me when I get to wondering about all of the unknowns in my life. Those unknowns that are all so worthy of my worship. I sure an thankful for His gentle, loving reminders...
I have lots that I "wonder" about on a daily basis. I wonder about Teacon. I wonder when God's going to take him out of Haiti so he can live with his Mama and Papa. When he can be with his parents who love him and are ready to take care of, hug and kiss, play with, read to, feed, pray over, and raise him. I wonder about my guy. My husband. I wonder where he lives, what he looks like, how he's serving the Lord, how we're going to meet, when I get to finally marry him, what kind of fun and crazy adventures we're going to go on. I wonder about my students. I wonder what they are going to be like and what they will be doing when they grow up. I wonder if I am having an impact on their lives at all. I wonder about my babes in Haiti. I wonder what they're doing. I wonder if they've been hugged and played with today. I wonder when I will get to see them again. I wonder what year 26 as Katie Hurt has to bring. I wonder about Heaven. I wonder what exactly it looks like, sounds like, feels like. I wonder what it's going to be like to see Jesus face to face, to hold his hands, to bow at His feet. I wonder, I wonder, I wonder.
It's ok to wonder. We need to let ourselves wonder. I want my wondering to lead me to radically worship the One who has in all planned out, and like Hebrews 1:3 says, "is upholding it all by the word of His power." To claim this leaves me no other option than worshipping God during times of uncertainties. Trusting His already awesome future for my life gives me so much peace and excitement. Instead of feeling discouraged that Teacon is not 2 1/2 hours up the road, I can be that much more excited that he will be soon. Instead of being impatient about meeting my guy, I have so very much to look forward to, and I will treasure and cherish him like crazy. I can rest in peace that Jesus is wrapping His arms around those kids in Haiti when I cannot. I get to enjoy blessings from my students everyday. And Heaven. Wow. I just can't wait to get there.
Satan's going to hate it. He wants us stupid, distracted and deceived. "If he can't damn us, he'll try to dumb us"...and we just have to resist. Jesus loves you so much, and He has such good things planned for your life. I can promise that because He has already promised it. Cease striving and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Claiming that verse everyday. Wonder and allow yourself to become overwhelmed by not only what you have coming, but also by the most ordinary things around you.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Haiti-Final Day 5
Friday, March 15, 2013
We woke up early this morning to go see the kids. The ground was already picked up, so we enjoyed some quiet time with them as they were just waking up and getting ready for school. It was definitely different getting out of the truck and not being swarmed by smiling, sweaty kids. Instead, we walked to the back to meet them. They were standing sleepy eyed and grinning in their school uniforms...just a shivering. It wasn't cold at all, but all they know is heat. The temperature is cooler in the mornings, and their little bodies were frozen and covered with goose bumps. Some were still dripping wet from the baths they just had, and some weren't even dressed yet running around with bare hineys. I gathered a group together and began rubbing their arms and hands to generate heat, and then snuggled them close to me. Egloose in my lap. He knew today was voyage day, and stuck extra close. We sat with them as they ate their breakfast. We're not sure what they were eating, but we referred to it as porridge. It looks a lot like yellow grits. No matter the size of the child, they were all given a huge pile of it in either an aluminum bowl, sauce pan, or a frisbee. They lick it clean. If not with their tongues, they use their fingers to get every last bite out. As most kids were finishing up and headed to the tent for school to start, Robinson was taking small little bites and making it last as long as possible. One of the women who help tend to the kids took his frisbee full of food and spooned half of it onto a bowl for Christopher. Naturally, Robinson began to cry. It broke my heart. It broke my heart one because Robinson didn't get to enjoy all of his breakfast, and two because Christopher came so close to not having any breakfast at all.
When all of the kids were in place for school, we told them we would be back, and then we headed to the compound with our little guy, Teacon. We ate breakfast and got bags packed up and ready to go. We kept T outside and away from seeing the luggage. As always we had so much fun playing, taking photos, and spending some quality time with just him for the last time this trip. Our friend Roody was away with the car when it was time to go back and see the kids one final time. My stomach being in knots. Mom, Dad, and I walked to the orphanage (about 10 minutes) while Drew, Em, and T waited on Roody and the truck at the compound. While we were away with the kids, Roody translated for Drew and Emily to tell Teacon bye...to reassure him they were coming back for him and that they love him very much. Not a fun conversation. As if I wasn't already so proud of my sister and brother in law, this trip has increased that even more. I got to see the two in action as Mama and Papa, and it was unbelievable. It is so obvious that God created this perfect little Haitian boy to be their son and to be in our family. Like I've said already, it couldn't be more natural. I am so excited for the day he gets to come home.
They met us at the orphanage around 10:45. We snapped some last minute pictures, and then came the moment I had been dreading since before I ever even got to Haiti. The sick feeling I had in my stomach all morning quickly rose to my throat. I held back the tears as I grabbed as many kids as I could hugging them and repeating, "Naw we pita Naw we pita Naw we pita (see you later)." Egloose had both arms and legs wrapped around me and was squeezing so tight. I was doing good about not crying until he looked at me with big tears rolling down his cheeks. I lost it. I kissed him and hugged him and kissed him again and again, promising him that I would see him again soon. On top of all of this, I knew I still had to tell Teacon bye. When I got to him, the family had already loved on him. I hugged him so tight and told him that I loved him and would see him soon. I think the thing I will miss most about him until I see him again (besides absolutely everything) is hearing him say "I love you." He says it back every single time we tell him. Sometimes I would even say, "I love you more" and Teacon would of course say back, "I love you more." :) I definitely love him more though. I am so blessed to call that boy my nephew.
