On Coming Home, Lessons Learned, and My Stolen Bag

Warning: this one’s a bit longer, but I wanted to share with you what has been on my heart.

  I’ve been home for two weeks now.  For six months, I prepared for an incredible adventure.  For six months, I was on that adventure.  Today, I have been home for two weeks, and am still trying to process what the past six months have held.  I can’t express to you what Immersion meant for me.  There are only twelve other people in the entire world who could possibly understand what I experienced and how I feel about certain things that happened or why I miss certain people so, so much.  

  The first week of my being home was filled with seeing friends and family, it was filled with the excitement of being home.  Now, this week, I have begun to settle in.  My family is used to having me home now, and the excitement has died down.  That’s not to say I’m not glad to be home or they’re not glad to have me home, but it’s normal again.  That means now I am having a bit more culture shock than I originally was.  The Caribbean is very different than America, let me tell you!  Germs aren’t as dangerous as everyone makes them sound: you can wash dishes with cold water and not get sick.  Your life doesn’t have to be packed every minute of every day; you need to take time to reflect, relax, and invest in your relationship with Jesus and yourself, or you’re not going to be able to pour into others.  I don’t really care what I look like anymore; I don’t care as much if my mascara is a little smudged or my hair is a little messy.  On top of these “little” culture shocks, I really miss my team and my families on the trip.  There were people on my team I relied on to get me through a week or a situation.  I needed their support and encouragement and pep talks.  I don’t have that anymore, and some days (like the past five days) have been really hard without being able to walk to their house, sit on their bed in their host home, and just pour our hearts out to each other.  

Ackeem (5) and I - Jamaica

  Besides reflecting on the challenges of being home, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what I learned on Immersion.  I actually have a list of twenty things that I learned while on my six month Caribbean Immersion in Haiti, Jamaica, and Belize.

1. I learned to share.  Don’t worry, my parents did teach me to share when I was young!  But on this trip, I learned to share things I didn’t have an unlimited supply of.  If I share my granola bars, I can’t run to get another box when I’m out.  I learned to share my personal space.  Taking a shower was the most privacy I got, and even then it wasn’t guaranteed.
2. I learned to get along with people.  At home, if I didn’t get along with someone, I could always leave or avoid that person (wrong approach).  But when you’re only living with the same twelve people for six months, you can’t avoid anyone!  I’m not saying it was always easy - it was very challenging at times, to be honest.  But as a team, or as teammates, we would work through it.
3. I learned to be honest.  I came into this trip, hating confrontation; it scared me.  It still scares me, but I learned how to confront honestly, lovingly, straight-forward, and gently.
4. I learned to make the most of my time.  To invest in people, help people, build relationships, no matter how long I have with them.  
5. I learned the greatest experiences you’ll have or the best relationships you’ll build, often come from the most unexpected places.  So go climb that mountain…your Haitian grandmother may be up there to teach you something; go fetch the water…you may meet a large family with cool kids who you’ll stay in contact with; invest in the woman who can’t host anyone…she may remind you of your real mom; don’t take a nap….your host mom may what to exchange language lessons and you’ll end up having an awesome conversation.
6. I learned to like things I used to dislike and try things I never would have.  I learned to like tomatoes, beans, and slightly spicy food.  I tried moto taxis, washing clothes by hand, and lobster, and loved them all!

   

   Nika (10), Greta (roommate), and I - Haiti

7. I learned to get by with the minimum.  I wore my clothes on a five or six day cycle, my showers mainly came from a bucket, and I lived out of a backpack.  My families had one or two knives in their kitchen, limited water, and limited electricity.  But I loved life there and was still able to live it to the fullest!
8. I learned that Spiritual Warfare is a very real thing.  And I learned it’s important to fight against the Enemy.  I believe that Satan attacks differently in America.  In Central America, people are very spiritual.  In America, we’re very materialistic.  Satan attacks us, therefore, through those material things including social media, Hollywood, etc., rather than demons.  This is my personal belief.
9. I learned how to cook.  Trust me, this needed to happen.
10. I realized there are very few things Americans actually have gotten right.  For example, we set aside ONE HOUR per WEEK, if that, to attend a communal gathering of worship to our God.  One hour.  In Belize, we attended a total of twelve, or more, hours per week (six services) of church.  It was a priority in their lives, and although I couldn’t understand the services, I grew closer to Christ by being in His House almost every night.
11. I learned how to take it slow.  Coming home to all the hustle and bustle of American life is wearing me out!
12. I learned that reconciliation of relationships is vital.  Relationships are all you have in this life.
13. I learned that it’s not about what you do, it’s about how you do it.  Your life doesn’t have to be different to be great.  You can lead a “normal”, “ordinary” life and still make it extraordinary!
14. I learned to be emotionally independent, and not rely on others to tell me how to think or feel.
15. I learned to identify my own weaknesses and make efforts to improve them.

