She's in Dallas!

One more flight and she's home!!!

Picture from Haiti

The first of many, I'm sure...

They're baaaack!!!

Just got a text from Kat... they have landed in Miami and are going through Customs. She said she'd call me as soon as they are finished with that.

Woohoo! This is one happy mama!!!

The trip home.

Want to follow along? The team will be on the following American Airlines flights:

Port Au Prince to Miami: Flight #822, departing 1:15 pm Eastern (While you'll be able to see the info that the flight has departed, you won't be able to track this flight until it is out of Haitian airspace and over open water.)

Miami to Dallas: Flight #1973, departing 6:55 pm Eastern

Dallas to Austin: Flight #417, departing 9:50 pm Central

You can follow along on American's website HERE under the flight status tab.  Or, I like to use the FlightAware website found HERE. Enter the flight info in the "Airline Flight Tracker" fields in the orange box on the left side of the screen.

I will post any communication we have with the team as I receive it.

They're almost home... keep praying!

Sunday update!

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Well, it is Sunday evening...we are busy packing and starting to focus our thoughts back in the U.S. We have had a wonderful day - we went to church in Prospiro (the place that we painted), ate lunch (cooked by Dee Dee), played at the orphanage, climbed another mountain, attended a birthday party, and on and on and on!

 

The team won't be writing tonight - it takes a long time and they just told me to tell you all the stuff above. They could give you their version of it all and you'd cry... their hearts are so full of LOVE and JOY after a week of serving and loving on people! They have held more children in their arms and on their backs these past 6 days than they probably have in a lifetime. NO ONE has walked by a child that they didn't touch, hug, hold hands or pick them up. They have worked hard all day long in the heat and NO ONE has complained. They have been dirty and sticky and wanted to sit in a cool air conditioned room or soak in a tub, but NO ONE would exchange this week for anything! Be ready for some great stories!

 

Tomorrow we visit the hospital here in Dessalines and then head back towards Port Au Prince. We will take some time to relax at the beach and then tomorrow night reflect on the past week and talk about what they will bring back to Texas with them this week after a week in Haiti. God has plans for each of these kids and some of them are starting to see missions in their future.

 

Keep praying for us. We've been blessed with protection, good health, safety and a wonderful time. Pray for Bethany - she is a little under the weather tonight, but she should be fine after a good night's rest. We are grateful for Dr. Dan being right here by our side!

 

Blessings and love. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all our dads! We love you very much!

 

Libbie, Rob, Bethany, and Emmanuel...and the team

Saturday update from Haiti

Dear Friends and Family,

 

Wow! What a day! It is Saturday but we still worked...well, it was all fun work! Many got up early and climbed a HUGE mountain, Rob and I cooked pancakes and bacon for everyone, we finished painting, gave out rice and beans and then handed out shirts and dresses for hours! Oh, and of course there was the daily soccer and basketball game going on, along with the newly learned game, Duck Duck Goose that the kids love!

 

The team is still doing great! I am so proud of them and how big their hearts are! Here is the latest from them - you too will be proud....

 

Kat: Today was another fun day! This morning we got up at 5am to go climb a mountian to one of the forts from the Haitian Revolution....I attempted the climb but asthma got the best of me and Heather was done too so we stopped about half way which was plenty for me. We went back to the church today and passed out the little dresses and other clothes donated as well. We also passed out rice and beans for the poor and to the staff. This has been a GREAT trip and I'm really sad that it's coming to an end but my bed sounds really good right now ;) I miss you guys and love you all! Daddy I hope you have a good fathers day and I'm sorry I'm not there to celebrate. Love you and see you soon!

 

J-Flan: Today we had a very grueling climb. Very steep rocks and I've never seen so many rocks in my life! We very slowly made our way to the top of the mountain. We stopped at forts that were used by the French. I did the whole thing in my Vibram five fingers. What was I thinking!! The descent was much worse. I had to be very careful not to slip and the toe shoes made it very difficult. I survived though with a sore knee and sore feet which feel fine now. I got the chance to speak to the people before we gave out the rice and beans. People are calling me pastor J-Flan now. I talked about Saul's conversion, and Joquoline our translator helped a ton. I will be bringing home a machette. See you guys soon and be safe. Love you guys!

 

Bethany and Emmanuel: Today was another great day!! We started early by climbing a few hills/mountains in order to get to the top where ancient forts remain. The sights were beautiful! Later we went back to the church/school and were able to pass out rice, beans and clothing. The people seemed so appreciative and they melted our hearts. J-Flan gave a short testimony and did a fantastic job! We might have a preacher on our hands. Emmanuel also got the chance to speak and did great as well! The people heard the gospel and it is our prayer that it will sink in and they will choose to follow Jesus if they haven't already. We have such a great group of kids and it has been a joy serving alongside the Seatons and Snyders! Keep praying for us! We love yall!

