tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39446313453786415212024-02-07T01:38:16.422-08:00Our Family Circusthe juggling act of being a wife, mother, and a servant of the Most High God.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger318125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-37198468984011367052019-08-28T19:40:00.002-07:002019-08-28T19:48:22.537-07:00Knowing Jesus and Making Him Known<div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span style="color: white;">Our church is reading through the Bible in a year. The children and I read through the old testament during the school year last year, which was arranged over 5 days a week and only during the school months. This reading is much easier than 5-6 chapters a day allowing more time to hover over The Word. We read it together during the week and on our own on the weekend. The weekends, I hover!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Matthew 11 was a weekend read for me to hover over. First, I never thought about the fact that John did not know who Jesus was. There were no baby showers, family reunions, or social media accounts to reacquaint those babies once they became men. John heard about Jesus just like others. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> John sent messengers to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I love this! I love that he asked and let him know I'm going to keep looking if it's not you. John KNEW who he was looking for. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Jesus responded:</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">"Go and tell John what you hear and see;" He then listed the following of his actions for John to determine if He was The One:</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The blind--------receive sight.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The lame--------walk.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Lepers------------are cleansed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The deaf...……..hear. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The dead...……..are raised.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The poor...……..? get rich? never go hungry? have all of their needs met? are provided for?</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">While in Haiti, we were constantly faced with people in need, legit needs too. I know I have read in the Bible that we will always have the poor among us....yes, you know when someone "wasted" the bottle of perfume in worshipping Jesus. He said it then, " you will always have the poor among you." The needs of the poor around me were never ending. Formula, school fees, medication, clothes, blankets, backpacks, food.... Whatever I did, was never enough. Everyday someone needed something. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">But Matthew 11:5 says, in evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, that the poor.....</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">The poor...…..have good news preached to them!</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">A wave of peace rushed over me as I continue to reflect on our time in Haiti.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> For precious Annette, the need was money for the medication to treat her diabetes. I tried to teach her a skill but my friend had to rescue us both from a crafting mess...not my gift y'all. Annette never got the hang of the craft that we hoped would allow her to earn the money she needed for her medication. It probably didn't work out because diabetes was stealing her eyesight. We left Haiti with others stepping in to care for her. Annette died earlier this year leaving a one-month-old baby. I couldn't help wondering if my attempts to share about Jesus with her in broken Creole and with a Creole Jesus Storybook Bible prepared her for her eternity. Our friend Robenson called to share the news with me after he learned....months later. I just needed to know if it was enough. Robenson shared with me about his conversations with Annette and he was sure she is with Jesus. He was sad for me to lose my friend but excited for her presence with God. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Joe, a pretty faced street vendor, comes to mind. Joe worked a shop for our friend Simon. I once took a friend who was visiting to his little shack of a shop and he would not negotiate on a piece of metal. As we were walking away, without the metal piece, Joe came after us. The veteran street workers interceded him on our behalf knowing that if he got me to come to his shop, he would get all of my guest too. Friends and family bought goods from Joe via Facebook so that we could help him and other street vendors financially. He knew, along with other street vendors, if they were in trouble with money, they could find me and I would come to their shop or bring someone to their shop to make a purchase to help them out. I don't have contact with Joe since our move but I see his metal hanging in my friends' homes. A couple of months ago, a friend shared with us that Joe had placed his faith in Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">I could not rescue Annette from her poverty nor could I make Joe or any other street vendor rich from my visits to their shops with friends and visitors. But, my words, actions and prayers can do just what Jesus did....preach the good news, just like He did. </span> </div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-79855096717974341062019-02-06T14:05:00.002-08:002019-02-06T14:05:41.436-08:00Our Marriage Confession<span style="background-color: #783f04;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've been married for over 20 years....but...</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do <b>NOT</b> complete my husband.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am <b>NOT</b> his soulmate.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am <b>NOT</b> his best friend.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">AND</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am <b>NOT</b> the one his soul longs for.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So much for a Happy Valentine's Day for us. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the <b>truth</b>. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are 2 imperfect people, living imperfect lives, raising imperfect people as we go about our days trying to share truth.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The truth.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus Christ</b> completes my husband.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus Christ</b> is his soulmate.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus Christ</b> is his best friend.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jesus Christ</b> is whom his soul longs for. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this is all the better for me! My Dear's love for the Lord lavishes on me, our children, our family, friends, and even complete strangers. My Dear's desire for me, our children, and all others is the same; that ONLY Jesus will complete us, ONLY Jesus is our soulmate and best friend and ONLY Jesus is who our souls long for. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="background-color: #a64d79;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"></span><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-81484372682574761102019-01-24T12:19:00.002-08:002019-01-24T12:19:42.187-08:00Hello 2019!<div>
Time for the word of the year. </div>
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I struggled with accepting this year's word of the year. Probably because last year's brought such significant change. But, you know what else it brought, peace. It brought peace because as the year unfolded, I was reminded that God gave me that word for this year. He knew the year. He knew the changes. He know how upside down everything would feel.</div>
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Late December, I felt like my word would be HOMELESS. I didn't like it!!! I was in homelessness already and it had been hard....BUT I know that I am truly in the most beautiful of homelessness. We have a beautiful home to hide in until we have our own. Everything we want and need is available to us. I wake up to a beautiful view and go to sleep with the light of the moon reflecting off the earth. This is where healing has happened for us. But, I don't want to be here....here, as in this position. I don't want our friends to have to sacrifice to take care of us like so many have. I want permanency where my kiddos can take root....or at least learn to take root. Our time in HOMELESSNESS has certainly been healing! This community has been beautiful! The children are renewing friendships. We are on a first name basis with the folks at the library. They have trusted adults in their lives that have loved them for years. BEAUTIFUL!</div>
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The more I thought of the word, I saw it backwards. I thought, maybe God will reverse our homeless title. And we do see that for this year but I think there is more to it. </div>
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Ministry is different in different places. In Haiti, my responsibilities had me away from our home part of the day. So when I finally got home in the evening, I was done. Our home was a haven for me to rest and hide from the world. God has challenged me to reexam my perspective of HOME. </div>
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God says, "So, you want your own home? What are you going to do with it?" </div>
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So here's to my year of unwrapping homeless...sselemoh </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-20755242377618789182018-08-16T08:26:00.001-07:002018-08-16T08:26:12.703-07:00Lessons From a Roller Coaster RideMy 10-year-old niece is a thrill seeker! She loves amusement parks and there is no ride too scary for her. My sister enjoys them too but a brain tumor has removed her ability to enjoy them without consequences. She can ride the rides, but she won't be able to drive the car home afterwards. Therefore, she packs a to-do-list and makes phone calls while my thrill-seeking-niece rides. Dolly and I went along with them for a trip this summer. Dolly would ride with the thrill-seeker and my sister and I could have that time together. I got to ride some too! It was a fun day of getting to know my sister and my quiet yet fearless niece. <br />
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My sister suggested I ride a roller coaster with the girls. The ride beat you up, dropped you down and of course went fast. I had to keep coaching myself to not stiffen up but to be a "wet noodle" to enjoy the ride. One part of the roller coaster ride took a steep dive into the dark. The ride drops through a dark tunnel and I was unable to see what lies ahead. I noticed that I was totally relaxed! I had not just mastered the "wet noodle" but I was in "lay at the beach mode!" I wasn't coaching myself to relax it just happened. Starring into the darkness, I was able to enjoy the ride. The Lord spoke to my heart at that point and said, "Remember this!" <br />
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What lies ahead for our family is unknown, darkness. But I experienced the peace that the Lord wants to give me on that silly roller coaster. He is a sovereign God-He knows what He is doing and it is for my good and His glory!!! So this next chapter of my life, I will buckle my seatbelt, keep my hands inside of the car, and try to be a "wet noodle" and rest in the hands of the God who controls the roller coasters of this life. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-71217664573948851912018-07-15T19:51:00.000-07:002019-02-06T14:21:59.860-08:00My Journey in Denying Myself<div>
My "word" of the year is "Deny Thyself." Each year the Lord lays a word on my heart and I get to watch it unfold. This year...….WOW! Month-by-month I see this unfold.</div>
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January I was challenged to deny myself U.S. treats while we were in on furlough. So long sugar for the month of January. Deny Thyself</div>
