Haiti and other news

See? I told you I would be back on. There's something about not being pregnant... or having a small baby to care for. Suddenly I get to sleep all the way through most nights, and I can take a few minutes for a cup of tea each day. My house doesn't look like a hurricane blew through it, and I can actually think through life in general. It also means I get to say what I'm thinking. So... my thoughts.

I can't actually remember when I decided that I was going to Haiti. (Only for 5 days... to me it feels like a huge lifetime commitment.) And I have made arrangements for someone I trust to take care of the kiddos while Peter is at work, and Peter has made arrangements to work for only a couple of days that week... The Lord has altered my way of thinking drastically. Sometimes you need to be shaken up a little bit. I like being comfortable. I like my current sleeping habits, I like that I own my house and don't need to pack my stuff every year anymore. I like warm showers, not being hungry. I like my bed... even just a year ago I was ready to do anything, and give up everything if that's what God wanted. Now... I have settled down and gotten complacent.

But maybe I just needed to take a break and catch my breath. You've read my blog, and you know what life was like. It was FUN... and we had a lot of ADVENTURES! This year we are getting ready. There is a secret thing we are headed toward this year that I can hardly wait to announce it... I was telling Sarah just a few months ago that we were waiting for God to say "go." Like a race. (Hebrews 12:1, after Paul tells of the faith of the past saints...) "Let us throw off EVERYTHING that hinders!" Just go read the rest! Oh, fine... I'll tell you! "And the sin that SO EASILY entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us! Let us FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS!" Have you ever read Hebrews? Its one of my favorites!

And she asked if we were on "get ready" or "get set." Ha. She is so sweet. We finally got a go... and I am so very excited! The reason why we finally got a go is because we were ready for it! My eyes were fixed on the "author and perfecter of my faith." Even just my committing to Haiti made me realize that there are people in the world who still have less. Much less. I cried when I found out that our plane was flying out of Denver at 1:30 AM... and when I heard that the shower is outside. And there's no hot water. And that we are staying in a dorm style mission house. These are things I don't want to give up for a blink... and things that they don't have EVER. But most of all I was upset because we are ONLY going for less than a week to help with orphans. Children without mothers and fathers. I wish I could bring them all home with me, because we have a big house, and lots and lots of love to give. I was upset because of my selfishness in resisting giving up things that aren't even actually needs.

So, here is some information about the country itself and those beautiful souls that reside there.

Haiti is a Caribbean country. It is actually in North America. The funny thing is when I was saying I wouldn't go to Haiti, my reason was that "It's on another continent. I would maybe go if it was in North America or South America..." Yeah. I thought it was in Africa. My geography is a little rusty. But its waaaay better than before my smartie pants daughter started school. She loves maps. So... you go to Miami Florida, and then fly over the (Atlantic) ocean past the Bahamas (South East?) and then land in Cap Haitien, at the very Northern tip of Haiti. That's where I'll be. I know its an extremely rough geographical description... but go look at a map. Its enough to get you started finding the place. You can look over this link to learn about the people my church is partnering with: http://www.newlifemissionhaiti.org/

The reason I thought it was in Africa is because of the African culture... and here's why. (A history lesson.) It started with Christopher Columbus. Then there was lots of killing and strife among the native people and the settlers... there was war happening between the Spanish and the Europeans, eventually leading to colonies being abandoned due to sickness and starvation and general upheaval. This is where the French moved in, and despite their colonies being destroyed multiple times by the Spanish, they resettled each time, eventually successfully. (1660, if any of you need a solid date.) So, from 1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, until 1660, when the French ruled Haiti. (Now you'll never forget that important piece of history, thanks to my rhyming skills.) There was war. And another gem? 1751, earthquake and tsunami, killing hundreds. 1770, earthquake. Ok... I need to say at this point that I am skipping a ton of information in order to streamline this blog. This is all coming from Wikipedia, so you can go read the whole article if you need everything technical. I am headed toward a point, so I am trying not to make this a two parter.

Alright... where was I? Eventually these colonies, established in the Caribbean became very wealthy, due to Sugar, Cotton, Coffee, and Indigo. But, it wasn't due to the the settlers labors, it was because of the hard work of? Yep. Slaves. At one point in time, the number of slaves outnumbered that of the French, and because of the terrible treatment of the slaves they were constantly bringing in more from Africa... from many different tribes. Meaning that there were multiple languages and variations in religious  beliefs. (But, always Voudou.) The settlers had to find a way to control their slaves, so they resorted to terrible punishments.

Revolution was inevitable, and it came in the year 1791. In 1804 after a lot of details I am skipping Haiti was established. They were in debt because of financial demands the French, British, and United States made (Because of "lost property.") Oh, if only the new Haiti could have placed a price on their suffering, their lives lost... in the quest for freedom. And if only they could have known where true freedom came from.

After this, there were laws put in place to prevent the white people from establishing any towns, and also an elimination of any inequality in skin color. All citizens of Haiti were to be referred to as black. That's not especially relevant, just interesting.

There is a long history of political struggle, and Haiti never really got itself going, so to speak. There were continued exports of Sugar and Cotton... but Haitians were typically employed as seasonal workers in Cuba, and there were not enough laborers home to work in their own country. When the Great Depression came along, their export prices dropped, resulting in violence. (Another fact? I just read a book with Sarah about World War II. The Great Depression was one reason Hitler was able to rise to power...I cried my way through a book designed for a 5th grader. Why is this world so terrible? And how are people capable of such evil?) So, now what I intended to be one blog is going to be two... or maybe three? Lets learn together.

Ok. Politics are really, really not my strength. I'm going to skip all of the details for now. But the fact is that there was war... and there is still fighting over democracy. People are still trying to gain control and take away the choices of the people. It is a country in need of peace.

And what have I even been talking about for the past couple of months? Where does all this come from? From Jesus! And what does most of the world believe? Children are our future... and guess what? I can't bring the Haitian children home with me... but I can love them while I am there! I can pour myself into them... pour Jesus into them, and maybe one day change will come for this precious country, because of the efforts of the saints who live in Haiti, and because of the efforts of the saints who can only leave their lives for a short time, or who can't go, but can give financially. Or who can cover those of us going with prayer... Another passage about running the race... About being poured out? Paul (An amazing guy. Can't wait to give him a hug... sit right next to him, hear his stories...) in writing to Timothy, says that one day people will find teachers who are just going to say what they want to hear. But, this is his charge to the believers.

"Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge the duties of you ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have FINISHED THE RACE, I have KEPT THE FAITH!" (2 Timothy 4:5-7)