Un, deux, trois...Soley!

The first full day and last full day of my trip over Easter, I got to work in Canaan, the tent city where Awaken Haiti is partnering with a Haitian pastor, Nathan, to rebuild the area. They have already built a church, a couple of homes, are currently building a school, and have a medical clinic planned to begin construction this summer. It was the perfect way to bookend my trip because I love physical labor, I love feeling like (and being able to see) we accomplished something, and I love the people in Canaan! The team that was there in March built two homes, but the one home didn't get completely finished. So we were able to put up siding, paint, and wire the whole house in two days! It was pretty exciting. Below are some pictures of the work days:

 Here is a picture of what the house looked like before we started on our first day. 

This is a picture of a completed house that Awaken Haiti built.

Unloading the truck to get ready to work for the day in Canaan.

 Starting to side the house.

 Haitians and Americans working together - such a cute picture!

 Me using lots of nails to get the siding up. Check out my sweet tool belt!

 Apparently I had to learn to use a hammer correctly. Who knew you didn't hold it by the head?

 As the day went by, a lot of the kids from Canaan started to gather around. Here, a few of the boys wanted to be our helpers. They LOVED getting to wear the tool belts, even though they were swimming in them. You should have seen their smiles!

One of the things I love most about AwakenHaiti, as an organization, is that they are all about empowering Haitians; not just coming in and doing things for them or changing their system. It is really about coming alongside of them, supporting, and teaching them. As this picture shows, one of the goals of AwakenHaiti is to teach Haitians how to do certain things. For instance, one of the houses we are building is for a family in the church that Pastor Nathan counsels. The father of this family has been right there alongside AwakenHaiti as we build him a house. He is learning how to build the house he and his family will live in...how cool is that! The picture above is Drew, a member of AwakehHaiti, helping teach one of the boys how to use a nail gun. Now, I know I probably wasn't much better with the gun, but at times, it was such a funny sight to watch him learn. He would try to push the nail in and the gun would slide all over. Then he would miss the nail and drill a hole in the siding. Poor kid, he was trying so hard and didn't give up!

On my final full day, we finished our work on the house in Canaan by painting and wiring the inside. This little girl was there all day. She followed me around and literally spoke Kreyol to me alll day...like I understood what she was saying. She would just look at me and talk and talk and talk...I would just nod my head and smile. Now I know how it feels to be a foreigner here in the US who doesn't speak English!

 

 I found myself taking lots of 'play-breaks' with this group of kids. As I painted they taught me lots of Kreyol. They taught me how to count to 10, how to say: 'how old are you', 'what is your name', sit down, stand up, brother, sister, sun, and hot (see this posts title for my awesome Kreyol abilities) ! They were pretty amazing teachers, drilling those words into me over and over! We also tried to learn some American songs, but for some reason I could only think of "You are my sunshine."

We also were able to get the whole inside of the house wired! And by we, I mean, not me! I just took pictures because it looked pretty great when it was all said and done.

All in all, our work days were lots of fun, productive, and neat to see the results of our labor in the hot sun! It was also great to get to know and be around some of the people of Canaan, especially the kids! I'll be posting some of the more leisure activities I did soon!

Wonder

Over and over
You fill my heart with wonder
You take me by surprise
I can't believe my eyes

Wider and deeper
Just when I think I've seen ya
Like a stone thrown into the ocean water
I can search your depths and never hit rock bottom

Deep in me you created a fire
Like a flame you keep taking me higher
Up and up, and it grows
Where it stops only Heaven knows

Once again, I am going to speak in song! The lyrics above are from a song by Jimmy Needham called Rock Bottom...about how we think we have found God and know God, but we actually never do and never will, His love keeps going deeper and deeper never hitting rock bottom. Before going on this trip, I thought I knew Gods love...I just thought having these doubts and fears about Haiti were normal and wouldn't go away. Yet again, God has surprised me by peeling back another layer of his love.


I made it home safely early this morning and had an AMAZING trip. All of my fears that I discussed in the previous post were put to rest. The trip confirmed in me that this is where God wants me for this season. I knew He put this fire in me to go to Haiti, but I was unsure of how strong it would be. Well, this trip made me realize he is making the flame higher and higher, to heights I can't even fathom. All of the doubts and fears I had about my ability to do this task, if I will even be good enough, and if I would be accepted in Haiti were all extinguished. I left Haiti with a peace and excitement about going back in August that can only be explained by God...filling my heart with wonder.

A quick story to prove this point:

The night before I was about to leave Haiti, we went to say goodbye to the girls at the Good Samaritan Home. I was hesitant and nervous because seeing them earlier in the trip, I didn't feel connected. The language barrier, age (that awkward middle school phase), me being a new person they can't trust yet, and walls they have rightfully built up because of their past experiences left me feeling unwanted, scared, discouraged, and uncertain of the role I was to play in the girls' future. I didn't want to leave on this note.

Well, God certainly showed up...upon entering the house and saying goodbye, the girls began warming up to me. They said their goodbyes and when it was translated to them that I would be coming back in August for two years, there were cheers and smiles! Drew, who is living in Haiti now, said he hasn't seen the girls that happy in a long time. Wow!!! All because of the news that I was coming back...back to share their life with them and teach them about how loved and special they are. These words don't do any justice to what this experience was actually like and how it made me feel, but below I posted a clip of the girls singing happy birthday to Mama Deb! Here is just a taste of the love and desire they have in their hearts to love and be loved. I can't wait to go back and do life alongside of them!

And PS - I will be posting lots of fun pictures and stories of the trip over the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned!

No Thief Like Fear

In wanting to write a post before leaving for Haiti on Thursday, I was trying to decide the slant I wanted to take. Would I make it more about fear and how fear can steal all the things God has planned for us to experience? Would I make it about the prayers and needs I felt like I would want for this week of travel? Would I keep it light and fun and just talk about the things I would be doing?

And then I heard this song that I heard on the plane ride back from Haiti in June…it was the moment that got me thinking, “Maybe God wants me to move to Haiti.” I’m kinda bittersweet towards that song…that thing changed my life! Ha…well not entirely, but it did get me thinking about the move God possibly wanted me to make. Here is the song with the lyrics…

“Won’t You take this cup from me cause fear has stolen all my sleep.”

Mmm…what appropriate words, then AND now. I didn’t really want to be thinking about that at that time, that God might be calling me to move to Haiti. And now that I have been given this cup (going to Haiti this weekend, and then moving there in August) fear has played a big role in that process. Not a good role, but a big role. And even now, fears run through my head. What if I get there this week and hate it? What if I can’t do it? What if it is not like I remember in my head? What if it just feels 'not right' when I’m there?

Ahhh…fear is stealing my life! Stealing the joy God has for me in each moment. Stealing the excitement of the adventure of not knowing. Stealing a life lived fully awake and fully alive! There is no thief like fear.

But, as the song goes, “Father let my heart be after You.” 

I can feel these feelings of fear, I can sit with them and process them, and even embrace them. But DO NOT let me dwell on them, do NOT let me be defined by them. Let my life be defined by You, and making and changing my heart after Yours. Come into my fears, God, and meet me there. Show me how to live your commands, “Do not be afraid…do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

THAT is my prayer as I head to Haiti for the weekend. To be fully open to whatever it is God has in store for me. To let His love cover my fears, and not miss the awesomeness of what God wants me to experience.

“Give me strength to die myself so love can live to tell the tale"