Good-byes and Hellos

I began April by saying good-bye (more of a “see ya later”) to my firstborn child.               After the urgency of whisking Genesis home to be treated, then a week in the hospital with her, and then another week of dressing changes, healing, and appointments; it was time for me to return to Haiti to be reunited with Matt, Kelilah and Micaiah. It was hard to leave Genesis and this was going to be the longest we have ever been apart, but she has been in excellent hands. She has been living with my parents and has had some fun overnights with Matt’s parents.  She is essentially an only child on an extended visit with her grandparents right now!

As I boarded the plane alone, I looked forward to the days to come and felt overwhelming gratitude that we had been able to get Genesis home in time to save her thumb. She is continuing to heal well and we will soon have the results of her repeat MRI and the report from her hand surgeon. Her infectious disease physician has cleared her to return to Haiti and even attend a soccer camp in June! For those of you that read my post about the woman that came to the clinic with the same symptoms as Genesis, she has completed the antibiotics we gave her and her thumb looks much better, but continue praying for her continued healing because this is a long-lasting infection.

When I arrived at the hotel in Port-Au-Prince, it was wonderful to meet up with Katherine and Kevin Kyle, good friends of ours that were on their way to the Mole for a mission trip! We flew in together and had an amazing week. Our family was blessed with the opportunity to serve alongside the Kyles and the Fowler team. You can read about the details of each day and see lots of pictures here: Day 1-2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6-7. Matt led groups all over the Mole and the surrounding areas. They went hut-to-hut building relationships, talking to those they met about Jesus, and asking how they can pray for them. I was grateful for extra hands in the clinic to take vitals, clean ears, entertain and pray for those in the waiting area, and to count and prepare medications. There was a sweet Big Brother/Big Sister time where the team bonded with the orphanage kids. The men led the boys in activities like shaving cream baseball and launching rockets. The ladies led the girls in many games involving nail polish, candy, and dancing. On a different day, the Kyles led a craft for the orphanage kids so they could all send a beautiful hand-painted cross picture to their sponsors.

My favorite part of our time with this group though, was shopping and delivering groceries. The Kyles received a grant from Thrivent Financial to buy groceries for a remote fishing village – Kapafu. It takes hours for the villagers to walk to the Mole for water every day and most of their diet consists of the fish that they catch, so this was a special treat. In order to hunt down enough rice and beans, we had to stop at the market and many small vendors in town. After carefully measuring the amount of beans and rice to go in each bag (in order to make a bag for every home in Kapafu), an assembly line was started and all the food was divided up. Early the next morning, we carried it all to the beach along with some jugs of water and watched the sunrise as we waited for the boats to arrive. The boat ride across the bay from the Mole to Kapafu was a beautiful reminder of the beauty in all that God created. Once we all arrived at the village, the village “mayor” helped us invite those nearby to join us for a lesson and activities. We worshipped together and then a team member, Sandi, led an excellent devotion on Job while holding a sweet baby in her arms. After that was the cross craft and fellowship time with games. We ended our time there by walking to each and every home in the village and delivering a bag with beans and rice inside. We tried hard to make it clear that this gift was from God and He should get all the glory, but it was fun to be the deliverers! On the way back from Kapafu, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad thinking that this was likely our last boat trip to a fishing village before we leave Haiti and return to the States. But, God had more plans in store…

After saying good-bye to the Kyles and the Fowler team, we said hello to Michelle and Lisa. They came to support and encourage the sewing ministry and we are so glad that they did. Michelle’s ministry is the Haiti 323 Project. You can learn all about it here: Haiti 323 Project. Although their reason for coming was sewing, they let us know they had never visited Preskul, the fishing village across the bay from Kapafu. We were more than happy to volunteer to take them to Preskul! I was thrilled to be getting another chance to visit the other village we have come to know and love. Because this village is even further from town than Kapafu, they have to walk even farther away for water or take a boat back and forth, so we filled large jugs and brought them over. We painted crosses together, played games with kids, handed out candy and just enjoyed time together with these sweet people. I gave a little devotion before we left. God put it on my heart to talk about living water. We had delivered water to them, but it would soon run out and they would be thirsty again, but with the living water that Jesus provides, their souls can be eternally satisfied. By the time we decided to give this devotion, most people had returned to their work of mending fishing nets or to their homes, but several women remained. After I spoke, I asked them how we can pray for them. One said their house was crushed and needed to be re-built. One said her health was failing. One asked if I would pray for her because she had not yet decided to become a Christian. They also asked if we could send over Bibles because they are hungry to learn, but don’t have Bibles. They said even if we don’t have Bibles to give them, we could send papers with Scripture on them for them to study. Wow! We passed this information on to the mission so the church can follow up with this village.

After the ladies left, we returned our focus to our regular ministries. Kelilah has been working hard to prepare her gymnasts for a Circus Performance. We decided to wait until Genesis was able to return to have it because she has helped a lot with this group of kids. And now, because Matt’s parents will be escorting her back to Haiti next week, we will hold the performance when they are ALL here! We started handing out tickets yesterady and we are expecting a great turnout. Kelilah also spent 2 weeks helping in Susan’s special needs program while Susan was away. The bond she has developed with the kids is strong and such a beautiful thing to see. She is patient with them, has learned how to redirect difficult behavior, and cheers them on with every success no matter how big or small.

The new medical building with the expanded pharmacy now has walls! We have been walking through and helping check the progress against the building plans. It is incredible to watch this building come to life before our eyes. I have been working hard on organizing a pharmacy inventory program and preparing all my recommendations for improving efficiency, safety and workflow in the pharmacy. When the mission moves into the new building and eventually expands their hours, I am hoping that these changes will help the pharmacy staff have a smooth transition.

Matt continues to be the first one up every morning in order to sing and pray with the orphanage kids before school and we have resumed our Beach Days ministry. Every Saturday, 34 kids want to know if their name is on the list! We have so much fun bonding with small groups of 5 at a time. It’s just one big family at the beach, playing in the water and digging in the sand together.

We had three Marriage Group meetings in April and every one of them was great! We have many that attend regularly and respond well to the lessons. We have discussed conflict resolution in marriage, putting God at the head of your marriage, and levels of communication. At the end of each group, I give everyone homework that involves sharing what they learned with their spouse or another person/couple that might benefit from the lesson. I am always blown away to hear about their conversations at the following group meeting.

As we look forward to May, we are excited to be welcoming Matt’s parents to the Mole on Monday and to having Genesis back with us. The Circus Performance is going to be a blast. We have one more marriage group and then the big celebration to plan and prepare. We want to host some more soccer games. I will be teaching the pharmacy staff and wrapping up my time in the pharmacy. We will be spending lots of time with the orphanage kids. It will be so very hard to begin packing up (both physically and emotionally) to move back to the States. We have made so many friends here and fallen even more deeply in love with Haiti. Still, we are looking forward to being back with our friends and family in the States again. I am thrilled to be returning to work at Guardian and we are all excited about being back at The Chapel.

Thank you for taking this journey with us and remember, it’s not over yet!! We still have one month to minister to those God puts in our path here in Haiti. Below are our prayer and financial needs for our last month.

Please join us in prayer for our last month in Haiti:

-That God will give us the energy and the focus to end well this last month.

-For continued healing for Genesis’s thumb.

-For strength and patience as we continue to file insurance claims, sort and submit bills, call providers to sort out discrepancies, and search long-distance for a home to rent when we return.

-That the gymnastics performance will be a success and the kids will be encouraged.

-That our marriage ministry continues to have a positive impact on marriages in the Mole.

-For all the logistics of packing, moving, and transitioning back home.

**Financial Update**

Because we have evacuation insurance and we are members of Samaritan Ministries (a healthcare sharing ministry), the emergency travel, hospital stay, and other medical expenses from Genesis’s infection and surgery are all expected to be reimbursed, so none of these are included in our mission budget. This is a wonderful thing! We are also planning to end the year several thousand dollars below our original budget for the year.

Still, we need $15,000 for the expenses accrued during the last quarter of our time in Haiti including ministries, basic living expenses, and our travel back to the States. I will update that number with what was donated in April when the mission account report comes to me next week. ***Update: We have received some donations and now need  $14,000 as of 5/10/18*** It is not easy for us to ask for financial support, but we know that it is what we are called as missionaries to do. Some are called to go, some are called to give so that others can go, and some are called to pray for those that go. Many of you have already supported us financially along the way and we are incredibly grateful. If you personally feel led to give financially to help fill the gap during our final time in Haiti, please see the information below. If you are signed up for recurring donations, we will be returning to the States June 1^st. Any money received after that time will be used to repay our mission account. We take our responsibility of being good stewards with the funds we are given very seriously, so feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

The best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

**In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

Online donations can also be made at: Epstein Family Ministry at NWHCM

Springing Forward

I am currently sitting on my parents’ back porch listening to Spring. The gentle breeze is making the wind chimes sing and dance, acorns and leaves are playfully rolling down the roof, birds are joyfully trilling, and Nibbles (our beloved, energetic dog) is intently focused on every squirrel in the backyard. It is peaceful here. It reminds me of the calm after a storm. The past 5 weeks have been a whirlwind of visitors, activity, and tough decisions. Here is a glimpse into the beautiful craziness:

We began February with our first team to ever come by boat! A team from Mission of Hope in Port-Au-Prince traveled on True North all the way to the Mole. I had the amazing opportunity to work with their medical teams every day at different mobile clinics. We hiked to Karenage. We boated to Preskul. We bounced on a truck to Mare Rouge and Savane Mole. It was incredible to be a part of it all. Back at the mission, Matt helped supervise the construction team as they continued to dig the footers for the new medical building. It was a full, exhausting, wonderful week of ministry.

