Giving Our Best Away

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and all the first fruits of all your produce."  - Proverbs 3:9

The way I have come to understand "first fruits" in scripture is that God blesses his people with things - a harvest, relationships, wealth (spiritually and materially), health, etc.  All gifts come from God and there are benefits that we reap from these gifts; we are to give the first of those back to the One who chose to first give them to us.

Here at IMPACT, God has gifted us with much - rich relationships across the globe, a budget that seems to somehow barely squeak by every year (with much help from the Presbytery), incredible teaching pastors to guide us, a wise and Godly council to direct this ministry and willing and eager participants and interns who serve relentlessly. We are so rich.  

We want you to know that one of our goals is to give our best away.  We don't want to hoard people's gifts or try to hold people back from what they have the potential to do because "IMPACT needs them."  We don't.  We get to be blessed with a season of their lives.  And I write this today because we are in the process of giving three of our VERY BEST away and we could not be more thrilled about it.

We have an IMPACT intern program which consists of college-age students who are willing to give their time unpaid to serve with IMPACT, both on the central coast of California and overseas.  Two of our interns are ripping our hearts out being called by God to serve in other countries as a result of the experiences of their internships.

Kelsea (click on her name to read her blog)

was and IMPACT intern, went to Uganda for a month and was one of our Haiti interns last year.  She felt a strong calling to go back indefinitely and serve the people of Montrouis, Haiti through New Vision Ministries. We prayed over her, helped her fundraise and got her back there as quickly as possible.  She's been on the ground in Haiti since late October and is doing INCREDIBLE things.

Kelsea and Marina in Haiti

Marina

(click on her name to read her blog) was an intern with Kelsea her senior year at Westmont, came on part-time staff with IMPACT after graduation and has recently accepted a position as the production manager with Krochet Kids in Lima, Peru.  Marina's dream has always been do microfinance in Latin America - she told me that during her internship interview.  God has provided an open door for her to do just that.  While Marina's departure leaves a HUGE hole in our ministry, we are confident that gifting her to Peru is the absolute best thing we can do for her and for the women she will impact.  She will leave in late December - Godspeed sweet friend!

Susan

has been a faithful prayer warrior and council member with IMPACT.  She and her husband serve in Mexico regularly and led our Turkey trip in 2011. They have been a pivotal part of decision-making and prayer over this ministry and we are delighted that the Lord has called them to a 6-month stint to oversee the ministry in Mexico.

We truly believe that giving away our best is the way to go.  So ladies - we love you!  You are our cream of the crop and God has chosen to plant you elsewhere for a season.  We say "Vaya con Dios - Go with God."  Our prayers cover you, our gatherings will miss you, our lives will be changed for the better because you've chosen to give yours away. 

Pay Day

All of our Haiti interns & summer teams are home!  We will blog more about summer trips soon, but for now...

As IMPACT, we sent 6 gals to Haiti about a year ago and for the last year I haven't really found the words to describe what the experience has been for us as an organization.  I still can't tell you where I land on that because there's 6 girls and some IMPACT staff still processing on this end.

But what I can tell you is that relationships are ALWAYS, ALWAYS worth it.  The reasons I felt like God was calling us to run the program in the first place were 1) Kerry and Joy (our partners there in Haiti) needed more workers for the harvest and 2) I believe relationships are what change lives - deep, invested and intentional relationships that you can't get on short-term trips.  Unless you go back frequently, the only way to do that is to live among the people.  I mean that's the gospel, right?  That's what ultimately changed each of our lives - a God who was willing to step into our world and enter into a relationship with us.  He reaches out and gives everything and we choose the degree to which we enter into a trusting and intimate relationship with him.  

We had one intern who gave her entire life to the people of Montrouis, particularly the women in the fishing village.  Kelsea immediately had a heart for these women and invested in them 100% from September until July - almost a full year of breaking down walls and building trust.  She's even learned Creole.  The return on her investment is incredible.  She came home just in time for our wedding and told me the day before the wedding, "Bree, I feel like God is calling me to go back to Haiti - no return ticket, just to go and be a full time missionary and love on those women.  They've captured my heart and Haiti is my other home.  What do I need to do?"