 

Joel: Today was fun! We climbed up one of the mountains near Dessalines, and it took an hour and a half up, then another hour and a half down. I got stung by a wasp at the top, then on the way down, part of a cactus got stuck in my calf...but I'm fine! Every single Haitian kid who sees us starts yelling, "Blanc! Blanc!" which literally means "white person." Anyways, I'm pretty worn out, and I can't wait to see you! I love you!

 

Clayton: Okay, I've been glancing (possibly not spelled right) at some of the other kids' entries and I kinda feel bad about only writing a few sentences about what has happened to me so I'll make today's entry really long. We woke up this morning and climbed up a mountain to see some of the forts the French made. I took tons of pictures but those could only capture a fraction of the beauty I saw. I also was the only person who wasn't kidding when they said they wanted to do it again. Guess I'm in better shape then yall, and I, thought. After climbing, we went back to the church to hand out beans and rice, and then I played soccer with some of the kids. They put all of us white kids vs. all of the Haitian kids and needless to say, they creamed us. Hope yall are well and I love you.

 

Heather: Hey Mom and Daddy, I hope yall are having a good weekend. Today was awesome! We got to give out clothes and food to the community and the kids and the people who work at the school we painted this week. I love yall, I am safe, I'll see you in a couple days. Have a great Sunday :)

 

Ben: Mom dad, I'm fine. I know I have repeated alot of what I've said, but that's only because it's true. Love y'all and hope you are safe.

 

Sean: Today I hiked a huge hill. I was first too reach the top. Later we went to give out rice and beans. I love you guys.

 

James Snyder: Dad, I miss you. Hope you are doing well.

 

Libbie and Rob: As you can see, the kids are doing well and enjoying every minute. They are tired, but are definitely finishing strong. As they see the last days coming, it is very bittersweet for them. Keep praying for us - pray the tiredness and heat doesn't spoil the last few days. Pray for church tomorrow. Several girls will be speaking and the youth will be singing. They will also visit the orphanage, climb another fort, go to a birthday party for 2 of our Haitian friends, and hear Pastor Charite's testimony about growing up with a father who was a voodoo priest. Good stuff!

 

Blessings,

Libbie, Rob, Emmanuel, Bethany and the "Gang"

Fourth update!

Same format as the previous messages... Enjoy!

Dear Family and Friends...

It's Friday and we have just about finished our paint job! We have painted inside and out of the church and school. The colors are amazing - blue outside and olive green inside....just imagine it and you'll see the photos later.

The team has done so well. Yes, they are hot, tired, sunburned, but their hearts are bursting with joy! They enjoy the painting, but their favorite time is in the afternoon when we play for hours with the kids. Today we "acted" out Bible stories, gave the plan of salvation with the Roman Road, had water games, football (soccer), manicures for the girls and tons more!

 

Here....let the kids give you their thoughts and perspective of the day...

 

Kat: Today was another great day in Haiti! I love the culture and the atmosphere. We pretty much finished painting today and I have blisters and a farmers tan to prove my hard work! While I was painting ,my friend Balenda came and visited me as well as other kids and they sang for me while I worked! After painting we played a water game called drip drip drop instead of duck duck goose. After the games we did nails for some of the girls there at the church as well as back at the compound. I have built such great relationships with both the team and kids and I thank you for letting me come and I wouldn't mind staying here long term! Love you all!

 

J-Flan: Well I can really get used to this awesome Haitian lifestyle. I can paint laying on the ground, Libbie has a picture. I can really see myself spending my life doing this. There really is nothing I love doing more. I might get the chance to speak tommorow so pray that that goes well and we are getting up at 5 in the morning to go hiking. Be safe, love you guys.

 

Heather: Hello! Another good day in Haiti. Gods doing great stuff here and I feel like I may be being called here. I love yall. Have a great weekend!!!! Mom, since youre going to be the one reading this, give Daddy, Hunt and yourself a big hug from me!! Also, on my bed is Dad's Daddy Day card, if you could give it to him on Sunday or whenever Father's day is that would be AWESOME!! Thankssss!! Love you.

 

Clayton: Hey mom and dad! I had a great day playing with kids and painting the church. I hope yall are all doing well and I can't wait to see yall. I love yall and tell Blake hey for me...assuming he didn't crash.

