{Friday Favorites} - May 18th

 1. Helping Teach at OLTCH: Last week, I didn't have any groups and wasn't able to schedule my own teacher training, so I joined Laura in her classroom. We had fun teaching English and making Mother's Day cards!!

2. New Coffee Maker: Ok, this is definitely a 1st world girl problem, I know. However, 3 weeks ago my Keriug coffee maker died. I've resorted to drinking expired instant coffee. I found out my friend Katie was coming to Haiti and I shipped one to her and she so kindly brought it to Haiti for me!! It has been so nice having it back :)










3. New Apartment: Maybe not new...I'm still living in the same house, but since Claudy and I are getting married, we not have two rooms and a little division set up for a little more privacy and space for us. I've been trying to be crafty and with the help of Sally, a NP staying with us for 2 months, I have some new rugs and lamps!!

Entry Way

Entry Way/ Hall Way...With New IKEA red rug, New IKEA lamp and my made sign...I painted some plywood black, painted a quote, crocheted some flowers and then stapled on the ribbon...now I"m waiting for some new black and white pictures!!

We have an office with a sitting area, a new gray IKEA rug, and IKEA lamp...notice the Keruig

I moved my desk and photo wall to the "office"

I added some quotes to the wall and eliminated the mosquito net. 

Our Closet...I even made room for Claudy's clothes :) 

Claudy's dresser and then my created frames that have chicken wire and then my You & Me painting

It's been fun, preparing a new "home". I was definitely struggling with giving up some of my marriage expectations of preparing a home for our family and this definitely helped!.

4. This summer I have 4 additional staff members. Jane (on the right) arrived yesterday and she is our intern mentor and handling a lot of the communication pieces while I am away. Matt, is an intern mentor will be arriving tomorrow. Chelsey, an intern will be arriving next week. Christine, who lived her for a year is coming back for the summer. I'm very excited about having more people here to help. Katie (on the left), works in New Orleans with Touch Global and is in charge of the internship program. She came to Haiti this week and we have been working hard, to structure the program and prepare for their arrivals!!







Hope you all have a great week...In case you are wondering... 17 days until I arrive in MN and 35 days until I become MRS.FRANCOIS!!!!

{Friday Favorites} - May 4

Well...It's been a while since I've updated you! So here they are...

1. Working with the Nations: One of the coolest things we do here, is have mission groups from other countries come and work in Haiti. We just spent two weeks from a group from the Czech...they worked so hard and were great to work with...but boy can they eat :) 

2. One night last week, we got together with the staff of OLTCH and had a night out to eat...after some of the staff wanted to play games...some of us didn't, SO...Brett baked us some wonderful Blueberry Muffins!!

3. Maxo's Family: I write about them often, but seriously, I love them. Could these kids be any cuter. 

4. Crafting: I love to craft. When I was home, I was able to buy some canvas's and paints. I made some cool new signs, in effort to make our room a little bit more homey, not that we are getting married. I loved how they turned out... (Don't give me credit, I totally got these ideas from Pinterest). I loved using the wood frames and buying chicken wire to put behind them...I also have been crocheting every night...my new thing is wash clothes. 

5. Maxo's School: I am seriously in love with these children...who wouldn't be!! They are so precious. We had a great day yesterday, just playing with the children and loving on them...

Her name is Ashlee too!!

6. Bethany - Bethany has been serving along side me for two months. It has been so much fun to watch her grow in her weaknesses, to be challenged and to totally embrace the people of Haiti. She has loved on the least of these!! She leaves tomorrow and I will be so sad to see her go. This picture is with her and Madam Christian, last week, with Sally's help they descavied that orphanage!! 

Well..we are off to the beach!! Have a great day!

Be an Encourager

In the last week God has been speaking to me about my attitude (along with my wonderful fiance, I love how they can point out your weaknesses). It's been easy here to get caught up in the difficulties. To focus, on the hardship, the sufferings, the trials, and the work you don't feel called to do. I've been stuck in a rut. I've been choosing to focus on the things that are hard for me, instead of the the blessings.

Yesterday I started reading through 2 Corinthians and I was so encouraged by Paul's words in chapter 1, verse 7...

 There is a reason for the suffering, for the trials and for the comfort...that way we can share with our brothers and sisters, we can extend grace and mercy and comfort them when they are going through sufferings, because we too, have been through them.

