09/26/10 Home again.

I watched part of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe the other day. You know the part where they come out of the wardrobe and feel like they’ve been gone for hours, days, and even years, but nothing has changed? I feel that way. Some things have changed. My nephew, Adam can crawl and even took his first steps last night. I attended Esther’s wedding on Saturday. My friends and family have kept on living their lives everyday. It’s hard to fit in again when you don’t really anymore. My views have changed on things, as they must, living in a now 4th world country. I look poverty in the face everyday. Things just aren’t the same anymore. I don’t know how to explain things that are in my head.
About 2 ½ years ago some missionaries about to go to Papua New Guinea stayed with us. Paul and Carina Greer are back in the States on furlough. I knew they were coming to the States before I left and told my mom she should have them come to our church again. Carina is someone I really look up to. She is really classy. She also loves the Lord. She treats every person she meets with the love of Christ. She is someone I really look up to.
I am trying to set up some churches to speak at. I shared at my Aunt Mary’s church in Dodge City this morning. It went really well. Some people donated toward my support, and others took my prayer cards.
I have been really busy since I got back. I helped with Esther’s wedding which was last Friday came home on Saturday, went to a baby shower, had family pictures, went to church, spoke at church, worked with my dad, worked for a lady named Carol from my church, had lunch with Paul and Carina, went to hear them speak, worked for Carol again, spent time with Adam and Christin on Friday and went to Dodge City on Saturday. This next week I’m sure will be just as busy.
If you are interested in having me share at your church or small group, please let me know. I know God knows my need, but I also need your help. Please pray about supporting me monthly, sporadically, or even one time. If not, please continue to pray for me!!

09/15/2010

It is 7 am, but I have been awake since 6 am, just like almost every morning for the past 2 ½ months. Being back in America is weird. I feel like I’m back in reality. But I also know that being in Haiti is reality. Maybe it’s because I’ve wanted to be in Haiti longer than 10 days for the past 2 ½ years. Leaving was really hard.
Every time I’ve used the bathroom, I’ve looked for the trash can to put the toilet paper in, many times thinking to myself, ‘that’s not a very convenient place to put it. Oh right, I can flush it here.’ Men don’t stare at me and make kissing noises or cat calls. No one calls me ‘Baby’ and no one is trying to get me to buy from them instead of the next guy. I can understand most of the conversations going on around me. Children don’t yell “Hey you! Hey you! Hey you!” in a sing-songy voice or “blan!” (sounds like blah, means white or foreigner in Creole). Although I thought I heard a child yell ‘blan’ and I looked and it was a little Asian boy…not yelling at me. There are no potholes to avoid on the nice roads and highways. We wear seatbelts here and ride inside cars, not in the back of trucks. I slept on a couch, I wasn’t afraid that was sketchy and I couldn’t feel any springs. There were no people yelling, not any roosters crowing or chickens clucking to wake me up. I can’t hear the neighbors banging around pots and pans. I can’t hear anyone sweeping the concrete yard. There are no horns being honked. When I go outside later, I won’t have to take keys to unlock a gate keeping us safe. Although maybe we should gate ourselves in because my friend’s (my old roommates) house got broken into and 2 laptops were stolen recently. I can wash clothes later and not have to hand wash or fill the washing machine with water using buckets. I can use a DRYER!!! Praise the Lord!
God has blessed me so much already! Before I left, Pastor Carlos wanted to pray for me, so he, Pastor Georges, Hannah, Dani, Jude, Vogly and I gathered in the living room. We sang a few songs, then Pastor Carlos prayed for me in Spanish with Hannah and Dani translating [most of it]. Everyone else prayed for me as well. One of the things that was prayed several times is that supporters would come alongside me and support me to go back to Haiti. On my flight from PAP to Miami, in my row, there was a Haitian girl that now lives in New York and a Bishop to a Catholic church, I believe. I had my headphones in and was journaling most of the flight. Toward the end, he asked me what I was writing about and why I had been in Haiti. I told him a little bit about YWAM. He wanted to know how long I had been in Haiti and when I said 2 ½ months, him and the other girl were both like, “Wow!! That’s a long time!” They had been there for 5 days and 8 days. I told them I am going home for 6 weeks to see family and friends and do some support raising so that I can go back long term in November. He then asked me for my information because he wants to send me $100!!!!! I said, “Are you serious? Are you kidding right now!?” He was not kidding. God is SO good to me!! I believe that God was showing me His faithfulness and I believe He is going to blow me away by all the things that happen while I am home.
Hot water and non-canned milk with my cereal… it’s good to be back! =]

