Jeremiah - not just a bullfrog

Two weeks ago my paster, Tyler, preached about going deeper.  Specifically he chose to to focus on Jeremiah, a biblical character that I didn't know much about.  I decided to read up on Jeremiah to understand the man who was invited by god to be a faithful servant.

As I read through Jeremiah's character profile in my NIV Study Bible I was not surprised to find that for over 40 years Jeremiah had tirelessly devoted his life to serving god, preaching god's word, sticking to the truth that he knew about the future of his nation and remaining steadfast in faith.  He was often ignored, treated rudely or unfairly and was deprived of the material things that were thought to symbolize "success."

Tyler's sermon focused mostly on Jeremiah's call to service which happened when he was a young boy.  God said, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.  Before you were born I set you apart.  I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  Jeremiah responded to god's invitation by claiming, "I am only a child."  God replied, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.'  Do not be afraid...for I am with you."

In my bible, there are very handy study notes for most verses and the notes for this passage hit me hard.      I have been struggling for answers, struggling for decisions, not knowing who, what, where, when and how to invest my life and feeling a time crunch to choose.  It can sometimes be so overwhelming to think about plan A or B that sometimes I ignore the possibilities all together.  I think, like Jeremiah, that I am only one person or I don't have the courage or strength to answer that call.  And then I read, "When you find yourself avoiding something you know you should do...[God] will provide all you need to do it."

So here is the deal.  I am never going to be fully prepared or fully 100% sure that I know what to do.  But, my desire to put all my "ducks in a row" and align my future is hindering my ability to really listen and follow god's call.  I am in a state of confusion and feeling torn.  Should I be ministering in Haiti or continuing my life in MN?  Is it possible to do both and feel fully present and not deplete my resources?

So I am waiting, patiently, for myself to respond to that invitation from god.  The opportunity where my greatest strengths can be used for the greatest good.  I think on many levels I am waiting for my practical self to catch up with my spiritual self.  I have decided not to shy away from the fact that I will not be fully ready, fully prepared or able to know how my story will proceed.  That's what faith is for.    

"Sittin' on a fence post, chewing my bubblegum"

"Sittin' on a fence post, chewing my bubblegum..."  These words from one of my favorite pre-kindergarten songs keep running through my head today.  Yes, I am back at school and have tried to focus on preparing my classroom, heart and mind for 40, 4-year-olds and their families who will start my class next week.  But these lyrics seem to be nagging at me for a different reason.

Many of you have heard about the Tropical Storm, Isaac, that recently made its mark throughout the Caribbean and is headed towards New Orleans.  Thankfully no one I know in Haiti was hurt and everyone's family seems to be okay.  The damage is unfortunate.  Lots of metal roofs were lost, trees blown over and crops destroyed.  People's food source and livelihood, gone.  In addition, there are concerns now about water sanitation, food availability and the return of electricity.

So, here is where I feel like Herman the Worm in what we call the "Yo-Yo" song who is found "sitttin' on a fence post, chewing (his) bubblegum."  I feel helpless.  I feel guilty.  I feel privileged.  I feel torn between the place and culture I am living in and the place and culture I left just a few short weeks ago.  I am not hungry.  I have a solid roof over my head.  I have access to have all of my needs met.

And I ask, "why?" Why has god allowed me to have these basic human rights when others don't?  Why do I get to choose what to order off a menu for dinner and my friends in Haiti are struggling to find any food at all.

Again, I have no answers.  I have no idea how to help the people of Haiti right now, while I sit in my bedroom that is larger than a family's tent in Port-au-Prince.

Yesterday's devotion from Sarah Young's Jesus Calling thankfully helped me do a little reality check.

"The best remedy is to refocus your mind and heart on Me...go step by step with me."

I keep saying, "all I can do is pray" and that seems so ineffective, intangible and unworthy.  "God please be with the Haitians during this time.  God help our Haitian brothers and sisters find food, clean water and shelter."

Tonight I took a moment to refocus that prayer.  "God, what would you have ME do?  How am I supposed to serve?"    If I am to keep praying, I will keep praying.  If I am to send money or supplies, I will try my best to make that happen. If I am supposed connect with people on the ground I will hope the electricity provides an opportunity.

I am still listening for an answer, but, to be honest, I feel better.  

Focusing on the Present

One of the many reasons Haiti has captured my heart is the fact that it is 1.5 hours away from U.S. soil by plane.  The distance from Miami to Port-au-Prince is about around 700 miles, the same distance from Minneapolis to Denver.  I don’t know why this fact always surprises me.  But I know I don’t ever want to forget it.

One week ago today I returned to MN after 2 months in Haiti.  Many people have asked, and yes, it has been hard to assimilate back into my life in MN.  However I have been surprised as to what is hard.  I have adjusted to having warm showers and driving on smooth roads but there are things I am struggling with.  