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In February, God called me to deny myself in the relationships with the missionary staff we lived and worked with. Serve and honor them above myself. Deny Thyself</div>
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March, the mission's parent organization sent in 2 representatives that told us we were going under a new parent organization. This was a big change that came with many more changes. Deny Thyself</div>
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April, the new organization stepped in.....it was like a step parent and we were all trying to figure out how this worked. Deny Thyself</div>
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May, we were asked to leave the organization and the country we loved. Deny Thyself</div>
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June, we left our home, life, ministries, animals, many possessions, and friends of the last 4 years. Deny Thyself </div>
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We were scheduled for a furlough later in June so we continued with the plans we had made. A week of that was to go to beach where family members graciously share their condo with us. It was a much needed time of rest and stillness.</div>
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One day while at the condo, Mark took the children to do an activity. I was willing to go but there would be more room if I did not go and a financial savings. He agreed to take the kids on his own and I stayed back to sweep a layer of sand off of the floor and do some laundry and clean up the condo. </div>
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After I finished cleaning up a bit, I grabbed the book I was reading (vacation reading-a series our youngest was reading and wanting me to read it too!) and went down to lay in the sun by the pool. I enjoy reading, swimming, the sun, and alone time....now, my secret is out!</div>
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As I was laying there I could hear the lady next to me parenting her children while they played and splashed and complained and all things kids do. I listened because unlike other times, I was in her flip-flops with the same role. As I laid there appearing to not have a care in the world, I wondered if people's opinion of me would be different if they knew my husband and I were unemployed and our family was essential homeless (cause legally, we are.)</div>
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I thought how I appeared to be without a care. NO spouse to tend to. NO children to care for. At that moment, I did not have those responsibilities. I was not being a WIFE or a MOTHER.. The thought lingered, I am not a MISSIONARY, a title that I realized I had some pride wrapped up in at times. Geez, I was not even a MINISTER'S WIFE and my certificates from the states to declare me a teacher have been expired for years, I wasn't a TEACHER either! As I laid there considering who I wasn't, the Lord spoke to me boldly and said but, "YOU ARE MINE." He impressed on me that this is the ONLY title I need in life and everything else is lame in comparison. </div>
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I laid in the sunshine with a smile on my face. I don't need titles. I thanked the Lord for this rocky season has purpose in my life and He allowed me to see it. They Lord was calling me to DENY the titles in my life that I thought defined who I was, cause they don't! </div>
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That evening I feed the family (because I can deny the title in giving me worth but not the people reflected by the title.) I had a few quiet minutes with My Dear after clean-up and shared with him what the Lord had told me. He's response was with wide eyes and a big smile and he said, "Romans 1:1, God told me the same thing!"</div>
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So in June, I learned to deny myself of the titles that I think define me because the only one that really matters is that I am His. I AM A CHILD OF GOD! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-16686467821567904302018-05-05T09:23:00.003-07:002018-05-05T09:46:31.602-07:00Why Change is Associated with Dirty Diapers<div>
A couple of weeks ago, I posted on FB a list of blogs my head had written that week. The thought of change and dirty diapers came to mind as change is going on at the mission and frankly, it has been hard and stinky! It seemed to be a direct correlation to diaper changing. At the time, the title made me smile a bit but I did not realize how big that change would be.</div>
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Only a few days shy of 4 years, our family will leave our home in the beautiful Kenscoff Mountains. We have prayed many, many times about our being here over the years as the Lord has held yet refined us through the struggles. The Lord, knowing we were here until we heard clearly from Him, made it crystal clear. The mission is now under a new parent organization. With the new direction the mission will be going, our services are no longer needed. We will go in grace and gratitude for all the Lord has shown us here. What a beautiful place this is...with beautiful people. </div>
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At this time, we have no definite plans. The Lord continues to refine us, we are still relying on Him. We were scheduled for furlough so we will continue on for a few weeks as if on furlough. Although, we will not be speaking about the mission or "peddling our wares" of Mountain Maid products. My Dear's desire to preach and share the word has not gone away and in fact has grown. He has missed this being in Haiti but has found some ways to teach outside of his obligations. </div>
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We are trying to prepare others for our leaving but balls will be dropped. We are trying to prepare our children as well...whatever that looks like. We have found refuge with family members. "Can get rooms for 5 and 2 'normal' critters please?" Dolly is transitioning other animals to their new homes and is thrilled to match them with people who are happy about their new pets!</div>
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We have gone through all sorts of emotions but My Dear and I have peace. The children will grieve (and I will likely join them) as we say good-bye to what has become safe, comfortable, predictable.... where friends are.....you know, home!</div>
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Some prayer request might be:</div>
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I want our kiddos to transition well. I pray seeds are planted and roots are deep as they leave the safe comfort of a community of believers that spur them on (and call them out!)<br />
I pray that work through the emotions of missing 4 years in their home country where their friends have moved on and grown through their own experiences that are very different from what our children have experienced....there are no gunned security officers at WalMart and it is okay to go out after dark. </div>
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I pray for what's next....job, home, town, ministry..... </div>
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I pray that we will not be a burden on others as we come back with little but need to dump the little we have in their homes and move in with them.</div>
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I pray that we end well. That our coming was a testimony and that our going will be as well. That it will be a testimony of our faith in the God that sent us and is calling us back to the states. We can TOTALLY trust HIM!!!!<br />
I pray that we have loved well cause we are not out of the country just yet.</div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: blue;">What a FANTASTIC JOURNEY this has been! Change may be associated with dirty diapers but babies are worth it....so is following our sovereign God! </span></b></div>
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Lord, thank you for what you have taught us here, for the people you have shown to us to love and the struggles you have pulled us through. Thank you for what we have learned about denying ourselves. <span style="color: black;"><b>God, You are FAITHFUL!</b></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-9994239326889988802018-02-01T18:34:00.000-08:002018-02-02T09:32:14.759-08:00Clothesline BlessingsWe have been back in country for a full week now. The first few days were harder than I expected. I assume it is the change in altitude and a late flight followed by an early flight that knocked me off of my feet. I don't recall ever sleeping that hard. (I am glad to know that I can still do it!) <br />
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We enjoyed the beauty of the snow when we were out. The coziness of homes with double-paned windows, insulation and heat kept us comfortable when it was cold outside. In fact, I shared with My Dear that I was warmer at night in the states than I am in our mountain home. <br />
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Upon our return, I stood at the clothesline with a fresh appreciation for the sunshine that we were getting and how warm the blankets on the line felt. I have stood at the clothesline many times with gratitude. On this day, I looked at the t-shirt quilt that My Dear's mom made for Billy before our move. It was such a precious gift for a boy who was leaving all things familiar and loved behind. Every baseball, basketball and soccer team he was ever on is represented in the quilt along with the sleeve of his gee and a football jersey. He only got to play football for one year as My Dear and I knew it was a now or never for him, as the Lord was calling us to the island. I am thankful for the opportunities, friends, and lessons he learned through those experiences. Beside the quilt hung a blanket we actually bought at a truck-stop when we came to the states for the first time in cold weather. It was a sorrowful visit that the Lord held us through and that truck-stop blanket was a thrill for a little girl who was cold and provided comfort for her. The Lord wrapped His arms around all of us much like our little darlin' was wrapped in that truck-stop blanket. A doll blanket hung on the line that "Mamaw" made. I was home from church with a sick little girl, years ago. "Mamaw," a lady who took us under her wing when we moved north, sent the blanket so the little mama could care for her baby doll. I just looked at these items and smiled at how God continues to meet all of our needs and often in unexpected ways. He is our Provider. He is our loving Father who knows our needs and meets us where we are. He is our Comforter and wraps us with love like a truck-stop blanket and much like a blanket from a truck-stop might require, He leads us to see the beauty in the broken. Thank you Lord for showing me glimpses of You, even at the clothesline. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-50614429666677665622017-07-26T18:31:00.000-07:002017-07-26T18:33:05.583-07:00A Lesson For the TeacherFriday afternoons I get to hang out with some pretty cool people for English class. This class is not required for anyone, for anything, and there is no accountability to be there. It allows for us to have fun together and does not demand a scope and sequence which makes it fun to teach too!<br />
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Recently, in class, I talked a bit about social rules for Americans. There are many visitors to the mission and probably just as many eager students who want to practice speaking English. I recall being approached by them when we first moved here and feeling a bit uncomfortable. Funny enough, I asked two female interns about how they felt because my initial feeling of discomfort are gone and well, this is my normal now.<br />
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We talked about "personal bubbles," approaching a man vs. approaching a woman, touching or not touching....just STUFF that is cultural that we don't even think about. I will confess that sometimes when we discuss American culture, I find myself considering normal things Americans do, being odd. The same is true when we reentry to the states. For example, while in Florida, when the sun went down, people go out on the beach wearing matching clothing to get their pictures made. They make pretty pictures. We have done it but it just looked odd to see it every night. I giggled with my friend about the color of the night. Normal stuff, it just looked odd after living in another culture even if I do still live like an American.<br />
