Thursday, May 19, 2011

My version of Gardening

Between figuring out how to cook GFDF and trying to get our garden planted, there hasn't been much time for anything else. So even though yesterday was a bit chaotic, I took a couple minutes to snap some pictures and welcome you into our process.

But I have found this time of year everyone is posting beautiful pictures of their garden, and that just isn't the case with us. I have three kids tagging around my ankles and they all want to help. The process isn't a pretty one. In the morning, it was just us, after school let out, the other three neighborhood kids came and helped out.

I thought gardening with three kids was a bit much, but with six kids, holy cow! I am really surprised that we weren't covered with dirt from head to toe. Our process started with organization, bring me a cup of water, and then you get to dig the next hole. But then, they realized they could dig their own holes, and all chaos happened. Dirt everywhere, holes wherever it looked good, and we watered everything, even Lu.

Enjoy!


Ellie Lu was kind of bossy, so we made her project manager.


Our hose isn't hooked up, so this was our time consuming watering method. The boys brained up this genius idea.


Here's Caleb digging a hole for the spinach.


At some point I lost control, and didn't realize that Caleb wasn't wearing the appropriate shoes.


One had the wrong shoes, and this one decided not to wear any shoes at all. Seriously, whose this child's mother?


Then the neighbors came to help! Notice all the bikes in the yard and all the toys strewn about. I think we had every sandbox toy and cup from our house in our yard at point. It was not a pretty sight, but so enjoyable.


Here's all the kids digging the holes. Most of the dirt stayed in the garden.


Some did not.


Here's what we found when digging our holes, "Look mom garbage!!!"


Here's our neighbor Mcwan helping carry the water.


Here's our other neighbor Jesse watering the plants.


q
Dirt and water make mud, ask Lu how she feels about that? She loved it! This is her second outfit from the day.


Outfit one didn't make it.


But in the end, we made it. Here is a look at our finished product.




The brown paper bags around the spinach are to help hold off on weeds. Since we are gone a couple weeks out of the summer, I try use any method to help.

So, we don't have beautiful pictures, our just real life in what it looks like to plant with little people around. I hope some of you are able to get in the dirt and grow some of your own food! Its so much fun.

Apparently the kids had so much fun gardening with us, that we are doing it again today! Yay! Please pray for me.

Monday, May 16, 2011

its not all about me

I used to think it was all my fault.

Every temper tantrum. Every freak out. If it wasn’t my genetics, than he was yelling because he had seen me yell.

Nature and Nurture together right?

I am sensitive and emotional. I also have a flair for the dramatics. Maybe some would say in my youth I was a drama queen. (I’ve matured a tad, maybe a tidbit is a better word. Which ever one means the smallest amount, that would be it.) I am also intense and an extremists. I go all out when I can. Not just a party, but a full menu, homemade decorations, all food made from scratch kind of party. That’s the just the way I like it. We won’t just watch a movie, we’ll plan for it. Pick a day, make stove top popcorn, eat dinner early, take baths and make a bed in the living room just for the movie. It’s a lot.

I’m a lot to take sometimes.

I just thought my son was like me. He’s intense. He’s sensitive. He’s emotional. He’s our drama queen. So if I didn’t teach him to behave the way he does, than he just naturally gets it from me by instinct.

I also often thought that our schedule and lifestyle was creating his instability and insecurity. That my traveling sometimes once or twice a month was too much for him. This past winter I actually consider stopping my speaking career because he needed so much of my time and attention and I took that on myself.

I blamed me.

Were we not disciplining him enough? Too much? Were we too busy? Did he not enough have structure? He hasn’t been going to bed on time, so he’s overly tired and we need to be better about our schedule. Maybe he watched something he wasn’t supposed to and that taught him to act out. Are we eating right? How much screen time has he had? How much reading time has he had? Does he need alone time? Does he need school? Does he need me home and not traveling? Does he need his dad home more?

The questions wouldn’t stop. The insecurity of myself as a mother was getting worse. The blame and shame and guilt of doing something wrong and how it was hurting my son started to feel like my new skin. I was never without it.

I would cry. A lot. I would call my mom all the time. I was praying constantly and in my prayers of asking for answers, I was repenting of all that I had done wrong to damage my son.

This is the place I was in.

It was a battle most days. In my head I knew it wasn’t all my fault. I really did. But I couldn’t figure out how to lay to rest with my fear and guilt.

Then we went to the doctor. Then we found out that something was really wrong with Noah. His intestines’ were damaged, and leaking out and his body was craving the vitamins it so desperately needs to function properly. It wasn’t my fault.

