Catch up

So I last updated when I was leaving Port au prince. We were headed out on a 6 hour tour of the country. Our drive from PAP to Limbe was actually enjoyable for the most part. We basically drove the entire east coast and through the mountains in the north. Very pretty country! We were in the back of a flat bed truck with walls on it and spent most of the time standing up because it hurt too much to be bounced around through the bumps. We drove out Road 1 through PAP to Xaragua. We drove past Global Outreach, and I saw the clinic that I worked in, and pointed out the flour mill that exploded and the building I was in when the quake hit. Thankfully no bad memories or flashbacks bothered me. God is so faithful. I can't believe I am emotionally where I am today after the issues I struggled so deeply with for a large part of this year.

We got to camp later than expected (our 6 hour drive turned into 7)... did I mention PAP and Limbe are actually only 80 miles apart as the crow flies? They are about 235kilometers apart on the road... which means absolutely nothing to me. Anyway, we got to camp and I barely recognized anything. Really, to be honest, the only thing I recognized that night was my three friends that had already been living there. Everything has changed so much. There are buildings everywhere, its crazy! And there is beautiful landscaping everywhere! I can't wait to have time to take my camera around the camp and village and post a complete photo tour. Its great! I found out that the girl who will be living with me is not just in charge of mango trees, but also coffee trees coconuts, bananas, coco, and flowers! A friend of mine gave me seeds for cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, spinach, peppers, and all kinds of other stuff and Guerline, my roommate was so happy when I gave them to her!

Its been so fun to be here. I've panicked only a once about being left here, but quickly got over it. My biggest problem is that I'm a 5 year old and I'm scared to death of the dark... and it does get pretty dark here! But I think its going to be ok. We shall see. I talked with Betty yesterday and she told me that on Friday I'll be driving back to PAP with the team and then returning to camp on Sunday with Gersan to meet the medical team from Minnesota. And then I think that Betty and Gersan are going to take a week or so off from life in PAP and come stay here with me for a week before leaving me here with Guerline. She speaks not a WORD of english, so its all me and my kreyol but hopefully my kreyol will be pretty good after that... we shall see.

I've really enjoyed being with the kiddos as well. I've met a decent amount of new ones and gotten to talk with the old friends. I love seeing their faces when I talk to them and they look at me in shock and say, "Ou pale Kreyol!?!?!?" (you speak kreyol.) Its the best. I can't wait to post pictures, but my internet is unbearably slow, so bear with me in posting pictures!

Please be praying for Haiti tomorrow as it is the anniversary of the earthquake. I'm thankful that I am here in Haiti, but also thankful that I am in Limbe and not PAP. Sometimes those two areas feel like different worlds entirely. God has been so faithful to all those in PAP and even though the families in Little Guinea haven't been through an earthquake, they are still living in poverty. Pray that their eyes will be opened to see the bright and shining hope that Christ brings! Tomorrow is the second day of camp and we will share the gospel completely again. Pray that it is recieved well.

Anyway, sorry for being scatterbrained. Thanks for bearing with me until life slows down a little bit. I'll get in a groove soon, I promise!

Here in Haiti!

I wrote this randomly throughout the day... sorry for the changes in time. I don't have enough time to go back and re-do it. So here are my thoughts all throughout the day :)

Well here I am on the plane! I can't wait to get back to Haiti and hear everyone around me speaking Kreyol and smell the smells and everything!


A week or so before I leave I usually go through a period of "OH my goodness! What am I thinking!? I can't do this. I can't go on this trip. or I can't LIVE THERE ALONE!!!" I went through that for a little while, but for about a week now I've been at the point where I am just ready to go. Usually the night before I leave I can't sleep, but I got a good night's rest. Thankfully because we had to get up at 2:45 to catch our plane!

I'm going to recap my last few days in Texas and all the things that made me thing "oh I should write about that!"

On Monday night we had a few close friends of my family over to my house to pray for me and send me off. I can't even express how glad I am that we did this! I almost decided not to because I didn't want to have to get up in front of people and talk and be the center of attention, but I really appreciated the prayers that my dear friends offered up to the heavens for me! Some prayed for exactly what my fears in my heart are, and some prayed for things that needed to be prayed for that I hadn't even realized until they were praying blessings over them. It was suh a blessing to be surrounded by those who love me and to be thouroghly praye d for! My only regret is that we didn't get pictures of everyone.

Tuesday afternoon the group from Frontier camp of 16 people came over to my house to pack our things. We have a capacity to check 1,600 lbs of luggage and I thinkg we packed everything that we needed and had room to spare! And I'm happy to report that I fit everything I will be using personally for the next 4 months in one carry on, one large "personnal item" backpack, and one checked bacg. Minus all the granola bars I am bringing for breakfast. Ever wonder what 4 months worth of breakfast looks like? I'll take a picture later and show you! My mom graciously offered our home to let everyone sleep after we packed, and I ate a delicious last American meal of taco soup. The weather decided to open up and pour buckets of rain, so my dad, being the genius that he is offered to pack everything in the horse trailer instead of trying to cover the truck bed with a tarp. That was a sight to see. I'm sure the security guards at the airport thought we were crazy by bringing horses to the airport... It didn't help that we would talk through the windows to our pretend horses to make them think we were actually bringing horses to check at the airport. I'm sure they got a good laugh when they saw us getting our 40 something bags out of the trailer.

