Letter from Haiti

Today I recieved a letter from a sweet boy from Haiti. Over the past few years I've gotten to know this special boy named Etlin. He is smart, quite and a hard worker. We speak different languages and we live in different cultures but I feel like he is one my own children. There is something so precious about him. He has such a gentle spirit. Etlin has a sister named Vassie who he cares for very much. When I was there in February 2010 I gave Etlin some money for his birthday. He went to the Haitian market and bought him a pair of jeans but he took part of his money and bought his sister a shirt. The missionaries always talk about how sweet he his and how he never gets in trouble. In his sweet letter he wrote he asked me to pray for him and what the Lord wants him to do with his life. He has always said he would like to be a doctor. He could definately do it.

This letter that I recieved today made this holiday season extra special. Although I couldn't be with the children at the Hope for Haiti's Children Center, they were in my heart!

Counting down the days until July!

It's been a while

It has sure been a long time since I have blogged. I'm going to try to start blogging about my thoughts and so forth. I'm real excited to start this again. :D

There is still good in humanity

Today, I got a phone call that said please come to the school and pick up your money. I just want to say my children go to one of the most awesome schools in Lincoln County. Most everyone knows by now that I am leaving for Haiti on Feb. 15. The teachers and the staff at Norris Children Elementary raised money for me. I was so overwhelmed with their kindness. These people, some that I've subbed for and others that I have not, people I barely know reached into their pockets for children they do not even know. It was amazing. There is still good in the hearts of people. We see so many negative things on the news and the radio but today, I realized humanity is not hopeless. Lord thank you for your love and provision. I am so blessed to have my relationship with the Lord. :D

Tonight....what's on my mind.

Tonight, I was thinking and talking to my Lord and I was thinking about how blessed I am. I have a wonderful husband, a home, children, food in my cabinets, a few "good" friends, and a God that loves me and thinks I'm pretty awesome! How do I know He thinks I'm awesome, it's because He doesn't make junk and He told me that I'm fearfully and wonderfully made.

I will be leaving for Haiti in two weeks for a whole month. People have said to me, you are so nice to do that, or they think I'm pretty awesome. Honestly that stuff makes me so uncomfortable. You see, I'm not doing this for me. I honestly can't believe the Lord would allow me to be a part of this. My heart is to show the children of Haiti the love the Father has shown me. To bring encouragement to the missionaries there and to serve in anyway I can. You see it's an honor for me to go there and serve.

It's been pretty tough as well, because I also hear things like I can't believe you are leaving your family for a month, your kids are too small for you to leave them, or it's not fair to Chris. That stuff is hard to hear. But I would never do anything without prayer and my husband's blessing. We are all sacrificing for me to go. Chris said "if we have to give you up for a month to help a child feel secure then that's what we will do. In the grand scheme of things its a month, that's not that long considering we have a lifetime together." With this said, I am married to one of the most amazing men in the world and I am thankful for his blessing.

The other thing that has touched me so much is the support of my friends and the teachers at Norris Childer's Elem. Everyone has been so generous through prayer and finances. At the school, the teachers and staff are fundraising for me, and some of my sweet friends have given to support my trip. I am about $200 away from my goal and it has been provided in just one week. God is so awesome!

This was on my mind tonight and I thought I would share.

Warfare

It's interesting every time I go to Haiti, I encounter some type of spiritual attack. This time is no different. The thing is I recognize exactly what I'm up against. The word says I'm more than a conqueror. I have my battle plan, Ephesians 6 and well, I guess I'm ready for battle. The devil hates it so much when you are walking in the Lord's will. He hates us anyway but anytime you are doing something for the Kingdom its like he has a panic attack and he starts causing trouble. Well I have news for him, my God is so much bigger and can handle anything that he wants to throw at me. See he hits you in your weak spots but see, the word also says when I am weak He is strong. Soooo, there ya go. I'm going to Haiti so he might as well just get over it! Lord thank you for loving me, I'm so thankful that I'm your daughter and I can hide in the shadow of your wing! :D

Love Hate relationships

Today I have discovered that I have a love hate relationship with....Walmart. I love the fact that its close to home, it has good prices and I can get almost anything I need there. I hate the fact that everytime I go to Walmart I go in with good intentions, I have a list and I swear I'm gonna stick to it. Within the first few aisles I've blown it. I go in for detergent and toothpaste, I go out with detergent, toothpaste, Little Debbies, air freshner, gum, a notebook and anything else that is in the middle of the floor. That's my thought for the day!

My first Blog

I decided to start blogging, because, well, everybody else was doing it. I know normally that is not a good reason to do anything, but this was a little different. Maybe I'll post something that will help someone else, who knows.

It's interesting to be starting this blog now. You see, in December of 2008 I made my first trip to Haiti. I've been three times since then. I fell in love with the people of Haiti and the children at the orphanage that we visit. As you may now last Tuesday a huge earthquake hit the country of Haiti. Their capital city of Port Au Prince was devastated. When I first started watching the news coverage of this tragedy, I felt so helpless, I wanted to do something. Two days later, the Lord laid on my heart that I was to go. Not only that I was to go but go for a month. I said Lord what about my family? He said do you trust me? I said what about the money? He said do you trust me? I said what about Chris? Again do you trust me. SO I said yes Lord I trust you. So I shared with my husband that I believe I was supposed to go. He said he wanted to pray about it. So we prayed about it together and we prayed about it on our own. His main concern was my safety. Well he was on his way home from work yesterday and he said the that an overwhelming peace just came over him and he believes I'm supposed to go too. So, I am answering the call. I'm stepping out in faith and trusting the Lord to make a way. So far, we have a neighbor that is so gracious to take our kids to school and bring them home. People have offered to feed them, and so far several people have said they would help me financially. God is so good. I am overwhelmed by His goodness. I am overwhelmed that He would choose me. I don't have a lot to offer. All I have to offer is the love of a mother and I can show them the love of Jesus! So, this is my first blog! I'll be writing more later! God Bless you all!

My first blog!

Everyone is b