so many reasons to be thankful

our tree

the collaboration of ideas. tres bel!

last week we celebrated American thanksgiving. one of the great things about living in a place where there are people from different countries is that we get to celebrate holidays, such as thanksgiving, more than once each year ;-) The morning started out rather crazy as we worked to get 23ish volunteers and team members to their respective occupations for the morning. once things settled down, the decorating began! the tree was set up and decorated with little lights and silver and red ornaments. paper chains were put together to hang around the dining area, garland was intertwined with lights and hung up the stair railing, and more garland and christmas balls were hung throughout the main floor. christmas music filled the house as we worked together to decorate. once the bulk of the decorations were in place, we started to get crafty and create more things with which to embellish the house. my personal favourite, mostly because i was doing it and it involved glitter, was painting pine cones and needles from Ft Jaques, and twigs from the yard, then sprinkling glitter all over them. i never knew i liked glitter so much! 

the stairs :-)

food was being prepared throughout the morning, and once i finished adding some bling to leaves and such, i did my best to pitch in. by 3:00 pm the meal was nearly ready, and food was laid out on the buffet table. 50 + people joined hands to pray before we filled plates and sat down to enjoy the thanksgiving meal. it was a very full and festive house! and the meal was excellent :-)

this time of year is a good time to be reminded of all the blessings we have. although we should always be thankful, i know that i, personally, can easily let myself get bogged down with concerns and worries. sometimes the most basic things like life itself escape my notice. life really is a beautiful thing. to be able to wake up each morning with a fresh day ahead with which to serve God is pretty amazing, as well as a big responsibility - one that i often don't take seriously enough. other times i have to remind myself just how amazing it is to be in the position i am. i'm in a beautiful country surrounded by vibrant people and wonderful friends. each day i have the opportunity to play, hug, and kiss babies. there is something very special about entering a room and having five (or more) little people run to you with big smiles, outstretched arms, and calling out 'na-na-neen!' (Emelyne). it's heartwarming, if not a little overwhelming, to sit on the floor and have a bunch of kids get as close to me as possible. it's amusing to watch their antics and the way the interact and 'talk' to each other. it's a pretty cool thing to be even a tiny part of what goes on in this large organization, and to play a small, albeit indirect, roll in the process of adoption. in the past year i have experienced more than i'd have imagined. when i first came to Haiti nearly four years ago, my life took an unexpected turn. ever since then it's been a bit of a crazy mountain road ride, never really knowing what lies around the next corner. it's not something i would trade for anything! 


so for now, i just want to be thankful for life, for the opportunity to be in this place, for the fact that Christmas is just around the corner, and that i'll be home to visit in three weeks. Yey! 

climb every mountain

A couple of weeks ago, a group of us hiked the mountain that lies across the riverbed from us. It was the hardest hike i have ever done (and i had hiked the same mountain my first trip to Haiti, but i didn't remember it being that difficult!). there were many times when i was afraid that i wouldn't make it to the top and that rather than me conquering the mountain, the mountain would conquer me. my fellow lag behinder and i made innumerable breather and photo taking breaks. we took lots of time to 'smell the roses' as they say, and then i made sure i got a few pictures of each one as well. this conveniently dragged out the rest period before we made ourselves move on ;-P we met some very nice people who live on the mountain and most likely make the trek we were making a regular part of their lives. we probably wouldn't have taken the opportunity to talk to them if we'd been extremely cardiovascularly fit. i can't say the number of times we asked 'did you see some other people come past here', or 'which way did the others go?' every time without fail, they gladly showed us. finally, after about 4 hours of intense upward climbing, we made it to our goal. what a sense of accomplishment! the view was awesome, the air was clear and cool, and THERE WAS GRASS! :-) the whole mountain was lush and green, with many fields being planted or growing crops. the soil was dark and rich with a deep red tinge. 

the hike down the mountain was pretty difficult, but not in the cardio kind of way, with many hairpin turns and craggy, steep paths. by the time we were on the last stretch to home, i was ready to hail a moto taxi, hop on the back, and ride the rest of the way home, which would have been a five minute drive. however, i told myself 'you just climbed that whole mountain; you can't give up when you're so close to the end!' 8 hours after leaving, we arrived back at the house very tired, extremely sweaty, stiff, soar, sunburned, and ready for a huge glass of icy water :-D 

Here are just a few of the photos i took while we hiked. Enjoy!

