Chikungunya and Faith

Two weeks from today I will be sitting in Haiti again.  I'm really excited to be returning so soon.  I am traveling by way of Lacey, WA (Seattle area).  I know - long way around but we are having a  Board Meeting and we want to be able to sit and really communicate in person instead of via conference call.

So, on May 31, I will fly to Seattle for the Board Meeting and will be there until late Tuesday night.  Then I will take an overnight flight and arrive in Haiti on Wed, June 4.  Joyce and her daughter, Erin from my church (both run Daycare Centers) will join me on Thursday and we will spend the week helping to work out details at the new Apparent Project Daycare Center.  Soooo very excited about this.  Joyce is going to focus on administration, scheduling, etc. and Erin will be training the Nannies in infant CPR, first aid, etc.  It will have been running for a month when we get there and they will observe and see how things can be tweaked and improved.  We are already seeing such a great improvement in the health of the babies that are being cared for.  Having healthy food and stimulating play is so good for them!

The biggest concern that we have right now is the Chikungunya virus that has hit Haiti.  It is spreading rapidly through the country via mosquito.  It's incubation period is 3 - 7 days so you don't know that you have it.  A mosquito bites you and then goes on to the next person and gives it to them.  Last week, a third of the artisans were down with it - including Shelley.  It leaves you with a very itchy rash all over your body, high fever and severe joint pain.  There is no inoculation for it and no cure.  Just Tylenol to keep the fever down and lots of rest.  The good thing is that once you have had it - you are immune to future attacks.  It came into the Dominican Republic via Asia and Africa at the beginning of the year and is spreading quickly across the entire island.  It came into Port au Prince about a month ago.  It is not typically fatal but is most dangerous to the babies and elderly.

I tell you all of that to ask you to pray.

I'm having a hard time putting my feelings about this into words.  There is always a risk of "something" when traveling into Haiti.  It is a third world country after all.  I've had all my immunizations - Hepatitis A, Typhoid, I've taken the malaria meds.  No matter what I do - I always wind up with a touch of some kind of stomach bug when I go.  But having taken "precautions" I've never worried much because my risk is low.

It's funny how you become a little more apprehensive when the risk becomes high.  There is most likely a 95% chance that I will catch this virus while I am there.  I'm planning on covering up as much as possible and wearing lots of repellant - mosquitoes everywhere LOVE me.  They always have. 

Knowing this, I began to second guess my trip.  Even though it has been obvious that God has put it all together.  Everything has fallen into place perfectly and I am supposed to be there.  But who wants to get sick?  Right?

It's only a virus.  Lasts for 3 - 7 days at the most.  It's not fatal.  There could be long term joint pain for people over the age of 45.  I'm 43 in July.  Does that include me?

Wow - God is not telling me I'm going to die if I go on this trip  - just risk getting a nasty virus.  And yet I second guessed myself.  No matter what He is asking - I need to be obedient.

I had such an overwhelming peace when I went to Haiti the very first time.  And that was really walking into the unknown.  I have a peace and a confidence now - I just have a little more knowledge of what is going to happen.

Maybe knowledge isn't always so good.  But then again - maybe it is!

This will be my 4th trip to Haiti.  It's becoming "comfortable."  Comfortable in that I can get through the airport okay and I recognize places and things.  Comfortable in that part of my heart feels like it's "home" when I'm there.  It's what I'm supposed to be doing.  Comfortable with Shelley and the artisans that are becoming more than just acquaintances.  Even comfortable with the language difference.  All of these are good things.

Then there are the not so good.  Comfortable in that I forget about the dangers and the risks.  Think that I am somehow immune to them.  Comfortable in that I become self sufficient.  Ouch.  That's it right there - that's what hit me.  That was my "aha" moment.

Self Sufficient.

I never want to travel into Haiti self sufficient.  Confident in my calling - yes.  Self sufficient - no! Truth is - I can do all the immunizations I want - take all the precautions I think necessary but most things are completely out of my control.  Mosquitoes are not in my control.

There is nothing in Haiti that I can control.  Each and every trip that I take is orchestrated by God and has a purpose.  It always leads to the next thing.  I have made myself available to Him.  And with that comes risks.  Comes dying to myself.  Comes the willingness to be UN-Comfortable. 

I never want it to be so comfortable that I forget to pray.  That it no longer stretches my faith.  I want it to ALWAYS cause me to look to Him for protection, guidance, wisdom, discernment - peace.

This has NEVER been about me and I don't want it to start now.

So thankful for God's forgiveness and grace.  He knows my heart - knows I am human - knows my thoughts and my fears.  He could make me comfortable all the time - but I would never grow.

I don't want that at all.