 

Joel: Today wasn't as tiring as the previous two, mostly because we were painting in the shade pretty much the whole time. When we got back, we played some basketball and I grabbed the guitar and we sang a few songs. We've spent a lot of time playing various card games or domino games. Anyways, I hope you're doing well. I love you!

 

Tiffany: Hi mom and dad. It was good to see you today. I'm doing well and having lots of fun! I am a great actress in our Bible stories - today the Haitian kids laughed at me because I was a girl playing the part of Jonah and David. See you Sunday at Jacquelin's birthday party!

 

Sean: Today was great. We worked more on painting and I took pics of the kids. I had a real coconut today. It was odd. It was like eating an egg but it was not an egg. I did not like it but I tried. I love you guys.

 

Ben: Hi mom and dad, I'm doing fine. My french is coming in handy, helping kids understand games, and reading the Roman Road to the kids. I will have to come back to Haiti sometime, probably in the winter.

 

Libbie and Rob: Once again the team exceeded our expectations of them in how they serve these people and interact with them. They shared the gospel with a whole group of Primary school kids and did a great job. So much to say and so little time - every day brings something more amazing than the day before.

 

Tomorrow most of the group will be getting up at 5:00am to climb a very tall mountain to a fort. Rob and I (age and poor knees) will stay behind with Dr. Dan and have pancakes ready for them when they return.

 

Until tomorrow...thanks for your prayers, and parents - your kids are awesome! Thanks for trusting us enough to bring them to this country. Their hearts are changing and so are their lives. Be ready!

 

Blessings, Libbie, Rob, Bethany, Emmanuel and the Team

Third update!

We received the following late Thursday night. It sounds like Kat and the team are really having a great time in Haiti! 

This is in the same format as the previous - an update from team leader (Libbie), followed by the kids' notes, the other team leaders (Emmanuel and Bethany) and a closing from Libbie.  Again, I am not editing grammar or spelling.

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Well, here it is Thursday and we are all doing well and having a wonderful time! Today we finished painting the church and started on school building - dark, sky blue....you can't miss the church when you drive by! I'll let the kids tell you what they did today, but as the "informer" I will tell you they are all fine, eating well (they love Haitian food), they are sleeping well, and have had no medical problems that involve any more than a little Tylenol or antacid. God is so good - He had so much in the plans for us here and this team is doing as much as they can fit in. Parent beware - I do believe we have some FOREIGN missionaries in the making..... Dr. Dan and Dee Dee are quite impressed with how these kids behave, work and share God's love to the Haitian people. OK, enough of my talk - let me get some kids from downstairs playing basketball and let them tell you what they experienced today!!....

 

Kat: Today was another amazing day! We painted another one of the buildings at the church and it looks great. After painting we did crafts with the fifth graders who spoke NO english so instructions were a little challenging. Then we had enough crafts left so we took the sixth graders to do crafts where I reunited with my new best friend Balenda from yesterday who I have such a cool bond with. When we finished crafts Balenda and I hung out and taught each other words in each others languages and by the time I was done teaching english I had about thirty haitians around repeating after me. They pronounced the english very well but they laughed with me when I butchurd their Creole:) When we got home we played with the kids around the compound and painted some of the girls nails. I'm having so much fun and hope no one is worrying! Love you all and talk to you soon!

 

J-Flan: Well today was another good day. I am having a great time and it has been wonderful. Kat is now my best friend and she is awesome:) The kids are wonderful. I had the most interesting bathroom experience of my life today at the church. We have a basketball net in the compound and Dan and I beat Emmanuel. so we call ourselves "the smoke" now. But today Eman had some help from James (Dr.Dan's son) and they beat us :( I never want to leave this place. I want to get rid of my green slip to leave the country and stay here. Be safe, love you guys.

 

Clayton: Hey mom and dad. I'm fine, played a little basketball without spraining my ankle and taught the hokey-pokey to over 40 kids! While I painted, I kinda splattered the paint all over me with my roller and after a couple hours, I was quite speckeled. It almost looked like I was blue and I had splattered brown paint on me! I hope yall are doing well and tell Blake hey for me when he gets in tomorrow.

 

Sean: Hi. I am having sooo much fun here, which is odd since it sooo different and you know I HATE different. The kids are cute. A few of them were asking me about my hair. I think I will tell them that all you need is eggs. With all the chickens here it should be an easy thing for them. I was flinging it back and forth this morning. They thought that was funny since all the boys here have short hair. I LOVE the fruit and juice here. Now I know what 100% fruit juice is like. Although I am haveing fun, I still can not wait till I see you guys.