Also in February, my parents came to Haiti for two whole weeks! I LOVE introducing people to Haiti and I have been hoping for many years that my parents would get a chance to visit. They helped me record inventory and pre-pack medications in the pharmacy, came to Kelilah’s gymnastics classes and Genesis’s soccer club, helped pass out snacks and cheer on the kids at the monthly soccer game and joined us as we brought the orphanage kids to the beach each weekend. My mom and I hiked all over the Mole with the Women’s Group as they visited the sick and brought them encouragement. My parents and I also hiked around the mountain one day and almost made it all the way to Kapafu! Then, they walked with Genesis and Kelilah through town, up past Calvert, and visited the hotel we evacuated to during the hurricane. It was so much fun to introduce them to Mole St. Nicolas and our Haitian and American friends at the mission and in town.

While my parents were in the Mole, Larry and Diana Owen arrived at the mission. This amazing couple founded Northwest Haiti Christian Mission in 1979. They came to the Mole campus so that Larry could supervise the construction of the foundation for the new medical building. This is the structure that will include an expanded pharmacy, a new lab, and rooms for overnight nursing care. This is incredibly exciting for me because I was given the opportunity to help plan the layout and design for the new pharmacy as well as this building. It brings me great joy to see it starting to take shape.

The day my parents left was a hard day for the Epstein family, especially the kids, but the same plane that came to take them home brought part of the Texas Tech team. That was the beginning of an amazing week of ministry alongside a team full of energy, passion, and Jesus. They started the week off with an lock-in for 100 youth. There were games, food, worship, a moving drama, movies, lessons, team building, and more ALL NIGHT LONG! Genesis and Kelilah even sang a duet in front of everyone! It was a looooong night for the adults, but it was a successful event. Throughout the following week (after some sleep), I worked with a different group every day in the clinic and pharmacy. Free clinic cards had been handed out in advance, so we had lots of prescriptions to fill! In the mornings, while I was in the pharmacy, Matt led VBS groups to Preskul (by boat), Karenage, and around the Mole. In the afternoons, he helped with a large VBS on campus. You can see details and pictures from the Texas Tech days here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7 and Last Day.

At the beginning of this amazing week, Genesis’s left thumb mysteriously began to swell and hurt. Benadryl didn’t help. Antibiotics and steroids did nothing. As the week progressed, a black dot began to surface and what looked like an infection began to spread rapidly. We started her on heavier antibiotics and pain meds, but the pain just kept getting worse and the swelling increased. We took a trip to the hospital in Calvert and they attempted an incision and drainage…without pain meds. This was extremely traumatic for Genesis (and me). They eventually tried to inject lidocaine to help, but that was worse. They just could not get all of the infection out. It was too deep and her pain was too much. We gave it 3 days on the heavy antibiotics and sent pictures to an Infectious Disease pediatrician in Florida as well as nurse and doctor friends. The pain only got worse and the thumb did not improve, so we made the call to medically evacuate her back to Florida. Luckily, the medical evacuation insurance agreed. The only problem was, we couldn’t find a pilot. The company we normally use was on a staff retreat and the other pilot was booked. But God gave us connections! Thanks to another Haiti missionary, we were introduced to a lady that works for an ambulance company in Port-Au-Prince. She gave me the number of a pilot who could pick us up and he did! He even let Genesis help take off and then fly the plane for a while. (This was supposed to distract her from her nausea and pain…but I will admit it made me a little nauseous!)

After that adventure, we took a flight to Orlando where my parents picked us up and we headed straight to the hospital…kind of…we did stop at Panera first – priorities! Genesis was admitted to the hospital overnight, started on IV antibiotics and sent for an MRI. That’s when we found out that medical evacuation was indeed the right decision. The MRI results suggested she most likely had osteomyelitis – a bone infection. After that, she went to a hand surgeon for a more thorough incision, drainage, and bone biopsy. This time, she was put under general anesthesia. They told us that it is possible they would have to remove the nail and/or part of the bone. The surgery only lasted 30 minutes, but it took a long time for her to recover enough to return to her hospital room. The hand surgeon told us she was able to remove all of the visible infected tissue and biopsy the bone without having to remove the nail or any additional bone. What a relief! We were told that if we had not returned to the States when we did, they may have had to amputate her thumb and the infection could have spread.

— I must stop here and say that I am incredibly grateful for the care Genesis received and feel heartbroken at the same time. How many Haitians (and so many others around the world) are unable to make it to lifesaving medical care ‘in time’ or at all? I am very much looking forward to the day when “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4) —

Eventually, the bone biopsy results returned positive for MRSA. We were told she would be in the hospital for 7-10 days on IV antibiotics. So many wonderful visitors came to cheer Genesis up. They brought gifts, laughter and company. Still, her pain was high and dressing changes were hard until the nurse allowed Genesis to do them herself. Just under a week after being admitted, Genesis was switched to oral antibiotics and discharged from the hospital. We think part of the early discharge was due to her independence with dressing changes!

She is now doing so much better and we are grateful for all the prayers, comments and support we received during this crazy medical storm. She must remain in the States for 4-8 weeks to continue to heal, go to follow-up appointments and have lab-work and repeat imaging done. She is sad to be so far from Haiti and misses her ministries, friends and family, but she is happy to be able to spend more time with her grandparents and friends at The Chapel.

So now that the storm is over…now that there is calm and healing…it is time for us to spring forward. Spring means new growth, new beginnings. We have been praying for months about where God is leading us after our one-year internship is complete at the end of May. Haiti has our hearts, but we feel that it is time to return to the States. We need to pour into our own family for a while and God has put some ministries on my heart back in Florida.   

This has been an amazing, eye-opening, heart-changing, unforgettable year of ministry…and it’s not over yet. We have 2 more months in The Mole. We have a lot we still want to do. I am flying back to Haiti on Friday and joining a team that will be heading to the Mole for a full week of ministry. Kelilah’s gymnastics classes will be putting on a Circus Performance in April. I am working on creating a pharmacy inventory and organization system as well as a New Missionary Handbook. I also want to teach all pharmacy and support staff how to carry on the workflow that Susan and I have developed together as well as error prevention and best practices. Genesis’s soccer club needs to have a few more games. Our Marriage Group has more meetings to attend and a big celebration in May. We still have relationships to pour into and we still have time to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Haiti. However, our funding for March – May is very short. We need about $15,000 to reach our goal for the year. If you feel led to help us with these last months of ministry, we would really appreciate one-time donations at this time. No gift is too small! Donation information can be found at the end of this blog. If you have a recurring donation set up, we are planning to return to the States around June 1^st. Thank you for partnering with us in so many ways. We look forward to presenting a summary of the year that you helped make possible sometime in June.

If you would like to join us in prayer, here are our current Prayer Requests:

-That God will give us the strength and energy to finish well as we minister in Haiti these last 2 months.
-For comfort and patience as our family has been apart for weeks already and we will be missing Genesis for at least another month.
-For peace in our decision to return to Florida.
-For wisdom and clarity as we search for a home, pack and move.
-For our ministry finances for the final portion of our internship.

The best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

**In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can also be made at: Epstein Family Ministry at NWHCM

Freedom

As 2018 began, the mission staff were challenged to choose a word that reflects an area where we feel that God wants us to grow this year. This word is to become our focus. We each gave our word at a staff meeting for all to hear so that we can hold each other accountable for growth throughout the year. My word (Lauren) is “freedom.” I want to share my New Year’s “Freedom” devotion with you. This is something that God wrote on my heart and I was given the opportunity to share at a campus staff meeting. Freedom is so important here in Haiti. We are battling spiritual forces that bind people to slavery, both physically and mentally. So many children are not free. So many adults are slaves to the lies of this world. But really, this is true in every country and in every heart. I hope you find it encouraging!

_________________________________

What does this flag mean to you?

The Haitian flag, to me, is a symbol of freedom. I know that long ago, the Haitian people were slaves. For so many people, their lives were not their own. They were told what to do, where to go, what to eat. But now, the Haitian people are independent and have freedom. We just celebrated this on January 1^st with a holiday to remember this freedom and with pumpkin soup!

This Bible is also a symbol of freedom.

Every human that has ever lived has been a slave to sin, a slave to the decision to choose our way instead of God’s way. Jesus left heaven and came to Earth to free us from the chains of sin. When He gave His life to pay for our sins, he freed us from sin and the future prison of hell if we would just accept that freedom.

When we accept what He did for us, we are free from all that! He breaks our chains, opens our prison door and declares that we are to be set free.