I wept.  This is pay day for a year of wondering why we rolled out the program and questioning if it really was the best thing.  I asked Kelsea for a bit of her story & a few photos for our newsletter and these are the ones she sent today.  I wept again.  This is Kelsea and Necillia - this is my pay day and Kelsea's - you can see the depth of their relationship in this picture, you can see the investment and the sacrifice paying off.  You can see the gospel being lived out.  How beautiful is that!

This is Kelsea with Climaco.  His mother, Natalie passed away in July and had become one of Kelsea's dearest friends.  Kelsea cared for her in the last weeks of her life - took her to all her doctors appointments, walked with her through her dark sickness and helped her family with the funeral.  Her two children moved into the Mission when she died and Kelsea cared for them until she left to come home.  Climaco and his sister are one of the main reasons Kelsea feels called to go back full-time.  

I am ridiculously proud of this woman who started out as a sheltered, sweet 21-year-old Westmont student who had never left the country but wanted to intern for us two years ago.  Here she is today: giving her life to move to Haiti and be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community of Montrouis.  God is so good and so faithful.  

We are currently working out the plan for Kelsea's "next steps" and will let you know as soon as we have one.  We know she will go back and her funding will be raised through IMPACT, tax-deductible.  When and how and all of those things?  Only the Lord knows.  Please be praying for Kelsea in this season of "preparation" for her ministry in Haiti.  

In the meantime, you can check here for updates: kelsea's blog

Loving Our Neighbor

by Sarah Morris (IMPACT Intern)

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about the Gospel is that it is so simple. Jesus never actually called us to change the world, He asked us to love our neighbor. We look at the world, at the enormity of death, starvation, slavery, and feel overwhelmed and crippled. We feel as though there’s nothing we could do that could even begin to touch these problems, so we’re tempted to instead ignore them or protect ourselves with all the reasons we can’t help. 

Jesus’ ministry was about relationships, about people. And while we all claim to know this, we fail to truly appreciate what this means for our own lives. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your skills are, He’s inviting you to be a part of His story. If you can hold the hand of a child, you are needed. If you can look someone in the eye and smile, you are needed. IMPACT’s most recent trip to Haiti was a powerful picture of the breathtaking simplicity of the Gospel.  EMTs, PA’s, nurses and physicians who went expecting to work in difficult and incredibly busy clinics did do some clinics but also spent time rocking children to sleep or teaching a spelling class. 

This argument may be old news, but the value of short term missions goes beyond whatever encouragement or assistance may be offered to resident brothers and sisters.  Short term trips open the door for one of life’s greatest miracles – to look through another’s eyes for an instant.  Until you go, statistics are just statistics and not people with faces and families and stories. It’s hard to change your life for statistics. It’s hard to live drastically different than your neighbors in order to help change 26,001 starving to 26,000. But if you can choose not to sacrifice the American dream so that Johnny and Wilna and Abigail, precious faces whom you’ve kissed, have enough to eat….well now that just might actually happen. Perhaps short-term trips are not “short term” at all, but simply the catalyst for lifelong mission, wherever one chooses to live. They create the habit of loving your neighbor, of opening our eyes to the truth that anyone and everyone is our neighbor. 

Break it Down

I received this picture shortly after we returned from Haiti two weeks ago.  What happened in me is that I read each of these and as I was reading them, I realized that I knew the names and stories of and had interacted with people in Haiti that live in extreme poverty, malnutrition, illness and suffering.  In my head, I broke down each of these things and pictures flashed through my mind of stories and people I'd interacted with just days before.  I'll do my best to give you a taste...

"If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the world." 

Meet Madame Raymon (a.k.a. Mama).  This selfless woman feeds over 25 people per day in a TINY little kitchen in Montrouis, Haiti - you don't go hungry when she's in the kitchen.  She manages an orphanage and her own family lives almost 2 hours away in Port-Au-Prince.  For years, she's not had anywhere to store her pantry goods.  Two weeks ago, these two (Andy & Stephen) built her shelves.  This, my friends is her happy dance.  And this, my friends is incredible that because of the work New Vision is doing, 15 orphans have food on the table, clothes on their back, a roof over their head and a place to sleep.  

They are richer than over 75% of people in their own country - their own neighborhood and we see them as poor.  

