As I begin to type this, according to our newly added Haiti Countdown clock, we are 26 days and some hours and minutes away from boarding a plane in Austin and, then the next day, arriving in Port au Prince. Wow. It's hard to put words to what you feel right about now before doing something like this. Excitement. Angst. Surreal. Yes, I am doing this... Haiti is a real place, with real people, real needs that can be met, real friends from past trips live there, God is moving in big ways there and has invited me to join Him. It's surreal I guess because the day to day stuff here, at least on the surface, seems so far apart from all of that.
We've been busy working opposite shifts, and I've even worked "some" seven days a week. Something I don't usually like to do (I really dig the whole Sabbath thing). Homeschooling wrapped up and the boys have been "summering" already, and the Perspectives course came to a close with a big integrated project. In the midst of all that, we have been preparing for Haiti in various ways. Adding to the pile of supplies, visiting travel doctors, researching trip insurance, emailing with key people about various things that are part of this mission and so on. But it seems like one day we will be here doing this, and the next we will be there doing that. I'm not sure how a transition should look anyhow. Even though these busy things now seem unrelated to Haiti, I think that's not entirely true. Managing multiple things at once, making time for rest and seeking Him, worshiping in all you do, "working" with your family right there with you are things we will encounter in Haiti as well. The enemy is sublte in his ways sometimes. Business is inevitable but it doesn't have to keep us distracted (but it has some). Finding our times of quiet and prayer are no longer a daily habit but almost need to be scheduled in, or if we aren't careful, they won't happen. The interesting thing is, when a time of spiritual sustanence like that is missed, I feel it big time. It's something like missing a meal. I figure two things from that: One, you can walk as close to the Lord as you desire. Two, man how I need Him! That's the weird thing, the closer you walk with Him, the more you need Him, or maybe it's the more of Him you want...
This song was on the radio recently and has played through my head more than a few times the past couple weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvfMDhTyMA
Yep.
The boys are official pelicans... They've got the shirt now! Recently a good friend helped resize these adult shirts to fit, and I think the boys really liked that. They've worn them everyday since then. It's been like 5 days.
I realized today, that exactly one year ago marked my last day of my first year teaching fulltime. After much soul searching and ado to find who I was career wise, admittedly the first year was a difficult one and ended not as many of us would have thought. Definitely not how I thought. I was left wondering, and with little confidence left in my ability as a teacher. And it took me most of the following summer to break free of the stress that was that year, and process all that happened. What a change a year more can bring! Now, we're 4 weeks away from another fantastic trip to Haiti, in which this time, the whole family is a part of, I've regained my confidence as a teacher having homeschooled the boys and seeing the leaps and bounds they made in 9 months, and the future is bright for us. We aren't clear what it will be exactly, but that does not matter. We know He is with us. Difficult things are inevitable, but now it's been my experience that in them you really see that God is there. Recently, we were in Minnesota for some training for our work with PPM. The Haitian pastor was there too and shared a personal story of when the earthquake hit and the events that followed for him, including his struggle to grasp the tragedy and answer the question of "what's next, what do we do?" (As it turns out, PPM's parternship with Haiti came at this time.) He related it to Job 42, and specifically verse 5: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You." Yes.
Have you seen the fundraising thermometer? Yep, that's 79% of our goal and that is AWESOME! We cannot thank you enough for helping us make this trip financially, and backing us with your prayer. One other request though for the next trip, come with us!
Join us in praying for:
Blessings,
Joshua
We've been busy working opposite shifts, and I've even worked "some" seven days a week. Something I don't usually like to do (I really dig the whole Sabbath thing). Homeschooling wrapped up and the boys have been "summering" already, and the Perspectives course came to a close with a big integrated project. In the midst of all that, we have been preparing for Haiti in various ways. Adding to the pile of supplies, visiting travel doctors, researching trip insurance, emailing with key people about various things that are part of this mission and so on. But it seems like one day we will be here doing this, and the next we will be there doing that. I'm not sure how a transition should look anyhow. Even though these busy things now seem unrelated to Haiti, I think that's not entirely true. Managing multiple things at once, making time for rest and seeking Him, worshiping in all you do, "working" with your family right there with you are things we will encounter in Haiti as well. The enemy is sublte in his ways sometimes. Business is inevitable but it doesn't have to keep us distracted (but it has some). Finding our times of quiet and prayer are no longer a daily habit but almost need to be scheduled in, or if we aren't careful, they won't happen. The interesting thing is, when a time of spiritual sustanence like that is missed, I feel it big time. It's something like missing a meal. I figure two things from that: One, you can walk as close to the Lord as you desire. Two, man how I need Him! That's the weird thing, the closer you walk with Him, the more you need Him, or maybe it's the more of Him you want...
This song was on the radio recently and has played through my head more than a few times the past couple weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvfMDhTyMA
Yep.
The boys are official pelicans... They've got the shirt now! Recently a good friend helped resize these adult shirts to fit, and I think the boys really liked that. They've worn them everyday since then. It's been like 5 days.
I realized today, that exactly one year ago marked my last day of my first year teaching fulltime. After much soul searching and ado to find who I was career wise, admittedly the first year was a difficult one and ended not as many of us would have thought. Definitely not how I thought. I was left wondering, and with little confidence left in my ability as a teacher. And it took me most of the following summer to break free of the stress that was that year, and process all that happened. What a change a year more can bring! Now, we're 4 weeks away from another fantastic trip to Haiti, in which this time, the whole family is a part of, I've regained my confidence as a teacher having homeschooled the boys and seeing the leaps and bounds they made in 9 months, and the future is bright for us. We aren't clear what it will be exactly, but that does not matter. We know He is with us. Difficult things are inevitable, but now it's been my experience that in them you really see that God is there. Recently, we were in Minnesota for some training for our work with PPM. The Haitian pastor was there too and shared a personal story of when the earthquake hit and the events that followed for him, including his struggle to grasp the tragedy and answer the question of "what's next, what do we do?" (As it turns out, PPM's parternship with Haiti came at this time.) He related it to Job 42, and specifically verse 5: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You." Yes.
Have you seen the fundraising thermometer? Yep, that's 79% of our goal and that is AWESOME! We cannot thank you enough for helping us make this trip financially, and backing us with your prayer. One other request though for the next trip, come with us!
- The teams from all over the US, about 1500 individuals, who will be serving in Haiti this summer (and those elsewhere through PPM)
- Safe travels and time in country for all involved
- Unity of the teams as they serve
- Seeking God, to glorify Him and be a part of His plan for Haiti and elsewhere
- Everyone's future involvement in missions- for those going this summer to go again, and those who have not yet gone, but will, to Haiti or wherever the Lord leads them
Blessings,
Joshua
