Haitian Market.

I know I just blogged yesterday but today was oh so wonderful!

Our friend Esther came down for the day. She is an amazing women with a heart of gold that is devoted to serving our Lord. 

I am wanting to shop the local produce but need to learn what is the right amount to pay, how to pick good food & how to actually ask how much something is.

I will get there. my goal is to be able to go by myself.

We walked down the street into this little door in the wall and vwahla there was a Haitian market. 


As we walked around we found so much beautiful produce. full and vibrant colors. This is what i LOVE.

Esther showed me how to pick out certain fruits and veggies and told me what a good price to pay for them is. 

I can't wait to go and know the ladies by name, have them know me and be honest with me about prices. To build community with them and invite them to our house to share a meal, a laugh, and Gods salvation. 






I came home with 1 pineapple for 100 goudes = about $2.25
                          4 carrots for 20 goudes = about $.50
                          2 tomatoes for 30 goudes = about $.75
                          6 bananas for 50 goudes = about $1.10
so i got all that yummy food for around $4.00US. 

those women know me now or will be able to recognize me when I go next time : ) I do stick out just a little bit. 

and this is coconut milk from 3 coconuts. also
saved the flesh for smoothies ; ) 

I got to go to the other market with my friend Rachel who is serving at CLS where I was this summer. I love having another friend go walk with me and chat of course : ) 

My melting heart moment of the day: I was walking to CLS to meet Rachel and 3 of my girls from kinder this summer looked at me, said a few words, I waved and the next thing was screams coming from their mouth, " Miss Emily Miss Emily" I got 3 big hugs, 3 big white beautiful smiles & my heart melted knowing that they remember me : ) I am so proud of how well they are doing in 1st grade. maybe ill still be here when they graduate? only God knows. 

This is our kokoye pyé bwa (coconut tree)

Life is going. I want to be doing more. but I am following God and His timing. 
I am truly a relational person and I love that God gave me a heart for loving and a chatty kathy mouth! 

watch out Delmas 31. Emily is here to stay. 


 In Christ's Love,
Em
                          

Kreyol Lesson #1

Bonswa,

Well I have been back in Haiti for a week now and I must say I am home : )

The smiles, smells, and sights give me an overwhelming feeling of urgency to jump in and do so much but I am learning to step back and follow Gods timing and lead. 

My little man Esai is so precious. He fell asleep in my arms the other day. Words cannot express the emotions I felt being back in that house where I went everyday for a week. To share with Esley that I am so thankful for her yet in return she spoke precious words of praise about what I am doing in the area. 

That glory goes only to God. 

I am thankful that He is using ME to do this here. 

I see so much need every time I walk down those tiny corridors, hunger in children's eyes as I cross over the stream full of garbage that pigs are eating from, the yearning for a bit of relaxation in knowing that there will be full tummies that night from those blank stares.


Had my first Kreyol lesson. lets just say I need prayers. There were lots of laughs & misunderstanding. But in the end I know how to have a conversation asking if someone knows kreyol or english. 

I am getting there, just don't really know where THERE will be. hopefully to be speaking fluently. 

Misunderstanding happens a lot. 

I am Learning that this week. Through those misunderstandings, God is revealing and helping me to understand why He wants me here.

Many people misunderstand the needs here, the language & the culture.

But the more I am learning about the culture, God is opening my eyes to different ways to live. Day by day life goes on. So many of us have little perspective and think that people need to live a certain way. I am learning that this is not right.

Esley is doing everything she can to keep Esai alive and healthy. What a devoted mom. She is not able to get enough food to eat which in turn her milk supply is drying up. This shouldn't happen.

This life may be hard, heck, no one i bet would ever want to live this way yet here for most of haiti, this is their life. They have community, they have support in their neighborhoods, and they have a faith that is admirable. how many of you can truly say you have those things in your life?

This is my life. and I couldn't be more at peace.

I can't wait to begin sewing classes. Doing medical clinics. Holding babies. Wiping tears away. praying & shouting praises together. and more.


Thank you for your prayers. They are needed everyday. 

We are still getting most the logistics figured out and in need of donations for us to begin these services for the women. 

If you or you know of anyone who would like to donate to HFMS please email me or FB message me as we will be sending out a Christmas Catalogue of items that are needed to begin bringing women to this house to receive 

love & rest. 

In Christ's Love
E

Excited heart.

