LESSONS

I wrote this last night but the internet was being difficult: Good Morning!

You may remember a post from my last trip about a little girl named Ensa (see post from November 29th) Well, today we got to go visit her, and she is doing so well.  Since we left, they finally diagnosed her with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and put her on a daily dose of aspirin. While she does still need to go back and revisit the doctor that diagnosed her, it is so great to see her at home and happy with her family!  Ensa’s family has also been blessed with employment! Her dad now has a job with a nearby organization, sewing clothes. Thank you to those you prayed and gave… God is good.

Here are some pictures from the team’s (and my dad’s) excursion to the tent city to help repair a tent damaged by the rain:

It is raining again right now so please keep these people in your prayers tonight.

On a lighter note, my evening consisted of a long rooftop session with friends, followed by popcorn and dark chocolate while watching a bootleg copy of The Hunger Games

 Good night people I love…

I went on a run before dinner yesterday. Yes, you read that right. I, Lexie, went on a run! And in Haiti no less! I had friends with me for motivation and it was not as bad as I was sure it would be. We ran the neighborhood streets dodging rocks and puddles that would later cover the expanse of the road as the rain poured down last night. It is no northwest drizzle that we experience here when it rains. You could literally shower in water that is dumped from the thunderous clouds. And for many, rain is a blessing. It makes things grow and fills our cisterns so we have water in reserve. But if you live in a tent in a packed city of homes just like it, with dirt floors holding all your belongings, it is much harder to see these torrential downpours as blessings. It leaves shelter in ruins and breeds diseases where people sleep. 

“Lord, how do we reconcile this? When your provision for some is detrimental to others?”

Ivans is the principle of Child Hope’s school and a mayor of sorts to the nearby tent city. The other day, as the sun shone brightly and the feeding program kids were gobbling their meals, I asked him if he was tired. He said no, that he was thinking. Sick with worry over what it might mean for many of these kids and their families if it rained that night. There were many empty spots at the tables for the smallest kids, and that concerned him. Ivans extends himself beyond human capacity to help this community, and yet he was sitting there racking his brain to think of what else could be done. What can we do?

I was so thankful for that conversation with him. As the rain poured down last night, and we sat under cover singing songs together, my heart was heavy for the tent city occupants. I prayed the rain would stop. It rained so hard. But I serve a God who is altogether wonderful and more than able to protect that community in a miraculous way. Some of the team that is here is going to fix some tents tomorrow… and we will continue to pray. The rainy season is just beginning, so please continue to pray through the next few months.

The effects of rain got me thinking too… In my life, what else do I only consider how it might affect me? I hope that in the future I will do better at considering the “big picture.” That I will recognize things that may bless me while hurting others, and react accordingly.  (and so far, no rain tonight!)

It felt so good to sleep in until 7:15 this morning after waking very early yesterday for a sunrise walk with Paula. It was beautiful, peaceful, and awkward as we roamed the streets enduring strange looks and giggles. Apparently, white folk in running shoes is a funny thing to see on your way to school. The familiarity with the streets is comforting… orienting yourself is difficult here, but I can confidently roam at least six streets nearby, knowing that I can find my way back to where I started. We were able to put these directional skills to use in the afternoon yesterday as we took some of the team that arrived yesterday on a “walking tour” …and it was a success! 

For those of you who know the things my heart longs for when I come down here, I have been blessed. I have had multiple sweet moments with the girls, and feel a comfort being with them at the girls home that I haven’t had before. The little ones are always easy, but the teenage girls actually know my name this time, and seem willing, and sometimes happy, to hang out with me! There have been the smallest of steps and shortest of conversations, let me tell you… for me, this feels huge.  I get so excited when one of them laughs at something I said or greets me with a kiss and my name.  Paula and I have also had many quality moments with the rest of the kids too… playing, laughing, helping with homework (Yvenell rocked his times tables). I’m really hoping for a dance party tonight! And thirdly, we have had sweet visits with the staff here, and long talks about life, frustrations, and how we as Americans at home can better serve and help these precious people. That excites me. 

