Last Night

It is my last night in Haiti, and it is hard to wrap my mind and heart around leaving. I am ready to go home in many ways, but I think much of my heart will linger here for quite sometime. As it should.

Today was a day of passing on information and helping paint the bunk houses. But more importantly it was a day of goodbyes to a lot of lovely people.

Rosita, Marco, Roman, Miguel, and Meglan. Not easy goodbyes I will miss them all. They are an integral part of the ministry and life here at the Haitian Queen.

Please pray for tomorrow. I leave here at the house at 6am, the airport is a series of check points and security checks, I need to be on a plane at 10:20am Haiti time. Then I fly to Ft. Lauderdale, then wait for 6 hours then on to Dallas for 2hours then home! 11:30 pm CA time

Thanks again for all your love and support!

Marche' Day

Tuesday and Thursday's are the days for shopping here at the Haitian Queen (Our Headquarters/Home) Shopping in Haiti is always an experience today was no exception. Myself, Linda and Barb accompanied our cook, (I should say Chef, because she is amazing)Rosita to the local Marche' to purchase our groceries for the next few days. First we went to a small store called Deli Mart to get the meat and a few other things, on the way there I took the video below of Rosita and Miguel singing together as we drove.



After Deli Mart we stopped to buy some a box of frozen chickens and then headed to the Marche'/Market. We had no idea what to expect. We have seen markets from the car windows, but this was our first time at the market.

I have watched the Travel Channel and read tons of travel books and every travel host will tell you that you should check out the local market to know the culture. It is true of Haiti. The Market like most everything here was operating on a pile of rubble. Little stalls set up admits the debris where the locals sell produce and other goods.

Here are a picture.(more to come but not tonight I am tired.)

A Different Kind of Valentines Day

I can honestly say that I never imagined spending Valentines Day traveling alone to a state where I know absolutely no one to head to Haiti.

As I sit here alone in my hotel room in Ft Lauderdale, FL watching the Olympics counting down the hours till I leave for Haiti you might think I would be sad or at least overwhelmed. Shockingly, I am not. I am thankful for the chance I have to go and love people, I am excited to understand the God I love in new ways as I have to depend on Him more than ever before. It is in fact maybe as it should be. On a day that we have dedicated to celebrating those we love and our love for each other, I get to show my love for God by obeying His call to go to Haiti, I get to experience His love as He travels with me.

I don't know what you are doing this Valentines Day, I hope you are spending it with people that you love, but more than that I hope that you know God's unfailing love today. I hope that you trust Him more and find Him to be your greatest love.

Thank you for all your prayers, God is answering by giving me an overwhelming peace. I hope to keep you involved in what we get to do in Haiti through out my time there, if at all possible.

Holding Pattern

First off thank you for all your kind words, your prayers and your support!

I wanted to let you know that as of yesterday (meaning could change at any moment) I am in a holding pattern for Haiti. I spoke with some of the men in charge and they felt that at this point Haiti is too unstable/unsafe and they would like to hold off in sending me.

So I am waiting.

When I signed up to go I was willing but not longing to go. In the past week I have developed a heart for Haiti, and for the people there, and I can honestly say I long to be there helping as soon as can.

I will keep you posted.

Please continue to pray for those serving there, and for the people of Haiti who for so long have lived in the midst of death and fear. Pray with me that God will use the people who are left and the people on the ground to bring peace, and life to the nation of Haiti! That He will not only meet their needs but will raise them up out of the rubble and plant them on a firm foundation!

I want to be sure you see positive images coming out of Haiti not just the stories the news chooses to focus on. Here are some pictures from last Sunday morning in Haiti, where hundreds of Haitians gathered together in a tent to worship God!



The images are of my team leader Sarah and some local people, whose names I do not know. Please pray for more of these kind of situations and reports flowing out of Haiti!

BIG NEWS Going to Serve in Haiti

I have been asked and approved to head to Haiti to join the Crisis Response hand of TouchGlobal and ReachGlobal from February 9th through the first week of March to serve with Brian and Sarah and other Reach Global missionaries. It looks like right now I will be working to set up two houses that will be used to house all the future teams of relief workers. I will also be working on building and maintaining relationships with all of the new organizations we will be partnering with to be the most effective in helping the people of Haiti.

Many of you are giving to my financial support for Rome, and I still need you to keep doing that, and I will be continuing work on raising the remainder of my support. I am pleased to point out that I am now at 50% of my monthly support for Rome up 8% from last week. It seems that God is honoring my obedience to go wherever He leads and new supporters began rolling in as soon as I said I was willing to go.

If you would like to Give a special gift towards the ministry I will be doing in Haiti, I do need money for airfare, and to get some Haiti appropriate clothing and supplies as well as all the shots and travel insurance that I need. Please let me know if you would like to give in that way and I will let you know how to do that.

If you cannot give above and beyond what you are already giving but would like to be involved I would REALLY Value your prayers. Pray that God would be preparing my heart and mind for this time, that I would be a blessing to all that I work with and for. And of course Pray for the people of Haiti. I am also in need of some supplies like:

good boots (size 9)
water purifier for a water bottle
First Aid kit
Bug Net
Batteries
High Energy Snacks

I will let you know of other needs.

Pray Pray Pray

Thanks

Where He Leads I Will Follow

Thank you for all of your prayers for me and my team! Here is the latest from Brian and Sarah...
Update on Brian and Sarah

Also it is looking more likely that I too will be heading to Haiti to work with the team there. I am still waiting to hear the details and get the final approval, but I would greatly appreciate you joining with me in prayer about this.

For more on what we are doing in Haiti check out the EFCA Crisis Response Blog

Boulder Creek Fire

Hello friends there is yet another fire in CA and this time it is even closer to my home, so please join me in praying that they get it out quickly! Right now all I know is that it is a wildland fire about an acre and near Boulder Creek, right up past my home. There are air tankers, bulldozers and fire crews there along with helicopters so it seems like they will get things taken care of, but praying is always a good thing.

While you are at it you can join me in praying for the people in Burkina Faso, Africa where my sister was and is heading back to live. They are experiencing a a pretty intense flood in the capital city of Ouagadougou.

Image by jcolman via Flickr

There was also a major Earthquake in Indonesia today a 7.0 which has left at least 32 people dead. So we can be praying for the people there as well.

Friends there is also a lot of good in the world, so I do not want you to think I am saying the world is falling apart around us, but I do think it is important for us to be lifting the concerns of our hearts up to God in prayer. And when He answers give Him all the praise and glory. God is Good all the time! Even in the midst of chaos.