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (NIV)

Paul is talking specifically about freedom from the Old Testament law here. But the idea is the same. If Christ has set us free, we should not let ourselves be slaves again. Satan wants us to be slaves. Jesus wants us free.

Do you feel free?

If you have already accepted Jesus as your Savior and you know that He has set you free from sin and the future prison of hell, why is it that so many of us don’t really feel free and don’t really live like we are free? Jesus removed our chains and opened the jail door. When we first accepted Him, we were so happy and felt so free as our chains fell away and we ran out of the door. But then, the troubles of life came and we put our chains back on and we walked back into that prison.

Here are just a few examples of chains that weigh us down:

Anxiety, Worry, Fear – fear of what others think, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of other people

Addictions: alcohol, lust, drugs, food, entertainment

Jealousy – comparing our lives to others

The Past

There are so many more. These are only a few examples, but all these things can keep us from doing what God has called us to do.

Maybe fear of failure is keeping you from starting a ministry God has put on your heart.

Maybe an addiction is keeping you from coming to church.

Maybe jealousy is keeping you from freely making deep, godly relationships.

Maybe the events of the past are keeping you from healing and moving forward.

If you feel trapped by something, if something is keeping you from going where you feel God is calling you to go or doing what God is calling you to do, you need the freedom that Jesus wants you to have.

John 8:31-32 ³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NIV)

We can have this freedom by going to God’s Word to learn the truth about what God says about ourselves, our lives, and others. This truth will free us from the lies of Satan and this world.

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (NIV)

We can also find this freedom by going to God in prayer. The Holy Spirit lives in us and Jesus made a way to communicate directly to God in prayer. It. Is. Powerful.

So we all have the keys to our freedom at our fingertips: The Bible and prayer. Will you use them? I find that I often walk back into my prison and allow the chains to go back on my wrists over and over…but the door is open! I don’t need to stay there anymore. Reading God’s Word and going to Him in prayer are things I need to do over and over when I find myself trapped and weighed down with the chains of life.

Sometimes God will instantly free you from your prison and your chains. Sometimes it is a process that takes a very long time. Just keep moving toward freedom one step at a time, one day at a time, one prayer at a time.

Let’s start now!

Grab a sheet of paper and draw a stick figure to represent you. Now draw prison bars on top. Think about what is keeping you from being completely free to live like God wants you to live. Write or draw that inside your prison.

Now, take a few minutes and ask Jesus to free you from these things. Place your hand over your paper, close your eyes, and talk to the One who has the power to free you.

_________________________________

And that is how Wednesday went. 🙂

As for the other days in January, Lauren has been continuing to work in the pharmacy. She has compiled all of her notes for the past 7 months and reported her findings on subjects such as workflow improvement, error prevention, and increasing efficiency and patient care. She is also helping with the building layout for a brand new pharmacy, lab and overnight nursing care rooms. The mission will be breaking ground on the building in the near future and we are excited to watch this expansion become a reality.

Matt has continued to wake up before the rest of the family every weekday to sing with and pray over the orphanage kids. During downtime, he can be found near the orphanage with a kid grasping each leg, one climbing his back and sometimes one in each arm. He has also helped the girls re-start and lead their sports programs for the winter/spring season.

Genesis held try-outs on campus and has formed two soccer teams with the orphanage kids. This season, they are working more on learning their individual positions, what to do when the coach or referee blows the whistle, and individual passing plays. The feedback we have received is that the kids really appreciate learning real skills and some even hope to use what they have learned to join the Mole soccer team one day! Starting in February, we will begin hosting a monthly soccer game for the whole campus to attend.

Kelilah now has a weekly tumbling class for the littlest orphanage kids as well as a regular gymnastics class. Both classes are beginning to learn the skills they will need for a Circus performance in a few months! We are all excited about this show and the chance for the kids to show off all the skills they are learning. We have ordered some new gymnastics equipment that should be arriving later this month and we look forward to surprising the classes with it. Genesis has started helping as assistant coach and we love when our girls work together. Kelilah has also been helping in Susan’s Special Needs program. She is a natural with the kids and loves to help them accomplish their planned activities.

Micaiah is doing great and is always saying how much he loves his “Haiti home.” He is making friends and learning a little Creole along the way.

Our Family Beach Ministry is also continuing every Saturday as we take small groups of kids from the orphanage to the beach. We love getting to know these kids better while enjoying sand and sun.

We are all really excited about this month because Lauren’s parents are coming to visit for a few weeks. Micaiah is counting down the days and watching the sky for their airplane. Also this month, we will be starting Round 3 of our Marriage Ministry. We have a meeting this Friday with the Pastor and church staff to decide all the details.

Here are our current Prayer Requests:

• For God to guide us as we begin to plan out our summer. We have been presented with some big options and we want to follow God’s will for our family.
• For the health of our family (Haiti can be tough on skin, bones, muscles and your immune system!).
• That our ministries will benefit those that attend them and point them toward God.
• For our ministry finances for the final portion of our year.

We still have a ways to go to reach our financial goals for the next 6 months, so if you would like to partner with us financially, please see the information provided below:

The best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

**In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can also be made at: Epstein Family Ministry at NWHCM

 

 

 

Christmas in Haiti

December was so jam-packed with incredible events to celebrate Jesus’ birthday that we continued celebrating on into January! As soon as we returned to Haiti in mid-December, the 10 nights of Christmas movies began. Every night, the mission opened its gates to 400-600 people for a devotion given by the church Pastor, a movie with popcorn, and on select nights, a giveaway of huge toiletry bags or beans and rice. On the last night, we were blessed to hear a message from Larry Owen, one of the founders of Northwest Haiti Christian Mission! Then, on Christmas Eve, we watched the Nativity Movie and shared peanut butter sandwiches and hot chocolate with all. You can read more about the movie nights and see pictures here: Night 1; Nights 2-6; Night 10 (Christmas Eve). Also in December, the mission provided a meal for the elderly in the community (called the “Gran Moun”), all kinds of Christmas parties for staff, the youth group, and Children’s church; Christmas gifts for everyone at church; and so much more. In addition to all this, the campus has been lit up for months with brilliant light displays that I’m pretty sure could be seen from outer space. Click on each link for a more detailed description and pictures of each event: Christmas Lights; Gran Moun Meal; Church Give Away

On Christmas day, our family continued our tradition of reading the Christmas story and then opening presents as part of Jesus’ birthday party. We had cake, sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus, did a little caroling, and enjoyed family time throughout the day. But the party did not end on Christmas day…

On New Year’s Eve, the mission sponsored the first Mole Dance Competition! Dance teams came from all over the Northwest zone to compete for large cash prizes. The competition lasted 2 days and drew quite a crowd. Also on New Year’s Eve, the community was welcomed to a 5+ hour church service while the kids attended a party complete with dinner, movie, games, glow sticks, giveaways, and fireworks! More on that celebration here: New Year Celebration. Then, on New Year’s Day, the mission continued its annual tradition of handing out pumpkin soup. January 1^st is also Independence Day in Haiti and pumpkin soup is a symbol of freedom. When the Haitian people (at that time consisting of many different African tribes that had been kidnapped and forced into slave labor on the Caribbean island) overthrew their slave owners and gained their independence, it is said that they ate pumpkin soup to celebrate – a meal they were not permitted to partake in as slaves. The mission prepared enough soup for 1,000 bowls! These were handed out starting at sunrise. Genesis, Kelilah and Lauren even had the amazing opportunity to go alongside staff to bring several pots of soup on a “Jesus boat” to the fishing villages of Preskul and Karenage. More details and pictures from the big give away can be found here: Pumpkin Soup.

We did not plan or organize the many Christmas and New Year’s events that we have listed so far, but felt blessed to be able to help and participate in the many community outreach opportunities. These are yearly events for the mission as they pour into thousands of lives in order to shine the light of Jesus as brightly as possible for all to see. It has been incredible to witness all of the missionaries and staff working so hard to put together these events for the community.

But Christmas wasn’t over on January 1^st! We still had one big event left before the official end of Christmas on campus. On January 4^th, our family helped throw a Christmas party for the kids in the campus orphanage. The planning for this party started in September. Mona, a sweet lady at our home church, has had a heart for the orphanage kids since her trip to the Mole with us several years ago. She volunteered to do a fundraiser to raise money for the Christmas party and also collected sheets and stuffed animals for each child. All of the kids recently got their own beds, so it seemed fitting to gift them with their own unique sheets and stuffed animals for Christmas. I was blown away because as soon as Mona put all the kids’ pictures on a Christmas tree at church, almost every child was spoken for on the first day! It was such a blessing to be able to come home to The Chapel in November to see all of the gifts under the tree. Then, Alpha Delta Kappa, a teachers group my mom is a part of, came together and collected a “smelly-good” toiletry bag for each child. When we got back to Haiti, we hand-selected a bag for each boy and girl, wrote their name on it, and wrapped the bag as well as the sheets.

