Into Haiti

Over the weekend it was decided that it'd be best if I was to go along with a Kids Alive group to Haiti. A team is coming in today from the States and I will meet up with them tomorrow in Santiago. A few Kids Alive DR staff will also be in on the trip to help lead and guide the team. We will head through Dajabon, the northern Haitian/DR border to go across to the city of Cap Hatian, in Haiti.

We will be there for a week and in that time be setting up semi-permanant tents, building a cafeteria, bathrooms, etc. to be able to receive "separated" kids. I say separated because it it still unclear the scope of actual orphans in the country. Kids are being registered and photographed still and put in the hands of creditable institutions to care for. The hope and prayer is that it is truly a separation and that their families will come and find them. If the kids are truly orphans, Kids Alive Haiti is preparing for that. They will in the following months, build permanant homes and find capable staff to be house parents and care for these children. It is a big process if you can imagine.

I, of course, will not be laying block and packing concrete...it's just not my thing! I'll be working alongside the one other missionary woman that is with Kids Alive there and we're going to work on organizing, preparing meals for all the hefty men, and if there's time, I'll fit in some medical checks for the kids that are already in their current program. No, it's not changing gauze and healing wounds at a clinic...but it is where I am needed.

I have learned so much in this about setting aside my desires in wait for our God's perfect timing. I could have rushed into Haiti and started changing dressings and helping medically, but it just wasn't ever right for me. Some may wonder why I didn't, with so much need and devastation, but I truly felt that I wasn't mean to ever go with the teams that went. I am working on listening to what God really wants me to do, and I feel that that involves just waiting for the path to be clear, to not doubt the steps that you are taking, to know and feel that He has prepared the way. I feel that now there is a clear path for me to head into Haiti and be used in the way He has for me, even though it is different that what I thought I would do in all this. I am thankful to go, to be doing something physically, to be used in another way by God.

The church trip to Haiti is still on! They are making final plans with the truck and van and people that will go, but it has been so amazing to see the donations come in. We started yesterday by buying 225 cans of tuna that we knew were on sale. The rest will be bought later today at the market, we went there yesterday to get prices and make an actual list...we're so organized! They will make the delivery to the church probably by tomorrow! If you are still interested in donating to send supplies on this trip, you can! I love seeing all those that have come together to make this a reality!

Thank you.