Another year...

Where to start for a blog that I have failed to upkeep.  The summer has been tough.  We have had opposition in ever direction.  It doesn’t seem to stop.  In Cite Soleil, the gunfire has increased near the zone we were working in.  We never saw it, but it has intensified in a way that it is affecting many peoples lives in the area that we had the camp.  Made our way up North for the 30.2 mile marathon to a village where water was limited for about a week.  We got water back for a day and then lost it again.  In it all we continued to smile, even though at moments we were loosing it inside.  For my personal life, my family has been going through heaviness for the last month, so much in a way that I thought about coming home early.  Mom said, “You stick it out.”  With a confirmation from mom and God, we held fast.  Then today got an email that one of the leading women in our ministry at home had passed away. 

Ryna and Meg have been solid rocks throughout it all.  Their energy, joy has at moments carried my heaviness.  Been so blessed to have them along.  Love how God orchestras moments, events, and people meeting.  Believe that God orchestrated us this summer.  We have had highs and lows….today I would love to share the highs with you. 

-We served about 224 children and youth with summer camp.

-We left Cite Soleil and set them up to lead 3 weeks of workshops with their children.  IT WORKED.  They were able to serve 180 youth with workshops, with us a phone call away.

-Provided work for 43  people for the summer in Cite Soleil.

-Crusied up to the North to serve 165 children/youth with camp.

-Employed 15 workers/youth workers.

-Megan rocked out violin lesson to 10 boys.  Those 10 boys played those violins like they were thinking about joining the symthony.  At the end of the week she let  borrow them for the night to practice.  They strapped those violins to their back with pride.  It was precious to see the ownership.

-We were able to employ a man in Cite Soleil who taught 10 children how to do tin art.  A hard skill to learn and teach, but it was so fun to watch them bang out the tin. 

-We were able to lead 5 workshops up in the North.

-Had our youth workers perform a little play each day to act out the bible stories we were teaching the children.  Vision Leah wrapped up in a yellow table cloth with a lion mask, one youth worker dressed as a king, and Daniel being “thrown” into the lions den with Leah.  Yup, the children loved it. 

-Worshiping with the drums.  They play those drums like they were born to dance to the beat.  It is amazingly beautiful.

-Meg, came to Haiti for the first time and says that she is coming back.

My personal moments where this all made sense. 

-Watching the energy of children dance in sync.  Every day I make the children stand up together and they have to copy me.  I often act like a goof ball and make them make weird sounds and do different dances.  They laugh so hard at me, maybe at us..but the energy makes me want to keep going.  Love see all that JOY all at once.  Wonder if that happens often here?

-Playing the drums with them and just jumping and watching all of us pouring sweat, but the dance and drumming and singing only intensifies.

-Having 18 year olds ask if they can come to camp.  Haiti is hard, hard in so many different ways that is hard to explain, but as I hear 18 year olds try to come to a camp for 14 year old I can only take that as God’s confirmation that the energy, joy, of the camp is needed in this hard place.  In a place that often doesn’t make sense, this camp, these workshops, walking with Haitians in this work, MAKES SENSE.

Love you all, thank you so much for the support.  None of this could have happened without your prayers to back us up, your support to bring the camp to fruition, and your love and commitment so that we could bring the 6^th year of camp.  Love you all.  Thank you for another year completed.