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In English class, it came up in discussion, that you should ask someone if they have time to speak with you. If you see someone who is in a hurry, be respectful of their time and assume they can not talk right now. Arnold, an older gentleman (meaning older than me), raised his hand and attempted to communicate in English but soon gave up and allowed the other students to translate. His questions were,<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Are Americans really that busy all of the time? When do they talk to people?"</span></div>
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The interns and I just looked at one another. They shared with the students that people have coffee together, share a meal together, text one another, or call one another on the phone. But the question penetrated our hearts. In this culture, you greet a lady with a kiss. You ask a person how they are, how their family is, and sometimes you even hear locals asking one another if they have eaten today so to share some food with them. But, we Americans are so busy getting things accomplished that we ask one another how we are doing while we are walking away! We don't even stand still long enough to wait for a response. In fact, when we lived in the states, I no longer allowed myself to say "How are you?" because so many people said it but really did not care of the response. I wanted to be intentional with what I said. Even as an American in another culture, I catch myself being too "busy" to stop and chat. I do have obligations, responsibilities, and time commitments but I don't think the Lord called us to be THAT busy OR THAT obligated. </div>
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The Holy Spirit convicted my heart with each question they asked. How many times do I work away at home and neglect to "give my face" not just my ears to one of our children or even my husband? How many times was my visit so short that someone did not feel comfortable getting to what they really needed to talk about?</div>
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I am task oriented. God made me that way but He also gave me two ears to hear, two eyes to see, the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and a world of people who need to know Him. </div>
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In February 2014, there was a children's conference in KY. My heart was heavy the entire weekend. My Dear had taken the children to NC to visit grandparents while I was away. We were trying to cushion our children during a difficult time but My Dear and I knew I should continue with my plans.<br />
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I sat in a seminar and the speaker shared about a child that was a part of her children's ministry. Shelby had a passion for raising funds so kids in Haiti could go to camp. I listened to how she walked along side of this child and fostered her passion.<br />
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After the session, I waited for the classroom to clear out. I stepped forward to talk with Missy, the speaker. My voice began to shake as I held a secret that was wrecking my heart. My friend Fay was with me and I had already shared my secret with her....in fact, the Lord had spoken to Fay before He spoke to me. The Lord knew I would need this as one day Fay told me she was praying for me....her sister-in-law had just said the same thing to me but they had not talked to one another. I thought little of it because they have prayed for me for years. But this time, it seemed different. I asked Fay, "What is it that you are praying?" Her expression became serious. Fay is a wise woman of faith and difficult times in her life have molded her into a spiritual giant that sits weakly at the feet of Jesus. Fay spoke, "Do not be afraid." I knew change was coming for me and this moment was additional confirmation. <br />
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Fay walked with me to the front of the classroom but stood back a bit. She knew my heart battle. I I stepped before Missy and mentioned that the camp that the child was giving to was part of Baptist Haiti Mission. She confirmed that it was. I then shared with her that the following morning, My Dear would stand before some precious people that we love and that have loved us well and tell them that we are moving to Haiti. Missy was quick to ask about my prayer needs which I am sure were many. But I had 2 sad children and 1 that was still a bit young to understand the changes that would lie ahead.<br />
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I emailed Missy a few times after the conference just updating her and then life happened and we lost touch. <br />
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UNTIL.....<br />
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Last week, Missy made her first trip to Haiti! I went to introduce myself to her and some other ladies and she threw her arms open and said, "I know who you are!" Then I knew who she was too! I was told a children's minister would be coming and a bit more and realized I had met Missy. She was THE Missy that I had poured request for my children out to. She was outside of my world and someone I could trust with this information. She didn't know me, but she knew I was hanging on with a thread that our obedience to follow Christ would not screw-up our children. (Frankly, I can mess them up all by myself, I didn't need any more help!)<br />
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Missy shared with me, when we talked, that she prays but often doesn't see the answers. But to see our kids and how well they are doing, she sees the answer to her prayers. It was such a HUGE dig for my heart! <br />
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Missy had never been to Haiti. She learned about our ministry at Crossings Camps (the same way we learned about BHM.) She walked alongside of Shelby with her passion for Haiti, but not until last week was she able to wrap her heart around it. With that being said, I think I will see Missy again on our island!<br />
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Isn't God good to wrap our hearts together! I steal the line from Twila Paris often, "How Beautiful is the Body of Christ!"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-52724592047320910992017-04-02T18:54:00.001-07:002017-04-02T19:01:44.247-07:00Day of RestI have learned there is no consistency to what my day of rest might look like. Today's was very different but I can honestly say, it was a good day!<br />
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Snoozed the alarm 3 times for church. You should know that I am not a "snoozer." This was not a good start.<br />
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Instructed the big kids last night to set their alarms. Fussing to prepare for church is no longer an issue for me. They do it themselves and if they are not there when it starts, there are consequences in the area of their free time. THIS is liberating for me! And big sister woke little sister for me...who had a new dress so you only had to tell her once to get ready.<br />
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We came home from church and read a chapter in our book together and prayed.<br />
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I put on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. It felt like spring here today but our concrete house is much like a cave. I have to wear a skirt anytime I leave our housing area. Few businesses are open on Sunday or at least have limited hours so I rarely go anywhere. Sunday afternoon is jean day!<br />
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We watched a "cheesy Jesus movie" as Billy called it. It had some pretty valuable points in it about the book of Hosea. Cheesy? maybe, but we all watched it together and no one really complained about it.<br />
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I made a pot of chili and we invited an intern to come over and eat with us. My Dear has been out all weekend and I was sure he would be hungry when he got home this evening so the chili would work for that too.<br />
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I finished reading the book, <u>For Women Only</u>. I wish I had that book 15-20 years ago. Valuable information for wives. I "lucked" upon it when my friend accidently left it here at the mission. I was repacking it for her and decided I should read it before sending it to her....she agreed! (Thanks Tracy.) This is an excellent read for newly married couples and there is a <u>For Men Only</u> as well. It is suggested that the wife read the book about women and make notes in it for the husband and visa versa. I can see how truly valuable that would be. I think at this point in our lives, My Dear could write his own book about living with me. (He has me pegged!)<br />
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I jumped on the trampoline by myself. My body is neglected in this area. Our neighbors are close. I have been shy about doing that because I would be seen. You know what, they don't care.<br />
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Electricity came on, so I sucked the little insect wings that cling to the concrete ceiling down. This sounds like work but when you sit down and they are staring at you....when there is no electricity....yes, it was a PLEASURE to suck'm up!<br />
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Washing dishes are usually a burden to me but I do like a tidy kitchen...as rare as it is. I boiled some water and took care of the dishes and wiped down the counter tops and felt ACCOMPLISHED! <br />
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Laid down to take a nap and had to move the cat over then the dog found me. We usually keep a critter free bed, but My Dear was gone and well, they are sweet when they are asleep.<br />
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Jumped on the trampoline with Miss B and rolled around and hugged, giggled, and played.<br />
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Chatted with my neighbor and loved on Baby Harper for a bit.<br />
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Watched online as a friend gave testimony of Christ's work in his life. Thankful for the invitation. After he shared his story, his brother came before the church to share that he desired a relationship with Jesus Christ. How about that for awesome!<br />
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Today,<br />
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I enjoyed my home. <br />
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I enjoyed the beautiful weather and cleaned up in the yard a bit. That was a joy because I was moving around a bit and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.<br />
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I spent some time with my kiddos and see now that one got less time than the others. (Gotta get that time in this week.)<br />
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I thanked God.<br />
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I allowed God to love on me.<br />
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I made note of the work He has and continues to do in my life.<br />
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I am thankful for a day of rest AND that My Dear arrived home safely, the electricity came on long enough for him to get a shower and he had a wonderful weekend out sharing Jesus. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-73380327176776460292017-03-26T17:46:00.004-07:002017-03-26T17:55:08.875-07:00The Word of the Year...finally!So it is has been a few days....meaning like almost 100 of them, but the time never really came for me to write what the Lord showed me about my word. As I was writing the other post, it just got longer and I got tired of writing so I knew you would tire of reading. Speaking of tired, the word the Lord gave me is REST.<br />
