Haiti

How does one even begin to describe Haiti?
The sights: garbage, tents, dirt, crowded, bugs, mountains, green, ocean
The sounds: shouts, thunder, rain, dogs barking, roosters crowing, voodoo drums
The smell: trash, sweat, damp
The taste: beans, rice, warm water, dirt
the touch: cold showers, dirt, hot
The people: smiles, laughter, hugs, kisses, prayers, smooth dark skin, talk, happiness, joy, hope

How come these people have so much happiness? Why do they have so much hope? Why do the kids run up to us just to hug us, when we have nothing to give out to them? Its because they NEED love. Its becuase they have nothing else excpet hope. They live off of it. Its the only thing they have, since they have nothing physical. That is why my team is here. To bring more hope, and to tell them that there is someone who loves them, even though they have nothing. That there is someone who has been watching out for them, even though they are abandon by their families.

We had church service in a prison today. As we (my team) sat in the middle of the court yard with Haitians from the YWAM base here, the prisoners came to their doors to listen and praise God. 10 people per cell. No where to sit, no where to sleep. As it started to pour down rain, we went up to the cells and just prayed for them. They were craving it, needing it. They have never had anyone care for them or pray for them before. Then they prayed for us. They were moved, I was moved.

For the next 2 weeks, we will be serving here on base as well as out on the streets. the 2 weeks after that, we will be living in the tent cities. Please be praying that everything goes smooth :) I love these people and already have a heart for them. I can not wait to see what happens in the next 2 and a half months :)

Rice, Beans, and Love

goodness, only 3 days left!

Yeah, you read that right. 3 days left until we leave. Thats it. Today we are going team shopping, getting typhoid shots, and malaria pills. Gonna be fun.

This week's speaker was Jake Hamilton, and he was unbelievable. He wrote the song that I posted a few weeks ago, The Anthem. Man, that guy is on FIRE for God. The whole class gets pumped just listening to him. He has an amazing relationship with God. He is an awesome song writer. And he has HUGE visions for Revival and Reformation of the church, especially in America. He was the perfect person to listen to before we leave for outreach. I can't even really say anymore, he was just so good. I could write for days about his lectures and how I feel about them. If you want to listen to him, which I highly suggest, go to www.awakendts.com and scroll to the bottom where the speaker list is. Some of his stuff is pretty convicting, but dead on.

I don't even know where to begin about how I feel about going to Haiti. Excited, nervous, expecting, don't know what to expect. They thoughts are all over the place. We know what we are doing up until the last 2 weeks, where we will figure it out along the way. We are not sure if we are going to have internet there or not, so there is a chance that I won't be able to update my blog while I am there. OUr team is amazing, though. The leaders are awesome and I really feel like we are just one big family. there are 18 total, so there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, but we all love each other as brothers and sisters.

We all have high hopes for Haiti. We expect to see a lot happen, good and bad. Please be praying for protection for us as we travel there. Pray that we all stay connect to God and each other. Pray that no sickness comes over us, especially since it is Malaria season.

Thank you so much, you guys, for all you have done for me and my team. I seriously can not convey how much I appreciate and love you all. I hope to talk to you all soon :)

17 days AHHHH

I have so many hopes and dreams for Haiti. And in 17 days, I will be on my way to see them happening. After 2 days of traveling, including a 5 hour lay over in LA and then another 3 hour layover in Miami, we will arrive in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where we will then take a bus to the YWAM base in Saint Marc. For the first 2-3 weeks, we will be staying on base there doing whatever they need help with. We will also be going into the streets when we are not helping out and ministering to the people on the streets, praying for faith, healings, and miracles in the hearts of the Haitian people. After these first few weeks, we will be moving into the slums, living in tents.

There is so much that we want to do in such little time. I personally have had a desire to reach out to prostitutes and those who visit brothels. My heart breaks for them. We will also be working with orphans, and again my heart breaks. In the prisons, working with murderers, my heart will break again for them. Each time my heart breaks, God is going to fill the cracks with love for them.

I can't wait to show the orphans that they have a heavenly father who will never die on them, or leave them, or sell them so the rest of their family can have money for food. To the prostitutes that they have an eternal lover who LOVES them for THEM and not their body and that they are worth a life that died on a cross, not a man with 5 dollars in his pocket. To the drug lords that Jesus can be their drug, not a bag of white powder. To the witch doctors and voodooistic people that they do not need to sacrifice anything or be overcome with demons to be protected and saved, but Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.

It is going to be scary, but it is a demonic oppressed country. Voodoo is their religion. They think it is a GOOD thing to be possessed by a demon because they think that their family will be protected by the demon. Pray that our team is unified, that we build a force of love so strong that the demons will cower and run away, because they can't stand to be around us.

Man, i get excited just THINKING about going, I can't wait until I am finally there! At the end of November, something amazing is going to happen. My team is going with another school form YWAM, Fire and Fragrance. And they are planning a 200 hour burn at the capital. For 8 and half days leading up to the election for a new president, thousands of people will gather at the steps of the capital, and worship, pray, and fast.

My team is still in financial need. We need around 6,000 total for everyone to be able to go. If you can help in anyway, jsut let me know :)

Thank you again for all your support and prayers! It sounds cliche, but I really do feel honored to have all of you back home praying for me and my team. Believe it or not, your prayers are working :)