assimilation

I am so grateful that prior to my arrival, I was able to see training at MTI as something valuable from the Lord. I stopped viewing the experience as a means to an end. God has a purpose in me being here, before I am in Haiti. Already, I am learning to the very depths of my soul. My heart is being simultaneously stirred and calmed as I soak in each lesson. Today, a valuable truth set in as I struggled with the paradox of respecting Haitian culture and remaining true to myself. 

In Haiti, I must both honor the context I am living in while still protecting my ability to minister. My choices should honor the Haitian culture, even when as an American, those choices seem unnecessary. My ability to create loving relationships hinges on accepting and, in part, embracing the Haitian lifestyle. Likewise, I must make choices that protect who I am, choices that protect my energy level, my heart and my ability to be a Kingdom worker. There is a balance in assimilating into a new culture that requires more than we imagine. My lifestyle choices are going to look odd to most in this paradox of living as a missionary, but hopefully, I will look more like Jesus - and transforming my soul into what God intendeds is when He can complete the good work that He began. 

community

After hours of travel, three time zones and six thousand feet of elevation, I am in Colorado. 

I said a hard goodbye to Atlanta and flew to Dallas. Thankfully, in Dallas the Lord graciously put a Starbucks right at my gate, it was a necessity. I arrived in Colorado Springs around 1pm (MST) and was shuttled off to Mission Trainting International (MTI) with a group of fellow wide-eyed almost-missionaries. 

It didn't take long for me to realize that I was among friends. 

These are my people. We've all spent months support raising, quit our jobs, left friends & family, our lives in boxes. The MTI staff referred to us as "homeless"....an accurate description. 

Different countries, different languages, vastly different stories. 

One goal, to serve Jesus where He has put our heart. 

Here, the amounts don't matter and the time frame isn't questioned. Of course we're going to Haiti or Kenya or Japan, why wouldn't we? 

We are holding onto everything we have in order to follow Jesus, and for a few weeks, we get to do it together. This is Christ centered community at its finest and I feel intensely blessed to be here. 

l’Institut Pratique de Bohoc

When my feet again land on Haitian soil I know God will show me within seconds all the work He has done. All the stories He is telling. I cannot wait for the chance to share with you what God is doing in Haiti. I can tell you now what God has already done in Haiti and through HAFF. 

One of HAFF's largest programs is The Bohoc Training Institute (BTI) or l’Institut Pratique de Bohoc. 

The school hosts grades 7-13 and has over 280 students. For almost 30 years BTI has served Bohoc and the surrounding communities. The campus consists of seven school buildings, a school kitchen providing a meal for each student four days per week, a library/resource room and a gazebo which is often used as an outdoor classroom. 

Part of the school yard. 

At HAFF, I will get the incredible opportunity to partner with Haitian teachers and teach English at BTI. Haitians take such pride in their work and want to speak English to the very best of their ability. As an American I will try to give them every advantage in English speaking  I can. The affordable education BTI provides is a huge advantage to Haitian students. Generations of students have gone through BTI and are giving back in Haiti and I'm going to introduce two to you!

This is Ronald. 

I met Ronald on my second trip to Haiti in December of 2010 and had a sweet reunion in June of 2011. Ronald went to school at HAFF (but graduated from a different HS in nearby Hinche). The missionaries at HAFF remember him being a joy to have in class. Now, Ronald works for The 410 Bridge and is working to give Haiti a brighter future! I am lucky to call him a friend. 

This is Pastor George.

George also went to school at BTI. After attending university, George returned to the Central Plateau and has planted a church. George is now married and his wife is expecting a baby very soon! I love seeing George pour back into the community that raised him. 

This is Keith and Heidi with George. 

Last July, during my visionary trip to HAFF, Keith and Heidi were also visiting from Florida. After spending time with and attending George's church, they wanted to stay connected. Now, they are staying connected with George and helping him as he continues to build his church. 

These men are just two examples of Haitians taking the gift of education and giving back to Haiti. Like so many Haitians, Ronald and George want to see their country prosper - and I am so grateful that organizations like HAFF contribute to this - and that now, God has called me to be a part of that work!

eucharisteo

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:12

On this journey, holding tight to the Lord's joy is as important as it is difficult. My deepest hope is to be completely filled with joy over the gift of life God has given. I want living for Him to be enough- but in reality it is not, not for our weak human hearts. In frustration and in pain the one size fits all thankfulness doesn't light up and revive our souls the way we want. But in God's divine timing he lead me to read One Thousand Gifts. Just a quarter of a way in, the Lord is reshaping the way I find joy and "eucharisteo". 

"Slapping a sloppy brush over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life." 

So just like the journey Ann Voskamp took, I'm going to practice finding joy in each moment of life. Fully embracing eucharisteo. Today as the enemy struck and I felt as lost as ever, I looked for joy and I found it. I found it in my mom waking me up instead of an alarm, I found it in a hazy, calm morning. I found it in time to read. I find it now, with my house full of people, quiet and tired, but together. 

Joy in the little things, joy in this everyday life leads us to fully embrace the joy of our salvation- this joy sustains and propels us forward. We begin to see all these gifts and we are filled with a spirit of gratefulness and we live to share it with others, we are living for Christ. Our joy leads to joy, leads to joy, leads to joy, leads to GLORY. The glory of Christ is revealed in our lives when we live fully for Him. God has created for us a beautiful cycle of joy to live in, a cycle I want to stay in. My confusions, my frustration, my hopes and needs should be cemented in this cycle until the joy seeps into every pore of my being and it is all I know. This, is living fully for Christ.