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"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  Matthew 6:28

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Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. Isaiah 40:4

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24

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In You, O LORD, I put my trust;Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.Bow down Your ear to me,Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me.

Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 31:1-3, 24

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

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When your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. James 1:4

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You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

So much to be thankful for!

**** This blog we written last night, but posted today, as i didn't get the photos attached last evening :) 

Turkey!

maple leaf embellished pie :-)

Happy Thanksgiving! it's been a wonderful day here in Haiti. it started with a cool, fall-ish morning with mostly cloudy skies, then a drizzly, rainy afternoon. And then, the highlight of the day, thanksgiving dinner! it was delicious, with turkey and all the trimmings :-) Before eating dinner, the non-canadian attendees decided that the Canadians should have to sing 'O Canada' before we prayed and started eating. We complied, and we rocked it! ;-D it was almost as good as the anthem before a hockey game; just not quite as loud. lol.


although i missed spending time with my family at home, i had a wonderful day with my GLA family. I'm so thankful for each and every one of them! 
God has blessed this place with a great group of people, and i'm so privileged  to know and share life here with them.
Just a few blessings i'm thankful for this year....
My wonderful, loving, supportive family back home.
My amazing, fun 'family' here in Haiti.

With Melissa, a fellow - Canadian co-worker. :-D

The opportunity to watch many children grow
up, change, and move on from GLA over the course of the past year.
To see Eglise D'Espoir grow and strengthen over the past year. I have been wonderful to see the hand of God working in and through the people there. it's exciting to see so many people seeking God and becoming godly leaders.

With some of our Canadian volunteers. You ladies are great!

God has proven Himself faithful over and over, time and time again. He has performed miracles, transformed lives, and shown Himself able to do anything. i, and each one who makes the choice to serve the One and Only, can be sure that He will always guide and provide. Life with our Saviour is an adventure unlike any other. it can be challenging and at times a little (or a lot) frightening, but i wouldn't have it any other way. 
it's an honour like no other to play even a small role in His great big story!
I am blessed beyond measure!

It's been a year!

It's been a year since i packed up my suitcases and bid my family farewell to go spend three months volunteering at GLA. at that point, all i knew was the next three months and from there on out it was up to God to make it clear. Well He did. I became staff and three months became six months, six months became a year, and a year became a year and a half. from there, i don't know. once again, that's in God's hands, and i know that in time He'll make it clear! :-)

in some ways, September 14th 2010 seems like so long ago. a lot has happened, i've learned a lot, i've grown a lot, and i've met a lot of incredible people. But most of all, God has never failed to show Himself faithful. it is such a privilege to be able to serve Him in this place that i love so much, and i am excited about what the future holds, not just in my life, but in the future of God's Littlest Angels, Eglise D'espoir, Thomassin 32, Petionville, and Haiti as a whole. there is so much potential in all these, and i am privileged to be witness to (and a little tiny part of) it! Sometimes i forget just how blessed i am.

there's a quote i love by one of my favourite fictional characters, Anne of Green Gables. She says:

'When I left Queen's [University] my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes--what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows--what new landscapes--what new beauties--what curves and hills and valleys further on." 'Anne of Green Gables' by L.M. Montgomery, Chapter XXXVIII

Sometimes my life feels a little like one of these mountain roads. when you've rounded one bend, you're bound to come upon another. The views around those bends can be absolutely breathtaking; each one is different than the last, but the anticipation of what may be beyond is quite thrilling. how awesome to have a Master Route Planner in charge! :-D

Thank you God for an incredible year!

Somewhere In The Middle

lately i have been challenged over and over to live a life of whole hearted abandon to Christ. to live as though the only thing that matters is loving and being loved by God. i recently finished a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan which basically reminds readers of how huge and worthy our God is, how small and really insignificant we are in comparison to the entire universe, and how God doesn't NEED us, but that He WANTS us, and wishes to use us to fulfill His plans and purposes. i highly recommend reading it! here is the website if you are interested in finding out more about it. http://crazylovebook.com/