    

    Kate (1) - Belize
    PC: Regan

16. I learned that your life should be lived how YOU feel God has called you to live it.  Don’t give into the expectations of others.  
17. I learned how to balance leadership and friendship.  It’s not easy, and you may burn bridges.  But God is in control, and the bridges you build, are the ones He wants you to have.
18. I learned to love myself.  Myself without my makeup on, without product-filled and styled hair.  Myself with a tank top, sports shorts, and sweating like I’m in a sauna.  Me.  For who I am and for Whose I am.  
19. I learned what defines me.  As in what past circumstances, what moments have made me who I am today.  I didn’t know my twelve teammates before the trip.  We only know each other from who we were ON Immersion…not outside.  Because of that, I learned to identify what things really play a huge part in who I am or the status of my relationships with others here at home.  I’ve also identified how certain things have affected me, my relationship with myself, and my relationships with others.
20. My view of poverty changed completely.  Yes, there are lower levels of poverty than I witnessed on this trip.  During my first trip to Haiti, I felt so sorry for the family who lived in the home I saw.  I lived in a house very similar to that during my time in Haiti on this trip.  I realized they have everything they could need.  They are living LIFE.  Does their life look different than mine?  Yes.  But that’s not a bad thing.  They are glorifying the Lord with how they’re living their life, I need to make sure I’m living my life to glorify the Lord where I am.  I didn’t see poverty in Haiti, Jamaica, or Belize.  I saw life.

Merlyva (3 months), Greta (roommate), and I - Haiti

  As you may or may not have heard, I had my bag stolen in Belize.  So many of you offered words of encouragement and prayers for me, and for that I am truly thankful.  I wanted to give you a glimpse of what that day, and the days following, looked like for me.

  I have to start with a bit of honesty: Jamaica was a bit hard for me.  I struggled with some different things, and it’s also the place my team struggled the most as a team.  On the plane to Belize, I was ready.  Ready for the new start in a new community.  I sat on that plane and prayed hard that God would take everything from my control.  I needed Him to take everything from me because I was tired of the issues that had surfaced.  I think, for the first time in my life, I truly, willingly, honestly surrendered it all to God.

  Landing in Belize, a community partner came to pick my team up from the airport.  We loaded the bus up with our many bags and headed to get lunch before meeting our host families.  The meal was incredible, and I thought my whole surrendering thing was going pretty well!  Then, I started feeling a little sick.  I went to use the restroom, and little bit later, a teammate came in with the same feeling.  I ended up feeling better within a few minutes, but my teammate didn’t.  She was dehydrated and started vomiting continuously for over an hour.  Next stop: hospital.  I was with her the whole time in the restaurant restroom, so when our community partner offered to take the team to a river while she was getting IVs, I stayed to wait with her at the hospital.  I grabbed $5 out of my daypack to buy a bottle of water, and headed into the hospital’s hot, packed waiting room with my leaders and teammate.  The rest of the team rumbled down the road to spend a while at the river.  When they came back, I went out to get my phone to listen to music while we were still waiting.  On the bus, I searched twice through the whole thing before enlisting my other teammates’ help, and we scoured it about three more times.  My backpack was gone.  And with it, my iPhone, camera, cash, credit card, Passport, eyeglasses, some gear such as headlamp and lantern, and the toiletries I had stocked up on the night before during our overnight layover in Miami.  Approximately $2,000 worth of things were in that backpack.  I didn’t know what to do.  I cried.  We went back to the river to search, with no luck.  I cried.  I filed a police report.  I cried.  My teammate felt better after three IVs.  I cried.  We headed to Siete Millas to meet our host families.  I was exhausted from the long travel day, not to mention the emotional rollercoaster I’d just experienced.  I barely was functioning as we rolled into Siete Millas around midnight.  But the next morning, I remembered something: I had surrendered it all.  I literally asked God to take it all from me.

