1.31.13

“When I look back at where I’ve been, I see that what I am becoming is a whole lot further down the road from where I was.” – Gloria Gaither

Go without something for 15 weeks and you really learn to appreciate it when you get it back… I’m not talking about running water, a hot shower, clean water for washing and drinking, air conditioning or nice fine restaurants(though they, too, will be appreciated when we get to enjoy those things again)… no, I’m talking about my bed…….  We slept in OUR beds last night for the first time in 15 weeks (when our things left Madison in route to FL to be loaded onto a cargo crate) and OH.MY.GOODNESS how I missed my bed!!!  It was heavenly to have that comfort again!  Don’t get me wrong, I am so appreciative that we had air mattresses in MS and a loaner bed when we arrived in Haiti but there is nothing like my bed!  I have learned to be content on a whole new level.   

Tonight Kylie said, “One day we are going to get to use the sinks” as we dunked our hands in water to wash with soap and then applied hand sanitizer to kill any funk from the water.  God love her!  They have done so well with the adjustments.  They’ve tried new foods, new drinks, and slept right through some noises I’ve thought were sure to wake the dead.  As shocking as it is, Kinley (our lightest sleeper) has had no problem sleeping on any given morning when 2 or even 10 different roosters crow back and forth seemingly attempting to out-crow one another, when 4 different kids (from different directions) are screaming, when clanging pans are heard from the outdoor cookhouses, when wild dogs are barking, when men are working outside our windows and even when trucks honk horns that sound like train whistles (if I didn’t know better I’d swear I heard a train rolling through the other day at 4:30am and I’m so-not-kidding!  John said it was a large truck going up the mountain but being that we just left a house near a railroad track trust me when I tell you it sounded exactly like the trains in MS…had to be the loudest truck horn in the world…longest, loudest blaring but I digress..) anyway, she sleeps through all of that but let one of us get up to go to the bathroom and she pops up and is ready to begin the day --- another reason I am grateful that we were able to sleep in our own rooms upstairs last night.  J  (We’d all slept in the same room for 8 nights downstairs while we found our beds & things and got them set up.)

I definitely have different perspectives since moving to Haiti.  (That still seems so weird to say…’since moving to Haiti…’)  Lots of you know we had some rough months leading up to our move but I am really starting to understand (more than just with a head knowledge) that each difficulty we face in life is an opportunity to see God work and that in time-HIS time-He’s going to bring each of us as His children to a place of abundance!  We may have to kill nasty cock roaches or have to wear shoes every minute that we are up and about during the day to avoid worms that make their way into your feet and we may even have to kill what seem to be armies of ants but we are living the abundant life here in Haiti.  

Hearing and witnessing deep hearted laughter from kids who are enjoying life as it happens,

watching and celebrating with some 10-17 year olds as they complete preschool age puzzles while encouraging them as they move on to harder puzzles,

washing wounds and applying medicine and band-aids,  seeing my own children embracing those that are so different yet so like us,

watching fatherless boys relish in time with John and our children whether it be during nerf wars or wrestling matches or just hanging clothes lines,

knowing that some children who wouldn’t have gotten a meal before bed are being fed at our table thanks to you and so many fellow supporters...

is living abundantly for sure. 

I know that with each problem we may encounter, with each struggle, with each conflict God has a wonderful plan to enrich our lives.  With every trial He is humbling us and perfecting our faith.  He’s growing us and we are better for it.  I’m so grateful that He looks beyond my superficial desire for a trouble-free life and instead, fulfills my deep desire to please Him and bring Him glory in ways only He can.

This morning I watched as Caleb was journaling.  I looked to see what he was writing about and saw this, “God, I will do what you have planned for me.  I hope it is something good."

Child...like...faith…..  How good is our God! We just need to trust Him!

“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting,

so you can respond to God’s giving.” Matthew 6:32 (The Message)

Images from Our Arrival in Camp Coq on 1/22

Our new home!

Kiddos entering upstairs area (where we will be staying)

 

The upstairs balcony in the back
 (still under construction)

Part of the living area

Entering their rooms

Caleb likes it! :)

The upstairs balcony in the front

On the front balcony

The new septic tank housing

Checking out the cookhouse

Happy campers!

