Living Haiti

One Week...

One week from today I will be heading to Chicago. That is the final leg of my summer before heading to Haiti. One week from today I leave...I still have suitcases to go through, lists of things to accomplish and loads of people I would love to spend time with. I have to figure out how I am going to get all of my stuff into 2 50lb bags...including all the donations and stuff for the orphanages I would like to bring along.

Many people have asked what I will be doing in Haiti. I find it difficult to package it into a small 5 minute story...but I will try to make an attempt to do that here. I will leave for Haiti in a little over a week. I will be staying in the country for a little over 5 months (YES, I would love it is you ALL came and visited me.) I plan on returning the first part of February.

I will be staying with a good friend of mine in Haiti. I met Gertrude years ago on my first trip to Haiti. We became fast friends...laughing, dancing, singing, working, talking for hours, and trying on ridiculous high heels we find in donation bags! I love Gertrude, but those things are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the reasons why I want to spend 5 months working with this woman. The Haiti Mission Project, has become involved in the work that she is doing to support people in Haiti. I will help Gertrude as she "remodels" the projects she works with and manages in Haiti, post earthquake. The guesthouse she once managed lost it's building in the earthquake, but life doesn't stop and we can't wait to run the guesthouse until it is rebuilt, so she has relocated it. On one single property now sit two buildings that house two orphanages, home to 37 children (some with special needs), a guesthouse, and a trade school that teaches women to sew, cook, and make jewelry in order to provide for their families.

I will help Gertrude with some of the business and administration of these projects, all the while allowing her to maintain ownership of the management while helping her create systems that make things function and flow better. I will also be helping to sort our adoption paperwork for our children. And while I am there, I will also be helping to receive some teams that are coming to work alongside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti. Some of the goals are lofty...perhaps too lofty for 5 months, but I am looking forward to challenge and the adventure and can't wait to get started!

I am doing this as volunteer work. If you've noticed on the side of my blog there is a place where you can donate to my work. I certainly appreciate any financial help that anyone wants to offer on this venture, but I also understand that money isn't really something most people have to throw around these days...and more than financial support I appreciate your words of encouragement and the support of prayer from those of you who are the praying type. This is a differently adventure for me...I can't wait to share my stories with you, and I hope that you will continue to read along with me through the coming months.