Today we have feeding program, and worship night with all the kids and staff. Currently I am resting after my long morning in a car trying to get to and from a doctor’s appt with one of the girls. (more bonding time!) My dad is working so hard, fixing things around the organizations grounds. He is a blessing, and I’m so glad he’s here. Please pray energy for all of us, especially my dad. Also for healing for Paula and the guesthouse manager, Tami Jo, as they have not been feeling well. Continued prayers for the kids and the staff here are also needed, and just that God’s will would be done this week and always. That we would not get in the way of that.

As we were walking people around yesterday, I found that I felt so attached and invested in each of the places we showed them, in the people we found there. I believe in this ministry, I adore these people, I love these children with the whole of my heart. Paula put it very well the other day when she said that coming here feels like visiting family. It’s true.

I sat on the roof of the guesthouse for a little while last night. Alone with my thoughts and God. Easter was so good, but I felt distracted and needed some time to reflect and acknowledge the significance of this weekend. The roof is one of my favorite places to be, especially in the evening. There is so much going on around you, so much to take in, and yet it feels very peaceful. While I was sitting there, I wrote down the things I was hearing, feeling, seeing.

I see the sun setting while the heavy rain and dark clouds move in. Pink, orange, blue, grey, white. I see the ocean in the distance, with a sea of almost built or somewhat broken concrete houses between me and it. I hear honking horns and the evening chatter of people in the neighborhood. I hear the distant drumming of Voodoo “Rah-Rah” bands while the words “Nothing but the blood of Jesus” are heard in the music coming from my iPhone . I feel thick, warm air cut with the cool breezes that are bringing the rain… and bug bites, and concrete. Ouch.

This long Easter Sunday began at 4am and my tired self struggled to feel the worth of what we were celebrating. And then I heard a phrase while listening to music up there on the roof… “Lord we are your people.” This is no small feat! God made a way, through Jesus, for us to be His people… to know God. Even though I will never be enough or do enough to deserve such a relationship. Jesus conquered death, for me. And as I was thinking about this amazing grace and hearing the Voodoo celebrations going on not too far away, my prayer for Haiti is that they too would know this love. It is quite common for Haitians to know about Jesus, to go to church, sing, dance, and praise with a passion I wish for… and yet still take their ailing children to which doctors, hold tightly to superstition, and perform rituals to appease evil spirits. So my prayer is that these people would know the love a grace offered to them and trust that Jesus is everything they need.

Everything is going well so far… Paula and I feel right back at home and my dad is jumping right in!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!

“Father I abandon myself into your hands, do with me what you will. For whatever you may do, I thank you. I am ready for all, I accept all, let only your will be done in me, as in all your creatures.” -Charles de Foucauld

God help this be the prayer of my heart.

Happy birthday to Paula today!! Didn’t do alot today and that was just fine. A quiet morning led into a restful afternoon, followed by a trip to market and birthday dinner with friends.  We shoveled the yummiest cupcakes in before heading off to Wednesday worship with all the staff, kids, and team members. (some of my best moments here are in times of worship with these sweet people) It was a great evening that only got better with the spontaneous dance party that ensued with the kids when the night’s events were through! So much fun :)

Anderson and Jeff walked us home and Andy even did the dishes for us! What a birthday present for us all. Now I am laughing so hard while Brooke dances to YoutTube videos for us, hahaha.

Here’s some of my journalling from yesterday that I didn’t get around to posting: Such a good day… not too busy or exhausting. Even had time for an afternoon siesta and journalling on the roof as the sunset. After everyone went back down, Brooke, Paula and I laid on the roof talking until dinner. Bible study with the girls tonight was awesome, emotional, worshipful, and refreshing. We were all reminded of how much God loves us and how deserving he is of our worship above all things. Its so easy to let me and my worries get in the way, when the point of it all is Him.

