Holy Week Recap

For those of you not on my email newsletter list, here is my most recent (and last) update on missions in Haiti.  It explains in more detail my decision to leave the international mission field full-time and where I will be going from here.  You can also read my previous updates if you missed them here and here.  Thank you all again for your love and support.  Comment below, or email above, with any questions you may have!

Below is a little photo recap of our recent trip to Haiti.  Mom, Erin, and I had so much fun serving at Have Faith Haiti Mission (HFHM) and celebrating Holy Week with the kids there.  Every day had a special Easter theme leading up to Easter Sunday.  It was an incredible week, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to close this chapter properly.  Thanks again to the Hambrick family for letting us stay with you and for all of your love, guidance, and support over the years.  Your friendship is one I hold very dear to my heart. Love you guys!

Day One: New Life seeds, painting flower pots, and dirt dessert snack!

Day Two: The kids did spring cleaning at the mission (Clean House, Clean Hearts theme) while we took the day off to pack up my things at HFMS, visit the apparent project, and enjoy an afternoon swim.

Day Three: Egg-Stravaganza!  Egg dyeing, a massive Easter egg hunt, and coloring paper eggs.

Day Four: The Last Supper.  Jeremiah held a special devotion time that evening to teach the kids about communion and the significance of why Christ washed his disciple's feet at the Last supper. It was  a tangible teaching time as everyone got to experience the servant hood in having someone wash your feet and by participating in communion.

Mom, Erin, and Jeremiah also took a group of kids up to the Baptist Mission that afternoon.  They had a fun time exploring hiking paths, souvenir shopping, a petting zoo, and the playground area.  They even topped off the day with a Haitian happy meal for lunch!

Day Five: Cross activities in honor of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  We also ended the night with pizza and a sunset swim over at Jim and Debbie's.

 Day Six:  We had all of the kids try on their "new life" Easter outfits that so many people lovingly donated for them.  If you can't tell from above, they all LOVED them! We had to leave for the airport shortly after, but they spent the afternoon doing "in the tomb" activities.  On Sunday everyone got to wear their new outfits to church and celebrate our risen Lord!

And last but not least, our fabulous hosts for the week!

It really was an awesome week!

Haiti Bound

Mom, Erin, and I head to Haiti in the morning to spend a week with Jenn and Jeremiah working at Have Faith Haiti Mission (HFHM).  I will also be packing up my items at HFMS to move back home.  I've decided with my back that it is just not physically feasible right now to live and work in Haiti.  This was not an easy decision, and is one I will elaborate on in a later post, but I believe it is the right choice and one God has directed me to.  I am so looking forward to spending this next week back in Haiti though.  I've missed it so much, and I cannot wait to celebrate Easter with Holy Week activities at the mission.

I will update and give more details in the coming days/weeks, but for now it's off to bed! 4:30am is going to come EARLY in the morning.

Please keep our travels and this upcoming week in your prayers.  Some specific ways you can pray for us:

• For safe and timely travels.  That our bags would arrive on time with no damage or anything missing.
• For patient and loving attitudes throughout the week.
• For my physical health and strength.  My back is still very limited and begins to hurt quickly.  Please pray that there will be little to no pain, and that I will have the strength to endure the activities ahead.
• Pray for the kids and workers at HFHM. Pray that these activities will help them to truly understand the meaning of Easter and will impact their lives for the better.

Off to Haiti we go (again!!).

Not Me Monday: Target Edition

After one too many boring days at home, I did not decide a shopping trip to Target with my best friend was a necessity.  I would never use the fact that there was a super cute purse waiting for me as an excuse to get out of the house.  I never indulge in shopping therapy.

And if I had taken this trip to Target, I would have never allowed myself to buy a $40 purse.  I always wait for items to go on sale.  My budgeting goals are going strong and I never give into impulse buying, even if it is a REALLY cute purse (that I happen to love)! I have great self-control.

And since I didn't take this trip to Target, and I didn't give in to an overpriced purse, I would never add insult to injury by walking out of the dressing room with my shirt inside out.  Of course I noticed it right away and promptly went back in to fix the problem.  I would never laugh hysterically and proceed to walk around the store anyways.  I hold myself to a high degree of dignity and would never convince myself that wearing my shirt inside out was acceptable.  After all, everyone probably thought it was just the new style.  Ahem.

Nope. Not me.