"Awaken Haiti" awareness / action / hope

Yes we finally officially have a name: Awaken - Haiti

Who We Are:
Awaken – Haiti was founded by a group of people who are striving to be the hands and feet of Christ by stepping outside of themselves and their own desires in order to help those in need.

Mission:
Awaken – Haiti desires to establish avenues to begin breaking the cycle of poverty through providing aid to orphans and the poor while intersecting diverse cultures in order to further one's spiritual transformation.

Why We Are Here:
We want to make people Aware of the need among orphans and the level of poverty in Haiti. We also want to Awaken spiritual Awareness in those who serve as well as those we serve. We desire to be a vessel for people to Act on this awareness of physical and spiritual need. We desire to bring Hope for the physically and spiritually impoverished.

What a blessing it has been to be a part of seeing the passion that so many people have for the people and children of Haiti. We have been very busy getting all of this off the ground, coming up with concepts to support and carry out the mission, and trying to juggle life at the same time.

I want to share with you some of things that have been and still going on with the ministry over the past month:

1. Myself and Tony Brandt took another trip to Haiti to meet with our Haitian leaders and continue to follow through with our relief and restore effort with our orphanages and ministries.
2. Continue to work on and are in the final stages of launching the Awaken-Haiti web-site.
3. Designing and launching of our new logo.
4. Have had two sponsor meetings.
5. Broke ground and completely framed the House4Haiti. (Thanks to Doug and Randie Thomas, the H4H team, and all the volunteers.)
6. Have had numerous small fundraisers
7. Drafted and got approved an outline of the ministry so we are now a sponsored ministry of the Carlisle Brethren in Christ Church.
8. Rented and will be moving the girls of Good Samaritan into their new home next weekend.
9. Are in the process and in the next month will open our new boys orphanage that will house and take care of 15 boys.
10. Have been assisting two orphanages with there monthly budgets.
11. Helped fund a construction project at pastor Nathan's church.
12. In the process of making 25 bunk beds for the orpahanges and guesthouse. (Thanks Glenn and the Sawdust Alley team)
13. Gathering items for the 40 foot container that we are going to pack and send to Haiti on June 11th.
14. Writing trip manuals and gearing up to host trips for people that want to serve in Haiti. - Dates for fall and winter trips coming soon!!!!!!!:-)
15. Made many improvements to our financial and receipting system.

I could go on and on and on..........

None of this would be possible without a very gifted, dedicated, and resourceful group of people that is also known as the Awaken-Haiti Leadership Team:

Director of Haiti Operations: Myself and Deb
Director of US Operations: Doug and Ger Denlinger
Director of Ministry Development: Robin Richardson
Director of Finances: Bryan and Amy Gobin
Director of Sponsor Relations: Michelle and Jeff Bell
Director of Mission Trips: Tony and Cindy Brandt
Director of Construction: Marv Diller
Director of FH/FG Relations: Matt Reichard

We have asked a lot of these people, and they have delivered. Deb and I can't express to them enough how critical they are to this ministry.

As we continue to do our best to be obedient to what God has planned for this ministry, we need your prayers. Please pray that:

1. God continues to give us a clear vision on how He wants us to carry this mission.
2. We continue to seek out and listen for that guidance.
3. People's interest continues to turn into passion for Haiti.
4. The container will go smoothly.
5. Our house here the States sells in a timely manner.
6. Deb, myself, and our children as we go through this transition of leaving friends and family and moving to a developing country.
7. The hearts and minds of all the people touched by this ministry will draw closer to God and His desire for their lives.

May God continue to bless Awaken-Haiti, the people of Haiti, and all those involved in helping us to carry out this mission of making people aware, turning that awareness into action, and giving people hope....

Jeff

The House 4 Haiti

Tomorrow is the first day that framing begins at The House 4 Haiti. Once the house is finished, it will be sold and all the proceeds will go to provide a new home for the children of the Good Samaritan Orphanage in Haiti. What an exciting concept this is. People and businesses here in the States lending a hand by giving their time and resources to help children most of them have never met before. The project was dreamed up and being directed by a long time friend and business partner of mine Doug Thomas. Doug and his wife Randie have been working tirelessly, along with a very talented and resourceful board of individuals, to turn this concept into a reality. Our church, Carlisle Brethren in Christ, is sponsoring this project as well.

So again, Deb and I are humbled and continue to be grateful for how everyone is so willing to give of themselves to help in Haiti.

A "BIG THANK YOU" to:

Everyone that will be and have volunteered for this project.

All the businesses that gave or discounted materials.

The House 4 Haiti Board.

Carlisle Brethren in Christ Church for sponsoring the project.

Doug and Randie Thomas for directing the project.