The day of the party, Genesis helped me make a “present tower” out of the presents. It fills my heart to know how loved these children are by each and every one of you that contributed to this project. Susan (fellow missionary and awesome party planner) did the planning for this party. The goal was to allow the orphanage kids and workers to have a family gathering together like momma’s, papa’s, aunts, uncles, cousins, sons and daughters. This was to be a night where the orphanage workers do not work, but instead, celebrate. This was not a party with games and prizes. This was an evening to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate the relationships that have been forged over the years as well as the birthday of Jesus. It was certainly a night to remember.

The party started off with about 60 total kids and orphanage staff coming in to red and green tables and finding the place that was reserved just for them with their name on it. All the presents were piled under two Christmas trees. Christmas music played while the food was brought in one dish at a time until it completely filled an entire table. So. Much. Food. Once we figured out the best method to fit all the food on a plate, we assembled the masterpieces and handed them out. After dinner, everyone that had any room left in their bellies ate some delicious cake. Then, it was time for a family craft. Everyone made their own edible Christmas tree with an ice cream cone, green icing and many candy decorations. It was messy, fun, and delicious. Some took their time and were hesitant to eat their masterpiece. Others threw it together fast and ate it even faster. After this, everyone moved to the pews at the front of the church and the Family Variety Show began. This was NOT a competition. There were NO PRIZES. And yet, it was an amazing, fabulous time of celebrating the talents and gifts within this family. Americk was an enthusiastic emcee that knew just what to do to increase the energy and excitement in the room. Orphanage momma’s danced, sang and told jokes. The kids sang and danced, all dressed up and thrilled to be showing off their moves. It is difficult to describe how wonderful this part of the evening was. It was hilarious, special, heart-warming. It was family. After the show, there was an expectant silence as the kids waited for whatever was to come next. After a few minutes, Tonton Nwèl (Santa Claus) entered the room! He walked right onto the stage and sat down in a big chair next to one of the Christmas trees with the presents. One by one, each child’s name was called by an “elf helper”, the child came to the stage and sat on Santa’s lap, received their present and then returned to the tables. We had expected to witness the children tearing into their presents, but it seemed as though they were all politely waiting for all 34 brothers and sisters to receive their presents before opening them. Even then, some waited until they were all the way back in their room to open them. Those that did open their gifts, held the stuffed animals tight and asked me what each item was in their “smelly-good” bag. As the kids gathered their gifts and were walked back home, it was obvious that everyone had enjoyed the party.

Ever since that party, the stuffed animals and toiletry bags have shown up at many orphanage events. When all the kids were brought to the clinic for a physical, many of their stuffed animals were held tightly in their arms and several boys had the Christmas hand sanitizers clipped to their belt loops. They proudly showed me each time they washed their hands with it. One little girl, Fabiola, used her chapstick all morning. I asked to take her picture and she said, “No, wait.” Once she had fully coated her lips once again, she allowed me to snap a picture. She may have used all of it in one day, but it was hers and she wore it like a princess. When we had movie nights, the stuffed animals and “smelly-good” bags showed up again. When we were playing in the choukoun or out in the field, stuffed animals and lotion could be found all over. All this to say, thank you for loving these children with us. Thank you for picking out sheets and stuffed animals just for them. Thank you for donating fancy, great smelling bath products. Thank you for buying candy bars for the Christmas party fundraiser. Thank you for going above and beyond and donating extra supplies to the orphanage. Thank you for praying for these kids. Thank you for loving them from over 800 miles away. The Christmas party was a success and the gifts are treasured.

Now, the Christmas lights are beginning to come down, school is starting again, and 2018 is upon us. We are in the planning stage for the next 6 months of our ministry and we are getting ready to jump in and see how God wants to use our family to reach others in Mole St. Nicolas. For those of you that are supporting us in prayer, here are our current prayer requests:

-That God will open our eyes to needs in this community that we can meet as a family.

-For the health of everyone in our family, but especially the kids.

-That we will meet our financial goals for the remainder of our time in Haiti.

We still have a ways to go to reach our financial goals for the next 6 months, so if you would like to partner with us financially, please see the information provided below:

The best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

 **In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can also be made at: Epstein Family Ministry at NWHCM

 

I Have a Name

**This blog was supposed to be posted weeks ago, but due to a great deal of illness in the Epstein household and then our travel to the States for our break, it was delayed. Since so much has happened, I added to it and it’s a bit longer than normal. We hope you enjoy reading about the ministries you have helped make possible.**

For me, October has been a month of working hard to learn names. There are many staff members on campus and we know their names because we work with them daily. For the staff members that live on campus, there are children, teenagers, adult children, cousins and others that live in their houses. I want to know their names and how they are related to each other. I’m not quite there yet. There are about 20 “momma’s” and support staff in the orphanage. I want to know all of their names! There are 34 kids that live in the orphanage. I want to know every name, every adorable face, and every personality.

I have been in Haiti for 5 months already, so what’s the problem? Why haven’t I learned every name? Well there are several obstacles in my path. Some are external and some are internal. For starters, I’m an introvert. Yep, a missionary introvert. I like administrative tasks, pharmacy, planning, and behind-the-scenes work. I do love being around people, but it drains me quickly. Sometimes it takes me quite a bit of effort to force myself away from my desk to go outside and just ‘hang out’. I like to have a plan, a purpose, an activity. I’m definitely pushing myself to get out there and just “be” rather than always having to “do”, but it certainly doesn’t come naturally for me. Also, I do well building relationships with a few people at a time. When I go to the hangout place, the choukoun, there are usually about 20+ kids and a handful of teens and adults there. Talk about sensory overload!

As far as external issues, many people that I have been introduced to have their official name (first, middle, last…but not always given in that order…or even the same order each time), the name people call them (there might be several of these), and their nickname (which they may or may not like). Multiply that by all the people I mentioned and you will probably begin to understand why it’s hard for me to learn names.

But names are so important. They give us uniqueness, value, importance, meaning. Knowing a name gives us the foundation for a relationship. We spend so much time choosing a name for our children. We look up the meaning, make sure they won’t be picked on, and see how well it flows with the middle and last name. Names in the Bible had such rich meanings. God sometimes changed a person’s name a few times to signify a life that has been changed by Him. We even have a unique name waiting for us in heaven. While writing this blog, a song we used to sing frequently in church began to echo in my head. After using some google detective skills, I realized my Pastor wrote the song. I always loved hearing his wife, Tamara sing it. Here are the lyrics (reprinted with permission):

I have a name 
Waiting for me 
No ear has ever heard 
One day He’ll come 
Calling for me 
I will be going home

When I see Him face to face 
He will call me by that name 
And forevermore I will proclaim 
Glory, worthy, holy is Your name

Words and Music by David P. Sharp 
© 2010 David P. Sharp Music

Don’t you wonder what Jesus will call you? Don’t you long to hear that name? How many people in your life do you walk by every day and not know their name? A child, a janitor, the cleaning crew, that guy on the elevator, that patient, that one customer that comes back every week…are they longing for someone to know and use their name too? To challenge ourselves to learn more names, personalities and faces this month, we started taking 5 kids at a time to the beach for snacks, juice, and beach time. After an hour, we would return and take 5 more. We did this for 2 hours every Saturday until every child in the orphanage and a few staff kids had been to the beach. It was SO MUCH FUN! I’m not done learning all the kids’ names and I still have lots of other names to work on, but I know far more than I did last month.

In addition to the new kids’ beach ministry, here are a few highlights from October:

–Women’s Bible Study: I finished speaking on Romans 12 and was honored to get to visit the sick with the ladies on their evangelism days. They are the leaders on these days and they have taught me so much. About 15 of us walk into town together, file into a yard or the porch of a home, visit with someone from the church who has been sick, sing a hymn together, recite Psalm 23, and then pray over them for healing, comfort and courage. It is such a beautiful time. These ladies are being the hands, feet and face of Jesus.

-Gymnastics: Kelilah’s Advanced Gymnastics Class performed at the end of October in front of the entire campus. We handed out official tickets in advance. Everyone received a bag of fresh, salty, yummy popcorn to eat during the performance. The gymnasts did an excellent job and it was the best I have seen them do their routine yet! After they finished, each gymnast was called to the mat to show off their favorite move and receive a shiny, gold certificate. Then, the crowd began to cheer for Kelilah to show off her moves. She showed us some fancy flips, then they called Matt, Genesis, Americk (our amazing translator), and Micaiah to the mat and everyone did a trick for them. Kelilah closed the program out in prayer and dismissed the crowd. Then, the gymnasts got their own private party with games, popcorn, cookies, juice and lots of candy.

-Soccer: Coach Genesis has divided the soccer kids into two teams: “The Sharks” and “The Stars”. They have been practicing separately so she can focus on fewer kids at a time and teach them more skills. In October, she introduced boundaries to the playing field using some cones. Typically, the only boundaries are where the field turns into a front porch, or the outer gate, so this is a new concept on this field. Along with the boundaries, she had to teach the consequences of the ball crossing the line – a throw-in, corner kick, or goalie ball. Boundaries in life have been an important theme for the kids on campus as they are being taught ways to protect themselves and respect others. Although soccer is only a game, this life skill is so very important and we are able to reinforce it as they play. We were also able to facilitate having brand new goals made. The previous ones were so small that a goalie would only need to stand in front to block the goal and very few goals were made.

