A few weeks ago, I scheduled the kids' appointments to get their vaccinations for our trip to Haiti. Well, that day was today. We debated telling the kids before today, but decided that we were going to wait until this morning to keep anxiety at bay. They knew that this day would come, but didn't know until this morning that it was today.
I was actually really worried about how Morgan would handle it more than Jaron since she tends to be the one with anxiety issues. Last night, Craig and I were praying and asking that God would give us wisdom and that He would give our kids peace.
Well, we woke up this morning to Morgan coming to our bed. She crawled in and I started telling her that we were going to have an exciting day! First of all, she didn't have to go in to school this morning! Then, I told her that today was the day that we were going to go an get our shots so that we could go to Haiti! She was quiet for a minute and finally she said, I don't like shots mom, but I really am excited to go to Haiti! Then Jaron came in and Morgan shared the news with him. He just smiled and said something along the same lines of not liking shots either. Then we prayed as a family and thanked God that we lived in a country where we don't have to worry about sickness like they do in Haiti and where we have clean water to drink right from our kitchen.
I'm serious - these kids had a PEACE that SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING! I know, it's just shots...but a few weeks ago, they were not so excited and easy going about the idea! Thank you Jesus for being evident this morning!
Then, guess what?! We got to the Dr's office - the kids were SUPER brave and had GREAT attitudes and we found out that they are up to date on all their vaccines and that they only need to get the typhoid vaccine. However, they don't give them locally, so they have to call it in to a different place in a neighboring city. So we left the office today with a WHOLE bunch of sample sunscreen for the kids and for Craig and me - and NO SHOTS! :-) It was just a practice round for the next time we have to go get a shot :-)
Praise God in the little things people - He is worthy of our PRAISE!!
Bear with me - I'm not sure where to begin and how to get all this on paper so it will be a bit long :-)
A few years ago, Craig and I sat in a mission’s service and listened as a couple shared about their ministry. We were both moved by their lives and their calling. We talked later that day and week and dreamt about what it might look like to get involved somehow in the missionaries lives who are already on the frontline and invest into them. We wondered what it would look like to use our gifts and training to invest into other missionaries so that they would be more productive while they were on the field. We had no idea what that would look like, but we were open to the idea and thought it would be neat if some day we were able to take our family on summer mission trips – since my degree was in education and language arts, and the kids and I would have my summers off and Craig’s background in ministry and business.
A couple years ago, Craig and I had an opportunity to travel to Anse a Galets, Haiti (a little town on the island of La Ganove) together with a medical missions team. We weren’t sure exactly what we were going to be able to contribute since we were NOT medically trained, but we realized that God had a plan all along and used that trip to change and prepare our hearts for the future. While we were there, we had the opportunity to visit the local orphanage. This orphanage is run by Madame Solliette, a local Haitian. She is the inspirational leader behind the orphanage on La Gonave. She is not a “professional” social worker. She simply saw a huge need that no one was willing to fill and did her best to respond personally. Eventually her response became the overwhelming focus of her life.
While we were there, we fell in love with the country and when we came home, our hearts ached for the people and we wondered if we would ever have the opportunity to go back. Well, the next year, Craig went back with another medical team. I chose to stay home because our kids were at the ages where having both parents gone for 10 days was not as easy as it had been the last year. Craig was able to connect with a few people while he was there that year and he started dreaming with them about a Children’s Village for the children who currently live in the orphanage. When we visited Haiti in 2010, there were 45 kids at the orphanage. When Craig went back in 2011, there were 60 and now there are 75. Every day Mme Solliette has to turn children away because she doesn’t have the room or resources to care for more children.
