FAITH IN ACTION HAS MOVED!!

My blog has moved and has a new face lift!! Lots of pictures and new stories to check out!!

Check out my new web page for Faith In Action at the below link.

http://faithinactionfia.wordpress.com/

A love that never fails.....

I've sat down several times in the past couple of days trying to figure out what I wanted to write about. There has been so much going on it's been hard to wrap my brain around everything and process it. This morning I had extra time to soak in the Word and reflect on what God has been placing on my heart the past couple of weeks. It was such a refreshing time and a much needed time to spend with the Lord.

My friend asked me several days ago if I was experiencing culture shock and if there was anything that I had seen or experienced that was difficult. There are a lot of things that are hard to see, hard to experience and hard to imagine. As I reflect on my first full month of being here, I'm suprised that I don't have the same feelings about Haiti as I did when I was here in September. Things that broke my heart, rocked my world and things that forced me to ask some hard questions on my first trip to Haiti, don't seem to have the same affect on me. Don't get me wrong, I love being here, I love Haiti and I love the people here. I just don't feel the same "heart tug" or the same "heartbreak" I felt on my first trip.

For the past couple of weeks I've been contemplating God's love. His love for me, His love for His creation, His love for all of mankind.

I've been praying that God would open my eyes and heart so I can love like Him. I want to love like God loves, to see beyond the physical aliments and physical barriers and see the true nature of the human being in front of me. I know that I can't fully love like Christ loves, but to share just one ounce of His love, would satisfy. I've been carrying around a sense of guilt for not having my heart ripped into a million pieces at the things I see and the stories I hear about the loss of a loved one due to the EQ or the stories of kids that have been abandoned for one reason or another. My dear friend reminded me that God doesn't produce guilt, but freely gives the gift of love. An unconditional agape love that just blows me away. A love that my mind can't comprehend or contain. A love that never fails and is never ending. My mind can't comprehend what it would be like to love someone like God loves us. This is until I met Fine.

Fine is in her early 30's and lives in a small mountain village with her aunt who takes care of her. Her mom for whatever reason lives in Texas and isn't around to take care of her daughter. When Fine was little, she tripped and fell on a chair and was left mentally disabled and unable to care for herself. The first time I saw Fine, my heart was broken for her. There was something about her that immediately caught my attention. It made me stop in my tracks and at that moment, I knew God brought me here, to this small mountain village, to show Fine that she is loved, the same way that God loves me, the same way God loves all of His creation. What you don't know is that Fine is the community outcast, a spectacle, an outsider.

I had been praying that God would allow me to love people for who they are, to see beyond their physical ailments and physical barriers and see them for who they truly are. Here right before my very own eyes, was such a girl. At that moment, I wondered what God sees when He sees Fine. He doesn't see an outcast, a girl confined to a disabled body. He sees a beautiful creation, a creation perfected in His sight. I want to see Fine as God sees her and created her to be. A beautiful creation, perfect in His sight.

So as I celebrate my first month in Haiti, I look forward to what God is showing me and sharing His love...His never ending, unfailing love.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

Time, it's a difficult thing...

Time, it's a very difficult thing here in Haiti. It takes several hours to get where you're going, it takes another couple of hours to accomplish what you've set out to do and another couple of hours to get back home, even then sometimes what you've set out to do doesn't get accomplished and nothing goes as planned. Nothing here happens quickly or happens with any sense of urgency.

Case in point, it's been 3 weeks and I'm just getting a chance to sit down and write my first blog since I've been here. Just not enough free time to have the luxury of sitting down and having some alone time. With teams coming and going and the house full of staff, I'm not sure alone time exists.

It's crazy that I've been here for 3 weeks when it feels like at times I've only been here for a week and other times it feels like I've been here for several months. It's been a challenging couple of weeks with a lot of emotional highs and lows. I think Haiti and I have a really good love hate relationship going on. Some days I just shake my head and ask myself "Am I ever going to get this?" "Am I able to do this?" "Why me?" "What kind of impact can I make while I'm here?" While other times it seems like a year here is not enough time.

