My friend Diana is one of the greatest treasures I've touched on in Haiti.
She is from Ontario and has been teaching the missionary children here at MOH for 5 years or so.
She is brilliant and humble and always ready with an encouraging smile and a soft word of love.
Sometimes when I am around her I realize how my heart has become hard in ways that I haven't been noticing - I see it because her heart is so gentle - and I desire and pray for softening.
I love that we can do that for each other; as brothers and sisters reflecting back the Spirit in us, to each other.
Diana writes great blogs and I read one this morning that I want you to read.
The title of the post is "Pote mwen" here's the link: http://embracing-hope.blogspot.com/
Sometimes it's hard to find words for life, and sometimes, especially, life here. Yet there really is so much to share - so read her post and her perspective and hear the Holy Spirit in her.
Monday, 18 February 2013
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Re-posting ... comes after recyling, right?
I know I posted a link to the MOH updates page about Clinton just the other day, but here is another one worth reading: http://mohhaiti.org/posts/
It is a link to the MOH blog page and this entry was written by a friend of mine, Ruben, who is so full of life and faith - he has a contagious spirit!
I hope you let his brief story bless you. He is one of a group of young leaders being sponsored to study at the college and being poured into by our staff. Training them, educating them, equipping and empowering them - I picture God fist-pumping at each step in their journey. It's men like Ruben who can really be used by the Lord to change this country... and we get to ride along, at least for a ways!
It is a link to the MOH blog page and this entry was written by a friend of mine, Ruben, who is so full of life and faith - he has a contagious spirit!
I hope you let his brief story bless you. He is one of a group of young leaders being sponsored to study at the college and being poured into by our staff. Training them, educating them, equipping and empowering them - I picture God fist-pumping at each step in their journey. It's men like Ruben who can really be used by the Lord to change this country... and we get to ride along, at least for a ways!
We Recycle!
This news really confused my mouth.
I didn't know I could smile so big while my jaw was on the floor.
In a country where, when you're done with something (whether it be a water bottle or a tire), it is common drop it and walk away, the organizations that are re-using and re-purposing trash are held, by me, in very high esteem. Now we at MOH certainly don't dump our trash on the side of the road. We burn what we can and the rest has it's own place, a place I never like to go, a place people shouldn't really go, but a very necessary place. We do a pretty good job with our trash. Sounds dramatic, but it's just a mini land-fill sort of deal.
But, upon return to MOH after my Christmas time at home, I have learned that we are kicking it up a notch. A beautiful, big, fat, lovely notch.
Not only are we recylcing the thousands upon thousands of cardboard boxes we accumulate each year, we are sending them to ... The Apparent Project!!!!
Even better than recylcing, we are supporting The Apparent Project's mission to employ Haitians in order to keep families in tact, healthy, happy and connected with the gospel of Christ!
Do go to their website and look around. I gifted some of their beaded ornaments at Christmas - they are just lovely! In the future we can expect many of their paper beads to be made by boxes have passed through MOH hands!
I just LOVE when stuff like this connection happens. LOVE IT!
I didn't know I could smile so big while my jaw was on the floor.
In a country where, when you're done with something (whether it be a water bottle or a tire), it is common drop it and walk away, the organizations that are re-using and re-purposing trash are held, by me, in very high esteem. Now we at MOH certainly don't dump our trash on the side of the road. We burn what we can and the rest has it's own place, a place I never like to go, a place people shouldn't really go, but a very necessary place. We do a pretty good job with our trash. Sounds dramatic, but it's just a mini land-fill sort of deal.
But, upon return to MOH after my Christmas time at home, I have learned that we are kicking it up a notch. A beautiful, big, fat, lovely notch.
Not only are we recylcing the thousands upon thousands of cardboard boxes we accumulate each year, we are sending them to ... The Apparent Project!!!!
Even better than recylcing, we are supporting The Apparent Project's mission to employ Haitians in order to keep families in tact, healthy, happy and connected with the gospel of Christ!
Do go to their website and look around. I gifted some of their beaded ornaments at Christmas - they are just lovely! In the future we can expect many of their paper beads to be made by boxes have passed through MOH hands!
I just LOVE when stuff like this connection happens. LOVE IT!
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Hey, Bill.
"Bill Clinton Foundation Works With MOH!"
Think back to all of your thoughts and memories of President Bill Clinton.
Now click here to see how his Foundation is blessing our community here in Haiti (and so blessing me and, because we're connected, blessing you too)!
Loving how God's plans are just so delicious to include us all!
Think back to all of your thoughts and memories of President Bill Clinton.
Now click here to see how his Foundation is blessing our community here in Haiti (and so blessing me and, because we're connected, blessing you too)!
Loving how God's plans are just so delicious to include us all!
Friday, 14 December 2012
Blessings
After church Sunday, where Mr. Frantz spoke about being ready for eternity and our responsibility to others to share the truth of eternity, I read a devotional from an advent reading plan. It's from an online group and I've decided, because I like traditions, to do an Advent focused plan for 4 weeks. In the introduction the other day the writer commented about the word advent, meaning the start of something, and how we use it at Christmas. The advent that we focus on is the arrival of Christ Jesus, the arrival of our Messiah as a baby. Every year this story - that is my heritage - becomes, as I think of it and on it, more and more both a ridiculous and a miraculous thing.
My Saviour, who always was and always is and always will be, was born. Birthed. A mess of humanness to change EVERYTHING.
Just let me sit with that for a minute.
So, as I said, I was reading today's advent devotional. It spoke of what the writer felt were blessings: an unexpected Starbuck's, a spouse arrives home early, etc - yes, I can see those things as blessings (being spouse-less the Pumpkin Spice Latte is higher on my list) but really, and I hope this doesn't sound...well, rude ..., but come on.
It's a blessing that I'm home for Christmas and can see friends and family.
It's a blessing that I can share in love and time and even gifts with many loved ones as we celebrate this time of ridiculous miracles.
But wait. It's a blessing that we have more food than we need and heated houses and cars and choices about clothes and water from the tap that I can drink!
And we're reasonably healthy and safe in a world that is sick and dying...
So many blessings. But come on.
What is all that? It's straight-up my perspective. My perspective about the things and people that I cherish. And, truth be told, I expect to keep on cherishing those things.
But the Ridiculous Miracle says that God Blesses things this way:
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
My Saviour, who always was and always is and always will be, was born. Birthed. A mess of humanness to change EVERYTHING.
Just let me sit with that for a minute.
So, as I said, I was reading today's advent devotional. It spoke of what the writer felt were blessings: an unexpected Starbuck's, a spouse arrives home early, etc - yes, I can see those things as blessings (being spouse-less the Pumpkin Spice Latte is higher on my list) but really, and I hope this doesn't sound...well, rude ..., but come on.
It's a blessing that I'm home for Christmas and can see friends and family.
It's a blessing that I can share in love and time and even gifts with many loved ones as we celebrate this time of ridiculous miracles.
But wait. It's a blessing that we have more food than we need and heated houses and cars and choices about clothes and water from the tap that I can drink!
And we're reasonably healthy and safe in a world that is sick and dying...
So many blessings. But come on.
What is all that? It's straight-up my perspective. My perspective about the things and people that I cherish. And, truth be told, I expect to keep on cherishing those things.
But the Ridiculous Miracle says that God Blesses things this way:
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way." (Matthew 5:3-12)
Just let me sit with this for a while. Let's do that together. Let's sit with what our Blessings are and what God Blesses and how He Blesses.
Oh Jesus, thank you for reconciling all this for us... for perfectly redeeming it... this mess of humanness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)