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"If you have money in the bank, your wallet and some spare change, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy."

Meet Roodley (pronounced Woodley).  He is one of the fisherman in the program New Vision has running in Montrouis.  The goal for these men is to create for them a sustainable business by using their skills as fisherman to catch as many fish as possible.  New Vision buys the fish from them and either feeds their own community with it (through local refugee women/former prostitutes being paid to cook for the elderly in the village or through selling it to other local missions organizations and businesses).  This will create enough income for these men to provide for their families and eventually open bank accounts.  Some of these men were ready to open bank accounts and then Dr. Kerry realized that there was a problem - none of them could read or write; therefore, they can't sign their name at the bank.  Back to square one.  Roodley is learning how to read and write (you can see his name across the top of the page).  

Roodley is entering into the 8% of the world's wealthy and overcoming the cycle of poverty in Haiti.

(Click here to read more about what one of our interns is learning about poverty, teaching and living in community)

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"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week." 

Meet the people in the village of Montrouis.  We did medical clinics here and in a few other villages.  A grandmother, desperate for hope and desperate for help brought her infant granddaughter to our clinic.  Time kept passing, none of our doctors or nurses could find a vein - her veins were collapsed from such severe dehydration and malnutrition.  There was nothing we could do and so we simply pleaded with her Creator to heal her little body and we sent them home knowing that without a miracle, this precious one wouldn't make it more than a few more weeks.

  

 Most people in Montrouis have no source of clean water.  It's such a simple thing that we don't even think twice about - drinkable water pours from our faucets and hoses, even when we are only using it to hydrate our plants.  This is where many families get their water.  Around this water source you'll find human waste and often you'll see animals using this as their urinal.  New Vision's long-term goal is to have filtered water, a deep latrine and a gas stove in each home in Montrouis. 

 This will certainly bring more health than illness and decrease the chances of these people being included in that statistic.

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"If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture or the horrible pangs of starvation, you are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering." 

Meet Jean Patrick (a.k.a. JP).  He is living with and being adopted by an American family who resides in Haiti. Why? Because he is the product of experiencing danger and witnessing torture - because of these things, JP is now an orphan.  His mother died when he was very young.  His father got remarried to a woman who sold bananas and was involved in witchcraft.  Essentially, because of his step-mother being involved in murder, his father was drug into the street, a tire thrown over his head and burned... JP watched this happen.  

This is one of the girls in our child sponsorship program and a few children in the local village - these precious ones have yet to experience relief from the pangs of starvation.  The lighter-colored hair is a symptom of severe malnutrition.  The distended bellies and flesh and bones - starvation.  With help, New Vision currently feeds 1500 kids, one meal per day in surrounding villages.  

Pray that this number can increase so that Montrouis will no longer be part of that 500 million.

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"If you can read this message, you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read at all." 

 Meet the women of the feeding program.  (Click here to read more from one of our interns about her relationship with these women) These 12 women and the 12 men of the fishing program are part of New Vision's ministry mentioned a few paragraphs above.  They are provided jobs where they are paid in a "voucher system" (click to read more from one of our interns), they are provided an income, a discipleship program in Creole where they are being taught about Jesus and why he matters to them, and they are being taught to read and write in Creole and in English.  Our interns are VERY involved in this program and are starting with things they use everyday or words they know.

Being literate people will change everything for them - it provides them with a job, a future, opportunities for their family and hope.  (Click here to read more about our interns' running the literacy program) 

We are thankful that New Vision has a heart for these people and that literacy is on the top of the list of life skills for people in their program. 

As an organization, IMPACT is blessed to be part of what New Vision is doing in Haiti.  While we recognize how much we have, we also see with our own eyes what our neighbor does not.  We pray that we will continue to be part of the solution.  Pray for Haiti.  Pray for our 6 interns living there.  Life there is not easy. Pray for the New Vision staff.  Pray about how you might be involved.  Pray that IMPACT may continue to be agents of "eswpa" HOPE both in Haiti and across the globe.