We pulled away and drove back to the compound. We did our best to freshen up by changing clothes and wiping the dirt off with wet wipes. We loaded up, grabbed a drink and some gas at the gas station and were off to Port au Prince. The trip was unbelievable as expected. I agree with Dad and his comment of never complaining about Mopac again. :) Before we flew out, Drew and Emily wanted to see and say hi to their attorney who they are working with on the adoption process. Mom, Dad, and I were able to meet him for the first time, and we had a good (and quick) chat. We were able to see the official, hard documents stating that Teacon is medically cleared for adoption. Now, we just continue to wait on God to make the call...it'll be in His perfect timing. And it will be awesome. Because of traffic (Austin's got nothin on Haiti), it was time to get to the airport. We arrived and got through immigration and security just in time to board our flight, which is where I am now. It was a teary take off, and my heart is aching. I'm sitting here sipping on a Dr Pepper and eating my snack of pretzels and crackers, but wishing I was eating chewy goat meat and spending time with my kids. We have about 45 minutes left until we land in Ft Lauderdale. We'll grab dinner, crash at our hotel, and get ready for an early morning to catch our flight on to Dallas. I have mixed emotions about being home tomorrow. Of course it's always good to be home, but I sure do miss Haiti and everything about it. Thankful to Jesus for allowing me to come this week, and already begging him to send me back soon. Of course I'm also begging God to send Drew and Em back soon so they can bring our buddy home. Keep praying with us. We did have a great trip. Thankful for more memories made with our favorite kiddos. I can't wait to get back to them. Haiti, the place that holds my heart, naw we pita. :)
We woke up early this morning to go see the kids. The ground was already picked up, so we enjoyed some quiet time with them as they were just waking up and getting ready for school. It was definitely different getting out of the truck and not being swarmed by smiling, sweaty kids. Instead, we walked to the back to meet them. They were standing sleepy eyed and grinning in their school uniforms...just a shivering. It wasn't cold at all, but all they know is heat. The temperature is cooler in the mornings, and their little bodies were frozen and covered with goose bumps. Some were still dripping wet from the baths they just had, and some weren't even dressed yet running around with bare hineys. I gathered a group together and began rubbing their arms and hands to generate heat, and then snuggled them close to me. Egloose in my lap. He knew today was voyage day, and stuck extra close. We sat with them as they ate their breakfast. We're not sure what they were eating, but we referred to it as porridge. It looks a lot like yellow grits. No matter the size of the child, they were all given a huge pile of it in either an aluminum bowl, sauce pan, or a frisbee. They lick it clean. If not with their tongues, they use their fingers to get every last bite out. As most kids were finishing up and headed to the tent for school to start, Robinson was taking small little bites and making it last as long as possible. One of the women who help tend to the kids took his frisbee full of food and spooned half of it onto a bowl for Christopher. Naturally, Robinson began to cry. It broke my heart. It broke my heart one because Robinson didn't get to enjoy all of his breakfast, and two because Christopher came so close to not having any breakfast at all.
When all of the kids were in place for school, we told them we would be back, and then we headed to the compound with our little guy, Teacon. We ate breakfast and got bags packed up and ready to go. We kept T outside and away from seeing the luggage. As always we had so much fun playing, taking photos, and spending some quality time with just him for the last time this trip. Our friend Roody was away with the car when it was time to go back and see the kids one final time. My stomach being in knots. Mom, Dad, and I walked to the orphanage (about 10 minutes) while Drew, Em, and T waited on Roody and the truck at the compound. While we were away with the kids, Roody translated for Drew and Emily to tell Teacon bye...to reassure him they were coming back for him and that they love him very much. Not a fun conversation. As if I wasn't already so proud of my sister and brother in law, this trip has increased that even more. I got to see the two in action as Mama and Papa, and it was unbelievable. It is so obvious that God created this perfect little Haitian boy to be their son and to be in our family. Like I've said already, it couldn't be more natural. I am so excited for the day he gets to come home.
They met us at the orphanage around 10:45. We snapped some last minute pictures, and then came the moment I had been dreading since before I ever even got to Haiti. The sick feeling I had in my stomach all morning quickly rose to my throat. I held back the tears as I grabbed as many kids as I could hugging them and repeating, "Naw we pita Naw we pita Naw we pita (see you later)." Egloose had both arms and legs wrapped around me and was squeezing so tight. I was doing good about not crying until he looked at me with big tears rolling down his cheeks. I lost it. I kissed him and hugged him and kissed him again and again, promising him that I would see him again soon. On top of all of this, I knew I still had to tell Teacon bye. When I got to him, the family had already loved on him. I hugged him so tight and told him that I loved him and would see him soon. I think the thing I will miss most about him until I see him again (besides absolutely everything) is hearing him say "I love you." He says it back every single time we tell him. Sometimes I would even say, "I love you more" and Teacon would of course say back, "I love you more." :) I definitely love him more though. I am so blessed to call that boy my nephew.
We pulled away and drove back to the compound. We did our best to freshen up by changing clothes and wiping the dirt off with wet wipes. We loaded up, grabbed a drink and some gas at the gas station and were off to Port au Prince. The trip was unbelievable as expected. I agree with Dad and his comment of never complaining about Mopac again. :) Before we flew out, Drew and Emily wanted to see and say hi to their attorney who they are working with on the adoption process. Mom, Dad, and I were able to meet him for the first time, and we had a good (and quick) chat. We were able to see the official, hard documents stating that Teacon is medically cleared for adoption. Now, we just continue to wait on God to make the call...it'll be in His perfect timing. And it will be awesome. Because of traffic (Austin's got nothin on Haiti), it was time to get to the airport. We arrived and got through immigration and security just in time to board our flight, which is where I am now. It was a teary take off, and my heart is aching. I'm sitting here sipping on a Dr Pepper and eating my snack of pretzels and crackers, but wishing I was eating chewy goat meat and spending time with my kids. We have about 45 minutes left until we land in Ft Lauderdale. We'll grab dinner, crash at our hotel, and get ready for an early morning to catch our flight on to Dallas. I have mixed emotions about being home tomorrow. Of course it's always good to be home, but I sure do miss Haiti and everything about it. Thankful to Jesus for allowing me to come this week, and already begging him to send me back soon. Of course I'm also begging God to send Drew and Em back soon so they can bring our buddy home. Keep praying with us. We did have a great trip. Thankful for more memories made with our favorite kiddos. I can't wait to get back to them. Haiti, the place that holds my heart, naw we pita. :)
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Haiti- Day 4
Thursday, March 14, 2013
It's hard to get a full night's sleep in here. The generator goes off at about 3:00 am, so our fans cut off. It gets stuffy and eerily quiet...as quiet as can be minus the sounds of horns, traffic, people talking, and dogs barking. I wake up a number of times a night, and I am up before 7:00 am. We don't go to the orphanage until around 10:00 am because the kids are in school, so we spent the morning eating cliff bars, brushing our teeth with water from our water bottles, and hanging out with Teacon (our favorite thing to do).
At about 10:00, Mom, Dad, Lukie, and I headed to see the kids. Drew and Emily kept T here at the compound to spend a little extra time with just him. When we got to the orphanage, we did the same thing we always do while there. First, we stayed under the tent for shade....it's extremely hot here in Haiti. Next, we loved on as many kids as we could. I had Egloose in my lap. I can never get enough of his sweet self. He had the inside of a pen and was drawing all over his hand. When I offered him my palm do draw on, he refused. When he did accidentally marked on my arm, he softly worked for a good while at rubbing it off so that I stayed clean. If another kid tried to take my sunglasses, which they love to do, he would start speaking fast Creole to them until he had my glasses safely back on my face. He helps me out. If only he had a dollar for every time I kiss his cheeks and tell him I love him. :)
Again, I had the company of some older school girls. Most of them don't live at the orphanage, and they come only for school. They're not used to hanging out with us "blans (white people)", so they seemed pretty intrigued. One of the little girls said her Papa was Espanol, so she could speak Creole, some Spanish, and very little English. She's 11 years old, and that was enough to impress me. She was the cut up of the group and had all the other little girls laughing so hard. While trying to carry on conversations with what little Spanish and Creole I know, I could still feel little hands just rubbing all over my arms. I felt little fingers lock into mine. I felt little fingers pointing out every little freckle on my arms and hands. I felt my hair being played with. This stuff never gets old.
