Happy New Year from Haiti!

These kids don't mess around when they celebrate the new year! Singing praise songs with maracas and whistles...Wonderful! I am taking a breather. Hashtag for it would be #loudasallgetout. Dinner was a weenie roast with s'mores...Like being at home!

Hope you all have a wonderful New Years! So thankful to start this year off like this!

LB

T Minus 3 days!

Three days until take off! I leave out at 6am on Saturday and the reality of this is setting in. I have no idea how to even begin to put in words all the emotions that are running through me right now. Sad, nervous, scared, excited...just to name a few. I am so sad to leave my family and friends right now its not even funny. I am nervous just because I guess of the unknown. I know once I actually get to Haiti I am going to be in the same mind frame that I was in when I came back. Part of me wishes I wouldn't have waited 5 months to go back because I feel like some of the momentum has died down but I know this is God's timing and that is perfect. I guess its human to lose momentum if its not something you are emersed in but it was definitely something I didnt think I would ever forget. One of my favorite quotes is by C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambitions when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.". I am like the ignorant child right now...and I have even experienced that joy in Haiti before! Not saying that my family and friends aren't that important but that God's plan is so much bigger than all of that. I am an idiot! I have the worlds worst memory but I definitely remember everything that I thought when I was in Haiti and when I came home but I cant remember that emotion. If I could currently feel that, I believe it would override the sadness, nerves, and worry. Like we say at church, I am "walking in the light". Being transparent. I will be the first to say, following God can be so hard! I still have no idea what my gifts are that will be used at this point and not a clue what all God is going to do. That is something that is exciting to me right now. Not to mention a completely new chapter in my life. Eighteen weeks really is not that long and I know that at the end of it all, I am going to wish I had more time there.

Today was a sweet Christmas Day. This was the first year I can honestly say I did not want anything materialistic...although mom and Pa gave me new garden boots...its my equivalent of a Michael Kors watch or something. Mud will look great on these boots! But all joking aside, I loved being with the family. The kids are loud and sometimesI get cranky but I am still thankful for the chaos! I definitely think I reflected on that more this year than ever because of me going to Haiti.

I would appreciate any prayers you have time to pray for me. I have a way of making a joke out of anything to avoid sadness or something serious but I am not even able to do that at this point. Please pray that God will just give me grace that I would go whole-heartedly, not even have a chance to miss home, and complete what he is sending me to do. 

LB