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I am reclaiming my Sabbath. The Lord didn't suggest a Sabbath, He instructed it, demanded it. I have been sinning not following His leadership in this area. My day is Sunday since we school Monday-Friday and I work on Saturdays. Resting is not doing that thing that drains you. For me, schooling and cleaning are draining. I would much rather read and play games with my family.<br />
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You know what I noticed when I rested, I like me. Not only did I like me, I liked everyone else too! RESTING has not exactly worked out for me each weekend when I tried. The first 2 weekends were great! I had to prepare in advance for my "day off." It meant sandwiches on paper plates for our meals. Another week, it meant leaving a pile of dirty dishes for the next day. As parents, it is hard to take days off. Our kids are older so it has gotten easier. I am removing the "work" of my day and replacing it with things that give me pleasure. The kids and I chatted on this. We talked about what drains us and what we enjoy doing that "refuels" us. We try to be mindful of those things. On the first day, I stood in the doorway of our home and took a deep breath and reminded myself I was to REST! I laid on the couch and read a book. The animals loved it, they curled up close to me and took naps. Naps are a great idea too! <br />
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We are all different so our "refuels" are different. My Dear likes to cook and bake so he may play in the kitchen for his Sabbath....after his nap and after football if it is football season. If it seems like work, I try not to do it but if I take pleasure in it, I do it. Dolly loves her animals, mucking a stall is her idea of rest...that totally seems like work to me but it refuels her (cleaning her room...not so much!) <br />
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I need self-care so that I can serve the Lord with all I have! I spend 6 days a week splitting my time between serving my family, teaching my kiddos and others and working for Mt. Maid and the mission. The 7th day, I have got to follow the Lord in what I do with that day too and REST! God created the world and then He rested. Why would I not need rest? <br />
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I found that when I REST, the week is better. I am nicer. More work gets done. My kids like me! We all benefit. I also take time on this day to reflect on things of the Lord and we lead our children to do the same. We typically go to church together and then come home to read a book together. We are currently reading, Live Smart: Preparing for the Future God Wants for You by Dan Dumas. We all benefit and enjoy this quiet time together. I read something that leads me to a closer relationship with the Lord, my Bible or another book. I sing or listen to music while we move about the house. It is rarely a solo, someone always joins in. Today, it was 4 of us singing the same song at different times...apparently, that works for us. <br />
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Our Sundays do not usually come with electricity so it is easy to say NO to laundry and vacuuming. I do spend some time lesson planning for the week, but it doesn't drain me and if I feel like it is, I just get up earlier on Monday to get things set up for the week. <br />
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So, I have neglected for months to write this post but to be honest, it felt like work. Our time in the states made it difficult to rest because we would much rather be in fellowship with other believers. But now, we are home and I need to rest. So when Sunday rolls around again, you might find me laying on the trampoline with a book and Chester the dog. Even Chester wins when I am obedient to REST!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-73664948012604877812017-01-28T19:50:00.001-08:002017-01-28T19:50:11.520-08:00Speaking ScheduleWe are heading to the states in a couple of days. We have taken our furlough time the past 2 summers. BUT as we looked at the calendar, we were asked to submit possible furlough times. It was difficult to find a time we could go out with our obligations. There was nothing on the calendar for the month of February. Of course there is stuff going on but nothing additional to our already busy lives. My Dear said, "So what about going out in February?" My response was, "We don't have clothes for that!" <br />
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Well, guess what, we are heading north for winter....we are backward snowbirds!<br />
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Nana did some shopping and we have clothes waiting on us! Billy's suitcase was the funniest...2 pairs of pants. Hi-waters are not popular I hear! Thank you God for growing children.<br />
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Here is our schedule for our time out. <br />
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Feb. 5th Murfreesboro morning service<br />
Feb. 19th Lexington morning service<br />
Paris evening service<br />
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If you need more information on the locations, please contact me and I will share more details. We are looking forward to sharing about the mission, showing off some beautiful Mountain Maid products that can be purchased and hugging necks!<br />
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We will not be speaking in our sending church but will spend time in the community our children love the most. Feel free to message me about details of our time there as well.<br />
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Thanks for loving us! See ya soon!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-20182434502246717242017-01-11T19:58:00.002-08:002017-01-11T19:58:43.704-08:00A Shout Out From the Word of the Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For almost 10 years, the Lord has called me to "a word." It is not a resolution but could be. What I have learned is, the Lord gives me the word and then leads me through a season of that word. There have been times that I knew my world was about to turn upside down like 2014 when we would move to Haiti. The word was CHANGE. Little in our lives would stay the same. I knew change was coming....and a lot of it!<br />
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Years before that, the Lord called me to LESS....less stuff in our home, less debt, less weight, you get the idea. I did not expect for the Lord to call me out in other areas like the LESS baggage area when He flipped my heart upside down and called me out on junk I was hauling around in my heart. It was a year of liberation! I see how it prepared me for all that would follow.<br />
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In 2015, my pal left Haiti. The Lord called me to SWIM. Truth is, it was a sink or swim situation. I was dependent on her for culture, language, and all of the who, what, when, where, and how of living here. I had no idea of all of the challenges that would happen for our family that year. A medical diagnoses for My Dear, the surprise to learn we would be new parents in our 40s and after the numbness wore off from that and we began to dream about another child, our son was gone. Dang it y'all...tough stuff! I see that the Lord called me to SWIM in depths or waters that I would have NEVER signed up for if I had known, but what rich blesses came from it. My Disney loving friend would send me pictures of Nemo to remind me to "just keep swimming!" Right before the dam broke, so to speak, the Lord gave me the word TRUST. I have never changed a word midyear, but lying in a bunk bed in FL, while my husband was in the hospital, that was all I could do. Kinda like the hymn, "Trust and swim, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and swim." Okay, maybe not.<br />
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After a time of furlough last summer, I was amazed at the healing that had taken place in my life. It was like one day, I was going about my life and realized, "Wow, I have come a looong way!" 2016, the Lord called me to THRIVE. Stop surviving and starting thriving. The past year had me at survival mode as I was sick with pregnancy for the first trimester and then grieved the remainder of the year. What good was I to this country that I was called to serve in? (Believe me, I asked the Lord that very question.) After serving in Haiti for over 2 years, I am just now in a place where I can serve. I don't even know how it happened, but I appreciate that the Lord made it happen! THRIVE happened without we even trying to make it happen.<br />
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So this year........<br />
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I started to tell ya but realized the post was getting a little long so it will be another post. But what I do want you to see from this post is the testimony of the Lord. He is at work and for some reason He chooses to show me every year through one word. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-50890259517455737042016-12-24T21:21:00.001-08:002016-12-24T21:21:45.273-08:00Christmas Eve To-Do-List<div>
What Christmas Eve looked like for me...minus the food preparation and dish washing and basic parenting that just happens. </div>
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1. Go through the stash of goodies we have collected and outgrown and pick out gifts for our security guards to give to their children for Christmas. </div>
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2. Listen to a grown man giggle when he is radioed to come to the security gate and to be handed toys for his daughter.</div>
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3. See their love for one another as they radio their coworkers to come and meet us.</div>
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4. See a man smile big with something as simple as 2 small balls.</div>
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5. Go shopping on the street to give our local vendors some holiday cash.</div>
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6. Make your shopping list of who to shop from next so everyone gets some business.</div>
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7. Shop on credit...not a good idea. "You take it. You can pay me later." They will get you every time!</div>
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8. Share jokes, laughter, and love with young men you are beginning to really care about.</div>
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9. Let your 9- year- old bake on her own while you are not at home....she did great!</div>
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10. Put your 12- year- old in charge of the appetizer...so yummy!</div>
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11. Christmas Carol at the hospital while handing out rice, beans, oil, Bibles, and candy canes. </div>
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12. Watch your children give their Christmas hats and jingle bells away to children they see in the hospital.</div>
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13. Reading the Christmas story with a family as they cradle their newborn son and hear their celebrations as we read about the baby boy who came to save us from our sins.</div>
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14. Watch as your sister in Christ has the perfect opportunity to partake in the ministry she has had on her heart for months.</div>
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15. Serve cold chili you made just for your husband and watch him graciously eat it.</div>
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16. Participate in the reading of Luke 2 with children filling in as shepherds and wise men.</div>
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17. Confess your sins before communion.</div>
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18, Watch another baby play with your children's Fisher Price Nativity set.</div>
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19. Feast and laugh with folks that work so hard.</div>