Our Team Tells the Story

This is the Haiti re-cap from one of our team members, Miriam.  I mentioned her in the last post, but this woman is phenomenal.  She is a servant-leader, an awesome wife, a mother of 3 (two still in elementary school), a gifted physician and missionary.  This was her first medical mission trip and let me toot her horn for her - SHE ROCKED IT.  For serious.  I am blessed to call her a friend and it was an absolute privilege to serve alongside her.  Miriam, you are incredible.  Thank you for your words.  It was good for me to hear fresh perspective on Haiti and remember what it was like to see it all for the first time.  Keep writing.  Enjoy!  


**Photo credit = Andy Rock :) 

After being back from Haiti for a few days, I have had some time to reflect upon this trip and my experiences while there. 

The days went by quickly although at first I was, admittedly, homesick for my family.  The people of Haiti are truly amazing.  The children are beautiful and resilient.  Despite their circumstances, they are always willing to offer a smile.  I can still here their voices as they yelled, “blan, blan!” which in Creole translates into “white” or “foreigner.”

I have gained so much more from this experience than anything I could possibly offer to any one individual.  

We spent quite a bit of time at the New Vision Ministries Mission or “Misyon-an” where we had the opportunity to interact with the children residing there.  We also got see first-hand the work of the interns from IMPACT—they have hearts of gold and I am truly in awe of their love for the children and the people of this community.  At the mission our medical team members spent quite a bit of time in the medicine/optometry room, trying to organize the medications and supplies.  This job was a bit tedious but necessary in order for us to determine what we had to work with prior to our clinics.  We also had many delicious meals while at the mission—typically consisting of rice with beans, fried fish, freshly sliced mangos and a wonderful spicy cabbage salad called pikliz.

We ventured out into the fishing village of Montrouis (pronounced “moree”) on several occasions and observed first-hand the living conditions of the villagers.  Homes consisted of one room atop a concrete slab with corrigated aluminum roofs.  Thin drapes often acted as doors and the single room housed entire families with whatever belongings they had.   Humans and livestock alike shared a creek, which ran through the village—it was used for drinking, bathing and washing clothes.  

Many children ran around barefoot with debris, trash, and rocks all around them.  It was common to see them with unattended wounds, cuts or burns.  There was also the frequently encountered smell of burning trash. 

Traveling on the roadways was quite an adventure!  Here “motos”, “tap-taps” (small pick-up trucks converted into jam packed “buses”), and semi’s ALL shared the roads.  On the road, the constant sound of loud horns filled our ears.  Needless to say, I was thankful for Dago, our fearless Haitian driver, who had complete mastery of the roadways!

Our accommodations while in Haiti were beyond nice (as you may see by looking at some of the pictures) and we definitely didn’t rough-it!  Our oceanfront hotel, Club Indigo, provided us with a beautiful way to start and end our days.  The waters of the Caribbean were inviting, clear, and warm.  The only danger here was jellyfish (a few of our team members experienced this first-hand).  Here, we seemed to be a world away from the surrounding community.  One could not stop but wonder how there could be such a disparity… why couldn’t all of Haiti be more like Club Indigo?  

In terms of the medical component of our mission, there were many circumstances in which I felt as though I was putting “band-aids” on conditions for which follow up care was in great need.  There was always the recommendation for a patient to be seen again althought it was doubtful that this would happen.  In some cases, I knew that the situation was dire and that the extensive work-up and care we had no access to was crucial.  In a remote mountain village we visited on our last day, I was told that the only medical care for some was our team coming and it would likely be months before anybody else would return.  There were a few cases of malnourishment evidenced by distended bellies and lightening of hair coloring (kwashiorkor).  That last day we saw many people, but unfortunately were forced to turn others away.   One could not help but feel discouraged, however, the word “espwa” or “hope” kept on coming to mind.  I was constantly reminded of the hope God gives us—in the beautiful voices of the Haitian gospel singers who put on a concert for us, in the newly built roof of the church we sat in, and in the hug from the villager whose back was made better by a few ibuprofen.  In the “Haiti Journal” our team was given at the beginning of our trip, we learned of the power He gives to “transform lives in our broken world.”

I also learned a lot about myself during this time as well… I wanted to be busy and there were certainly times I was, but I also learned to slow down!!  This was tough given my tendency to always be running around, doing a hundred things at once.  I had the opportunity to play pat a cake with Daphne, Lomit, and Guile and talk to them about their dreams—the all wanted to be doctors!