As much as i wish i could say that i am at the point where i am totally sold out to God, i'm afraid i can't. i know that i'm still somewhere in the middle, and that deep end is, quite frankly, rather frightening. to come to the point of laying everything down - hopes, dreams, plans - and saying 'God, i want to do whatever You want me to do' (taking into consideration that this COULD mean leaving family, friends, and life as we knew it, and spending a lifetime living out in the middle of a jungle or a desert with no modern conveniences and no connection to the outside world, and possibly never returning home) and honestly be ok with it, is a huge thing. There's a great song by Casting Crowns that pretty much spells out the challenge. It's called 'Somewhere in The Middle'. my big thing is this: 'just how close can i get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control?' to be brutally, completely honest, i struggle with telling God 'here i am; you can do whatever you want with me'. it's a prayer that i'm still a little afraid to pray, not because i don't want to or don't believe that His plans outshine my own by a million, but because i don't know what is going to become of it. it's a little like driving blindfolded and trusting that the person beside you is going to give you accurate directions. but then, God's supposed to be the one in the driver seat!

Somewhere in The Middle ~ Casting Crowns

Somewhere between the hot and the cold

Somewhere between the new and the old

Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be

Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right

Somewhere between the darkness and the light

Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me

Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense

Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle

With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is

But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle

Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands

Somewhere between my faith and my plans

Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar

Somewhere between the altar and the door

Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more

Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side

Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DveYBno-pmQ

it's easy to be a fearless warrior when you never have to face a fear. it's not difficult to have faith that you won't drown when your feet can still touch the bottom and your head's above the water. faith to move a mountain is not hard if you've never had a mountain that needed to move. Christianity and living for God is not easy; it's not intended to be, and Jesus never promised that it would be. Living in this world and working for Christ pretty much guarantees that there will be fights and battles. it may mean having to stand up and fight for freedom of little girls who have been sold into sex slavery (http://www.ijm.org/). it may mean fighting to free boys and girls who have been forced to become child soldiers (http://www.child-soldiers.org/childsoldiers/child-soldiers). it may mean caring for orphaned children. it may mean raising children in a Christ centred home and teaching them to follow hard after God. it may, and really should, mean hand to hand combat with forces of hell. and after all that, we may never see results of our work this side of heaven. 

each of us has a different calling, a different gift, and a unique supporting role in this huge, amazing story that God is scripting. we are highly privileged to be a part of this story! although God never manifests His will in each life in the same way, we all have one thing in common; We are serving the same God; we have the same promise of eternity, forgiveness, peace that passes understanding, hope that makes no sense to the world, and confidence in our place in God's hand.

right now i feel a little like one of those soldiers standing at the gate of my safe picket fence, not sure if i'm quite ready to step outside. the Giver of the deepest, most sincere, most inexplainable love there is is standing outside the gate beckoning, encouraging, promising to be beside me...... i don't want to hold back because of fear! i challenge you to join me on this amazing journey of learning to trust and follow the One who loves us with the craziest of all loves. a love crazy enough to give up His one and only Son so that every person who ever walks this earth would have access to the greatest gift there could ever be; salvation. 

‎"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams come true because we dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord."
-Sir Francis Drake

NOT just another lightning post!

k, i know i've had a couple posts about how incredible the lightning storms are here, but i've gotta make another. BECAUSE.......tonight was the first night that i was ever able to capture it in a photo! i've had several people explain to me how to do it; how the shutter speed needs to be slow and the camera on a stable surface, ect. but it took me actually taking some time and playing around with my camera to figure it out. and i was just blessed enough to capture a few forks of lightning among the 50 some pictures i took. it's kind of addicting!
 because there was a lot of sheet lightning flashing almost constantly, i found that sometimes when there was a lot of other light entering my lens while the shutter was open, any fork lighting would be drowned out. HOWEVER, i did get a few shots where the forks are beautifully obvious, and many where the constant flashes lit up the clouds like daylight. i am pretty pumped about this accomplishment!

Flashes of Lightning

Tonight i was awed by the beauty and majesty of God's handiwork. i have never, ever in my life seen so much, or such beautiful, lightening! For a period of time it was literally flash after flash after flash that split the sky with it's brightness. sometimes it was sheet lightning that lit up the clouds, and others it was bolts of lightening that shot across the sky. there was no thunder and no rain; just lightening. and it rivalled any fireworks show!


Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear. Habakkuk 3:11

if clouds are chariots (photo/psalm post)

Psalm 104

 ¹Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

 ²Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

 ³Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

 ⁴Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

 ⁵Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

 ⁶Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

 ⁷At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

 ⁸They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

 ⁹Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

 ¹⁰He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

 ¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

 ¹²By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

 ¹³He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

 ¹⁴He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

 ¹⁵And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

 ¹⁶The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

 ¹⁷Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

 ¹⁸The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

 ¹⁹He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

 ²⁰Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

 ²¹The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

 ²²The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

 ²³Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

 ²⁴O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

 ²⁵So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

 ²⁶There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

 ²⁷These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

 ²⁸That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

 ²⁹Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

 ³⁰Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

 ³¹The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

 ³²He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

 ³³I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

 ³⁴My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

 ³⁵Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

ponderings on the rooftop

¹ Praise the LORD.^[j]

   Praise the LORD, you his servants;
   praise the name of the LORD.
² Let the name of the LORD be praised,
   both now and forevermore.
³ From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
   the name of the LORD is to be praised.

 ⁴ The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
   his glory above the heavens.
⁵ Who is like the LORD our God,
   the One who sits enthroned on high,
⁶ who stoops down to look
   on the heavens and the earth?

 ⁷ He raises the poor from the dust
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
⁸ he seats them with princes,
   with the princes of his people.
⁹ He settles the childless woman in her home
   as a happy mother of children.

   Praise the LORD.

Psalm 113

i don't believe that words could ever describe the awesome God that i love and try to {the Lord knows i could do better!} serve. less often than i should be, i am in awe of just how amazing He is. to think that the One who created everything would take the time to not just look, but to stoop, down to each person on this earth and take a personal interest in their lives is amazing. but what is even more amazing is to think that this same God knew each and every person who has ever walked this earth, be it for a hundred years or just a few days, with the deepest of intimacies before we were even formed! He knows every hurt, joy, injustice, and struggle we will ever face, and He WANTS to go through everything with us from the first to the last time we draw breath. he WANTS to be our greatest need and desire. He doesn't NEED us to love Him, but he WANTS us to; he wants us to find our security in Him. God doesn't NEED me, but He does WANT me. how amazing is that?

the other amazing thing that stands out to me in this passage is that He will raise the poor from the dust, the needy from the ash heap, and seat them with the princes. it's not just Haiti where innumerable people suffer from poverty and struggle to survive. it happens all over the world. In Heaven it won't be like that. there will be no 'respect of persons'. it won't matter that one person has their Masters or a university education, and another at the age of 70 never made it through the first grade or learned to write his or her own name. what will matter is that they made Jesus their Master, Saviour, and Everything. what will matter is that their name is written in the Lamb's book of Life.

today, as i sit on the rooftop writing and watching the sun dip below the mountain, i am reminded of who God is and who i am. He is the reason i exist. life is but a breath that can be taken away in an instant. in the grand scheme of things my life is but a sentence in God's big story. who and what am i going to make of my small contribution be about? 

Sonia's Back!

 Matthew 25: 45, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these, you did it unto Me.”


on thursday the Gemmen's brought Sonia back to Haiti! i, along with everyone else here, was so excited to see her again! i could not believe how much she'd grown in the last three months. she's so beautiful and strong and big now! and that smile...... ;-) i'm very thankful that i took her to Florida three months ago and not now, because i don't know how i'd have managed carrying such a solid baby around. i don't know for sure if she remembers me or not; now that she's warmed up a little, she seems happy to see me, for which i'm glad.

there's a verse in the Bible that says 'Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.' Hebrews 13:2
so many people have been so instrumental in loving and caring for this little girl. The Gemmen's who were with her through it all, the surgeons, doctors, nurses, social workers, and all the other hospital personnel who made Sonia's care possible; people from various churches that i know were so helpful to Al and Lisa, and possibly some other people whose impact we may never known. :-)  each of these people allowed themselves to be vessels of God's love and healing touch to Sonia, and in doing so, they 'entertained' one of our angels.

now that Sonia is back at GLA, we will work together to do our utmost to provide, love, and care for our little Haitian princess. there is no lack of people willing to shower love and affection on her! please pray along with us that Sonia would remain strong and healthy for the duration of her stay at God's Littlest Angels, however long that may be.

even through the valley

'even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.' Psalm 23:4

today was a very difficult day for everyone at GLA. this morning we said goodbye to a long-time staff member and beloved lady, friend, and mother to several children. we had learned that she had cancer on her brain and knew that her situation was delicate, but i was not expecting her to pass as quickly as she did. at home in canada (and in most first world countries) treatment for the many forms of this disease or so readily available; that is not the case for many here.