 

Ben: Hi mom and dad. I'm fine, and my french is really coming in handy here, even though I can't understand evrything that is said. I really like this country, all I'll probably have to come back at some point, probably in the winter. I hope you all are fine, have a good week.

 

Heather: Another good day in Haiti. We got to play with all the little Haitian babies/children!!! They're sooo cute!! I love them so much. Don't be suprised if I bring a couple home. Its super beautiful and God is really showing us how big and amazing He is. I love yall. Have a super great day tomorrow.

Tell Hunt I say hi, I miss him and I love him.

 

Joel: Today was awesome, like yesterday! We continued painting the church and played soccer and other games with the kids. I was more sweaty when I got back though. It's challenging trying to communicate with the kids sometimes, but we get by okay. When we got back I took a shower, then played basketball outside, then took another shower :P I think this is the most I've ever sweated and/or been in the sun. I learned a new game called 4 On a Couch, and it's really hard, but also really fun! I hope you're well! I love you!

 

Tiffany: Tiffany isn't writing this because her parents are here in Dessalines like we are. We don't see them, but she knows they are close if she needs them. She is doing just fine...entertains the kids very well!

 

Emmanuel and Bethany: Howdy! Today was great! We painted the rest of the outside of the church and are almost done with the outside of the rest of the school buildings. The people are so thankful. When school finished we got to play with the students again. Today we showed the students how to play spoons with rocks. This was super fun. Bethany and i are so thankful for this opportunity to come to Haiti. Dr Dan and Dee Dee keep bragging on how great, mature, and hardworking our team of teenagers is. Also the food is awesome! Keep us in your prayers! We are all doing great!

 

Libbie and Rob: Just sayin'....I could sure bring a few of these babies home with me....one in particular! No, really we are doing great, have a great team and what you have read above from the teens lets you know why I love to come down here with them! Their lives will never be the same...all for the better!

 

Until next time...keep praying for us. We love you all and pray for you all daily.

 

Blessings, Libbie, Rob, Emmanuel, Bethany and a CRAZY team of teens!

Second update!

We received this email late Wednesday night.  The first part of the email is from Libbie, one of the adult sponsors on the trip.  Following her message is a brief paragraph from each of the students.  I'm including all the student messages as well as the sponsors (Rob, Libbie, Bethany and Emmanuel) along with Kat's as they all have different perspectives that I think you'll enjoy.

Also, I am not editing any grammar or spelling. Enjoy!

Dear Families,

Sorry you didn't hear from us yesterday but when you read the email, you will see how looooong the day was plus the fact that we had no internet when we arrived due to a heavy rainstorm.

Yesterday morning Heather read us part of her devotion that said, "Let me help you through the day. ...You will get through this day one way or the other. ....There will difficulties along the way, but you can face them confidently in My strength....Thank me for each problem you encounter and watch to see how I transform trials into blessings." The Lord KNEW we needed this reminder, as our day proved to be hard, long and tough. BUT...there were small blessings and smiles and laughs along the way.

Our usual 2 hr. trip to Dessalines took almost 8 hr. due to a huge traffic jam in a certain small town. We sat for 2 hr. waiting to see if the traffic would go, but it didn't and we finally took another, much longer route to Dessalines. We did arrive safely and we were quite tired.

Along the way though, we met a Haitian family who allowed us to sit with them while we waited - the team's first encounter with Haitian kids. There were many hugs and kisses when we left. Also, along the way, we passed the lady we had met in the Miami airport who had asked us to pray for her Nicaraguan friend who was being delayed in immigration. Guess who was sitting in the front seat of the car? Yep...the Nicaraguan man! We had a flat tire along the way too -such fun! And of course the girls immediately found children to play with! A rainstorm hit, yet it had stopped raining during the "flat tire" incident. Bathroom stops were interesting...yep, Bethany and I found a large tree....no one else would attempt to do that! When we arrived in Dessalines, we were excited to have flowing water, nice cool showers, food and a good night's sleep - yep, we had electricity all night long!

OK, today we started painting and what joy we had! I'm going to let the kids tell you about their day today...they are having a wonderful time and doing an incredible job!

Kat - Let me just say that this has been the best experience I have ever had and I have found out there is a special needs orphanage, so I WILL be back! This morning before we left to paint the church we played with the kids around the compound and let me just say that I already have my babies picked out that I'm bringing home. At the church we painted half already and then I did arts and crafts and made a new friend with a six grade girl. I got to practice alot of Creole and some spanish too! When we left they gave many hugs and asked if we were coming back tomorrow. This week isn't even half way over and I already think I could live here and work at the special needs orphanage! Thinking of everyone and miss you!