Saturday I saw a glimpse into who my son really is. It was an incredible day. He was listening, he was attentive, he didn’t overreact when all the kids got Doritos after the T-ball game and he couldn’t have any. He was disappointed and bummed, but was excited to have lime corn chips when we got home. If he didn’t understand our decision, he asked about it instead of falling to the ground whining, or folding his arms and getting what we call “Angry face”. His angry face is REALLY intense. He has very dramatic eyes. Paul and I looked at each other more than once in astonishment.

It was our Sabbath so we didn’t do any work. The whole day was spent together. At the end of the day we had family snuggle time in our bed. After Caleb went to sleep, Paul and Noah and I laid in bed for about half an hour. We talked, snuggled, and we prayed over our son. And then I realized something was different.

I didn’t feel guilty. There was no bad feelings between Noah and I. There was no fear or questioning or shame. Before even on good days, I would have this feeling, of “why can’t it be more like this? What am I doing right or wrong to get this reaction instead of the bad reaction?” The thoughts were always there. The questions never left. Saturday was different.

1. I wonder how often we make our children’s issues about us. If you notice, most of my response is all about me. Though I am, with my husband, the ones in charge of creating the atmosphere and controlling the hurtful things that come into house, the issue still remains that I need to see my children for who they are, and not my agenda or mistakes, or accomplishments.
2. I was allowing Satan to use my insecurity as a mother to change the relationship with my son. It was effecting how I felt about him and us all the time. The issue wasn’t even about me, but I made it about me and then in turn, it changed us.
3. We have to have more grace and forgiveness as parents. To allow God to work through our mistakes and insecurities. To know that he has a plan for our children even with our ability to fail. God is more powerful than our mistakes.
4. Always, always pray. Over your children, for your children, for yourself and over your spouse.
5. It is important to look at all aspects of our children and ourselves and our home. To look at what is going on spiritually, mentally, physically with our kids. The best way to love them is to evaluate everything going on their lives and then pray for answers. Pray for wisdom. Pray for discernment. Pray for knowledge. Pray that someone who does have answers will speak truth into your life.

Kids still act up and disobey. They will still be rowdy and have trouble listening and still want to do what they want to do, not what you want them to do. Noah still does. But it’s not a battle everyday. Its hardly a battle. If it feels like a battle for you, then start praying. Something might be going on that you can’t see.

I had a friend say to me once, “maybe noah has sensory issues.” I was hurt. I didn’t think anything was wrong with my kid. He was just our drama queen. But that seed stayed. And I was paying attention. And I started to talk about our struggles more with other people, and the struggles were getting worse. And then we found an answer.

I want to repeat, that I don’t think everything is fixed or perfect. Or that this is the only way to make things better, or that the fact that the sun is shinning and we get to ride bikes for hours every day doesn’t help. It does. A lot! But we have been GFCFSF for less than a week. We have quite a ways to go in our detox, but I see the light a couple times a day. That feels huge. It feels big enough to have hope that we could be on a path that helps our son physically. Helps me emotionally. Helps our family spiritually.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Emotionally Bipolar

My mind is a jumble of thoughts and emotions and opinions. It’s taking time to sift through them, and one of the greatest things I am learning is to be patient with myself. I wasn’t overwhelmed in the beginning of week, but I’m there now. This is how my brain looks right now.

Beware. Most of this is just to help me process my own thoughts.

- GFDFSF…How hard can this be? I know people who do it.
- Oh crap, I can’t have ice cream from Dairy queen.
- We’re gonna be super healthy now.
- Wow, I really have to make sure I always have a snack with me in case they can’t eat anything.
- I love to bake, what do I do now?
- Hopefully my kids won’t be so hungry now because they are eating more fulfilling foods.
- When will the cravings go away?
- I wonder if this will really work?
- What do we eat for lunch?
- I need different food in my house.
- Wow, there are a lot of resources out there.
- I really hopes this works.
- Man I want an ice cream

Because I said that Paul and I were doing this, yesterday was a completely GFDFSF day, and I was pretty cranky. All I wanted to do was eat carbs. My body is addicted to the sugar in carbs and I was amazed at really how much we eat this in our house. There may be healthily food here, but its right alongside crackers and cheese, cereal, sandwiches, pasta, you name it. Which is all fine if your body can process it, but also not in moderation, your body becomes addicted to it, and we are in withdrawal. I was hungry all day, but stuck to the diet. I also had to remind myself that my children were most likely feeling the same way.

