Daily Devotion Scriptures

Each evening, we gather as a group and take turns sharing a devotion of either a verse or something pressing on our heart that day. We also discuss the successes or frustrations of the day and mentally prepare for the next day. It's one of my FAVORITE parts of the trip, and has inspired me to start attending Christ Fellowships young adult group J1Ten. I realized over this week how important it is to be surrounded by friends walking the same path in life as you. I love studying the Word with my peers and praying for one another, as well as have a lot of good, clean fun!

  James 1:2-3
"Dear Brothers and Sister, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." Short and sweet from our sweet Dana....reminding us that God didn't promise an easy life, but through faith He will get us through any troubles and joy will come in the end

 Isaiah 40:31 "Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength."

  Philippians 4:12
"I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little" Shared by Devin Cornwell....reflecting on how little the Haitian people have, but how they still make due and live a grateful life. This trip always puts our lives and our selfishness into perspective. I admit I have WAY more than I could ever truly need or use. Americans live in excess. But, we were also reminded by Michelle that God doesn't want us to feel guilty for having more money or materials...He blesses people in different ways. The important thing is to use your blessings and gifts to help others and bless others.

  Philippians 4:13 My life's scripture "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength" Yes...this was my devotion...and it was NOT short. I appreciate your patience as I preached my first entire sermon. The English teacher in me broke it into three sections. I made three major points
 1. All Things not just the things WE want to do. God calls us to do things that are out of our comfort zone. But with HIS strength and guidance, we CAN do all things. Our things, God things, ALL things
 2. Through Christ We can't get through this human existence without Christ. We need him in the everyday tasks as well as the big stuff. Christ is in us as soon as we accept Him into our hearts. We are to be His hands and feet, but cannot do that unless He is IN us and Through us. This speaks to me loud and clear when we go to the Mother Theresa House for terminally ill children and adults. Kate could not possibly have the emotional strength to go to such a depressing place, but God working THROUGH me allows me to gladly go year after year.
 3. Strength Here I shared a personal story about when I hit rock bottom in my life and God pulled me out. He gave me the strength to continue. It's not all about emotional strength, physical strength, but there is social strength as well. I had the first two under control, but needed His strength to face people whom I felt would judge me and my poor decisions. But with Christ working THROUGH me and giving me STRENGTH, it was all POSSIBLE!

  James 4 (not sure which verse was shared....I will update this once I get the correct verse)

  Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who bring good news, the good news of peace and salvation , the news that the God of Israel reigns!"
 I believe Bren shared this reflecting on what it honor it is to carry the message of God in a way that is loving and of service. We aren't standing on a soap box preaching. We aren't asking anyone to convert to our religion. We are loving on those who are in need. We are bringing smiles to people who need to be lifted up. There are many ways to be a Godly example without always preaching or evangelizing. I personally am not blessed with the skill of sharing the gospel, but I'm great at loving on children and sharing hugs and smiles.

  1 Thessalonians 2:4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts." Saving the best for last, little Josh, sharing a powerful Word. When I think of God trusting ME to share His love and his good word is just beyond amazing. I am full of sin and regret. I am not proud of my past. Yet God looks past that and sees my heart and Trusts me do this work each summer. What a blessing and honor.