09/09/10

So 24 is treating me good so far…
I had a good birthday. We had worship and fasting as a base in the morning. I talked to my mom for a little bit on Skype (she almost made me cry). I took some people to the airport and Steeve to the bank. I got to go to Cite Soleil Tent City (TC) and help hand out Bibles in Creole in the afternoon. And came back to a surprise party with all the staff. I danced, was sung to, and got cake smashed in my face. I also got a ton of birthday posts on Facebook from a lot of wonderful people! All in all, a pretty great day!
On Friday night, we went out for ice cream for “Momma’s” last night.
Saturday, us girls went to New Life around 2 pm to hang out with the kids and for Hannah to get her “hur did.” We were there FOREVER!!! =] It was really good to get to hang out with the kids!! I miss them SO much! I thought we were going to get to go back there more often than we have, so that has been a hard adjustment since moving.
We were supposed to go to church at New Life on Sunday, but we were short on vehicles, so that didn’t happen. We weren’t very happy about it, but not much we could do about it.
Monday, Hannah, Dani and I went with Peterson and Valter to look at a property to see if we would want to rent it. It had quite a few cracks in it from the earthquake… ‘nough said. In the afternoon, Hannah, Dani and I went with Ben, Gideon, Adam and Abel to Cite Soleil TC. Hannah and I ended up helping with the school/church they are building there. I didn’t realize we were going to be helping and wore flip flops… bad decision. But it was fun! Almost every time Hannah or I tried to do something, one of the many Haitian men standing around would come take over. I was measuring the boards that were being cut, and managed to keep that job. Thanks, Dad, for teaching me how to measure and use a square triangle =] Dani went with Peterson to look at some properties as we are still looking for a place to rent for the base and for the pregnancy center we want to start.
Tuesday, at the church, some of us sorted through a lot of the things we have accumulated over the last 8 months, especially over this summer. We took a truckload to Cite Soleil TC. Pastor Carlos, from Panama, came in that day. He wants to partner with us on some of or ministries. When he got here, it was like Christmas!!! He brought a chair with wheels on it and a highchair for Tabby. And a whole suitcase of snacks and candy for us and whoever we choose to share with. Peterson, Lucy, Tabby, Pastor Carlos and Jude left for Le Montcel that afternoon. Peterson wanted Pastor Carlos to see the place and see what he thought and how he felt about it.
Wednesday, we stayed at the house in the morning. I had a bit of a breakdown. I don’t really know what I was feeling. I was frustrated with some things and ready to just be home, sad about leaving, not wanting to go home, wanting to just be able to understand Creole and Haitian culture. I cried, then I was fine. In the afternoon, we went prepared to work at the building project with Ben, Adam and Gideon. We had a lack of vehicles, so we couldn’t work on sorting stuff in the container we have parked at the church. We painted sealer on the walls of the school. Some of the kids helped me. They kept saying “Hey you!” when they wanted to dip their brushes in the sealer. So I said, “sivouple,” which means ‘please’ and then they started saying that. They I told them my name, so they would say, “Leah! Sivouple?” It was pretty cute!
Today, Thursday, we had worship then went to work on clearing out the container. We filled up the Hyundai truck once and Dani, Anacias and I went to take it to Cite Soleil TC. After over an hour of sitting in traffic, we finally made it to Lucy and Peterson’s so Hannah could give Dani and I our lunch money. The gate shut behind her, locking her out, so we had to try to figure out what to do. Luckily, the landlord that lives upstairs came out to get something, so Hannah got back inside. After a lunch break, we went back to work in the container, which was “like fire.” I honestly don’t think I’ve ever sweated that much in that amount of time in my life!!! I drank 2 bottles of water, a lemonade at lunch and peed like once. We took the second load to a tent city near New Life, stopped by New Life so I could get my purse that had my license in it and then had to go downtown with Metellus to pick up some boxes from Fed Ex. We drove really close to the port. I had never been down there before, it was pretty cool. It took around an hour for the boxes to be released, during which Dani and I just sat in the truck. Lucy and Peterson got back from Le Montcel today as well.
I can’t believe in about 5 days I will be sitting at Chicago/O’Hare waiting for my final flight to Kansas City. I am really excited to be back in Kansas!!!
Thank you all for your support and prayers over the last several months! Can’t wait to see you!