Let me tell you... Getting 16 people and all of our things checked into the airport is no small feat! But we did it. I'm currently sitting on a plane looking out oer the wing and watching the sun rise over the clouds that look like a wavy ocean of white, red, orange, and purple while sipping my last starbucks until the summer. I had to indulge :)

We had a 50 minute layover in Miami,then we should arrive in Port Au Prince around noonish!turns out our layover was really only long enough to get our stuff off one plane and run onto the other one. (I realized as I was boarding the flight to PAP that I left my Nalgene bottle and a neat carabiener in the other plane... :( Good thing I brought a backup. TIH)

This will be the first time I have been back to Haiti and in Port Au Prince since the EQ. I'm honestly feeling good and excited about being back. The Lord has been so faithful in healing my heart and I know this is going to continue the healing process. It may be hard for me to see though, as I'm sure things have changed since I was last in the city!! I'm praying that I will not have any flashbacks or nightmares this evening, and especially, that there will not be any tremors. I know its geologically possible for tremors to continue to occur, and I don't think I'd handle that well. I mean. In all things God is faithful, but It would be great if all things were smooth sailing!

We are spending the night at the Valcins house and will wake up bright and early to hop in the back of an open truck and drive 6 hours over the mountains and through the woods to the campsite in Ti Guinea. That is assuming that we don't have any car trouble or other unforseen issues. Which would be awesome, but I've been in Haiti enough to know the phrase "TIH- This is Haiti." That gets said more often than not when things pop up and suprise you and change all the plans you have. Hopefully we won't have TIH moments today or tomorrow, but we'll see!

So I should arrive in Ti Guinea on Thursday night, then I will get to hopefully meet my roommate and see where I will be living and get re-aquainted with camp since all the changes have occured. After that I will hopefully get my internet set up and be able to update.

Its 3am

And I'm getting on a plane bound for Miami!!

By this afternoon I'll be in Haiti!

I'll update as soon as possible!

Pray that we are safe and that my internet works once I get there!!

Praise Christ!!

I just got this note from Gersan, the Haitian Pastor I work with, via some friends that he wrote on New Year's Eve, I'm sure it is a sentiment he would like to share with all their supporters: He is speaking of the village that I will be moving to on Wednesday. He grew up in this village and his heart is truley to see their freedom!


"As we are about to go to bed, we can hear the voices of people singing in the dark, praises to God. They were singing with such harmony that one would believed they were angels. I knew that village 10 years ago, it was filled with voodoo temples and fear ruled everyone, people were dying from diseases. Now they are free to sing the song of the redeemed. If only I could see the transformation of each village of my country like this one, I would know that I accomplished my life's destiny. We thank God for all of you supporting us this Year! Thank you for serving Him together with us!






Happy new year!


Gersan & Betty "



I can't even express how excited I am to soon, and for a short time, call this village home. God is moving mightly in Ti Guinea!

2010, its been a pleasure... err... experience

I know that everyone is blogging, talking, writing about what this year has held for them, or how its surprised them or whatever. I am not one to be left in the dust!

I welcomed 2010 in THE coolest way possible! I was at a Haitian church service, there were many who got baptized, then people got up and spoke about how the Lord had been faithful to them that year, then we prayed and then I kissed almost everyone in the building! It was so cool! Read about it here.

I've never been one to really make New Year's resolutions, or even really try to guess what the New Year is going to hold for me. I usually just take it one step at a time and go with the flow. That is exactly the attitude I had about 2010. Little did I know how greatly the Lord would show His power!

Less than two weeks after the new year was the Earthquake. The year for me was completely changed after that. My life is changed.
God has been so faithful.

The details of that day saved my life. Its weird to say that I am a survivor of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. Being a survivor is much more serious than it Destiny's Child makes it sound!

Those of you who have been reading this blog from the beginning know how faithful the Lord has been to me.

He protected me through the earthquake and gave me the skills and the peace of mind to be helpful in the clinic for the following days. He gave me the skills and confidence to be able to assist the Doctors with burns, stitches, amputations, surgeries and many other things. He gave me the beautiful opportunity to comfort those who were dying, to make them feel Jesus' love for them. He comforted me when I was scared and grieving, and reminded me that He is my Rock, which no earthquake can shake.

He remained faithful when I set foot on U.S. soil. Somehow, I don't know how, but I made it to here. December 30. This year has been full of ups and downs.

I have spent time with my family like never before
I have made friends that have encouraged me and changed the course of this year
I have come through and defeated a lot of my struggles with PTSD
I have GRADUATED FROM A&M! I almost gave up at least 10 times along the way, but I finished!
I have cried more this year then ever before. Some happy tears, some painful ones

I have laughed with friends
I have changed so much! If I had met who I am today a year ago I probably wouldn't recognize myself.
I have felt all kinds of emotions

I will never be the same. But I think that is definitely the sign of a beautiful year!