Day 3 - Haiti 2014 - An organized teachers nightmare

July 2, 2014 IT rained a little last night, so we found some comfort in a cooler night. I finally got some rest. Another early morning began at 6am with the typical power outage and outside noises. I lie in bed as long as I could before it got too hot and everyone else was getting up. Again, we spend the morning chatting over coffee (heavenly harps playing) before heading to the orphanage. TOday was my day. The teacher and me kicked into action and I planned and organized a rotation of stations with different activities. This way, we could interact with smaller groups of kids, give directions without shouting, and hopefully build some relationships in a smaller setting. Let me say for the hundredth time: Welcome to Haiti. All planning and organization must be taken with a grain of salt. It all went out the window within five minutes. I had the choice to micromanage and force my plan onto everyone, or to let go and let God. Yep, you guessed it. As long as everyone was smiling, who cares where they ended up. There was NO rotating at all. ONce they figured out the different activities, they went where they wanted. I ended up learning how to play Haitian dominos with the older boys...which WASNT on my lesson plan. I'm proud of myself for letting go and not getting all stressed about a failed plan. In hindsight, it wasn't a failure because everyone had a fun day. Devin was sad that the sidewalk chalk wasn't a big hit....but found another fun activity to do Sasha's awesome t-shirt rag bracelets weren't a hit at first, but then a couple girls became interested and she bonded with them. I tried teaching Nelson, Dave, and Saudette Battleship (donated by a family in Palm beach) which was an excruciating task. Jimmy is a great translator, but the whole concept was beyond them. I think they got it eventually, but I had to walk away after a while. I tried teaching a couple other board games...but the pieces went missing quicker than I could teach the game. They are resourceful and find their own uses for whatever they can get their hands on. I used to get offended to see toys ruined so quickly...but MIchelle explained it perfectly. American kids have so many toys that only get played sporadically - so they last a long time. Orphans play with a toy until it no longer can be played with or used in any way. IT gets a lifetime of love in a day or two. We gave out sunglasses and within a day or two there were no glasses to be seen. It's not because the kids didn't appreciate what we gave them, it's because they loved them and played with them until they died. Back to learning dominos. Remember when I said I am competitive at games that don't matter. Yes. Case in point. I talked a big game. I won my first game. I talked more smack. Then I lost. The loser has to stand up for the next game. I was okay with this....but apparently I lost SO BADLY that I had to stand for something like 22 games. STill to this day I think they were messing with me. After about an hour of standing and not winning another single game, I said I'm only standing for two more games. The boys said I had 6 games left. THen finally I made a good move and won my right to sit down. Before being punished into another hour of standing, I left my seat and allowed someone else to play. That's when Sasha decided she wanted to get weave in her hair. For the next three hours, 4-5 Haitian women and girls tug and pull and braid weave into Sasha's poor little scalp. It's actually cute on her. Dinner tonight was....WOW. I'm going to have to say it exceeded Epidor. That's a really big thing for me to admit. The Haitian cooks were at the house ALL DAY preparing our meal. THis is what they do. Cook ALL DAY. They refuse to use any utensils that would make the job easier/quicker/more efficient. They do it the Haitian way. What else is there to do?! We feasted on Haitian Chicken with rice and beans and SAUCE! Seriously, the sauce. It's gravy from Heaven. There was also a squash that I had never tried before which was delicious and picklez. Picklez is something I can get here at Haitian restaurants, and is extremely easy to make. It's basically a Haitian cole slaw. Cabbage and carrots with vinegar and scotch bonnet peppers. Haitians make it deathly spicy, but the cook Michelle hires knows to do about 1/4 of the spice they typically use. It's still mouth wateringly spicy and scrumptious. It rained again this evening. Cool evening + full belly = beautiful nights sleep.