When it was time for their classes to start again, we loaded back up and came back to the compound. If we stay they watch us rather than their teachers, so we clear away all distractions. We ate our normal Pb&J sandwiches and laid down to rest for a minute. With as tired as I feel when I'm here, all I think about while at the compound is their faces and how I can't wait to get back to them.
When we got back to the orphanage, Drew took some more pictures, Emily and I got our hair braided again, and mom and dad were walking around with a trail of babies. It was time to line up for dinner (we thought they ate earlier, but it looks like this was either their late lunch or early dinner), and I noticed Egloose couldn't get his pants buttoned. He was working so hard. It was because there was no button, just a small hook and no where to latch it. Because these are the shorts he has had on every day since I've been here, I thought it would be ok to get a new pair on him anyway. I walked him to the back, did my best to explain to the ladies what I wanted, and they took him away. He came back in some different clothes....and shorts with elastic, so I know he was more comfortable. He missed his lunch line, so I got him a bowl of rice and sardines and he was all set. After the kids ate, I went to the water room to fill their bowls and cups, which they all just share from. They get a couple of sips and are pushed away to go play by other kids wanting their turn with the water.
One little boy (I forget his name) was walking around just whining and crying because he was so hot and sleepy. As soon as I picked him up and sat down, his crying stopped and his eyes closed. He just needed a little snuggle time. He never let me put him down, so I continued to rock back and forth and hum Jesus Loves Me in his ear. The only moment Egloose left my side was to go play with his buddies. They were having the best time kicking a rock around. Puts into perspective just how good we have it. He kept looking at me to make sure I was watching. I can spot his smile from miles away. My sweet girls gathered around to talk and admire. Again, they told me I was "belle" or beautiful. At one moment one of the girls said something and the rest quickly grabbed my hands in amazement that I had fingernail polish on. Next thing I know, the polish was quickly being chipped off. Bellteen said, "Katie, you voyage diem (tomorrow). I cry." When Katie voyages tomorrow, Katie will cry too. Not ready to tell them bye.
We came back to the compound for a quick break, dinner, and to make arrangements to take them ice cream later. Like I said Tuesday, they love treats. We ended up going to two different gas stations and loaded up on 140+ ice creams. When we got to the orphanage, the sun was fading, and the kids were all under the tent. It was time to have church. They were singing and clapping and obviously having a good time. There were a group of boys at the front banging on drums and making music, and then there were some kids laid out sleeping on the benches in the back. I do love to hear all of their voices singing in their pretty language. I jumped in and began clapping and dancing right along with them. Then I spotted Egloose. He was sitting on the bench not singing or clapping, but crying. My heart broke immediately. I snatched him up so fast and stood at the back with him as he clung on to me so tight. I'm still not sure what caused him to be so upset, but I just held him. I got him some water, and then I held him some more-rubbing his back, swaying back and forth with him, singing in his ear, and reminding him that I love him. As I held him, I couldn't help but think about when I was sad or upset as a little girl, that's what my momma did for me. That's what these kids so desparetely need and deserve. I want it for every single one of them.
We sat down again with Robinson sitting next to us. He was last to finish his ice cream. It both blessed me and made me sad to watch him share with Egloose and the boys around him. He placed a blob into Egloose's hand, and Egloose proceeded to lick it right off of his dirty little hand. He put some on the lid for the other boys to get and savor as much as they could. My goodness how we take so many things for granted. They get so excited for things we get whenever we want. When we decided it was time to leave I assured Egloose that I would be back in the morning. Instead of the usual big smile and head nod...all I got was a frown and the saddest look in his eyes. I kissed and hugged him and walked away. Again, crying and missing them already.
When we got back to the compound I headed to the shower, but there was no water. When we got the water running, I hopped in only for the water to stop while I had conditioner all up in my hair. Roughin it for Haiti, remember? :) I lucked out and only had to stand there for a minute before the water came back on. I quickly took care of business and got out of there. Everything was smooth sailing for everyone else except for Emily. We lost Haiti power while she was showering, and she was left in the pitch black. Dad stood outside the shower room holding his flashlight from his phone over the door so she could finish up while Drew kicked on the generator. You're definitely brought out of your comfort zone here, but we make it work.
Our plans for tomorrow are to get to the orphanage around 7:15 to make sure the grounds are picked up before they start school. It was so dark tonight and they were still having church, so we couldn't collect their ice cream trash. We'll go back again around 10:00 while they're on their break from school to spend our final time with them and tell them goodbye. I have a sick feeling in my stomach just thinking about it. Especially having to tell Teacon bye. We've spent so much time with him this week. I am so thankful for it, but I sure am going to miss him. Finding peace in that the Lord cares for them so much, and He has them right where He wants them. I know Teacon's in good hands. I know they're all in good hands.
Going to sleep with Ephesians 1:5 on my heart. "In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will." Thankful that they are His.
It's hard to get a full night's sleep in here. The generator goes off at about 3:00 am, so our fans cut off. It gets stuffy and eerily quiet...as quiet as can be minus the sounds of horns, traffic, people talking, and dogs barking. I wake up a number of times a night, and I am up before 7:00 am. We don't go to the orphanage until around 10:00 am because the kids are in school, so we spent the morning eating cliff bars, brushing our teeth with water from our water bottles, and hanging out with Teacon (our favorite thing to do).
At about 10:00, Mom, Dad, Lukie, and I headed to see the kids. Drew and Emily kept T here at the compound to spend a little extra time with just him. When we got to the orphanage, we did the same thing we always do while there. First, we stayed under the tent for shade....it's extremely hot here in Haiti. Next, we loved on as many kids as we could. I had Egloose in my lap. I can never get enough of his sweet self. He had the inside of a pen and was drawing all over his hand. When I offered him my palm do draw on, he refused. When he did accidentally marked on my arm, he softly worked for a good while at rubbing it off so that I stayed clean. If another kid tried to take my sunglasses, which they love to do, he would start speaking fast Creole to them until he had my glasses safely back on my face. He helps me out. If only he had a dollar for every time I kiss his cheeks and tell him I love him. :)
Again, I had the company of some older school girls. Most of them don't live at the orphanage, and they come only for school. They're not used to hanging out with us "blans (white people)", so they seemed pretty intrigued. One of the little girls said her Papa was Espanol, so she could speak Creole, some Spanish, and very little English. She's 11 years old, and that was enough to impress me. She was the cut up of the group and had all the other little girls laughing so hard. While trying to carry on conversations with what little Spanish and Creole I know, I could still feel little hands just rubbing all over my arms. I felt little fingers lock into mine. I felt little fingers pointing out every little freckle on my arms and hands. I felt my hair being played with. This stuff never gets old.
When it was time for their classes to start again, we loaded back up and came back to the compound. If we stay they watch us rather than their teachers, so we clear away all distractions. We ate our normal Pb&J sandwiches and laid down to rest for a minute. With as tired as I feel when I'm here, all I think about while at the compound is their faces and how I can't wait to get back to them.