Bud Jones for being Bud Jones (those of you that know Bud understand...)

Chuck Sieber for coordinating all the volunteers.

And the children of Good Samaritan for helping all of us to think outside of ourselves.

Nou renmen ou,

Jeff

PS. for more info or to follow the progress, go to thehouse4haiti.com

Thank you!

Yesterday, I arrived at Doug and Geralyn's thinking we were there to work on a document that we had started on Friday night. I showed up in my t-shirt and jeans having just gotten up from a wonderful rest on our front porch swing (might I add, Kylie and Brooke had just left my side with newborn kittens in hand and lots of chatter what seemed just seconds before and I finally had drifted off to sleep when Jeff came out to inform me it was time to go). I seriously had no clue what was going on when people came out of the house saying "surprise!!!". Part of it was the daze I was still in from my rest and part of it was having no idea what we could be celebrating.
I must say, I never expected the gathering of people waiting inside for me to arrive. I can't even put into words what this party meant to me. I enjoyed seeing so many people, some of which, I rarely see. The fact that so many of you came to support us just by being there...means so much to both Jeff and I. You came with words of encouragement, prayers, thoughts written for us to read over and over as we make this transition, the gifts...the generosity!
This verse comes to mind:
Romans 12:6-8 "In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have the gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."
It has been so exciting to see God using many people in such various ways.
The vision God has given us in running this guest house is going to become reality because so many people here are involved. I am more than excited to travel to Haiti with all that was graciously given and get everything ready for use. Thank you so much!
I know that as we go about our lives in Haiti and serve teams, it will feel a bit as if you are there with us as we use each dish, make each bed, and fold each numbered towel! (of course I expect that some of you will be there) As I sit on my red chair (with coffee in hand), I will be reminded of the love and support here.
Your efforts have lifted me, have encouraged me, and I am truly blessed to be serving with your support!

Thank you Mary Ann and Ger (and party team) for all of your hard work, the food was fantastic!

With gratitude,
Deb

Haiti Thoughts and an Update

I've been back from Haiti now for almost two weeks. First, I have to apologize for not posting earlier and more often, but this past trip was more difficult than others and I needed a little time to process it. My first trip after the earthquake I was with a group of guys that all have been to Haiti multiple times and we were in full out recon mode. We spent most of our time in the truck, waiting in lines trying to get food for our kids, and then loading and distributing those supplies. Even though it was a very successful trip in many ways and I was exposed to a lot, I think I was so amazed by what God was providing for our orphanages and ministries that I didn't fully take in what people were going through and how desperate their conditions were.

This time a good friend of mine joined me for the last four days of my trip. He was never in the country before but has a huge heart for missions and is the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his own back if you needed it(which lucky for him not too many people in Haiti wear extra-large). His wife may come to stay with Deb and I for an extended period of time to help us with the medical end of the ministry once we move to Haiti permanently. I was excited for him to come see Haiti and get a feel for what we are doing and will be doing through our ministry there. Also, he and his wife sponsor one of our kids at Good Samaritan and I love to watch people meet their child for the first time.

With all that in mind I took him to see a lot of our operations and orphanages. It's one thing to hear and read about it, but it's a whole other thing to be there and see it for yourself. The best thing is to see someone you care for come to Haiti and get it. And make no mistake, he got it. Hearing him talk about Haiti and how it affected him personally, makes me realize how important it is for us to continue to expose as many people as possible to Haiti. It is very difficult to be exposed to people with that kind of faith, love, courage, respect, and contentment in those conditions and not be affected by it.

One thing I didn't count on is how getting out of the truck was going to affect me. Yes, this trip I got out of the truck and went into the tent cities. The first time was a morning after it had rained very hard the night before. A Haitian friend of mine and myself walked through the mud and muck that was home to thousands. Even though we got a lot of smiles and hellos, there were also stares of desperation and looks of hopelessness. I saw the pain in many eyes from what may have happened the night before. Even though I never felt threatened or in danger from the Haitian people. At one point I felt my spirit being threatened. Satan was speaking to my soul. "This is too big. There is nothing you can do here. God has forgotten about these people. Look at all the pain. What is going to happen to all these people? I am in control here. Not your God". That was the first time I questioned moving to Haiti.

Then I saw another Haitian friend of mine. He was living in that same tent city. He ran over and hugged me and said "Jeff you need to come with me, I need to show you something." We walked for a bit and then he said "Here we are, welcome to my barber shop". It was a little building made out of sticks and tarps, and on the side of it was a sign that read "Blessings Barber Shop". He saved his money from translating for relief organizations and teaching English at our orphanage and bought a little generator and had a chair that was sent in one of the containers that our ministry sent last summer. He had a spring in his step and was so proud and more confident than I've ever seen him before. That was God's way of shutting Satan up, and answering my questions at the same time. Even though there always will be pain and despair in this world and we can't help everyone in need, that is certainly no excuse to turn our backs on those we can help.

