June 10th: Getting ancy! Need to know if our paperwork is ready to file stateside for our I600. Decide to call our agency. When I hang up, I'm overwhelmed. It is now recommended that we travel to Haiti to turn our I600 in at the Embassy. Yes, when we initially began this journey, we knew we would have 2 trips, then praised God that we would only have 1 trip (-$2500 from our total!!). The mindset we had adopted was: 1 trip to travel to Haiti & bring home J. We had put the PAP trip out of mind. We agonized over this decision for 48 hours primarily because we weren't sure if others were getting the same message. We also would need to cancel our "mini" vacation that the girls were looking forward to and where we would get to spend some time with family. Pleading with God began!
June 12th: Decide to go to Haiti. Request appointment for week of June 24th. We didn't want to wait until July because it could have delayed us a little longer. Now, who goes? Both of us? One of us? Tim? Me? It was easily determined that it would not be me by myself. Many others have went by themselves; however, we have never traveled to a 3rd world country and were not sure what to expect.
June 14th: Receive confirmation of our appointment on Tuesday, June 25th at 7:30 am in Port-au-Prince at the Embassy.
June16th: Decide that we will both travel thanks to the guidance of others with more experience than us!
Thus, the journey began for our first trip to Haiti! The hunt was on for plane tickets, which were high! However, as we waited a few days, the price dropped a tad. Thank you God! Then, all the details. . .hotel in PAP, hotel in Miami, how late for the return flight. . .many details. Yes, this whole process made me very nervous. I just couldn't focus on anything. God was working in me with His power! The week before I also had some other news that could affect a business I recently started with a friend. And, to be honest, I emotionally couldn't deal with it. One evening, my strength was gone. But God already knew it would be. You see it was that day that I started a new Bible study with a local women's group AND a new Bible study that I was leading in Sunday School. WOW! All to deal with me and where I was in the moment. His grace is sufficient for me for when I am weakest He can be strongest. I turned it all over to Him that night. (the nerves did not completely go yet) But, the worries about business stuff. . .He had to take it and make it happen. It was Him who gave it to us anyway, so I knew He would work it out. The new study is in depth on the power of prayer. . .the other study about "promise land living". . .God is a God of abundance! He doesn't do things like we would. He gives til it overflows! Praying stepped up a lot. His word says to cry out to Him, and I did. And, He answered as He promises. IF you call, HE will hear.
Saturday, I attended a Celebration of Life for one of my worship mentors and camp counselors. She had a profound impact on a lot of us. And, I didn't know half of her love and devotion to Christ and His children. And, of course, Haiti was one of her passions. God used that service mightily that day, and I hope that I am forever changed.
Sunday. . .God has given me His peace and brought back His passion. That evening, our church prayed over us. God was leading us, He would hem us in front and behind. . .Haiti, here we come!
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