What: Hannah's leaving for the mission field... again!
Where: Leogane, Haiti
When: January 4th to mid-December 2013
Why: Well, hopefully you already know that I love Jesus and want to be part of making disciples in Haiti!
How: That's where you come in!

In less than 6 weeks I'm heading back to Haiti. I'm so thankful to be home for the holidays this year, but I'm really excited to get back down to a country that has quickly stolen my heart. My departure date is January 4th and my soon-to-be coworkers are anticipating my arrival and are ready to put me to work as the Safe Water/Maternal Child Health Intern.

YOU ARE INVITED...

TO PRAY!

I need prayer warriors who will commit to praying for me regularly as I tackle the tasks set before me. My internship with Children's Nutrition Program will be outside my normal realm of experience, but I believe in their programs and I'm trusting God to equip me for this assignment. I'd appreciate your prayers in this way, that I would be able to quickly dive in and do all that is required of me in this upcoming role. Safe water and nutrition are what most of us consider basic necessities... and also what we often take for granted. Unfortunately, for most of the world, these are luxuries! I've seen dozens of malnourished children in Haiti so far, and it breaks my heart to know that so many children in that impoverished nation will not survive if help does not come to them soon! I've shared this statistic before that 20,000 children die each day before their 5th birthday. I've also seen a statistic for Haiti as high as 44 children dying each hour.

Not only am I passionate about wanting every nation and tribe to know about God and the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, but I think everyone should have access to clean water and the information and resources they need to keep their families healthy. Thank you for praying for me and for the individuals and communities I will be trying to help within these programs. And pray also as I share my life with the Haitian people. It is my prayer that Jesus will be evident in all that I say and do, and that my work in Haiti will go much further than just physical healing.

TO GIVE! 

I am on my way to reaching my goal of $3750 (=$250 monthly need + $750 outgoing need). That amount will cover my expenses for the entire year, including plane tickets, medical insurance, application of one-year visa, and items I am purchasing in advance for my time in Haiti. As of today, I've raised and have pledges committed totaling $2,790. Thank you for all of you who have given towards this cause so far. It's been incredible to see how God continues to provide, even in just the last 24 hours! 



THANK YOU again for your prayers and support, not only during my time in Haiti but since God first called me to full-time ministry nearly 8 years ago. What an incredible journey I have had the privilege of living out since that night. And it's been a blessing to have so many of you walking beside me along the way. I appreciate you accepting the invitation to join me in this Kingdom work. And I'm reminded each day that it is not my ministry... it is first God's and then ours. Together, we CAN make a difference in the lives of people around the world, going out, making disciples, and teaching them about our Heavenly Father. And oh, how thankful I am that God is with me every step of the way, until the end of time! (Matthew 28:19-20).

I just returned from a quick visit to Haiti. When I left in August, I told my friends I would return as soon as possible. Originally I had planned to return in the fall for a few months. When that changed and my return moved to January, I still wanted to make a quick trip before then if possible. This trip was my fifth and shortest time in Haiti so far. Short as it was, it was just as sweet as always!

The main purpose of the trip was to see friends and deliver donations. Thanks to your help over 40 pairs of shoes were donated and several piles of fabulous children's clothes. I had casually put the word out that I may need help carrying everything down, and my friend Celeste took me up on the offer for a travel companion. I met Celeste on my first trip to Haiti with Samaritan's Purse in August last year. We were on a construction team together. She had been looking for an opportunity to get back down to Haiti and see the children at the "Lamb Center" orphanage (now named Greta Academy), and so she was excited to tag along.

We had a "fun" time getting to and from Haiti. We scored a great deal on our flights, but unfortunately it required an overnight on the way down and on the way back. Our journey in a nutshell: I drove to Chattanooga, met up with Celeste, we took the Megabus to Atlanta, grabbed the Marta to the airport, flew to Fort Lauderdale that night, slept (or at least tried!) in the airport, and boarded our 7:30am flight to Port au Prince Monday morning. Coming back we were scheduled for an early flight home but it was delayed four hours. We finally got to Fort Lauderdale, ate pizza and ice cream and waited around until our flight to Atlanta that night. We slept in the Atlanta airport--popular both for weary travelers and the homeless escaping the winter weather--took the Marta and froze waiting on the Megabus, and headed back to Chattanooga where I met up with some friends for church and then drove home in time to cook for our Thanksgiving meal at church that night. WHIRLWIND! But... let me get back to our time in Haiti...