today, cancer took the physical life of a beautiful, vibrant woman who was somebody's mother, somebody's friend, and God's daughter. although she left behind so many who will miss and mourn her death, she is no longer in pain or discomfort; she is in the presence of the creator of the universe, the lover of her soul. but my heart aches for her children, some of whom are at big milestones in their lives, who now must adjust to life without their mother. i can't imagine that pain.

it was a subdued, downcast environment through the whole house today. i never know what to say to people or do when hard times like this happen. thankfully, words are often not necessary. one of the best things i can do is to carry them to Jesus and pray that He comfort their hearts and hold them up. i ask that you join me in this. no matter where you are you can show love and support for the grieving family and friends by carrying them to the One whose heart aches and knows our pains. Only He can heal the ache that Exilia's death left behind.

at the conclusion of two wonderful weeks

it's 7:30 am and i'm sitting waiting for my flight to leave for miami. i was able to quickly get through baggage and security as there were hardly any lines - my favourite way to travel!
this marks the end of my two week visit home, a time that i treasured and enjoyed to the fullest! it was so good to be with my family, friends, and church family. i appreciate them all so much, and didn't realize just how much i'd missed them till i was with them again.
there were so many things i loved about being home: the long summer nights where it didn't get dark till 10:00, the fireflies that would flicker across the pond, the cool green grass, the quiet (i live in the country), time spent with family and friends, campfires, driving, reading a good book, eating fresh strawberries, playing a real piano..... these are all things i loved about being home. i could have done without the horseflies that buzzed around my head anytime i went into the woods, but other than that.... it's crazy to think that the next time i see that place it will be covered in snow and being prepped for christmas!
now that i'm waiting for my flight, i am looking forward to being back in Haiti, cause i love that place a lot too! sometime i'll maybe make a list of all the things i love about haiti. there are lots!
so for now, my dear Ontario, i bid you 'Adieu'.

a heart with two homes

i cannot say how many times in the past three and a half years i have said something along the lines of 'haiti is where my heart is' (or something cheesy like that. lol. what can i say? i like cheese). i think it's safe to say that those words have exited my mouth quite frequently. that certainly hasn't changed. yes, there are days that are hard, times when i get really frustrated, moments i feel discouraged. but according to several very wise people who have spoken at church, challenges are signs that you are doing something for God. it's when one is feeling comfortable and like things are easy that there may be reason for concern. 
anyway, that's not what this is about. 
in less than a week, i will be home in Ontario visiting my family and friends for a couple of weeks. the closer it comes, the more excited i get. i think of all the things i'm going to do, the people i'm going to see and hang out with, and just being back in the home where i spent the majority of my life. recently i looked at pictures i have of our property, and i thought to myself, 'i have a beautiful place to call home!' it's a place that holds so many memories and stories and, best of all, some of the most important people in my life. the people who have helped to shape me into the person i am today. people that i am proud to call dad, mom, brothers, and sisters. sometimes i take for granted the fact that my family is so supportive and encouraging of me being here, but it's an incredible privilege to have that - not everyone does. 
so, as the day of departure approaches, i look forward to being reunited with my family, and i look forward to hanging out with my friends from home. 

My wonderful family :-)

i have discovered that i easily call ontario and haiti both 'home'; apparently, i have two :-) what a huge blessing. i thank God for both of them!

magical, tropical, beautiful, paradise

yesterday i had the privilege to accompany a group of our volunteers to a waterfall nestled in a crevice in the mountains. it's a place i've been to multiple times, but yesterday was special. as we were heading toward our destination, rain started to gently fall. when asked them if they wanted to keep going and risk getting wet, or turn back, it was decided that we would continue on. and i'm glad we did. the rain never came down heavily; it just gently pattered on the foliage and dampened the path, making it a little more slippery and challenging. but when we got the the waterfall, it was more beautiful than i have ever seen it. every colour seemed to be more vibrant, deep, and lush.
sadly, my camera battery had died on the way there, so i was unable to take pictures. instead, it was a scene that i needed to embed in my memory. our clothes were all wet, but our spirits were not dampened. there's something adventurous about taking a hike in the rain (but not pouring rain; i have learned that that's not a good idea, especially if river beds are involved. lol. this trip was uneventful, though). lush green walls of vines, ferns, and other foliage covered the towering walls of the valley, and smooth, sun bleached rocks made up the floor. large boulders all piled on top of each other created a beautiful scene with little cascades of water spilling over and continuing on toward the riverbed. grey clouds hung low in the sky and hid the sun from view, while rain pattered and created a natural symphony. i thought to myself ' it doesn't get much better than this!' i love this country so much; it is such a privilege to be called here. and i love sharing the privilege with people who are willing to accept this place for what it is - beauty, scars, and all. the artistic work of God is breathtaking, the wounds inflicted by so many situations are heartbreaking. and for me, being in the place that i know God wants me to be right now, it is paradise.

