This month we are going to bed to the sounds of Voodoo rituals next door and waking up to the sounds of a rooster crowing at the sight of the first break of sunlight. We go to bed praying for this town and the darkness covering it and wake up praising the Lord for the joy of His creation. We spend our days eating rice and beans, pb&j sandwiches, and mangos, whilst getting horribly sweaty with the children that run around the orphanage.
This month I am doing ministry with an organization in Mirebalais, Haiti called Grace So Amazing Ministries. They house and take care of children with difficult family situations and provide them with an education. My specific assignment is with 5 other women on my team at the school. We will be assisting the teachers, playing with kids, helping organize curriculum and serving the staff any way they need.
Things I have learned in this ministry so far:
1. Don’t bring your Fitbit to ministry every day or else suffer a dog-pile of Haitian children wanting to tap it and see the little fitness man dance. Although you enjoy their beautiful laughter, you distracted them from their school.
2. Make sure not to give your full water bottle of water (to last you all day) to a child to hold or else they will take it upon themselves to drink it.
3. You’re going to sweat here. Don’t worry about it, the kids will love you anyway.
However, amidst all this heat and humidity and sweat, the Lord has shown me to find joy in the sunshine. For someone who has spent the past 3 years in a non-stop rainy city, I am so glad that my problem is sweat and sunburns (lol Dad, I forgot sunscreen) rather than shivering and seasonal depression. The sunshine is the reminder of God’s promises and blessings towards me.
We are in tight, community living quarters and getting to know each other more than we might want to. I am with my team and 1 other team of 6 here is Mirebalais while the other 4 teams are spread around the country doing different types of ministry.
It’s exciting to finally be on the race. It has been over a year of thinking, praying, applying, fundraising, talking, shopping, and anticipating these moments and they are finally here! I am a World Racer. Still feels unreal. As I go to bed praying against the Voodoo drums and waking up way too early from the rooster crows, I think about how blessed I am to be here and all of you that helped make it happen. Thanks again.
All my love,
J
p.s. I will not be on social media for a while, don’t know how long. It is required to step away for 2 months, but knowing myself, God may call me to leave it longer, if not the whole year. This will be my main source of communication and updates, so please feel free to comment- it goes straight to my email and I can respond to you. Feel free to share any fun stories or blogs I share if God speaks to you or inspires you through it. Love you all.
