Life in the states...

We've been here in the states, staying with my parents for two weeks. I keep thinking of how hard it was to leave home, and all our earthly belongings so suddenly, but in comparison to some of the refugees in Greece, I have it so so good!

We have a family who was eagerly awaiting our arrival.

We have a great place to stay.

We have our entire family with us, and we are safe!!

If we are going to compare, lets compare with those that have less. There is ALWAYS ALWAYS a way to gratefulness, and when you walk that road, you will find contentment and happiness. ENOUGH. 

We are very very grateful that the children are able to have their teacher from Haiti set up school and teach in the basement of Beth-El Mennonite School. This has brought stability and an anchor to our day.  It has put being in the states under a different light for the littles; they are used to furlough which is a lot of dinner invitations, outtings and fun with the aunts and uncles, spoiling by my mom, and more "vacation" type of stay. Now they see that life in the states isn't all fun and games:)

I've enjoyed seeing friends and family.... spending time with my mom and sisters. Its a battle for me to enjoy the time that wasn't planned, not settle in to much, but live with an open hand. We do not know when we will return home, but for sure not til the end of the month. We plan to go to Fl to see Jess's parents and there, my parents have a house we can use. 

Our family theme song, and one that I ministers to me so so often is this...

He is a gentle Father, and in all this upheaval, unknowns and uncertainty, His grace is sufficient, and He has our journey planned perfectly. 

He is a good Father. 

A road less traveled...

I feel like i'm on a very unfamiliar road right now. Our whole family, really. I love schedule, nesting into a home, and routine.

We had just gotten settled, mostly nested, and a good routine going when the storm started to brew. Unrest in Haiti is not new, but it has come and gone many times. This time, it didn't go so fast.

For about 7 weeks lived in a state of immobilization. We couldn't travel freely, which ranged anywhere from not going to the city to not feeling safe to go to market several miles down the road at times.

In any case, it has been  wearing. I think in my desire to not be dramatic, I've  maybe not acknowledged the emotional wearing and the weariness it brings. "evacuation" was something I didn't want to think about. Haiti is our home, and how do you take 6 children and live in a state of limbo when there is school todo and you have no home of your own and you have no idea when you will return. How long can you live in a temporary state when you have no idea how long the temporary will last??


The riots and upheaval continued and soon started effecting the office, employees, and Andy and Jess. On Thursday, October 31st. , at noon, we got a call from the board saying they have made the decision. Its time to evacuate.

Between my mind going numb, yet feeling relieved the decision was made for us and we didn't have to battle weather we were staying to long, or leaving to soon, I immediately began preparing, packing, and organizing. Kinda ridiculous, considering we basically all only had a carry one with enough clothes for several days. Heading to Pa in Nov when you are coming out of 90* temperatures is no joke, let me tell you.

Within about 36 hours we were headed out. We were trusting God to get us across the mountains to a small , paved airport in Jacmel. We had two national employees along to help with any road block complications. This part of the trip was the "mountain" in my mind. If we could just get there, the rest felt like downhill.

God was so so good to us!! We left early, knowing that that was our first step of wisdom and doing what we could to avoid problems. The drive was beautiful as we climbed the mountain and went around many sharp curves. We saw the remainders of many roadblocks but simply went around them. Only one was impassable, armed, but not volatile, and with about 500 gds we were able to pass. The airport was a welcome, welcome sight. We had 3 trips lined up, with Andys family leaving first, and our family splitting into two. I've always wanted to see Haiti from a small plane, but not under these circumstances.

The mountains dotted with little houses and tin roofs, the trails that wind up and down and around, and river beds that run long and wide, never cease to amaze me. No wonder a trip that takes us 2 hours by truck took about 20 minutes.


Since we got into PAP to late to catch a connecting flight into Pa, we got a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. My mind was still in survival/ do the next thing mode, but we were so grateful for safe trip, and how well the children did. They've become very used to flying, and they were amazing.

I'll pick up from here in my next post. And yes, since I have better internet, a little organization to my life, I hope to make this blog a little more active.

pray for us... and let me know if you will commit to that?? I'd love to hear from you.

The blessing of Acceptance

So this week my phone fried. Its been throwing a few fits lately, but I was trying to be patient and not just think i need to rush out and buy another one.