Kassian (9) and I - Jamaica

  Through this, I learned so much.  One, God can use a bad situation and use it for good.  Two, He provides!  My parents were able to wire me money so I had backup emergency money.  Three, it allowed me to be 100% present where I was.  I wasn’t distracted by listening to music, reading books on my phone, or constantly taking pictures.  

  Thank you for your prayers, your financial support, your encouragement.  I couldn’t have done this trip without you.  If you have questions about my trip, feel free to email me or contact me on Facebook.  I’d love to answer any questions you have!

In Christ,

     Sierra

Dennilson (9) and I - Belize

An Update from Belize

  Hola!  I know I've been slow on posting lately, but better late than never, I suppose!  The reason I haven't is quite the story, but to make it extremely short, I had my daypack stolen after being in Belize for six hours.  This bag included my phone, camera, passport, money, and a lot of other important items, including my journals from Haiti and Jamaica.  I have had to replace my camera, and now have no way of uploading any photos I've taken, so those will come when I arrive home.

  I have spent the last five weeks in a little village called Siete Millas.  It is located siete millas (seven miles) off the main road...hence the name.  That seven miles, however, can take up to forty-five minutes to drive, as it's a very hilly, rocky, and pot-hole-y road.  The village is home to about 175 families, has five churches, one school that educates children grades one through eight, and one main shop where you can stock up on anything you may need.

  My family here is absolutely incredible!  My host mom, Dalila is twenty-six, and is not only an amazing mom, but has become a great friend!  She has been married to Oved for nine years, has a nine-year-old son, Danielson, and a one-year-old daughter, Kate.  We actually live in Dalila's parent's house, Odilia and Carlos, but Dalila lives in her house right out back.  It is extremely hot here, most days reach over 100 degrees.  June is Belize's rainy season, so the past two nights it has rained a wonderfully cooling rain, which is actually the first time it's rained for four and a half weeks!

  My days are spent hanging out with Dalila, helping her cook when I can.  Yesterday we made flour tortillas - so fun!  I've learned how to bake an "Impossible Cake" (it's mindblowing), and fry tortillas, fried jacks, and plaintain chips.  To some, days here may seem mundane or boring.  But on this trip, I have honestly learned to take life slower.  In Belize, days are built by small, but very significant moments.  The moments when the entire family piles in the back of the newly fixed pickup truck to go driving around the village.  When my host mom and I exchange language lessons.  When we participate in the trash pickup with the school children.  When I try (and fail) to teach my little sister to walk.  When we come home from church and drink hot chocolate and talk about Belize with my host parents and grandparents.  I don't wish my days to be anything more than they are here.

  This week is the first week we'll be able to help at the school.  We are going to be working in the Infant 1 & 2 classes (translates to grades one and two) helping during exam week.  I'm excited for this opportunity to work in the community!

  Church here is very different in the sense of how often we go.  I attend church six times a week, every day except Mondays and Fridays, but twice on Sundays.  It's all in Spanish, which I don't speak, but I enjoy going and learning how this culture worships God.  Even though I don't speak the language, I always take those two hours to pray, read my Bible, or journal.  I honestly love going to church here!

  I come home in twenty-four days.  It's literally like waiting for Christmas Eve.  Trust me, I do NOT want to leave my family in Siete Millas.  But Lord-willing, I will be back to visit someday (with my future husband, Dalila says).  However, it has been 148 days since I've seen my family in Minnesota.  I miss them more than words could express.  I am ready to go home and implement into my everyday life what I've learned on this trip.  Leaving here in twenty-one days will be a very sad, hard goodbye as I leave my family of two months.  Leaving Indiana on June 30th will also be a very difficult as I leave my family of six months - my team.  I have learned countless things on this trip.  I've loved hard, cried hard, laughed hard.  I've been happy, sad, angry, homesick, adventurous.  Each of those emotions and feelings have led me to life lessons and have actually made memories.

  Thank you for all your prayers, especially after having my things stolen.  I appreciate all my prayer warriors.

Sierra

The Little Green House on the Hillside

The last half of Jamaica has been very different than the first half.  After spending three weeks in our first round of host homes, when I stayed with Annette, we stayed as a team for a week at the church. It was a time to regroup, debrief, and learn from each other. 

