What I love...

Though I OFTEN find myself humming..."Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this Mama said."  I also find myself constantly writing a status or tweeting about how much I love the things that are going to take place (if God wills) on that day...
So I thought I'd share some of those things-

Monday: I am loving that our children attend Sonlight Academy and so starting the week, getting up and in their cute uniforms just blesses me as they wake up, eat breakfast talking about all that is going to take place in their day and then walking them to school!

Tuesday:  Tuesday and Thursday is when Terah's amazing and sweet French tutor Fiona comes over!  I love Terah flourishing academically but also getting to be mentored by an awesome young Haitian girl (other than her sweet sisters) with another local missionary's daughter in her class at school.  Seeing their smiles and hearing their laughs is a blessing!

Thursday: This day exceeds limits of excitement for the greatness it holds!  FIRST is discipleship with Ms. Gail in LaPointe!!! Then, we all gear up for Community Bible Study!!!  John prepares throughout the beginning of the week for what God would speak to us through His Word, we pray over the day and hearts and we never cease to be in awe of who God draws and what He is doing in this beautiful community of the body of Christ! YES!!!

Friday:  Family Fun Fritay Friday!!!
Oh yea...we have a dinner of Haitian fried foods, a cold coke for the week, project a movie as a family and bask in our blessings!
On this day we find ourselves humming the country song, "A little bit of chicken fried..."

Saturday:  Saturday morning is John's Men's Group of purposely Raising Modern Day Knights-Men of Honor, Respect and Integrity & it's also English Club in our court yard.  Some of our staff and students along with neighbors and friends gather to learn English!  It's such a blessing to empower minds through education and fulfilling to feel that a legacy is left in these ways!

Sunday:  Church!  We have not exactly found a "Home" church in PdP but we go where John is preaching at a local Haitian fellowship.   Though hot, we love the spirit of worship and prayer!  Often, our family and children sing and as all parents we are so filled with pride, What God is doing and the blessing of Him using us through worship.
Today was amazing as not only did our kids share a song they wrote BUT the church sang, "Further Along we'll understand why, cheer up my brother, live in the light, we'll understand it more by and by."
Whoa!  There is something powerful and surreal singing that particular song in creole with Haitians that understand the face of poverty and depths of brokenness much deeper than most in the U.S.
On this day we find ourselves humming, "That's what I love about Sundays..."
Sunday nights are Prayer group night and There is Power in Prayer so this is always a night that brings unity and victory through praying over eachother, family/friends/sponsors, Haiti, the world.

What I see...

I fondly call Fridays... Family Fun Fritay Friday.  I love Fridays.  We always have fritay for dinner; in Haiti that means some type of fried meat, usually chicken or fish, homemade french fries called pom de tet, fried plantane, fried bread called marianad and sometimes a beet salad with some piklis (hot and spicy cole slaw).  We have a cold coke or sprite for the week, project a movie and watch it together; with subtitles in french of course.  

This is going to sound funny but I have many surreal moments during these family nights that I cherish.  We watch all types of movies and I remember their responses to many of them.  

Inspirational ones like Courageous when they see the commitments of men wanting to be godly husband and fathers.  

Facing the Giants when the message of faith pierces their hearts and they are assured through this film that Nothing is impossible with God (we actually took this movie to our local Haitian church to share!)  Coach Carter when they learn from the coaching lessons and cheer for (literally out loud) the underdog team.  From this movie in particular one of our students shared at the September Family meeting that when we challenge them to live with kingdom excellence in order to be strong men and woman of God; to be disciplined and live in community as a family with compassion for all that it is like the basketball player that came off the street knowing how to play street ball, but the coach told him now he had to play by his rules if he wanted to be on the team because he knew how to win championships.  Learning to play by his rules meant that the game wasn't all about him; and it was hard for him to respect and accept this but he wanted it, he worked for it and he found victory.  After his example, he simply stated I want to play for the House of Moses team.  I want this.  I will work hard and I am trusting God for victory. 

One of my most memorable was October Baby when we all connected so deeply with the young girl who desperately wanted to know her true identity but mostly that she was wanted and loved.  Tears flowed, and our breath was at times taken as I prayed over every heart in the room as we somehow grew closer in our connection because of the love that God has put between us.

Last week was the movie Freedom Writers and inspiration was so thick you could have scooped it up.  The depth of the truth that giving experiences and opportunity created greater possibility and investing in lives is worth it.  Ah, I was completely wooed by the fact that I want to take House of Moses to Cap Haitian, to the Cidadelle (google it).  What an experience of Haitian culture and history that would be for them! The investment will be worth it someday but today we need to eat so that continues to be on the prayer list if God wills.

  In these times I look around the room at the expressions on their faces...

Tonight the movie was an intense but real life story about Hope -the power of Hope.  

I truly don't know what each of you may see when you see the picture of a Haitian life part of our direct or extended family here in Haiti.  Lives that need support and sponsorship but beyond the picture they all have a story, some family, amazing hearts with strengths and insecurities and they are so worth everything this fallen world has to offer.  

We love them so much.  I am so honored to have them in our life.  I wish I could share, really share who they are with each of you and somehow it's during these "movie moments" with the blue tint of the movie reflecting from their faces that I smile knowing God is doing such a work in our of lives.