There is a new addition to the boys home named Ti-Junior… a sweet heart and helpful spirit who knows no English. And he got to spend the morning with me and Paula, who know very little Creole… but it went great! And we’ve officially decided we love him :) He’s 10 years old and he helped us unpacked stuff in the clinic and make up some first-aid kits. Ti-Junior patiently walked with us from place to place and proudly carried his responsibility of the bag assigned to his care. Soon he will be enrolled in school though, and his free mornings spent with two silly Americans will be gone :) Please pray for him as he adjusts to his new life off of the streets. Pray that he thrives in his new environment, appreciates the new boundaries, and feels so loved by God and the people here. Continue to pray that all of the kids benefit from the blessings they are given and learn what it means to be loved by God. Pray that they work hard, and that God grows in them a passion to impact their world.   

There is a precious girl I’d like to tell you about. Her name is Ensa, she is 4 yrs old, and as you can see from the picture above, she has the sweetest smile ever and a personality to match it. Brooke, our nurse friend here, took us to meet her today at a hospital nearby. Yep… a hospital :( She has spent the last 2 wks staying there and more than 7 wks battling fevers. She also continues to have bone pain and inflamed joints.  During her stay at the hospital, she has had many tests done and received various medications. Still, answers are unclear and the symptoms continue. She is receiving quality medical care where she is and it is necessary for her to remain inpatient while they work to find out what is wrong.

Little Ensa has the amazing parents, who I also had the privilege of meeting today. Despite the challenge of having a small baby at home, one of them is with Ensa constantly. It is obvious that they love each other and their children, and honestly that is not overly common around here. Both parents are unemployed, which unfortunately is pretty common around here. 

Here’s where I ask for your help. Child Hope has been doing there best to help this family out, but the medical fund is running low and our sweet friend needs more medical treatment and testing. Each night Ensa stays at the hospital costs $60 US, which is adding up quickly. So, my first request is for money. If you would like to donate to her care, please follow the link posted at the end of this blog. My second request is for prayer. We want so much for Ensa to be healthy and be home with her family, so please be praying for answers and healing. Thank you so much for reading!

Child Hope Medical Fund

written Friday, June 10th…

It’s become a pretty normal occurrence… all shapes and sizes, perched on a ledge, climbing a wall, falling from somewhere above you to land in front of your feet. No big deal. Ha. Today we had a lot of sun… it was glorious! We soaked it up over lunch and then walked up the river that runs behind the house to go swimming. It may have been my favorite part of the week. Surrounded by beauty and friends, playing in the water.

The week has not all been fun and games though. It has brought its fair share of challenges and unmet expectations. (which I realize I shouldn’t have had in the first place). We spent most of our time in the pharmacy reorganizing, cleaning, labeling, sorting, etc. It needed to be done, we came here to serve, so what was my problem? I don’t know… I asked myself that question many times this week. I think part of what was happening was that I felt isolated. We didn’t interact much with people here, and I missed that. That’s where my heart is. The other bigger piece was that I wanted a different experience for our friend, Grace. I wanted her to love every moment, and I felt bad that I had brought her here. How horrible right? But here’s the thing. I’m glad we spent the week here. We all struggled, but God met us there. The three of us had great conversations and prayer time, and learned a lot about ourselves and each other. I was able to spend some really sweet moments working through my negativity and unmet expectations with the Lord. It’s amazing to me how many times, on this trip alone, that God has had to remind me about surrendering my plans and expectations to him. Maybe someday I’ll get it.

In coming to him with the challenges of the week, he provided us with joy and peace and sunshine and swimming time in the river. I came here to love, serve, and care for people. And I did that… this week too. It just looked differently than I thought or wanted. But it’s not about me. Lesson learned. The pace of this week has been slower which has allowed me time to think and process, and I welcome that. I also appreciated spending time with the family that runs the ministry. They have lived here 20 years, working to build and grow churches and church leaders, as well as treat medical issues among the Dominican people. What a privilege to hear about their experiences and know how to pray for them as I leave here. The Klein’s pour so much of themselves into other people, my biggest prayer is that they are able to get filled back up and feel supported and loved. There was a lot of purpose in this week even though my vision was blurred at times. And maybe some of it I’ll never see, but that’s okay. Another lesson learned.

