Here at last!

Well, it’s great to finally greet you from Soliette.  This will be pretty short because our batteries are limited.  There’s a lot to share about the last week but really, that would probably be pretty boring for you.  The last few days at home were such a whirlwind of activity, that it felt really good to settle into our seats and close our eyes when we were finally on the plane.  All the packing, sorting, storing, visiting and good-byes had left us exhausted and now it was all about the reality that we were really doing this!!!!! One last good-bye, good-bye USA, hello Haiti!  One really almost overwhelming good-bye!

Really that rest of the trip to Port, and even to Fond Parisian was very uneventful. We spent the weekend with Vladimy and Ashly Mardy in the HOC base mission house just getting connected, shopping for necessities, working on the truck, plumbing the kitchen and mostly trying to keep cool.  It was just incredibly HOT the whole time.  Tuesday morning couldn’t come soon enough as far as that is concerned.  Here in Soliette, it is way less humid and probably about 10 degrees cooler with a breeze.  We got started fairly early with the usual anxieties of truck troubles and how are we gonna get all this stuff up the mountain.  We had over 400 pounds of food and gear that had to move about a mile up the mountain on someone’s (preferably not mine!) head.  You all must have been praying hard, because the truck performed flawlessly and everything was delivered to our doorstep by 10:00 am.  Now the fun begins!  No one had been in the house since we left in January, so there was a nice accumulation of insects, insect poop and even a couple HUGE tarantulas!  One was so big, it had gotten caught in the mouse trap and died!  As soon as we can find a hotter spot for our internet connection we’ll send photographic proof.  He was a world class bug!!!  Everything came out of the house, everything was swept and mopped, and as we moved things back in they got washed too.  By 5:00, we were pretty much done. Done unpacking and done physically!!!!  Dinner and bed was all that was left of Tuesday.

Today was a day of getting settled in, doing the things that make a house a home and getting interrupted every time you turn around.  That is a way of life here, and that’s why we are here.  A servants heart finds joy in interruptions by choosing to serve and not minding.  We have a lot to learn. 

My battery is fading so I’ll close.  We so much appreciate your prayers and support.  We’ll do our best to keep you involved in God’s work here. 

No more good byes....Please!

We've been quiet here, but not because we haven't had anything to share.  It's just been busy like crazy!  It's been a month of visiting family and friends.  It's been a bittersweet time with lots of laughs, lots of tears and learning to deal with emotions that in some cases you didn't even want to admit you had.  It's been an incredible time of bonding like we've never experienced, but through it have been encouraged beyond description by the most awesome group of family and friends a person could ask for.  There were trips to 

Wisconsin, 

Florida

and Tennessee.  

Meals and coffee, phone calls and meetings and times of prayer that will be precious memories for us and a source of much encouragement. 

We have been truly humbled by the testimony of friends on how we have touched their lives, and overwhelmed by the promises of support, both financial and prayer, from you all.  We would love to list names and thank you all publicly for how you have Blessed us, but you know who you are and you each have a special place in our hearts.  We remember when September 13th seemed like so far into the future.  Sitting here now and realizing it is only 4 days away makes your head spin!!!  Everywhere we look, there is more stuff that needs to be stored, given away or thrown and a never ending list of details that need to be tended to.  Oh, and the brakes on the car started grinding today so there's one more task on Pat's list for tomorrow.  One of the highlights of this time was the Leland concert Friday night!  The message of their songs is so much about service and surrendering to God's will, that is was like a 2 hr. confirmation that we were really doing what He is calling us to do. We arrived home with a such a sense of Peace, that we knew it was time to turn this page.  Unfortunately, to turn this page, we have had to say good bye over and over again.  To be blunt, saying good bye stinks!  But as we cling to each other, there is a bonding that occurs that gives us confidence that you are partners with us and will be with us every step of the way.  We are tired of saying good bye, but through it we have been built up by the expressions of genuine love you have shared.  We prefer to say,

 'see you later' 

because that is where our confidence is.  Whether it is here or with the Lord, we WILL see you later.  God Bless you all!  We couldn't turn this page without you!