When we got back to the orphanage, Drew took some more pictures, Emily and I got our hair braided again, and mom and dad were walking around with a trail of babies. It was time to line up for dinner (we thought they ate earlier, but it looks like this was either their late lunch or early dinner), and I noticed Egloose couldn't get his pants buttoned. He was working so hard. It was because there was no button, just a small hook and no where to latch it. Because these are the shorts he has had on every day since I've been here, I thought it would be ok to get a new pair on him anyway. I walked him to the back, did my best to explain to the ladies what I wanted, and they took him away. He came back in some different clothes....and shorts with elastic, so I know he was more comfortable. He missed his lunch line, so I got him a bowl of rice and sardines and he was all set. After the kids ate, I went to the water room to fill their bowls and cups, which they all just share from. They get a couple of sips and are pushed away to go play by other kids wanting their turn with the water.
One little boy (I forget his name) was walking around just whining and crying because he was so hot and sleepy. As soon as I picked him up and sat down, his crying stopped and his eyes closed. He just needed a little snuggle time. He never let me put him down, so I continued to rock back and forth and hum Jesus Loves Me in his ear. The only moment Egloose left my side was to go play with his buddies. They were having the best time kicking a rock around. Puts into perspective just how good we have it. He kept looking at me to make sure I was watching. I can spot his smile from miles away. My sweet girls gathered around to talk and admire. Again, they told me I was "belle" or beautiful. At one moment one of the girls said something and the rest quickly grabbed my hands in amazement that I had fingernail polish on. Next thing I know, the polish was quickly being chipped off. Bellteen said, "Katie, you voyage diem (tomorrow). I cry." When Katie voyages tomorrow, Katie will cry too. Not ready to tell them bye.
We came back to the compound for a quick break, dinner, and to make arrangements to take them ice cream later. Like I said Tuesday, they love treats. We ended up going to two different gas stations and loaded up on 140+ ice creams. When we got to the orphanage, the sun was fading, and the kids were all under the tent. It was time to have church. They were singing and clapping and obviously having a good time. There were a group of boys at the front banging on drums and making music, and then there were some kids laid out sleeping on the benches in the back. I do love to hear all of their voices singing in their pretty language. I jumped in and began clapping and dancing right along with them. Then I spotted Egloose. He was sitting on the bench not singing or clapping, but crying. My heart broke immediately. I snatched him up so fast and stood at the back with him as he clung on to me so tight. I'm still not sure what caused him to be so upset, but I just held him. I got him some water, and then I held him some more-rubbing his back, swaying back and forth with him, singing in his ear, and reminding him that I love him. As I held him, I couldn't help but think about when I was sad or upset as a little girl, that's what my momma did for me. That's what these kids so desparetely need and deserve. I want it for every single one of them.
We sat down again with Robinson sitting next to us. He was last to finish his ice cream. It both blessed me and made me sad to watch him share with Egloose and the boys around him. He placed a blob into Egloose's hand, and Egloose proceeded to lick it right off of his dirty little hand. He put some on the lid for the other boys to get and savor as much as they could. My goodness how we take so many things for granted. They get so excited for things we get whenever we want. When we decided it was time to leave I assured Egloose that I would be back in the morning. Instead of the usual big smile and head nod...all I got was a frown and the saddest look in his eyes. I kissed and hugged him and walked away. Again, crying and missing them already.
When we got back to the compound I headed to the shower, but there was no water. When we got the water running, I hopped in only for the water to stop while I had conditioner all up in my hair. Roughin it for Haiti, remember? :) I lucked out and only had to stand there for a minute before the water came back on. I quickly took care of business and got out of there. Everything was smooth sailing for everyone else except for Emily. We lost Haiti power while she was showering, and she was left in the pitch black. Dad stood outside the shower room holding his flashlight from his phone over the door so she could finish up while Drew kicked on the generator. You're definitely brought out of your comfort zone here, but we make it work.
Our plans for tomorrow are to get to the orphanage around 7:15 to make sure the grounds are picked up before they start school. It was so dark tonight and they were still having church, so we couldn't collect their ice cream trash. We'll go back again around 10:00 while they're on their break from school to spend our final time with them and tell them goodbye. I have a sick feeling in my stomach just thinking about it. Especially having to tell Teacon bye. We've spent so much time with him this week. I am so thankful for it, but I sure am going to miss him. Finding peace in that the Lord cares for them so much, and He has them right where He wants them. I know Teacon's in good hands. I know they're all in good hands.
Going to sleep with Ephesians 1:5 on my heart. "In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will." Thankful that they are His.
Haiti- Day 3
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Today looks a lot like yesterday did. Teacon woke up requesting to finish watching what he fell asleep to last night. He's so sweet and smiley in the mornings. Go figure. :) We ate breakfast provided by our Haitian friends here at the compound. They had eggs, bananas, bread, and peanut butter waiting on us. It reminded me a lot of home. I eat a lot of that, so I was happy. I remembered that being my favorite breakfast last time I was here.
We timed it so that the kids would be on break from their schooling when we arrived this morning. As I sat with the kids, and as they kept looking up at me and smiling, I couldn't help but think about how cool it is that God calls me out here to love on them. All they want is a hand to hold, a chest to lay their heads on, an arm to lean on, and someone to just say, "I love you!" They are perfectly content doing nothing at all but being close. I pray that they will grow happy and healthy and loved. While we have Teacon with us, I watch how happy he is. How loved he is. How much fun he is having. Every kid deserves that. They are perfect little creations by God. I see it when I look at them. He makes such beautiful things. I have a hard time putting into words how much I love these kids. I'm so thankful to know them.
Their teachers came back, so we let them start class again. We gathered all of our women workers at the orphanage together to talk. Our translator, Lukie, translated as Fred thanked them for their hard work, and then mom talked to them from the standpoint of a mother. She explained to the ladies our desire for the kids to be taken care of the way they would tend to their own babies. I'm blessed by my momma. :) As they finished up school for the day and ate their lunches, we came back to the compound to eat, cool off, and rest. It's amazing how much the heat plus so many little kids crawling on you drains your energy level and makes you hungry. It's all so worth it though. It's also amazing how much our little Teacon buddy can put in that belly of his. He is one good eater. After lunch we laid down for a little bit, Teacon watched a movie and played, and then we were ready to head back to the orphanage.
When we got back, the kids gathered around quickly. I snatched up one little guy who wrapped both arms around my neck and laid his head on my chest. He fell asleep fast, so I soon laid him down on one of the wooden benches to nap. Egloose was on my left and sweet Julieka girl was on my right...their arms interlocked in mine. There were about 7 or 8 older girls gathered around asking question after question. They just stare, smile, play with my hair, rub my arms and legs, and talk. It's like when you're at the nail salon and you know the workers are talking about you, but you just have no idea what they're saying. I finally got Lukie to translate for me. They told me that I was pretty...not the first time I heard "belle(beautiful)" in their pretty Haitian accents. So sweet. Then they were asking where I was from, how old I was, if I was married, and what that thing was on the back of my bottom teeth. I told Lukie to tell them that thing was called a retainer, and it's there to keep my teeth from moving. :) I've also been asked a few times this trip if I speak Espanol...not sure what that's all about! They just want to know everything they can know about us.
