Chess Boards and Non Self-Help Books

Tomorrow is a holiday for our office here in Haiti and I’ve decided to treat myself to a weekend by the sea. Therefore the next two days are going to consist of a great deal of sun, sand and rest. How fitting as this will also be my last weekend in Haiti and I will finally be able to swim in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean! On Thursday I am coming home and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve enjoyed aspects of my time here in Haiti abundantly, and there are things that I will miss as soon as the plane takes off. But for the most part I am excited and thankful that this time has come.

A Tribute to Him

It all started the day my big brother was born. February 6th, 1987, I believe. Through the years my mother has told me the story over and over again of how my father took one look at the tiny new human, my brother, and immediately went out and bought life insurance. It never gets old. Perhaps he should have thought of that sooner, some might say he was unprepared. But for me that story is the first image I have of my dad and the perfect example of how he’s loved us ever since.

The rains have come.

As I passed the open kitchen door I noticed a difference in the sky. Usually the afternoon storm-clouds roll in deep and dark, puffing up all their supposed fury and blowing themselves out in a matter of minutes.

Under A Blistering Sun

After two hours of bone-jarring, nausea-inducing travel the small village of Duclas emerges from around a corner. Located along the Artibonite River, Duclas is a dusty village of roughly 4,500 people, most of whom are rice farmers. It’s a landscape of intense contrast. You travel for a long time through a scorched barren landscape, turn a corner and are in the middle of lush fields. It’s confusing until a Haitian explains that the locals have created an irrigation system, which allows them to flood parts of the land for farming. Speckled along the route are men hacking away at the earth, tilling the ground under a blistering sun.

Four Walls and Freedom

I arrived on a Sunday. The sudden turn around of location threw me off but I’ve unpacked my belongings and my mind, and the whirling is starting to abate a bit. It’s been a full week of learning system operations, Haitian culture and language, and my role among it all. I can say that after a week I finally feel as though I’m starting to gain some traction in my work.

Haiti from above

A God Who’s Full of Surprises: Part 2 – The Perfect Picture

Photo by Lauren Seitz

Continued from previous post…

I was talking with a friend the other day and expressed to her how tough the past two months had been. Especially the last month when I’ve felt like a vagabond, couch-surfer; wondering the whole time if God had forgotten about me. It wasn’t my proudest month. While I completely trusted the Lord and knew that He hadn’t forgotten and that He did indeed have a plan, my spirit was heavy and many times I struggled to find sure footing in my faith.

But the Lord kept me and comforted me. He gave me small moments of clarity that sustained my spirit. His words spoke truth, and challenged me to believe harder and cling stronger to everything I knew about Him. Let me explain it through an illustration. 

A God Who’s Full of Surprises: Part 1 – Life with Bettie

Let me give you a little background of the past three months. Long story short, I had to move from my beautiful little nest. After two months of unsuccessfully looking for a place to live I decided to once again turn to the mercy of others generosity. Within the first 10 days of April I moved five times, shuffling my belongings from one home to another as I struggled to figure out what exactly I was supposed to do. Nothing made sense. I had found the perfect home, in one of the best locations and the rent was unbeatable. Why would God let this happen?

A Change in the Weather

For those of you who don’t stay constantly connected to social media, I figured it was about time I told you that I have a new address and a job title! Two things that seemed constantly unsettled. The first wouldn’t stop changing and the latter wouldn’t fully identify itself. But the wind and waters have settled and so have I.

The woes and wants of a developing character

The screen door slams and I skip a little, out of pure joy. It’s the first of October. The month I look forward to all year-long. I link my arm with Gwyn’s as we turn the corner and head towards Adagios for our Wednesday morning breakfast. I’m still in my pj’s and I smile as I breathe deep the crisp morning air. It’s so fun to have roommates you enjoy. It’s even more fun to walk to breakfast together and chat about all the good things in life that make this season so beautiful. She orders her black coffee while I sprinkle some cinnamon into my tea, and we choose a little table out-of-the-way and settle in. Gwyn is telling me about tea leaves while soaking her breakfast sandwich in hot sauce and I let my mind wander to the life I’ve lived here for the past two months and what it will look like in the future. I ponder over the good things I’ve experienced in Denver and the tough life decisions I’m having to make. The woes and wants of a developing character, as I like to call it.

The Gift of Hospitality

It’s funny how, in life, people are what make all the difference. You can have everything but no one to share it with, and be miserable. In my case I have nothing and everyone is sharing with me. And life couldn’t be more joyful! Here’s a quick look at the people who’ve blessed me and this journey I’m on: