October begins with rain and a lot of it. It was much needed and appreciated rain as it was so dry, hot, and dusty. Of course, I have a roof over my head so I can say that. For so many who still do not have shelter after the earthquake, rain is hard to deal with. There is no escape for some. Rain also makes it hard to travel because the roads may not be safe. Oti and I get really cold during the rainy season, some of the other missionaries laugh at me when I show up with a jacket and have a huge blanket on the bed.

We were able to receive our first team this month. LifeHouse was able to visit with their sister church. It was great to spend a little bit of time with this team and I know they were a blessing to their sister church.

If you read last month’s blog you know that I have been working on making my house more like my home. My canvases came in and this month they got hung up. Shoutout to the Nunemaker’s for helping me with that (and literally a million other things). I’m so happy with the way they turned out!

This month we began our time of traveling! In the second week of this month, we were able to visit six schools! This is such a fun time of year. We travel to each school to spend some time with them. We meet with parents, teachers, school principals, and the pastor. We also take photos of the kids and help them to write their thank you letters. When sponsors send cards or gifts we also give these out to the kiddos. It is so wonderful to see their sweet faces and be encouraged by their excitement. Some days you may see that we are in the office. On those days we are busy too! We translate the letters, edit the photos, add new kids into the system, and share info back and forth with our office in Florida. We also communicate with the schools about information and upcoming meetings.

On October 16th we had a family BBQ amongst the missionaries. The guys planned out this time and put in a lot of hard work. It was nice to spend time with everyone and have a kind of day off. On that same day, another event occurred that you may have seen on the news. I personally do not know any details and would prefer to not comment on anything that may be in the news. Please know that I am safe and continue to pray for all who are involved.

We had to put our traveling on hold for a bit which is not something that we like to do. It puts us behind schedule and also takes away our time from getting to spend time with the kids. This meant that while we were scheduled for about 8 schools a week we were only able to visit two in the third week of the month and 6 in the fourth week of the month. It did allow us to get caught up on some of the office work which was nice. I have also been able to spend more of these days at home working which Otis really enjoys.

I get many questions about how things are here, particularly during these times. Please, do not worry about me. I have seen reports of how things are and I want you to be aware that sometimes the reports use certain parts of the country and try to claim it is the entire country. Other times reports are just completely untrue. There is food to be bought, it may be more expensive than what it used to be but it is here. No, we cannot find everything that we have in the US but we never have been able to. And there are so many things I search for in the states that I can buy here but can’t there. There is gas somewhere around here it is just very difficult to get to. Again, it is very expensive and sometimes it is not being sold but it is here. Insecurity exists but RMI encourages us to be wise and vigilant. There are certain places I do not go and certain times of day that we do not travel, it is for our safety. Please do not be fooled by the media. Many people are suffering and have been for years but sometimes people embellish things. Continue to pray for everyone but know I am all good. Mama always says I am safer in the middle of God’s will than out of it. Also please remember that I cannot speak for the entire country or all of the missionaries here. I cannot even speak for all of the missionaries in the south, everyone’s experience is different. God has given me the peace to not be afraid during these difficult times.

• Where do the kids live? It all varies! Most of the kids in our program live with their parents or other family members.
• How much does it cost to sponsor a child? $32 a month or $384 per year.
• What does a sponsorship include? A sponsorship includes tuition, some school books, uniform, and access to the emergency medical fund.
• What percentage of kids are orphans? Currently, about .2% of our kids are orphans but there are many more in the country.
• How does the feeding program work? When over half a school enters the program that school gets our feeding program. This means a hot lunch each school day for every child at the school. Sometimes we can’t get that many students sponsored but supporters want the program at the school anyways. This can be done with additional funding.
• Are there more kids to sponsor? Yes, there are always more! Pray about becoming a sponsor.
• How does HFKz compare to other child sponsorship programs? I am of course biased towards HFKz but I am encouraged by all child sponsorship programs. The biggest difference between our program and others is our emergency medical fund. Every child in the program has access to this fund. We will financially cover any medical emergencies up until flying to the states.
• How old are the kids in your program? Children start school at about age 3 and can enter our program then. We try to take new kids at a younger age but have many students who have been in for years so our ages vary.
• What’s with the uniforms? Each school in a community has its own uniform. There are typically 3 different uniforms at each school: preschool, primary, and secondary.
• Are schools career-focused? Students sometimes can only go to school up to 6th grade depending on what is offered at their school. There are schools that go all the way through high school and some go on to college. They can choose in later years to focus more on particular subjects.
• How do I sponsor a child? Check out our website: rmibridge.org/hope-for-kidz
• How are kids picked to be sponsored? When we hear that we need new students we let the pastor know. Pastors live in the area and know which kids need sponsorships the most so they make these decisions.
• How does the letter process work? Each year you should get a thank you letter from your child. The kids write these letters and then they are translated in our office. If you want to write a letter to your child, mail it to the Florida office and our Haiti office will translate it and get it to your kid.
• Do we have a say in the curriculum? RMI does not have a say in the curriculum that is used by the schools.
• What are school supplies like? I normally see students with their school books as well as a notebook and something to write with.
• Do you have to be a certified teacher to teach in Haiti? The teaching that I was doing was for a private school. I personally have a teaching certificate but they do not require that. As for Haitian schools, I am just not sure.
• Do kids like school? Kids are kids, no matter where they live. However, school is a privilege for Haitian children.

