"Home is where your Heart is"

Jeff is quite busy in Haiti. Up until now, he has only gotten to see the Good Samaritan kids late in the evening for short visits. But, tonight they are having a great time with the kids, Max and Margarette, Pastor Nathan and some other friends celebrating Martine's birthday!
The military came in and built a new tent system for the kids several weeks ago. They built them up off the ground so the beds stay dry with all of the rain they are getting. The girls continue to be happy and are doing great.
Jeff has been checking out housing for us, for the guest house, for the girls, for a boys orphanage, etc. Many meetings and business. All ground work stuff that has to be done.

Tony joined Jeff on Sat and seems to have fallen in love with the country and of course the kids too.
Gesner is doing really well. He now has opened a barber shop and Youdeline is working for the red cross. They are living in a house constructed out of sticks(the long branch like sticks you see for sale when driving around the city limits, I assume) and tarp. Jeff and Tony will be helping them build a second room on their "house" so they have a bit more space to be inside. They will also be helping them move the barber shop to a new location.

Schneider is doing great. His cyber cafe is running really well. He is also doing a good bit of translating for organizations.

Fan Fan is still trying to get things going with his school, but nothing happening yet. He needs work.

The next few days will be busy as well. They have more visits to make. More kids and leaders to visit. More needs to evaluate. A lot of information is being gathered.

Thank you for your prayers so far. Please continue to pray for Jeff and Tony as they minister to the Haitian people.
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While Jeff serves in Haiti, I am here in Carlisle with the 5 kids who need me to be here right now. We are doing our normal thing. School, homework, activities, taking care of things at home. It has been a blessing to see Max and Berothie blend so well with our own children. It has been really cool teaching them things about our culture and them also teaching us about theirs. It has been an unexpected blessing to be able to blend our lives with Haiti here before we even move our family there.
Pastor Nathan called tonight and spoke words for me. He said "your heart is in Haiti, you are there, but your heart is here". At the time I couldn't figure out why he said it. Then I talked to Jeff. He mentioned Pastor Nathan's concern that I hadn't been to Haiti since October. He thought (as has happened with others in the past) that I had lost interest in Haiti and was having second thoughts. Him saying to me that my heart was in Haiti was his way of confirming with me my desire to help and to allow God to work through me in Haiti. When I hung up the phone, I realized Pastor Nathan was exactly right. My heart is in Haiti because that is where God is leading me. As hard as it might be to give up what we have here. As hard as the transition might be. As hard as it might be to home-school my kids. As hard as it will be to learn another language at my age. As hard as it is to step out of my comfortable life. As much as I love what we have here...family, friends, church, security...The saying "Home is where your heart is" means I belong in Haiti. We belong in Haiti.