When that week ended, we moved in with our new families. My roommate and I are staying with Miss James, a school teacher at the local basic school (for kids 6 and under). We live in a four-room home: three bedrooms and the dining room. Our kitchen is a separate structure right out back. The outhouse and shower house, two separate huts, are located at the side of the home. Miss James has two children that still live at home who are thirty and forty(ish). She also has a few grandkids, ages ranging from two to twenty-one, that sometimes live here. 

  Most weekdays, we've had the fun opportunity to help at the basic school. It has been so much fun to get to know the kids and help the teachers! The first week and a half we helped, everyone was getting ready for "sports day". So we often spent the day on the field watching four-year-olds try to hop in gunny sacks in a straight line or groups of kids practicing their team's cheer. During lesson time, I sit in with the youngest class (mostly three & four year olds) and dot letters out for them to trace. I enjoy spending time getting to know the kids and developing, day by day, a relationship with them. Marco, Ackeem, Sabreina, Tia-Shae, Lillian, Kanesha, Kassian, Dante. They all have my heart. Before we leave for home, we spend the last hour washing over one hundred dishes to help Miss Sharon, the school cook. The student body of about forty get fed both breakfast and lunch at school. I have learned to love washing dishes, and it's such a good way to serve the school staff. Last week was "sports day", Jamaica's version of a field day. They definitely go all day out for this event, renting tents and a DJ, dressing up in the house (team) colors, and parents dressing up with their kids. 

 Ackeem is our five year old neighbor who also goes to the basic school. He is one of the coolest kids ever. He likes asking questions, plays soccer with us on our porch, smells like men's cologne, has a sweet personality, is content just sitting and chilling with two, twenty-one year old girls, and has the most adorable dimples ever.

 One day, our team decided to go explore a river, intending to have a Bible study there. We came across a waterfall that went into a small swimming hole with a rope swing. Shortly after arriving there, we discovered a half-built dam. As our team started building it up a bit, a bunch of locals noticed and joined in. We spent the entire afternoon building up this dam with locals. It was such a fun afternoon!

 Jamaica is a beautiful place with amazing people and although all of these moments have been great, I will admit that I am looking forward the next stop in this adventure. 

  A week from Monday, my team will be making our way to Belize. We will have an overnight layover in Miami and then arrive in Belize on Tuesday afternoon. 

 Thank you all for your continued prayers!!

Updated prayer requests:

  >> that I will be intentional in my last week here in Jamaica. That I will be 100% present and make the most of it. 

  >> safety for my team as we travel to Belize

  >> that I will apply all I've learned from Haiti and Jamaica to my time in Belize from the beginning 

At the Bottom of Richmond Hill

I figured it was about time I posted an update from Jamaica. I've been here for more than three weeks now! This is a gorgeous country with the most friendly people, and I am thrilled to spend the next month here.

It was an adjustment coming here from Haiti, where we had rough living conditions and a difficult language barrier. Here in Jamaica, I have a bed to sleep in, and can converse with anyone I want. But it has also been difficult finding ways to serve in our host homes, the local church, or in the community of Catadupa.

Catadupa is a small, rural community in the mountains of Jamaica, about an hour from Montego Bay. Most of our team currently lives at the bottom of Richmond Hill, which is also home to Croydon in the Mountains - an old pineapple plantation. I have found that some of best moments here in Catadupa are small, but meaningful moments that have so far shaped my time here. I wanted to tell you about how I've spent the last few weeks.

I live in a four-bedroom home with my mom, Annette, dad, Manley, and brother, Jerome, who is in his thirties. Annette sells handmade clothing several times a week in Montego Bay at a resort. She's been doing this for more than thirty years now, and my roommate and I have gotten the amazing opportunity to go with her. The days we get to tag along are ones when we get to see how awesome Annette is, not just as our host mom, but as a person. She has a very generous spirit, and goes out of her way to provide for others.

Going to the resort with Annette also provided a unique experience as I got to see the resort from a local’s eyes. I really struggled at first with how I viewed the resort. It's a place where vacationers rent multimillion dollar homes for $20,000 per week. Coming straight from Haiti, I experienced strong reverse culture shock. Beyond that, though, it was interesting to see it all from Annette’s point of view.

