A New Beginning

            

          Summer vacation is over.  I’m sitting at O’Hare airport waiting for my flight, reflecting on the summer I had.

            I front loaded my first weeks home by running around shopping for Center 

supplies, buying personal items I would need in Haiti, and then shipping it all in time to get on the cargo container being sent by Morning Star Christian Academy. I can’t thank Pastor Jay, Mrs. Linda, and Morning Star in general, enough for their support in my ministry in Haiti. Even though I no longer work at MSCA, they allow me to take advantage of its resources, which allows me to do so much more than I could do on my own. Friendships developed there that will stay with me for a lifetime. 

          A part of that unpacking will also include putting together the Ikea items I bought for my room at the orphanage—love Ikea!  I will have drawers to put together and a clothes hanging rack to assemble.  I also have new sheets and towels—I think both are green with polka dots.  I think I also packed some new clothes for myself. Maybe.  Can’t really remember!

I had a ball shopping for the school supplies that the teachers wanted, and I’m excited to pick up the boxes and see what I sent!  I have always loved (and still do love) office supplies, so going to Office Max and The Scholarship, a teacher store, was no chore!  Seeing all the fun arts and crafts supplies for elementary school teachers almost made me want to be an elementary school teacher.  Almost.

            Once that initial flurry of activity ended, I was able to relax and really enjoy myself.  I spent some time up in Whitewater with family and friends.  I had the privilege of speaking at First English Lutheran Church again and sharing with the congregation about the work being done at the Center.  They continue to walk with me on this journey, and without their support (of all types), so much of what is being done at the Center just wouldn’t happen. I also spent TONS of time with friends in the Geneva area and hung out with my dog Boo as much as I could.  I love that dog to pieces and miss him terribly while I’m gone, but he’s in good hands with Susan.  And, Boo gets to live with his girlfriend Nelle, the cutest little Rat Terrier you will ever see.

          I love going to Whitewater and worshiping at First English Lutheran Church, the church I grew up in and in which I first learned to love the Lord.  I love just as much worshiping at New Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora, IL.  This church is my church home now, and they have walked with me since I first visited Haiti in 2009.  Without their continued love, support, and prayers, I would not be where I am in Haiti.  They, too, deserve a shout out for the work they are doing in Haiti at the Haiti Center for Inclusive Education!

            The best part about being in Whitewater, though, was spending time with family and friends.  At the end of July, I attended my 30^thclass reunion and caught up with some life-long friends.  I didn’t know it was possible to laugh that much!  Seriously, my face hurt from smiling so much, and my stomach ached from all the laughter.  Teachers often told me that they thought the class of ’88 was a special group of people, and being with those friends again reminded me that those teachers were right—the class of ’88 was, and is, a special group of people.

Rafting the Powder River

Look out on the one-lane road
through Rocky Mountain National Park

            One disappointment of the summer occurred early in July.  My four nieces and I planned to fly to Haiti on August 1 so that they could spend time with me there as they did last summer.  Unfortunately, pretty bad civil unrest broke out the weekend of July 6-8, and we decided that it would be best for the girls to forego the trip.  On the upside, however, Grandma and Grandpa stepped in and changed the trip to Colorado!  Thanks to the generosity of my parents, my mom, my four nieces, and I spent an amazing week in the Loveland area of CO.  Oh my gosh, we had fun!  Hiking. Four wheeling. Laughing.  Mountain biking.  Swimming in 59-degree mountain lake water (Okay, that was just Michaela, RebA, and Alyssa.  Sarah and I had the good sense to stay dry).  Whitewater rafting.  Eating great food--steak anyone? I couldn’t have asked for a better time with family.

Go Cubbies!

  It's hard to beat the beauty of Colorado, but it does get better! An amazing friend gave me tickets to see the Cubs play at Wrigley Field!  The seats were awesome—I could’ve talked to Jason Hayward if I had wanted to! The Cubs lost, but Wrigley always delivers.  The Cubs didn’t let me down, though.  They came back Sunday night (7/12/18) to beat the Nationals 4-3.  The ending was every ball player’s dream: bases loaded, two out, bottom of the ninth, down 3-0.  Bote is at the plate and hits a Grand Slam Homerun!  Go Cubs Go!

            And now I’m heading back to Haiti.  To work full time at the Haiti Center for Inclusive Education.  To work at the school that I have dreamed about opening for the past seven years.  When I moved to Haiti two years ago, I wasn’t sure how long I would be in the country or whether the school would ever become a reality.  I still don’t know how long I will be there or how the school will develop. But, I know that God had blessed me by allowing me to follow what I believe is His call for life at this point in time.  I know that He has brought many people together to support me in this work.  And for now, knowing that God’s hand is in all of this is enough.