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20. Giving "gag gifts" to the ladies I work with.</div>
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21. Wish Nana a Happy Birthday. </div>
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22. Facetime gift opening with grandparents.</div>
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23. Watch your children's authentic joy from giving and receiving gifts.</div>
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24. Watch your child use her new roller skates while wearing her new "co-long-nee-ul" (colonial) costume, while playing the harmonica.</div>
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25. Watch your children give of their own possessions to others.</div>
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26. Watch your big ole boy love on his little sisters.</div>
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27. Read from the Advent book as a family.</div>
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28. Have a nice fire in the fireplace.</div>
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29. Message your siblings.</div>
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30. Go to sleep tired but with a smile on your face.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-23460264589301018232016-11-11T11:30:00.000-08:002016-11-11T16:35:09.656-08:00When One Little Moment Becomes A BIG DEAL in the Life of a ChildMy day is pretty normal, like most of the of world there is a routine in it. I begin with time with the Lord, then school with the children. We have lunch and I take off to work at Mountain Maid and then will have English Class 2 days a week and another day I am part of a ladies' Bible Study. It is pretty routine and that works. But something turned my ordinary into something pretty exciting! I hope I do not get too wordy, but the details of God's plan have been so beautifully laid out.<br />
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A month ago, I joined our sending church as they were with their partnering church in our country. I stopped in for the day and allowed our children to play with the other children. I noticed a precious girl outside of the gate of the school. She was not in uniform and had a radiant smile. I wondered if her family could not afford for her to go to school. I stopped to talk with her and someone told me she was mute. I wondered if she was mute or deaf. I sat with her for awhile and gestured and signed with her pointing at pictures in books and signing the names of things in the books....you know, the ones I could remember. I knew there was a school for the deaf in the county but did not know where. I asked Mme Winn in the Child Sponsorship office but she was unsure but knew how to find out.<br />
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Weeks later, I am heading out the door and realized I had pants on and ran back home to put my skirt on as is the custom here that Christian women wear skirts. When I returned home, my phone was ringing cause I left that too. It was Mme Winn in sponsorship and she was calling to let me know that the deaf young man she knew was in her office. I was thrilled that he signed slowly for me and we were able to make some exchanges. He lip reads as well as signing so speaking Creole with my mouth and signing in English was a BIG DEAL for the Holy Spirit to pull off. Have I told you how difficult learning to sign was for me? Have I shared that learning Creole has been MUCH more difficult? I know it was not flawless, but communication happened! Praise the Lord. And what a sweet, sweet young man!!!!! He, Jack, is no longer attending school because the family can not afford it and he had come to the office to seek assistance. Much like the U.S., since his needs are different and our schools can not meet those needs, we are compelled to help him. This is a legal obligation in the U.S. but for us....it is an act of love. <br />
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Jack and his papa returned the following day with more information about the school. Jack put me in contact with a young woman who is deaf but can write in English. I texted her and waited to hear what the name of the school was.<br />
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I left the sponsorship office and walked next door to work. It was a holiday weekend so things would be busy at the shop. The street vendors will hang out just outside of the shop so I stopped to greet them and saw 3 little boys and one was wearing bilateral hearing aids. I looked at him and signed "hearing aids," he shook his head yes. I signed and asked if he lipread or signed and he responded by signing back. I began a conversation with him and learned that he was home on break from school because of the holiday. He told me where he went to school. It seems too far away. It is a residential school so children go there and live to get their educations. It would be too far and too expensive for them to travel everyday to get there seeing that students come from all over the country....must like residential schools in the states. I was able to talk with the papa of the boy and received one vote for the school in CB.<br />
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Days later, I get a return text to confirm from the young woman that the school is in CB.<br />
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This week, Papa returns to the office with the contact info for the school....yep, CB!<br />
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Mme Winn calls and says, "Okay, how can you find this little girl so that we can talk with her family?" I got a couple of thoughts and let her know I would work on it. Then BAM! There was the answer....across from my desk at Mountain Maid! N, an employee of Mountain Maid attended church in that area. I did not know if her family went to church which would make it harder to find her but....I showed N a photo of her and he said, "Yes! That's S! She is at church every Sunday with her mom and little brother. She is so smart and helps her mom by selling snacks after school and after church." I added that she was beautiful and so kind and he agreed. I could see the excitement building in N as I shared the possibilities of S getting an education. I asked if he thought her mom would go for it and he said, YES! <br />
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I got permission from his boss (it pays to be married to the boss) for N to go with me to show me where she lives and to help communicate with the parents instead of strange, white people showing up and asking them to hand over their daughter!<br />
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It probably took us an hour to get to her house on the rough terrain in an ATV and hiking a bit. I noticed my hands felt more firm this morning after holding so tightly to the bouncing steering wheel yesterday.<br />
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We arrived unannounced so they pulled chairs out from their home for us to be seated, myself, Mme Winn, and a guest who is visiting and had money that someone gave to her to be used for ministry. Those funds are about to pay for S's fees to begin the process for enrollment. S smiled at our coming. Her little brother was at school but she was working around the home with her parents and other adults in the village. <br />
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The parents are indeed interested in S getting an education! Today (Friday) since I was unable to post with limited internet yesterday when I wrote the blog.....They came to the hospital on the mission to get her medical exam and then to the school for a meeting on Monday. One baby step at a time. S. was the happiest little girl in the country and could hardly stand still. She let me squeeze and hug on her. She was also able to see Jack and I communicate in sign. Jack's mom had taken S's mom under her wing for this process. Pretty precious.<br />
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So many days are typical. I get excited about possibilities then there are roadblocks. A possibility of an ongoing client for Mountain Maid-ROADBLOCK. Someone is coming to teach artisans-ROADBLOCK. Roadblocks may still come up with this, but I know that her family knows what is best for her. If they want her to go to school, I will join them in helping her get there. There are still glitches, but we are praying the Lord works all of this out for her and for Jack. Man, I serve a God of details!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-18881891569038405352016-11-01T19:14:00.002-07:002016-11-01T19:31:21.616-07:00The Hurricanes of Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hurricane Matthew swept over our island taking roofs, fences, gardens, crops, trees, and even livestock with it. Some areas did not see any destruction while other areas are still devastated with loss followed by excessive rain that has lead to flooding. The mission has been unable to get supplies to where they need to be because of the washed out roads. Earlier this week, I found myself focusing on what we were unable to do instead of focusing on God, who is sovereign and holds every detail in his loving hands. I looked at all that was wrong instead of what was right. It was easy to see the struggles but harder to see that God has it already worked out. He showed us this in many ways as we have seen Him at work, but how quickly I forget.<br />
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I later challenged myself to look for that good! And THIS "good" I had forgotten to share!<br />
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My Dear posted on FB the need for greenhouse film that had been ripped off of the greenhouses by the hurricane. He also shared about a water purification system so that water can be shared more freely with those who come in the shop. We drank water with our meals in the states to save money but here, water and soda cost the same thing. Water is a gift and drinking water is precious! <br />
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My Dear quickly had responses from a few people interested in giving to purchase the items for Mountain Maid. It was a thrill to watch the Lord stir in hearts! A Sunday School class meet and gave all of the funds needed to purchase the film! We were so excited!!! They then contacted My Dear and asked how much was needed for the filtration system. We had friends say they were giving and they were sharing with others who would be giving as well. This church had a meeting that Sunday evening and voted to cover the balance! PRAISE THE LORD!!! So quickly, I had forgotten how the Lord took care of this!<br />
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BUT, it gets better! After the money had been collected, My Dear made calls around the country trying to find the item but even with shipping and customs fees added, he could not beat the price he saw online. He returned to the link to see that the price had been reduced! He had some questions about the product so he decided to look on the manufactures website. A day or so later, he logged in online and because he had spent so much time looking, a pop-up of the system appeared offering 30% off. He clicked on it to get the 30% off and started looking for promo codes to get the price even cheaper. He found 50% off! Because he needed to know how much it would weigh to consider shipping fees, he called them. As he was talking with the man about the weight, he informed My Dear that if he ordered from them that day, they would give him an additional percentage off that would save him $150. The unit he purchased was originally $2900 but he got it for $886!!!!!<br />
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So instead of one unit for Mountain Maid, he was able to purchase 2 more, one for the camp and one for the mission. This will allow the missionary staff to fill our own water bottles instead of purchasing large bottles of drinking water. <br />
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It gets better! There was enough savings with the purchase, shipping, and customs charges, that My Dear was able to use $1000 to help employees who had damage to their homes. He went to 2 homes assessing the damage and will purchase tin and wood for those families to make the needed repairs. <br />