Noah asked for milk at every meal the first day, but hasn’t since. It’s been pretty great.

You know how when you’re going to buy a new car and then all of a sudden it’s the only car you see around? Or you’re pregnant and all you see is mother’s expecting? I am currently only seeing and thinking about all the things we can’t eat. All the habits we have formed around food that we have to change. When I think about our life this way, I get a little sad and maybe a little frustrated. “I can’t have… I won’t ever have_____ again, we can’t eat here_______, we have to bring our own food everywhere, how does this work when we go to other’s homes? Etc.” It also feels very heavy on my shoulders as the primary cook in our house. The only who grocery shops and clips coupons. This mountain feels huge.

What I’ve really realized in it’s truest from these past couple days is your attitude towards whatever happens to you in life is key to happiness, joy, fulfillment, and passing on the goodness of God.

If I in my current mental and emotional state continue to do life this way, I will reap a harvest of bitterness and unfulfillment. However, if I change my attitude than my family can and will embark on a wonderful adventure that will reinstate joy and peace to our house. An adventure that teaches us how to respect and love and take care of the bodies that God has given us. An adventure that will show my son that we will go to any length to love and support him. That can’t be understated.

So in my mind it has been a raging between the two attitudes. Debating between positive and negative. I do still see all the food I can’t have, but it also reminds me that Noah can’t have it either, and that’s the point. This isn’t about me. This is about my son. To love him. To support him. To walk this journey with him. I am asking him to say to his friends who bring really fun and exciting treats. This won’t be easy for him, and so I can suck up my cravings that will go away, and understand he is going through the same thing.

So, we are choosing to be positive about this. We are excited to see what happens to our health, lives, emotions, physical well being. We can do this. As of right now, I can already see a small difference in Noah. He is calmer and can take direction better. On the other hand, Caleb seems to have fallen off the emotional deep end. We will continue to be patient in our progress and see what happens. We will continue to adjust what we are eating and reading up on research and talking to people who have walked this path before us. I have felt such an overwhelming sense of support from family and friends. There are many in our little world who have gone this direction before us. I have a great handful of friends who have called, given me websites, and offered encouragement. It has felt amazing to be so loved and encouraged.

Thank you to everyone for walking with us. Tonight my homework is to make up our food diaries and behavior charts. I am doing this for all of us. In about a week I will post that as well. It is the guide to help us observe food intake and behaviors. We are in the research stage, living life and praying continually for God’s guidance.

Results from Blood Test

And our journey continues.

Well, I haven't written in a few days because we went to Wyndgate Health on Monday and got our results from Noah's blood and urine testing. I have been very busy using all my free time to read up on our results. This is what was explained to me:

*DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or even a medical novice. I am a mom who's child is bright, sensitive, kind and loving. He does however struggle with anger, rage on occasion, over dramatizing issues, anxiety, and extreme emotional swings. He is not Autistic or ADHD, however, a lot of the research connects sensatory issues with the previous. This blog is to recommunicate what I have learned and been told in the last couple days regarding our situation. This information is not to diagnose anyone else, or suggest you have these issues. This is our story, bathed in prayer, constant prayer and cries out to God to find the truth about what to do.

* Noah has a large Zinc, Iron, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B deficiency. We will be putting Noah on a compounded vitamin that will supply these and a few other vitamins that his body is lacking. Zinc and Iron are directly related to forming brain chemicals that helps in making choices, overreacting, and control. Vitamin D is often called the mood vitamin, much of what you get from the sun. Many people who live up north will understand this last one and most likely take it themselves.

* Noah's body also is struggling to process Casein and Gluten, the two main ingredients in Dairy and Wheat products. He has a leaky stomach. Basically what that means is that his intestines can't process these proteins into Amino Acids and then into Brain Chemicals.

* He is not allergic to Dairy and Gluten, but does have an intolerance. An intolerance reveals itself most often in behavioral problems, anxiety, lack of self control and physiological issues.

What this means for us is that our house will be going Gluten and Dairy and Soy Free. (It is recommended to also get rid of soy because of how it similar it is to gluten and dairy.) The results show that Noah's stomach is damaged and hurting him. He needs us to help him get better.

I have written in a couple days because I have been processing this information. When Laura explained all of this to me at Wyndate health, I didn't feel overwhelmed. I thought. "Oh. OK. Well, this means we'll essentially be healthier right?" How could I be overwhelmed when I didn't even fully realize what was expected of us? Exactly how life was going to change. So I was fine.