Joel - Today was very fun, despite the extremely hot weather. We left Dessalines and went to a sort of church/school combination, kinda like RRCA. We painted two sides of the church a bright blue and then we played soccer and other games with the children. Overall, it was a great day, but I'm extremely tired.

J-Flan- I am very tired but it has been a fun day. I played soccor longer than anyone. I almost played the whole 2 hours we had with everyone, but I just got to a point wher I had had enough. The best part today was riding in the back of Dr. Dan's truck. Haiti has very very bumpy roads. Some people almost fell out a few times, there were seven of us in all in the back of the truck. It's been wonderful so far.

Heather - Hello Mom and Daddy. Let first say that this is the coolest thing I've ever experienced. Today we painted and played with kids. The language barrier makes things difficult but I'm learning more words and how to communicate better every minute. I love all the little children and I want to bring them all home. Everything is well. I love yall. I hope yall are having a WONDERFUL week!

Tiffany - Hi mom and dad who are about 1/5 of a mile from me ;) I am so blessed to be here again, its is an amazing experiance! Today we painted half of a church, and ran around with kids! Its funny because even though we didn't have a clue what the kids were saying we all had a great time! It just goes to show you that God is bigger then languages! I am super close to just taking a few kids in my suit case...maybe I can take 2? haha Love you all! I hope your having a great week!!  (Note from Dawn: Tiffany's parents are also in Haiti but working on a different project.)

Ben - Hi mom and dad. I'm fine. Dad would be jealous. Izuzu Amigos, GMC trackers, Nissan Partols. Also, there's fresh mangos, and other fresh fruit. It's been a pretty good trip so far, and my french is coming handy when I talk to the kids. I played soccer, and it was pretty fun. Tell Jon I said hi when he comes.

Clayton - Hey mom and dad. I'm having a blast! It's hard to descirbe how amazing this place is but I love it. We had goat today, which was interesting but I really enjoyed it. The landscape is so beautiful but the contrasting poverty all around just breaks your heart. Well, not your heart per se since yall aren't here but whatever. I love yall and tell everyone I said hey.

Sean - The last few days have been hard but good. I miss you guys. There are these realy cool trees out side called Flame Trees. They have bright red flowers all over there branches. The mangos are awesome. I have never had a 100% fresh mango before. The kids are sooo cute and FULL of joy. A few people got sick but they are good now. God has blessed me with good health. I can't wait to see you.

P.S. I am going see if I can get Tommy a Machetie.

Bethany: Bonswa! We are having a wonderful time and have such a great group! Today Libbie, Kat, Sean and I led a group of girls in a craft time which they highly enjoyed! Continue to pray that the Lord would allow us to share His love with everyone we come in contact with and that we would be able to communicate with ease. I love you parents! 

Emmanuel: Howdy everyone! This trip has been awesome! These students are such hard workers. Today we went and painted a church and everyone was amazed at how much we got done and how well it looked. Im so impressed with our team and how hard they worked! Please continue to keep us in your prayers! 

Libbie and Rob - We are truly loving watching these teenagers transform and fall in love with Haiti and the children right before our very eyes! It is so good to be back in Haiti where we have seen so many friends. The church/school we are working at is great and our team just fit right in. They work hard and played hard and are excited about a new day.

Keep praying for our safety and protection and good health. We love you all and are so grateful you allowed your kids to come experience Haiti and increase their servant hearts! Love to all our family!

Until another note comes...... blessings to you all, Libbie, Rob, Emmanuel, Bethany and the whole team.

The first news!

We have received an update from the team! It was sent last night but not received until this morning.  We are thankful to have heard from them.

Hey Ya'll,

Just want you to know we have arrived safely! All flights were smooth and on time. The team is doing well. We are staying at a beautiful mission house tonight and DeeDee (Dr. Snyder's wife) made us a delicious spaghetti dinner. Tomorrow we wake early for a morning walk, breakfast and head for Dessalines. That trip will take about 3 hours. 

This team of youth are amazing. They were very confident travelers and seem to get along so well. We've had fun playing cards in the airport, sharing food and snacks and enjoying "culture shock" together as we traveled through Port Au Prince this afternoon. 

Keep praying for them. They need good rest tonight (we all do) and pray for protection, safety and continued good health. 