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God is so good! He is at work all the time. Sometimes He is meeting a physical need and sometimes it is a spiritual need. So this week, as I felt the "yuck" climb in, He gently reminded me of the good that He has done and is still doing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-51676307918666282662016-10-16T11:16:00.002-07:002016-10-16T11:24:07.450-07:00Humility BlockWhen God called Moses to lead the Israelites, Moses had excuses. Well, we call them excuses but Moses knew himself. He knew his struggles, his past, his character, all that was NOT RIGHT with him. He knew his sinful, struggling self. Sometimes we use those as excuses and sometimes we think perhaps, the Lord needs to be reminded of our faults. Aren't we kind to be so helpful to THE KING OF UNIVERSE! <br />
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This is my Friday. It happens pretty much every week that I am reminded of how unqualified I am to stand before a group of people and teach. My Kentucky accent, that my southern friends say is northern and my northern friends say is southern, is not the best for teaching English. I struggle with English and spelling! Is there less judgment from others if I just admit it? It will take me at least an hour to write this post and edit it. I will publish it and edit it again. After posting, I will find other mistakes... after it has been read and perhaps even shared. <br />
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In quilting, a quilter will have one block that is intentionally not perfect. It is called the humility block. People do not even notice this in the quilt but the quilter knows. Teaching English is a humility block for me. I do not feel skilled, prepared, or qualified for this ministry but it is where the Lord has me. Unlike the quilt, people can see my inadequacies, they are not hidden away. I know I am not the perfect instructor. I know that not every person is getting "it." They are all at different levels and I am only one person trying to blanket all of the needs together. <br />
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BUT, do you know what I know? My students know that I care about them. I am not perfect but, I am available. I want them to succeed. Some of them want to understand the English speaking staff they work with (can I end a sentence in a preposition?) Other students want to earn scholarships and some just want to learn for better opportunities in this country. I want that for them!<br />
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There are 4 areas of language learning, 7 intelligences in which people learn, 1crowded classroom, not enough chairs, at least 5 levels of learning (that is keeping them <strong>very</strong> broad), 1 day a week, for 1 1/2 hours, and 1 willing teacher. Somehow, that all calculates for the idea English class in the Lord's eyes. Who am I to argue with that?<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-25683258298957734462016-09-30T05:32:00.000-07:002016-10-01T20:29:01.849-07:00Hard Places<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two years of living in Haiti has taught us......we have a lot to learn! We were ignorant to how difficult language learning would be and even more ignorant to how difficult it would be to understand another culture.<br />
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This past week, a team come from the states to help do inventory, cleaning, painting, planting and repairing at Mountain Maid, the self-help program. We are thankful for their "attack" on the never ending to-do list.<br />
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The team worked indoors most of the time so a few cultural experiences were planned for them. My Dear took the team so our 12-year-old daughter, I refer to as Dolly, went along to a historical fort nearby. You should know that Dolly enjoys people, adventures, Jesus, and is passionate about animals.....especially dogs. Her love for animals is unique to this country where animals are seen as a way of living and not as companions. When Dolly received a goat, the employees of the mission could not understand why she would not eat her goat. Dolly explained that she does not eat her friends, which they accepted with laughter. Haitian dogs, a lone breed, are considered dirty animals, like street rats. People do not touch or associate with them and usually run them off, kick them or throw things at them. They sound dangerous but are actually very meek animals.<br />
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The team, My Dear, Dolly, and a few translators walked through the fort. A little dog was in the area. Dolly said the dog came towards her with its head low but its tail wagging, wanting so much to be petted. She called the dog over and she came. This is not typical for Haiti. The dogs suffer so much abuse that they are afraid of people, but mama dog came. She let Dolly pet her head and others on the team asked if it was okay for them to pet the dog too. The team all thought the dog was cute and were kind to it. I am sure the locals observing thought it was strange (and gross) for the foreigners to be nice to and especially touch the dog. <br />
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The team walked past an open cistern that was full of water from the rain that had fallen every day that week. Water lilies floated beautifully on top of the water creating a scene perfect for VanGogh. They left the cute dog behind and explored another area. When they walked away, a local boy, probably Dolly's age, pushed the little dog into the open cistern. Unlike Joseph in the book of Genesis, this cistern was full. Just moments before it was a picture of calm with water lilies floating but now it was the scene of distress as the team looked back to see the dog frantically trying to get its head above water. The dog tried to grab onto the floating lily pads to pull itself up. The dog was panicked and was truly fighting for her life. What was seconds, seemed like minutes or even hours. It would not have surprised me for a wet Dolly to come home after such an event. Thankfully, she did not jump into the water because a man on the team laid down on the ground and pulled the dog to safety. Dolly struggled to get the image out of her head the rest of the day.<br />
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The dog quickly ran off. The team said it was terrible to see and they were all disturbed by the scene. The little boy just laughed at the dog and probably at the team as well. Our Dolly, well, I picture Jesus in the temple behavior. Dolly was filled with what I would describe as a righteous anger! She unleashed her frustration on the young man, I am believing that the Lord gave her a fresh word in the Creole language if you know what I mean! She said that all of this anger came out and she realized that she had to show Jesus to this boy. Thankfully, she was not talking about putting her hands on him and praying because I think the kid would be grasping at lily pads too. Dolly let him know that the same God that created him created that dog. That is not how you treat God's creation. After speaking nonstop to him for some time, a translator, came and gently took her by the shoulders and walked her away from the boy. Members of the team shared that they too wrestled with their emotions and wanted to respond by pushing the boy in....and of course getting him out to teach him a lesson. <br />
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Dolly was emotionally worn out when she got home. She could not rid her mind of the image of the dog grasping for something, anything to get out of that open cistern of water. She cried. She begged me to take her back to the fort so she could get the dog and its puppies and bring it home. She promised she would not want to keep it and would find a home for it (She just tearfully found homes for 2 kittens she bottle fed.) When it didn't work with me, she want back to trying with her dad. It was a hard day for her and tears would fall without warning. She was unable to focus on her school work. Basically, she grieved. <br />
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On their way home from the excitement of the fort, she saw 30-50 goats hanging off the back of a tap-tap by their feet and their cries hurt her ears as she tried to look away. The tears trickled. This country is a hard place for animal lovers.<br />
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Dolly has been teased about the animals here. But this topic, grieves her. Yes, the goats in the zoo will one day be served for dinner here, but they will not be on Dolly's plate. She double checks the menu when in question. She doesn't eat her friends. The episodes of the day were hard. The injustice to animals is hard for a person who is passionate about them.<br />
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Dolly confessed to me later, as she sorted through her feelings, that perhaps the hardest part of the day is that she witnessed a person being cruel to another living creature for no reason. It is as if a line was drawn and part of the innocence of childhood is gone for her. She saw evil. She saw sin. She saw that we all need a Savior. <br />
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The little dog, found a savior in an outstretched arm of a foreigner and maybe, a Haitian boy heard about the Savior and his need for salvation. You and I probably never pushed a dog into a cistern of water, but we have sinned, caused pain to ourselves and others. We have grieved the Holy Spirit with our choices. But our Savior awaits with an outstretched hand. <br />
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*Photo Credits Sarah S.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-27296609006738698912016-08-10T06:22:00.000-07:002016-08-10T06:22:15.405-07:00What Birthdays Have Taught Me1st Birthday-- cake is GOOD!<br />
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8th Birthday--sleeping bags, new pjs, and music with friends...sleepovers are fun!<br />
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10th Birthday--My friend Mary can make herself burp but sometimes it comes out of the wrong end.<br />
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14th Birthday--My girlfriend never let my birthday pass without celebration. Life is worth celebrating. Friends are worth celebrating. <br />
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16th Birthday--Friends will keep a secret for a surprise party even when you are with them all day for 2 weeks of band camp. Friends love you enough to not give up on you when they see you making one destructive decision after another. <br />
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21st Birthday--I want to be a rebel. Do something rebellious on my 21st birthday. Talked a cute guy into going with me to give blood. Being a rebel is being different! I am pretty sure I read something about that in the Bible my girlfriend gave me years ago for my birthday. By the way, I married that cute guy.<br />
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27th Birthday--The sweetest gift I ever received sat in an infant car seat in front of me with a pink envelope in his lap, just 4 days old. Motherhood is a gift. <br />
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39th Birthday--Miss B. gave me the only red tomato we got from our shaded, backyard garden. Children receive joy from giving, making the gift all the more precious. <br />
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40th Birthday--My friend is a step a head of me in life. We celebrated her 40th and she wanted to do the same for mine but we would have made our move to island by then. No problem, we just moved it up a few months. Some events have to happen early or late, but do it anyway! <br />
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41st Birthday--Ice cream! Good friends, Florida beach, and four flavors of ice cream. We have literally grown up with our friends. Married, college students, Bible Studies, celebrating births, graduations and graduations (and even more for one of us!) praying for tiny baby girls, Hand-n-Foot, Ho Hos, praying, sharing hand-me-downs, moving (they are an entire page in my address book marked out again and again), homeschooling, ministry, unexpected pregnancies, grieving....legit friends. When you celebrate, they celebrate with you. When you weep, they weep with you. I want to be that kind of friend.<br />