Day 2 Haiti 2014 - reunited and it feels so good

July 1, 2014 My day begins with the sun. I was unable to sleep last night due to the extreme heat, no wind from the fan, and overall discomfort. I don't come to Haiti expecting any comforts, so I'm not complaining, nor am I surprised. That's why I bring an endless supply of Spark. The day still ended up being amazing, despite the lack of sleep. Haiti awakes at 6am; so when it Haiti, we also awake at 6 am. Morning noises consist of the lady next door desperately sweeping the front driveway that will be forever covered in dirt and dust regardless of her attempts, chickens roosting, dogs fighting or barking wanting food, city electricity is shut off so any noise from the fans down below now quiets the room for all the outside noises to be appreciated. All-night Haitian gospel church also happened to be in full swing at 6am. I actually enjoy listening to a preacher a mile away preaching and yelling the gospel at 6am. It amazes me the faith that Haitian have and how much time they spend at church. It's hot, it's loud, it last not only for hours, but at least once a week it goes all through the night. That's some serious devotion to the Word. Once 6:30 arrived, we all gave up on any attempt at sleep and decided to surrender. I doubted I would last through the morning because of how little I rested and how much sweat I lost over the night. Not even 24 hours and I'm already dehydrated. With more than an hour until breakfast, we sat around and began chatting over coffee. (Side note: Haitian coffee is like Cuban coffee. thick, sludgy, and sent directly from God himself.) The chemistry of this group was evident from the very first early morning. Devin is a sweet southern girl that is a little reserved at first, but not in a shy way. Dana is the sweet Christian school girl who I roomed with last year and was inspired by her devotion to studying the Word. Her friend, Bren is a true country girl. Hilarious, loud, rambuncious, and extremely sweet and caring. I knew we would get along GREAT as soon as she started quoting "Bad Lip Reading NFL"....one of my all time favorite Youtube videos. Josh is also a friend of Bren and Dana. I thought he was 14 at first, but he just graduated high school. Those three would stay up until 2 in the morning with their shenanigans. How they have all that energy is beyond me....but they are a FUN group to be around. Sasha is the oldest daughter of Jonathan and Michelle. She has twin boys that just turned one. We all knew this would be a hard trip for her, being away from her boys for an entire week. I must say, she was a champ! She has the maturity of a mother, but being young and energetic, she fit in perfectly with the rest of us goof balls. Breakfast was scrambled eggs and toast. My perfect breakfast. Fueled and ready to head to the orphanage. This would be Sasha, Bren, Josh, and Devin's first time. Our walk was only 5 minutes to the orphanage. Perfect location for the guest house! I'm so excited to see Eileen! I assume she won't remember me, but if I remember her, she's a cuddler and will warm up to me in no time. Well I was WRONG! Praise Jesus! She came right up to me and wanted to be picked up. I don't think I've ever loved a hug more. This girls LOVES to be LOVED. I don't know her story, if her parents are alive or not, but this girl craves love so much. I want so badly to be the provider of that love. If I were in a different place in life, she would be coming home with me. Maybe God will bless me with a husband and the finances to bring her back someday in the future. It's not completely out of the question. We did all the introductions, got a few songs from the kids (less than enthusiastic...I'm sure they do this more often than they care to...but it's a sign of respect and thanks), before heading up to the porch to play games. If you followed the story from last year, the kids were relocated to this house after being threatened and robbed in the other location. The house is rented out to strangers (who drink, come and go, and are generally not always the best influences on the kids)while the kids get the yard. Luckily, Jonathan and his right hand man, Wayne (70 years old, retired pastor who now builds and plans all the projects for the orphanage...if that's not inspiring for my DAD to go next year...I don't know what is!!!!!) So, after this trip, the kids had proper cement floor dorms with screens for ventilation, and seperate showers for the boys and girls. This may seem too primitive to be building from an American organization...but the long-term plans are to move back out to the La Colline property where they have more room and will be safer. This is a temporary place, so HH4H isn't going to invest a ton of money into the building. As long as they are safe and healthy, monies will be saved for the bigger picture. (read more about the Nehemiah project at www.helpinghands4haiti.com) On the first day we typically play circle games and sing silly songs to get the kids interacting with the volunteers. Typically the little kids show no hesitation to get involved, but the teens are more reserved. This time it was different. The older kids were jumping right into the action. What an awesome surprise. Perhaps my thoughts of building trust and rapport of familiar faces is making a difference with the teens. Soon a speaker was brought out and the teens started dancing (side note modesty is not part of this culture.....AT ALL). Before we know it, a very attractive young lady jumps up, lands in the splits, and starts gyrating on the floor, while others are twerking. Miley Cyrus has reached orphans in a third world country. This is bad. This is seriously bad, people! They all read our reaction as we turned in embarassment, and the dancing turned cleaner very quickly. I knew Jonathan and Michelle were NOT going to be happy when they heard this. They are adamant on raising upstanding citizens that are examples and leaders in the community. This is not one of those qualities. Next, Nelson and Dave (seemed to be a trouble maker, quiet, distant, defiant boy last year...completely different boy this year!) had a dance off. Nelson is adorable, has a million dollar smile, speaks a little English, and has a very outgoing personality. Dave is more reserved and shy. It was awesome to see him come out of his shell and dance next to Nelson. He clearly didn't have the sweet moves like Nelson, but the fact that he tried was a huge breakthrough! There are videos on my facebook page if you'd like a firsthand look! Next we played a hot potato game and Dave made the beat and the "song" (tick tick tick tick, boom!) he made it sound like a true rap song, and kept going for tooooooooooooo long. It was hilarious. I think he really enjoyed the attention of being funny and being the leader. It came down to me and Sasha. WE were BOTH so dizzy at this point, we didn't care who won. This is saying a lot for me...who is the MOST competitive person when it comes to silly games that don't matter. I. MUST. WIN. But I lost. Oh well. I felt like dying. AFter a few hours of games and making friends, we headed back to the house. A few hours doesn't seem like a lot...but it's exhausting. Half days are just about all you can spend at the orphanage before taking a break. We headed back to the house where we made a game plan for the rest of the week, and headed in for a nap. I must have layed there for two hours listening to dogs barking and two ladies in a very loud conversation. STill no sleep. But very sweaty. I enjoyed the down time and reflection to say the least. We awake and a TV mysteriously showed up in the front room. The World Cup preliminary games are on...so we know whenever Brazil or Argentina plays city power will be on. Priorities. We were able to catch some of the USA vs. Belgium game. We lost. But it was neat to get a little home experience in the midst of a third world country. YOu always know when a soccer game is on because you will see 100 Haitian men gathered around one 15" TV being extremely loud! Dinner tonight was Haitian spaghetti, JomBoun. It's spaghetti with ham (or hotdogs), green peppers, onions, and a bouillon type sauce. I'm not a huge fan of pasta....I've already eaten more carbs in 24 hours than I have in the last 5 years. Not going to feel bad about it....when in Haiti do as the Haitians do. For devotional, the newcomers shared their initial impression, and Dana and I shared our returning impressoins. 1. I'm surprised at how quickly I got out of the airport. No mob to break through, no problems at customs, no red hats hassling me. In and out. 5 minutes. It was glorious. 2. I'm pleasantly surprised at how the older kids are beginning to connect with us. 3. I'm happy to see the kids wearing more appropriately fitting clothing and everyone has shoes. They all look healthy and seem to have grown in the past year. Signs of nutrition and a well-organized program. FOr the girls that haven't experienced this before, it was emotional and sad for them to see the living conditions. The kids literally have nothing. For me, who has see this many times, it was an exciting time to visit with the kids I met last year. It was truly humbling and an honor that they remembered me.