The Saturday right before we left, was the big NWHCM Mole Soccer Tournament. It was incredible! The two teams wore kind of matching shirts to distinguish one from the other. The kids lined up, did a few warm-up laps, then did the huddle prayer that Genesis has been teaching them. Coach Genesis and Coach Americk said a few words to the crowd about what the kids have been learning. And then, the game began. Popcorn and juice were passed out to the crowd as they watched the kids play, but this crowd WENT WILD! They were shouting and cheering, dancing and running up and down the field with the kids. There was so much excitement and support. This could have been a championship game on a Saturday in the States with all the parents and grandparents cheering and coaching from the sidelines. You would never have guessed that this orphanage and mission staff cheering on a group of kids from the orphanage. These kids were stars…no, they ARE stars. They are loved and treasured. The mission staff blew us away with their support. Well, the game ended in a 0-0 tie, so a shoot-out commenced. The game was eventually decided by one goal and The Sharks won! After both teams gave each other high-fives, the runners-up were congratulated and given some candy, popcorn and juice. The winning team got huge lollipop medals as well as popcorn and juice. Then, a dance party broke out and finally, as a grand finale, some teen boys from campus and town were invited to play while everyone watched.

-Marriage Group: We had 5 weeks of lessons with the larger group of about 15. The marriage topics we have discussed include: It Takes 3 (Having God in your marriage), God’s Design for Marriage, Levels of Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Faithfulness. It has been an interesting dynamic for sure. I found out the first week that absolutely no couples were coming to the group together, a little less than half of the group was currently married, some were separated, some were deeply hurting due to infidelity, some were widows or widowers, some were abandoned, and some just wanted to be a part of a group. Each week, I share a topic and walk through what God has to say about it in His Word. I have started using a simple visual like a heart with steps for levels of communication, or a fortified home for faithfulness. Everyone takes a paper with the visual on it home and is challenged to share it with their spouse or someone who might benefit from it. There are some stories I wish I could tell you, but we have an understanding of confidentiality in our group, so I will tuck those stories away in my heart. Just know that marriages are being affected by God’s Word and getting to be a part of it has an honor and a blessing.

Before we left for the States, we had a Marriage Celebration Dinner. Anyone who had attended any of the marriage group sessions, as well as their spouse, were given an invitation. Our campus cooks and one of the marriage group members worked together to prepare a feast. I once again, bribed the married couples to bring their spouse with extra points for prizes, not to mention a delicious meal. The big day came and people started showing up early, all dressed up…but not one spouse came! Everyone ate a huge meal and then we handed out the points they had been earning in the form of “Marriage Dollars.” I did a review of everything we learned using the visual from each week and we handed out more Marriage Dollars so everyone had a chance to earn a few more prizes. Then, each person was called up to the prize table. They got a shopping bag and ‘purchased’ prizes with their Marriage Dollars. There was soap, shampoo, nail polish, perfume, candy, dominoes, belts, bandanas, and so much more. (It was so much fun to buy everything in town from the market, by the way.) After each person finished shopping, they were free to go. It was a wonderful evening together! 

We are a little less than halfway through our year in Haiti and we are amazed at how many people have supported us along the way. THANK YOU!! We appreciate every word of encouragement, every prayer, every Facebook and blog comment, and every penny that has been given. We take your support seriously and strive to be good stewards of both our time and the money we have been entrusted with.

We still have about $24,000 left to raise for our year of ministry. This will cover our basic family living expenses as well as providing supplies and resources for our various ministries. If you have considered supporting us financially, now is a great time to get your year-end giving in or to set up a recurring donation. Here’s how:

If you would like to partner with us financially, the best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can also be made at: http://nwhcm.org/give/missionary/epstein-family

A Hurricane of a Month!

Our view of hurricane Irma

September has whirled past us with a force and speed that is reflective of the many hurricanes that swept through the Caribbean and the U.S. As fast as the month came and went, it was still jam-packed with new activities, unexpected interruptions (hurricanes), and previous ministries that re-started after school began. Our biggest ministry focuses have been on Marriage Group, Soccer Club, Advanced Gymnastics Club, Women’s Group, and the orphanage kids. Here is a little glimpse into each of them:

Marriage Ministry: Over 7 weeks this summer, we had 5 mission staff members, in addition to Matt & I, attending our weekly Marriage Group Meetings. We had games, lessons on “God’s Plan for Marriage”, “Conflict Resolution”, “Faithfulness (adultery)” and “Love”; great discussions, and question & answer times. The last Friday, everyone decorated pillowcases for their spouse and themselves, filled them with pillows and took them home to present them as a gift to their spouse. At Pastor Agenor’s request, we have now opened the group to the church. Last Friday was our first meeting with the big group. Fourteen people came…45 minutes early! This is either because I promised them snacks if they came early, there was a miscommunication about the time, or they are just eager to participate. All that matters to me, is that they came. 🙂 We have a new format with a big group lesson, discussion and object lesson or game, then small group discussion time. I’m excited about this and hope it becomes a time of growth for all marriages. As each person shared with us, we found out that no couples came to the group, only individuals, and we had a wide variety of marriages represented including: happily married, struggling, separated, divorced, widowed, abandoned and single. Marriages ranged from several years to several decades. Ages ranged from 30’s to 60-70’s. We have men and women. We are excited about this dynamic and all those that came.

Soccer Club: Coach Genesis has re-started soccer club twice a week with a stronger focus on exercises, soccer drills, good sportsmanship, teamwork, passing, scrimmages and prayer huddles. Boys and girls are now playing together and I have seen an amazing improvement in their skills. This week, she is planning on forming 2 teams from the 20 orphanage kids that attend. These teams will begin to scrimmage regularly. It is fun to watch their soccer skills improve and wonderful to know that they are also learning life skills as they work together as a team. Genesis has really poured herself into the role of Coach.

Advanced Gymnastics Club: Kelilah has started her Advanced class twice a week with the 15 orphanage and town kids that made the team at try-outs. They are currently working on a routine to music and she hopes to have them perform at the end of October for the entire mission. Kelilah makes lesson plans, teaches skills, and prays over the kids each lesson. It is fun to watch her stretch and grow right along with the kids.

Women’s Group: Lauren has been leading devotions twice a month while several of the leaders have been away. During August and September, she has been walking them through Romans 12. She has grown closer to these ladies and looks forward to seeing them each week. Recently, she had the opportunity to join them as they visited those that have been sick at their homes and in the hospital. It was an incredible time of fellowship, worship, prayer and reaching out to our sisters in Christ that are going through a hard time. She has been learning so much from these incredible ladies.

Orphanage Kids: When school began, our family started a new tradition of praying with the orphanage and staff kids before school. This was Jody’s fantastic idea to cover them with prayer before they leave the campus each weekday. Sometimes we sing a song together and sometimes we walk with them to school (they walk a LONG way!), but one of us always prays over them that God will help them to learn well, protect them ,and help them to have a wonderful day. We all enjoy spending the first few minutes of our day with these sweet kids. Matt has also started a new routine of visiting the orphanage after dinner for “daddy play time.” He lets the kids climb on him, pull and braid his beard, do his hair and just spend time together. The kids have lots of wonderful momma’s, but they didn’t have very many opportunities to just play with a daddy.

Many of you were praying for us and contacting us during the hurricane craziness in September. Thank you for all the love and support! Hurricane Irma scared the campus quite a bit because it was originally projected to go right through us, but that wobble to the north made all the difference. We spent many days preparing the campus and our home for these hurricanes, several days away from campus, and then several days afterward cleaning up. The entire campus evacuated to a hotel up the mountain because the mission is in a valley at sea level and has a tendency to flood with excessive rain. It was exhausting, but we were grateful to have received only minimal damage to the campus. Hurricane Maria missed us entirely. Our hearts and prayers go out to those that were more directly in the path of these frightening storms. You can read more about the evacuation experience here: https://web.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.facebook.com%2Fnwhcm%2Fposts%2F1699036973441906&width=500” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Evacuation Blog.

We are looking forward to October as we dive deeper into our ministries. Here are our current prayer requests:

• That all who attend our Marriage Group learn new skills to help their marriages and that God will give them just what they need whether it’s healing, growth, or both!
• That Genesis’ Soccer Club continues to grow in their skills and teamwork and have a lot of fun playing together while staying safe.
• That Kelilah’s Advanced Gymnastics Team will be able to learn their routine and give a performance that they can all be proud of (without any serious injuries).
• That Lauren will continue to bond with the women in the Women’s Bible Study and that God would be her translator so that she can better understand these amazing ladies.
• That Matt will bond with the orphanage kids in a way that only a daddy can so that they can better understand Father God’s love for them.
• That Micaiah will continue to make friends and stay healthy.

We have raised a little over half of what we need for our year of ministry here. That is fantastic considering we have mainly been fundraising via Facebook, but we still have a long way to go. If you would like to be a part of what we are doing and support our family ministry, check out the opportunities to give below:

If you would like to partner with us financially, the best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can be made at: http://nwhcm.org/give/missionary/epstein-family

If you prefer to purchase something from our Amazon Wish List, you can check it out here: Amazon Wish List. Anything purchased off the list will be delivered to Lauren’s parents’ house. We will be heading to Florida in November for our planned break and can pick up anything that has been shipped to bring it back to Haiti with us in December.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. We are grateful for the love and support of so many friends and family!