The church we are partnered with here in Catadupa also hosts short-term mission teams throughout the year. As they work on building a cistern this spring, my team has gotten to help! I have loved this opportunity to do some physical labor, get to know more people, and work alongside the community in this way.

I mentioned earlier that we live close to Croydon, a pineapple plantation. One day, some teammates and I wandered in and happened upon some tours taking place. (A lot of tourists coming from cruise ships take a bus up here to take a tour of Croydon.) We decided to just kind of jump in and learn along with all the tourists. The tour guide, Alicia, asked the group at one point to guess a type of plant. She was surprised when we knew the correct answer, and we replied, “We live here!” It led to an awesome conversation, in which she told us a bit of her testimony. This day was one of my favorite days of the whole trip. It was unplanned, and circumstantial, but I could tell it was a day orchestrated by God.

One host mom in the neighborhood, Mama Debbie, is a very active member in the church and community. One Tuesday afternoon, she took our team to a hospital in MoBay to do a prayer visit. A church member’s son, a week prior, had been shot about seven times, three of which were to the head. Arriving at the hospital, doctors moved him aside saying he was basically dead. It wasn't until the next morning, when they found he was still alive, that they took him to surgery. We went to pray over him and any other patient we felt called to. It was an incredible time watching the Holy Spirit work through our team.

Easter last week was such a fun experience, too! We went to the church’s Good Friday service, which was more like an Easter service, celebrating Christ’s resurrection, not His death. But Sunday's service was still beautiful. While singing a song about redemption, the entire congregation stood up around the sanctuary, making a circle around the pews. It was such a beautiful memory as we worshiped together.

Easter night, my team got together to wash each other's feet. This was such a significant night for the team, as we had endured some struggles earlier that week. It was a wonderful, healing activity we did together.

These are just a few highlights of the past few weeks in Jamaica. Right now, I am sitting on a beach babysitting Annette’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Meliah with my roommate, Lindsey. Opportunities to serve don't seem as obvious as in Haiti, and I am continually challenged to be bold in seeking those opportunities out.

Updated Prayer Requests: ~ my health. The food here in Jamaica rarely sits well with me and I ended up sick last week. ~ in one week, we will switch host homes here in Jamaica. Please pray for quick bonding with these families and that we will have an amazing three weeks with them.

Sierra

Under the Haitian Sun, part 2

  We ended our time in Haiti on March 7th.  My love for this country only grew after staying here for five weeks.  Although I am excited for Jamaica, I wanted to stay here in Haiti longer.  Here are a few more highlights from my time in Haiti. 

>> One Tuesday, my roommate and I learned how to cook a Haitian meal of rice, beans, and chicken. I was in charge of the chicken (my favorite as mentioned in my previous post) and it was delicious!  Actually, the entire meal was great and it was the first time that some of the family joined us to eat. They were so excited to see us cooking and couldn't wait to try it...a great deal of bonding happened that day. 

>> Making a breakthrough: I didn't first check for cockroaches before going into the bathroom. In fact, I didn't look the whole time! It wasn't a conscious decision, either. I only realized after I got out that I hadn't looked!

>> One day, our head translator organized a team activity to hike up a mountain to see where his parents grew up. It was a very difficult hike, and I'm pretty sure it was the hottest day here we've experienced, but the views were gorgeous, and the people we met were so welcoming! It was worth it! We also got to see Mona's parents, who live up there. We'd met Mona's mom (pictured below) several times before when she's been visiting Mona or her other daughter, Merlynn. She is one of the sweetest people ever. 

>> One morning, while we were still in bed, my roommate and I were discussing what our favorite breakfast is that Mona makes. "Eggs, bread, coffee, bananas..." And in walks Mona with zé (eggs), pen (bread), café (coffee), and fíg (bananas)!  That breakfast was amazing!

>> Over the past five weeks, we've gotten to develop a relationship with Mona's sister, Merlynn, and her 3-month-old daughter, Merlyva. Merlynn has such a positive attitude, and is constantly smiling or laughing a beautiful, infectious laugh. She doesn't speak English, but love is a universal language and it radiates from her! Merlyva is the cutest baby with the most adorable rolls and softest hair. It has been such a blessing seeing them one or two times each week, helping Merlynn with Merlyva or in the kitchen. 

