Day 9 (2nd Edition)
Hey y'all,
No one seems to be jumping up and down about blogging tonight. Don't take it personally as I think everyone's just in chill-out mode. A few guys are up on the roof enjoying the cool breeze...some are sitting out on the yard chatting...and some are sitting around the dinning room tables laughing and singing. This team has really come together as a small community of friends. It's been pretty cool to watch.
Tuesday was another full day of work. Amazingly enough we're seeing the completion of several projects we began last week. A few of these projects are done, and last week we didn't think we'd get close to finishing. It's all very exciting and it gives us a great sense of accomplishment.
Tuesday also means there's church in the evening. Enjoy these pics and let our experience of worshiping in the Haitian night soak in. On a side note, Lisa N likes my pictures. I'm honoured. :)
I'd like to ask you to pray for the team as the trip winds down. This can be an emotionally charged time as people begin to say good-bye to place that has made a deep impact in their lives. As odd as it sounds, leaving an experience like this can be quite painful even though the team is returning to their loved ones. "It's not you, it's me." That line actually rings true in this sense. I remember on my last trip many of the students were feeling guilty about not wanting to go home. I sent an email to their parents before we arrived home warning them that it may take time for the kids to verbalize their experience. The sense of connection to Haiti can grow quite strong.
Now I have to get myself psyched up to kiss Rainer again. Poor guy.
Until tomorrow,
-Aaron
12 Comments:
Wow, this has been such an amazing experience...even though we live it through the blog and prayer. We will pray for all of you as you prepare yourselves to say goodbye to your new Haitian friends/family and to return home to us.
It will be different for everyone, we will try to be sensitive to you.
Thanks for sharing the journey, while I was at Kawkawa Christine sent me the days I was missing. Yes, more tears :)
I just know God has changed so many people, so radically. You have been such a blessing to so many, thanks for following him to the ends of the earth.
Gord - I can't wait to see you. I miss you so much. I'll be praying !!!
Love Robin xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo couldn't resist, hard to imagine - Aaron filling in the snuggles :)
I can imagine that feelings are pretty intense for you all right now. Sounds like you've worked very hard and have made a huge investment in Haiti Arise emotionally, physically and spiritually. It's good to prepare those of us at home for possible emotional difficulties in transitioning back to "normal" life for the team members. For one thing Aaron won't be the one hugging and kissing them...um....right? :0)
Sounds like a nice evening you all are having there cooling off, chatting and laughing. Hope you have more of that before the trip ends. Will you wind work down gradually before you leave or will you be up all night the last night trying to finish things off?
Dan,
We have all agreed that for us this feels a lot like when you went to Hawaii for work. But I think the reality for you in Haiti is dramatically different from how it was in Hawaii, hey Dan?
Well, there's definitely someone missing around here. It's quite a bit quieter without you here love. You'll have to let us know what you need and how you are feeling, but if it helps your transition we've left a few projects for you to work your magic on around here. (I ran out of hot glue sticks and duct tape before the job list was finished.)
Anyways,
lots of love and big squeezes for you, and one loonnng kiss!
Michele
Hey Chris,
Things are a little better tonight after a talk with Ann & 2 hours with Ian.
Although, unlike the joking wives, I really almost killed your car tonight. I was sooo stressed I blew a stop sign, seeing it only at the last minute & sliding through with anti-lock brakes shuddering. Thankfully, the guy about to turn left (I'd have creamed him!) saw me & held back. It was at least right at the hospital so I wouldn't have had far to go.
Erica & I are going out for coffee now. Today I wished you were home but I'm ok now.
Christine
Eldon--Love the picture of you and your new friends all smiling in the chapel. I hope you weren't entertaining them with too many farm stories. I also noticed you were wearing a black shirt--must be time for laundry :)
Only two more sleeps. I can hardly wait to see you and hear first hand about your experiences. I'm glad you endured the gravol hangovers to get some important things done. Get ready for 6 degrees and bone chilling rain, here. I'm bringing your coat in person and so I'll pass on typing all the x and o's to wait for the real thing when I see you.
Lotsa love,
Grace
Hmmm. It must be my eyes because the photos to me look blurred and it's hard to make out who's in them. But I guess the colors must balance or something, or maybe it's how the subjects are framed, or maybe Lisa is just being kind. However, we are happy to get ANY sort of images and news from Haiti so there's no way I would complain. Just keep those pictures coming, blurred or not, underexposed or not, we all love them. So, thanks once again for the update Aaron.
It's neat to hear how the team has come together. Jan, hopefully you're not one of the ones who wants to stay on longer. We miss you ALOT and are really anxious to see you on Friday morning.
Love, Rick
Aaron,loved your comment about passing on the affection from home! But tell me Aaron,you must have shed some tears at one point while reading out the comments. We know what an emotional guy you are. And yes, as Shay says we would like to see another pic of you.It's just so neat that you could be the Hungry for Life rep. for this team. Thank-you for encouraging a lot of these guys to go. Thank-you!
Will be praying for you all as you spend the last day finishing up projects and dealing with your emotions as you prepare to leave.
We will all miss these blogs as they have made us feel unified with you all and the others blogging.
Thank-you all for representing Christ, for us all, in Haiti.
love, donna X0
Waiting for you all,
We prayed for you at Freedom Session tonight.