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42nd Birthday--I am not 20. Those were great days, but life and the Lord have changed me and not just my physical appearance. I know so much more than I knew then even though I was in school until I was almost 30! Through the ups and downs, the Lord has RESCUED me. Molded me. He has forgiven me. Broken my heart. Healed me. Satisfied me. Rejoiced over me. Forgiven me some more. Instructed me. Held me. Proven Himself trustworthy and I know so much more from this journey of life. I am still teachable. I appreciate, at 42 years of age, the Lord has not called me "finished" yet but still nudges, grooms and grows me. He sees that I am worth the effort and that is humbling. <br />
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So at 42, I know that I still have a lot to learn. A lot of people to love. And a GREAT big God that has slayed many giants in my path (especially this past year) AND who is not finished with me yet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-25093182281033813142016-05-28T22:50:00.003-07:002016-05-30T18:28:25.658-07:00What's Going On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dolly's garden is growing. We are enjoying the sunflower her friend gave her. My Dear is working hard with plants as well. He has many seeds started so to produce flowers and plants to sell at the shop creating more income to go toward reforestation of the country. Do you know that Haiti was 60% forest in the 1960s? Now, there is less than 2% forest here. The area where we live is beautiful with trees and gardens but that is a small, small part of the country. When the Ts arrived in Haiti, there was nothing here. Seventy years later, it is a botanical garden. A sweet reminder that the Lord is faithful if we are diligent and intentional with what He has called us to do. </div>
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The Lord has blessed our family with friends. Friends move in and out of the country, but the Lord is faithful to give us who we need in the season we are in. This precious darlin' loves animals and adventure just as much as our Dolly. What a precious gift her friendship and love have been for our girl. They wrapped walking sticks with yarn to create comfy grips as they showed me the awesome hike they discovered. <br />
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This is part of my Friday. I enjoy these precious folks!! So many are eager to learn English. They pay to attend classes taught by Haitians. They desire to have the correct pronunciation and accent and want to learn from someone who speaks English as their first language. They are a lot of fun and encourage me in my language learning as well and challenge me in English! We use much of our time in conversation which allows us to get to know one another. It also allows us to pray for one another. This week, I met a lady Christelle. She is a single mama who left her selling in the market to attend class. She spent part of the class speaking with another man who is receiving an education in the states and is home for the summer. He is helping with the class. He left with tears in his eyes after hearing Christelle's story and how life is a struggle for her but he could see her determination to learn English and her joy in The Lord. I am assuming he has not seen that kind of drive in the U.S. this past year. The majority of the students in the free class are in their early 20s. They make me laugh!! I always leave with my daily allowance of hugs! We probably have close to 20 people packed in the room each week. I have a class for children has well, with others waiting for another class to be formed. Many of the children on the waiting list, do not speak any English. </div>
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See this big smile! Miss B. has her first pet! She loves animals as much as her sister but her sister had already collected a supply of pets that exceeded the desire of the parents. Miss B's buddy moved back to the states and "Little Sleeper" needed a new home. <br />
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This is what Sunday looks like for me. Sunday afternoons are lesson planning preparations. It is the end of the school year for us and although I enjoy learning with our kiddos....I am looking forward to a little break. Although there are no "formal" graduation photos, Billy finished 8th grade and Dolly finished 6th. Next year, we will have a high-schooler, a middle-schooler and an elementary student. Overall, I love our time in our one room schoolhouse!<br />
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We currently have 2 chicks living with us. Thy are wonderful exterminators! This little guy was rescued from the middle of the road and was brought to our door and asked if we would care for it. It will soon join its friend at the zoo with other chickens.<br />
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Billy got to spend about a week at the camp which is located on the beach. This was a big deal for him (and us.) Apparently work at the beach is better than work in the mountains! We spent the day playing when we went to pick him up. It was such a good day and a much needed break from our everyday. Traffic was rough but we agreed it was all worth it!<br />
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The sewing ministry in Atrel is now making these cuties! I enjoyed having them stop by for a visit before finding their new homes. Two of these little darlings will be hitching a ride to the states as we come in. They are not available online as of yet but will soon be on etsy. If you would want to purchase one, message me or message Mountain Maid on facebook. The dolls are made in a desert area that has experienced drought the past 2 years. The ladies sew, dress, and name them and even fix their hair. They love making these dolls. Deborah who heads this ministry shared with me that one of her best sewers has a very small home that her large family lives in. She has been saving her sewing money to build a new home for their family. She has currently saved $200. Praise the Lord! (at time of posting, all of these dolls had new homes but they can be ordered.)<br />
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Billy and Dolly have been helping with cleaning the cisterns. What a fun way to help! They transferred the fish from one pond to another and then had to catch them to return them to their original home. They had a good time fishing, I mean working. <br />
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My attempt to get a photo of Miss B and her buddy before their move. It is always fun to photograph giggle boxes. <br />
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We are moving right along. My Dear has a renewed focus and finally feels like he is getting the operation of the Self-Help Project under control. I appreciate getting to work along side of him as I work around our school schedule. Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. See you in a few weeks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-22059664763009425862016-05-28T21:20:00.003-07:002016-05-28T21:21:10.158-07:00"Tender"<br />
I used to pride myself on not crying. My winning ticket was the fact that I did not cry during Charlotte's Web! Aren't I cool? So, I was just a girl but that pride hung on for a long time. Now, my niece, at a young age, would cry over almost anything. I recall one time, she tripped and everyone was looking at her and she just cried. She was not hurt just embarrassed and she was a toddler. Toddlers trip. During my wedding, she saw my sister cry, so she cried too. I used to call her "tender" but the truth is, life has not been easy on her and instead of having a hard heart, she has a mushy one. I love her compassionate heart. In fact, when she is ticked off and mad, it is because of injustice and triggers her "tender" compassionate heart. My friend "Care" is much the same. I think they would probably say being "tender" is a blessing and a curse.<br />
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Not so long ago, I hugged a young woman who had received some difficult news. I told her that I was well practiced in weeping. As a tear fell down her check, she confessed, she was not good at crying. She has known a lot of joy in her life so this was difficult. I get it, I was the same way but I am older now. I have lived almost twice as long as she has. I understand "tender." Yes, I probably would cry at Charlotte's Web now.<br />
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I know what it is like to love and to lose.<br />
I know grief.<br />
I know what it feels like to pray for something and those prayers not be answered.<br />
I know what it is like to work really hard at something and it not work out.<br />
I know what it is like to be hurt.<br />
I know what it is like to cradle a child, a preteen, and a teenager that are sad, scared, or just broken.<br />
I know what it is like to feel helpless.<br />
I know what it is like to be yelled at and to fear physical harm.<br />
I know what it is like for someone to lie about you.<br />
I know what it is like to be the object of jokes and whispers.<br />
I know that words hurt. <br />
I know regret.<br />
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But I also know:<br />
love.<br />
healing.<br />
answered prayers.<br />
reward.<br />
forgiveness.<br />
comfort.<br />
hope.<br />
security.<br />
truth.<br />
joy.<br />
encouragement.<br />
faith.<br />
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And guess what, those make me cry too. I believe this is what Paul spoke about when he said to be thankful in all circumstances. If I did not know the heartache, I would not know the joy! If I did not know the hopelessness, I would not recognize hope. Each difficult situation brought about a gift. Yes, I cry. But I cry because I KNOW. The Lord has been faithful to work everything out for my good. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that continues to soften my heart for His Glory. It has given me compassion for others that will allow me to serve them or to be in continual prayer for them. <br />
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I am thankful for the "tender" the Lord has put in my heart because it means He has done such so much more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-34027476578667906982016-05-25T20:18:00.002-07:002016-05-25T20:18:34.297-07:00Speaking ScheduleWe are finally pulling our summer schedule together! You know what it is like to schedule a vacation? Well, mix vacation planning with family that you only see a time or 2 a year along with kids wanting to see friends. Now, add camp schedules, all of your medical and health appointments as well as speaking engagements in different churches and you have the puzzle that is furlough! We had planned to do some traveling as "field trips" but had to back out of those plans as time is limited and perhaps take a few day trips instead.<br />
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For those of you who have asked, here is the schedule as of today!<br />
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June 12th am service Bible Baptist, NV<br />
June 12th pm service First Baptist, NV<br />
June 22nd Wed. Central, PKY<br />
June 26th am service Central, Winchester*<br />
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*My Dear will only share in part of the service. <br />