Then one morning I woke, and it was dead. Like completely and totally wouldn't charge or turn on. Nothing. 

I soon had a decision to make. Feel utterly frusterated at all the pictures, messages, recipes, and notes that were now totally gone, 

or accept the loss and go on.  ( and remind every friend and their brother, and myself, to always, always back up your pictures on a regular basis)

It seems to have been a theme in the last few years, this acceptance. I don't mean the kind where  you are lazy and just allow everyone to run over you; being a carpet, but the kind of acceptance that can weather storms, and where, even in very disappointing times, your spirit remains at peace, and you aren't all bent out of shape.

I have a paragraph written in my Bible that i think on often.

In acceptance lieth peace, 

Oh my heart be still;

Let Thy restless worries cease, 

And accept His will.

Though this test be not thy choice,

 It is His, therefore, rejoice!

In His plan there cannot be, 

Aught to make thee sad,

If this is His choice for thee, 

Take it, and be glad!

Make from it a lovely thing, 

To the glory of the King.

Cease from sighs and murnering, 

Sing His lovely grace, 

This thing means thy furthering, 

To a wealthy place. 

From thy fears He'll give release. 

In acceptance lieth peace. 

Whatever storms you are facing today, whatever inconvenience, interruption, or trial,

may you find walk in grace, acceptance, and therefore, 

PEACE

The racetrack

Seems like a fitting title for a description of life since we landed in Haiti on July 24. Getting settled into a new home, going through several households things to furnish our own house, helping one family move out and another in, jess getting dengue for a week, butchering two pigs and having the biggest conference within salt happen all within the first two months we are here, besides the normal things that come with being a mom of 6, and is it any reason I can hardly catch my breath? There have been pockets of time where I breath , and do some things that refuel my being, and I'm grateful.


The house and property are located on the bottom edge of town, about a 3 minute walk to the coast. It's quiet and peaceful, and even when there are road blocks and chaos in town we can hardly tell from here. So much so, that one day when I walked up the street to get a taxi to go to market, I discovered town was "hot" (our term for when town has conflict, road blocks and/or burning tires) a little to late. We came up on a tractor trailer blocking the road. My driver got off, told me to walk around the truck...he pushed his cycle under the trailer and through the blockade and we net in the
other side, and were soon on our way. More blockades and I was feeling quite uncomfortable with being out and about. I told him to take me back where he picked me up but he drove up through town and soon had me at market. Let's just say I was thankful to be back home that day. Extra thankful.


Back to the house. We specifically prayed for various things and I can tell you, God handpicked this place. The children have place to play, there is a beautiful outbuilding for a schoolroom, we have guestrooms and our teacher has her own space. It's more than I dreamt!

The house is full of character but needed alot of cleaning and tlc. It's so much fun to see our work pay off with "after " pics that show such a difference. The yard will take awhile, but we enjoy that kind of work so it doesn't look overwhelming.


The racetrack is loosing it's grip on me as I realize how valuable it is to take a day at a time and put my all into it. I tend to be proactive; doing what doesn't need done badly to avoid it feeling huge. It pays off.

I'm settling in and nestling my family, and I am very very grateful for this time, this place, these people. I love this country and it's people; and there's no where I'd rather be than right where I am, with husband and family I have.

posted from Bloggeroid

Revival of the blog

Hey everyone! After almost a year of quiet, here I am, ready to step our into the cyber world and put some thoughts out there. Sometimes I feel like my life is so normal, who would want to read about it? Or, what is new under the sun that would even inspire anybody?

But with a lot of thought and a dear friend who gave me the encouragement to do this, I'm ready to start blogging again.

It's been a year for the books in so many ways. I don't know how much I will go back, but for now, I want to welcome you here.

I hope you find this spot encouraging, relatable, and where you can know you have a friend who cares. It'll be where I share of our life here in Haiti, our home of 3 years. You might learn about some of my passions and dreams, about the things that work for me and some that don't.
Whatever the case,
Welcome! I'm glad you are here.

Summer things…..

The summer has come and flew and is soon to go out just as quickly. We are living our days, some planned and yet having many opportunities to have our plans changed and be flexible. Truly, each moment is a gift to be savored, and opportunities come daily that we do not want to miss or take for granted.