Be reassured that while lives are being changed in Haiti, so are lives being changed right here in our beloved church community. God is so faithful, so powerful. He is touching hearts and pulling away so many of the cobwebs getting ready to heal wounds and set people free.
Several people spoke of breakthroughs tonight... they are so looking forward to what is to come, forgiveness, confession, healing. (((Doug... you know what I'm talking about. So, is Freedom Session still the best experience you've gone through or has Haiti beat it now?:)))
One person prayed to Jesus for the first time this week. They were really struggling with faith, running away from God, and now they are calling out to Jesus out loud, asking for strength and protection... and admitting that their best efforts, without Jesus, will continue to amount to nothing.
I can see, right now, all the amazing things that are happening around the world tonight. Jesus is touching so many hearts, healing wounds, binding hurts, welcoming people home to his care.
You know the Linda Ronstadt song... something about two people being apart, but that they are both "sleeping underneath the same bright sky"? So true. The Psalms speak so well on this subject. The night sky, the sun and the moon are vivid reminders of the power of God through creation. And we are all underneath that same big sky... being loved by the same Jesus and being brought to the same understanding of faith and power for living through Jesus Christ.
Remember that you leave the Haitians in the loving care of Jesus, sleeping underneath that same bright sky. And he will continue to bring them to himself, day after day after day.
On a more personal note...
I was reminded of a truth today, as my insecurities and self-doubt rose yet again about... everything.
"It is not I who live, but Christ who lives within me" Gal 2:20.
When it comes right down to it, I don't need to have faith in myself or worry about whether I'm good enough or up to the task. All I need to believe is that Jesus is faithful, that he is powerful and that he knows the right path at all times, and for everything and everyone.
It is his strength that I can count on, and so what if I don't live up to others' expectations and so what if I still have things in my life that need healing... all I can do is to put one foot in front of the other and be faithful in the small things he asks me to do. He will do all of the hard work... he will touch lives and heal hearts and bring people home to himself. And that's the end of it. No torturing myself about not being able to do enough or love people enough or accomplish enough... He is enough and that's enough :)
((Harjit, if you're reading this... I was reminded of this in the hours AFTER we talked. Thanks for listening to my little insecurities. It was a good Freedom-Session-confession kind of thing, sharing them with you:))
We are looking forward to seeing you all in 48 hours from... this moment actually!!! I can't wait to hear all that's been happening in your lives!
(Gord, how do you feel about me planting a recording device at the men's breakfast so I can hear your stories? No? Party pooper!)
Oh well... we still have our women's breakfast coming up on the 5th of Dec. Hint, hint to you lovely four ladies!!! We'd love to hear from you :)
I guess I should head off to bed now. I so miss you all (and especially my "smoochy-bear", Michael. Can anyone else besides Michael tell me what movie that's from? huh? huh? Here's a hint... "Mike Wasowski!"
Much love and anticipation,
Laura
PS. Michael... I love you lots, and if you are really sad about leaving (as I'm sure you are)... I promise that I'm up for selling most of our worldly belongings in order to finance another trip if you like:) Heck, we can move there... I'm up for that too!
hey guys, it was so great to see everyone worshiping together. it looked like and amazing evening.
Aimee, was that you singing at the front? COOL! i miss singing with you. oh, and by the way, Aimee, Chris and Jonathon,and Dan, i spent some time with Christine last night and had a great visit. she is doing much better i think, although obviously my super powers don't really work for relieving stress, healing wounds and patching up relationships!
It was truly a GODSEND that i read christine's blog here yesterday. if i hadn't seen it then i wouldn't have been prompted to call and make sure things were okay and to pray for her. as it turns out, me and Joan might have been the only ones who read it yesterday and were praying for her, and God definitely heard our prayers!! i know you guys are so very deeply involved in all that is going on over there, but you are probably all still praying for and concerned about the things your families are going through back home. How awesome it is that we can use technology this way to lift each other up and pray for each other at the push of a button?!
Thank you God for this blog!
Well, you are all still in my prayers as you continue to minister, and struggle with all of the various emotions involved with heading back home!
Hugs all around!!
- erica
Hey Dad,
Once again Mom and jeevin dropped the gloves over his marks, just kidding. Well we're doing just fine but we miss you very much. Two days until your back in Surrey can't wait to hear about all the great things God has done down there. well thats all for now.
Your favourite son (lol)
-Aman
I actually got on a computer! i'm blogging from ottawa after the going to the remembrence day ceremony, which was pretty cool. These pics of church are amazing and they bring me back to that experience. I really hope that for all of you this has been an amazing and deeply changing trip. Please, please don't feel afraid to share your stories after because all of us are excited to hear them. BUT i know for me i needed a good week or so before i could begin to tell them, so we'll remember to give you some space to process :) praying for your safe return
Kayla
Hi Dan and Rainer,
Thinking of you as you prepare to leave Haiti tomorrow. We're sure there are mixed emotions as you look forward to home and family, but at the same time are leaving a country and people that have impacted you greatly. May God give you a sense of peace that the work you began there will continue to build and bring hope. Wishing you safety and protection as you "wing" your way home. Looking forward to hearing more from you first-hand.
All our love, hugs,
the Morrises
Hey Kelly,
All is good here, keeping my eye on Becky. I think I'm driving her crazy with my phone calls to make sure she is fine. Miss you lots but will see you soon.
Be safe
Heather,
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