Emily and I got our hair did by the older girls who can braid like non other. We played some music and sang and danced to Justin Bieber and Rhianna. We enjoyed lots more hugs, giggles, and sweat. It's just fun being in their presence. Time flies at the orphanage, and it was quickly time to go back to the compound to eat, shower, and call it a night. For dinner we had fried chicken, rice, and french fries. It was so very good. Knowing what the room looks like where these ladies cook, it astonishes me how they produce so much good food for us. They serve us well...and all we can say is, "Mersi" (thank you).
After dinner, Teacon got a good bath and some clean clothes put on him. He's also got on his spidey undies, which he is so proud of. It's dark, but we have pulled chairs out on the porch and are just hanging out...as a family. Teacon's been on Drew's lap with his head lamp on watching bits and pieces of just about every movie on Drew's computer and playing with his machines (toy cars). We wish we knew what he was saying because he is talking and giggling away. Music to our ears. I picture many more nights like this. The family sitting in the back yard, talking, watching, and laughing at just how funny Teacon is. He has so much personality.
It's now time for my shower and more application of bug repellant. The mosquitos love me here. Tomorrow is our last full day in the country, and so I'm going to pray it goes by slowly. Thankful for more blessings and an overflowing heart tonight. God, You are so good.
Today looks a lot like yesterday did. Teacon woke up requesting to finish watching what he fell asleep to last night. He's so sweet and smiley in the mornings. Go figure. :) We ate breakfast provided by our Haitian friends here at the compound. They had eggs, bananas, bread, and peanut butter waiting on us. It reminded me a lot of home. I eat a lot of that, so I was happy. I remembered that being my favorite breakfast last time I was here.
We timed it so that the kids would be on break from their schooling when we arrived this morning. As I sat with the kids, and as they kept looking up at me and smiling, I couldn't help but think about how cool it is that God calls me out here to love on them. All they want is a hand to hold, a chest to lay their heads on, an arm to lean on, and someone to just say, "I love you!" They are perfectly content doing nothing at all but being close. I pray that they will grow happy and healthy and loved. While we have Teacon with us, I watch how happy he is. How loved he is. How much fun he is having. Every kid deserves that. They are perfect little creations by God. I see it when I look at them. He makes such beautiful things. I have a hard time putting into words how much I love these kids. I'm so thankful to know them.
Their teachers came back, so we let them start class again. We gathered all of our women workers at the orphanage together to talk. Our translator, Lukie, translated as Fred thanked them for their hard work, and then mom talked to them from the standpoint of a mother. She explained to the ladies our desire for the kids to be taken care of the way they would tend to their own babies. I'm blessed by my momma. :) As they finished up school for the day and ate their lunches, we came back to the compound to eat, cool off, and rest. It's amazing how much the heat plus so many little kids crawling on you drains your energy level and makes you hungry. It's all so worth it though. It's also amazing how much our little Teacon buddy can put in that belly of his. He is one good eater. After lunch we laid down for a little bit, Teacon watched a movie and played, and then we were ready to head back to the orphanage.
When we got back, the kids gathered around quickly. I snatched up one little guy who wrapped both arms around my neck and laid his head on my chest. He fell asleep fast, so I soon laid him down on one of the wooden benches to nap. Egloose was on my left and sweet Julieka girl was on my right...their arms interlocked in mine. There were about 7 or 8 older girls gathered around asking question after question. They just stare, smile, play with my hair, rub my arms and legs, and talk. It's like when you're at the nail salon and you know the workers are talking about you, but you just have no idea what they're saying. I finally got Lukie to translate for me. They told me that I was pretty...not the first time I heard "belle(beautiful)" in their pretty Haitian accents. So sweet. Then they were asking where I was from, how old I was, if I was married, and what that thing was on the back of my bottom teeth. I told Lukie to tell them that thing was called a retainer, and it's there to keep my teeth from moving. :) I've also been asked a few times this trip if I speak Espanol...not sure what that's all about! They just want to know everything they can know about us.
Emily and I got our hair did by the older girls who can braid like non other. We played some music and sang and danced to Justin Bieber and Rhianna. We enjoyed lots more hugs, giggles, and sweat. It's just fun being in their presence. Time flies at the orphanage, and it was quickly time to go back to the compound to eat, shower, and call it a night. For dinner we had fried chicken, rice, and french fries. It was so very good. Knowing what the room looks like where these ladies cook, it astonishes me how they produce so much good food for us. They serve us well...and all we can say is, "Mersi" (thank you).
After dinner, Teacon got a good bath and some clean clothes put on him. He's also got on his spidey undies, which he is so proud of. It's dark, but we have pulled chairs out on the porch and are just hanging out...as a family. Teacon's been on Drew's lap with his head lamp on watching bits and pieces of just about every movie on Drew's computer and playing with his machines (toy cars). We wish we knew what he was saying because he is talking and giggling away. Music to our ears. I picture many more nights like this. The family sitting in the back yard, talking, watching, and laughing at just how funny Teacon is. He has so much personality.
It's now time for my shower and more application of bug repellant. The mosquitos love me here. Tomorrow is our last full day in the country, and so I'm going to pray it goes by slowly. Thankful for more blessings and an overflowing heart tonight. God, You are so good.
Haiti-Day 2
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Good news! As I lay on my bed and write this, I am showered and clean. The men here at the compound have worked so, so hard today to get the system back up and running. That consisted of digging very large, very deep holes all over the ground to the main septic pipe. When we got back tonight, we couldn't wait to get clean. The water is cold and not a lot comes out (makes rinsing shampoo and conditioner out of a thick head of hair difficult), but no complaining here. It felt awesome. It was also awesome to use the bathroom in a toilet rather than....well, I'll spare you the details there. :) As long as you pour water from a big bucket into the bowl, it flushes just fine. We are just glad to have the water to do that today.
When we got to the orphanage this morning, the kids were in school. This teacher got excited to see how they do this. Last time I was here they weren't in school. Under the big tent on the orphanage ground, all of the 100 plus kids were split up into 8 groups. Each group had a chalkboard (of the sort) and a teacher. I told Emily that for their schooling to be so very different from the schooling my students get, I saw a lot of good and similar things going on. Kids were writing on small chalkboards, practicing multiplication facts on the boards, the younger ones were singing, and another group was up and moving around. If only I could understand what they were saying. I wanted to get in there so bad.
As soon as the kids got their break, it was on. Kids all around, just how I like it. We hung out with them for a little while until lunch time. That's when we headed back to the compound...Teacon with us of course...for some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Teacon goes everywhere we go. He's part of our family and it feels so natural having him with us. Falling more and more crazy about that kid by the minute. After lunch and getting a little rest, we grabbed a Gatorade from the gas station down the street and headed out to the land where Hope Rising will be built on. Our friend Fred who is with us until tomorrow had not seen it yet, so we took him there. I get excited about the future of that land.
