One Year Ago

A year ago a massive earthquake hit the country of Haiti. Haiti had become very special to me before the earthquake ever happened. I fell in love with the people and the children at the Hope for Haiti Children's Center better known as Danita's children.

I remember the Lord telling me to go and love on the children that lost their mom's and dads. So that's what I did. I left for Haiti in February. I wasn't sure what to expect so many things were going through my head. People were discouraging me from going not because they didn't want me to go but because they didn't understand that the Lord had told me to do so.

It was one of the most rewarding and challenging months of my life. I saw miracles. I saw children who were in body casts and had lost limbs. Children who had lost their spirit, who were sad and were all of a sudden in an unfamiliar place turn into children who were running and playing. Soon you could hear their laughter. You could see them feel more secure. There were children who couldn't sleep by themselves for nightmares came to them each night, learn to sleep on their own. I saw a big sister (maybe 6 yrs old), take care of her little brother (2 or 3). We watched her take care of all their clothes. She would dress him, comfort him and put him to bed with her each night. Matter a fact, he wouldn't sleep without her at first. But then he started to feel the comfort of love and started sleeping by himself. There are two children that touched me more than the others. There is a little boy there named Derdiny. He was a quite boy but there was something about him that was just special to me. He was older, maybe 11 or so (could be older). Anyway, he put on a tough front, but anytime I was around, he was right there and I made sure to hug him. I would give him a shirt out of the back room and he would light up. There are kids that you just click with and he was one of those for me. The other child that touched me was a girl named Katiana. When I first met Katiana, she was in a wheelchair and she seemed ok. Although she had lost her family in the earthquake and her arm, she was another one that put on a front while she was around people. There were times when she would go through having her dressing changed on her arms and she would just cry out. At night she would have to have someone to sleep with her to help her feel safe. She really never had a good nights sleep becuase she would wake up often scared. She also had nightmares. We took turns in the church sleeping with the kids and it was my turn. That night I was sleeping with Katiana. Around midnight, we all heard a noise and felt a tremor. It only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. The children all started panicking and running out of the church where we were sleeping. Katiana was in a wheelchair still and couldn't walk on her leg but she was getting out of the church. She came across me and started out of the bed. Finally someone came and helped me get her in her chair and we got all the children out of the church. We sat out and I remember the fear on their faces. It's one of those things I'll never forget. I remember looking up to Heaven and asking God for peace for these children. They all started singing songs about God and Jesus. I was blown away.
We sat outside for over an hour with the children until finally we all went back into the church. They didn't want to go but they finally went back. I could hardly sleep the rest of the night. I had Katiana on one side of me and little Fedner on the other side. I just held them tight and I'll never forget the grip that Katiana had on my arm. I was able to see Katiana this past Summer and I'm so glad to report that she is doing much better. After we had left in March she started walking on her leg that had been broken. What an amazing young lady. Of course there are many others.

The special needs children...wow! There is sweet little Jean who when we got there was having siezures but thanks to doctors and the missionaries at Danita's Jean rec'd the meds he needed so he wouldn't have so many. Then there was little Fitson who could light up a room with His smile and the joy that just spilled off of him. Oh and Denise. Precious little Diva Denise. haha Denise has Hydrocephlus. When we got there she had just had a shunt put in her head to help drain the fluid off her brain. While we were there we saw her start to cry, smile, coooo and not to mention she was the best dressed baby! Now Denise has started to pull up her head on her own. These children are truely miracles of God!

I'm going to end this sharing about the missionaries that are at the Hope for Haiti Children's Center. First I'll start with the awesome friends that I met while I was there. People that were so dedicated to the love of the children that it was such an honor to work along side them. Kayla Jenkins who cared for Denise night and day, Sarah Moriarity, she is a physical therapist who worked with the special needs children and the children with amputated limbs and broken bones. Leah Morford who has such a sweet heart and loved little Julien with her whole being, Nancy who was such a humble spirit and nurse and took care of wounds, Mami Cake who organized things so we could help the children more and made me laugh:D, and there were many more. Mami Annie and family who hosted us and took us in like family. And I got to see friends that I had made on previous trips Mami Linzi, who is going to be one amazing nurse and wife to Bertico!, Mami Lynda who became more special to me than she will ever know, Karris, Brenda there are no words to describe these two women.

There are two more women of God that I will ever be eternally blessed to know. Mami Heather and Mami Brittany. Heather is the most amazing woman. She loves the children so much. God has given her a special gift for the special needs children. Her love for them I believe is partially responsible for the progress they are making. I know that it's ALL God but God put that love in her. I am so grateful for Mami Heather.

Then there is Mami Brittany. I met Brittany right after she came to Haiti. I immediately fell in love with her. I loved her free spirit, her willing heart and the love that just ooozed from her. The first time I met her I knew she was special. She went to PAP with Danita to rescue the children. I could go on and on about Brittany. She has seen so much, she has experienced so much but most of all I've seen her grow into an amazing woman of God. What an honor to call her friend.

There are so many amazing Haitian women caring and loving for the children at Danita's. They are precious people and have a spirit like non I've ever seen.

I'll end this with I love these people, I love there country and I will continue to pray for God's deliverance for their country. I'll never forget this experience and all God has shown me through them.

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!