Good morning from Haiti. Finally.

As I lay awake half from excitement and half from the roosters telling me its morning when its only 5am, I try to imagine all the amazing things God is going to do in this house. 

I cant wait to go to the ravine and hold my sweet boy esai ( Isaiah), embrace Esley in my arms and tell her how much I missed her and that she was in my prayers daily. 

I cant wait to meet the beautiful ladies who meet here every month with the micro loan ministry KOFAEL. 

There is so much to look forward to but I need to rest in the Lord and take every day, every moment, every experience in with just the day that lays before me. It is Haiti and things happen at a very different pace and days often can take a quick turn of events. 

I am so blessed that my dad can be here to move me in, experience this neighborhood, my new life here, meet those women and children who are so dear to my heart. I am more and more like Him and I love that His heart for Haiti beats so loudly just like mine. 

I promise I will write more later but since my mind is already running I would try and soothe it by getting its words & thoughts out.

Thank you to everyone who is praying for me. To have just those prayers fills my heart with joy knowing that I have so much support & God is hearing each and every one of those prayers if I never do. 

My 2 prayer request at the moment : 

~ for my creole, that God would imbed every word & phrase into my mind to be able to use to speak to those around me. 

~ That my dad is able to experience special moments between him and those who God has brought into my life. Those meetings will fill him with happiness and a deep everlasting joy. That he will be proud of his daughter and those relationships that mean so much to my heart. 

Creole word of the day: Chanm. it means room : ) 

Which my room is coming along. Lots to do still. Going to tap into my moms building skills and build a desk/wall shelf. I hope I make her proud : ) 

Pictures to follow.

Mesi Anpil

In Christ’s Love,

E

ps. its a beautiful day. blue skies. light breeze. children walking to school. can't wait for today. 

Stateside traveling.

hi,

as I promised here is a run down of October. it was a CRAZY month as I was gone for the last 2 weeks of it. 

First, for my birthday present my family sent me to Florida to see two beautiful ladies who God put in my life over the summer at CLS. I flew to the panhandle of Florida and stayed in a town called Marianna. Part of me would have loved to grow up in a small town but then i think of all the drama I had in my "suburban town" and i remind myself how thankful I am to have just grown up in the US. 

 Your grace abounds in deepest waters

 Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You've never failed and You won't start now

I stayed with Jordan's family where I learned all about college football in florida, who to root for and who is bad. It was a new experience for me and now I know to say "GO CANES" : ) thanks Momma Burke! I got to see so much as Jordan and I went to Panama City and enjoyed the beautiful white sandy beach, beautiful sunset & boardwalk. Brandy met up with us and as you could imagine the 3 of us got into trouble. PSYC we just spent like 2 hours wandering through Walmart. We carved pumpkins and made caramel apples… what else to do in October right? oh and we watched the last Twilight while scooping out pumpkin seeds. 






We attended a masquerade gala for an amazing foundation that Jordan and her family are very close with. It was fun dressing up : ) check out the Wright Foundation as they do amazing work with those who need help right in our backyard. The founder is an amazing woman who has a heart for Haiti as well. Jordan went with her last year to hand out scholarships to those children in Haiti. 

It was so great to have a relaxing time talking and laughing with those people who God has given me community with even tho we are apart and don't know the next time we will see each other. It is amazing to have friends who point me in the right direction. who i can be completely honest with and upfront about healing from my past and questions of my future. I am so grateful for Jordan and Brandy and those they have introduced me to as well. I can't wait to see Brandy again praying it will be in Haiti : ) and so excited to visit Jordan in Nicaragua as God has amazing things planned for her there. 






So after spending a long weekend there I flew back tuesday night, unpacked & washed my clothes then repacked to only wake up wednesday morning, early, and catch 3 flights that finally got me to San Diego. Unfortunately they lost my bag but that was a huge learning moment as I reminded myself there are so many people around the world who don't have enough clothes to fill a suitcase. Also I had to surrender my anger to God and let it not get the best of me as I was so grateful to be able to fly out and visit my family before I go back to Haiti. 




I got to see my sister in law's friends as I went to their women's bible study, and it made me so excited to think about starting a bible study with the women in Haiti. Its amazing to see the friendships they have all formed and to realized that it makes a HUGE difference to have friends who all believe in God and are yearning to live a life serving Him and becoming more like Jesus. 