(From Friday -- pre-internet :) )

(WRITTEN Friday,  01.25.13)

John left at 7:30 this morning going to Cap Haitien to try and get insurance for our Montero Sport.   I was nervous about being at the house by myself with the kids and others coming in and out (especially since I don’t speak Creole yet) but all was fine.  We got a good bit set up upstairs again today.  Caleb and I put together the shelves and bins for the kids’rooms and we got the bookshelves loaded with LuLu’s help.  J  Kinley didn’t get a nap with all we had going on but she didn’t mind at all.  Ha! 

Caleb is really enjoying his ‘brothers’.  He is so happy it seems and I love it! He has already made several bracelets for those who come around regularly.  He and LuLu wanted to put the other bunk bed together today but we didn’t get to it.  We worked until lunch and then we worked a little more in the house until about 2 or so and then the kids went outside to play.  

Kylie was excited when Islande came by this afternoon.  Blondine and Sandra showed up not long after.  Islande braided Kylie’s hair and she loved it!  She didn’t want to take the braids out for shower time.. she said that Nana told her a long time ago that if you sleep with your hair braided that it won’t be tangled in the morning so we skipped washing her hair tonight. J We are getting acclimated to showers in a bucket, by the way!  

John, Herod and Yanh Yanh made it back about 4:00.  He wasn’t able to get the insurance since the title for the truck doesn’t list his full name (middle excluded) but his license does.  We are praying that the people still “working on it” will be able to give us some direction soon as we aren’t supposed to drive without the insurance.  He WAS able to get some of the gallon water containers for the water cooler along with some other items at the market… YAY! Just in time since we used our last water bottles for dinner tonight.  He found some Jergens lotion for the fat price of $12.50… One bottle…$12.50!  :/   My legs and feet ache so bad from the many trips with boxes up and down the stairs today that I am most grateful, even if it was extremely overpriced.  AND we had a real treat tonight after dinner… oreos! …also found them at the market in Cap Haitien.  (We continue to be grateful for the little oh-so-familiar things!!!)

It is raining today for about the 7^th time.  While the sound of the rain from the open windows is so peaceful all I can think about are the poor goats that are tied to the trees in the sideyard who are getting drenched…it was a light rain earlier but it is POURing now and they’ve been tied in that part of the yard for the last couple of days for feeding there.  Kylie has inherited my love of animals, for sure.  She wanted to name the goats after she met them and she asks to go ‘see’ them at least twice a day… Not sure what she will do if they ‘disappear’L…I’ve kept my distance and aim to for fear of any new attachments.  I did go over when one cried yesterday to untangle the rope where he was tethered.  I spoke to them, untangled the rope and walked on. 

Sometimes I resent my heart & the love that’s automatically there for animals…makes life harder at times it seems… On that note, since we haven’t had internet for over a week I haven’t been able to check on Winston and Hershey.  I’m sure they are fine but OH how I miss them!!!  I did get to ‘talk’ to Sam last night.  Mom & Dad assured me he is living the high life and that he’s a little more spoiled than usual! ;)  

Kinley had all the kids laughing tonight.  She is so comfortable with them and has no problem assuming they all know what she is saying…she talks to them with no reservation at all.  Although we all know they don’t understand her, they all love her and approach her with open arms.  I think it’s safe to say that she is borderline obsessed with Robenson, (one of the orphans).  He has the most amazing smile and she had him beaming today because she wanted only him and he knew it!  She must have gone out to tell him ‘goodnight’ at least 3 times tonight and even still she kept telling me she didn’t get to tell him & needed to go back!  JJ 

Well, 2 of our crew are already snoring so I think I’ll join them…

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by your right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:23-26   

On to Camp Coq...

This morning I woke up to the cutest 2 yr old face (and a striped monkey) about 2 inches from my nose…both grinning from ear to ear! J  Granted it was a good bit earlier than I wanted to wake up but the grins were contagious and the hugs, always irresistible! 

We had a fabulous breakfast and I’m spending my last minutes by the water before packing up.  I’ve never blogged at the beach before but I could definitely get used to this! HA!  We haven’t had internet connection since we’ve been here--apparently there was trouble with the internet provider from Port-au-Prince so when things go wrong in the “big city” everyone is affected.  I’m writing anyway and maybe it will go through today.  (Pictures to come soon!)