After spending a few more hours with the kids playing and singing and taking "photos", it was time for dinner. The ladies here at the compound made us rice and goat. I learned that goat is a little bit more tough and chewier than chicken. We ate, cooled off and went back to take the kids juice and cookies. They love treats. :) They sit on their benches and wait so patiently, even though we know they are literally about to burst with excitement. As we hand them their snacks, we hear "Mersi" (thank you) in the sweetest little voices. Enough to melt your heart, I promise you that. Side note-I had some kids asking me tonight about the beach, using their arms to motion the waves. They still remember that trip. Makes my heart smile knowing that that afternoon made such an impact on their little lives. It did on mine too! I am so glad I was apart of that huge adventure. Unforgettable!
The sun left us quickly, and there is absolutely no lights on the ground. I hate how they just run around in the dark at night time. It is all they know though. As we told the kids goodnight, reassuring them that we will see them tomorrow, I grabbed up Egloose. He wrapped his arms and legs around me and squeezed so tight. I didn't at all want to put him down. As soon as I did, the tears began to flow. I missed him before I ever even left. I missed all of them before I even left. Bring on tomorrow.
When we got back we were exhausted. We took a quick, cold shower. Brushed our teeth with our bottled water spitting off the porch, and crawled into bed. This time, Teacon in bed right between Drew and Emily. He gets to stay the night for the rest of our stay, and we are so thankful for that. Especially his Mama and Papa. :) They put some clean jammies on our boy, and he's watching movies on Drew's computer until he falls asleep. All is great in our world tonight. Thankful for God's blessings in Haiti.
Good news! As I lay on my bed and write this, I am showered and clean. The men here at the compound have worked so, so hard today to get the system back up and running. That consisted of digging very large, very deep holes all over the ground to the main septic pipe. When we got back tonight, we couldn't wait to get clean. The water is cold and not a lot comes out (makes rinsing shampoo and conditioner out of a thick head of hair difficult), but no complaining here. It felt awesome. It was also awesome to use the bathroom in a toilet rather than....well, I'll spare you the details there. :) As long as you pour water from a big bucket into the bowl, it flushes just fine. We are just glad to have the water to do that today.
When we got to the orphanage this morning, the kids were in school. This teacher got excited to see how they do this. Last time I was here they weren't in school. Under the big tent on the orphanage ground, all of the 100 plus kids were split up into 8 groups. Each group had a chalkboard (of the sort) and a teacher. I told Emily that for their schooling to be so very different from the schooling my students get, I saw a lot of good and similar things going on. Kids were writing on small chalkboards, practicing multiplication facts on the boards, the younger ones were singing, and another group was up and moving around. If only I could understand what they were saying. I wanted to get in there so bad.
As soon as the kids got their break, it was on. Kids all around, just how I like it. We hung out with them for a little while until lunch time. That's when we headed back to the compound...Teacon with us of course...for some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Teacon goes everywhere we go. He's part of our family and it feels so natural having him with us. Falling more and more crazy about that kid by the minute. After lunch and getting a little rest, we grabbed a Gatorade from the gas station down the street and headed out to the land where Hope Rising will be built on. Our friend Fred who is with us until tomorrow had not seen it yet, so we took him there. I get excited about the future of that land.
After spending a few more hours with the kids playing and singing and taking "photos", it was time for dinner. The ladies here at the compound made us rice and goat. I learned that goat is a little bit more tough and chewier than chicken. We ate, cooled off and went back to take the kids juice and cookies. They love treats. :) They sit on their benches and wait so patiently, even though we know they are literally about to burst with excitement. As we hand them their snacks, we hear "Mersi" (thank you) in the sweetest little voices. Enough to melt your heart, I promise you that. Side note-I had some kids asking me tonight about the beach, using their arms to motion the waves. They still remember that trip. Makes my heart smile knowing that that afternoon made such an impact on their little lives. It did on mine too! I am so glad I was apart of that huge adventure. Unforgettable!
The sun left us quickly, and there is absolutely no lights on the ground. I hate how they just run around in the dark at night time. It is all they know though. As we told the kids goodnight, reassuring them that we will see them tomorrow, I grabbed up Egloose. He wrapped his arms and legs around me and squeezed so tight. I didn't at all want to put him down. As soon as I did, the tears began to flow. I missed him before I ever even left. I missed all of them before I even left. Bring on tomorrow.
When we got back we were exhausted. We took a quick, cold shower. Brushed our teeth with our bottled water spitting off the porch, and crawled into bed. This time, Teacon in bed right between Drew and Emily. He gets to stay the night for the rest of our stay, and we are so thankful for that. Especially his Mama and Papa. :) They put some clean jammies on our boy, and he's watching movies on Drew's computer until he falls asleep. All is great in our world tonight. Thankful for God's blessings in Haiti.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Haiti-Day 1
Monday, March 11, 2013
For the first time I can remember, I had no problems whatsoever waking up before 5:00 am...without even the need for an alarm clock. For me, this can only mean one thing....Haiti. We were all up early. None of us slept great last night. Just very anxious and excited. I am so thankful to be on this trip with my family. I love that my family share in a love for Haiti, missions, and people. If only Josh were here...missing him badly!
We flew out of Dallas and arrived in Ft Lauderdale around noon...just in time to eat a piece of pizza and board our next flight to Port au Prince. At 3:00 pm (2:00 pm your time), we finally arrived in the very sunny, very hot Haiti...shedding jackets quickly. It was just as I last remembered. Lots of noise. Lots of people. Lots of yelling. Lots of Creole. And lots of horns honking. I love it. My energy level was on an immediate high. Our friend Ronald met us at the airport to show us to our car. We loaded up and were on the road to Leogane.
Let me just tell you about my brother in law, Drew. The boy has Haitian running through his blood, I just know it. Traffic, roads, and driving are a little different here in Haiti. You just go and do as you please. You don't use brakes, you use horns instead. If the left side of the road is open, by all means...drive down it. Just watch out for pedestrians darting out in the road and people hanging out of the back of Tap Taps. Drew was our fearless driver. I love that he drives like a Haitian man, knows where he's going, and didn't hit one pedestrian with our side mirrors. :)
On our way to Leogane, which is about 20 miles and takes a couple of hours to drive (see previous paragraph), we made a quick stop by the market. There, we grabbed some bread, peanut butter and jelly, Pringles, and a few other things to eat on while we're here. I love going to the market. The store is full of food with labels I couldn't begin to read or understand, yet know exactly what it is. I did grab a Dr Pepper. I definitely understood that label. :)
Before finally going to see our kids, we dropped our luggage off at the compound, which is where we sleep, eat, and shower. The people here are so sweet, hospitable, and take very good care of us. Thankful for them! After dropping our stuff off and visiting with our friends here, we headed to the orphanage. It's about a mile down a bumpy, dirty road from where we stay at the compound. I'll be honest, when we pulled up to the gate, I had butterflies. After almost two years, I was about to see my nephew and all the kids I had missed so badly for so long.
