Surgery Tomorrow!

Sophiana is having her surgery tomorrow, finally! Her doctor has had multiple appointments this week with her parents to explain the surgery and its possible complications, as well as to have them sign consent forms (which shows he is legit, in my opinion). Please join me in prayer for complete removal of the infection behind her ear and for her to regain her hearing. Once again, thank you for your prayers and for donating to the surgery!

I am totally into this book: 

Read it. Please. I may be completely frustrated- because its opening my eyes to the way I sometimes think and work, especially here- but I am loving what it is teaching me and the ideas it is giving me about how to do ministry. Like any book, some thoughts and suggestions may need to be ignored or changed to work in your living situation or place of ministry, but I think as a whole it is an eye-opener to my behaviors and thinking and has great theories and practical applications.

More Christmas Program pics

*I started typing this on New Year's Day, but am just now posting it.

Happy New Year to all! I am excited to start a new year in Haiti and to see what the Lord will do in this country and in our lives.

I am using the quieter day after being up late last night to catch up on blogging, especially of pictures. How did YOU celebrate last night and today? In addition to blogging, reading, and relaxing, I get to eat some fantastic soup Jamou, made by our sweet cooks at the orphanage. Soup Joumou is traditionally served early in the morning on January 1, in celebration of their independence in 1804, as they were forbidden to eat the soup when they were under the rule of their French masters.

 Christmas Program pictures:

 Jacob and Johnyve

Asher (my friend Brittany's son) and Elisee

 Daphne during her solo

 Norleen, one of our staff members' kids

 Cherley with her little brother

Ensis, one of the girls who goes to our school

Fabiola, the fabulous. She's only eight, but she is responsible for taking care of Dave.

Angelina, who goes to our feeding program.

 Jerry. I just love this kid. He's always asking for band-aids, but usually can't tell me why he needs it. He's only five, but watch out...

 Susette. Doesn't she look like a cute little elf here?

 Marcorel and Scotti, the security detail.

Semi looks like a grown man in his suit! That's Gibson singing in the front and our MdL girls singing and dancing.

Lanyess. Enough said.

Sophiana Update #2

All of the money for Sophiana has been raised! A hundred thank you's for supporting and blessing her with the ability to have the surgery! She has been having more pain this weekend, so I'll be taking her in to her doctor tomorrow and hopefully we can schedule the surgery for this week.

Ayiti Pap Peri...

....Haiti is not Perishing. This slogan has appeared on a numerous shirts and billboards here since the earthquake. We shouted it out as we sang in the "bens" on Wednesday night, united together in prayer for this amazing and complicated country. Many Haitians perished last year, from the earthquake and cholera, but the country and its people are still fighting and showing a beautiful tenacity to live and love with joy in the midst of crushing sorrow.

One year ago today our world seemed to crumble around us. Rather than write all over again about those minutes and the days following, you can read it here, here, and here. We are recovering and God has brought beauty from ashes, as he has promised. We cannot forget though, and we shouldn't. Everywhere around us are broken buildings, cracks in walls, rubble, and hurting hearts. This week Bill and Susette Manassero took five children- two girls and three boys- into the boys and girls' orphanages who lost their mom and dad in the earthquake.  We won't forget. One of our other little boys moved into the orphanage in June. His mother died months after the earthquake, but we met him because he and his mother stayed in the "bens" (sport court next to the boys' home) with our kids for the week after the earthquake. We can't forget. Do I want to forget? No. I don't want to forget how I saw all our neighbors come to help strangers when they were bloody and losing limbs. I don't want to forget how children and teenagers, our kids, asked to translate or to hold hands or to help adults go to the bathroom after they'd had surgery. I don't want to forget the doctors who rescued us from our insanity but also brought necessary laughter to the long days.

On Monday and Tuesday our children and staff gathered together in the mornings to pray and worship, to cry out to God in thanksgiving and to ask him to bring about change in our hearts and in Haiti. Both mornings kids and adults shared their earthquake experiences and how God had brought blessings through this experience. On Wednesday the kids and staff walked around our neighborhood, singing and praying for the country. Throughout the city churches were in session and many schools also conducted walks similar to ours. In the evening, right before the time of last years' earthquake, those kids and staff who had lost friends or family in the earthquake lit a candle and shared the name of their loved one who died.  Five year old Tiu, one of the new boys, lit a candle in his mother's honor. I almost lost it then. Ti-John shared that he could light candles forever in honor of all his Haitian brothers and sisters who died.  It was an important time for us to share together and to grieve together. 

Pray with us as we see the discouragement the Haitians face every day and that a new Haiti that glorifies God will be rebuilt and restored.

Sophiana Update

As of today, $650 has been raised for Sophiana's surgery. THANK YOU readers for caring about this young girl and for reading my blog where you met her (click Sophiana's story to know more about this young girl).  However, we are only 1/3 of the way until all the money has been raised for the mastoidectomy. We need a total of $1,877 by next Friday, January 14th,  when the doctor hopes to perform the surgery. Last Monday we had a doctors appointment where he looked at her CT scan (thanks to YOU she was able to have it), which showed a collection of fluid in the mastoid. She is continuing to take her antibiotics and ear drops while waiting for next Friday's surgery. She will recover in the hospital for one night and then go home. Thankfully, the recovery is quick and she will be able to return to school on the following Monday.

If you are interested in donating to the cost of the mastoidectomy, please donate here. Please also pray for Sophiana's quick recovery and healing. THANK YOU!