God has been SO wonderfully faithful.

So here's to another year of not making resolutions, or of trying to guess what the year will hold. Here's to taking things one step at a time and going with the flow.

...And step by step You'll lead me, and I will follow You all of my days!...

Packing

I'm in the midst of packing and shopping and packing some more. Wow. Who's stressed out?

My goal is to fit everything I will need for myself and for the clinic and for the school into one carry on, and one checked bag. .. Possible? I think so! crazy?... yes. (Oh and did I mention I'm responsible for packing all my breakfasts?)

I've never packed for a 5 month long trip. I mean, how much shampoo or toothpaste do you use in 5 months? How am I possibly supposed to think of EVERYTHING. There will be no Wal-marts, Targets, or CVS stores nearby. I can't just run down the street to grab an extra pack of toilet paper or soap. I'm more or less packing for a 5 month long camping trip. Which wouldn't be that difficult if I had actually been on a real camping trip before. I've slept in a tent. I've "camped" for like a day or two, but never for 5 months, and I've always been with at least 3 extra prepared people that were willing to share.

Anyway, I've come up with a system of packing... Prioritize my things into categories.
*Impossible to live without (like my water sterilization stuff for Cholera).
*REALLY really need.
*really need.
*Would be helpful or very helpful.
*Not a necessity, but a convienence
and last... but not and least
*Don't really need.

So long story short. I'm wondering what would you pack into these categories? What can you absolutely not live without? And what is something you could live without for 5 months?

Please be praying for me as a prepare for this trip both in my packing and physical preparation, but also for my mental and emotional preparation. In everything I know the Lord is faithful and He continues to be so!

Prayer and support needs

Some of you have generously asked how you can help support me either through prayer or finances and so I have put together this letter to more accurately describe what my purpose is going to be in Haiti and what things I will be needing for my time there. 

Thank you for your prayers and generous support!

Dear Friends, 

For the next 5 months I’ll be living and working in the small rural village of Little Guinea, near the northern coast of Haiti.  This will be my fourth time to go to Little Guinea with a group from Frontier Camp, planting a children’s camp, Jacob’s Well. Haitian Pastor Gersan Valcin and his wife Betty partnered with Frontier Camp, establishing Jacob’s Well as the first phase of community development for Little Guinea. Since the start of Jacob’s Well Camp in 2006, a church has been planted, and in the fall of 2010 a school opened, which meets in the church building.

Pastor Valcin grew up in Little Guinea, under the darkness of the voodoo religion until he was led to Christ by a missionary doctor. After being educated in the states at Dallas Theological Seminary, Gersan returned to Haiti, and he pastors a large Protestant Evangelical church in Port au Prince. Pastor Valcin has planted over 70 other churches in rural areas of Haiti. He and Frontier Camp have partnered to make Jacob’s Well a large-scale community development project with long-term plans for a permanent school, clinic, orphanage, and camp/retreat center. Jacob’s Well has already created jobs for many Haitians in construction and security as the compound has grown. More importantly, the light of Christ has come to this area and many have been saved. The lives and futures of those in the village and surrounding area have been forever changed by this ministry. 

The Valcins have asked me to serve full-time at Jacob’s Well this spring, while they are based in Port au Prince. While I am in Little Guinea, I will have three main objectives: teaching English in the upper grades of the school; educating the women in the community about health and hygiene topics, including Cholera prevention; and, providing first aid and other minor medical care and education to the village and in the surrounding areas. A local young woman will live at Jacob’s Well with me, and the local elders and their families will be responsible for my security.

I hope you will consider helping me in any way you feel led. These are a few of the Jacob’s Well Camp and Little Guinea  financial needs: 

·                     Child sponsorship: $30/month for one child’s full education or $360/year (300 kids total)

·                     8 rechargeable batteries for the compound generator at $135 each

·                     4  flood lamps for the compound at $50 each

·                     Wire for the fence- 10 bales at $25 each

·                     Internet access at the camp for 5 months at $90/month

·                     $300 for wood to use in construction projects

·                     A 50,000 gal cistern for water at $2,000.

·                     My personal expenses $2,000

·                     Haitian Kreyol Bibles= $5 each (We can always use those!)

 ·     

I would be blessed by anything that you may find yourself able to give, especially prayer support! Some of my prayer requests include:

·         Wisdom as I prepare to embark on this journey and live in Little Guinea

·         Love for the people I am with and that I may share Christ’s love with them

·         Clarity of communication as I am immersed in the Kreyol language

·         Health and safety from Cholera and any other sickness or danger

If you would like to donate, you can do so online at www.frontiercamp.org or by mail to: Frontier Camp, 131 Frontier Camp Road, Grapeland, TX 75844. Please note “Noelle González-Haiti” in the memo line.

Please continue to check back here for updates from me concerning my work and prayer needs:  

Thank you for your support!