Yesterday, I was praying through what God wanted me to do with this, how to use my sharing of the suffering. I was convicted that I wasn't being a person of encouragement. He wants to use me to encourage His saints. Today as I read in chapter, I came across verse 15....we are called to be the aroma of Christ...

 My prayer today is that Christ will use me to encourage others and that everywhere I go, I will let off the aroma of Christ.

Picking up on my One Thousand Gifts...

55. Sun blisters from a relaxing day at the beach.
56. The smell of the Caribbean waters.
57. God's perfect creation of the ocean, it's simple beauty.
58. The fragrance of the rain.
59. Elaise's sweet smile of thanks everyday.
60. God sending people of encouragement at the times we need them most.
61. Book of letters from my family.

62. Mom's drawing of the farming, making me less homesick.

63. Notes from the children at the orphanage.

He Answers

One of the many things I loved about coming back and forth to Haiti was that I could clearly see God at work in so many ways. It was the bright light in the darkness. I still love having those moments. Today, I saw God work. We have been having protests in Carrefour, because a congressman killed a police office and the people are protesting. Which has made it difficult to travel to Port Au Prince.

We knew there were going to be protests today, but they could happen all week and we needed to get our solar equipment out of customs, so that the team who flew in to install the solar would actually be able to work. We set out this morning at 5:30, hoping to get through before they started protesting. We prayed that we would be able to pass through.

We got to Carrefour and some demonstrations had started, but we were able to drive on some backroads and get through. Town, was so quiet, it was eerie. The tap taps weren't driving, so it was just people walking. After driving through Port Au Prince we arrived at Chatelain an hour early. When they finally opened, we were informed that all of our paperwork to get it out of customs was with one of their employees who was stuck in Carrefour, so we wouldn't be able to get it out today, but they would see what they could do. I prayed...They came up with a solution that one of them would go with us, and try to talk with customs and see if they could find a copy of the paperwork showing we had paid and we could get it out. I continued to pray and 2 hours later, we had our solar panels.

 After a 2.5 hour long shopping experience at the appliance store, we left to go to the airport. We picked up Allen and proceed to drive home. We prayed before driving and were hoping it would rain (maybe they would stop protesting). We had heard that there were protests on Delma, Martesan, and Carrefour. At this point we had to drive through all 3 of those areas. God heard our prayers, it started to rain and the people started clearing and we were able to pass on some backroads.

I am so thankful that the Lord had us in His hands today and that He answered our prayers. We serve a faithful God and I am continually learning that I need to continually rely on Him.

He Called Her Into His Arms

6 weeks ago, I wrote you about this little girl.I wrote about the love I had for her and the opportunity God had given me to connect her with someone that could give her help. A couple weeks ago, I updated and told you how happy she was and how much improvement she had made.

My heart is grieving, because the Lord has called this precious into His arms. She touched my heart and my life...Because of her, my life won't be the same. Even though she did not have a good life here on earth, she had smiles, she had grace,  she touched many lives in the 6 weeks that she was at OLTCH and now, I rejoice for her, that she no longer is in pain, but  she is enjoying her time with our Lord.

Thank you Ella Grace, for touching my life, for bringing me joy and showing my God's grace!! I love you!!

{Friday Favorites} - April 13

1. Time Away - For the last couple weeks, I have had some much needed time away. I have spent quality time with my Fiance and my family; and I did a lot of wedding planning :)  I feel reprieved and refreshed. On Sunday, I leave for Haiti and will be leaving my fiance with my family for 6 weeks!!

2. Family - I seriously have the best family ever! I am so thankful for them!! I have enjoyed spending time with them and some time playing with my nieces and nephews.

3. New Lense - I am in love...Thank you Kelly for the recommendation. This isn't a great picture, but I was testing out with the lens could do...It has a 1.8 ap...awww..I'm in love :) Can't wait to use it in Haiti.

 4. Play time: Who doesn't love it... I love their laughs and giggles, their little voices!!! I am so blessed.

Photo by Kelly Schmidgall

 5. My Fiance: I love him so much! He has been so good to me. I love that he is continually pointing me to Christ!! I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him!! June 22nd, hurry up!!!

Prayer Update

The Work Continues - http://eepurl.com/kvK7P