I know that I will return to Haiti, but I don’t know when or what it will look like – that is hard.  God has placed opportunities to serve and I desire to work with Haitians to help them help their communities thrive – that is hard because I know there are opportunities to serve right here in MN as well.  I left people I love and enjoy working with and that have such potential- that is hard. 

On another level, straddling life in two countries each with unique characteristics, opportunities and qualities is extremely hard.  I find myself comparing the two – the pros and cons – reasons to stay, reasons not to.  More so, I find myself trying to determine where god wants me, when, why and for how long. 

But, here is what I have discovered.  God doesn’t put a time line, deadline or to-do list together for you.  My job is to live each day in the present, to serve each person I meet and make sure to spread love and truth wherever I go.  Today that might be at the St. Louis Park Target, next week it will be the Columbia Heights Family Center, hopefully it will be back in Haiti sometime soon. 

For now, I have peace that god has set me where I am supposed to be.  That is all I can ask for.  

Zanmi Beni

I have had the opportunity to visit many organizations this summer.  The places that give me the most hope for the children of Haiti are children’s homes that really understand what it takes to raise happy and healthy kids. 

Back in June I had the opportunity to visit a children’s home for kids with special needs.  Zanmi Beni (meaning Blessed Friends) is a joint facility run by Operation Blessing International and Partners in Health.  Many of the children living there were in a wing of the hospital that needed to be used after the earthquake.  They were first relocated to a small orphanage and, with the help of PIH and Operation Blessing Int’l, were able to build what I can only describe as a beautiful oasis in the heart of the city. 

As you enter Zanmi Beni and drive down a beautiful tree lined drive-way there is a playground and mural with kids of all abilities playing and laughing together.  I was in awe – it is not very often you see children with varying abilities being included here in Haiti.  Many times they are not included in school and might even be left at local hospitals or orphanages because parents are not sure how to care for them. 

look closely... those are plastic lawn chairs with wheels!

Within their complex, Zanmi Beni has a huge library with books in English, Creole and French.  The have a medical center and 24-hour nursing care.  The children have organized activities throughout the day including school for those who are cognitively able.  Each room comfortably houses 2-3 children and the rooms are organized around a beautiful courtyard. 

In addition, their facility has physical therapy, water therapy and animal therapy.  They have recently started a chicken coop, an aquaponics system and a tropical fish farm to help their organization sustain itself. 

Patrick and I after a hearing aid fitting

The care and compassion that each child was 

given by their caretakers was refreshing and encouraging.  These children will grow up to know they are respected and valued.  I enjoyed every minute of my visit and pray that more and more organizations will be encouraged to step up and provide the best for even the smallest child.  That is how Haiti can change - one step at a time.  

Realities

Reality: the state or quality of being real. 

Real: true and actual, having verifiable existence.

This summer I have been thinking a lot about reality.  Being in Haiti, removed from my "day to day" in Minnesota is alternate reality.  It is real and raw and true.  But so different than the reality that I will return to in a week.  

But more so, reality - the state or quality of being real - doesn't have a zip code.  

Reality is the fact that some of my good friends left yesterday to continue their walk of faith in a small rural Haitian village in the southern tip of Haiti.  Their presence in the guest house is incredibly missed.  Their relationships with our staff can be seen and felt in the solemnness that surrounds our house today.       The reality is god called them to go and they listen.  The reality is that is hard.  

Reality is the second to last intern leaves tomorrow.  Shelby is a child of god filled with joy.  Her story is humbling and amazing and what she has endured and risen above is the clearest act of sheer faith and praise to her creator.  She brings life to a room and shares songs, hugs, and love wherever she goes.  

The reality is god is using her and she is saying yes.  

Reality is that I am also leaving soon.  Deep down I know it is time, but it will not be easy.  I have even thought about leaving early just so it will be over faster!  The reality is there are people here that I have come to love as family.  They are real.  Their hearts and ambitions are real.  God placed me here this summer to walk along side them and build them up and I can't help but feel that I am letting them down by leaving.  But then I remember what I tell myself when I send my preschoolers off to kindergarten and when I left my parent's to go to college.  At some point to have to let go and have faith.  Just because I won't see them everyday doesn't mean my love for them has changed.  Hopefully we have enriched each others lives enough to help us all to move on to the next steps of life.  

Reality is god loves each of us, not matter where we live, no matter who we interact with daily and no matter what.  That reality is reassuring.  That faith is not always easy, but I am choosing to find comfort in it today.  

"Education is the work of your entire life."

Trainer and Educator, Manache, leading his colleagues

"Edikasyon se travay la nan tout lavi ou."  This is Creole proverb that means, "Education is the work of your entire life."  It is humbling to realize that the desire to learn and advance one's life is a universal characteristic.

As I reflect on our first teacher training and the interviews and conversations I have had, it is clear that education is the primary focus of most Haitians.  In a conversation with a dozen women at Rebuild Globally each one mentioned that their primary role as a mother was to try to find a way to educate their children.  In our preparation meetings for the Williamson teacher training the teachers acknowledged the fact that education is the key to the future of Haiti.

