Haiti - Feb. 2012

Here are a few pictures from Haiti.  I didn't take very many, and really the pictures don't really do much justice.  To really know what it is like you need to experience it for yourself.  Which I would encourage everyone to do if they ever get the opportunity!

We flew into the big airport in Port Au Prince from Miami.  Then we took a taxi to the smaller one, there we flew to Les Cayes.  It was smallest airplane I have ever ridden in!!

Franz & Doris Clotaire, Daniel, & Manuel

Franz is the one who started and runs S.E.E.D Ministries.

Here are a few pics from the tour we took of the hospital in Bon Fine

One of the doctors

One of the operating rooms.

Part of the hospital that has been redone by some of our workteams.  It looked very nice!!

The Domestic Center:

This is run by Germans.  It has the same concept of S.E.E.D, it teaches the women to sew, take care of the household, etc.

We had to cross this river to get there. :-)

Nursing Home

On Saturday we went and sang a few songs at this nursing home. They also sang a couple songs to us and read scripture.  It was really neat!

S.E.E.D Ministries

One of their rice patties

The road that separates the "campus" from the gardens.

Work projects:

Our main one was to pour a cement pad for a bin.  The next team going down will be putting up the bin.

We mixed the cement the the loader buckets instead of on the ground(which is the way they normally do it!!)

We also worked on the corn sheller... we had quite the contraption going!

Rod & I worked on fixing some water pipe that runs along the the gardens, where the students get their water for the plants from. We also fixed a leak in one of the water tanks....Rod tried to get me to go in and fix it....haha...I told him that is the assistants job (I was the manager & he my assistant).  I might have considered it had the water bottom of the tank not been green and the amphibians not been living in there...

Oh yes...and they let me drive the tractor!! ;-)

On Sunday we went to a church where one of the 3rd year students at S.E.E.D was doing his internship.  We got to look at a couple of his gardens.  The church was up in the mountains and it was quite the road there!! Another thing you can't explain and pictures don't even do justice to are the roads!

Silverton, OR

I went to Joel & Abi Steiner's wedding the middle of January in Silverton.  I went out on Thursday and came back Monday.  I stayed with Brooke Luthi and Rebekah Jones! We walked around Silverton on Friday & ate lunch there. Most just relaxed.  Then on Saturday we went to the coast...which really didn't last very long since it was cold and rainy. :-( But we still went to the beach...we ran out there, had some random guy take our picture...and run back to the warmth of the van. :-) Then for lunch we went to Moe's, which was really good! Then the rest of the weekend was just your normal wedding weekend...supper, singing, church, wedding, and reception.  There was a singing Friday night at Kristin Sinn's and a short singing on Sunday night at Jordan Sinn's. Then Monday we left.

Jamaica

I decided that before I add anything about Haiti, I should first add some pictures from Jamaica since that was first... So here are just a few pictures.  My favorite ones are the sunsets. The sunsets are beautiful! God so amazing!!

Peace....is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank.

Accomplishing One Task from my Bucket List

I am working on accomplishing this one:

Having six different instruments and knowing how to play them.

Well I play the piano, guitar, mountain dulcimer, accordion, banjo(working on), and the most recent one....violin!!! I took violin lessons for a year when I was in 5th or 6th grade, so I now the basics, but as of today... I am starting violin lessons on Tuesday!!!!! I am super excited!

Being Rich With No Money

I recently(Feb 2-10) got the privelege of going on a work team to Les Cayes, Haiti. I went on the Agricultural Aid program with 12 others.  One of these days I will actually get pictures of the trip posted.  I learned alot of valuable things.  One of the things that really struck me was when we were sitting in church on Sunday.  We had went to a church up in the mountains, it was really back there!! And we had quite the trip out there!! But anyway, back to the point.  Their singing was beautiful! Not in the sense that everyone was always in tune and in perfect harmony, but they put their entire voice and soul into singing.  It is something that you don't find the US.  They know what it is like to truly sing Praises to God! Often times here in church, people sing, and yes most the time we are in tune and in harmony, but we don't have our hearts in it.  We are often thinking about what we have to do, or annoyed with how slow the song is going, or distracted by the kid screaming in the background, etc. You get the point.

Another one of my favorites, was when we would ride in the back of the truck.  The kids we would pass would have a huge grin on their face and wave to us. It was really special and I loved it, even though it wasn't like I really could talk to them, etc.

More later.....

Busy

I have been crazy busy and almost forgot about my blog! :-) The week before Christmas we took a family vacation to a resort in Jamaica! It was very relaxing and I loved it!! Then I was home(Morris) for Christmas.  January was packed with traveling too!! I went to Joel & Abi Steiner's wedding in Silverton.  I flew out on a Thursday and came back the next Monday.  Then the next weekend I went out to Rittman, OH for baptisms (Tricia Bauman, Anna Hartzler, Kirk Gasser, and Kent Dotterer). Then I went home again the next weekend. Which leads me to February. CRAZY!! But I LOVE it!! :-)

God's Mercy

Seven years ago today I answered God's call in my life.  He performed a miracle in me that would have been impossible!  It has been a remarkable journey!  There has been many heartaches, trials, and struggles.  All of which have been leading me to a closer walk with God.  I can't forget all the blessings that God has given me!! They excede everything else! I thank God for where He has brought me, what He is doing with me now, and where He will bring me!  Blessed be the name of the Lord!!