We will be in Haiti in five days. Writing this post is helping me process this reality.
Tonight Kevin and I set up our tent in our backyard for practice. Our backyard in Ruston, Louisiana, with our freshly cut grass to cushion our white, soft American feet. Our tent will be our home for a month- we had better know how to put it up. Standing in our backyard, mosquitoes biting our legs (and really any skin exposed), we put the very simple tent together. I got frustrated at every single step, because of the mosquitoes and the heat (it was only 80 degrees). Once the tent was finally up, we got inside and watched all of the mosquitoes buzz around the netting, trying to get in.
Laying in the tent also helped me to process our trip that is five days away.
If you want to pray for us, you can pray for our health and moral, but mostly for the Haitian people to know Jesus. That's the reason we are going.
I'm excited about the fact that La Gonave used to be inhabited by pirates; I'm excited about the food; I'm excited about the culture possibly resembling that of West Africa. But mostly I am excited about taking this journey with God- He is orchestrating this trip to be exactly how He wants.
I'm not excited about the spiders.
We may not be able to update our blog while we are in Haiti. But I am going to try my best to borrow a stranger's computer when we are lucky enough to catch internet. I love posting to you all so I'm committed to making this happen, even if I have to go out of my way.
In the mean time, take a look at Remember the Poor Int.'s website and get to know their ministry!
http://www.rememberthepoorintl.org/index.html
Bonswa!
Hailey
Monday, May 14, 2012
Bonjou Zanmi m' yo, (Hello my friends)
Hi everyone, this is Kevin, not Hailey:)
In less than one week, our nine-member team will be in the country of Haiti. So many events and changes have transpired over the last five to six months. Many more than I can recount. It is enough to say that God has given me more clarity about the life He has planned for me. I have always heard a whisper that says, “give it all up and follow Me”. That voice has been minimized and trivialized so much over the years that I’m surprised it is still there. But thankfully it is and I’m trying to listen to that voice now. In my life right now, I do not believe that voice is found in social work. Do I know specifically what God has planned for my life? By no means, but I know I am willing to give everything up to find it. Our one-month trip to Haiti is a part of this journey. Hailey and I are considering the possibility of returning to Haiti full time with the ministry we are going through for our one- month trip, Remember the Poor Int. Although that possibility does loom large in my thoughts, I remember Jesus had a few things to say about thinking too much about the future, so I will look for what God is doing now.
I could tell you so many things, but right now I have a desire to tell you a little bit about our team. Let’s start with Hailey. For those of you who don’t know Hailey, I wish you did. She would make your life a lot more fun. In short, she was made for adventures like this. She loves anything with excitement and a little danger. She lived in the African bush in Niger for two months, which gives her some confidence going into a trip like this. I have known the other team leader, Katie Reese, for about two years now. She was new to our community at Wesley then, but has made a huge impact here since then for the kingdom of God. I have seen her grow with tremendous strides since I have known her and am honored to be on a team led by her and my wife. John McGee is the next team member I’m going to tell you about. I’ve had the privilege of leading a guy’s small group with John for the last three months. John and I are extremely different and God has used that to sharpen us. I am proud to call him my brother in Christ and can’t wait to serve alongside him. The only other male on the team beside myself and John is Chase. I didn’t know Chase before we started preparing for this mission trip. It has been great to spend time with him over the past four to five months. It is obvious God is at work in his life and I know our friendship will grow deeper during the trip.
Ali, Jillian, and Phoebe are also new to me as of the last four to five months. Ali and Jillian are both from Shreveport and are roommates. They remind me a lot of Hailey and one of her best friends, Dani. They couldn’t be more fun to be around. They bring joy with them everywhere they go. Phoebe has done a lot of traveling around the world, but has never traveled with a team. I know it will be a blessing and at times challenging for her to experience a trip like this with eight other individuals. I have known Sarah for about three years now. She was in my small group when I was an intern at the Wesley Foundation. Her parents are missionaries so she did not grow up in the United States. The last two members of our team are Brother Bill and Pastor Alfonso. They are part of their own congregations in Benton, LA and Tampa, FL respectively. Pastor Alfonso is the head of the ministry we are going through.
