my story.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 

2 Timothy 1:9

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Many have asked, "why Haiti?", "What is it that draws you in?", "Isn't it hard?"; so I figured I would share my story. I've shared pieces but to this point, I haven't connected my world traveling and homesickness to landing in Haiti, just over a month ago. 

January 12, 2010 I was participating in a 30-hour famine in order to raise money to fight world hunger. We were camped out at church and I clearly remember turning on the TV to find the news of a deadly earthquake in Haiti. I knew very little about Haiti but I remember having an instant connection with the country and the people. There have been {and continue to be} deadly earthquakes all over the world, but there was something about Haiti that immediately drew me in. I was connected without ever actually traveling to the country. Fast forward two and a half years and i've posted "I want to go on a mission to Haiti. Someone go with me" on Facebook. This would have been almost exactly a year before ever stepping foot in Haiti and about 10 months before I even knew of the possibility to travel to Haiti. 10 months later I posted "some days (most days) I’d love to drop out of school, quit my job and move to Africa to cuddle little baby orphans. Who is coming with me?". A friend who I had traveled with on a previous mission trip texted me 45 minutes later, informing me that there was a group going from our church and inviting me to come. God was clearly preparing my heart, long before I was even approached about going to Haiti. I committed to the trip and went and it changed my life forever. 

This trip was not only eye-opening for me but I fell immediately in love with the country, the people, the culture and the land. I returned home and emailed the founder of Chances for Children, beginning the conversation of how to set up an internship or long-term placement in Haiti. I knew that is where God was calling me and where my heart was at. Through long discussions with both the staff at Chances for Children and the University of Oregon, I discovered that I could not travel to Haiti to work and receive academic credit for my time due to a travel warning that the U.S. placed on Haiti (and has had on Haiti for the past 10 or so years, off and on). Because of this information, I accelerated my studies at the U of O to finish early so I could embark on this adventure! While there have been a few challenges and things to get used to while I've been here, overall the people have been incredibly friendly and welcoming and have made the transition as easy as possible! 

Watching the kids share their food and feed each other is one on my favorite things. While the kids at our crèche are very well fed, they are still very good at sharing food with others when there is extra. 

Up until about a week and a half ago, when teams and families came to visit, they stayed in a guest house that was in the next little community down the hill from the crèche. It was about a 10-15 minute drive (depending on who drove) and I've probably made that drive hundreds of times in all my time here. A little under a week before we moved guest houses (to now be right across the street from the crèche - what a blessing!), myself and a couple with our handy tour guide, Juvenal, hiked down the mountain. There is something about walking instead of driving that provides opportunities to stop and take in all the natural beauty that surrounds us every day! 

It truly was a special time to appreciate all of God's creation. I have challenged myself since, to be more intentional to take in the beauty, whether I am on foot or car or any other mode of transportation. 

Finally, my little friend, Mr. I (or Kid President as I like to call him). He has become one of my best friends and waits for me at the gate most mornings as we arrive for the day, to then yell "Al-y-son" and LEAP into my arms!

Adoption.

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship."

Galatians 4:4-5

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Let me recap a bit my past week and a half. The monday after Easter, I traveled to the airport to pick up a wonderful team of high school boys. They worked so hard to paint and get the new guest house ready to be moved into as well as built two soccer goals for the kids. This was much needed and so appreciated by the kids. I finished up the week {sick} but traveling to a feeding program and then spending the day at the beach {the best remedy out there}. Saturday, we dropped the boys and their fearless leaders at the airport and a few hours later returned to pick up our first of a handful of adoptive families coming to meet their children for the first time. The particular family that arrived last Saturday is adopting two boys from the crèche and I was humbly reminded of the adoption we've all experienced through God's love for us. Watching them play, laugh and love on their boys unconditionally {despite the fact they aren't even legally theirs yet}, is just a small window into how God loves us unconditionally and has adopted us into his family. 
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⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Ephesians 1:4-6

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God's plan for us from the beginning was creation, fall, redemption, adoption so that the full range of God's glory and mercy and grace could be known by his adopted children. I've now been tasked with providing families with bi-monthly updates on their children. This is such an honor to be tasked with as I see such value for families and children to feel connected despite the distance between them. I will be having little ones draw pictures to send home; and older kids write letter to scan and email home. I am honored to be such a part of this process, though it has caused me to reflect; these children are separated from both biological and adoptive families, caught in the middle between the two in a time of transition {a LONG time for many}. Am I separated {both physically and emotionally} from my biological family and my adopted Father in Heaven? I've worked hard to stay connected {thanks to technology} to my family back home, but have I worked equally as hard to stay connected to my Father in Heaven? In some ways, I feel closer to God than I have before and I've had to rely on Him more to provide during my time here, but in other ways, it's been difficult and I've seen and experienced a lot of pain and hurting while in Haiti that has distanced me from God. 

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Friday, another adoptive family arrives and then again on Tuesday. It is going to be a busy week and a busy few months with families coming to meet their children for the first time. It is emotionally draining but all worth it to see families meet and connect with the child or children they've been praying for and preparing to bring home for months and sometimes years.