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Hope to see you at one of these locations! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-1664763390068658782016-05-02T13:09:00.002-07:002016-05-02T13:51:32.549-07:00Good GiftsRecently, I was able to enjoy a refreshing trip to Florida to surprise my father for his birthday. My siblings also flew to the Sunshine State and then drove to the international airport to pick me up. We piled into the back of my uncle's minivan and he drove us to our parents where my sister had informed my parents that a delivery would be made. My father loved it and was taken completely by surprise! He disappeared for a moment and returned after calling his boss and letting him know he would not be working the rest of the week. We ate, laughed, visited a botanicals garden, laughed, enjoyed a road trip, laughed, did some shopping...or should I say looking, and laughed some more. I enjoyed some time to myself swimming and enjoyed sitting in the sun with my sister and chatting with my mom. Mom and Dad drove me to the airport to return home and I enjoyed my time alone with them. My sister used to say I waited to have children because I had issues with sharing my toys. I think she is right, I have issues sharing and loved having time with Mom and Dad by myself....spoken like the middle child huh!<br />
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I have never flown out of country before and I had only flown once by myself from IN to GA where my girlfriend landed in the same airport and met me. She was a security blanket for me. I asked the Lord to send me a friend on my flight. My new friend Birdy would be flying out of country on the same day on the same airline but on a different flight. I secretly hoped she would be on this flight for some mysterious reason. As I settled into my seat on the plane, the man beside me began to snooze and I realized that the friend the Lord has sent me was not a person but Him. I spent time in my Bible and listened for the Lord to lay questions on my heart and then the answers . It was good and just the quiet I needed after the hustle and bustle of saying good-bye over and over again in an attempt to get out the door to the airport.<br />
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After the first 24 hours there, things were a bit bumpy. I wondered why I had thought this was a good idea to try to relax returning to the culture of go, go, go. My sister wanted opinions on paint colors and I needed to pick up some hardware for a project My Dear is working on so we headed to a home improvement store. I quickly left the vehicle and let the others know that I was going on inside to start looking. When I walked through the door, I saw the tall, dark figure in his orange apron positioned to be the "greeter." I am always on the look out for Haitians when in Florida. I walked over to the man and greeted him. He returned the greeting and in typical Haitian style, I asked how he was. He said he was blessed. I shared that I was also blessed. The Lord showed both of us that we were having a meeting of believers. Willie told me that he used to be scared to talk to people and then he realized he had really important information to share. Willie stood with such height and authority, it surprised me that he would be insecure...a place I occasionally find myself. This man was a pep rally for my spirit and I was so thankful for the way the Lord settled my anxious heart in the form of a tall, strong man from South America. <br />
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On the way back to Haiti, I was in the same exact seat on the plane. I spoke with a young man waiting for the plane. I think it was strange for me to see a Haitian person eating an extra large Steak and Shake burger and therefore struck up a conversation. I enjoyed talking with this young man who was in the states to acquire about a soccer scholarship to attend college as long as he could get his visa. I enjoyed talking with him and sharing what I knew to be true about the United States and hearing about the opportunities for him in Haiti. We talked again at the airport in Haiti and talked about our faith. He was happy to know we were both Baptist. He was fun.<br />
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I found my seat and waited for others to load on the plane. It was surprising to me how quickly I could get through all of the lines with just me and a carry-on. A lady walked down the aisle of the plane with a small child and pitched her diaper bag in the seat beside me. I pulled it to myself to let her know I would watch it. Sometime later, the lady returned to the seat with the cutest little guy. I would guess he was 18 months old. He chattered and smiled at me unlike most babies in the country who are unsure of my white skin. This little guy was so stink'n precious. He sat so sweetly on his mama's lap. I enjoyed seeing his eyes get big when we took off and landed. He enjoyed his cookies and chattered about them while he ate them. He mimicked my sounds as I tried to occupy him while his mama completed the customs forms. After landing, his mama allowed me to hold him while she retrieved the luggage in the overhead bin. Oh what a mushy little guy! We looked out the window together as he spotted the "ti machin" at work below....just like my boy, he liked things with wheels. This little boy has no idea of how he ministered to me that day. The very person I would plan to avoid seeing, a baby boy, was the very person that brought more healing to my heart. That week would have been the due date of our son and the Lord sent a chunky legged, dark-skinned, bright smiling little boy; a tall, dark, bald man and His Son so that I might know His presence. What a good Father!<br />
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*There are no photos on this post out of respect and privacy to those who do not know me but allowed the Lord to use them in my life anyway.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-49348105313758872332016-04-09T20:29:00.003-07:002016-04-09T20:30:29.958-07:00Update and Top 10 List!Thank you to those of you who gave towards Dolly's Zoo Birthday! I have been told that more money is coming in but as of today, the total received for the zoo fund is over $600!! It is not too late to contribute. Dolly wrote a persuasive essay today for her school work to push along the process on the zoo. THANK YOU for being a part of that!!!<br />
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A team from our sending church is here this week! You can imagine the kiddos excitement to see friends. We have a heavy school week ahead of us. I am pretty sure school will travel over into Saturday this week as we try to do work and participate in the cool stuff the team will do. It will be a game of balance. I hear visitors ask the kiddos if they "have to school" today. I am sure at times it just does not seem cool to be doing school with opportunities all around us. The Lord has not called us to "unschool" so we school....and yes, I used school as a verb. This is a struggle for many homeschoolers but it seems more challenging on the mission field. There are always people in need. Thankfully, we are able to guard this time and our ministry supports us in that.<br />
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David Letterman used to do a Top Ten List. Here is a take on my own, not in order of importance:<br />
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<strong>Top 10 Ways You Know You No Longer Live in the U.S.</strong><br />
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1. A team comes to visit and ask what "treat" they can bring you and you request Dawn dish soap.<br />
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2. Your teenager and preteen are excited about the fancy fragrances of the newly delivered dish soap and sniff them to decide which bottle to use first...cause they WILL be using it!<br />
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3. You get a package from a loved one and inhale deeply of the fabric to "smell" your loved one.<br />
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4. You give the article to your teenager to smell and without mentioning the sender, they take a whiff and say, "Aunt Dee?" <br />
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5. A small reminder of "things" you loved while in the states, Bybee Pottery, brings tears to your eyes when someone sends a small bowl from their collection to you.<br />
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6. When your child request a baby doll with the same skin color of the people in your new country. (Oh man, it is such a cute doll too!)<br />
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7. When your child goes to their friend's house and "playing in the tires" was on the list of things they did.<br />
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8. When drinking water from a plastic bag is cool. It is our Caprisun!<br />
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9. A hand written note is love with an envelope around it.<br />
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10. You are humbled over and over again by the love and generosity of others.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3944631345378641521.post-56955051872841917632016-02-21T13:45:00.001-08:002016-02-23T08:57:59.213-08:00Zoorriffic BirthdayThis year, the zoo at the mission will turn 50 years old. Next month, our Dolly, the zoo keeper, will celebrate a birthday as well. For those of you who know our Dolly, you know her love for all things furry. The zoo has a variety of birds and a couple of small crocodiles that she checks in on as well as the rabbits and goats that she enjoys so much. <br />
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This is Jade. Jade of Joy was born Feb. 10th making Dolly the mama of 2 goats. </div>
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The zoo is about the size of a nice petting zoo in the states, but it is the only zoo I know of in Haiti. Dolly was gifted 2 animals for the zoo last year for her birthday but with changes in staff and issues with space, she has yet to receive them although the sender waits patiently. We have not given up hope and are dreaming on the best way to make accommodations in the zoo for these new animals.<br />
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My camera lovin' friend Jen captured this mama and her chicks.</div>
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Yes, this critter is in our zoo. NO, I did not take this beautiful photo.</div>
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As Dolly's birthday rolls around, we thought this would be a great time to share of her desire to see the zoo remodeled for its 50th Birthday!<br />
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Photo taken by Sara.</div>
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Will you join us? Dolly has $105 saved up from a previous birthday gift as well as money given by members of a team from Ohio, that left an "IMPACT."<br />
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Here is how you can give:<br />
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1. Log onto <a href="http://www.bhm.org/">www.bhm.org</a> and click "GIVE." Go to "GENERAL FUND" to give your gift. In the "GIFT NOTE" line, include the words "COMMUNITY MINISTRY" to insure your donation goes to the zoo fund.<br />
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2. You can mail your check to: <br />
<strong>Baptist Haiti Mission</strong><br />
13420 Eastpoint Centre Drive<br />
Louisville, KY 40223<br />
<strong>Toll Free:</strong> <span class="skype_c2c_print_container skype_c2c notranslate">800.359.5174</span><span class="skype_c2c_container skype_c2c notranslate" data-isfreecall="true" data-ismobile="false" data-isrtl="false" data-numbertocall="+18003595174" data-numbertype="tollfree" dir="ltr" id="skype_c2c_container" tabindex="-1"><span class="skype_c2c_highlighting_inactive_common" dir="ltr" skypeaction="skype_dropdown"><span class="skype_c2c_textarea_span" id="free_num_ui"><img class="skype_c2c_logo_img" height="0" src="skypec2c://r/204" width="0" /><span class="skype_c2c_text_span">800.359.5174</span><span class="skype_c2c_free_text_span"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="skype_c2c_container skype_c2c notranslate" data-isfreecall="true" data-ismobile="false" data-isrtl="false" data-numbertocall="+18003595174" data-numbertype="tollfree" dir="ltr" tabindex="-1"><span class="skype_c2c_highlighting_inactive_common" dir="ltr" skypeaction="skype_dropdown"><span class="skype_c2c_textarea_span"><span class="skype_c2c_free_text_span">Please include "COMMUNITY MINISTRY" in the memo line.</span></span></span></span><br />
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Thank you for loving on our Dolly, the critters, Baptist Haiti Mission, and the country and people of Haiti.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2