This stay at the beach the last couple of days has been amazing…it has done my heart so much good to relax, engage in some “real” talk time with our kiddos and realign my perspective before the next leg of our journey.  Today we will leave Comier and head to our new home in Camp Coq.  While I hate to leave the peaceful waves and gorgeous view here at the beach, my heart is both anxious and excited about taking the next step.  It’s still a little surreal…almost can’t believe it’s really time.  

On our flights from the States to Haiti, I found myself wondering if we’d have seats together on the way home like we did on our way here.  Then almost as soon as I thought that, it hit me that for the first time ever, I was taking a one-way trip home away from the home I’ve always known.   I’ve never flown somewhere and not had a returning flight.  Aside from leaving a world of complete chaos behind last Thursday, I could not have asked for a better transition so far.  We had one “melt-down” night where Kylie cried for Hershey and Kinley cried for Mammaw but overall our transition has been a smooth one.  The kids were amazing on each flight.  My absolute favorite was watching the sun rise by plane Saturday morning and seeing the kid’s faces as they saw it with their own eyes while we discussed that only God could paint such beauty and allow us to see it that close up!  I’ve seen a sunrise before but I have to say that in the air it really is breathtaking!  The colors that transformed right in front of us were unreal and the orange hues that reflected on the clouds are not anything that could ever be replicated.

Thank you all for your continued prayers!  We wouldn’t be this far on the journey if it weren’t for your petitions paired with ours before our Great God!

We haven’t been able to get messages since the internet hasn’t been working and if I’m able to post this today we still may not have time to download messages but we are hopeful that it won’t be long before we can be back in contact with each of you online again.  Spread the word that we are doing fine and absorbing each minute as it happens, constantly looking for and finding God.  Though we have thought of tons of things we forgot, all of our luggage made it with us and none of it was opened and raked through at the Customs counter when we arrived in Haiti.  There was discussion between two service guys after our things were unloaded from the plane.  I started praying that God would grant us pardon from the hassle of opened luggage and accruing charges to get it back and when the guy approached John I prayed even harder.  He said a couple of things to John and John spoke back, they swapped a few looks and then the guy walked on.  J  No hassle!  J

I continued to be amazed at how well the kids are doing with ALL the changes that are taking place!  (Thank you, God!) Our first two nights away were interrupted with cries during the night but the last 3 nights have been quiet and peaceful!  Tonight will be different as we will have a few more adjustments in Camp Coq to get used to but I trust that God has that in His giant hands, as well!

The kids are processing things in their own time and asking questions as they feel led.

Kylie asked us at dinner the other night how we were all going to fit in one vehicle.  I didn’t understand what she meant so I reminded her that our black truck was already in Camp Coq.  She asked again how we’d all fit.  I asked her what she meant and she said, “well, with all of our new brothers and sisters, how will we all fit in one vehicle?” I love that she already considers those she’s never met to be her new family.  I pray that they, too, will be so accepting and welcoming to all of us as their new family.

Kinley continues to win hearts and she’s told us that she has already “done her homework” so she’s ready for school!  J  She is already making new ‘’best friends”.  We’ve gotten to know one of the waiters, here at Comier, pretty well and he asked last night if she could stay behind with him.  He gave her, her own fruit champagne the last two nights and all the kids love him. 

Caleb makes me so proud as he exercises courage!  He has been wonderful to try new things and has rolled with the punches, aiding his sisters all the way. He and I had some one on one time in the waves yesterday… oh, how I treasured that time!  He had a blast the last 2 days finding treasures on the beach and searching for cool rocks and shells.  (Jolly, he can’t wait for you to come exploring with him!)