In Haiti, 95% of schools are privately run.  The Ministry of Education has a national curriculum for all grades and nationwide exams for 6th grade, 9th, 12th and the equivalent of 13th grade.  Private schools tend to be run like a business unless they are affiliated with an aid or faith based organization.  Since many of the public school regulations are not specifically enforced in all private schools, there are several teachers working in classrooms with very little professional training.

20 teachers joined us for the Williamson training

Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had the pleasure of hosting a teacher training in Williamson.  It was an amazing experience!  We all learned a lot from each other and I was impressed at how eager the teachers were to learn more about education and their jobs as teachers. 

This experience started as a dream of mine in the U.S. as I prepared for this summer internship.  I have realized in my many trips to Haiti that the greatest need here is access.  People are interested and willing to improve their lives and to help their families and communities succeed.  Often the barrier is finding ways to access information, education and the ability to sustain such programs. 

The teacher training is a good example of just this.  At the end of June I met with all of the teachers that work in Williamson.  After sharing our teaching joys and challenges, we started talking about professional development.  Most of the teachers working in Williamson want to teach, enjoy teaching and recognize the importance of a quality education.  Most of them have no official training in the field of education.  Everything they know they have learned through experience. 

From L-R: Karissa, Manache, Pastor Joussaint, Lexius

Thankfully, there was one teacher, Manache, who has a teaching certificate from a university and is connected with a man, Lexius, who works for FONHEP and is contracted out from the Ministry of Education to lead trainings.  What an amazing connection.  I came to Haiti wanting to learn more about the education system and to offer Haitian to Haitian teacher training.  Last Thursday and Friday were an answer to these prayers! 

small group lessons

The teachers learned, some of them for the first time, about a yearly curriculum, general and specific objectives, how to make your content fit your objectives and how to successfully manage a classroom.  It was like trying to cram my entire undergraduate degree into 2 days!  The teachers were so appreciative to have this information and participated fully in small and large group lessons as well as some “student teaching” opportunities. 

I learned a lot too.  Mainly, education, at its core, is the same no matter where you are.  Class size matters, quality of teacher matters, a supportive administration matters, access to materials matters, love of teaching matters, teacher-student relationships matter.  The National Curriculum of Haiti is not that different than our national standards in the U.S.  The difference is the accessibility to learn about and put these foundational ideas into practice. 

Hymn of Haitian Teachers
Roughly Translated: The education and future of
the nation is resting on our teachers.

Everyone walked away from this experience wanting more.  The teachers in Williamson want trainings every three months.  I want to investigate the possibilities for more professional schools or certificate programs for Haitians who want to pursue education as their career.  I want to continue learning and sharing with my colleagues here about the future of Haiti and the role educators, not just education, has on its potential.

Thanks so much to everyone who sponsored, prayed and supported me through this process.  It truly could not have happened without your generosity!!  

Closing Doors

I have been thinking about this post for a while and now have a little time to write it.

If you have been to Haiti with me you might have been to visit the children at Tree of Life Orphanage.  In fact, when I first visited Martine and her beautiful house full of children, there was a big part of me that thought this was where god wanted me or my church to form a partnership.  The kids are well taken care of both physically and emotionally and they share so much joy with each other.   There was something about them and their quaint house and school rooms that seemed manageable.  I thought, if I could just take care of these 30 kids, and make sure they succeed, all would be right with the world.

Well, god had another plan.  Tree of Life is closing.  Martine is ready to move on and start her own family, there is not adequate and sustainable funding.  WWV's commitment has always been for supplemental food supplies, basic health care, fellowship and programming for the children.  At this point it would be a lot for WWV to take on owning and operating this home and to be honest, not a sustainable solution.

So the interns have been placed in a challenging position.  We are, for lack of a better term, supportive advocates for Martine and the remaining children.  24 of the 29 have been sent home to their families.  We have no idea what this means for them as they were sent to Tree of Life for a reason - lack of money, food, interest, and limited access to education.  I pray every day that their needs are being met and that they are adjusting to life with their family.   2 of the remaining 5 were just placed in a wonderful facility very close to Tree of Life, but they were only able to accept 2.  The 3 left are becoming more of a puzzle.  Ultimately where to place them is Martine's decision.  We help to facilitate phone calls, rides and a sounding board for her thoughts.

Truth be told, it is really hard to be in the middle of deciding someone's future.  Wondering if the decisions Martine makes will lead to abundance of life or not for these precious children.  One thing I know for sure, they are strong and filled with god's spirit and joy.  For this I am grateful.  I pray that wherever they end up they will not loose this faith and spirit.

(I hoped to add some pictures and a video - but we have been without city power for a couple days and I just don't think the generator or batteries is powerful enough to upload!  I will post some asap!)