As we drove in, all of the kids were lined up against the concrete wall...smiling from ear to ear. I immediately walked over and began hugging them and saying, "Bon swa! Bon swa!" meaning "Good afternoon." I can't even explain the emotion that I felt. I just began crying and cupping their little faces in my hands. I saw some new faces, and recognized the other ones. Same sweet faces, just on taller bodies. I looked over and finally saw Teacon. I literally ran and skipped towards him. He was being held by his momma. I kissed all over his face and just cried and giggled with giddy excitement. Then I saw Egloose. Egloose was a little 5 year old boy who absolutely stole my heart the last time I was here. Leaving him devastated me, and I never really got over it. I hugged him so big...still crying...and all I could say was, "I love you, I love you, I love you!" He just smiled so big and grabbed my hand. He was by my side the rest of the night. We joined the kids on the wall. I had about 4 kids on my lap and 3 or so on each side of me. I also had a few sets of hands playing with and braiding my hair, about 5 hands in mine at the same time, and I was happier than could be.
After spending a couple of hours with them tonight, our friend Roody met us at the orphanage to take us out to eat. Roody is a God send of a friend to us. He loves his country, and he desires so much for the people here to know Jesus. We loaded up, with our main man Teacon, and went to a nice restaurant. We had fried chicken, plantain, and rice, and it was quite delicious. Emily put some food on a plate for Teacon, and he ate it up. He loved everything except for the carrots and green peas, which he picked out and put on Emily's plate. He is already so much fun. It's a good thing he doesn't seem to mind us staring at him...because we just watch him all the time. He's the sweetest most precious, most perfect, most beautiful boy. I love him so much.
We took Teacon back to the orphanage and then went to the compound to shower and crash. However, the showers and toilets are out of service, so we're just going to crash. "Roughin it Haiti" is what we like to call it. I am so happy to be here. My heart is overflowing with joy, and I am going to soak in every moment with them these next few days. But first...sleep.
For the first time I can remember, I had no problems whatsoever waking up before 5:00 am...without even the need for an alarm clock. For me, this can only mean one thing....Haiti. We were all up early. None of us slept great last night. Just very anxious and excited. I am so thankful to be on this trip with my family. I love that my family share in a love for Haiti, missions, and people. If only Josh were here...missing him badly!
We flew out of Dallas and arrived in Ft Lauderdale around noon...just in time to eat a piece of pizza and board our next flight to Port au Prince. At 3:00 pm (2:00 pm your time), we finally arrived in the very sunny, very hot Haiti...shedding jackets quickly. It was just as I last remembered. Lots of noise. Lots of people. Lots of yelling. Lots of Creole. And lots of horns honking. I love it. My energy level was on an immediate high. Our friend Ronald met us at the airport to show us to our car. We loaded up and were on the road to Leogane.
Let me just tell you about my brother in law, Drew. The boy has Haitian running through his blood, I just know it. Traffic, roads, and driving are a little different here in Haiti. You just go and do as you please. You don't use brakes, you use horns instead. If the left side of the road is open, by all means...drive down it. Just watch out for pedestrians darting out in the road and people hanging out of the back of Tap Taps. Drew was our fearless driver. I love that he drives like a Haitian man, knows where he's going, and didn't hit one pedestrian with our side mirrors. :)
On our way to Leogane, which is about 20 miles and takes a couple of hours to drive (see previous paragraph), we made a quick stop by the market. There, we grabbed some bread, peanut butter and jelly, Pringles, and a few other things to eat on while we're here. I love going to the market. The store is full of food with labels I couldn't begin to read or understand, yet know exactly what it is. I did grab a Dr Pepper. I definitely understood that label. :)
Before finally going to see our kids, we dropped our luggage off at the compound, which is where we sleep, eat, and shower. The people here are so sweet, hospitable, and take very good care of us. Thankful for them! After dropping our stuff off and visiting with our friends here, we headed to the orphanage. It's about a mile down a bumpy, dirty road from where we stay at the compound. I'll be honest, when we pulled up to the gate, I had butterflies. After almost two years, I was about to see my nephew and all the kids I had missed so badly for so long.
As we drove in, all of the kids were lined up against the concrete wall...smiling from ear to ear. I immediately walked over and began hugging them and saying, "Bon swa! Bon swa!" meaning "Good afternoon." I can't even explain the emotion that I felt. I just began crying and cupping their little faces in my hands. I saw some new faces, and recognized the other ones. Same sweet faces, just on taller bodies. I looked over and finally saw Teacon. I literally ran and skipped towards him. He was being held by his momma. I kissed all over his face and just cried and giggled with giddy excitement. Then I saw Egloose. Egloose was a little 5 year old boy who absolutely stole my heart the last time I was here. Leaving him devastated me, and I never really got over it. I hugged him so big...still crying...and all I could say was, "I love you, I love you, I love you!" He just smiled so big and grabbed my hand. He was by my side the rest of the night. We joined the kids on the wall. I had about 4 kids on my lap and 3 or so on each side of me. I also had a few sets of hands playing with and braiding my hair, about 5 hands in mine at the same time, and I was happier than could be.
After spending a couple of hours with them tonight, our friend Roody met us at the orphanage to take us out to eat. Roody is a God send of a friend to us. He loves his country, and he desires so much for the people here to know Jesus. We loaded up, with our main man Teacon, and went to a nice restaurant. We had fried chicken, plantain, and rice, and it was quite delicious. Emily put some food on a plate for Teacon, and he ate it up. He loved everything except for the carrots and green peas, which he picked out and put on Emily's plate. He is already so much fun. It's a good thing he doesn't seem to mind us staring at him...because we just watch him all the time. He's the sweetest most precious, most perfect, most beautiful boy. I love him so much.
We took Teacon back to the orphanage and then went to the compound to shower and crash. However, the showers and toilets are out of service, so we're just going to crash. "Roughin it Haiti" is what we like to call it. I am so happy to be here. My heart is overflowing with joy, and I am going to soak in every moment with them these next few days. But first...sleep.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Love.
Ha. I really got a kick out of my title for this post. As I typed it, I thought that after my last blog, you all were sure to think I was at it again about love and relationships. Humor me. I assure you, this blog is about a different kind of love. Not the kind of love that leaves you with butterflies and the warm fuzzies, but the kind of love that leaves us serving others, caring for others, and meeting the needs of others. Unselfishly.
I've said it over and over again that what I love most about my job is that I get to use the Bible as a textbook. It is the ultimate History book. We get to open the Bible everyday and learn from it's complete goodness, which was created specifically for our lives. How cool is that? One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph. We have a lot to learn from him. What an example of faith, trust, forgivness, patience, and love Joseph is. My kids have LOVED it. "Keep reading!" "Can we read the next chapter today?" "Miss Hurt, this reminds me of Joseph!" Not even kidding, it's awesome.
After he saw his brothers again for the first time in years...we are finally to the part where Joseph is reunited with his father, Jacob. Talk about a family reunion. Joseph wrapped his arms around his father's neck and wept. And wept. And wept. He was filled with SO much love for his father and his brothers (the brothers who sold him into slavery and lied about his existance) that he gave them the best land and a plentiful amount of food for themselves and others. Now considering what all Joseph had been through in his lifetime, loving "unselfishly" could have been his last motive. But, when our hearts are so in love with Jesus, it's our only motive.
