Where He leads...

"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

My great grandmother lived in this house! :)

Since I was out with my camera, I couldn't help passing up this field of colts. There were three new babies. So cute!!

And look at this cute little house near my neighborhood. It deserved a photo spot as well!

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.

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,

And a time to die;

A time to plant,

And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,

And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

And a time to build up;

A time to weep,

And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,

And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

And a time to speak;

A time to love,

And a time to hate;

A time of war,

And a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I am excited to share details with you about my 2013 plans! Many of you have been praying with me as I've been seeking the Lord's direction for continuing ministry in Haiti next year. I had been looking into a few options and last week God opened the door for a one-year internship with Kore Timoun, or Children's Nutrition Program as it is known here in the States. CNP is a non-denominational, faith-based organization out of Chattanooga, Tennessee and has been operating in Haiti since 1998. The mission of CNP as stated on their website is "to improve the health and development of Haitian children, particularly those suffering from malnutrition, who can in turn raise Haiti from poverty. We work to achieve this mission, in partnership with our Haitian sisters and brothers, by focusing on the family person who will have the biggest impact on the health and future of the child--the mother. Healthy mothers will be able to have healthy children."

I will join CNP in Leogane, Haiti the first week in January as their Safe Water and Maternal Child Health and Nutrition intern. My list of responsibilities is quite extensive, but I am ready for the challenge and see this as an incredible and certainly unique learning experience! I will be helping to manage the Safe Water projects, two of these projects in 2013 will include a biosand filter project and a latrine project. I will monitor these projects, help manage the staff, and promote community participation as CNP strives for sustainable projects that will be reproduced and long-lasting in these Haitian communities. I will also provide support and supervision to the Outpatient Therapeutic Program and Supplemental Food Program, participating in program outcomes, goals and strategies. And in addition to serving within the above programs, I will help CNP with their overall communication efforts, including Facebook posts, writing for their blog, daily Tweets from the field, and sending out photos, videos, and stories on a regular basis.

"The Children's Nutrition Program has hired and trained community nutrition workers to supervise the program in their own village. Caregivers of children who are found to be moderately malnourished are invited to participate with their children for two weeks in the Hearth Program. Each day mothers spend time together preparing a meal and discussing local foods and their nutritional value, the importance of vaccinations, breastfeeding, hygiene, child spacing and care-giving practices to bring their children back to good health." (from the CNP website)

When CNP's community nutrition workers find children too ill to be rehabilitated through the Hearth Program, these children are referred to the Outpatient Therapeutic Care Program for further evaluation and treatment. Sometimes they are sent home with packets of PlumpyNut.

Making final preparations for the latrine

A nearly finished latrine

I will get to spend a good portion of my time in the mountains and local villages around Leogane monitoring the programs and getting to know the Haitian staff and the families they serve.

I want to again thank those of you who have been journeying with me and praying for me and the various ministries in Haiti I've had the privilege of serving with. I look forward to joining CNP in January and I also have a brief trip planned in November to visit CNP and many of my other friends in Haiti, including the kids at Children of Hope Orphanage. My friend Celeste will be joining me on that trip, and we'll be taking down the 45 pairs shoes and other donations for my dear Haitian brothers and sisters.

How can you help? 2013 will be filled with so many blessings and opportunities! I am faithfully relying on prayer and support to accomplish all that God will set before me. As I mentioned, the internship will be very intense. There will be much to learn and the schedule and duties will be demanding. Again, I'm excited for the challenge, but I could most certainly use your prayers. Prayers for strength and endurance (Col 1:11). Prayers for protection while living in a struggling and desperate nation (Ps 27:1-3). And prayers that I am a witness for Christ to all that I encounter (Matt 5:16, Eph 6:19). My support needs are minimal, yet nonetheless I ask for you to prayerfully consider giving to help me meet my financial goals. I have an outgoing need of $600 (plane ticket, supplies and other items I'll need for the year) and a monthly need of $250 (for medical insurance and other monthly expenses). If you can commit to joining with me as a Partner-in-Ministry through prayer, financial support, or both, you can let me know by email, hannahsterling@live.com or fill out the Partner-in-Ministry pledge card below and mail it to me.

Thank you for your faithful support! I look forward to sharing many stories from the field in 2013!