From Surviving to Thriving

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I was trying to post this blog September 1^st, but life got crazy, then Irma came, and after that the internet stopped working. Now we are finally getting back to our ministries and school. Enjoy the blog and pictures! 

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I was recently reminiscing back to my pharmacy school days when I was struggling to manage a newborn, a 2-year-old, working part-time, and jumping in headfirst to full-time graduate school. When people asked how I was doing, I always wanted to say, “I’m surviving.” This meant I felt the weight of all my responsibilities, the frustration of each day, the stress that was overwhelming me, but I was just getting by emotionally, spiritually, mentally. Those days are behind me and God has brought me to a better place in my life and He used my family and friends to help me get there. When I stop and listen here in Haiti, I hear about many that are truly barely surviving as well as those that have not survived. Shortly after I began this very blog, the sad sound of a funeral band began marching down our street. We live across from the cemetery, so this is something we hear several times a month. It is a harsh reminder that life on Earth is temporary. It causes you to zoom out of your problems and remember what’s important and what’s just not.

Surviving here often means staying alive physically. One of the staff that lives off-campus had been sick for several days. When Susan and I visited her, we found out she had an abscessed tooth and could barely get around. The mission arranged for her to be seen in the next town since our clinic was not currently open, but the hospital there told her she must go farther away and have it pulled. That too was arranged by the mission, but then Matt went to visit her and found that she could barely walk. She was weak from not eating for days and her kids had not been eating either. She and her children are already so very skinny, so the thought of them eating even less than ‘normal’ broke my heart. The mission church arranged to buy her groceries for a week while she is unable to work. I was discussing the list and the cost of each item with Pierre, but had to step away to help Micaiah with something. When I came back, Pierre had titled the grocery list, “Helping (staff member’s name) Survive for 1 Week.” It was so real, so literal. When someone in our church back home is sick or has a baby, the church often makes meals to help them as they are recovering. This is a wonderful act of love. We’ve been on the receiving end of this amazing service and have been so very blessed by it. In this case though, the meals were for survival. Some staff ladies that attend the church also helped her by washing her clothes and caring for her. It made me wonder, how many others so very close to my house are barely surviving? How many are not associated with an organization that can step in and help when things get really hard?

Surviving means not dying, but it doesn’t mean thriving. “We were meant to more than just survive.” This song has been going through my head all day. Check it out:

“Thrive” by Casting Crowns
Here in this worn and weary land
Where many a dream has died

Like a tree planted by the water
We never will run dry

So living water flowing through
God we thirst for more of You
Fill our hearts and flood our souls
With one desire

Just to know You and
To make You known
We lift Your name on High
Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more
Than ordinary lives
It’s time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thrive

Into Your word we’re digging deep
To know our Father’s heart

Into the world we’re reaching out
To show them who You are

So living water flowing through
God we thirst for more of You
Fill our hearts and flood our souls
With one desire

Just to know You and
To make You known
We lift Your name on High
Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more
Than ordinary lives
It’s time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thrive

Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible
Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible
Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible
Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible

Just to know You and
To make You known
We lift Your name on High
Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more
Than ordinary lives
It’s time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thrive

Hey!

We were made to Thrive

How do we get from “surviving” to “thriving”? Maybe you aren’t on the verge of starvation or physically near death, but maybe you are on the verge of a mental breakdown or an emotional collapse. This is how: “Just to know you and to make you known.” We can’t do it alone, we need help. Turn to God, ask Him to help you. He listens! Often He sends His people to help. I am watching this campus pull together to help a staff member in so many ways. Then, when we are no longer just surviving, we start helping others. THAT is thriving. Thank you for supporting our ministry and helping us help others to get from surviving to thriving!

Here are the August highlights for the Epstein Family. We are more than just surviving…and we are working on getting to thriving more and more each day:

-Started online homeschool first week of August. We are learning how it all works, but I’d like to take a moment here to give some major kudos to teachers and homeschool parents. Your job is HARD. I am just getting a little taste of that. Please pray that our internet stays strong and we are able to better communicate with the teachers…our Magic Jack has not been working very well.

-Lauren works in the clinic pharmacy Tuesday and Thursday mornings. She has started giving medication counseling in Creole. She and Susan worked together to finish taking an inventory of the items in the pharmacy and Lauren is compiling the information into a document that can be updated monthly.

-We have Creole class with Americk Monday through Friday and we are learning so much. Haitian Creole is a fun language to learn. Please pray that God will help our minds retain and use the information we are learning.

-Kelilah started a gymnastics club for girls on Tuesdays and boys on Thursdays. She has taught each group stretches, skills, a routine, and she prays over them every class. This week, each group competed for a spot in the advanced class that will start in 2 weeks. Kelilah is excited about this new group that will be learning advanced skills together as well as a group performance. Please pray that no one gets injured. That is a major concern of ours. So far, just some minor bumps, but a boy did run into a column yesterday really hard during a game. We don’t want anyone getting hurt!

-Genesis started a weekly soccer club for the orphanage kids on Saturdays. She devotes one hour to the girls and one hour to the boys, teaching them techniques, the rules of the game, how to be a good sport, and how to have a prayer huddle before playing. This Saturday, we will end with a water day celebration complete with lots of games to get wet and plenty of juice.

-Lauren & Matt have been holding a weekly Marriage Group with 5 church members. The idea was for them to bring their spouses, but that never actually happened! We have tackled conflict resolution, adultery, polygamy, children born from adultery and what love is. Most of these topics came from questions asked by the group or submitted to a topic jar. We have enjoyed getting to know this group. Tonight is the last group before we break for a week for the start of school. Saturday, we will have a little celebration that the spouses are invited to complete with cake, juice, games, and a gift from one spouse to the other. Please pray for this ministry and the direction that God wants it to go as well as for there to be a revival in godly marriage on this campus, in this church, and throughout this town. Pastor Agenor would like us to open it up to the entire church, so we are going to give that a try.

-Lauren has been giving the devotion at Women’s Group twice a month. It has been challenging, but she has enjoyed getting to know the women and learning how to dig into God’s Word and come up with a devotion that keeps everyone awake and translates well. This week she talked about how to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). Ella (Jody’s dog), helped with that object lesson. There was a lot of laughter and excitement. Lauren is going to continue helping to lead the Women’s Group until mid-October, so please pray for God to speak through her and help her come up with fun and exciting devotions.

-Matt & Lauren have learned how to shop in town and understand Haitian currency. They can now go to the market and buy guacamole makings. This is very important because Matt makes a delicious guacamole! He is also going to start showing the kitchen ladies how to make some new dishes starting tonight. We’re excited to see how that goes!

-We have all been working on building relationships. Matt and the girls have been spending lots of time with the orphanage kids, playing and getting to know them better. Lauren was inside a lot this month, getting caught up on office time and lesson preparations, finishing her continuing education credits to renew her license, and helping the girls with school, but she plans to get out to the choukoun more in September. This is the main hangout on campus for kids, teens, and adults. It’s the best place to learn language, culture and build relationships with staff and their family. Lauren would love for you to pray for her as she is very much an introvert and getting out to be around people more does not come naturally, but she wants to do it!

-As the kids in Mole St. Nicolas return to school next week, we will take a week off from the regular ministries and begin to plan the next round for Gymnastics Club, Soccer Club and Marriage Group. We will also be starting some new ministries and responsibilities next month so stay tuned on Facebook (“Epsteins To Haiti”) for updates.

-We love all the encouraging comments and support from you all. Thank you! Here are our current general prayer requests:

• That God will strengthen our family so that the enemy’s attacks against us fail and Jesus shines through us.
• That we learn to develop a schedule that works well for everyone in the family.
• That God will guide our steps and teach us His will for our days here.
• That all will be safe this hurricane season.

-We have raised about half of what we need for our year of ministry here. That is fantastic considering we have mainly been fundraising via Facebook, but we still have a long way to go. If you would like to be a part of what we are doing and support our family ministry, check out the opportunities to give below:

If you would like to partner with us financially, the best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can be made at: http://nwhcm.org/give/missionary/epstein-family

 

Teams & Change

July has been a month of short-term mission teams and change. Both teams that came were such a blessing to this campus and the Mole and we were honored to have the opportunity to work alongside them. Matt helped with a week of digging footers for the new lab and pharmacy. Digging is fun for a few minutes and makes for great pictures, but these guys and gals dug under the unforgiving Summer sun for hours on several different days and completed the 4 foot deep ditches on 3 of the sides. We are looking forward to these new buildings because they will help us to reach more people both medically and spiritually.

Micaiah and I joined in VBS every now and then and the team did a great job of welcoming him along with all the kids from town and the orphanage. In the afternoons, Matt and I helped Miss Beth and the team host 3 days of sports camp. The kids had a blast with gaga ball, basketball, soccer, crafts, a lesson and more. Clinic days continued twice a week and the teams did a great job counting, pre-filling baggies, and pouring liquids in the pharmacy. We are still reaping the benefits of all that pre-counting weeks later!

