Lapè ak kè Kontan

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement!

Last week's session on Peace and Joy went really well.
The Mommies and Daddies started out as they usually do: expressionless and non-responsive. I'm trying to see this a cultural norm and a challenge to engage rather than from the (my) point of view as a person who is hungry for feedback!
After a few minutes the Haitian staff began to engage again. We looked at scriptures about Joy and about Peace and talked about the world's understanding of joy and peace, what happens in the absence of joy and peace, and God's provision for us in His Joy and His Peace - the supernatural kind that we hunger for, that our children and youth hunger for!
We talked about the Kingdom Life of Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit found in Romans 14.
We found out that Psalm 62:5 in my NIV is 62:6-7 in the Creole Bible (that was an amusing distraction!).
We also looked at 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 which shows us how the work - ministry - of reconciliation is not only the work of Jesus Christ, but also OUR work. We have been blessed by Christ reconciling us to the Father and now we are called to do that same thing for others: Rekonsilyasyon! Following the Spirit's leading, supporting and modeling and sharing the truth of Jesus - reconnecting us with Father God so that we have life and have it abundantly!
We encouraged and challenged the staff with this as part of their job description in parenting our kids.
We spent some time coming up with concrete ways we can access and teach how to access the Joy and Peace of God. With some encouragement they came up with great examples:
Know God's Word (spend time in the Bible),
Worship Him,
Time in Prayer,
Obey God,
Work as unto God,
Forgiveness (this got me excited for future work because forgiveness has such huge power to release chains of bondage - I can't wait to see God work here through forgiveness... but that will come...!),
and Salvation!

Their homework assignment was to make peace in their own lives where it is missing and to get involved in leading the children and youth in making peace and experiencing joy. It seems pretty broad, but when we ask God for opportunities do these things He is excited and ready to give us a chance to share Peace and Joy - what a great privilege and responsibility to know and live and multiply Love and Joy and Peace! Even just to SPEAK in Love and Joy and Peace... what a difference it makes!

Today we are going to do a Prayer Walk. We will enter into each of the bedrooms and pray over the space and those that live and sleep there. I believe this is a powerful thing to do and have experienced great blessing by doing that in my home (immediate and powerful results praying over my apartment here!), and am hoping that our Haitian staff will appreciate today's session.
I treasure your prayers as we claim these spaces for Christ this morning.

I'll leave you with 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (CEV)
God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.
What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace.

St.Marc and More!

I almost forgot to post pictures from our trip to St.Marc to view the rice farms!
These pics are borrowed from a co-worker, Katie Anderson.

Rice Drying in the Sun

Farmers preparing some land.

Haiti is really beautiful. It has been fun to share some of the sights and beauty with our children and youth this summer.

Joy and Peace

Morning!

Our focus in teaching with the Mommies and Daddies today are the Fruits Joy and Peace of the Spirit of God in our lives.

Within the orphanage setting we often struggle to find evidence of Joy and Peace in a consistent way - so many of the children experience internal chaos which battles against their Joy and Peace.

We are talking and praying about this today and expecting the Lord to keep working and performing Miracles in all of our lives.

Thanks for your prayers this morning, and I pray that the Father of Lights reminds you today of the Joy and Peace He has for you!

Love in Christ,

Kara-Lynn

So, how did it go?

Great!

Last Friday's training time with our Village of Hope Mommies and Daddies went really well!

We began with a bunch of non-expressive faces. Rachel called the looks on their faces "I-Hate-You" expressions. I took them more for completely uninterested and basically just putting up with me faces (I see those looks a lot and have decided to accept that explanation over the hate one) - but really they were blank and staring and no one was responsive...

... until about 10 minutes in when things started changing quickly! I am confident that it was your prayers that changed their attitudes and attention!  and thanks so much for those words of encouragement some of you were able to send!
 

The group began responding, interacting, relating, discussing... it was the brilliant hand of God in that meeting in my office that stirred those Haitian Mommies and Daddies!

We talked about Love as the base for everything in our lives, as we have Jesus Christ as Saviour, and of the importance of that in the orphanage. We talked through some questions and ideas they had and encouraged each other. It was great.

We will have another teaching time this Friday morning at 10:30 again (and for the next few weeks) and will be checking in with homework assignments and discussing more Fruit of the Spirit in our work and lives here together. In the end they will have an exam and will receive a certificate upon completion (which is a bigger deal than you may think - certificates are highly valued here as evidence of completed work and/or participation).

Your prayers are coveted as we walk with our Haitian staff through this season of training. I plan to update the blog about what we are covering together so that you can join with us in prayers of blessing and thanks and requests for the Lord's favour on this journey.

(Friday) Morning Prayer Request

Good Morning!

It's Friday!
I've been prepping to do some teaching with our Mommies and Daddies here at the orphanage this week. Today is our first seminar - at 10:30am - and we will be doing teaching and encouragement seminars for the next few Fridays (starting today, ending... not sure!)

The intent is for me to support them in their work parenting and also to challenge them to improve and hold each other accountable in this super-important role. We are going to be using the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22) as a foundation and will include lots more scripture coupled with Attachment Theory.

I covet your prayers this morning for wisdom in teaching and for receptive open hearts and a growing desire in all of us to love on and minister to our children and youth. With 65 kids you can imagine it is often exhausting!

I'm just doing last-minute prep and it struck me (or, rather, God prodded me) to send out this invite for you to join with us this morning.

With gratitude and awe at His work here,
Love in Christ,
Kara-Lynn

ps. the scripture I'm praying over them is Eph. 3:16-21 - praying the Word of God is so powerful! and such a perfect place to start!