All seems peaceful here in the country and we can't wait to see what opportunities we have to serve and share. One lady came up to us at the airport asking if we were a Christian group. I said "Yes, we are." She said, "Will your group please pray quickly for a friend of ours who has arrived here at the Miami airport from Nicaragua. He is supposed to go to Haiti with us, but they are holding him in immigration and delaying him. Our flight leaves in a few minutes. Will your group please pray?" We immediately got together as a team and prayed for this man. We don't know the outcome, but it showed our team that no matter where we are, we have opportunities to serve, share and pray for others.

Good night and more later....

With a happy heart to be here in Haiti!!!

Libbie, Rob, Emmanuel, Bethany and 8 wonderful Teens!

A dream come true... a mission to Haiti (Schedule)

For months and months, she dreamed of traveling to Haiti. Tonight, she's sleeping in Haiti!

Here is the team's schedule for the next eight days.

Monday, June 11: Travel day to Port-Au-Prince (via Austin to Dallas and Miami)

Tuesday, June 12:  Travel to Dessalines (3-4 hour drive), and set up at the compound

Wednesday, June 13:  Work, time with village kids, and hospital visits

Thursday, June 14:  Work, time with village kids, and hospital visits

Friday, June 15:  Work, time with village kids, and hospital visits

Saturday, June 16:  Visit/work at orphanage

Sunday, June 17:  Church, visit orphanage, other work as assigned

Monday, June 18:  Travel to Port-Au-Prince, free time

Tuesday, June 19:  Travel back to States

I'll update again when I've heard from them.

Please feel free to leave comments for Kat. (Click on the comment link below this post.)  She won't see them while she's gone, but I know she'd appreciate seeing your thoughts and prayers even once she's home.  And, we will include them in her Haiti scrapbook!

Touch down! (Or, Kat and the team are in Haiti!)

Settle down all you football fans... this has nothing to do with sports.

According to the airline, the team's plane has landed in Port-Au-Prince.  Hopefully, this landing was a little softer than the last one. Prayers appreciated for the team to arrive feeling well and that all the luggage made it.

I will update later tonight (if I hear anything) and I will post their schedule for the remainder of their trip.

Thank you for your prayers throughout today!

Second and final stop... Miami!

The team has arrived in Miami!  They had a little drama with a very hard landing that caused some ceiling tile to pop open, exposing some wiring, etc., in the ceiling. Everyone is fine and they are getting lunch before their next flight.

Next (and final!) flight to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (American Flt. #803) is scheduled to depart at 2:50 pm Eastern time.

Want to follow along? Go HERE.

First stop... Dallas!

They've arrived in Dallas! Next flight to Miami (American Flt. #1976) is scheduled to depart at 8:55 am Central time.

Want to follow along? Go HERE.

Sending my baby to Haiti.

Several months ago, Kat sent out the following letter: 

Bonjou Fanmi ak Zanmi! (That’s “Hello Family and Friends!” in Creole!) 

I have some exciting news to share with you! I’m writing to let you know that I have received the honor of being selected to travel on a mission trip with seven members of my youth group. We will be traveling to the country of Haiti to work this June 11-19, 2012. We will arrive by plane in Port-Au-Prince and then take a very long bus ride to Dessalines. Once there, we will be assigned projects that include painting and repairs at a church in a small community outside Dessalines as well as volunteering at an orphanage and hospital. We will have the opportunity to play with the children and meet the people of the village. Most importantly, we will share the love of Jesus with them! 

I love volunteering my time and talents locally but I have always dreamed of traveling on a foreign mission trip. So this trip is very much a dream come true for me!...

Well, since that time the funds have been raised, a passable amount of Creole has been learned, the bags are packed and loaded, and she'll be on a 6 am flight tomorrow morning (Monday, 6/11) with the rest of the team.

Tomorrow, I'll post their schedule on the side bar of this blog.  Kat will be able to use her phone through mid-afternoon tomorrow until she boards her last flight from Miami to Port-Au-Prince.  I'll post Kat's texts for all to read if there's any real info in them.  (You know, other than "I just got a lemonade from the Wendy's in the food court!") 

Once they leave Miami, there will probably be 24 to 48 hours of "silence" until they are settled in at the mission compound outside of Dessalines.  If all goes as planned, we anticipate receiving a nightly email with a team update as well as a sentence or two from each of the youth.  However, power and technology can be spotty there so no news is considered good news.

Please pray for the team as they travel and minister.  Specifically, we would appreciate your prayers for safety, stamina, good health, and many opportunities to tell people about the love of Jesus.

Oh, and if you'd like to include prayers for the Mommy left here in the States... well, that would be okay, too!  I'm truly not worried. But I am a Mommy.

