A Mixed Bag

Sometimes I have trouble thinking of things to write about because we are still in transition and building our base has to come first...those things can be a bit boring and frustrating. A mixed bag of things happening right now...
I still feel so anxious about going to get groceries, I put it off as long as possible. It seems everytime I go something uncomfortable happens. The credit card machine won't read my card...can't understand enough Kreyol to know why or maybe the clerk doesn't know why. The credit card machine doesn't work sometimes period. Some young man approaches me to tell me his life story and dreams for his future and asks if I can help with his plans to go to school. I looked up halfway through this conversation to see the security guard carrying the shotgun saw this and made his way close to me as the man talked. Two or three times now, a young man approached me or someone I was with to ask if we would buy milk for his baby. Last night I ordered 10- 5 gallon bottles of water in kreyol (galon dlo dis - same as I ordered before) and for some reason the clerk thought I wanted 40. Not sure how carant gets confused with dis...they sound nothing alike. I can understand how she first thought I wanted ice...kreyol for ice is glas...sounds a bit like dis, but carant??? so after saying no I don't want ice, she conferred with the clerk next to her and she confirmed I wanted the "galon dlo" so I thought we had it settled, I pay, go to the car, give my reciept to the attendant who takes it to the water guys who will begin to get the 10 bottles of water ready while I drive around. The attendant comes back and shows me the receipt, I paid for 40 (karant). How did that number every come into play? and how did dis not get heard after saying it 5 times. Maybe I should have spoken in English. Thankfully the attendant was honest enough to tell me and get me my change. I have no idea how I would have talked my way through that. I do love BelMart. I do know that in order for me to even be able to feel comfortable going to the grocery store, I need to learn this language better and I need to just keep going. Unfortunately after the night I had there last night, I still have to go back today.
Schooling has also been a big challenge for me and for the girls. They are begging to "go" to school...they just really need to be with other kids and be more challenged by being in a classroom with other students as well as a teacher other than mom. Vanessa has been a huge help to me a few times a week taking on one of the girls, but we are seeing that this is not the best set up for the girls or for us trying to do ministry. We can't send them out in the neighborhood to play with other kids, the only time they have with kids is at the orphanages with kids who only speak a little english. They are begging to be with other kids. We are looking into our options for next year and praying for guidance for choosing the best situation for our kids, for us, for the ministry. I only mention the girls because Colton is doing really well with school online. He likes the independence and he loves the flexibility so he can be very involved in what his dad is doing and in teams coming. He will be taking on a role of photographer/videographer for teams and making dvds of each trip. This gives him some big responsibility and he loves all the computer work.
I mentioned an orphanage visit a few weeks ago. We are still doing some research into the existing set up and seeking some direction through prayer and conversations with Max and Margarette. We can't simply dive right in and begin giving hand outs...as I was once inclined to do before becoming more involved here. That's not what AWAKENHAITI is about. We are about walking along side the Haitians, helping where help is needed for longevity, for sustainability, hearing their plans and visions, not just throwing our ways on them, but giving ownership to them, and ultimately honoring God in our efforts...seeking him in all things. This can't be done overnight, it takes time, especially in Haiti where everything takes time.
We are ready to begin to move into this next phase of ministy as we anticipate 8 teams over the next 8 months. Part of the reason we are here is to be a channel for people to come, to provide awareness, to assist us in the ministries we are doing here, and to hopefully help people to seek out if they are being asked to reach beyond themselves locally, nationally, or globally. We have some very big projects coming up and we are very excited about meeting many great people and seeing God work in and through them.
We have many things to be thankful for here. We are so blessed to be walking this journey. We have specific things to pray about/for as well as the things we can't yet see. We know God is at work in things and in people we aren't even aware of yet. We won't walk this alone.

~Deb