John has gotten some much needed rest since we’ve been here and he’s been able to relax, finally.  We’re reading a great new book about someone else’s missionary journey and both of us are amazed at the parallels already.  He has smiled that incredible smile for days and it makes my heart so happy!  I couldn’t be more proud of him for leading our family with such zeal!  We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

I’ve received many ‘kisses’ from the King since arriving… the kids got their OWN coconut and had it cut open to try before dinner the other night (for those that heard my coconut story from June, you will appreciate that!).  Yesterday I saw 24 butterflies while laying out at the beach….24 butterflies…at the beach…. Maybe I’m weird but I’ve never seen butterflies at the beach so I smiled every time I saw one and even cried a little at the overwhelming thought that my Father loves me so much that He finds ways to speak to me directly about how much He loves me no matter where I am!  I’ve seen (14) today already and it’s still morning!  Yellow ones, orange ones, black ones, gray and blue ones, black and orange ones, etc.  His love for me (and you) is so much deeper than any ocean and so much higher than any mountain top.  I LOVE being where I can see both!!!  Though I won’t be living with the awesomeness of the beach right before me each day, I will have mountains outside my door and I will forever be grateful for the little messages He has given me while here.  I pray continually that He will allow me to see & feel His love as I have this week.

There is no doubt…  “Our adequacy is from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5

On our way!

Hi from Florida!  After waking to a beautiful snow scene in Mississippi yesterday morning (thanks, God!), we arrived in Fort Lauderdale last night about 9:00pm.  We will depart at 5:30am tomorrow for Haiti!  We have to be at the airport at 4:00am so go ahead and cover that in prayer! :)

The kids did really well on the flights yesterday.  Kinley wanted to know if the "pirate" (aka pilot) had "her music" on the plane.... specifically, "I like to Dance".  :)  [[Thought Meghan Petyak would get a kick out of that!]]  When the seat belt light/notification 'dinged' after take-off she wanted to know if we were there.

(Here are a couple of shots from the first flight...  I forgot my camera cord so I won't be able to download pictures from my camera until we get that but John's iPad got the job done, thankfully!)

We were seated next to some really nice people on both flights so that is a praise!

We met a couple who works with an orphanage in Mexico while we were at the airport waiting on the hotel shuttle.  We exchanged information so we are looking forward to connecting with them online. God is so good and keeps sending us encouragement!!!

Our shuttle driver (here in FL) was from Haiti!  :)  After shuttling to the hotel from the airport, we walked across the street from the hotel to grab a bite to eat before crashing... Kinley spoke to a stranger that was walking by our table and proceeded to tell her that we "are going to Haiti on January 10th" (our initial departure date).  She then told the lady that we had to walk because "we don't have a car"!  She keeps things rolling.... all..the..time!  (heehee)

We want to say a HUGE thank you to all who came by and visited the night before we left, to all who sent messages, to all who joined us at the airport for our departure, to all who provided airplane snacks, games and toys and even sweet goodbye notes, to all who went behind us to clean up the mess we left in our Madison house, to those 'holding the ropes' while we are away, to the mighty workers who are taking care of the 'to-do' lists we left behind, to all who prayed throughout our first day of travels and last but certainly not least we want to say a special thank you to those who are taking care of our furry babies while we are away!!!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!

We called about having our MS phones turned off... yeh... to avoid another month's charges we will have to disconnect tonight so just know our MS #'s won't work after tonight.  Boy, I'm really going to miss the luxury of texting whenever I want....  We will try to keep you updated here as much as possible.

If all goes as we are planning, we will be beachside tomorrow afternoon!    We are surprising the kids with a couple of days at the beach before heading to our new home.  We've had a very emotional last couple of months so we are very much looking forward to some family time and some time of unwinding before hitting the ground running in Camp Coq.  

As we continue to journey, please know that we treasure your prayers for us!  When we say thank you for your support I think you really have no idea how much we mean it!

Until later we keep claiming, "The LORD is our rock and our fortress and our deliverer; our God, our strength, in whom we will trust; our shield and our salvation, our stronghold.  We will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised..." Psalm 18:2,3
Love,
Dawn (& John, Caleb, Kylie, & Kinley)

P.S. Another praise...  I haven't been able to find my HAITI journal (the one I've been keeping since February) for the last several weeks...  been really bummed about that because it has A LOT of good stuff in there that I have wanted to go back to, especially on the extra hard days.  Well, my mom found it today!  YAYYYYY!!!  I'm quite certain I wouldn't make it without my Mom and Dad!  I love you forever & always! :) <3

P.S.S.  Daddy, Kinley wanted to know where the "alligator" was when we got to the hotel!  

