Day 2–{25 Days of Christmas}–With Friday Favorites

                     
Today our group, a group of pastors/teachers who came to do a leadership seminar, built a bathroom facility for Maxo’s Community School. The students and teachers are beyond thrilled to have this facility as they had to walk down the mountain to go to the bathroom. Now they can go right by their classrooms and the teachers won’t have to worry about the students getting “lost” during class. HAHA I guess some things are the same, students trying to find a way to get out of class longer. Thank you for those who gave toward the project and helped build.

FRIDAY FAVORITES

1. Decorating the Christmas Tree: Last week I went home to surprise my family for thanksgiving. It was wonderful to surprise them. Also had a wonderful time decorating the tree, one of my favorite things to do.





2. Apple Crisp and Coffee: My mom made me my favorite desert while I was home…It was such a blessing. I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to enjoy all of the things I love about FALL in the North.







3. Wedding Tux: One thing I love about my family is we have a great time together. This thanksgiving was no different. We were talking about mom and dad’s wedding and we were talking about my dad’s suit. Well,… he still had it, so we made him go and put it on. I’m not sure he could breather, and he must have grown…but it all mad us a laugh a lot. I can’t believe my mom let him wear a baby blue checkered suit!!! HAHA!!!

It’s all about the cross.

4. It’s All About the Cross…One of my favorite songs this season, is from Go Fish, love how it helps us point to the real reason for the season..Our need for Jesus to be born, to live a blameless/holy life, and die on the cross for our redemption from our sin!! What a great reason for the season…





Have a great Friday!!

Day 1–{25 Days of Christmas}– The children of Haiti

Well it’s back…from last year anyways…the 25 Days of Christmas. Hopefully this will help give you a better understanding of how I spend my time in Haiti. Although, I won’t have any groups so it won’t be a completely fair observation.

One of my favorite things to do when I am having a rough day or have been super busy, is to escape to OLTCH an orphanage we partner with. It is an escape to hold a baby, play ball with the boys, or sing and braid hair with the girls! Today I got to play and hold these too precious boys…Amasiah and Elijah. The are staying in Laura and Ayla’s room. Both are so precious.





Here is a little video for you from the girls of OLTCH!!!! Merry Christmas!!!

Joy to the World

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to start by wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I am so thankful for you, your prayers, and your support. Your prayers help me get from day to day. I am so thankful for what God has given me and the journey He has me on. What a blessing to follow a Savior that not only has redeemed me, but allows me and wants me to be part of HIS work.


I am thankful for my family. They have given me unconditional love.  One of their greatest gifts this year was letting me go and supported me with my move, and giving me their blessing to do what God has called me to.

I am thankful for what God is doing in Haiti through our organization and through our partners.

I am also so thankful for my friends, who have "went" on this journey with me, who continue to write, call and skype and help me stay "connected" and still part of their lives. 

This month has been filled with training teachers, vision trips for groups and preparing for the busy group season ahead. Last week we had a group of pastors from Minnesota and we were able to do a olypmic day for the kids at the orphanage and also build some school benches for Maxo's school. It was so fun to see the kids playing, competeting and just having fun! The orphanage also welcomed a new little one into the world last week. Baby Elijah. He literaly came so fast, He was born on the rocks. 



We even got to have thanksgiving here in Haiti last week, on the 18th. What a blessing to get to celebrate the holiday with others. 

Please pray this month for...

1. Continued strength
2. That my language skills would continue to develop. 
3. That I would continue to have time to invest with the teachers. 
4. For our plans to start Community Health Evangelism (CHE) with Haiti Health Ministries in the Reserve Area and possibly Maxo's school. 
5. For our partners that God would continue to work in their ministries. 

Thank you again for your support and love. I pray you have a Happy Thanksgiving with your families and that you enjoy this holiday season. 

Ashlee

{Friday Favorites}–November 18

Today is a holiday here in Haiti. On November 18, Haiti won their independence. Today we celebrate. Since, there is no school and no governmental offices open, we are celebrating; only as expats we are celebrating Thanksgiving. On this holiday, here are a few of my favorite things happening…


1. OLTCH Field Day: Jasmine, Laura and Ayla did a great job planning this day for the kids. I was blessed, because I was able to bring our group over for the day to help. The kids were able to play “carnival” games and win prizes. At the end their faces were painted. Here is Friztline and Anne or should I saw the Zebra and the Giraffe. I have so many great pictures of this day. Please go to my facebook page and check them out.



2. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Thank you mom and dad for bringing me a can of pumpkin and chocolate chips so I can make these. They are my favorite Can’t wait to share them at our thanksgiving meal!





3. Christmas Tree: I know. I know…It’s not even thanksgiving. However, I was shopping at Mega Mart and they had a Christmas Tree. I had to buy it. It’s starting to feel like the holiday’s hear in Haiti!










4. Elijah: A new baby…a new life, full of hope. This precious one was born at the orphanage on Sunday. Our prayer for him is that he will be a servant of God.







5. Scarves: In preparation for my visit home at Christmas, I decided I needed a scarf with me when I arrive at the airport so I don’t freeze. They aren’t easy to buy here, so I made one. It is an infinity scarf, mustard yellow, and I love it…I wish it was a little thinker, but I ran out of yard…what can you do!!









Have a great Friday

This is the Day

Kids at Maxo’s School Singing this is the day!!

Yesterday, was a rough day for me. I struggled. I really didn’t want to be here. There was nothing in particular to make me feel this way. I wasn’t missing a holiday or a family event. I just did not want to be here. I don’t have many days like that, but when I do, it’s a good thing it’s not easy to hop on the plane and leave. I know it is during these days that the Lord is stretching me, showing me my dependency of Him, and wanting me to grow closer to Him. This morning, I was reminded that every day is His. Everyday I need to walk in His path and allow Him to carry me through.

{Friday Favorites} - November 4

Wow...it's been a while since I have blogged, sorry about that. I'm trying to get back on track :) I guess a good way to start is with Friday Favorites.

1. CHE - Community Health Evangelism: Last week my mom flew in and we had the opportunity to attend a class about CHE. It was a wonderful learning opportunity and I'm very excited about getting it started here in Haiti. The idea is that you get the community involved in helping to solve the health issues in their community. With it you use biblical truths and also talk about community development. I'm excited about where it will lead. Oh and it was a blast sharing the time with my MOM!!!

2. On the day I got back from CHE, I was walking outside after dark and ran into a pipe...A broken toe resulted...Stupid me.

 

3. The Cafe and Bookstore: We have been trying to find different places in Petionville that make us feel like we have gotten a way a little. We found this awesome Cafe and Book Store. The food was delicious. I had a Prosciutto, Chicken and Pesto Sandwich. Yum!! The place was so relaxing and cute.

4. That's right. This week marked Nov 1st and I started listening to Christmas music. I love it. Here is a new album I purchased. It is Matt Wertz's album...so good!! Love listening to Christmas music for a month and a half :) It is a little weird listening to music about snow, in Haiti though :)

5. Pintrest: I'm adicted...that is all I can say!!!










Hope you have a great Friday!!!

The Unheeded Secret

My place of solitude each morning.

I had forgotten my small devotional, "My Utmost For His Highest," in my house in Florida. When I was home I grabbed it. I had forgotten how much wisdom was packed into each small reading. The last week as been focused on the journey of a missionary and so many things that he has written about has really encouraged me. Today's entry however, put into exact words what I have been struggling with over the last month in Haiti. It reads.

"It's entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in over activity  instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God's redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens." 
You can read the rest here... 


Before I left for Haiti, I had this pretty picture in my mind, that when I would come, I would have all the time in the world to sit and pray and soak up in God's word. While I don't have the same distractions here as I did in the United States, there are still distractions. I soon began doing, doing, doing and was trying to keep it all together, on my own strength. Then....I snapped....the stress was too much and I couldn't do it all. (I'm sure God was thinking, "Ashlee, when are you going to learn this lesson that I keep trying to teach you.") Last week I was able to have a great day alone in His word. It helped me regain my focus and to get rooted in Him. Sometimes, I become so focused on the tasks ahead, that I forget about the reason I am even here....I am here to share God's glory and his redemption.