I was able to share a little bit about what God is calling me to do back in Haiti. I am so thankful for all the prayer warriors I have in California. 







Got to see my beautiful grandma Elsie, who I think I get a lot of "me" from. We got to pick walnuts, have In-and-out, and spend time hearing stories : ) 
I love this woman and pray that one day she will be at my wedding. 


Got to take walks on the beach, see more extended family as my other grandma and grandpa, got Fidels with my aunt and uncle, sushi with my other aunt and got to have some cousin time with Kersti. I am so thankful to have her in my life and pray that one day she will be able to come and visit me in Haiti  and experience the beauty there. I met my new baby cousin Lily who is a sweet pea. It was so fun to hangout with my niece and nephew as                 they are growing up WAY TO FAST. 

                   Thanks to my brother & katherine for always making my visits so memorable esp with those long walks, talks & yummy eats. 

I am always so blessed with the family God has given me. 





I flew back home to KC and the very next day was Halloween on 17th street. Let me give you a visual. HUGE bucket of candy filled at 5pm. completely GONE at 8pm. Yup lots of cute little kids trick or treating and lots of creepy scary kids too. We celebrated Isaacs 3rd bday with a superhero party and I had a blast making and decorating a "superhero cake" it was a fun night with the community here in KCK. 

There were SO many fun costumes at the party. My sister and her superhero family were the Incredibles and I was Edna. We also had batman and robin, mimes, a rainbow fish, some pirates, other superheros, princesses, heat mister & freeze mister.

We had lots of yummy food, popcorn and cheetos was the birthday boy request. 

{Shout out to my amazing sister. She is a wonderful mother, wife, doctor & friend. I am so thankful that I get to call her my best friend and that I always have a home here in Kansas City. She is an amazing role model for my life in so many ways. I can't wait to share experiences with you in Haiti and can't wait to plan my wedding with you whenever that is : ) THank you Holly for your love, support, honesty, trust, friendship, sisterly love, giving me a bed to sleep in & so much more.}


I have 12 days till I fly back to Haiti and so much to do but my first thing is to spend as much time with my sister and her family, with my friends here, and storing those memories away for the days when i need a pick me up. 




 Have lots planned this weekend as its my last one in Kansas. We will be driving to Texas on tuesday and spending time with my parents. For all of you in Texas I will be there for a week and am having a party to share what God is doing with me in Haiti. If you would like to come email me for more info : ) 

Until next time… which will maybe be my first post back in Haiti.

Praying for a wonderful Holiday season, that we may all remember why we celebrate and what we are truly thankful for. 

In Christ's Love 

E

**** if you think about it while praying, i have a few prayer requests…

~ safe travels to Texas and for my Dad and I to Haiti
~ that God will provide donors for monthly financial support for my life in Haiti
~ support for HFMS as we are in need of an inverter, washing machine and ministry vehicle
~ smooth transition 
~ open doors to relationships & community in the ravine where we will be ministering to.

Mesi Anpil

short but sweet.

Happy November!!

I can not believe its November already. October FLEW BY! so much happened last month. Many memories made, to do lists made & realizations that I will soon be moving back to my beloved island.

I was planning on making this a long blog but my words are flying around in my head and can't seem to sort them out so I am going to make it short and sweet.

Jesus Calling summed up how I am feeling right now with 18 days left to get all my packing, crossing off and good-byes in before I move.

" Do not be discouraged by the difficulty of keeping your focus on Me. I know that your heart's desire is to be aware of My Presence continually. This is a lofty goal; you aim toward it but never fully achieve it in this life. Don't let feelings of failure weigh you down. Instead, try to see yourself as I see you. First of all, I am delighted by your deep desire to walk closely with me through your life. I am pleased each time you initiate communication with me. In addition, I notice the progress you have made since you first resolved to live in My Presence.

When you realize that your mind has wandered away from Me, don't be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to distract you. Each time you plow your way through the massive distractions to communicate with Me, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they will increasingly light up your days."

This is what I needed to hear today. I hope that if whoever is reading this, if you are feeling deflated, that God will give you a peace and a comfort in who you are.

I will post a blog next week about my recent travels, prayer requests & more info about my soon to be life in Haiti : )

THank you all for your support. It means more then you can imagine to have people spurring me on in this direction that God has me going in.

In Christ's Love,

E

"be strong and courageous, all who you put your hope in the Lord," 
                        Psalm 31:24