When Craig got home in May 2011, he sent an email to Matt Smith, Okipe Coordinator living in Haiti. Craig just opened his heart and told Matt that we’d love to help out in any way that was needed. Matt responded and asked what Craig’s strengths were and where he thought he might be able to help. After Matt responded, Craig had a really difficult time sitting down and answering that email. Whether it was the intimidation of voicing your strengths, or just the lack of sitting down and writing the email – or simply God’s timing – Craig didn’t respond for 6-8 months. When he finally did, we thought Matt might ask us to put together a team and lead our own “non-medical” team. Instead, Matt responded at the beginning of this year and said that their biggest need for 2012 is to have someone come and “get an accurate handle on the orphanages budget/running cost/books… someone to come to Anse a Galets for a month or three…to see how the orphanage, and her school, runs… what the needs/expenses are… and how to WALK OUT the training of her and/or a local bookkeeper for the orphanage’s accounting needs. Any amount of time less than this here on the ground and the help/training just won’t stick… I guarantee you!” –Matt Smith
When Matt responded with that, we thought well, we could probably find someone to do that – Craig didn’t feel “qualified” we went on and on why this probably wasn’t for us. Then – we started getting excited. Started hearing God – started seeing doors open and confirmations were clear. Craig is trained. God doesn’t call the “perfected,” He works in our weakness and His power and authority is seen in our dependence on Him. Then we started thinking about how we had dreamt about serving for one to three months. Then, I remembered a journal entry I had written a few months before we got this email. I shared it with Craig. It was from October 17, 2011. It said,
“This past week my heart has been very unsettled. I’ve tried looking at new houses, I’ve been keeping busy at work, I looked at jobs through CMA overseas, I’ve thought about foster care, bringing teen moms in, adopting/hosting a foreign exchange student, and the list goes on and on. What I think I’ve discovered this week is that God is unsettling my heart here because He has something for our family – somewhere else – overseas. Even writing that makes me nervous, but excited. Craig and I have always considered short term work overseas, but I have no idea what that looks like. It’s hard to think about leaving everything – family, Craig’s job, our friends, comfort culturally. Then I find myself trying to work out all the details myself instead of just being still and waiting and trusting on God. Yesterday’s teaching was from Luke 5 – Jesus calling the first disciples. Jesus chose to work through Peter and what he did – fish. Craig and I have always felt we made friends easily and relationship and community come naturally. So why wouldn’t God use our ability to reach out to others? He could reach others through us. Someone at small group last night said our relationships are usually started by a mutual friend. I want to be a mutual friend between the lost and God. Problem is – I think Craig is very content right where we are. So, I’m waiting. Waiting for God to stir and unsettle his heart. Waiting for the right time to talk, waiting for certain doors to close and other doors to be open. I’m excited. I have no idea what the future holds or how God is going to work everything out, but I know He will – He always does! He wants so much for us, beyond our wildest dreams. God, thank you for giving me a passion - for stirring up my heart. Keep me patient, but help us also to be willing and ready when the time is right.”
That journal entry was just one more confirmation among many. People who had no idea of the opportunities that we were presented with were speaking truth and confirmation into our lives. We thought, well, at this point we feel that it would be disobedient not to pursue this possibility. However, we were not completely sure that it was all going to happen – I mean – we still had to talk with Craig’s boss and get it approved for him to be gone for a good chunk of time.
So we had a meeting with Craig’s boss and his wife who are amazing, Godly people, and they were excited for us! We are so blessed with Craig’s job. This company is not like any other I’ve ever experienced. They admitted that this calling lined up with the values of the company and that they wanted to support this decision and knew that God could use us for this project. What an amazing company to be a part of! So we felt that that was kind of the last “hurdle” and we had cleared it.
So – our family, kids included, will be heading to La Ganove, Haiti for eight weeks. We are tentatively leaving May 16th and will return July 18th. We are excited, nervous and so ready to see what God is going to do while we are there. I’m excited for this opportunity for our family – for our kids. We have also been asked to join a task force through Okipe. Craig has been asked to lead the Operations Task Force and I have been asked to serve on the Education task force. This will give us the opportunity to stay connected and involved in the lives of the people who we go to serve.
We would love and appreciate any prayers as we plan and prepare. Here are just a few things we’re praying about –
·Craig to be able to prepare to be gone from work for 8 weeks – he is an instrumental part of his job and will need to have a clear plan before we leave of what will be accomplished while he’s gone. ·Craig as he is preparing and already starting the process of what he’ll be undertaking while in Haiti. ·Plans – flights, dates, financing, immunizations, food, house, Ava (our dog), etc. ·Kids adjustment – especially when we come home. Morgan will be starting school a couple weeks after we return. It was a major adjustment for us returning to the states after 10 days of being in Haiti. ·Health – now and while we’re there. ·Renee – that it would be clear in what ways I’m to serve while there. I have the opportunity to teach some English classes while I’m there to the children at the orphanage and Mme Solliette.
Also, this video gives a good background of the orphanage and the project that we’ll be helping with. We would love for any of you to come and see in person this amazing ministry while we are there!!
I know I posted a few weeks back that we have some family things on the horizon. Hopefully this week I will be able to share all the details!! Just wanted to let those of you who do still check in from time to time that I didn't forget :-) Thanks for praying with us and for your patience!!
Well, we have some exciting things on the horizon for our family. We are overwhelmed with the possibility that God has brought our way. Would you be praying with us over the next week or so as we make some decisions and figure out some details? I promise to share soon the crazy exciting ways that we're seeing God working in our family right now. He is pretty awesome!
