Year End State of the Family Address

 So another year comes to a close, but what a year it has been!

(...is there a way to escape New Years cliches?)

How to I summarize the year except to say CHANGE. I live a different life and in a different world than I ever thought I would. It is nowhere close to what might have been my post-college "plans" (I didn't really have any), but now, I can't imagine my life being anything but what it is. God SO knows best. :) More than nine months I have been in Jimani, and it has been a crazy ride of ups and downs and people coming and going and intense personal growth. My Papa Dios is a different person than I thought He was - and not because He has changed, but because I have. I am a little more tired, a little more worn, but a whole lot wiser, and still full of love.

I will be traveling stateside in THREE WEEKS and am super excited to see all the friends and family I have been away from for this time... and I am totally looking forward to pizza and ice cream and salad. Every day.   :)

I hope to share a little more in-depth soon, but here are some pictures  :)

Our beautiful home - with a great location! I live with my seven girls in the upstairs hallway to the right. The boys are below us. Classrooms and the upstairs apartment are to the left and the Hanley House is below them. The kitchen and outdoor patio are right in the middle where the two wings meet under the "bell tower."

To the West we look over the lake and into Haiti. God paints us a masterpiece every day. Sometimes, though, in the middle of the busyness of life I forget to lift my eyes and drink in the peace and rest that is being gifted to me. I heard a thought somewhere that God might give the prettier parts of the world to those who are materially poor. We are surrounded by HIS riches!

The afternoon sun shining down over the mountains... Sometimes it is enough to cook an egg, but the Lord blesses us with a near constant breeze for most of the day.  

One of our little neighbors, Elizabeth, picking up left over sticks from a burnt brush pile. 

This beautiful family, the Arnolds, ended a chapter with us at the beginning of December and launched into the next stage of their lives following the call of Jesus back to the States. They are dearly missed every day but we believe and trust that the Lord will continue to bless them (and others through them!) as they walk in His footsteps.

Christmas Eve and Day were spent with just those of us who live here, so our numbers were a bit smaller than usual, but it was a precious and blessed time loving and enjoying one another's company in celebration of the birth of Jesus.

A little bit of Christmas togetherness :)

Each of the 20 kids who live here (plus 3 missionary kids) got a colorful towel with their name embroidered on it for Christmas. (Shout out to my mom for helping make this happen!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

One big part of our year has been our development of our Sponsorship Program. It is a way for people who cannot necessarily spend the time and money to physically be here to take part in caring for the family in a tangible way. It also provides another way for us to express love to our kids and to show them that there are people in other parts of the world who love them, pray for them, and want to help them. Pictured here, Jomaycol (jo-michael) or Yohana (jo-anna) are two who do not have sponsors yet. They are siblings by birth and live here with a third sister Karina, because of an unsafe home environment. Jomaycol (8) is a smart little man, always asking questions and always reminding us when it is snack time since he can tell time. :)  Yohana (9) has a sweet spirit and will always greet you with a smile. Her laughter and singing can be heard across campus as she plays with her friends and her baby dolls or barbies. Both of these two love to give and receive hugs. :)


If you are interested in learning more about Sponsorship, please click here.

The Lord bless you and keep you. May you come to know who you are because of who He is.

Thank you to all who have taken part in this journey - prayers, shared wisdom, words of encouragement, financial support... I hope that you have been blessed and will continue to be!

I am full of gratitude... for you, for this life I've been given, for those I have been given to share it with, for the challenging moments, for the growth, for the laughter and tears, for the love I receive and the love I get to give... 

Here's to a new year of exponential growth!