Day 1 Haiti 2014 - Airport CHAOS

June 30, 2014 I had some setbacks at the airport that had me on the verge of panic, but thankfully the Jetblue attendant (Tolston) got everything straightened out in time for me to board. First, the check in line was a lot longer than usual. When I finally arrived at the desk, the man took my passport and went to a back office. I had no idea why, he didn't say anything. It seemed like 10 minutes before he returned. He asked me about previous trips to Haiti. He asked my reason for going. He asked if I planned on staying. Apparently, my return flight was not showing, and I didn't have a long-stay visa, so I needed to show proof that I was going to return to America. One of the families that I nanny/babysit for, Lauren and Bill Manegio donated my return flight with their FF miles, and it wasn't showing in my itinerary. So, I had to pull up my Yahoo! confirmation on my phone, while Tolston took the phone, the passport, and took off again. No explanation. Once that was all straightened out, he could finally check me in for my flight. But, oh no! It was less than an hour until takeoff. You MUST check in ATLEAST an hour before takeoff on international flights because the airline needs to get clearance of all passengers with homeland security. Oh boy. Was I going to have to wait until tomorrow's flight? Heart racing chewing nails, wrinkles on forehead showing, Tolston knew I was on the verge of freaking out. He looked me in the eyes and said " I WILL GET YOU ON THAT PLANE, I PROMISE." and something in his smile told me it was all going to be ok. He made a few phone calls, raised his voice, admitted that it was HIS mistake and not mine. He was hung up on twice. He went into action for me. It worked. God bless this sweet Haitian worker at JetBlue! Luckily the gate was not on the other side of the airport. It was a quick walk to the gate, where I noticed I would be the only White person on the flight. This is a first. My other two flights to Haiti were mostly humanitarian groups, missionaries, church groups, and soldiers. This time it was families going to visit, or visitors on their way home. Surprisingly, I felt right at home and not one bit out of place. Being surrounded by Creole and impatient Haitians made me sit, smile, and take it all in. I was an hour and a half away from my favorite place. Once everyone pushed and shoved their way through the gate (this is how the Haitians do it...personal space and waiting does not exist in their culture), I smile and walked confidently down through the gate. I took my seat by the window and thanked God for blessing me with such an amazing opportunity. A cute teenage girl sat down next to me, a confused look on her face, and without hesitation she said "you Haitian?" HAHA. I smiled and said, "no. not Haitian." I held out my white arm and added, "why, do I look it?" we both laughed. She wondered what in the world I was doing on this plane headed for Port-au-Prince. I told her about the orphanage and the trips I've been on before. This was her first time on a plane. She was going to a cousin's wedding in Haiti. One thing I noticed about the people on this flight. It seems that they had a sense of entitlement. Since they were able to afford the travel, they should be treated superior to anyone else, and had permission to mistreat anyone in their way. I have never seen this of the people in Haiti. It made me really sad to see such a different attitude from a people who I admire so much. Everyone has their own cross to carry, but we all need to be patient with one another and be thankful what we have been blessed with. I'm excited for the applause when we land. It's one of my favorite things about flying to Haiti. Applaud the pilot and thank him. I'd like to do this on every flight. When we landed, once again, everyone tried to bum-rush the door. We hadnt even pulled into the gate yet. Relax people! I swear some people would run over a 90 year old woman just to be first in line. One man stood up and started yelling a good 5 minute rant (in Creole) to all the impatient people. He was telling them to hold a little higher standard of Haiti people and to be more respectful and thankful. He grew a big crowd and everyone was laughing and egging him on. Welcome to Haiti. ---picked up at the airport by Jonathan and Kerby, back at the guest house--- This guest house is a mansion!!!! Unfortunately since I was the last to arrive, I am stuck on the top bunk. But bed...WE HAVE BEDS! That's more than I can say for trip #1. It's going to be a hot night. I arrived in the late afternoon, so the day and evening was very relaxed. I caught up with the family while the others were napping (they were up at 3am to drive to Nashville for their 2 flights).