Well, on our way home from a family Christmas up in Michigan last weekend, our beloved 1992 Toyota Camry bit the dust. We always said we would drive it until it died, and we did...twice. Six years ago, we put a "new" engine in when it died, and this time we decided it was time to move on. I have driven that car for the past 12 years and it was actually a bit sad to leave it at the mechanic!
Thankfully, we have a connection through my brother's father in law and we were able to score a 2010 Ford Fusion at a Dealer Auction in North Carolina!! We are so excited to get our new car! I'm saying this in public - so hold me to it...We WILL keep this car clean!! It is so hard having kids and a nice car. It seems like they always have something in their hands when they leave the house - a toy, a cookie, a blanket, a book, and the list goes on. It seems to always leave the house, but never return to the house. You would be amazed at the things we found when we were cleaning out our Camry! Craig even found the recording of our wedding (on a cassette tape!) in the console. I'll have to find a tape player so I can listen to it! :-)
It will still be at least 10 more days before we get to meet our new car in person. My parents will drive it back to us after they return from their FIRST cruise! (Just a little jealous) Hoping they have a fantastic time so that they'll want to go again with all of us kids!
And since I'm not that great at updating this blog, I will wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
This is the shirt that Morgan wore to school yesterday for blue day...and it is the title of my post. I can honestly say that the past five weeks have been some of the hardest weeks of my life. I never dreamed that the transition to kindergarten would be so hard on our family.
For years, Morgan has been looking forward to going to school. She's gone to MOPS, church classes, preschool, etc. and has never really had a problem going to her class or dealt with much separation anxiety. Let me tell you, we were not prepared for her response to going to school. We had tears almost every morning before school. There were many factors that caused these tears, but overall, it was separation anxiety mixed with a feeling of being out of control of her environment and not understanding exactly what was expected of her which resulted in a fear of failure. I don't know where this came from since we've never expected perfection from Morgan - it is just something that she has put on herself. We spent many days praying and crying, asking God to help Morgan adjust and learn to love school.
This also took an unexpected toll on me personally. It was so hard to see our daughter so unhappy to the point of tears and stomach aches and I felt so helpless and unable to fix it. This threw me into a downward spiral that I'm assuming is what everyone calls depression. I've never dealt with feelings like I had for such a long period of time. (I know to some, 5 weeks doesn't seem too long, but to me, it was) I was not a fun person to be around. My relationships with my family suffered as well as normal everyday things. It was not a pretty picture. However - in the middle of all this, God did blow me away with some unexpected blessings.
I say this all to get to this point - we had tried everything. We had no idea what else to do. We had turned a corner from feeling sorry for Morgan and empathizing with her to frustration that we weren't seeing any progress. We had been sharing with our small group and they had been praying with us through this and weekly we would pray together. The kids are usually in another room while we are meeting and during our prayer time this week, Morgan came out and sat on my lap. She was listening to our prayers and asked, "Mom, are they praying for me?" I told her that yes we were and I laid my hand on her and so did a few others and we just prayed that God would take away all the fear and anxiety and that He would replace it with joy and love for school. When we got home, Morgan asked me (like she does every night) if she had school in the morning. I told her, "Yes!" She responded with excitement, admitting that she couldn't wait! Well, I'd heard that before, so I responded that I was happy that she was excited for school and then I tucked her in for the night.
Monday morning, she came into our room at 6:15am...ugh! (My alarm is set for 6:35 and this mamma LOVES her sleep!) She said, "Mom, is it time to get ready for school!? I'm so excited!" (Usually, she's asking for a few more minutes to sleep) I pulled her in with me and had her rest for 20 minutes, but she just couldn't stop talking. "Ooo, it's computer day today?! I LOVE computer class!" All morning she was in such a positive mood. The difference was more than noticeable. I found myself thanking God that we even had one morning with no tears. Craig dropped her off at school and I received this text - "Nothing but smiles a high five and a blown kiss down the hallway!!!" This was a definite change from her running the opposite direction of the school, Craig chasing her, and carrying her kicking and screaming to her classroom while teachers were encouraging him as he walked down the hall with an, "I'm praying for you!" (Which was a blessing in itself in a public school!!)
We have definitely turned a corner. Each day since Sunday, Morgan has had a good morning which results in a good day. She even ate school lunch yesterday which was a HUGE thing for her!!
I know we're still on a journey and God is teaching our family many things in this new season of life. But, I know that there were so many of you praying for us and I wanted you all to hear this awesome story of how God worked in our little girl's heart!! One of my friends responded that she wasn't surprised because Morgan has always been so sensitive to the Spirit. I couldn't agree more. God changed our little girl's heart in His time, and we were blessed to see it happen.
