I would like to explain how I have the opportunity to go to Haiti July 20-28th. First though, I need to give you some background info. God has used Haiti to change 'my' life, and me, for the better. I first went to Haiti in 2001 for a week, then in 2002 for a month, then 2 months before John and I got married we spent a month there (2003). I went in 2004 for a week, as well as 2005-2007. Then I started school to pursue music therapy. I have not been back since (John last went in March of 2010 after the earthquake, when I was pregnant with Margaret).
Last year (Ash Wednesday 2012) I was honored and blessed to fly to Kansas City, Missouri to share Mass with my 'Haitian Mom', Sister Carmelle, who was dying of metastatic liver cancer. Father Joseph, Sister Simone, and Sister Claudette were also there from Haiti, as well as Sisters from the Kansas City area who loved Sr. Carmelle well. It was rich and bittersweet to hear Sr. Carmelle's beautiful voice singing the mass in her native tongue.
I returned the next morning. My Dad died suddenly the following Monday. Sister Carmelle died later in March.
I have thought of my beloved family Haiti - I confess - less and less as the years have gone by (with exception of Sr. Carmelle, especially last year). I compare it to helping lead singing at church. I feel so incredibly alive while doing it and know it is exactly where God desires me to be. Yet, the more time that passes I forget how important it is to me. I remember a basic idea regarding Satan's ploys - I think from the "The ScrewTape Letters" - Satan and his demons don't have to do anything fancy or well thought out to get us off of God's purposes. All they have to do is DISTRACT us. And, man is that easy to do to me.
Other background info - I have wanted us to sponsor a child from Haiti for, Oh, I am sure more than 5 years. One of those good intentions with no follow through. Oh - we need to do a budget first (still haven't done it, sadly), blah blah blah, and all sorts of other reasons why I have never followed through with this. Well, a facebook friend named Laura posted a link to an incredibly informative article regarding an empirical study on the the impact of sponsoring a child. It was done by a group studying development- sorry I can't remember all of the details. But, basically using decent methodological research they found that child sponsorship had an undeniable positive impact on the child sponsored, and I think fringe benefits as well. Okay, going to attempt to link article....
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/june/want-to-change-world-sponsor-child.html
She included in her post the sentiment "So... Maybe I should sponsor a child". Yeah. I really don't know why it has taken me so long to get to that point. But, if you have any doubt on the good it can do, check the article. So, then I went to "Compassion International"'s website and was looking through kids I could sponsor. I thought it was very awesome that I could search by birthday, country etc. I found a girl from Haiti. But I couldn't decide. Then I thought, this is silly. I could go through 'Family Health Ministries' and we could actually, Lord willing, meet the child, and hopefully Margaret could too someday (I would like that). Why connect with some other part of Haiti when my heart is already way connected with one specific spot (Fondwa, Haiti)? This is how my reasoning went, anyway. Trust me, I will get to the point.
so, then I go to FHM's website (http://familyhm.org/our-work/sainte-antoine ) and watch a wonderful video about child sponsorship in which I also see people I love dearly in Haiti who I have not thought about honestly in many years. My heart was full with the desire to be with them, catch up with them, and to be back in a country that has taught me how to trust God.
Then, with tears in my eyes I wrote on the FB page of Kathy Walmer, executive director of FHM. She is currently in Haiti. This is what I wrote: Kathy,
can you please say hello to some friends from me, and let them know
that I remember them and am thinking of them? Pastor Leon and Jackie,
Sr. Simone and Sr. Claudette, Sr. Josephine, and Miss Kerline and Jezula
and Lousna and Madame Cherie? I would love to say hello to Mannette
and her family as well, but I do not know if you will see them. Okay, I
need to go back to Haiti. It has been almost 6 years. I am so glad that
things are going well. Love Elizabeth
I hope you are paying attention, because this where God started getting my attention. Soon after I posted this my friend Nancy, with whom I have gone on a Vacation Bible School trip to Haiti, wrote, "Hey, can you go with me and teach VBS in July?????" I wrote her back and, yep, it turns out she was completely serious. Her partner for VBS (other than her husband) had had to cancel for monetary reasons and she had been praying for a new partner to go with her. I know the language and have been many times so it would be a lot easier for me to jump in last minute than some others (other than childcare details, logistics, money, etc, which do make last minute plans somewhat challenging).
We have been exchanging messages, and logistically the trip could be done. If flights arrive as scheduled I would arrive back in to Durham, NC at 7:20 PM on Sunday the 28th and would then need to book it back to Charlotte in order to teach at our VBS in Charlotte the following day. It could be done. And, the YMCA has AM and PM preschool camp for the week of the trip, so this could be done too.
I DO believe God has provided this opportunity, and I already have had tons of ideas for stuff I can sell to make money for the trip. But I first need the blessing and support of my husband, then to step out in faith. . . will you pray for this? Thank you.
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