ApParent Project - From Desperation to Hope

ApParent Project has begun a new ceramics program using this exact same clay. They are employing Haitians from Site Soleil to make the beads for their jewelry, thus giving them employment and money for real food. I am so excited to be a part of an organization that is creating jobs and bringing people out of poverty.  Bringing more people from desperation to hope.

Sometimes Obedience is Bittersweet

The Lord is constantly working in our lives and for that I am extremely thankful.  If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you know that I'm a firm believer in the fact that everything in our life has a purpose.  Absolutely nothing is wasted by God.  He uses everything to change us and grow us closer to Him.  Sometimes these things are in the forms of trials and difficulty.  Other times they are in the forms of blessings and grace.  And every once in a while things come into our lives that fall in the middle of the two.

From the beginning of our marriage, we have prayed and asked God to use us in His ministry.   We have surrendered our family - our lives  - to His will.  If you have read The Story of Us, you can see how God has taken us several different places in the last 15 years of marriage.  We firmly believe that God uses each one as the stepping stone to the next thing He has for us.  I realized several years ago, through the wisdom of a good friend, that even though we are not a military family in the sense of the U.S. Army or Navy, etc. - we are part of God's Army and He has the right to move us around and assign us where He wants us.

All of that said, I'm writing to inform you of our newest "assignment". 

To help explain things, let me start by including Russell's newsletter article this week:

     Cami, Jarod, Anne, and I came to Ocean Park nearly three years ago with excitement about what God was going to do in and through this church body. Our goal was to move here to the beach as soon as we could, and commute back and forth from Clay County in the meantime. We took our house off the market after ten months without any bites. We interpreted this as God telling us to continue commuting longer than anticipated. During this season of commuting, I have sought to serve Ocean Park as best I could while living several communities away. 

     In January of this year, Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Clay County contacted me about being their pastor. I had no desire to leave, but told them I was willing to “look through the door” with them. Through search team interviews and other discussions, it became clear that God was leading them to me and me to them. I had the opportunity to preach in view of a call last Sunday and they voted 100% to call me as their pastor and I have accepted. I am resigning as pastor of Ocean Park, effective Sunday, April first. Cami will also step down from her role as secretary on that date. Please know that I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at Ocean Park and I am confident that God has great things in store in the years to come. I will be praying for you and I ask that you pray for us during this time of transition.

In His Grace,

Russell

This is where our obedience becomes bittersweet.  We are very excited about where God is taking us and the new journey He is beginning in our ministry, but also sad about what we are leaving behind.  This has been especially hard for us.  We have prayed and sought the Lord for weeks.  We have struggled through the decision and sought outside council.  Another sweet friend reminded me a few years ago that God's will is like a swift current.  When that current starts moving - it pulls everything in with it - everything flows in the same direction and there is no stopping it.  I love that word picture.  When we are in the middle of God's will, everything just flows and falls into place. There is no denying it - God's peace and direction are unmistakable.  We have experienced this with each and every ministry move that we have been directed to.  Isn't God good?  He gives us clarity and peace of mind so when there are doubts and opposition, we can go back to this place where we KNOW we are making the right decision.  We experienced this current when God called us to Ocean Park and now He is closing that door and leading us to a new place of service.  One that is closer to home - one that is in the community where we live.

Please pray with us as we make this transition.  Like I said, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead but also have a love for the sweet people at Ocean Park.  We realize that this move affects more than just our family and we pray that God will use this in everyone's life to continue to grow and change us all into the people He has created us to be.  

Until next time.......

 

ApParent Project - Stateside

I've blogged a lot about ApParent Project in Haiti, but now I'd like to focus a bit on all that happens here in the states to make AP so successful.  Specifically in Lacey, Washington. 

This is Marilyn Monoghan, Shelley's mom.  And of course, her wonderful grandchildren, Keziah, Zebedee, Jackson and Ember.

When ApParent Project began to take off a few years ago and Shelley started promoting the jewelry parties, she asked her mom if she would be willing to deposit some checks stateside for her.  Marilyn agreed.  No big deal, right? Little did she know how much of an important role she would play.

Originally, the jewelry came directly from Haiti.  When I ordered my first box in Nov. 2010, Shelley shipped it to me from Haiti.  Basically what that meant was, Shelley had to find someone who was flying out of Haiti and was willing to take a box of jewelry home and then ship it to me.  It took a few weeks and oddly enough - my original box went all the way to California and then back across the country to me.

During this time, they were working out some logistics and every other box I have received has come from Marilyn in Washington.  The jewelry parties took off like crazy and they soon realized that they needed to have a "warehouse" here in the states so that it can get into the hands of the people willing to sell it for them a lot faster.

So Marilyn makes several trips to Haiti each year to visit her daughter and all of those lovely grandchildren, of course.  But also to load her suitcases up with jewelry!  Shelley also ships things to her throughout the year as well and those who visit fill suitcases also.  Marilyn was excited that I was going to bring my own stuff back this time so I would quit bugging her for it!  Ha!!!!  She is one busy lady!

On any given day, her living room looks like this:

or this:

Jewelry EVERYWHERE!

"I've been up to my eyeballs in AP stuff for over 2 years now. I keep adding "helpers" but the work load hasn't decreased yet. Right now, there is grace to do what I'm doing. And I LOVE what I'm doing... building an infrastructure that will sustain what God is doing. I have had the most amazing people come alongside me to help! We now have 4 paid staff in WA (part-time) & some volunteers, plus me!"  ~ Marilyn

Meet some of the staff:

This is Keri the "Warehouse Manager" and packing / sorting / labeling, etc person

 

This is Sandy, the "Shipping Manager" alias expert at packing our custom and any other orders

 

 

This week Marilyn posted some photos on Facebook that gave some insight into her "post office runs".  This is just a SMALL part of the process.  

 

 Boxes of bracelets from Haiti

These boxes are emptied and then sorted into other boxes ready to ship across the U.S.

 "Our "normal" Party box contains 100+ items. Our "large" Party box contains 150+ items. And, now we have the fundraiser bracelet boxes going out like crazy." 

"My average post office run depends on the time of year. This Fall was absolutely crazy. I think my record was 33 orders in one day - but that included Market Haiti (lots of individual item orders) and Apparent Project (full boxes.) Right now... during the slow time, there are at least 2 post office runs per week, often 3. It is rare to only have 5-6 boxes. I often have 2 luggage carriers full of boxes - maybe 12-15 boxes, plus a large bag of small MH orders & the paperwork I carry to keep track of what orders were sent."

Postmaster George and Marilyn

Like I said, this is just a small part of the process!  I wish I could got to Washington for a week and follow her around like I did Shelley!  It would be so much fun to help out with this part of it too.  

Marilyn and I are going to collaborate in the next few weeks and I'm going to continue to blog about her side of things here in the states.  I am excited to learn more and I hope you are too!

Until next time.......