It was recommended to us to wean off dairy and gluten. The thing is, we were already low on milk, cheese, and had no yogurt in the house. We just ran out bread and were eating our last burgers and hot dogs with buns. I have a hard time going to the store and buying products that I now know are hurting my son, and possibly my husband and me. (Most of Noah's issues are passed on through one or both of us, so it was recommended that we all do the do the diet and see how we feel.) So why would I replace these items? I couldn't. So we have gone dairy and gluten free at a faster pace than expected. That's just fine, except I don't have a lot to replace these items, so we are just soaking up our fruits and veggies and chicken.

I cleaned out our pantry and extra food shelf and got rid of everything that wasn't GFDFSF (Gluten free, dairy free, soy free). Here is what we got rid off.


And this doesn’t' include our already opened boxes of cereal and refrigerated items.

So yesterday was the first day that we were really challenged in our new diet. I went to my mom's group and they had delicious chocolate doughnuts and pastries from Panera, my favorite. I didn't have any. Then when they came through to check to see if the kids could have fruit snacks, I had to check the ingredients. We had friends come over and want to bring pizza, and we had to say no. I made Oven roasted chicken in a red sauce, Trader Jo tator tots, and green beans.

Last night I went to a free workshop on the effects of Gluten and Casein and Soy in the diet. Last night is when I became the deer in the headlights lady. Wow, it was more medical information than I could process.

So that is our technical update of how our life is changing. All of my personal thoughts, feelings and responses will be posted in a blog right after this.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

one of those days

Do you ever have one of those days where you had all sorts of plans. You have ideas of what you want to do with your day, what you are going accomplish, how everything is supposed to happen?

I had a lot of plans for my day. None of them worked out.

Not one.

I'm pretty disappointed in myself today. Disappointed in how I spent my time, how I responded to the situations that happened, and even in how I ate. Ever notice that what you eat also directly effects how you feel and respond to life?

It was just one of those days. And the funny thing is, I spent more time in the word today than I have in a week.

I guess I can rest in the fact that God is faithful in his grace, and grants us new life and new days.

Here's to hoping tomorrow is a better day. Thank you Jesus for even our worst days, and that you are in those moments as well.

Monday, May 9, 2011

God as Mother

God is neither male nor female. Man nor woman. And yet, God is referred to in the English Christian faith as Father, He, Him, Male. There are three entities to YHWH, Father, son, and Holy Spirit. We know that Christ was a man, but YHWH in God’s completeness and in the singular role to Christ is Father – Male.

In the original Greek and Hebrew God’s name YHWH held both male and female understanding. It was read to incorporate all of God’s characteristics, both male and female. Humans are male and female, but YWHW is neither and at the same time both. But yet in our culture and translation, we have robbed our ability to understand YWHW entirely, completely, fully. Understanding YWHW as Father and Mother.

Yesterday I kept thinking about YHWH as Mother. So often we limit God to his male characteristics and then only refer to God as Him. Him as defender, protector, fighter, provider, and stronghold. When I read these words they automatically enlist an image of maleness. (Hint: all these words would also describe how I love my children as a mother. I would fight anyone who would dare try to hurt my children. But as Americans we don’t view these words as female, but male.)

I love that our YHWH is all of these things; however, God is so much more. YHWH is also tender in leading us back to him, patient to correct us, a teacher of his ways, full of compassion, love, and devotion. I believe some of YHWH’s greatest strength’s are ones that reflect a Mother.

When my children are sick, though their dad is very tender and full of compassion, they choose me. Let’s be honest, as a grown woman, I still want my mother when I’m sick. It’s a mother’s kiss that helps a child. A mother who faithfully lifts their child up in prayer. A mother that sacrifices so much of who she is for the betterment of her children.

Children and mother’s share a special bond. Though children carry part of their father with them, they are born from their mother. They are intimately connected and bonded for all of life. Isn’t that how it is our Lord? We breathe YHWH’s breath. We are a piece of YHWH here on earth because we were created by him/her. We are intimately connected to God and for all of our life here on in this place we are searching to be connected again. There is a space in our soul that can only be filled by God, much like our mother.

Yesterday when I was thinking about all that Mother’s are, it felt right to think about God that way. To reinstate that part of who God is back to my understanding of his/her character.

