Our adventures serving the Haitian people in Jacmel, Haiti
A few people have asked what a typical day in Haiti looks like, and we’ve put off trying to answer that because there’s not much of a pattern to a typical day! We’ve tried logging our time a few different days, but that gets put aside when the first urgent need of the day comes up. We never get bored of the routine, and there’s always something else to learn!
Our campus consists of perhaps 15 acres of land, separated by a suspension bridge. Continue reading “A Day in Haiti”
Nine months. That’s hard to grasp. Where does the time go? Can you believe that it’s been 9 months since we moved to Haiti? Nine months of waking up to the joyful sounds of kids waiting to be taken to school (and the occasional rooster). Nine months of learning about each of the nearly 75 kids on our campus and in community care, forming a relationship with each one of them and helping to determine their areas of strength. Nine months of getting to know each of our Haitian staff who each Continue reading “Nine Months”
We had a great visit to the states last November, and we really enjoyed seeing many of our family and friends, as well as connecting with many who support our mission. We spoke at a few churches as well. The traveling was very time consuming, and we didn’t stay anywhere more than 3 days. It wasn’t ideal for rest and relaxation, but we are very thankful that we were able to see so many familiar faces!
When we got back we went right back into full time mission mode! Given our crazy schedule with very little downtime, it was highly recommended that we Continue reading “Taking Time for Self-Care”
We are heading to the states in November! Hopefully it won’t be referred to as Novembrrrr. 🙂 After 4 months in Haiti, we are very accustomed to temperatures between 75 and 95 degrees! We will be doing a lot of traveling while we’re in the states to visit with family, friends and supporters. We would love to see you all!
Our trip tentatively includes stops in Continue reading “November USA Tour!”
There’s a phrase that we often hear about relationships in both home and work environments: “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” There are some exceptions to this rule, but orphan care is not one of them!
This week marks four months living in Continue reading “People, Projects & Priorities”
The methods of caring for orphaned and abandoned children are changing. The goal is family preservation rather than institutionalization. We want displaced kids to come out of their childhood and be as well adjusted as possible. The best way to do that is Continue reading “How Important is Family Preservation?”
Three weeks before our departure. Wow, how did that happen? So many unexpected emotions. So many God moments.
Denise needed to go to Florida for 4 days to be with her mom and dad. Prayers for her dad as he recuperates and goes through rehabilitation. Prayers for her mom as she learns her role in his care. There are many decisions to be made around all of this.
While Denise was with her parents, Randy was holding the “empty” fort Continue reading “Leaving for Haiti Next Month”
Have you ever felt fairly confident in a decision that you’ve made and then continue to get ongoing confirmations that your decision was correct? We received yet another reassuring confirmation about our Haiti move recently.
The decision to sell most of what we have and move to Haiti with Hands and Feet Project (HAFP) was not taken lightly. We’ve prayed about it, talked about it, prayed about it some more, talked to people at HAFP, Continue reading “Continued Confirmations”
In case you haven’t heard – we’re moving! Denise and I are aiming to be fully funded for our move to Jacmel, Haiti by June 1, and that date is coming quickly! There are less than 100 days to go!
We have been busy meeting with potential partners and setting up more meetings. The past several weekends, we’ve shared our vision and financial goals with people 4-5 times, with another several appointments during the week. We have been blessed by many people who share our Continue reading “February Progress Report”
It’s hard to believe a month has passed since our last update. There are so many areas that need our attention before we move. Do we keep the house? What should we take with us? What should we do with everything else? Do we keep our cars? What do we do about health insurance? How much money do we need to live in Haiti? What other expenses do we need to include in our budget? How do we share our vision and financial goals with our friends and family? Those are just a few handfuls of the questions that we are facing.
So what have we accomplished so far? We’ve submitted our proposed Continue reading “The Countdown Begins…Heading for Haiti”