It is crazy to even think about the fact that it is September. I may have said this last month but I feel like I run a marathon every day and get nowhere. This keeps me pretty confused about days and time. There is so much going on with earthquake relief. RMI continues to work hard trying to get as much help to as many people as possible. It has been fun having different visitors in and out throughout this time as people come down to help. I love getting to see friends new and old that haven’t been in the country in a while. With lack of missionaries here I have been handling a lot of the hospitality here. The ladies that do the cooking and cleaning make this easy for me. We are so blessed to have such capable people working with us!

With it being summertime it is furlough time for many missionaries. This means less people here to help out with Agape. Agape Flights has been so awesome sending several flights a week with both earthquake relief items and our normal mail. I always enjoy helping out here in whatever way I can.

This time is normally our busy season in HFKz anyways so we have been overloaded. But we always say we are thankful to have a lot of work to do…that means more sponsored children. We have been creating our yearly reports in order to have the best information possible for our sponsors. Each child gets a copy of their photo every year so we have to separate and organize those. We also have letters to separate and organize for the students to use when writing their thank you notes to sponsors. You can see above that I have also been working on translating letters from sponsors. We started delivering gifts again towards the end of this month as well. Back in July I also added the responsibility of our HFKz facebook page to my list. Go check it out and give us a like! As you can see, these things keep me busy!

With as busy as this month has been, I have needed to force myself to make time for myself. That isn’t always easy to do. Thankfully, I was able to get away for a day with two great friends of mine. I have also been trying to have one day on the weekends that I just stay home. It sounds silly but I truly have to remind myself that rest is required in order to help others. Please pray that I will remember to take care of myself.

My house has had some issues for a while. Before I left, I started having some work done on it. A lot of what I started were things that just really needed to be done. My kitchen cabinets were falling apart, two out of three bathrooms in my house had no doors, there was a tree which roots were coming out of the shower drain in the bathroom furthest from it, messing up the toilet in a different bathroom, and pushing up my floor in my dining room, living room, and one of the other bedrooms. There were holes starting to come up in my floor which was letting in mice. Thankfully, CLC housing has helped to cover the expenses of these renovations. This work started before I left but due to the earthquake some things have been delayed. A friend of mine reminded me that I also need a safe place so even if things are structurally okay I should still make my house nice and comforting to me. So I have also done some painting and I am working on redecorating as well. Check out some of the pictures below.

School is supposed to start in early October. Due to the late start our schedule will be a little off. After school begins we will be on the road several days a week for several months visiting the schools. On these visits we take pictures of the kids, help them to write their letters, meet with parents, teachers, school, directors, and pastors, give out any gifts that we have, and sometimes shoot videos. When we return to the office we will edit pictures and videos and also translate letters and the videos as well. Please pray for our health and safety! This year will be an interesting year with all of the trauma that these children have faced recently. So many of them completely lost their homes, schools, and churches. Please pray for these kids!! We also ask that you consider sponsoring a kid or two….or seven. Head over to rmibridge.org/hope-for-kidz to do that!