YHWH is my father and mother. I celebrated that yesterday and will continue to look to scripture to find my guidance on being a better mother from God herself.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Finding speaking opportunities

There are so many things about my life that I love. I feel like every aspect of who I am feeds the other pieces of myself. The opportunities when I get to go and speak allow me time away to refresh and renew and come home with a clearer mind to pour into my kids and husband. Being home with my kids allows me time (lets be real, they are more like fleeting moments, not long drawn out reflective times)to be shaped by God, learn from being a parent, and continually fall on his grace and mercy. Being home also allows me time to work on my speaking gigs.

At least that's the way it would work in an ideal world.

Having a third child has kind of been like drowning. I really don't mean that in a horrible way, and I wouldn't give up my daughter or the timing of having of her for anything. She is my little sunshine, and she absolutely has my heart. What I am speaking of is the work it takes to raise kids and the time and attention they need. Having a third put me over the edge. The edge for some people is the second child, for others its the third or fourth. Everyone has an edge. Mine was our third. I all of a sudden could recognize how long it took me to do simple chores that once before took maybe half the time it takes now. At the end of the day, I can look around at all of my half started projects and think, "why didn't I finish that?"

This past year, I had some amazing speaking opportunities. I got those opportunities because I had time the year before to pursue them, to find them, to pray over them, to send out my information to new contacts and events and conferences.

Now my bookings are done. I haven't had any time to pursue new speaking opportunities and that makes me sad. I love doing what I'm doing, but I won't get much of a chance to do it this next year, unless some opportunities come my way. So I am starting to feel unbalanced.

Here is my dilemma. It's spring right now and I'm busy preparing my yard and garden for vegetables and berries. We are big into eating our own food and harvesting our garden. I am also still, yes still, vacuuming my yard, but that completely crazy, obnoxious task will be done today! Then I have to repaint. Replant flowers, etc. I love doing yard work, expect it's like adding three rooms of chores to the chore list.

I've been busy the last week working in my yard instead of looking for opportunities to speak and share the good news of Christ with youth and young adults. And now instead of finding bookings or gardening, I'm just complaining about my problem on my blog.

Sometimes I find the perfect solution. (rolling of eyes)

So, if you or your church, or school, or business, or retreat that you love to attend is looking for a speaker that presents the gospel of Jesus Christ through real life experience and Biblical truth, let me know.

Or just send them to my website www.danitietjen.com for my press kit and information. I would love to expand my ministry and meet some new people and see what God will do.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The pocket

Last year we didn't get to do any family bike rides because we had a newborn and three kids now with a buggy that fits two. Noah didn't know how to ride his two wheeler yet, so we were stuck, and sad, and missing our family adventures on our bikes.

Two weeks ago my dad taught Noah how to ride his two wheeler and he is a stunt man on that thing already. I secretly got really excited knowing that adventures were coming our way this summer. I couldn't wait to get on my bike, put Noah on his and the other two in the buggy.

Yesterday the kids and I took a 5 mile bike ride together in the morning and after dinner after the kids were bathed and in their Jammie's, we broke the rules, because it was just so nice outside, and went for our first family bike ride in two years. You have to break the rules sometimes, and Noah has proved to be an AMAZING bike rider. It is so much fun! My heart was soaring as my dream of family bike rides were coming true. Caleb and Lu had a blast together in the buggy. It was fun to hear her instigate playfulness with Caleb. Music to my ears.

Minneapolis is known for its bike paths. It was actually claimed as the number one biking city last year. There are miles after miles after miles of bike paths. Even living in the city, within minutes, you are biking next to the Mississippi away from city noise. Its breathtaking riding bikes here, and we love it.

With this being our first time out on bikes with a child rider, we had to discuss some rules. We were riding in the street so I needed to be in between Noah and the cars driving. His safe zone was between the curb and me.

We called it the pocket.

I would call out, "Noah I need you in the pocket", and he would instantly slow down to ride next to me.

It was incredible to watch his awareness and comfortablity rise as he grew safer inside the pocket. He knew he was OK and that my job as his mother was to keep him safe. As the parent I was looking out for cars, other people, and I knew the way to go. At one point he even said, "Mom I like it in the pocket because you are here."

The pocket. The place where we are protected. Where we are safe. Where we are in the confines of a parent who loves us and is taking care of us. See Noah still had potholes and bumps in his path and there were still cars coming at him that he needed to look out for, but he felt different because he was in the pocket.

When Noah looks ahead of him, he only sees right in front of him. The stop sign, the turn, the tree, he only sees a couple feet around him. All of those things are very distracting and that is where his focus is.