I suppose I'm a bit overdue for this blog entry. Most of you know that Haiti is still very much on my radar. And some of you know how I've been preparing to head back down that way. But many of you recently have been asking "what's next?" and I realized that I haven't officially made the announcement of my plans. Part of that is due to the fact that I'm still waiting for some final details to come together, but I will go ahead and share what I do know so you can be praying with me throughout this journey.

I'm currently making preparations to move to Haiti in January. Yes, I said MOVE. If you read my blog entry from July entitled "A Great Calling", I mentioned how God was speaking to me about some specific ministry ideas. For months now, I've known that God has been planting the idea of long-term ministry in my heart. Even when I served in Namibia, I thought about the impact of long-term ministry with children... not just a one or two year assignment like I've been used to, but becoming a part of these children's lives--until they are no longer children but adults stepping out into the world around them. That kind of long-term ministry. At first, I wasn't sure if Haiti was the place or if God was going to direct me otherwise. But I received confirmation this summer that I am to continue in Haiti and I'm busying myself these next few months here at home making preparations for that move.

So what will I be doing? I know I will be diving into intentional discipleship ministry, especially with children but I'll be open to however God leads. I want to spend the first 6 months to a year learning more about Haiti. While I'm serving, I want to be a student of that country, to learn more about its strengths and resources, and also its struggles and shortcomings. I want to take my language learning from conversational fluency to professional fluency. I want to dive into the culture, learn more about Haitian traditions, be a neighbor in the community, and establish long-term relationships with those God brings into my life. I look forward to learning about what other organizations are doing and how they are serving the community and alleviating the issues of poverty.

To start out, I am pursuing an internship with a Christian organization serving in Leogane, Haiti and I will be able to provide more information about that organization and specifics of my role with them once all is confirmed. I will need to raise support for my plane ticket and other monthly needs, but I don't want to jump into support raising mode until I can put out more specific information as to what I will be doing and who I will be serving with. I'm hoping to have that information in the next week or two. I'm also trying to put together a quick trip in November--hopefully even including a few friends of mine--to visit with some dear friends in Haiti, have some meetings, and start taking down the shoes and supplies I have been gathering. Thank you again to all who've been purchasing my jewelry or donated towards the purchase of the shoes! I've started budgeting out my needs for 2013 and again, I'll be providing more information on how you can help after I fill in the last few details of my move. But if you want to donate in the meantime, there is a Donate button on this blog or you can visit the "Help for Haiti" page on my jewelry website to donate towards children's items or towards my ministry support.

Even though I've been in full-time ministry for over seven years, this will be my biggest leap of faith yet. I've always had "end dates" with my overseas missions assignments. This will be the first time I'm moving for an indefinite time period of ministry. I'm excited but also find myself overwhelmed from time to time! I know God is leading me and I will trust in that leading even when I don't know where exactly He will take me. I've found great peace in Proverbs 16:9 that says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." I feel like my heart has been charting a course for me in ministry. I know what my passions are and the types of ministry that fulfills the purposes that God created me for. But I don't always know the exact steps I will be taking. And in this case with my move to Haiti, there are many unknowns. Typically by this point I have more details and a very structured schedule ahead of me. This time, I simply know that my heart is set for a course in Haiti, but I'm totally reliant on God to show me what to do each step of the way. I suppose if I take my eyes off Him and look at the vastness of ministry possibilities in front of me and the reality of the living conditions and obstacles in Haiti, I could become doubtful, overwhelmed, and paralyzed with fear. But I will keep my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith (Heb 12:2) and with joy I will set out for the path He has chosen and of which He walks with me every step of the way!

I appreciate your prayers today and tomorrow as I step out on this exciting journey! Stay tuned...!!

You can make a difference! For every $6 donated, one pair of shoes (like the ones pictured below) will be purchased to help someone in Haiti. These shoes will be used for two special causes.

1) Adult shoes will be used to help someone start a business as a shoe vendor, thus enabling him or her to help provide for his or her family.

2) Children's shoes will be donated to Children of Hope Orphanage in Leogane, Haiti.

Go to my jewelry website to donate today!
http://www.thepaperbagboutique.com/#!shoes-for-haiti

Please make your donation by Saturday, September 29th.

Thank you!