• Do you speak the language (Haitian Kreyol)? Yes, I am working on learning the language more in-depth but I know the basics.
• What kind of barriers do you find when witnessing? Language and cultural things can be barriers but we are blessed with amazing translators at RMI. I have never had someone refuse to listen.
• What happens when the missionaries are not on the field? Another huge blessing with RMI! Our RMI Haitian missionaries get the job done. Most of our US missionaries work even when they are not in the country but the Haitian missionaries keep everything going on the field. We work closely with the Haitian church and pastors and encourage them to take the lead on ministry in their areas.
• What effects do you see from the earthquake in 2010? In Cayes, we don’t see too much from the earthquake. We certainly meet people who moved there after it happened and many are very afraid.
• Do people have cell phones? Yes! They may not always be charged or have minutes, though.
• How has having solar affected your daily life? I already had power 24/7 but was living off of a generator/batteries and an inverter. We still have these things as a backup but solar has been such a blessing. The money that I would use for electricity can go to other things that I need.
• What is crime like? I do not like to highlight the negative sides. You see that enough on the news! However, like everywhere in the world, crime does exist. I have never been scared or felt victimized personally.
• What is the difference between the wealthy and the poor in Haiti? There is a huge difference because there is a big gap! The wealthy are more well off than I can imagine and the poor are poorer than we really know.
• What has the hardest part been so far? Learning the language was hard for me. Thanks to God, it did come quickly. But not being able to communicate…for me that was miserable! I still make many mistakes but I am so much better now. Transitioning is also hard but we never said it was easy!
• How does the sister church program work? A church from the states is paired with a church in Haiti to have a relationship. When you come on teams, you visit your sister church and plan on doing what they need during that time. Check out the rmibridge.org website for more info!
• Do you speak French? I do not speak French but I really want to learn.
• What is general transportation like? A lot of people have motorcycles or take taptaps. If you get far enough in the country you do see some mules and donkeys.
• What is the exchange rate? This changes constantly! I have seen it go up and down many times in the last few years.
• How do your finances work? I raise support in order to live in Haiti. If you feel led to help out financially you can do so on rmibridge.org
• How did you know that God was calling you to Haiti? That nagging feeling! Check out my blog post “Why am I here?” for a more thorough answer.
• What is your favorite memory since moving there? Some of my favorite memories are silly things that happen in the car while we are on the road working for HFKz. Another favorite is the view we had coming around the corner to enter Dagout with the team for the first time. I have never seen so many people dancing, singing, and shouting for joy.
• What is the difference between the honor/shame culture and the guilt/innocence culture? Big difference here! The US is a guilt/innocence culture while Haiti is an honor/shame culture. Check out this video for more: https://globalfrontiermissions.org/3d-gospel-guilt-innocence-honor-shame-and-fear-power-worldviews/

August started off with a bang! God works all the time y’all, He never sleeps. When I was planning out speaking engagements for my time stateside I totally forgot that August 1st was a Sunday. That doesn’t even make sense??? As many times as I looked over calendars and spoke to pastors, it’s crazy. When I realized it I considered contacting back a few churches that couldn’t get into my calendar. But something told me not to. And then I overheard a conversation that made me understand why all of this happened. God allowed me to be free that Sunday so that I could witness my stepdad being baptized. It was a blessing to go to church with them and spend the afternoon with family and friends. What fun!

On August 14th, Haiti experienced a disaster in a way I have never known before. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake with the epicenter close to us in Southern Haiti. The aftershocks also hit areas near us and areas that we work with at RMI. It was a very hard morning being in the States and not being able to get ahold of all of my people. Since then I have contacted a lot of them to get reports. On the night of the 16th, Grace hit and caused more suffering to the people of Haiti. Many were still too traumatized to sleep inside or do not have shelter. I don’t understand why these things are happening but I know that there is a reason. I tend to deal with sadness by trying to look on the bright side or make jokes. I made the comment to someone, “when we asked people to pray the God would pour out grace on Haiti this isn’t quite what we meant.” On the 18th I was thankfully allowed to return home. I was anxious about what awaited me but so happy to be able to return and help out on the field.

The summer of church signs came to a close with three more churches this month. It has been a blessing to visit each of these places over the past two months and see so many sweet faces.

Well, it is August 20th. I am so thankful to be home. but also so conflicted. I feel like I am doing nothing to help but then again feel like I am running constantly. RMI is working hard to distribute as many relief items as we can. I am trying to support and encourage our staff as well as other missionaries here as they work. Please continue to pray for Haiti during these very difficult times. Please also remember to pray for the missionaries and others giving help. It isn’t easy when you realize that you cannot help everyone.

