City Soleil- Stop 1 and meeting Little Man

Okay so I'm finally getting to my trip. Our first day was in many ways the most significant for me, or at least the one that has stayed with me the most. We began with a day most Healing Haiti teams participate in- the water truck in City Soleil. City Soleil is extremely impoverished and while only 3 miles big, is home to 400,000 people. It is one of the most dangerous and poor slums on this side of the world. They have no sewage system, and few hospitals or schools. For many years, even the police and UN were unable to penetrate City Soleil as it was run entirely by gangs. In past years, the government has again seized control of the city. And God has opened doors through relationships Healing Haiti has developed to be able to begin the water truck.

Here's what Healing Haiti says about it: "
In Cite Soleil, the poorest slum in the western hemisphere, Healing Haiti is delivering fresh water, bucket by bucket to thousands of families each day, six days a week, without charge... people who have no electricity, no toilets and no running water. Healing Haiti runs two water trucks that deliver 63,000 gallons of chlorinated water every week. That equals 3.276 million gallons every year. Healing Haiti delivers each five gallon bucket of water for less than 3.5¢, while at the same time employing four Haitians to run and manage the truck so they can provide for their families."Pretty amazing, huh?

I was excited for this day, but unsure what to expect. We rode our tap tap to the first stop, all of us in our Healing Haiti shirts.



As one by one we exited the tap tap, children filled our arms... outstretched hands, dirty shirts, no bottoms, but oh so eager. As I had experienced in Africa, it was like they picked you. They would walk intently up to a certain person and either take your hand or reach up. We were all caught up in the moment, our eyes and attention solely for the one child we held. There was no barrier with the lack of clothes and the dirt. You didn't even think about it. I think about how if I had encountered this in the US, would I have so easily held them? I'm not sure I would have. But what a picture of the father's love. How when He looks at us, despite our dirty sin and how we come before him exposed, He simply loves us. WITHOUT HESITATION! Wow, what a blessing, what a gift!

As I stepped down from the tap tap, I had not even gotten to the ground when a little boy, about 1 1/2-2 years old reached up. He took my hand and the moment I got on the ground, he reached up. I was planning on helping with the water hose at this stop, but that wasn't going to happen anymore :) His face was so serious and so I made it my goal to get a smile. I set him down, took his hands, and spun him around. THAT got a smile! And just like any child back home, there was no need for words as he asked with his actions-- again? again? again?

 Here is the water truck... it was heavy with the water pressure so it took a few people to hold it up with the water going. And one person would aim the water in the buckets that would be lined up.

The two girls in the picture on the right- the one braiding and the pregnant one beside her were obviously friends. The came and talked to me-- it all began with the one who is braiding touching and feeling my braid with interest. She and her friend would comment to each other in creole. I asked them if they had children. The one braiding has two- and it was in this conversation that I saw a bit of the struggle. she tells me, through a translator that sometimes she slaps her children. I said, why? When they disobey? She said "when they cry"-- I couldn't discern if this was a normal parenting thing or not but it hit me kind of hard-- are these children loved? are they safe? She seems normal, but in such a hard life in the slums, what is their reality? Do children grow up with affection and security? Do they feel nurtured and love?
Next they told us we were going to walk-- at this stop, it's where the water is and with no sewage, it's where all the trash and bathroom things cumulate as well. Many of the children walking with us had no shoes and again you wonder about their world. They have never known any different!

And yet here, in the middle of all of this- we experienced a moment of pure JOY!!!

"God is so good, is so good, is so good!!" Emmanuel, our guide, told us to get in a circle and put down all the children. My little man, as I call him now, kept reaching up- not wanting to be on the ground. So I would squat down around him and clap with him and then he'd get this big smile on his face and begin clapping along-- you can see him in this video doing just that. We got to praise God for his goodness, in the middle of all this trash, in the middle of all this poverty and need, in the middle of the slum with these beautiful children that God dearly loves and who we got to love for just a little while this day.

 

 

And after we sang, we walked back up and on the top of this dump, we circled again-- this time on the site that will be Grace Church-- a church and school in City Soleil. I marvel at God and how He takes the worst place and what seems impossible and creates something beautiful. This church will bring hope, healing, restoration, community, salvation, redemption, new beginnings, a future! We had the opportunity to pray on this ground-- for all of the pieces that have yet to come into play-- the construction and all the logistics that entails, the workers that will be hired, the pastor who will be called, all of the many details and circumstances that still need God's favor and guidance and protection before they will come to be. As I've processed being home, this church has given me hope. I keep thinking about how this is Little Man's stop-- this could change his whole future!! I am praying for this church and for my Little Man. I invite you to pray alongside me for what God has in store for this community of City Soleil.

God will satisfy

As I was spending some time this morning with the Lord and praying about the hunger I encountered in Haiti, I decided to look up "hunger" in my Bible concordance. It brought me to Psalm 145 which was where my Jesus Calling devotional had me this morning! (I love it when God does that-- bringing the same things to you-- He is so clearly speaking).

In Jesus calling, it was speaking on who God is-- his majesty, his greatness. I want this God in my life and to experience His presence.
"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclain your great deeds."  (vs. 3-6)

And then I look up hunger-- and am brougth to vs. 15-16
"They eyes of all look to you IN HOPE;
You give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand you SATISFY the hunger & thirst of EVERY living thing."

Isn't that awesome? As I prayed for these people in Haiti, I was praying specifically for their physical hunger. I was asking God to provide the men and women the resources today to be able to work and have food for their families. I was asking God to comfort and bring peace to the physical pain from hunger and to bring their minds to His presence without the distraction of hunger. I was asking God to meet their need today. And then these verses.... GOD GIVES!! He is their provider. He alone can satisfy. And not just one person or one area-- it says he'll satisfy the hunger and thirst of EVERY LIVING THING!

