January started off on the break. We didn’t go to work until the 4th. It was nice to wrap up the remaining days with good friends. An island day with some and out to lunch with another. The 1st in Haitian independence day. Unlike most, I didn’t celebrate by eating soup joumou (pumpkin soup). It is always a good time to sit back and remember the resilience of Haitians from the very beginning. There is a lot of history and firsts in the story of Haitians gaining their independence from France.
As we went back to the office, the HFKz team prepared to spend another month or so on the road. During this time, we are working on any photos or letters that were missed during our first round of visits. We are also taking any new kids that are needed as well as completing field monitor reports. These reports help us to keep up with exactly what is going on in the kids’ lives. Sometimes we surprise the schools, we do this to ensure that they are doing what we require of them each day, not just when they know that we are coming. We strive to have schools that are truly giving these kids an education.
We started traveling during the 2nd week and were able to visit 8 schools. This work doesn’t take as much time as the work that we did in the late fall did so we can sometimes visit more than one school in a day. Then we head back to the office to update everything in our system.
During the 3rd and 4th weeks of this month, we visited 9 and 7(ish) schools respectively. I wish I could share every detail about each visit. But that would take too long. And honestly, there are already things I have forgotten. How awful of me! I should be writing things down to remind myself of all of the ways that God is working. The days get busy and time slips away. You’ll notice this post is shorter than others. This month has been so busy I haven’t had as much time to work on it.
Two stories are very much worth sharing. One on a Tuesday and one on a Friday, both in the same week. On Monday afternoon, we decided to visit 2 schools on Tuesday. We drive out (about an hour and a half) to find that both schools are closed. This is pretty frustrating. It feels wasteful, with time and gas. But I often forget that God knows what we need. We didn’t get to do all of our work but we did have some gifts to deliver. So we chat and decide to try to get to some of the kids’ houses. The last house we got to….wow. This child’s sponsor had sent several gifts. All of them were wonderful and greatly impactful in his life. But then we see his house, no roof… not even 4 entire walls. The sponsor had sent for tin sheets to be bought for him and a lot of them. Enough to more than cover the house and continue to bless him, his family, and probably his neighbors for years. Something that we never would’ve seen if the school had been open. Something that we so quickly forget and yet we are surrounded by it… poverty. It set a fire in my heart as well as the staff members who I was with. On that Friday, I met my sponsored kid. I have met him before, he has quite a story. We were visiting a school one day and the pastor had made him come. They knew we weren’t planning on taking kids but he knew this kid was in need. His mother has several children, no father seems to be present. She clearly has some mental health issues that keep her from caring for these precious kids. And I just fell in love with him. I had to have him. I hadn’t seen him since that time. I was excited to see how he would be. Now he was in school (again), would have a uniform and shoes, and his school has the feeding program. Thankfully, he was doing well. It did my heart good to see him again.
A friend sent me some podcast suggestions recently. This friend, wow I love her. She is so sweet. I can always depend on her to point me towards God, even when it hurts. I know she is always praying for me. We don’t get to see each other now and I miss her every day. So when she sends a suggestion, I take it. Because of her, I have been listening to the podcast ” A Deep Well”. I highly recommend it. Start at the beginning, that’s where I am. The first season is about the 7 feasts found in Leviticus. I will admit, I didn’t know much about them. And I have learned so much. I won’t spoil any of the podcast but I will spoil something I have learned. The host, Erin, is so passionate. You can feel it in her voice. And she is not afraid to share. It is a reminder, share what you are passionate about. Not everyone will get it and even agree, but share.
Love You to Haiti and Back 