School, church, dance, guitar lessons, cheer leading, and a crazy wedding season with lots of Calligraphy have kept my days flying. As a friend so perfectly put it the other day - I feel like I've been in the spin cycle!
Our Haiti trip is catching up to me FAST! I've been so busy that I haven't really been able to process what is to come. I guess that's a good thing. Last time I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect. I am a bit like that now but much more okay with it. Not near as nervous since I know more of what to expect and I have a friendship with Shelley and Corrigan. My nervousness comes from bringing nine other people with me this time.
People keep asking me, "Are you ready for your trip?" I don't really know how to answer that.
Ready emotionally? Yes - I'm very excited to go and to bring Russell and Jarod and the seven others from my church.
Ready spiritually? Can you ever really answer that with a yes? God is working within our group of 10. We have been meeting every Sunday for the past 7 weeks. Sharing our talents, our fears, our concerns - things God is already teaching us. We are reading "When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself"
I cannot say enough about this book. It has completely changed the way each and every person on our team looks at missions. Both locally and abroad. I will warn you though - it's a hard book to read. Most of us have hated it at some point. It is completely counter-cultural to how most of us have been brought up and it will make you look long and hard about your ideas on poverty and how to help. Through it all though, God continues to confirm, in me, that Apparent Project is working hard to alleviate poverty, in Haiti, the best way possible.
People keep asking "What are you going to do while you are there?" It's not so much about doing as it is about being. This is more of a "vision" trip. This is about going and learning from them. From Shelley and Corrigan. It's about getting to know the artisans. It's understanding the how and why Apparent Project works like it does and how we can implement the same mindset in our community here at home.
I am convinced 100% that helping people for the long haul is NOT about hand outs - NOT about doing it for them. It's coming along side and empowering them with jobs. It's all about employment.
Apparent Project has this vision and it is working in their community. It is successful. Haitians are coming out of poverty, buying land, building homes, educating themselves and their families. They have dignity.
We are going to spend the week sharing some of our skills that will help make the artisans more marketable. And to see how we can implement this mind set into our community here in the states.
As with most short term mission trips, it is more about us then it is about them. That is hard to swallow - but, we can't expect to change anyone's situation in the week that we are down there. God is already working and changing us. He's taking us out of our North American savior complexes and helping us to see that we are the minority in this world and we have soooooo much to learn from them.
We truly want to come along side Shelley and Corrigan and be the best help that we can be to them. Without hurting the entire project in the process. They know what is needed most - they know the artisans. They know the culture. We will be there to help and to learn.
Please pray for each of us -
Russell
Cami
Jarod
Cheylan
Zoe
Joy
Rick
Mike
Donna
Elysia
We are excited to see what God is going to do in our lives through this trip. Thank you all for your love, your support and your prayers.
Until next time.....
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