I got to hold babies like Abigail and Jeffnika. 

I had time to reflect and think about my relationship with God and those closest to me.  I hope the seeds that were planted inside me will continue to grow.   Maybe I need to slow down at home too, and maybe there are more mission trips for me in the future!! 

Piti piti na rive is a popular Creole saying which means “little by little we will arrive.” Although the conditions throughout most of Haiti are rough, made especially worse following the 2010 earthquake, they are improving slowly.  This was observed by some of our returning team members—they noted fewer tents occupying the tent cities of Port-Au-Prince.  There is still much work to be done.

Please continue to hold up in prayer the people of Haiti and also continue to pray for all of the missionaries, pastors, and medical personnel who little by little are helping make a difference in this country!

ou fou

ou fou = you crazy (pronounced oo-foo)


Before I get all serious on y'all with my Haiti blogging (which I will) I thought we'd continue the conversation with some "ou fou" moments.  We learned this phrase early on and began using it liberally.  Here are some of our best ou fou moments for your reading pleasure:


- James was on our team.  His nickname quickly became "Sweet Baby James" then shortened to "Sweet Baby." 

 James' roommate was Johnny.  

The two of them became fast friends and decided to do something absolutely "fou" the last night in Haiti.  These boys thought it would be a good idea to go swimming in their clothes. Not so fou.  But at night, in Haiti, there are hunting bats.  Yes hunting bats that fly over the water.  The boys are in the pool and think it would be a good idea to try to be bat-bait and then dive underneath when the bats came swooping over the water.  You can ask them how that went for them.  - OU FOU


- Yours truly made multiple announcements to our crew during training regarding deet, percentages of deet, all things deet-pertinent.  My biggest caution to them was DO NOT put 98% deet on your face.  Ever.  I had made that mistake and after over an hour in a facial, they were able to get "almost all of it" off - the dead skin that the deet killed, that is.  Who accidentally forgot to look at which deet she was spraying before putting it into my hands and then on my face?  Good thing Groupon has 1/2 price facials - OU FOU!!!!!


- Sarah has some medical issues - she gets light headed from time to time & has on occasion been known to faint.  We know this about Sarah, accepted it going into the gig and were glad to assist should this happen in Haiti.  I mean after all, we had 6 registered medical professionals with us.  Bring it on.  And that she did.  She was PHENOMENAL at loving people on spending herself on behalf of those who most would find unlovely.

Mostly Sarah had ups, but a few times she had downs.  One of those times was right after we went through security at the Port-Au-Prince airport.  We were waiting at the gate & Sarah proceeded to lie down on the floor & take a little time to recover.  She was ready to get on the plane but just needed a little assistance standing up/walking.  We offered her a wheel chair - she declined.


Two of our super buff medical men were walking on either side of her helping her along.  We were about to enter the airplane when a woman who worked at the airport stopped them.  She made them say what was wrong with Sarah - told them they were lying about being medical personnel and made them pull out their medical licenses (which my boyfriend forgot his - OU FOU).  They had to have our physician prove to her that this was a pre-existing condition and that she did not get sick in Haiti and need to be quarantined - how do you prove this?!??!  She was threatening to keep her in country.  I was standing in the corner praying my guts out.  


After much ado, some medical licensing & Dr Miriam (with her back of my bear cub) voice, we all got on the airplane.  If you're ever in the Port airport and you're not feeling well, fake it till you make it.  Lesson learned - Jarred, bring your license.  Sarah, take the wheelchair - OU FOU!!!!


Saving the best for last...


- The "Where the heck is Kyle?" saga.  We all leave one day for the mission (orphanage).  At that point, we decide who's staying & doing a clinic, who's staying & building shelves and who's going to the fishing village for feeding program/medical assessments.  Kyle says "I"m gonna go get some water, wait for me."  Miriam heard this.  We all pile in the back of the pickup (about 12 of us) and head out to the fishing village.  Here's the back of the truck... this time with Kyle in the truck (with his hat on looking back).  Can you see now why we may have missed him? 

We are just about there and Miriam says, "We forgot Kyle.  I told Kyle we'd wait for him after he got water & he's not here.  We have to go back."  