I invite you to pray alongside me today-- pray for the hungry around the world and proclaim this scripture-- God's promises are so good. GOD IS SO GOOD!!

Home from Haiti

This is the first of posts to come, but this was the email I sent upon returning last week from Haiti on May 20th:
 
My heart and my head still long to be in the Haiti mindset and experience. As I went into work this morning, I really prayed God would help me to adjust to the work ahead when I just wanted to sit with Him and think about all I experienced. Thank you for your prayers while I was gone. I was blessed by a team that was unified and had a lot of laughter. We also came around each other in each experience to serve well and support each other as we processed each day. Here is some of my initial thoughts--

Hunger and worship were two words and themes that kept coming up…. So much hunger—for food, for water, for attention and acknowledgement, for touch and love. I’ve found that poverty looks similar no matter where you go. And while you cannot meet every need, you can meet A need. Each moment—you can hold one, smile at one, give food or water to one. And to that one—you make a difference. Someone shared Hebrews 6:10 our last day- “God is not unjust, He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” and Matthew 25:40 “I tell you the trust, whatever you did to the least of these, you did for me.”

The other thing I experienced was worship—as we sang with the elders, at the hospital, with the children, it ushered in the presence of God. Many “holy moments” were experienced as we declared God is so good, glory to God, bless the Lord oh my soul. God is in Haiti—and He is the living water that truly satisfies.

Thank you for continued prayers as i adjust to being back in the states-- I will pray for you as my supporters that God will touch your heart and bless you through this trip. May He show you more of His heart for the orphan and the poor. "Seek justice, encourage the opporessed. Defend teh cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow" Isaiah 1:17.

Stand Up

Won't you stand up and raise your voice?
Inspired by this song that was shared with me recently. Watch it. :)

Sugarland- "Stand Up"

I want to start a fire... one that's contagious. On behalf of the orphans in our world. Love them, serve them, pray for them. Stand up and raise your voice for them!

Retirees choosing to adopt

I wanted to share this story because I think it's a beautiful picture of the Kingdom being lived out. NBC nightly news recently published a story about a growing trend of retirees deciding to adopt teens that are about to age out of the foster system. I have a growing heart for children in foster care. I think because we don't really have traditional institutions, or orphanages, in the United States, many people are not aware we do have orphans. They are in family care situations, in the foster care system. Some children are waiting to be reunited with their parents, but many are not able to return and don't have a home or a family. And when they hit 18, they age out of the system. Left with few life skills, no money, and no support network, many end up homeless or worse.
That is why I love this story. Those retiring taking in a 17 year old. Watch to view one such story: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52051170#52051170

This young man is graduating high school, surrounded by a family. He has a home. He is loved.
It makes me think of the church. We as the church, bringing into the fold, into our families, those who don't have anyone. We see their value. We invite them to be part of our family. This is the Kingdom!

We may not have much to give, but we have love.

Orphan Awareness and Adoption FIRST Meeting!

Hello all,

Been a while, but wanted to share that I'm really excited because tonight is the first Orphan Awareness and Adoption Meeting at Hosanna! (7pm, room 14 if you want to come!).

I have no idea how many will come, but I'm so excited to meet whoever does come. My heart is so full with God's heart for the Fatherless and I want to meet others with a similar heart. And all of us together can be on this journey where God invites us to participate in what HE is doing to care for orphans!

Tonight I'll share how a year ago, God stirred my heart through the testimony of Katie Davis. And then a few months ago, God gave me a dream with the words See, Ask, Do which has become the vision for what this ministry will do. My prayer and hope and mission is that people in this church community would See God's heart for the fatherless and the need of the orphans both locally and globally. And that this would cause them to Ask the question, "God, what are you calling me to do to care for the orphan?" This is the biggest part- asking the question. And listening for God's answer. And then, to not be still, but to DO what He's called us to do. My desire is that we as a community would come alongside and support individuals in walking out their call... be that fostering or hosting with Safe Families, or adoption, or loving on a family who is adoption, or supporting a child or children's home overseas, or praying... we all have a part to play. I'm excited to ask God as a community what He wants to do through us!

And... I'm leading a Visiting Orphans trip to Ecuador in early 2014 with Hosanna! I get to lead with a wonderful woman of God, Valerie. God laid this trip on her heart and Ecuador specifically before she even knew where we were going. God is so awesome! And I kept feeling resistant to leading, feeling like I didn't have a heart for Ecuador, and not sure I was supposed to go. But God kept leading me right back into the middle of it and finally I realized I just needed to surrender and obey. And I feel such peace in that decision. We'll be sharing this trip with those who come tonight.

Please be praying for the group tonight and for my leadership. I feel so unworthy to be in this position. And in some ways like I don't know what I'm doing. But it's a place where I'm dependent on the Lord. I gave a devotion in the Student Ministries Guatemala meeting last week about asking God for more than you can handle. It's a concept I was pondering a year ago through Katie Davis's writing and preparing for Africa. I feel like I'm in a position of more than I can handle, but God is with me and in HIM, I can handle it. I need Him. We need Him. This is HIS heart, HIS ministry, HIS timing, HIS people. It's all about HIM!

a story worth reading

Please read this. You will be challenged and blessed. Voices 4 the voiceless is an awesome ministry that supports a baby home very close to my heart- Sangaalo. They just returned from a trip to Uganda and this is one of their testimonies from the trip. I resonated with much of this from my trip. I pray you will be challenged and changed by this. http://voices4thevoiceless.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-words-of-richard.html