Celeste and I were able to take down most of the donations and spent our time between orphanage visits and getting to know the staff at Children's Nutrition Program, or Kore Timoun as it's known in Haiti. We stayed at the CNP house which is where I will be living next year. It is located just a street away from where I stayed this summer. It will be great to be back in an area I know well and around so many familiar faces.


The two destinations we were looking forward to the most was the SP orphanage I mentioned and Children of Hope Orphanage. The kids at Greta were so thrilled to see Celeste! They remember her well as the one who danced with them and taught them the Macarena last year! We had a great time visiting with the kids, playing with the little crazy ones running around everywhere, and the ladies insisted we join them for a spaghetti lunch one of the days. Mayonnaise and ketchup are the required ingredients for most spaghetti dishes in Haiti. It's not as bad as it sounds. :)

Here are some photos from our time with the kids at Greta...




On Wednesday we spent some time at Children of Hope Orphanage. Most of the children's shoes and clothing went to these sweet kiddos. It was so good to see them again. Three months was too long without those hugs and kisses I love so much! Even Beni (my puppy friend) was glad to see me. Sadly, he's gotten scrawny again and is abused by the other dogs. Hopefully when I'm back next year I can keep him alive and healthy! Speaking of which, I wasn't excited about the condition of the children. Some of them looked worse than when I left in August. One in particular looked as if he'd lost 5 pounds. A medical team visited this week, so at least that's one step in the right direction. Those children need regular attention. I know Pastor Jean Mark loves the children and is doing the best he can do, but more is needed. I hope next year brings positive change and more help for these kids.




We did a lot of walking... and consequently, sweating! But I loved being out in the community. We got a few nights of rain, so it left us with some muddy paths. On Thursday we walked what we estimate to be 4.5-5 miles to the Samaritan's Purse orphanage. I don't even really know how that was decided. We could have taken a taptap or moto, but the next thing I knew, we were just walking the whole way!


On Friday we went by Pastor Jean Claude's orphanage to say hi to the 110 children there. I first met Pastor Jean Claude through my friend Kalebe who was the director of the Lamb Center. Kalebe knows of dozens of orphanages in the Leogane area. It was great to see these kids again. I haven't spent much time there, but this is another orphanage with many needs. Here are a few of many photos from that day...

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Fall is perhaps life's greatest reminder of this for me. I'm blessed to call East Tennessee home... the land of the four seasons. :) Although it doesn't snow here as much as it did when I was a child, we get our cold winter, our hot summer, the beautiful blossoms of spring, and the rich colors of autumn. I love all of it, but fall most of all. That deep orange hue of the leaves is the most gorgeous color this earth can display.

Today I finally did something I've been meaning to do for weeks... drive around and take pictures of the incredible colors I'm blessed to see here every day during this season. I nearly waited too long as so many have fallen to the ground already. Every time the wind blows and I see the leaves floating down I want to scream, "NO! Stay! Just for a little while longer!" But I know it's all part of the cycle. From death comes new life. And when the pink dogwoods and cherry blossoms bloom in the spring, all will be right with the world again. :)

I thought I'd share with you a piece of my home. I only had my point and shoot, so apologies there, and I took most of these by quickly rolling down my window, snapping, and driving on. But I hope you will enjoy these snippets of God's creation I've tried to capture, and hopefully even spend some time yourself out and about to enjoy whatever season you've found yourself in. I think I've only missed two autumns away from home. Next year I'll miss another. I'm soaking in as much as I can this year--sad I will miss it next, but excited for what other colors God will have for me in Haiti! If you're away from home this holiday season, I pray that God will gift you with something special to remind you of the place you treasure in your heart--wherever else your path has taken you!

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus











I'll close with a lengthier section of the Scripture quoted at the beginning. It's been a while since I read it and really let it all soak in. I found it good for my soul to revisit these truths. Maybe it's something you need to read as well during your own season of life.