All of us (except for Brother Bill and Pastor Alfonso) prayed together last night at our last mission trip meeting before we leave for Haiti. It was a wonderful time where I could see the hearts of each individual in the room. I was so encouraged and overwhelmed by the unity that God has created. God has uniquely equipped each one of us to serve Him during this time. I am sure of it!
There is so much more to tell you, but I’ll stop here. This is what I know: God is at work in this team and I have big expectations for what He will do in and through us while we are in Haiti.
Pray for us as we finish preparing and as we leave next Sunday, May 20th!!!
Hi everyone, this is Kevin, not Hailey:)
In less than one week, our nine-member team will be in the country of Haiti. So many events and changes have transpired over the last five to six months. Many more than I can recount. It is enough to say that God has given me more clarity about the life He has planned for me. I have always heard a whisper that says, “give it all up and follow Me”. That voice has been minimized and trivialized so much over the years that I’m surprised it is still there. But thankfully it is and I’m trying to listen to that voice now. In my life right now, I do not believe that voice is found in social work. Do I know specifically what God has planned for my life? By no means, but I know I am willing to give everything up to find it. Our one-month trip to Haiti is a part of this journey. Hailey and I are considering the possibility of returning to Haiti full time with the ministry we are going through for our one- month trip, Remember the Poor Int. Although that possibility does loom large in my thoughts, I remember Jesus had a few things to say about thinking too much about the future, so I will look for what God is doing now.
I could tell you so many things, but right now I have a desire to tell you a little bit about our team. Let’s start with Hailey. For those of you who don’t know Hailey, I wish you did. She would make your life a lot more fun. In short, she was made for adventures like this. She loves anything with excitement and a little danger. She lived in the African bush in Niger for two months, which gives her some confidence going into a trip like this. I have known the other team leader, Katie Reese, for about two years now. She was new to our community at Wesley then, but has made a huge impact here since then for the kingdom of God. I have seen her grow with tremendous strides since I have known her and am honored to be on a team led by her and my wife. John McGee is the next team member I’m going to tell you about. I’ve had the privilege of leading a guy’s small group with John for the last three months. John and I are extremely different and God has used that to sharpen us. I am proud to call him my brother in Christ and can’t wait to serve alongside him. The only other male on the team beside myself and John is Chase. I didn’t know Chase before we started preparing for this mission trip. It has been great to spend time with him over the past four to five months. It is obvious God is at work in his life and I know our friendship will grow deeper during the trip.
Ali, Jillian, and Phoebe are also new to me as of the last four to five months. Ali and Jillian are both from Shreveport and are roommates. They remind me a lot of Hailey and one of her best friends, Dani. They couldn’t be more fun to be around. They bring joy with them everywhere they go. Phoebe has done a lot of traveling around the world, but has never traveled with a team. I know it will be a blessing and at times challenging for her to experience a trip like this with eight other individuals. I have known Sarah for about three years now. She was in my small group when I was an intern at the Wesley Foundation. Her parents are missionaries so she did not grow up in the United States. The last two members of our team are Brother Bill and Pastor Alfonso. They are part of their own congregations in Benton, LA and Tampa, FL respectively. Pastor Alfonso is the head of the ministry we are going through.
All of us (except for Brother Bill and Pastor Alfonso) prayed together last night at our last mission trip meeting before we leave for Haiti. It was a wonderful time where I could see the hearts of each individual in the room. I was so encouraged and overwhelmed by the unity that God has created. God has uniquely equipped each one of us to serve Him during this time. I am sure of it!
There is so much more to tell you, but I’ll stop here. This is what I know: God is at work in this team and I have big expectations for what He will do in and through us while we are in Haiti.
Pray for us as we finish preparing and as we leave next Sunday, May 20th!!!
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