Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Celebrating Success


When I think about what God has been doing here in Haiti I don’t have to go any farther than my classroom. There are so many things that God has chosen to do here and I’ve loved watching it happen right in front of me.

It is amazing to have the privilege of empowering someone and then watch them thrive! This has been something that we have focused on at Sonlight Bible College.  From the beginning of our time at SBC, we’ve believed, above all else, we are to train up people to do what we are doing. We have many Haitian professors who are doing excellent work in teaching SBC students. This has come about through years of hard work and training and it is happening again this year right in my classroom.

Jamesy Joseph was our valedictorian in last year’s graduating class.  He is a bright young man who is eager to learn. I have had him in class for the last few years as a student but I am so thankful to have him now in my class as an assistant.  I say he is an assistant, but he is actually so much more.

Jamesy is a fast learner and he is already doing the lead teaching.  He was hired to assist me and to learn from me so that in the future the computer classes would be under his direction. Well, the future has come sooner than I ever expected.

He is great with our computer students.  He is able to speak to them in Kreyol when they don’t understand my instructions in English. He is able to work with our students one on one when they have missed a class or need a little extra guidance. Watching him do what I thought would happen much later brings me so much joy.  God knew what he was doing when he brought Jamesy to Sonlight Bible College years ago. It just took us a little longer to catch on. I love when God works like that!

God has allowed this to happen again and again here at SBC.  We have gone from having only 1 Haitian professor to now having 9 Haitian professors.  To successfully empower others is our mission as missionary professors.   And when we have succeeded in empowerment – we have the great luxury of celebrating that we have accomplished our mission.  SBC continues to become a Haitian college, led by Haitian leaders.  And as of the end of this year, we are “making room” for new Haitian leaders.  Scott and I are saying goodbye to SBC (as difficult as it is) and get to watch new leaders move into the area of administration at SBC.  It is bittersweet.  The celebration of new leaders and at the same time saying goodbye to a team of people we love.  Pray for this new team of professors who will be guiding SBC and continuing the mission.  And thank your for supporting us in this work of empowering others! 


Mr. Jamesy teaching


Mr. Jamesy and Mr. Scott








Thursday, April 7, 2016

What is my "mission"?

I was reminded this morning of something...my family comes first!

Sometimes as a "missionary" I feel like my focus has to be on the people I came here to love and serve.  I have to be "with" them constantly or I am not doing my job.  I have to be "helping" them in some way or I am not doing my job.

Yet, this morning I am so thankful that I don't allow those thoughts to keep me from keeping my focus on my family.  I am a MOM and a WIFE first.  My "mission" is to raise my children to love and trust our amazing God.  My "mission" is to raise my children to follow the footsteps of Jesus. My "mission" is to love my husband.

God is first in my life! But after him it has to be my family.  Yes, I live in Haiti as a "missionary".  Yes, I need to "help", be "with" and "love and serve" the people of Haiti!  God called us here to do exactly that.  People make sacrifices daily so that we can do exactly that. People pray for us daily as we do exactly that. But God calls me as a wife and mother to disciple my children and to love my husband first. 

This morning I saw the results of spending time focusing on my family...I can't stop smiling as I recall what happened!  I came home early after a morning run and my entire family was up and ready for the day. Normally, I wake Cameron up at 6:30 and we take our dog to the school for his morning run and bathroom time.  At about 7, Ethan shuffles out of his room. Today, however, everyone was up by 6am.

Scott made his amazing Cuban coffee for us and we all sat down at the table to enjoy it.  During our coffee time, Scott turned on the worship videos that we have been watching.  The boys have their favorites so we were picking and choosing what we wanted to see, hear AND sing to.  Well, for the next hour it was a concert in our kitchen.  The boys were up dancing and singing-the moonwalk was happening in my kitchen! It was a morning I will NEVER forget! I got to watch (and participate in) my children and my husband PRAISE our God!  It was the best worship service I've ever been in-right in my kitchen!

I will continue to love, serve, help and be with these people I have come to know and love!  I will continue to do what God called me here to do! But, I pray I never forget to put my family before all of that.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

I've got you!

Ethan came home from school with very intense pain in his lower abdomen.  Because of his pain we immediately took him to the best doctor we know in this area.  The trip there is only about 3 miles but took about 15 minutes.  The roads in Haiti are hard to explain.  Let me just say, my fitbit thought I had taken 3,000 steps during those 15 minutes.

The whole way there, as I held my 9 year old, I prayed!  That was the only thing I could do.  I held him trying to soften each bump and praying that the pain would go away! 

We arrived at the hospital and our friend Kerlande was there to help us.  She told us what to do, where to go, and stayed with us the whole day.  She was a gift from God! Kerlande, I can't thank you enough for walking through this with us!

We were able to see the doctor right away and had some tests done.  We left there without any answers but I am so thankful that the pain is completely gone at this moment.

As a mom, I hurt for my son in a way that words couldn't express.  Not knowing if he would get the right care, not knowing what was going on inside that little body, not knowing how to fix it...the only thing that got me through this day was knowing that God was in control.  I knew I could trust Him with Ethan's life.  That doesn't mean it was easy. I had to give Ethan to him moment by moment.  I kept trying to take care of it myself and then He would gently remind me that "I'VE GOT HIM!"  I knew that deep down but that surface stuff just gets in the way sometimes!