I’m encouraged though, when I look out my bedroom window and see the beautiful views of the mountains and see the people going about their daily business. This is definitely God’s country. The flowers, the mountain views, the people.  I’m humbled that He chose me to be a part of it. A part of His great plan that my mind could never comprehend and fully understand but I trust Him. I trust that He’s called me here and I trust that He 's using me in ways that I've never imagined possible. 

Thank you all for your prayers, support and encouragement!

Putting faith in action,

::Jessica

The Great Haiti Adventure

When I was younger, about 9-10 years old, I really enjoyed writing short stories and poems. I get my creativeness from my dad who can write the best poems about passing gas, ticks and the such. I remember sitting at the dinner table with my family (do families do that anymore?) having candle lit dinners and my dad reading Robert Frost or me reading James Harriot's "All Creatures Great and Small" to my family. I enjoyed those simple moments, no TV on for distraction, no cell phones going off or video games. Just simple family time and a good poem here and there. At about age 9 or 10, I wrote a short story titled "The Great Prairie Adventure". It was about a girl named Louise who was a young cowgirl who was in love with a hunky cowboy and it followed their wild adventure out on the prairie battling grass fires, stampedes and Indians. Now, it's my turn to write another "Great Adventure" about my own new adventure::Moving to Haiti!! Hopefully with no grass fires, stampedes or wild Indians!

With only 4 days left, people have been asking me if I'm excited. Quite honestly I haven't felt motivated to update my blog for a while. Don't get me wrong. I'm excited to be following God's call to go to Haiti. I think that the many to do lists and last minute runs to Wal-Mart to get the never ending need for supplies has stolen some of the excitement. (If anyone knows any good packing tips on how to get a years worth of supplies into 2 suitcases, please feel free to send me a message, it's not looking pretty!) Guys- I envy your capability to live like, well...guys. Just a few pairs of shirts/shorts/jeans/shoes and your ready to go. Me on the other hand, I'm a girl and I need options! I was contemplating posting pictures of what it looks like to pack for living in a 3rd world country for a year, but I will spare you the gruesome photos. I should post a sign outside my room stating "Enter At Your Own Risk".

4 days..... 4 whole, fast approaching days until my world is turned upside down and I'm the new "blanc on the block". With one of my bags already packed, my supplies purchased and a crazy amount of "favorite" foods being consumed, I'm ready to get the show on the road!

So to speed everyone up on what's been happening the past several months. I will be joining Thirst No More (visit www.thirstnomore.org for more information on what TNM is all about) in Haiti. I will be committing to be in Haiti a year as the Haiti Volunteer Team Coordinator working directly with incoming teams planning out their activities they will be a part of the week or two that they are with us.

I'm looking forward to what God has called me to do and can't wait to share my experiences with everyone!

With 4 days until I step foot on that plane to Haiti, I couldn't be more encouraged or excited!

Thank you all for your prayers, support and encouragement. Here's to helping make a difference in Haiti together!!

Putting my faith in action,
::Jessica

NOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE

I'm not a fan of quoting songs or song lyrics, but I thought Brooke Fraser's song "Albertine" was a good title. One line in particular caught my attention "Now that I have seen, I am responsible. Faith without deeds is dead."

While in Haiti, my eyes saw poverty, despair, neglect, suffering, hopelessness and uncertainty. The earthquake left an estimated 1.3 million people homeless. That's the estimated population of New Hampshire. Imagine. That's the whole state of New Hampshire living in tent cities.

Life happens in these tents just as life happens in our own secure homes. Meals are cooked...clothes are washed...children are put to bed. There are millions of people living it everyday. Each meal a struggle. Clothes a luxury. Shelter an uncertainty. Torrential rain. Disease. Hunger. Death

As I look back at the pictures that I took and process the magnitude of the devastation, many questions flood my mind.

When was the last time they had a meal?
When was the last time they drank clean water?
When was the last time they were truly able to smile?
When was the last time they slept comfortably?
When was the last time they were free from worry?
When was the last time they didn't have to worry about their immediate needs?
When was the last time you had to think about the above?
When was the last time you had to think about the above and prepare for a Hurricane?

