December 2021

It sounds crazy but I don’t even remember December starting. How did we get here so fast? Some of my forgetfulness may have to do with just how busy November was. The last day of November held a huge pastors meeting in the morning and a baby shower in the afternoon. To say the day was a marathon would be an understatement.

December has kept us busy but not in the same way that previous months have. We are not traveling every day right now. Our guys are still on the road a lot delivering gifts and food for the feeding program. Now we use our time to catch up on the work that we did while we were out. The day we finished translating letters I thought I could do a cartwheel. It is nice to have such a feeling of accomplishment. And then the photos were done being edited. Oh, how exciting!

So that is what the first two and a half weeks of December were, a lot of office work. Pastors come in and out of the office each day for different things. It is always fun to get to be in the office and see everyone. Sometimes when we are traveling I won’t see people for days at a time. I also enjoy translating the letters, I can always learn a new word in Kreyol. I am brushing up on another skill as well. When I was teaching in the US, I could always figure out what the kiddos were trying to write. You know, when they are little sometimes you have to do a little deciphering. I am working on doing that in Kreyol as well. Many times I need help!

Most of our schools were working on exams the last few days before Christmas break. I was able to visit a few and make them do silly things for me. You can see that some were more into it than others! We also visited a local school’s Christmas program for a little bit one day. Another school visit was not RMI-related but was still a wonderful experience. Several RMI staff members are supporting this school as a personal endeavor. You can find more info about that on my Facebook.

It was nice to get away with some friends and coworkers for a weekend this month. We stayed at a nice hotel about an hour away from us. The view was incredible. I will never cease to be amazed at the beauty God created when He created Haiti. It was a pleasure to just spend some time relaxing together. I am thankful for the opportunity to go out.

We celebrated Christmas throughout the week here at Cite Lumiere. On Wednesday, we had our annual candle lighting service with special music and devotion. On Thursday, there was an RMI Christmas party. Many of the staff cooked and we got to share some laughs together. Friday was supposed to be a lazy day but that doesn’t seem to happen very much anymore! This year there was no big Christmas celebration amongst the missionaries. I am thankful for two families who reached out to ensure I wouldn’t be spending Christmas alone. I had Christmas dinner with friends that feel more like family. Oti and I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas.

As we end this year, I am so thankful to see all of the ways that God has worked in 2021. It has been a tough year for Haiti and the world. Many are still suffering from the varying different challenges that have happened. I am thankful to see how God has used His people to reach others and show love. Please join me in praying for 2022 and all that it will be. In the end, I can only wish for God to be glorified through it all. Remember Oti and me in your prayers. Here is to the upcoming year!