Great news! My jewelry website is back in business! :) Check out www.thepaperbagboutique.com for new designs and some sale items. And if you live in the Maryville area, I always love putting a box of earrings in your hand for you to take around to your office or to show your friends. (I have many more earring designs "in stock" than I post on my website.) You'll get two pairs of earrings of your choice just for helping me in that way and all of the sales from my jewelry helps support my ministry in Haiti. Thanks for browsing and sharing my website with others!

Click here to start browsing!

As details of my future ministry in Haiti are coming together, some of you have been asking about the current needs there. Here's a list I put together of items that can always be used.

Children's underwear
Children's vitamins (chewable or gummy)
Children's medicines
Baby formula
Children's swimmies, rafts and life jackets
Kid's and adult sunglasses
Children's Bibles and illustrated books
Matchbox type cars
Soccer balls and pumps
Backpacks
Dolls and barbies (black ones preferred)
DD batteries
New or like new children's clothing*
Hobby Lobby gift cards to buy supplies for teaching the kids how to make jewelry
New or like new men's casual shoes or sandals (sizes 8-11)
And donations for more Creole Bibles are always a blessing!

I always prefer that items (i.e. books, toys, clothing) be new or at least like new. The main reason for this is because the wear and tear on things in Haiti is much greater. The better things can start from the beginning, the longer they will last.

I'm available to meet you to pick up these items or if you live outside the Maryville area, email me at hannahsterling@live.com and I will give you a mailing address for these items.

I look forward to sharing more information with you in the coming weeks of how God is leading me to continue in Haiti. Thank you for your prayers as I seek His direction. :)

"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps." Proverbs 16:9

During my visit to Otjiwarongo I was able to spend the morning with Courtney and Hannah at the dump just outside of town. They call the ministry Kehi Omuti which in Otjihererro means "under the tree". I previously had plans in Windhoek that Wednesday morning but was able to rearrange them. I'm so glad that I did. I was really excited for the opportunity to see a new ministry in Namibia. Most of my week was focused on visiting friends and places I already knew, so I was looking forward to visiting the Kehi Omuti ministry and seeing what Courtney and Hannah have been up to with the children there.

The gals told me they never know how many children will come each day. Sometimes there are only a handful, sometimes around a dozen, other times over 20 or 30. There were a few kids there when we arrived. Hannah and I went for a walk to see a bit more of the area and by the time we got back, there were nearly a dozen kids. Courtney got them started with a dodge ball game they love. I had the excuse of taking photos, so I observed from the sidelines. :) It was beautiful to see the relationships that have formed between Courtney and Hannah and the kids. The kids were similar to any others I've gotten to know in Namibia or Haiti or anywhere else really. Fun-loving, smiling, open kids. But I know that some days are more difficult than others. Just like any similar ministry, you don't fully know the stories of what these children are facing at home, if they even have a home. Geoff is one of the AIM missionaries in Otjiwarongo and he recently wrote a blog entry about this very issue... the joy and the sadness that is involved with serving in a ministry like this. You can read his post by clicking here.

I was only there for a relatively short amount of time, but my heart quickly opened with a deep love for these kids. I can't even imagine what life is like for them, the constant scavenging and all of the unknowns that surround their life. I met one whole family who apparently frequents the dump regularly looking for sticks and whatever other materials they can salvage. And something I will never forget the sight of... When trucks come to empty their load, the children race after them to jump on the back and be the first to rifle through the pile. The trucks never slow down and you just have to hold your breath watching even the small boys jump on and off. Once I saw the driver stop and get angry with them, insisting they get down.

Courtney shared that many of the children are interested in going to school but do not have the resources to make that happen. That's one area that Courtney and Hannah are looking into to see how to make those dreams a reality. We faced the same issue at FHS, trying to enroll children into school who haven't attended for years or perhaps at all. It's not an easy process and there's no guarantee the kids will even stick with it if they do get enrolled. Hannah will be finishing up her time in October, Courtney next Spring. I know it will be difficult for them to leave this ministry behind. I have seen how much love and joy they have brought to these kids lives. They've even hosted sleepovers for some of the girls. So wonderful! I'm grateful for the ministry of Kehi Omuti and I will pray for lasting fruit from those who have poured their lives into these precious children. I hope you will pray with me for these children and families and those who are faithfully ministering to them.

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