I can't help but pull up the weather report and watch the predicted path of Tropical Depression Tomas. I can't help but think of all 1.3 million mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, grandmothers, grandfathers, who call their tent their home, ride out the storm.

We've all seen the destruction on the news about the earthquake. We've all seen the pictures. We've all seen the faces of those whose lives will never be the same. "Now that WE have seen, WE are responsible".

God doesn't call us to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone to esle to come along and help. We've seen with our own eyes, now we are responsible, we are accountable.

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I need clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

You might think that just because you are thousands of miles away and you aren't directly impacted by the storm, that you don't have to worry or help those. You can help by praying.

Pray that the storm will not make landfall. We have the authority to tell the storm to stop; to stop from destroying thousands of homes and millions of peoples lives.

You can give. Give to those who are in need. Thirst No More, a non profit organization, is currently operating in Haiti. TNM was in Haiti 24 hours after the EQ to help provide basic necessities and medical care for all the victims. They are still operating and are reaching the Haitian people by building earthquake resistant bricks to rebuild churchs, homes and shcools. They also minister to orphans. Visit their website at: http://www.thirstnomore.org/ to learn more how you can help those in Haiti.

Regardless of the tropical storm, thousands of Haitians are battling diseases, poverty, hunger, rape. They need our help and for us to get off the sidelines and help.

James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

FAITH IN ACTION
::Jessica

HE IS ALL WE NEED

Since I've been back, I've had a lot of time to reflect. Each day a new thought, a new revelation. My eyes have seen and have been opened. Opened to things I've never seen before and opened to see things that I didn't want them to see before; not just outside in the physical world, but also in the depths of my very being. My physical eyes saw destruction, hopelessness, poverty, struggle and uncertainty. My eyes also saw how ugly of a person I am. Things I wanted to avoid became impossible to ignore.

It became impossible to ignore that I don't always live my life completely and solely dependent upon Him. At times, it's been completely and solely about me, and how I want to live my life, how I make my own decisions about where my life is going and how I want to be in control. Why do I not live completely dependent upon Him? The truth is painful to bear and difficult to admit. I want to find excuses and place blame on something or someone else.Why? Because the answer is that most of the time, I don't.

What would happen if you lost your house, lost your children, your wife/husband/sister/brother/mother/father? What if you lost all your possessions and only had the clothes on your back? Could you boldly say, "That's okay, all I need is Him?" Hearing stories from those who survived the earthquake say "It's okay, all I need is Him"...okay that they lost their only house, lost their soulmate and their loved one's and that He is their strength... it's humbling and convicting.

If we truly believe He is all I need, why do we live like He is not enough? Why do we sometimes believe the lie that something or someone else can satisfy the deepest desires of my heart?  How do we simply forget that He is the source of life and apart from Him, we are nothing? He is my Father, my Creator, Abba Father, and I've lived life like he was just another person. I do it because I'm human. We've created idols to fill His place. Things that we desperatley hold on to. Things that make us feel secure. Things that we couldn't live without. We give those things a place in our soul...that place that belongs to Him. And we wonder why those things don't satisfy the deepest desires of our heart and soul.

We all have different needs. It doesn't matter where you live, what you do or who you are. We all need Him.

Colossians 1:15-17 
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO! WE'VE GOT THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, HOW ABOUT YOU?

One of our crafts for the week was to do some bandana bracelets. It so happened that the day we were going to do the craft, the kids had memorized Galatians 5:22- The Fruits of the Spirit. So we crafted "Fruit of the Spirit" bracelets. Each bandana color represented a fruit of the Spirit. It was a great craft but not sure some of the kiddos got the meaning behind the craft. All the kids enjoyed the bracelets, some moreso than others. Towards the end the bracelets ended up being "Fruit of the Spirit" headbands! Oh well, at least we planted a seed, now we just have to wait for the fruit.

Me, Kelli and Jacqus sporting our "Fruit of the Spirit" bracelets!

We even made bracelets for community kids

who attended English class

                                                 

                                                           

And an eye patch/visor?

                                           

Or "Fruit of the Spirit" headband!