Like Noah when I am looking in my life, I often only see my day or week ahead of me. I see the laundry, the dishes, the discipline, the teaching moments to my kids, the contracts to send out for speaking gigs, the gardening, the cooking, the bills, the etc, fill in the blank. I often times have blocked vision because I am human. I can only see what is right in front of me.

Like God, when I am the parent, I see the whole path. (only biking, not making any assumption that I have any clue about life or am powerful in any sort of way.) I can see over Noah's head to see if cars are coming. I know exactly where we are going and can direct him and help him along. I know when to help him slow down, when to stop, and when to go faster. I know when to move over and allow him more room, and I know when to snuggle up closer to him to offer my protection.

As the parent I am not taking the potholes and bumps out of his road. I am not controlling all the cars to keep them away from my kid. I am simply going along with him, loving him, talking with him, guiding him.

Living in the pocket. I started to really like that idea.

What would it look like to live in the pocket of faith with my life. Real life problems and issues would still exists, but that wouldn't be the focus. There would be peace knowing that I rested everyday in the goodness of God. There would be joy trusting God's presence in my life. Bad things would still happen, but sitting in the pocket would provide the right perspective.

It wouldn't be about the problem, because I would still have the Lord there to help me through. That's the perspective I want.

I want to live in the pocket.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I was that girl today

My family and I have been in this year long process of getting government installed windows. If you live in the city and have children under the age of 5 living in a home built before 1970 you can qualify for new windows if yours have lead in them.

Guess what? Ours did!!!! And so we went to the day long class, we have filed over 35 pages of paperwork, faxed our taxes 4 times, and called more than 20 times.

One of the stipulations is that you, the homeowner, are responsible for scraping off all the lead infested paint around your house, cleaning it up and sealing it in under new paint. So, my parents came into town over Thanksgiving and my dad and my husband went out and scrapped and scrapped until the sun went down.

It was so great. The scrapping that is.

What wasn't so great? The fact that they scrapped it off and let it all fall to the ground. Paint fragments just sprinkling down, drifting and resting all over our yard. Well, there was snow at the time, so you couldn't see the paint.

Now the snow has melted, and now there are paint chips all over our yard. Big paint chips and small paint chips, scattered along the house, some in the grass, and most along the dirt in the back around the garage.

We have to repaint in the next couple weeks, and our new windows will be coming in August. We have to get a complete full inspection of being lead free before we get windows.

So what are my options? I can't rake, because I won't get all the pieces. I can't sweep, because frankly that would take forever and not sure its possible in the grass and dirt.

I put a call into my friend and borrowed his shop vac. Yup that's right, I was going to vacuum it up and rid ourselves of lead invested paint chips so that we could get free windows.

It was beautiful out today and my project was vacuuming. Vacuuming our yard.

There I was, my kids riding bikes and me bending over vacuuming our grass, dirt, flower beds and wood piles. I was totally that crazy lady who no one knows what they're doing and the method to the madness doesn't make sense.

Of course in my hours of crazy work, vacuuming our grass, three neighbors stopped by to talk. Why oh why do visitors seem to come when you least want them.

So there it is. I vacuumed my yard today. It felt as weird as it sounds.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

HMP has team in Haiti

The Haiti Mission Project (HMP)sent a team off today to Port Au Prince. There are 10 team members from all around the country and they will meet each other in the Miami airport then travel together to Haiti.

Please keep the team in your prayers as they will be doing lots of cultural adventures, helping with the final construction of a chicken coup to help make the orphanage we deal with more self sustaining and provide healthy food for the kids. They will also be participating in delivering water on a water truck in the poorest city in Haiti while worshiping together, devoting together and playing with children, learning and growing in their understanding of the Haitian culture and how to better love and serve its people.

I am so proud to be apart of this larger team of folks who serve on and support the HMP. The HMP was started with the intent and continues to support the belief that we as Americans can support and be the voice of Christian Haitians loving and serving its own people. There are Haitians who have dreams of making their country a better place, and they are the people who know how to do it, and so we are their voice here to people who have the means to make those dreams come true. We will never build anything on our own accord or run any ministry in Haiti. We are there to support the Haitians serving Haitians.

If you would like to know more about the Haiti Mission Project, please contact me or visit our website, www.haitimissionproject.org or if you would like to go on a team, let me know.

Other really amazing ministries and folks serving in Haiti:

http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/
http://johnmchoul.wordpress.com/
http://sleepydoctor.blogspot.com/
http://healinghaiti.org/

May God bless you wherever you are living and serving today.