I (the amazing leader I am) am thinking, "Welp, we forgot Kyle.  Bummer.  He'll be fine at the mission.  He can build shelves or help with clinic, plenty of work to be done."  But Miriam is kind and uber responsible so she convinces me ever so gently to drop off the crew and then go back to get Kyle.  We get back to the mission, search for 10 minutes and HE'S NOT THERE.  Nowhere to be found.  Number one rule of anything in a 3rd world country where  you don't speak a lick of Creole and are only there for a few days?  DON'T GO ANYWHERE ALONE.  EVER.  AND IF YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE, TELL SOMEONE WHERE YOU'RE GOING.  Where the heck is Kyle? 


We search, we somewhat panic, Andy drops his tools picks up his backpack and starts heading to town to catch Kyle on foot.  My blood pressure is rising.  No one knows where he is.  All of a sudden, Paul (our Haitian friend) gets a text from Shala (who is in the village) that Kyle is there.  What the?  How did Kyle end up in the village?  It would have taken much longer than that to walk.  Oh-so-confused.  


Turns out Louie (the gatekeeper at the mission) was headed to the market and told Kyle he'd give him a ride in the moto-tap.  Kyle obliged, told no one and jumped in.  - OU FOU!!!!!

Hope and Tragedy

This morning I have been overwhelmed by both the hope and the tragedy that is prevalent here in Haiti.

My first trip to Haiti was in March of 2011. We arrived to find 13 women in a refugee camp - jobless, homeless, hopeless and trying to feed their kids, most of them as single moms.

Today I saw hope. I saw these women working. They have been given hope, a life, a future. Praise Jesus. Most of them are employed in new vision's feeding program. What this means is they feed the elderly in the community 3 times per week and they get paid to do this. They have homes, the finances to provide for their children and send them to school and they have purpose. They have hope.

Just a 3 minute walk away is Johnny's house. We met Johnny last March, right after he got sick.  He was a normal kid - walking, talking, laughing until November. For the last year and a half, he has gotten progressively worse. He lost all control of his right side, he can't talk anymore. The best guess of our medical teams is that he has some sort of brain tumor but with the lack of medical treatment here, we are unable to know.

We went to see him yesterday for the first time since May and as we walked into his house, tears were welling behind our eyes. We saw the same little boy with the biggest grin, so thrilled to see us.

But he was not sitting in his wheelchair, he was not sitting outside, he was laying on a sheet & pillow on the concrete floor.

Johnny is no longer able to sit up on his own. He has also started having trouble eating. This degenerative disease (cancer, tumor, stroke, whatever it may be) has taken over his body. We sat in their house and wept. We held his hand, looked at his sweet smile and we wept. We weep because of our helplessness. We grieve because we know that in the states we would be able to diagnose & treat him. We weep because we long for God's healing and for His kingdom to come and make things right for Johnny and his family. We weep for the desperation of his parents - asking us to take him home so that we can care for him. We desire wholeness and restoration for Johnny. 

While we grieve for him and his family, we know that because of Jesus we have hope that this life is not the end.  That no matter how grave the tragedy and suffering, our God has won the victory and our hope is in him all day long.

How we are seeing God in Haiti

We made it. 15 of us.  30 checked bags (all 1500 lbs of them), 30 carry on bags.  EVERYTHING got through customs without being taken (no small miracle, I guarantee you).  It was the easiest Port-Au-Prince airport journey we've had - Praise the Lord.

Everyone shared how they are seeing God on this trip.  Here's how our team is seeing God this week: 

- God is in the creation of this absolutely beautiful country.

- God is in a man named "Bebe" which means "dumb" in Creole.  Bebe is dumb - he cannot speak.  It so happens that the Lord put a guy named Johnny on our team who knows sign language and has a heart for teaching Bebe.  We believe this is no accident.  

- God is in the kids at the mission who had the day off school yesterday (because of the anniversary of the earthquake).  This enabled us to spend time with these precious ones - joy, laughter and hope are prevalent in the lives of these kids, it's incredible.  Below is Jefnika, Gattina, Michelet and Naika. 

- God is in Andy, James & Stephen building shelves for Madame Raymon (Mama) - this saint cooks 3 meals a day for 20plus people.  She is truly incredible and I'm not sure I've ever seen her this happy - a happy dance and all.