Matt, and sometimes the girls or myself, took each of the teams on Hut-to-Hut trips to visit and pray with people in the Mole, Calver, Karenage, Preskul, and Savane Mole. At one of the fishing villages last month, Kelilah even volunteered to pray for the entire village! One of my favorite experiences this month was when a group of kids invited us into their yard and we sat for a long time, chatting, playing and just hanging out before praying with them and moving on. Children in Haiti have many responsibilities like making charcoal, fetching water barefoot from a long way away, caring for their younger siblings, and so much more. Still, they know how to play even if all they have is a few rocks (mancala) or some hard berries (jacks). And many kids lack those walls we adults so often put up. They are easy to talk to and spend time with. Jesus has a special place in his heart for children. I think this is because their hearts are still so soft, open and full of love. But life is hard in our broken world and far too many children in Haiti, like most other parts of the world, experience abuse, slavery and neglect. That is the darkness we are fighting when we look right into these kids’ eyes and say “Hello. How are you?” instead of pretending they don’t exist. When we smile and tell them Jesus loves them, we hope and pray they know it to be true.

Well, that wraps up the first 3 days in July!! These teams really know how to fill the days! July 4^th was a BLAST! The kids at children’s church have been earning points and the top 30 were invited to a huge party complete with red, white & blue sparkling decorations, face paint, carnival game stations, a Haitian-ninja warrior obstacle course, a dance performance by Mikela & Malaya’s dance group, a hotdog roast, cupcakes, candy, juice and goody bags. After the party, the team and staff lit what seemed like hundreds of sparklers. Everyone had a great time!

When each team took the orphanage kids to the beach, Matt & I were lifeguards. They always enjoy splashing in the water and using their sand toys on the beach. Even though the kids live close enough to the beach to hear the ocean, they don’t get to go that often, so it’s a real treat when a team comes through and arranges a beach day.

In between the two teams, our ship finally came in (our crates arrived)! We started packing them in March hoping to ship them in April so we would have them when we arrived at the end of May. But multiple delays for various reasons meant we would be living without the bulk of our furniture, clothes and supplies for 6 weeks. God provided through the mission and we had all we truly needed and quite a bit more during that time. We still felt like we had too much ‘stuff’ at times even before our crates made it to the Mole. Still, it is a huge blessing to have the beds, futon, and wardrobes we shipped as well as our office, school and cleaning supplies, ministry supplies, and toys & games. The crates were waterlogged and one of them pretty much fell apart, but we lost very little. We unpacked and organized our house over the next 3 weeks, but mostly after the last team left.

Also in between teams, we had a surprise party for Kelilah. Because most of the Americans on campus were leaving with the last team, many of the people Kelilah would want to invite to her birthday were going to be gone. We took her to the French beach (nice sand, clean beach, great restaurant) and when we came up to the restaurant after some swimming, the Castillo kids, Emma and Susan all jumped out and performed a fabulous rap/opera version of Happy Birthday. Kelilah was in such shock she just stared and kept walking! Then we all sat down to a game of Mau and had sodas, French fries, and the best mashed potatoes in Haiti…possibly the world…but that’s just my opinion. After that, we went back to the mission for spaghetti, juice and cupcakes made by Genesis and Malaya. To top off the night, there was polka and swing dancing. Two weeks later, on Kelilah’s actual birthday, she took some of her gift money and went into town to buy treats. Then, we had another small party with our family and Susan. There was a present, strawberry cake & icing (again made by Chef Genesis), and games. 

Then, last team of the summer came. They started out with a prayer walk through town stopping at several key locations like the fish market and indoor market. They prayed over the people of the Mole and the ministries that were about to take place. The next day, one of their first events was hosting a beach party for Susan’s Special Needs class. All the families that were invited came and all the kids were blessed with a brand new bathing suit. Everyone had a blast splashing in the water together and playing in the sand. Then, everyone received a snack and a prayer before leaving.

This amazing group hosted 3 nights of revival complete with special dance performances, guest singers from the Dames group, the orphanage, teams & staff kids, and even a spunky granny from the Mole; skits, amazing worship, preaching, and a prayer tent. During the day, they had a women’s conference with over 100 women as well as a men’s ministry. The theme for the women was “Praise You in the Storm” – a very appropriate theme after the physical and emotional damage caused by hurricane Matthew last October.

When a team is here, we have morning devotions before breakfast and night devotions after dinner. Kelilah volunteered to give a morning devotion and she did a great job talking about not judging people unfairly. I was asked to give the last night devotion for the last team of the summer because Jody and her family left for their yearly break in the States the day before that. For last night devo’s, we always head to the beach, roast hotdogs and sometimes marshmallows, have a time of worship, then someone gives a re-cap of how the team impacted the lives around them at the Mole (Susan did an amazing job on this particular night), and then it’s time for the devotion. This re-cap/devo combo is designed to be a capstone evening that wraps up a short-term mission trip, helps the team know the impact they made, and also helps them process what they saw and experienced as they transition back to life in the States. I was super nervous not only because I’m an introvert by nature, but also because Jody and Susan are so amazing at relaying a passionate and impacting message that they are tough acts to follow. Still, God gave me courage and Matt was able to hold Micaiah off long enough for me to finish. It was a beautiful evening.

The last week of July was a week filled with change because many of the missionaries left for their break at the same time as the last team. Typically, the campus virtually shuts down during August and September until they all return, but this year, our family is here as well as Susan and most of the Haitian staff. Similar to when I had my last day of work back in the States and we began the final preparations to move our family to Haiti, it felt like we were standing on the edge of another cliff, once again preparing to step out in faith (with our Jesus parachute on of course), not knowing exactly what we would find. Some things stayed the same like our Creole classes and the twice weekly clinic days, but we also began preparing for our brand new ministries. 

We had our first Marriage Group meeting last Friday and I’m thrilled with the turnout. We had 5 marriages represented in addition to ours. I had expected couples to come together because I let the group pick the date and time, but only 1 spouse from each couple was able to attend. That made my game quite interesting…but it worked out in the end. We had great conversations, enjoyed learning about each marriage, laid a foundation for trust and confidence, and had them write topics they would like to discuss. They want to talk about adultery, divorce, difficulties & courage, love, and more! These are some big topics, so we will turn to God’s Word for each one of them and tackle them together as a group. My hope for this group is that we are able to grow together, pour into each marriage, and eventually, grow to be a bigger group so that the core couples can pour into the marriages of others. God willing, we would like to work ourselves out of the leadership position and launch this ministry so that those involved will run it long after we are gone from the Mole. I would love for you to join me in praying for these first 5 couples.

We also continued the Friday night tradition of movie night for the orphanage kids. In traditional Haiti fashion, we couldn’t get the sound to work at the beginning and the first movie we picked was not available in French. But because God is great and Matt is good at figuring out wires and cords and making quick changes, the sound eventually worked and a movie with a French language option was selected. The kids cheered through the whole movie and I loved sitting with them as they fought hard to stay awake and watch every last second.

Kelilah’s gymnastics club started August 1st and her first class was full of energy and participation. Each girl was personally invited by Kelilah from town or the orphanage and 26 out of 25 came! She taught them to warm up, went through a few basic skills with them, showed them the routine they will be learning, then ended by praying for the girls. Thursday, it’s the boys’ turn. We would appreciate prayers for safety for all the kids that come as well as wisdom for Kelilah as she teaches and pours into these kids.

Genesis’ soccer club for the orphanage kids will be starting this Saturday. She will be teaching soccer skills, teamwork, good sportsmanship, how to have a huddle prayer before and after a game (my FCA days are returning!), and so much more. She really loves soccer and is looking forward to this special time with the kids.

In the clinic, I stepped out of my comfort zone and managed to counsel patients completely in Creole as they came to the pharmacy to pick up their medications! I had a great support team with Americk (an excellent translator) and Susan. I am still working on a complete inventory system to increase efficiency and decrease waste in the pharmacy.

As you can tell, July was a full month! We are excited about August as the girls have started online school and we get to be a part of these new ministries. We would appreciate your prayers for consistent internet because it has been down a lot this week.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. We are feeling your prayers and support and we are excited about all the new relationships we have the opportunity to build.

If you would like to partner with us financially, the best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
7301 N Georgetown Rd.
Suite 190
Indianapolis, IN 46268

In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can be made at: http://nwhcm.org/give/missionary/epstein-family

 

Micaiah at VBS

Sports Camp

July 4th Celebration

Beach Day

Beach Day

Downtown for the revival

Our crates are here!!

Kelilah’s 11th Birthday

Settling In

Today marks the end of our very first month on the mission field. This is the longest I have ever been in Haiti. It is the longest the kids have been away from their grandparents. It is the longest we have gone without Mexican food, broccoli and ice cream. It is the longest we have gone without relief from heat rash, bug bites, and extremely invasive ants. But it is also the longest I have been blessed to wake up every morning to the sounds of Haiti, hear and speak Creole every day, see the smiling faces of the orphanage children and to just be in my favorite place on Earth.