I'm really sad for you that you were not here for our talk yesterday about how we can love people who are less fortunate than us or handicapped. I'll do my best to share with you from the hearts and mouths of my third graders. I was just really blessed by them. What's new? The Lord never fails to teach me so much through these kids.
Here are some of their responses when asked how they can show love like Jesus:
"I can take a homeless person some food...like canned tomatoes."
"I can give someone money to buy an apartment."
"I'm going to save all of my toys until they become antique. Then I'll sell them for a lot of money, and give that money to people who need it."
"I can help someone who is handicapped with their groceries in the parking lot."
"I can write a card telling someone how much Jesus loves them."
"I can invite the homeless to church. My church doesn't charge to get in."
"I can go hang out with the elderly in the nursing home."
"I can help people cross the street by stopping the traffic."
"I can go through all of my toys and give the ones I don't play with to kids who don't have any."
I'd say they get it. As they were sharing, I couldn't help but think of what ways I show love to people in need. Unselfishly. When was the last time I blessed a homeless person on the street corner with some food or coffee or loose change right by my window. When was the last time I helped someone put groceries in their car. When was the last time I invited someone to church with me...we don't charge visitors either. :) When was the last time I gave my "goods" that I don't need anymore to someone who could use them. When was the last time I just simply told someone how loved they are by Christ. Think with me.
My charge to you (and myself) is to get out, and love more. Unselfishly. The world would be such a brigter place. I have a hard time believing we could go judge, condem, or be hateful after being the hands and voice of Jesus. Give back to God what is God...which is love. Give yourself without reservation. Jesus says in Mark chapter 12 to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strenth...and to love your neighbor as yourself." There are no greater commandments than those right there. So, in the words of the legendary Beatles themselves, "All you need is love." Let's do this. Let's share the gospel with our lives and our words.
I've said it over and over again that what I love most about my job is that I get to use the Bible as a textbook. It is the ultimate History book. We get to open the Bible everyday and learn from it's complete goodness, which was created specifically for our lives. How cool is that? One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph. We have a lot to learn from him. What an example of faith, trust, forgivness, patience, and love Joseph is. My kids have LOVED it. "Keep reading!" "Can we read the next chapter today?" "Miss Hurt, this reminds me of Joseph!" Not even kidding, it's awesome.
After he saw his brothers again for the first time in years...we are finally to the part where Joseph is reunited with his father, Jacob. Talk about a family reunion. Joseph wrapped his arms around his father's neck and wept. And wept. And wept. He was filled with SO much love for his father and his brothers (the brothers who sold him into slavery and lied about his existance) that he gave them the best land and a plentiful amount of food for themselves and others. Now considering what all Joseph had been through in his lifetime, loving "unselfishly" could have been his last motive. But, when our hearts are so in love with Jesus, it's our only motive.
I'm really sad for you that you were not here for our talk yesterday about how we can love people who are less fortunate than us or handicapped. I'll do my best to share with you from the hearts and mouths of my third graders. I was just really blessed by them. What's new? The Lord never fails to teach me so much through these kids.
Here are some of their responses when asked how they can show love like Jesus:
"I can take a homeless person some food...like canned tomatoes."
"I can give someone money to buy an apartment."
"I'm going to save all of my toys until they become antique. Then I'll sell them for a lot of money, and give that money to people who need it."
"I can help someone who is handicapped with their groceries in the parking lot."
"I can write a card telling someone how much Jesus loves them."
"I can invite the homeless to church. My church doesn't charge to get in."
"I can go hang out with the elderly in the nursing home."
"I can help people cross the street by stopping the traffic."
"I can go through all of my toys and give the ones I don't play with to kids who don't have any."
I'd say they get it. As they were sharing, I couldn't help but think of what ways I show love to people in need. Unselfishly. When was the last time I blessed a homeless person on the street corner with some food or coffee or loose change right by my window. When was the last time I helped someone put groceries in their car. When was the last time I invited someone to church with me...we don't charge visitors either. :) When was the last time I gave my "goods" that I don't need anymore to someone who could use them. When was the last time I just simply told someone how loved they are by Christ. Think with me.
My charge to you (and myself) is to get out, and love more. Unselfishly. The world would be such a brigter place. I have a hard time believing we could go judge, condem, or be hateful after being the hands and voice of Jesus. Give back to God what is God...which is love. Give yourself without reservation. Jesus says in Mark chapter 12 to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strenth...and to love your neighbor as yourself." There are no greater commandments than those right there. So, in the words of the legendary Beatles themselves, "All you need is love." Let's do this. Let's share the gospel with our lives and our words.
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Bachelor and Katie.
The Bachelor. Ahhhh. After reading those two words I'm sure there were many thoughts like, "Those girls are crazy" or "I just don't know why anyone would think they could find love like that" or "My goodness, Tierra is a mental case." You know it's true. No one talks about the show and admits to it being a legit way to find your soulmate. Maybe a legit way to find some fame and attention from random strangers who you will never meet, but no way to find love.
I'm guilty and watch the show. You're shocked right now. I know! In fact, I haven't missed an episode. I haven't missed many in the past seasons either. If you know me, you already know this and accept it. Thank you. :) Is it because I'm such a sucker for a good love story and think it's the most romantic thing in the world? Nope, not at all. Don't get me wrong, I do love love stories (shout out to Nicholas Sparks), but that's not what I find interesting about The Bachelor. I pick a girl, and then I watch to see if she's the final one. I get into it. It's a game. And that is why in the back of my mind, I can't help but feel sad for these girls.
I'm single, so I somewhat feel like I can relate. Minus the ridiculous drama! Just like me, these girls obviously desire and look forward to finding someone to love and do life with. I get it. What makes me sad is that they get to such a hopeless point in their "singleness" that reality television seems like the only other option left. Never mind the fact that their hearts, which are so treasured by God Himself are put out on the table to not be treated with care the way Christ desires...and more than likely by someone God never intended on them marrying in the first place. See where I'm going with this? Girls...we can't be so impatient and vulnerable.
This is the point where writing my thoughts and heart on the subject matter can become cheesy and cliche. However, God has better plans that are totally worth waiting for. It's just how it is. As a believer, I don't have to feel the need to take this area of my life into my own hands. I don't have to feel hopeless, or lonely, or unloved, or even single. I get to be married to Christ, and He protects my heart way better than any guy out there. I get this time with Him as He prepares me to meet and adore and love and respect my husband with my whole heart. That's just exciting stuff right there. And let me just add that I think my guy will be way hotter than Sean Lowe. ;)
The Bachelor is entertaining, I'll give it that. But I hope and pray it doesn't paint an unrealistic picture to young girls out there of what falling in love looks like. Let's focus on falling in love with Christ and our relationship with Him, and He promises us the desires of our hearts. That being someone who will pursue God first, us next. Someone who's heart for the Lord trumps any amount of muscle on his body. No games. No competing for attention. No doubts or questions. Don't settle. Don't take the search into your own hands. You might miss something during the wait. :)
#teamchristine
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