Adoration

So it is 2 in the morning...and I was lying in bed trying not to be angry at the sounds of worship from a church in the distance. As I was trying not to be angry I realized if you keep beat them, join them. Woke up and decided to write. While it is 2 in the morning and I am so tired I am writing with a smile. Wish you could hear this. It is so loud. The have been going for over two hours. They have not even stopped for a breath. Literally since 12 I have been waiting for them to stop and hear prayer, something else...nothing. Just going, softer then louder....it so amazingly loud it sounds like it is right outside my window. I even put my earplugs in..nothing. They worship like there is no tomorrow...so neat. Almost want to put clothes on and head out to find the sweet sound because the energy sounds contagious.

It’s not the roosters crowing tonight, not the dogs barking, it’s the people showing complete joy and adoration for our God. Up North you will often hear the sounds of drums throughout the evening. The sounds of these drums are people coming together to practice voodoo. You often pray it stops, but somehow they continue throughout the evening. Not tonight...tonight it is the sound of a piano, guitar, and what sounds like a hundred voices that are worshiping. So while Leah is so tired, it is the sweet sound of people praising tonight in the midst of struggles that I can't even imagine. Complete adoration for a God that is bigger than our problems, bigger than our thoughts, bigger than we can imagine...rock it out is all I got to say on this Saturday night!

Love you all. Off to try and sleep with my one ear plug...but wanted to write and say thank you for being in this with us. We could not be here without you all!

And More Photos...

Life in Haiti

We took pictures at camp. Two of the best pictures. Says it all. Hanging in Haiti.






Some pictures of life in Haiti. My buddy JameLi. My home skillet hanging out with me on a Sunday afternoon. Me arm wrestling my Haitian brother. I lost..hahaha. Cooking corn in the woods with my little man Jean-Kelley. Best moment every! Boy in the yellow shirt was being a smarty pants with me. We became best friends, he always finds me now.

More Pictures

O to Ryna and Shirley and a Good Ole Saturday Night

Burned the garbage….check. Hand washed clothes….check. Fending off the stink bugs…check. Another crazy night in Passe Cataboise. Day has come and gone so quick today. Last two days and then we are off.

The morning started at 4 o’clock as I said goodbye to Ryna. She is headed home today. Hard to see her go, she has been great strength and laughter on this trip. Neat image of her taking off. Night sky, a motto, Ryna, the driver, and a bag strapped to the back and they were off. Homeward bound. Kind of crazy to think how three weeks has come and gone so fast. She has been a breath of fresh air to have on this trip. Haven’t met too many people that love the Haitian people like Ryna does. She is a nurse, but on this trip she broke out her teacher skills. I told her that she should change professions. Her patience, love, and energy will be so missed on the rest of this trip. One day at camp we had a total break down, kids were crazy, the workers even seemed crazy and then I looked over at Ryna and she was calm and simply asked what can I do to help. She has been a great presence on this trip. Was just putting something in her crate she left behind and she is still encouraging me as I found a verse she wrote in her box.

Hebrews 12:12-13
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Taking a new grip today and I have another 10 days in Haiti. Ryna, if you are reading me now, love you! Thanks for all that you have done on this trip. You have truly been a beautiful blessing to this adventure. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Said goodbye to Ryna and also my good friend Shirley this morning. I think Shirley sensed that Ryna was leaving. Woke up feeling hot and exhausted. Shirley my precious fan, who I treat like a stuff animal by cuddling her next to my head has past away. Her battery life is done and I have no more to carry me for the next two nights. She will be missed as I sweat myself to sleep tonight..ha. Miss my Ryna and Shirley already.

Three weeks of camp done. Crazy how is came and went so fast, but so grateful for another year with this community and children. The last day made me laugh and dance. We always try to keep the music piece under control. Have the children line up and run around in a circle as they sing. The children playing the drums usually sit on the side and bang those things like there is no tomorrow. But on the last day of camp they started singing, hollering, and dancing everywhere and it got to a point I thought, what the heck, mine as well join them. So fun to just laugh, shout, and dance in the name of the Lord. Chora one of workers took it to another level this year. Some of my favorite memories in camp was watching him with the instruments and getting the children involved with the music. I would be exhausted then I would look at Chora in the middle of the circle singing, sweating, and yelling for them to sing louder. Hahah, it was priceless. Rock it out brotha!

Tomorrow is the last day and then I am off to Port-au-Prince. Please pray for us as we have to get a motto at 4 am on Monday. If it rains the night before it is so hard for us to get out. River in high, road is too muddy. Just pray for no rain and a calm trip with no problems. Love you all! Thanks for all the support and prayers. Until next time….

NO RAIN! Thank you Jesus!

For the last 6 nights it has down poured in Passe Cataboise. When it rains here you don't go anywhere on the roads the next morning because it takes some time to dry. A down pour here is like 12 inches of snow in the states. You don't go anywhere. Ryna left Saturday at 4 in the morning and the night before it did not rain. Saturday night it poured again. We left today and it did not rain Sunday night. Talk about an answered prayer. Rain every night this week, except the two nights that I need it NOT to RAIN! I had this moment this morning as we were on the bikes. Sometimes I think I, we, people, miss God's answered prayers or because we live in a country where we can almost orchestra anything we don't give God enough opportunities to answer those little prayers.

I love Haiti for that. You are completely dependent on him because you are so far from your comfort zone that you would have no way of knowing to make it work. If it rained last night, the river would have been too high, the roads would have been bad and we would have missed our flight. So grateful for the answered prayer last night. Woke up at 4 to a clear night sky full of beautiful starts. Insane morning. On my bike along it was the driver, me, and a bag that weighed 100 lbs. On Dad's bike it was the driver, him, and another 100 lbs. How these drivers do it, I don't know. Riding on that bike is liking skiing down a mountain of snow moogles. You dodge a rock, dodge a hole, dodge a puddle, dodge a donkey, dodge a herd of sheep, dodge a child. You wouldn't think anyone else would be up at 4 in the morning, I was proven wrong. Women, children walking to the market. Men walking to work. Children herding animals. Made me think about my commute to work. I will never complain again. That 30 minutes in traffic is a bit better than a 2 hour walk to work at 4 in the morning.

Beautiful morning. Love riding on the mottos. You feel like you are in another world and trying to take it all in. Safe and sound in Port-au-Prince and ready to roll tomorrow. Continue to pray for our time in Haiti. A hurricane is supposed to be coming our way, so pray that is doesn't:) Love you all! Will post more pictures tomorrow!