North Pole, Alaska - Recorded for Posterity

Thank you for those of you who followed along with Burrito's mission trip to North Pole, Alaska - especially if you prayed for him and the team.  It was a wonderful trip and we still have many stories and pictures to share with you.

In the mean time, I'm moving the updates I had posted on my sidebar to this post - for posterity.  And, because I can't archive the stuff on my sidebar like I can posts.

So, if you've already read them you can just skip the rest of this post!

*********************************************
Saturday, July 24, 2010
2:29 AM: Made it to the airport. Checking our bags now. Praise HIM for a safe drive!
5:04 AM: Good morning parents! We are boarding the (first) plane. Hoping for some sleep!
8:37 AM: Touch down in Seattle. 4 hour layover. Too tired to say something clever.
1:21 PM: Getting settled on our last flight! Looking forward to real beds and showers. Airport floors are not conducive for healthy sleep.

Friday, July 23, 2010
9:16 AM: Just a couple of hours of work then we begin the 24 hours of travel to home - beginning at 5 PM Texas time with a 7 hour drive to Anchorage.
4:34 PM: Beginning the 24 hour journey home right now. Pray. Hard. The first leg is the 7 hour drive to Anchorage.
11:58 PM: Food stop about 45 minuts outside of Anchorage. Almost done with the drive.

Thursday, July 22, 2010
12:46 PM: Dinner cruise on the river last night was great and the last full day of work is going very well. Pray that we finish strong!
7:39 PM: Finishing out the day by visiting Santa's house before worship. Even Mr. Story got to sit on his lap.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010
11:18 AM: Day 2 of work is rolling! Pray that the rain doesn't interfere with work and community outreach.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010
9:45 AM: Done with a great breakfast and now we're getting ready to head out for our first work day. Pray for chances to share our faith!
7:35 PM: Getting reports of a great first day of work. Cleaning up for dinner and worship. Pray that God moves our hearts tonight.

Monday, July 19, 2010
10:08 AM: Rolling out to North Pole. Hope to see some mooses, er, meese... Hope we see a moose. 3:24 PM: Pit stop in the middle of Denali National Park. Most of us have never used the bathroom in a more beautiful place.
7:18 PM: Finally to North Pole. Talk about Christmas in July... Lots of Santa pics but no Jesus. Good thing we're here to be the image of Christ.
11:59 PM: Ate dinner, met our crews, and worshipped Jesus. Great first night at World Changers.

Sunday, July 18, 2010
11:04 AM: Up and eating breakfast. It's raining but we're still excited!
12:47 PM: Sunday funday in Alaska. First stop: Eskimo shopping.
4:56 PM: Hiking on a glacier. Awesome!
6:01 PM: Glacier cruise. A three hour cruise... Ok, it isn't really 3 hours but it is going to be sweet.
9:11 PM: Finishing off the day with a meal at Red Robin. Then devotion time, showers, and bed. By the way it's very cold.

Saturday, July 17, 2010
7:06 AM: Only issue through security was some suspicious hot wheels. Waiting to board!
7:39 AM: Everyone is boarded and phones are going off. Pray for a safe flight!
11:31 AM: Brief stop in San Jose, CA. On to Portland next. Only issue in flight was the flat Coke Zero. Lame.
2:04 PM: Layover in Portland begins right now. In the air again in 5 hours.
7:03 PM: We're all boarded. Waiting for take off. Alaska in 3'ish hours.
11:00 PM: Safely on the ground in Alaska and our bodies don't have a clue what time it is. It looks like 4 pm, feels like 11 pm. It's 8 pm.

This Is It!

Today is the last day Burrito and the mission team will be in North Pole, Alaska.  They will continue working through this morning and wrap things up in time to have lunch before starting the 24 hour, long journey back to Texas.  They will retrace their steps with a seven hour drive back to Anchorage to catch the first of their flights.  They are scheduled to arrive back in Austin at 5 PM on Saturday evening.

We're anxious to hear about all the fun, adventures, and God stories that have to tell.  We already know that at least one 7-year-old girl accepted Christ while they were in North Pole! This alone made the week successful.

So, please pray:

• That much is accomplished this final day and that projects are successfully wrapped up by before the three teams leave North Pole.
• For the people of First Baptist Church in North Pole as they continue the ministry that was started this week.
• For safe travels for our team and the other two teams (from Alabama and North Carolina) as they travel to their homes.
• For the health of all the team members - it's been an exhausting week.
• That the spiritual growth the team members experienced will continue once they return to their everyday lives.

I will continue to post any Twitter updates I receive on the side bar.  Hopefully, Burrito took lots of pictures and we'll post these later this weekend.