On Wednesday we got to take a drive out to one of the churches up in the mountains. The beauty of that area took my breath away. Amazing. I loved our time of singing with the kids at the church, even when Paula, Grace and I were forced up front to lead a song… it was actually pretty fun. We walked around the town, shared Coca-Cola with friends, were welcome into homes, and fed delicious food. I think that particular evening and swimming today were the highlights of this week for me. Pictures can’t capture what we experienced and saw around us in those moments, but the three of us will carry the memories with us forever. And that is pretty cool.

God is good all the time, and all the time God is good… This is the day that the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these… For I know the plans I have for you…

So home I go. And I’m actually excited. The month has flown by, but I miss my family and friends, my church, my car, and warm showers. I look forward to sharing my experiences and catching up on life (over coffee of course). Once home I’m sure I will continue to process all that has happened in this month and will blog some of those thoughts as they come… there’s just no way to get it all down in the moment. And there will be lots of things that will probably never make it into written word, but I will share my heart and stories with anyone who asks. In leaving here, I reflect on the memories and lessons that this trip has brought into my life. In returning home, I weigh the decisions that have been placed on my heart and gear up for pace of life to change quickly. To deal with stress, busyness, work, bills and bad sleep schedules. I will hit the ground running, jumping right into the hecticness of summer, graduations, weddings, etc. And I just pray that everything I’ve gained in being gone for a month isn’t left in the dust. “Lord, help me bring these lessons home. Grow in me a love for you and others that shows itself constantly, no matter where I am or what I am doing. Continue to teach me and mold me into who you want me to be.”

The lights are out. I’m laying in my bed under my mosquito net so I don’t get attacked by bugs while holding my phone or a flashlight. Oh life without consistent electricity…

A quiet morning led to long day of seemingly endless projects. We worked on two things today, and it’s discouraging to barely see a dent at the end of your work. But… There is a dent. And I guess sometimes you just don’t know how big a project is until you start it. So we’ll do what we can do, and be ok with that :) The roof over the deck upstairs is unfinished and it has been raining… Alot. So we spent our morning bailing water off the roof while singing Disney songs haha. There’s still lots of water up there, but we made a dent. I think. And provided some great entertainment for the local workers fixing the roof :) Hopefully the rain that is sure to come tonight won’t undo everything.

The next many hours were spend on the overwhelming task of organizing medications and supplies in the pharmacy. Gary, the director of CDMM, sees patients at the ministry base aswell as at other locations, and has a crazy amount of stuff that has been donated over the years! Looking at it feels daunting. Pulling it out off of the shelves feels even worse. We worked for hours, until the power went out, and got about four cabinet shelves done. Out of about 45. Oh lord. I am praying for a supernatural ability to accomplish something in that room!

Even so, the day was good. We had music all day, we were fed well, and enjoyed a few minutes sitting in the scarce sunshine at lunch. Aahhh so nice :) I am happy to be helpful, and am excited to see more and do more throughout the rest of the week. And I might even be getting a little bit excited to head home… Maybe :)

I was reading Revelations today. Jesus was taking to one of the seven churches saying that he noticed all of these great actions they were taking. Good works, serving, discerning false teaching, suffering for the sake of Christ, etc. But then he said that they were lacking in something… They had stopped loving each other and God as they once had. And this is the biggest of problems… He says that if they don’t repent and return to love, he will in a sense, take away their ability to be affective! So without love, all the “things” that we do are for not. Wow. This is such an easy distraction. It is so easy to get caught up in doing… I pray that I am always much better at getting caught up in loving :)