It is out of our comfort zones that God does some of His best work.  Because we have no one to rely on but Him.  That's exactly where I want to be.

Funny it took a silly sounding virus to remind me of all of this and I haven't even come down with it yet.  Maybe I won't.  But - whatever Lord.  Your calling on my life - the artisans and their sweet babies - are more important than rather or not I'm comfortable!







Pray for me as I travel.  As always - that God's Will will be done in my life and in the lives that I connect with.  Keep checking back - I'll be blogging!!!!!

Until next time.....

Catching Up

My interview with WAYRadio will air THIS Saturday, May 3 at 8:30 AM (Eastern) and again on Sunday, May 4 at 8:30 PM. (Eastern) The program is called Conversations with Valmarie. No matter where you are in the world - you can listen!!!! Click the link to their site to listen LIVE and they also have an Ap for your phone or tablet!  Can't wait!!!!!

If you need back story about this - CLICK HERE. 

I'm so excited to see what God is going to do with this!

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Speaking of media - Jarod has been on the News team at school for the last 3 years.  He began in 6th grade at OPE and loved it.  He moved on to the Junior High School and continued learning.  Every few weeks the students rotate jobs so they get a good feel of all aspects of producing the news.   He feels that the Lord is leading him into some kind of media arts - possibly producing.

Right before Spring Break, his team took a field trip to one of our local stations here in Jacksonville.  Needless to say, Jarod had a blast getting to see everything behind the scenes.  And hamming it up with the Anchor before they went on the air for the 12:00 news.

In the past few years, our local High Schools have created different Academys that focus on different professions while you take your general classes as well.  Fleming Island High has a Television Production Academy and Jarod has wanted to go there but it is not the school that we are districted for.

There was an application process, along with a lottery and a lot of waiting and prayer.  We have always taken the kid's education very seriously.  Praying and seeking God for exactly where He wants them to be.  It's hard to believe that we are at that point where Jarod is beginning to think about his future as an adult and where God wants him to serve.  

Well, yesterday we received a letter that he had indeed been accepted into the program!  He was soooo very excited and we are thrilled as well.  We are so proud of him! 

I can't believe that he will be a Freshman in the fall.  How time has flown by.  I suddenly have this young "man" in my house and he won't be here much longer.  But!  We WON'T go there today.  We still have 4 years and a lot of training to do.  I'm actually looking forward to the High School years - kind of........

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On a completely different note - let's chat about Haiti!  

It's all come about rather quickly but I'm heading back!  So many exciting things have happened since my trip in February.  God is continuing to work and expand the areas of ministry within Apparent Project beyond jewelry production.

One of the new things that the Board has approved is a new Training Program.  This is so exciting!  It opens things up for us to begin training in the areas of literacy, computer skills, graphic design, typing, English, etc.  We have one student right now, kind of on a trial basis, to get our feet wet and he is doing well!  He is improving his English through Rosetta Stone and he is learning how to type.  Once those are in hand, he can move on to new areas on the computer.  We are so excited about the possibilities here!  It will give them so many more marketable skills which will lead to an even brighter future.  

The other new and exciting thing the Board has approved is the creation of a Daycare for the more "at risk," single moms at AP.   To learn more about that - CLICK HERE

This is just about ready to get started.  Shelley has a start date of May 5 - this Monday!  We are still in need of financial donations - both one time gifts and monthly!  If you are interested in helping to support this program, CLICK HERE and follow the links.

So, all of that to let you know that I will be returning to Haiti (via Lacey, WA for a Board Meeting) on June 4.  I will fly out to WA on May 31 and then Marilyn and I will arrive in Haiti on June 4.  On June 5 we will be joined by two ladies from my church who will help us with the start of the Daycare.

Joyce Bland - director of Hickory Grove Early Learning Center and her daughter, 

Erin Bland-Howard - director of Cove Learning Academy, will be joining us June 5 - 12

They will be training the nannies, educating the moms and helping with the administration side of things.   We are all so very excited!  This trip has come about very quickly (in the last 5 days) and everything is falling into place. 

Please pray for Joyce and Erin as they prepare.  Erin is having a Passport expedited - pray it gets here on time.  Also - pray for all of the financial stuff that comes along with a trip like this.  It's a very short time for all of us to come up with the money that is needed but we know that God has ordained this trip and He will provide!  If you are interested in helping in any way - please let me know.  You can email me at  Franklin4@truevine.net

Monnet and her new twins!

I am so excited to see ALL that God is going to do in and through us.  The education of both the nannies and the moms is so important as it will be greatly affecting/benefiting the next generation!

Thanks for your prayers!  I'll keep you updated - 

Until next time......