Feb. 2/18

I try every morning to make it to clinic.  We have so many little ones and new  people coming every day.  There are a couple kiddos that seem to like me more than others and I try to find a smile in each of them each day.  We have a 2 year old burned on his chest and neck, an 11 or so month old one burned on her bottom, a 3 year old burned on his back, a new preteen with both hands burned, a 7 or 8 year old that has been coming since May that was burned all over and still has an opened wound under her arm.  They never cease to stop coming with burned children.  So sad but each needing love.

Each day we do about 2 hours of preschool.  I only have one little guy I'm teaching but things are starting to click.  Between clinic and preschool, my mornings are pretty much spent.  The last week or so, I have been working a lot in the office with books and learning new systems for tracking receipts and organizing.  This is right up my alley.  When I'm not playing with kids, I love organizing.

Each day at 3 I go to language class for an hour or so, to try and pick up as much as possible.  Communication is key and therefore, I love to be in situations I am forced to use and learn as much as possible.  The longer I'm away from my own culture and my routine that has been so regular over the last several years, the more God can speak to me.  I'm learning just how similar our problems are around the world.  We all have them, but some are more obvious than others.  When you are away and focusing more on God and what he is doing and where he is needed, it's easier to spot the sick, the poor,  the lonely, the oppressed, the mentally ill, and the demonic.  It is also far easier to see the little miracles of God as well as the grand miracles, reliance on God is much more obvious, and His blessings are so evident.  Thank you God for being the Peace and Comfort that each of us desires.

School has Begun!!!

A little over a week of school is complete. I don't have to worry about snow days here.  I started working with a 4 year old, last week.  He was eager to have school like the other kids on the compound. I show up the first morning, after making him a notebook, tabbed binder, a school supply pouch, and lesson plans for the first two weeks.  I walk in, get everything set up on the table and invite him to join me so we can begin.  He asked what we were going to do, so I replied "learn letters, numbers, and colors."  With a very serious face, he crosses his arms and says "that's not fun, I thought we were going to go play."  School may not be as exciting as he originally thought.

We had a great first week. The second week didn't didn't start off as exciting. However, after a rough day, I promised that if he had two good days in a row we would play a letter and number game in the pool on Friday. At prayer time, he prayed asking God to help him have two good days so he could do activities in the pool.  Such innocence from a precious 4 year old!!!

 I've also been spending some time in the clinic. We have several little ones and it takes extra hands to hold theme down. Not to mention someone has to entertain the little ones. I can't say that I do a lot of the treating of the burns, but I hold the little ones down, love them, and let the medical professionals do their jobs.  :) 

We've had one that I've tried to befriend but couldn't break through, but then there was today.  I hope the pictures so that I finally made a buddy today. So nice to see them healing and becoming more and more comfortable!!! 

Jesus Calling Month 1

Throughout the duration of my year in Haiti I am working through the book, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young.  Several of you are joining me on this journey and I appreciate us connecting in our quiet time with the Lord. This first month has been about trusting God and relaxing in His presence.  Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  I know and trust that God is able to do far more beyond what I can ask or imagine.  Knowing and being content with are two different things.

I struggle with not knowing what the future has, what the next step is, where I will be, and what I will be doing. However, this year is forcing me to completely rely on God for direction and dependence.  Being a single 30 year old, I've been pretty independent for years.  But then, resigned from a great job, moved everything to storage, moved home for a couple months, left for Haiti, and sold my car.

So often in the U.S., we lose our focus and dependence because we have so much stuff and opportunities that we feel like we have everything under control.  With so much going on and ridiculous schedules we lose sight of the source of our strength and blessings.  God is present in all things and all places.  However, I'm not always aware of that because I'm too busy.  The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14.  A member of a team left a hammock here when he returned to the States.  He gave it to me and said that I needed to take time to rest in the presence of the Lord.  The past two Sunday afternoons, after church and lunch, I set the hammock up and spend the whole afternoon in the trees praying, reading, and relaxing until dinner.  It has been so refreshing.

I encourage quiet time with the Lord every day but take an extended time once a week to get alone, quiet and still with the Lord.  It is worth it!!!!