Third time IS the charm! PRE Haiti 2014

Dear Kate's Asian Invasion Blog followers, all three of you.... I apologize for not updating my blog in a timely fashion. 1. I get lazy and take naps and 2. Sometimes I get busy with stuff like jobs and moving and stuff (funny how I don't allow my students to use "stuff" yet I overuse it for emphasis). So...one month later...here is the much anticipated HAITI 2014 blog, copied verbatim from my journal, because internet signal is not a word in the Creole language apparently. At least not to netcom (p.s. Don't buy an internet USB from netcom. It won't work) Ok, let's get started.... June 29, 2014 I leave for Haiti tomorrow and I have a few thoughts about my third trip to this amazing place that has found permanent residence in my heart. Top 3 things I'm looking forward to (and not allowing me to sleep tonight): 1. Being reunited with my Kentucky-Haitian family (Michelle, Jonathan, Kerby, Kerlandy, Dana, Michlete) and meeting another Carver family member, Sasha (sorry Caleb, maybe next time). 2. Seeing Eileen again. I can't wait for her hug. I can't wait for her smile. I'm so in love with this girl. She's said less than 5 words to me in our relationship, and yet I'm captivated by her innocence. I became addicted to her hugs, how she clung to me, and her beautiful smile. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see ALL the kids at the orphanage (Voice of the Children). They are all amazing and beautiful children of God. 3. Epidor. Seriously. Food heaven. The sauce that goes all over the chicken and rice. I don't care what it may be, it's DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!! drool. Every trip we've done similar things: visit the orphanage, help feed and love on the kids at the terminally ill hospital, take a tourist day, reach out to the street children..., but each time seems like a new, unique experience. Last years trip was a "dry-run" for the organization (Helping Hands 4 Haiti) for having groups. Dana and I were gladly the test group. It gave Jonathan and MIchelle a chance to see what it would be like to plan a day for other people, have group devotions, transport and feed others, and basically be responsible for people other than themselves and their family. I think we did a pretty good job :) I tried my own hand at being a bit of a leader, since I am a bit older than Dana, and it was her first trip. I'm praying that I'm able to take more of a leadership role this year. It will be up to me to step up. I do great leading groups of kids younger than me, but I don't have to confidence to step up as a leader when I'm with peers. I'm praying that God gives me the confidence to step up when I'm needed. I love the fact that we continue to return to the same orphanage. Hopefully they remember us and we're able to build stronger relationships. I would imagine it would be so tough to be in these orphanages that have groups in and out each week. You can't connect to anyone because you know they're going to leave you. The younger kids are eager to hug and love, but the older kids have figured it out. They aren't going to trust any foreigners because the abandonment a few days later will bring up pain from whatever they have experienced in the past. I'm hoping that with my return each summer, I'm able to build trust and respect from the older kids. Even though I'm only able to go on short-term trips, I feel that this continuing relationship will make my work more meaningful. I think I always worry about when I go on group trips is fatigue. I don't want to burn out and appear to be a lazy bum. I get as much rest as possible in Haiti, and drink lots of coffee, water, and SPARK...but the hot, humid days are physically exhausting, and the work (yes, even just playing with and loving on children) is emotionally exhausting. I always think of Phillipians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ. I can push through exhaustion. I can suck it up and do what I've been called to do. It's not about ME. It's about glorifying God and being His hands and feet.