From 2012 to 2013..

Hallelujah!

It’s a NEW YEAR!

In Philippians we can see that Paul was determined that nothing would stop him from doing exactly what God wanted.  This past year we have learned (personally) that sometimes before we will chose to follow God’s will completely, a crisis (or two or three, etc.) must develop in our lives.  We can see that this happens “because [sometimes] we tend to be unresponsive to God’s gentler nudges.  He brings us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him and [in our flesh nature] we begin to debate.  He then providentially produces a crisis where we have to decide-for or against.  That moment becomes a great crossroads in our lives.” (Oswald Chambers)

 While we don’t believe God caused terrible things to occur in our lives, forcing us to endure crisis after crisis, we DO believe He allowed them to occur to bring us to some crossroads of our own. 2012 held a lot that we would love to forget, however, we are choosing to be grateful for and remember all that we gained instead!  As we begin this new year we are blessed and we are indeed grateful!

-We are grateful for family that has rallied around us in times that proved to be harder than we ever imagined. 

-We are grateful for friends who pressed into us EVEN when we pulled away.

-We are grateful for church family members that prayed when they didn’t know what else to do.

-We are grateful for three young children that speak very big words and set mighty big examples of trusting the very biggest God.

-We are grateful for financial supporters who have proved that this ‘impossible’ move of our family of 5 to Haiti is actually being made possible in part through their love and generosity.

-We are grateful for those who knew that we didn’t know all that these last 10 months would hold but chose to stand beside us anyway, no matter the cost.  

-We are grateful for the "gossip/rumor-stoppers" although we know that it’s tempting to share things you hear.

-We are grateful for a God that never gives up on us, holding ALL by His righteous hand, ordaining ALL in His perfect time.

-We are grateful for hands that have worked with us and for us to accomplish various tasks.

-We are grateful for songs and song writers who write/sing about the trials that they are going through that parallel our trials, offering hope and fuel for continuing.

-We are grateful for those who have made it their priority to lift us up while others seek to tear us down.

-We are grateful that through our life with Christ nothing is accidental, nothing is incidental and NO experience is wasted.

-We are grateful for those who lovingly gave us permission to fail & encouraged us to get up & try again, knowing this entire journey has been unfamiliar territory to us.

-We are grateful for the mercy that has been extended while we continue to grow & learn.

-We are grateful for those who extended grace even when we may not have extended grace ourselves.

-We are grateful for the God who is fully attentive to us and answers when we cry out.

-We are grateful that His mercies & compassions are new EVERY morning! (Lamentations 3:23)

-We are grateful for strength when we argue that we can’t take one more step.

-We are grateful that we can let go of the past as we move into our future without having to be defensive—with outstretched arms embracing whatever God allows to come our way.

So, thank you for giving to us in 2012!

We are not big on New Year’s Resolutions but we can tell you what we want in 2013…

With unstoppable determination for His purpose:

-We want to be rich.  Not with a large bank balance but rich in faith and in the way we live out what we are learning about our rich God.

-We want to speak words of life…words that heal, words that affirm, words that offer hope, words of love. 

-We want to extend an apology where we have come up short or where we have been less than what we should have been and ask for forgiveness without haste.

-We want to exude love -- the same love that God gives us, the love that never fails…a love that is true even when it’s not reciprocated.

-We want to point you toward the One who will never let you down instead of drawing attention to ourselves.

-We want to proclaim His goodness and not lose ourselves in the struggles.

-We want to run with excitement into this new phase of life that God has laid out for us in Haiti, knowing that we will never be safer than we are in His arms wherever that may be on this earth. (His arms are BIG and we know there’s no where we can go without Him being right there!  What an incredible comfort!!!)

-We want to embrace our new life with a spirit of contentment, not giving way to the enemy’s lies of insufficiency. 

-We want to relish in each day as it comes, not fretting over the yesterdays or stressing about the tomorrows.

-We want to focus on what lasts and not on what doesn’t.

-We want to do our utmost for His highest!

If a crisis has come to you in any way, we want to encourage you to surrender your will to Jesus absolutely once and for all.

Here’s to a Great & Happy New Year!!!

With love,

these humbled ‘5 on a Journey’