I loved him too

yesterday i had to do something that is near the top of my list of difficult things to do. i had to say goodbye to one of my special kids. he was here for assistance, and since i first met him in september when he was one of my assigned kids, i was wrapped around his little finger. his personality was huge, his smile incredible, and his little voice was enough to melt my heart - especially when he looked at me with sparkling brown eyes and repeated 'ah lah loo' (i love you). or when he would call to me from the nursery balcony as i walked by: 'lalalene!' yes, i was fairly deeply in love. i knew all along that at some point he would need to leave and return to his family, but to actually say goodbye? that was hard! i honestly didn't think that i could do it. i knew for sure that i didn't WANT to! but by the grace of God and the support of great friends, i did get through it.

when i saw him with his nanny at the top of the stairs as we prepared for him to leave, i had to turn away because i did not want him to see me cry. if i knew that there were some guarantee, it would not be so hard. but there's not. there never is for any of us. i have no idea what his future holds. odds here in haiti are harsh, but we do have this promise: this little boy is loved by the One who created him and brought him here to GLA where he was given a second chance at life. this little boy has the God of the universe on his side. this little guy has been loved and prayed for by so many, has beaten so many odds, and has a strong will and personality. this little guy is strong; and he's in the hands of God, the one truly safe place. that is
not to say that hard things will not come his way, because  i'm sure they will. it is to say, however, that regardless of what he may face, God will be there with him through it all. it's to say that God has plans for this little boy's life. plans to prosper, not to harm him; to give him hope and a future (see Jeremiah 29:11). my prayer is that one day this little man will make the choice to accept Jesus as his personal saviour. my hope is that he will make a positive impact on his world, whether it be a tiny village, a big city, the entire country, or the planet in all its entirety! he's had a good start already!

so, after i held him one last time, kissed his cheek and said 'i love you', and after he waved to me and blew me a kiss, i watched him go through the gate in the arms of one who will provide care for him until he is reunited with his family. i know his family loves him. i and everyone here at GLA have done what God intended us to do in this little guy's life; now it's up to his family and God. i know that he will soon forget me, but i will never forget him. i am so blessed to be able to say that 'i loved him too'!
Go with God, little one! Bondye beni ou!

A New President is Inaugurated

Yesterday was President Michel Martelly's inauguration ceremony. i personally didn't listen to any of it becuase a. i forgot it was happening :-S and b. i wouldn't have understood much of it. lol! anyway, the point is that Haiti has a new president, and he seems to really want to help Haiti get back on her feet. we need to be sure to uphold him and all his advisors in prayer, as the road ahead will not be an easy one, and no change will come quickly or easily, i'm sure! 


last night i was in bed trying to get to sleep when i started hearing this popping sound, like a very loud popcorn machine or a car backfiring. for a while i tried to block it out, but then started to place the sound and thought 'how crazy would it be if there were fireworks going on out there, and i were laying in bed?!?!' i got up and went on the roof/balcony of our house. sure enough, light flashed and lit up the sky beyond the mountain that lies between us and port au prince. fire works shot hight into the sky, exploding in a myriad of colours, sizzling and sparkling, lighting the dark night sky. it was a fireworks show that would rival a Canada Day celebration at home, and it lasted a good half hour! it was a lovely treat, and i thought to myself that Mr. Martelly may be inaugurated any day he wishes if it means getting such a great show of fireworks! lol! but i suppose that wouldn't be very practical. 

i tried to capture their beauty.... 

but i'm still learning all the settings on my camera... 

my favourite shot :-)
however, in all seriousness, i believe that hope has been renewed in this tiny country of Ayiti. People expect great things, and i pray that they happen! my prayer is that President Martelly would seek God's will in all things, and create and maintain a government free of corruption (something that countries like Canada and the U.S. don't even have - dose any country have a corruption-free government? maybe haiti will be the first!). Prayer is very powerful; we need to utilize this commodity to its fullest potential - something i am still learning how to do....