- God is in our medical team who had a "purpose" in the village yesterday and yet didn't hesitate to stop each time someone needed something (an open wound dressed, some eyes checked, a sick baby).  They were the hands and feet of Christ in loving everyone regardless of the time it took.  

- God is in our worship time - his presence is real and tangible and we feel deeply loved.  

- God is in our team loving each other and doing whatever it takes regardless of how difficult the task or how tired we are.  

- God is in our partners Joy & Kerry - their constant positive attitudes and their love for the people of this country.  

- For me, God was in getting to snuggle my niece and spend some time with her.  It is such a gift to love on her, pray for her and be with her.  Love this girl.  

- God is in our 6 interns - 4 of whom are teaching school - they persevere, they are enduring, they are patient and they are incredible.  Continue to pray for them.  

We are LOVING being here.  We are excited to serve and are asking the Lord to continue to change and use us for his glory during our time here.  We covet your prayers.  

Fè lwanj Bondye

Fè lwanj Bondye - GLORY TO GOD

We leave today for Haiti to work with our dear friends at New Vision Ministries... as I'm packing my bags this morning and praying through our trip, I was thinking about our team and what I ultimately would like to see us do.  My best summation of that was, "I just want us to glorify God."  By how we love each other, by how we love our overseas partners, by how we love the people in Haiti who have overcome and are overcoming incredible diversity. 

I think this morning about the gospel of Jesus Christ and what that means to live out the gospel in Haiti this next 10 days and I look at the life of Jesus, how did he do that?  He became a learner of the human culture - he "moved into the neighborhood" and learned what it meant to be human, he served with everything he had - everyone he could, and he told THE STORY - the story of a loving heavently Father and the life he has to offer.  So today that's what we go to do.  It's simple, it makes perfect sense and at the root of it, it's just love. 

As a team of 15, we jump on an airplane today to learn from the Haitians and our partners there, to serve them with all we've got and to tell the story that has profoundly altered the lives of each of us committed to going.  We are STOKED to be chosen to go on this trip and to bring glory to our great God. 

We covet your prayers and ask that you'd cover us... here are some specific ways:

- For safety & protection - both physically and spiritually. 
- For on-time road trips/flights/connections - this can throw off EVERYTHING when flying into Haiti, so pray that each leg of our journey is on time and that all of our 30 bags get there :)
- For customs at the airport in Port-Au-Prince - this can be a breeze or this can be a train wreck - pray that it is a breeze. 
- For those on our team who leave school-aged kids with their spouses for 9 days - Andy, Miriam & Carol specifically - that the time will go quickly and God will be enough as mom/dad are away.
- For all of our families here as they think about us and join us on our journey through prayer.

- For our time in Haiti - that each day will be ordained by God and we'd do the work he has set out for us that day.
- For our medical team - to have the exact right knowledge they need in order to treat the patients they will see.
- For the community team - as they work in the village, in the school, at the mission (orphanage) and with the local feeding programs - that God will protect them and ordain unique opportunities to connect with people and to minister.
- For our pastoral team - as they train local pastors and minister to our partners that God will give them the words to say and the wisdom to be his voice in that community.
- For our time as a team - that we'd function as one unit with integrity and grace - that we'd be loving to each other, that we'd find joy in the journey and that God would be glorified in our work.

- For our partners in Haiti - the Reeves family, the Byxbe family and our 6 IMPACT interns living there for 9 months - Kelsea, Amber, Nikki, Shala, Lindsey & Elise - that we would encourage them and love them well. 

To "meet" our team - click here. 

We know we go covered in HIS grace, protection and love.  We trust that because we are called, He will go before us and guide us with his incredibly capable hand.  And I (Bree) personally am beyond thrilled that I get to visit my future niece (Nakisha), I'll makes sure and post pictures of my time with her on here :)

Follow us here.  At least someone on our team will try to post at least every other day so that you can continue to pray for us and be included in the story God is writing in and through us.  We know we are just a VERY small part of this incredible story God has continued to write in Montrouis. 

Lord you've sent us.  Please use us for your glory and change us for your kingdom's cause.  All Glory to God.