Some of the things we have been able to do as a result of people's generosity in giving to the relief fund are:

Able to make sure that all of the kids in our orphanages are in secure temporary shelter.

Provide food, water, and supplies for our orphanages and affiliated ministries.

Rent a new building for the kids of Good Samaritan, that will be available in June. (they are currently sleeping in tents)

Provide a portion of funding for the reconstruction of Pastor Nathan's church.

Helped provide housing for Pastor Nathan's family. (they were sleeping under a 10x10 canopy for six weeks, they moved in their new home April 1st)

Provide on-going financial support for monthly expenses for our partner orphanage.

Hire teachers to teach the kids right at the orphanage so they don't get behind in school.

Provided clothing and hygiene items to orphanages.

Helped a medical clinic with food, tarps, and supplies.

Supplied medication to multiple medical clinics that have seen over 500 people.

Those are just some of the ways we were able to help our friends in Haiti. Which a lot would not have been possible without the support from our church, businesses, and the community.

Well that's about all for now. I'll try to post more frequently, but for now I'll leave with you a thought a friend of mine shared with me today.

"God is here, our job is to help Him reveal Himself to others that need Him."
Sometimes the question is, Who are those people that need him most? That answer may just surprise you!!!!!!!


Bondye Beni ou,

Jeff

Next Step...

We have been blessed with another beautiful spring season in our home. Actually it isn't just the home I feel blessed to have for another spring, it is the surrounding area/yard/view that I appreciate so much. Watching spring come to life here is amazing. We have open fields with all kinds of wild plants coming to life. Woods that seem so transparent in the winter, fill in the blink of an eye. Early mornings and just before sunset when the deer venture out into the fields, there is a peace that comes from seeing them trust the space. Standing in the back of our property with the view of the mountains turning green and the silouette of these massive mountains as we witness the sky turn orange, pink, purple or any combination of the three in the evening takes my breath away. One of my favorite things when the weather turns warm is sitting on our front porch on my comfy rocking chair sipping coffee just taking it all in and seeing God's hand in all of it. I wonder how similar this is to Heaven.
Now, we begin to let go. We committed to giving it all up last summer when we opened ourselves up to follow God's leading in our lives to move to Haiti. We have talked about this and tried to prepare ourselves for it and now we are doing it. Our house goes on the market April 1st, 2010. This is the next step. We feel peace because we know without a doubt this is where God is leading us.


We have asked for many prayers over the course of the last few months and you have been faithful and have encouraged us by your support. We ask you to join us now as we pray for God's timing to be evident to us in the selling of our house. This is the key to our timing in moving.
We are also in the midst of several other important decisions in how some specific details will be taken care of, schooling for our kids, preparing them, and ourselves to move to another country. Thank you for praying with us and for us as we move forward.

Jeff and I are humbled and blessed to be serving our God in Haiti. We trust Him to walk us through this and to take care of the details.

Blessings,
Deb

"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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

Back to Haiti!!!

I'm headed back to Haiti on Thursday morning. There is so much to do in a matter of a week, but that's been our M.O. as of late. We have been very busy over the past two months. Starting a ministry from the ground level is a ton of work, but it's also an awesome experience to help start something new and different.

One word that keeps coming up time and time again is "Focus" Which the word in itself may not seem very challenging, but when the ministry that is being developed is in a country like Haiti, it can be heart wrenching trying to figure out where that "focus" needs to be. Then standing firm in that focus when there are so many needs right in your face just walking the streets of Haiti. Watching a young man swing a sledgehammer over and over again on a mountain of concrete in hopes of finding peace by digging out the remains of the one he loves. Seeing a sea of tents knowing that the wind and rain are on the way. Seeing the desperation in the eyes of a college graduate because he can't feed his family. Seeing a child beg knowing that it's possible that if he or she comes back empty handed, they'll be severely beaten by their owner.

Even though we feel the vision and focus for the ministry has been a process that has developed through time, prayer, fasting, listening, and from the advice of many, sometimes we still question. How do you see what we've seen and not question? How do you hear criticism from people you care for, who's passion is not the "focus" and not question?

Even though the questioning is hard and sometimes hurtful, it has also been a source of strength and faith. When we question, time and time again it brings us back to the very same place. The "Focus"

My hope and prayer for this trip (and for my journey) is that God will continue to show me His love and compassion for people he puts in my path, both in Haiti and right here in Carlisle.

And even though our ministry may not be able to focus on every ones needs, take heart, I believe God is able to. Even yours and mine...

Bondye beni,

Jeff