Travel is always difficult, especially with kids. But traveling while sick takes things to a whole other level.
For the last couple of months, Dawn has been battling stomach issues that she just can't overcome. She has talked to lots of medical people here and she tried a variety of medications. None of it seems to work. We have gotten lots of opinions and possibilities, but nothing definitive.
We sought the prayer and guidance of those that have tested the Haitian medical system with their own medical issues. They have experienced the good and the bad. The problem is the bad could lead to major misdiagnosis or the wrong medication. It was their advice was to have it checked out in the states.
So we made arrangements and bought tickets for Dawn and three of our kids to go back to the states to seek some answers. They left this morning, but not without a major struggle. Dawn was so sick this morning that she could barely get out of bed, let alone think about getting on a plane. After much prayer and some medication, she and the kids made it to the airport and left for the states.
They have made it to Miami and will continue their journey later today. I ask you to pray for their continued safe travel. I also ask that you would pray for healing/answers to the sickness Dawn has been experiencing. She has endured a lot over the last couple of months and is worn out. Please pray for the doctors to find answers quickly as they only have a limited time there.
Pray for the kids as they travel and get to see some family and friends for the first time in 20 months. They were very excited about going back, but also sad that we could not all go together.
Pray for Cabila and I as we hold down the fort while they are gone.
Thank you for your continued prayer and support of our family as we serve in Haiti.
John
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
It's Official!!!
We are so excited to share that we are officially part of the Heartline Ministries' Haiti Team!
Look, you can find our names and our photo right here! We are thrilled to be journeying with some pretty incredible people who have welcomed us with open arms. They, like so many of you, have been an incredible source of encouragement during our time of transition. Your commitments to rally around us during this crazy year have helped carry us through and we are thrilled to share this new venture with all of you! We totally understand that God doesn't call everyone to move to a foreign land with their family but when He does, we believe that mission work involves so many more than those who are "on the grounds". We are so grateful for those of you that have expressed an interest in actively ministering with us through prayer and financial support. Both are crucial to for us to be able to live and work here in Haiti as self-supported missionaries.
If you feel like God is moving in your heart to be involved in the work we are doing here, these are some ways to physically offer support no matter where you and your family might be serving.
We are currently in need of partners that will commit to:
* PRAY regularly regarding our safety and our work as a family of 6
* GIVE monetary gifts via check, auto deduction or paypal
* ENCOURAGE as we continue to learn and strive to love
If you are interested in sending a monetary gift to our family via check, you can mail it along with a note in the memo line stating it is for Chappelear Family Support to:
Heartline Ministries
- Chappelear Family -
P.O. Box 898
Sunnyside, WA 98944
OR to:
McHenry First Baptist Church
Chappelear Haiti Fund
1476 W. McHenry Road
McHenry, MS 39561
If you would like to give a one time gift or sign up to give a monthly gift to help cover our family's ongoing costs of living in Haiti, you can click here.
Please note: All monetary gifts are tax-deductable and we appreciate your prayerful consideration to help support our family's work here.
Thank you so much for taking time to read about our lives and our work in Haiti! We are happy to answer any questions you may have and we will be sharing more about our new responsibilities through our blog. We are so thankful for the community God is raising up around us!
"We are all in missions. Some are called to foreign lands.
Some are called to the jungles of the workplace.
Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place.
Let Him demonstrate His power through your life
so that others might experience Him through you today."
~ Os Hillman
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Right is Rarely Easy
"Even when your vision is born of God, you'll experience times of both faith and fear. You can have clarity in one area, yet experience confusion in another."
When I was younger and getting ready to start college I remember feeling the pull to surrender... my will, my ways, my heart, my life. I had previously made a decision to follow Christ, admitting that I needed a Savior, but as I was growing in my walk, many times my life didn't reflect that decision.
As a new college student (and after learning some things the hard way), I became more aware of my real need for a Savior and I wanted my life to reflect what He had been doing in my heart. I assumed that those I did life with would cheer me on and encourage me and 'high-five' my plans to turn my life around but what actually happened left me devastated and full of questions. I had never felt so alone. My "circle" no longer found me valuable when I decided that partying wasn't the only thing in life that mattered. And that hurt. Losing friends and a boyfriend of 3 years due to "bettering" myself was hard.
I questioned God and I also questioned my decision.
"God, I am trying to do the right thing here... I agreed to follow You and this is what I get???? Isolation... Betrayal... A big ole slap in the face? I was better off when I had people! I'm following Your lead, Your instructions and all I feel is pain. Why, God, why?!?"
I eventually fell into the "right" life and then everything worked out beautifully and things have been hunky-dory since. And if you believe that then come vaca with me at my beachfront property!
The truth is that although I met and married the man of my dreams during my college days and have made some of the most incredible friends over the last 20 years, things have gotten harder as I have journeyed.
I really thought we wouldn't survive some events from hell during our preparation to move to Haiti. But we did. When we finally arrived, our first year was hard, as anticipated, but despite losing our vehicle twice, losing sleep while adjusting to the heat, working with individuals who stole from us, and learning to eat things we wouldn't ordinarily eat, we survived and even thrived at times, too. While some in the community embraced us with open arms, others shared that they never intended to embrace the 'blancos' or white people. Still, we didn't question our being in this foreign land because we knew God had called us here. This proved to be fuel for the enemy to turn things up a notch or two, I firmly believe.