This has been a month of moving, adjusting and learning. The end of last month, we moved into a guesthouse in the States while we cleaned and moved out of our rental home into storage, then we moved out of the guesthouse, then we moved into our Haiti house, then we moved into the women’s dorm and stored our things in the elderly home while our floors were being worked on, then we moved everything back into our Haiti house again. Very soon, when our crates finally arrive, we will officially move in completely. I’m thinking after that we will stay put for a while! We are all adjusting to a new way of life. We are living with fewer things, but fewer burdens. Our schedules are so very different from the hustle and bustle of the States and we are learning to fill our time with relationship building and learning new skills. We are learning Creole, learning how to care for our family’s needs in a brand new place and learning so much about Haiti and the many people we come into contact with every day.

Here are June’s highlights:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays are clinic days. I (Lauren) worked in the pharmacy learning how to fill prescriptions and observing the workflow. I am working with Susan (the pharmacy director/missionary) to implement a perpetual inventory system.
• Genesis & Kelilah have been helping hand out the Healthy Happy Heart packets at the clinic from the Thrivent Action Team events with our church youth. They are bags with a bar of soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, band-aid, toy, sticker and candy.
• Monday-Friday we have Creole lessons with Kenson, one of the mission’s translators.
• On Sundays, Genesis attends youth group with teens from the campus and town.
• June 12th was Micaiah’s 3rd Birthday! He had a cake, his birthday candle, presents, and some friends over. 
• Matt & Kelilah hopped on a boat and took a team to the fishing village of Preskul for fellowship and ministry. The boat broke down going each way, but they were towed each way and got to know the team better in that time!
• I have been attending the Dames Group on Mondays (Women’s Bible Study). I have been blessed to be able to sing, pray and learn with these amazing women. Please pray for me because I have been asked to lead devotions for this group when Jody and her family are in the States starting the end of July.
• We have had several teams come through and have been blessed to get to know them and work with them.
• Genesis & Kelilah attended a Pre-Teen Group with a group that was here and Emma (awesome summer intern).
• Matt and I have helped lead hut-to-hut prayer visits to Savane Mole, the Mole, and Karenage. 
• Matt, Genesis & Kelilah jumped in on sports camp with the town kids.
• We have helped with several orphanage movie nights.
• All the Epsteins helped with a team orphanage VBS complete with Bible lesson (the team did a fantastic re-enactment of the big fish eating Jonah!), songs, craft, limbo, frisbee golf and hot potato. 
• We attended a town square movie (Big Hero 6). 
• A team member (Charie) and I cleaned, organized, sorted and labeled the supplies and donations in the lab/medical storage area of the mission. 
• Matt & I helped the team take the orphans to the beach.
• Susan & Emma have started a Bible study with Genesis, Kelilah and the Castillo girls (Mikela, Malaya and Rosie).
• As mentioned before, we spent many days moving.
• We have a weekly family night/Sabbath on Thursday nights and have enjoyed reconnecting with movies, games and beach time.

Praise Reports:

• A team came in a little over a week ago and wired our house. We have lights and outlets and city power. This is super exciting!
• Our floors are done, so our house now has very little concrete dust. We think that is why I was having trouble breathing and had respiratory infections the first few weeks. I can breathe now!
• Our crates with our furniture, appliances, toiletries, toys, clothes and more have arrived in Haiti! They should be making their way to us within a week!
• Our house was built with excellent ventilation, so even though most days are sweltering hot in Haiti, the nights in our home are cool with the ventilation and some fans.

Prayer Requests:

• We are in the dreaming and planning stages of several different ministries and relationship building opportunities. Please pray for God to give us direction, as well as the faith and courage to get them started. Matt is considering a Men’s Ministry and Teen Staff Kids Ministry. We are both planning a Marriage Ministry. Genesis is planning a Soccer Club for the orphanage kids and a Self-Defense Class for women. Kelilah is planning a Gymnastics Club with the orphanage kids. 
• The Castillo’s (the missionary family in charge of the Mole campus) are leaving for their furlough July 20th as well as Miss Beth (a missionary and our spiritual mentor). They will be back in September, but we will be doing more on our own until then. Please pray for wisdom and direction while they are gone.
• Our sweet, beloved dog, Nibbles, has had the hardest time adjusting. He ATE two of the Jamaican, egg-laying chickens as well as 13 eggs, AND rolled in a septic overflow one of the first weeks. Since then, he has been on lock-down and not able to leave our sight. He ate through every leash we put on him. He barks and cries nonstop when we leave him at home without us. We are thinking we may need to find him another home without chickens during the time we are in Haiti. Please pray for direction with this decision. 
• Please pray for our family’s physical health. Genesis has had several painful boils, all the kids always have lots of scrapes and bruises, and we all have numerous bug bites and heat rash.

Thank you for your support and encouragement. We are grateful to be taking this journey with so many friends and family walking alongside us. We have several starting to plan mission trips and visits over the coming year. Just send me a message if you would like to come see Haiti for yourself!

If you would like to partner with us financially, the best way to donate is to send a check to:

Northwest Haiti Christian Mission 
7301 N Georgetown Rd. 
Suite 190 
Indianapolis, IN 46268

In order for this to go to our account, please add to the memo line: Matt & Lauren Epstein, Acct 589

One-time and recurring online donations can be made at: http://nwhcm.org/give/missionary/epstein-family

 

 

Poverty?

I am sitting in our brand new concrete Haiti home. They actually finished our home on the 2^nd floor first so it would be ready for us when we got here (the finishing touches were added the night before our arrival), so I am listening to the sound of the workers downstairs working on the elderly home below. I see palm trees, mountains and fluffy white clouds from my makeshift desk and I can hardly comprehend that we are really, finally, in Haiti. Nineteen years of dreaming of this day and it is finally here! The road before us is not an easy one. There will be countless bug bites, heat rash, illness, homesickness, exhaustion, tears, and times of feeling uncomfortable and lost…but we know that we are here because God called us here and so we will take another step each and every day, build relationships, learn the language and move closer to the goals God has placed in our hearts. Here is a little bit of our journey so far…

When we arrived in Cap Haitien on Tuesday, Pastor Cebien picked us up from the airport and we bumped along through the city and observed our new surroundings. The hustle and bustle of markets, the traffic, the smells, the street vendors, the stores and little shacks…none of that was new to me. Even the piles and piles of trash were familiar. It was like a scene straight from Wall-E. There was a guy shoveling one trash pile into another pile. In some places, the government was actually using a bulldozer to scoop up larger piles and bring them to the edge of town…to make into more piles. Even though this was not new to me, it made me sad to see.

We spent the night at Pastor Cebien’s mission, EBAC, and left early the next morning on a small MAF plane that brought us to the Mole, our new home. Compared to the big city of Cap Haitien, the Mole is a small, serene fishing village. The streets are relatively clean. There are not huge piles of trash. Still, I see sticks and leaves banded together to make tiny homes for large families. I see children in tattered and torn pieces of cloth running barefoot over sharp rocks. I see so many people and I know that many of them do not eat every day. All this makes me sad to see.

But when I say “Bon jou” (Good morning), I see their faces light up and I see the biggest smile possible. I hear men singing praises to God in the church before I am even out of bed. I see a resourceful and resilient people and have seen many that are full of joy, laughter and kindness. So, I asked myself why does the trash and what we consider poverty make me so sad to see? Is it because of my Western culture view of what I think life should be like? Is it because they are doing without so much? I decided it is because I know what could be. I know how clean the streets could be and how much healthier that would make the community. I know how a family can thrive in a safe, secure home. I know how much better it would be for children to have proper clothing and shoes to avoid diseases. I know how children could grow and learn and become vital parts of their community if they could eat a nutritious meal every day. So, if poverty is defined by lacking something – resources such as food, water, clothing, money; a spiritual connection to Jesus; a healthy emotional connection with other people, a mentally fulfilling occupation; etc – then when do we have enough? When are we no longer lacking? Who gets to define that?

When God looks down on us, whether Haitian or American, how hard must it be to see how we are living and what could be. Only He knows the perfection we could have had in the Garden of Eden. Only He knows what our own lives would be like if we were only obedient and followed Him daily. In Isaiah 55:8-9 He says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Only God gets to define perfection and we cannot even imagine what that looks like. As a result, we are all in some form of poverty until the day we arrive in heaven. Until then, we should ALL be looking to Him to search out what we lack and seek Him to fill that need. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55: 1-2). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we can seek the spiritual food and drink to nourish our souls ANY time we desire.

Seeking out His will for my life, my family, our ministry and the Haitians and visitors that we come into contact with, will be the focus of our year. We want to rise above the poverty of our souls and seek the One who gives us life. Just because we are now full-time missionaries in Haiti does not mean we are going to do that any better than you can. So I challenge you to join us on this journey and seek God right where you are at!

This was supposed to be a blog about our travel to Haiti and experiences so far, but God had other plans for it! Know that we all made it here safely from our several days of travel. We have most of our luggage. Our crates should be here in a few weeks and we are settling in and starting to find our way. We love you all and are extremely grateful for your support and encouragement. Enjoy the pictures and feel free to leave comments. I will read them to the kids.