We started out summer normally…. the Haitian school left out, the Dorcas Center closed and Becca went home.  The children finished out the 2017/2018 school year and had about 2 weeks of break before Lynita came on May 16. This is the second year she came to teach summer school and so it was easy for her to jump in and start the 2018/2019 year. I was so grateful for the break, even tho i scarcely knew what todo with all the extra time. It was really fun tho, to be able to sew, and do some things that i didn’t have time for before, as well as have the school load shared. We enjoyed taking random days off, and I enjoyed having a coffee buddy. Lynita was such a blessing and encouragement to us, and we enjoyed having her here very much.

It was a special blessing to have Lynita here while i took my trip stateside. She kept school going and the house running. It was disappointing to not be able to spend any time in Labaliene together before she left, but God knew that all along.

We looked forward to welcoming Katrina Musser , who was coming to teach for several weeks this summer as an opportunity to learn more about school and classroom. God knew we would need her for domestics much more than for teaching. She has served and given in amazing ways, and I was so blessed by how she utilized spare time to come up with creative crafts and learning games that supplemented their lessons. ( But they hardly knew they were learning)

We enjoyed visiting friends, a trip to the river, a trip to the mountains,and many other everyday things.

So summer is ending and we are anticipating some concentrated family time before plunging into a busy new year of school ( for us, and also Haitian school, which means the end of a quiet courtyard) finishing up some projects on the compound and other things we have on our plate. Life here is not always easy, and some days i need to intentionally  count blessings. I need to remember God is good, and He is writing out our story one day at a time, and even the hard and the difficult and the uncomfortable, are all being used to make a beautiful tapestry. By the grace of God we will be faithful one day at a time.

 

Stateside... July 2018

                                                                                                                          

 What a gift to be able to go to the states for a little time with family, esp after having poured more energy than I felt at the time, during the last year of being mom and teacher. A special thank you to Jess and Lynita for your extra work, to Luke and Joyce, David and Hannah, and Ruth, for our tickets. It was so very very generous and thoughtful of you!

                                                                                        

  

Our dear Abe and Mimi picked us up in Pittsburg, and took us to a beautiful motel for the night. What a refreshing way to start out our time!  This lady is absolutely amazing, and we had the best breakfast right there in our suite. When we got to the house, some of the family was there to see us. Later, more came, then more!  I  went to sleep with the full moon streaming across the bed,and the beautiful sound of the waterfalls outside.

                                                                                                                                                                          

The next morning i walked in on our family camping, in a bear costume. I had a box of fruit snacks that i passed out…. Dad and mom  and most of my nieces and nephews thought i was arriving Monday. It was absolutely epic. Shocked would be a good word to describe how my parents felt. Yessss!!!!!!!

                                                                                                                        

Meeting the new nephew. ALL THE BABY SNUGGLES….

No place like Moms house. We got up early on Monday morning. The world was quiet and beautiful. The birds were singing their praises, and the grass and trees and flowers were joining in silent worship.

I loved helping mom around the house, working in the garden

and talking together.

Attending Andrew and Priscillas wedding was a highlight for me, even though i esp missed Jess that day.

                                                                                                              

Im not sure how many mornings we met for early coffee, but it was so fun to talk in person!

And with my other big sister…..<3

So proud of my sister and their new business!!!

                        

One of my favorite pictures from my trip.

I’m so blessed to have these people be my family.

More friends and more coffee… more beauty and more memories. And then, the unexpected extra days. As Haiti found its self in a turmoil and upheaval, days before our scheduled return, we waited.

We met my Sil as planned, so we would be near the airport. Jess made the final call to reschedule our return. Although we could fly, it was unsafe for him to travel to pick us up.

Even though the circumstances were less than ideal, we had the pleasure of a few days with Mark and Lois. Wow. What an unexpected gift!!!! 

Not only that, Abe and Judy stopped by on their way home from Ontario and spent another 14 hours or so with us. How sweet was that!?!?!?

We flew back into Haiti on July 12. So happy to see Jess and the other children again, and Lynita! We made some stops in town, esp for Lynita, and then enjoyed a lovely late lunch together before going to CAM guesthouse for the night.

Lynita and I shared coffee together the next morning and then we took her to the airport. We sure are going to miss her!

Its good to be home.

so so good.