Approved plans were underway for this new year until we were asked by our church partners in early January to leave the mission where we were working. With no clear reason to date and a silence that shook us to the core, we continued to journey even when we didn't know where we were going.
We were commended for good that was done while our experience was packaged up with a tacky bow and a card saying, "it's time to go home". In spite of many unanswered questions and many implications from some at our home church that said our time in Haiti was 'done' we believe God was calling us to stay.
We know, as many of you can attest to in your own lives, that our calling was never meant to be easy (I Thessalonians 3:3-4). We are told in James 1: 2-4 to persevere whenever we face trials, not if we face trials. So while it's one thing to share a God-given vision with your circle and to set out with fresh hope and new dreams, how do you cope when you find yourself in the middle of the desert or stuck in the valley watching your circle become a speck? What do you do when the plan God orchestrated appears to be falling apart? Where do you turn when you have no physical place to go?
It's times like these that our enemy loves to send the darts of doubt sailing. Sometimes we get caught up in questions that make us wonder if God really said what we thought He said. As challenges surmount we question whether we should actually keep going and oftentimes we give up and we question God like I did back in college.
I was encouraged by Shakirah Hill's words in Relevant Magazine in February. She said,
Before giving up or giving in to doubt, admit how you feel. Take it to the One who spurred your vision to begin with and know that He understands how you feel before you do. You aren't alone. And until God tells you to move, pop a squat..... sit still and wait for Him to send directions cause "right" is rarely easy.
When I was younger and getting ready to start college I remember feeling the pull to surrender... my will, my ways, my heart, my life. I had previously made a decision to follow Christ, admitting that I needed a Savior, but as I was growing in my walk, many times my life didn't reflect that decision.
As a new college student (and after learning some things the hard way), I became more aware of my real need for a Savior and I wanted my life to reflect what He had been doing in my heart. I assumed that those I did life with would cheer me on and encourage me and 'high-five' my plans to turn my life around but what actually happened left me devastated and full of questions. I had never felt so alone. My "circle" no longer found me valuable when I decided that partying wasn't the only thing in life that mattered. And that hurt. Losing friends and a boyfriend of 3 years due to "bettering" myself was hard.
I questioned God and I also questioned my decision.
"God, I am trying to do the right thing here... I agreed to follow You and this is what I get???? Isolation... Betrayal... A big ole slap in the face? I was better off when I had people! I'm following Your lead, Your instructions and all I feel is pain. Why, God, why?!?"
I eventually fell into the "right" life and then everything worked out beautifully and things have been hunky-dory since. And if you believe that then come vaca with me at my beachfront property!
The truth is that although I met and married the man of my dreams during my college days and have made some of the most incredible friends over the last 20 years, things have gotten harder as I have journeyed.
I really thought we wouldn't survive some events from hell during our preparation to move to Haiti. But we did. When we finally arrived, our first year was hard, as anticipated, but despite losing our vehicle twice, losing sleep while adjusting to the heat, working with individuals who stole from us, and learning to eat things we wouldn't ordinarily eat, we survived and even thrived at times, too. While some in the community embraced us with open arms, others shared that they never intended to embrace the 'blancos' or white people. Still, we didn't question our being in this foreign land because we knew God had called us here. This proved to be fuel for the enemy to turn things up a notch or two, I firmly believe.
Approved plans were underway for this new year until we were asked by our church partners in early January to leave the mission where we were working. With no clear reason to date and a silence that shook us to the core, we continued to journey even when we didn't know where we were going.
We were commended for good that was done while our experience was packaged up with a tacky bow and a card saying, "it's time to go home". In spite of many unanswered questions and many implications from some at our home church that said our time in Haiti was 'done' we believe God was calling us to stay.
We know, as many of you can attest to in your own lives, that our calling was never meant to be easy (I Thessalonians 3:3-4). We are told in James 1: 2-4 to persevere whenever we face trials, not if we face trials. So while it's one thing to share a God-given vision with your circle and to set out with fresh hope and new dreams, how do you cope when you find yourself in the middle of the desert or stuck in the valley watching your circle become a speck? What do you do when the plan God orchestrated appears to be falling apart? Where do you turn when you have no physical place to go?
It's times like these that our enemy loves to send the darts of doubt sailing. Sometimes we get caught up in questions that make us wonder if God really said what we thought He said. As challenges surmount we question whether we should actually keep going and oftentimes we give up and we question God like I did back in college.
I was encouraged by Shakirah Hill's words in Relevant Magazine in February. She said,
"Challenging callings have biblical precedent. When we do great things in the name of God, we can be sure that while His ways will always be the best, they definitely won’t be the easiest."
She referenced Abraham, Noah, and Esther and the list goes on and on from those we can learn from who faced huge hurdles in Scripture. It sure helps me to be reminded that we aren't alone and that difficult doesn't mean destitute as she went on to say.
"Yes, our callings may be challenging and they may require more of our time and resources than we expected. But, we can trust in God’s character. God is faithful to extend provision to His children and sometimes God’s provision comes in an unlikely form, as was the case when the poor widow fed Elijah. If you’re in a place of pursuing God’s plan for your life and a lack of resources is what’s making your calling difficult, remember that difficult doesn’t mean destitute. God has already set provision in place for you to accomplish everything He’s called you to do."
Before giving up or giving in to doubt, admit how you feel. Take it to the One who spurred your vision to begin with and know that He understands how you feel before you do. You aren't alone. And until God tells you to move, pop a squat..... sit still and wait for Him to send directions cause "right" is rarely easy.
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