Finally, here's a photo of the entire North Pole mission team (all three churches) that was made before their worship service last night:

Do you see Burrito? Look at the fourth row from the front (the first "long" row), fourth person from the right.

News From The First Work Day in North Pole

From an updated received last night:

"The day started off bright and early, breakfast at 6am sharp! We sent the crews off to their work sites for the first time this morning, but first started off with The Great Send Off! All participants gathered in a large circle where we rallied and got pumped up for the work the rest of this week. We had a large group prayer and everyone all rushed off for their work sites.

Participants worked hard all day long.. roofing, painting, backyard bible clubs, give away, you name it, we did it!

Participants ended the night with the Concert of Prayer. This is a special time of worship where students spend one on one time with God praying and worshipping. Students were challenged to give up something this week that hindered their life from the Lord. Each student was given a rough rock that represented the distraction or sin that hindered them, when they were ready to give it up they placed it at the foot of the cross, and picked up a new smooth clean rock. This week should be good, we are excited, pumped and ready to serve the Lord!"

Please keep praying for the team members in North Pole.  They are working long hours at hard jobs they may have never performed before this week.  Pray that they will retain both their energy and enthusiasm and that they will be constantly aware of opportunities to share their faith in Christ. 

Oh, and that weather? It's still being a little pesky, too.

North Pole in July

WORLD CHANGERS provides a dynamic week-long MISSION TRIP for students seeking to make a difference in the lives of those with SPIRITUAL and PHYSICAL needs.

Ever wonder what it would be like to go to the North Pole? In July??

Burrito is part of a team of students from our church's youth department and their sponsors who are headed to North Pole, Alaska, for their annual mission trip in coordination with World Changers.  Despite the name, the city of North Pole is about 1,700 miles south of the geographic North Pole. It is a small city of less than 2,000 residents and is located thirteen miles to the southeast of Fairbanks.

Red "pin" indicates the city of North Pole, Alaska.

(Last year they worked and ministered in Birmingham, AL. You can read about that trip here, here, here, here, here and here.)

This year's team is unique in two ways. First, it's the farthest they've traveled with World Changers. Second, it's the largest team they've ever taken - 47 individuals including 40 students and seven sponsors.

While the team is in Alaska, they will combine their efforts with groups from two other churches to do community service within North Pole as well as providing construction crews at homes to do roofing and painting.  Burrito has been assigned to one of the construction crews.  (This training could come in handy when our home needs a new roof some day! Ha!)  These are practical projects to serve the people of North Pole while also providing our youth with opportunities to meet and interact with individuals and allowing them to share Christ with them.

Our youth pastor will use Twitter keep us informed of their travels and adventures while they are in Alaska.  Like last year, I'll post these updates on my sidebar so you can follow along with them if you'd like.  I'll also be posting their activities each day and will include a link that will allow you to send "encourage-grams" to Burrito or other team members.  Check back tomorrow for that link.

Would you join me in praying for Burrito, the team, their projects, and the people they encounter?

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

Resistance Is Futile!

Twitter.

I've resisted it. Truly I have. And it hasn't been hard since I didn't have a texting plan on my cell phone until last week.

I mean, really...

Do I need to be texted when my neighbor finds a great buy on toilet paper? When my friend from church decides to boil eggs for her salad? Do I need to know that a fellow PTA mom is up from her afternoon nap?

Ummm... no! I'm blissful in my ignorance, thank you very much!

Until this morning.

Unexpectedly, an event in my life made me dash home, jump on the computer and set up a Twitter account. I'll bet you're thinking, "Wow, it must really be something special!"

And you'd be right!

This morning, I dropped Burrito off at our church where he and 30 other students and 9 adults loaded up in three vans to head to Birmingham, Alabama.

Once there, they are partnering with World Changers for five days on projects that include painting, roofing, building and repairing decks and doors, and yard work, as well as walking the neighborhoods and sharing Christ with those they meet.

So what about this event made me run home and set up a Twitter account?

All cell phones have been left at home during this trip, cutting off communication with our kids. And that's okay. I understand that they need to be immersed in what they are doing. Set apart so that God is able to stretch them beyond what they think they can accomplish. All without the security net of being able to "phone home."

Just before the last kisses where planted and the final wave given, our youth pastor announced that they had set up a Twitter account to keep us all up-to-date on what was happening while they are traveling and working. (I may or may not have actually heard angels singing at that moment.)

Would you join me in praying for Burrito, the team, their projects, and the people they encounter?

I'll be posting their Twitter updates on my sidebar as they are sent. This way, you will also know what is going on and can pray appropriately for them.