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We have so much to be thankful for. This life is not an easy one. Sometimes it feels as though those suffering continue to suffer relentlessly. Sometimes we ask God why He allows some things to happen. But when we take the time to stop and think on what all He has done…What a blessing that this earthquake happened during summertime so schools were not in session as many schools are destroyed. What a blessing it is that God held the RMI staff safe that they make help others. What a blessing that now the world has a greater capacity to help one another in times of trouble. Yes, there are awful things going on all over the world right now but do not forget to give God thanks. The things are not for us to understand because we are not in control. It is for us to trust the King of kings and know that this is all part of His plan. I will never understand how you can see two houses side by side one completely fine and the other flat on the ground. I will never understand why it had to be Haiti…again. I will never understand why the rain continues to fall hard on people who are still sleeping outside either out of fear or nowhere else to go. I will never understand why the aftershocks continue or why so many had to go through so much trauma. BUT. I understand who my God is and therefore, it is okay. God is good all of the time, no doubt about it.

Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti at this time. This suffering will continue for years to come but we know the God can free us from our suffering. Pray for your missionaries as they try to help the best that they can. If you feel led, please consider giving to the RMI earthquake relief fund at https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-bin/Vanco_ver3.vps?appver3=Fi1giPL8kwX_Oe1AO50jRlZu3TcWt6AQgTxntamC76THO3iVYxvvxhHjRfLOeq662EvVVAEjqawDomKT1pbouTMd0F_TLzeAADY4MqbaKIQ=

While stateside this summer, I got a lot of questions! I will be sharing these (and the answers) on the blog over the next few months. Here’s the first batch!

• Most interesting or favorite Haitian food? My favorite is fritay (anything fried: plantains, breadfruit, akra, french fries) and a pile of spicy pikliz with ji citwon (key lime juice) to wash it down.
• What is a day in my life like? Each day is a little different! Depending on the time of year, I am either at the office or on the road. On office days, we have devotions before work. I go home for lunch and return to work in the afternoon. On the road days typically start earlier and end later and are full of adventure. I do my best to stay active in missionary life around the compound as well.
• What do you do with Otis while you are gone? A sweet friend of mine stays at the house with him. He loves her and we jokingly call her his “marenn” (Haitian godmother).
• How has Otis transitioned to Haiti life? He loves it! He moved there at 10 weeks old so it is all that he really knows.
• What do you like or dislike about the different jobs you have had? Both of the jobs that I have had are very close to my heart! I don’t like to compare them because they are two totally different things.
• Do you ride on donkeys and such? I don’t currently but maybe one day I could try!
• What is your house like? My house isn’t quite an American house but certainly not a typical Haitian home either. My house is set up for several singles to live in each with their own room and bathroom with communal living, dining, and kitchen/
• What food do you miss while you are in Haiti? I can always go for some Chic fil a when I am stateside. And sour cream! How has COVID affected Haiti? In March of 2020, it was certainly a big thing! Things were closed down and we were wearing masks, etc. This didn’t last very long and now we are back to normal life.
• Is the vaccine in Haiti? I have heard that it is in the country but I am not quite sure how accessible it is.
• What is the effect after the assassination of the President? The short answer is I don’t know. It is a sad event and will certainly cause things to happen but we are just not sure what. Expect the unexpected and remember that only about 1/4 of the news is ever accurate.
• When are you to return to Haiti? I plan to return in mid-August.

Hello? Anyone there? It’s been another full month! July has kept me busy. We started the month by celebrating Independence Day in the US. I was thankful to be surrounded by good family and friends during this month. I did a lot of driving which gives me a lot of alone time to just think. I spent much of that thinking time reflecting on the amazing people that God has placed in my life. What a blessing!

This month also brought along some turmoil. At the beginning of this month Elsa came into play. She first hit my home in Haiti and later came to visit at Mama’s in north FL. Thankfully, I had no damage at either place. That same week, Haiti had a major event happen. I do not personally know the truth about what happened and don’t want to comment on it. All I will say is that I ask for you to pray for everyone involved in the incident.

The summer of church signs continues! I am so thankful to be able to visit with the wonderful folks at all of these churches. I love their hearts for missions and hearing the questions that they have for me.