Isaiah 40:31 says "those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.  The will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not grow faint."

What an amazing promise....God is saying, "I'VE GOT YOU!"  If only we could trust in that from our core to our surface!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

a smile...

Walking home the other night, we witnessed a child being "beaten". My heart was breaking!

Walking through the market to buy groceries and a woman, clearly homeless, asks me for money. My heart was breaking!

Listening to the endless stories of my girls and what they go through on a daily basis. My heart was breaking!

Hearing of Haitian teachers who have worked for YEARS without a cent in pay. My heart was breaking!

Everyday my heart breaks a little more for these people that I love.  How can I help? What can I do? And then it hits me...I can smile!

What? Smile? How can you smile in those moments? Well, when I remember who is in charge, who loves each of these people MORE than I do, who has promised to be there, I can smile in TRUST!

I can smile with these people and help them to remember the same thing.  That doesn't mean I don't HURT for them and with them!  It just means that I am choosing to trust God to do what only He can do.  I can't stop all the beatings. I can't find a home for all the homeless. I can't shelter my girls from the lives they have to live. I can't pay all the teachers who haven't been paid. There are so many things I can't do BUT I can smile with each one and remind them that there is a God who is bigger than all this!

I was walking down the street with a heavy heart this morning. I looked up and a young girl smiled at me.  I realized how much joy filled my heart just by her simple smile.  I am so thankful that we have the confidence to smile because we know that God is in control of all this.  I want to be quick to smile!


Sunday, September 6, 2015

Update on my week filled with Anxiety...

Well, I just wanted to let you all know that I made it through the week before school AND the first week of school.  Praise the Lord!

Things didn't get easier!  They actually got harder and more frustrating BUT I was able, on most occasions, to remember that I was not alone!  When I started to get frustrated, anxious or overwhelmed, I would remember to say, "okay, God, I can't do this without you" and every time WITHOUT FAIL he gave me the peace I needed to make it through!

There were many tears shed and moments before the reminder that were tough but with God's help I made it through!

Thanks for your prayers!  Please continue to pray for me and Scott and our boys.  I know many more frustrating moments will happen this year.  I will forget to be thankful. I will allow myself to feel overwhelmed and anxious.  But, I will continue to practice turning to God as quickly as I can and allowing him to fill me with his peace and strength!

So thankful we have a FAITHFUL God!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Anxious and Overwhelmed


Those should not be the words that describe me right now but if I am completely honest…THEY ARE. I know I shouldn’t be worried about things…that is very specifically said to us in scripture! But…

We are back home in Haiti.  It is HOT. I have new classes this year that I am trying to put together.  School starts next Monday-less than a week away. We have a new puppy. My house is DIRTY from weeks of neglect. I am overwhelmed. I am anxious.

Isaiah 40:27-31

“Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, ‘God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me’? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young fold in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.”

In all the stress of coming back and getting started, I am gently reminded moment by moment to lean on my God who loves me.  My God who gives me strength to get it ALL done. My God who has blessed me with an amazing husband. My God who has blessed me with two precious boys. My God who has unexpectedly blessed us with a new little puppy who brightens our evenings with laughter and play. My God who gives me peace-unexplainable. My God is amazing! He is gentle with me. Never angry or harsh. Gently, he reminds me He is there!  Gently, he refocuses my thoughts to where they should be.  WOW! 

I am working on not being anxious and overwhelmed this week.  When all of me turns toward those feelings I am reminded to whisper his name.  What instant peace. Just by saying his name.

Instead of focusing on all the “things” that need to be done I am going to work on being thankful!  I am thankful that God chooses to use me here in this country, in this city, in this school, in these students and friends lives.  I am thankful that I am challenged with new things. I am thankful that it isn’t freezing. That one sounds funny to me but honestly I have to find something to be thankful in each “thing” that seems like a frustration. 

Pray for us this week as we prepare for the new year.  The college is growing.  We have a lot of new hearts that need to hear about this amazing God we have!  Pray that we will have our focus on Him so that He can work through us and use us to reach these people that he loves.

Thankfully, with God's help I can choose to turn anxious and overwhelming thoughts into thoughts of thankfulness!

Friday, July 31, 2015

Summer 2015

It's a quiet morning so I thought I would blog. It has been a great summer!  We have spent time with family, time with friends, time alone - just the four of us, time playing, and time resting.
Scott and I have had a lot of time to reflect on our life and the opportunities that God has given to us as a family.  We are able to spend WEEKS together just enjoying each other and the things we love...what a BLESSING!  We are so thankful this time we have together!
 I love my moments with my friend, Wendy!
 Time with friends-they have known each other their whole lives!
 I love watching these two together!  We are blessed with GREAT friends!
 Together!
 Our Family...Hollen Side
 Love my family!
 Blessed to spend time with my Dad and Shai!
 Fun in Branson with my Family
 Look out me'hardy! :)
 Precious and FUN moments!
 My beautiful sisters!
Fun with Cousins!