>> In the past two weeks, I have grown closer to my host mom, Mona. We definitely do not speak the same language, but we get by, with the few words we do know in the other's language, and a lot of hand signals. The other night, she crawled in my bug net with me and I showed her pictures of my family and she told me where all her cousins live. The photo below is from when Greta, Mona, and I all got in together. It was not long-lived, as it was hot and cramped. 

>> Two days before we left, we took Mona and our friend Junie out for ice cream. We had such a good time! Junie is between Greta and I, with Mona on the far right. 

  I mentioned in my first blog post from Haiti, that I was nervous about what to tell people back home what I was doing. Because a lot of what I'm doing isn't tangible. I'm building relationships, not houses. I'm BEING, not DOING. As a team, we're going through the book "When Helping Hurts" by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. I actually read this book for school right before I first went to Haiti in 2013. The book outlines many of the ways short-term missions can harm a community, no matter how great their intentions are.  Last week, it was explaining the different stages a community's needs will go through: Relief, Rehabilitation, and Development. This chapter explained a lot to ME, as I wrestle with what to tell people. In 2010, Haiti was in need of Relief. They had just gotten hit with the massive earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands. But relief needs to be temporary. Once the "bleeding" stops, rehabilitation is in order. "[Rehabilitation] seeks to restore people and their communities to the positive elements of their precrisis conditions." (pg. 100) Many organizations have worked hard to help rehabilitate Haiti. "Development is a process of ongoing change that moves all the people involved-both "helpers" and the "helped"-closer to being in right relationship with God, self, others, and the rest of creation." (pg. 100) Now, six years after the earthquake, we are here to develop relationships with the people of Haiti, hoping to encourage them to pursue a purpose-filled live with Christ, using their skills and abilities to assist their own communities.  We will be doing the same in Jamaica and Belize.  I hope that helps give you a glimpse of the purpose of this trip. 

  I am learning so much on this trip! What I'm learning in these six months will definitely carry over into the rest of my life, wherever God takes me. God is using this trip to chisel and sculpt me into the Christ ambassador I am purposed to be. 

 Thank you all for your continued prayers!  

Sierra

Under the Haitian Sun, Part 1

  Bonjour!  I have only one week left in Haiti! I will miss this place so much, but I've enjoyed every day that I've been here.  Have there been struggles?  Absolutely!  Going to the bathroom each night with a dozen cockroaches isn't my ideal way of taking care of business.  And I'll be honest that I eat far more rice and beans than I care to. However, I've also learned to enjoy a much simpler way of living here.  And bucket showers under the bright moon and stars is something I truly look forward to each night.  God is teaching me to humble myself to find joy in completing the smallest of tasks.  He's teaching me to make do with whatever is available.  He's teaching me who He made me to be.  Here are just some of the highlights of my time in Haiti.

>> We got to visit our host cousin in the hospital less than 24 hours after giving birth to little Baby Bella. She, her mom and dad, and big brother (Chavez is 2), all live at our house. The whole outing was an adventure of two hours on a Tap-Tap*, visiting a Haitian hospital, and getting to pray over the new baby and her momma. 

    *Tap-Tap - a small pick-up truck where everyone piles into the back and a man stands on the tailgate and will tap the truck with a piece of metal to let the driver know when to stop and go...I call it the Haitian version of a subway car.

>> Celebrating my 21st birthday in Haiti was definitely a highlight! I was treated like a princess, had a spaghetti "cake" (100% awesome, by the way), and got sparkling juice popped over my head. A birthday I won't ever forget, all thanks to my two teammates, Greta and Jordan, and our translator, Jimmy. 

>> I learned how to wash clothes the Haitian way.  I think the clothes get cleaner this way than in a washing machine back home! It takes four cycles of scrubbing, rinsing, and wringing before we can hang it up to dry. By the end, my hands ache, but at least my clothes are clean!!

>> "Can I have a kiss, Baby?" is my favorite phrase each night. My 10-year-old host sister, Nika, and I love to have our nightly snuggles, which often result in her falling asleep in my lap. I don't know where she got that phrase, but we exchange plenty of kisses when it's repeated! 

>> Bucket showers are the best thing ever. That is all. 

>> I ate lobster for the first time. We had a day at the beach and watched them bring the lobster to shore directly before they cooked it for us! I actually really enjoyed it, which will surprise anyone who knows me. One, because it's seafood, and two, because it was spicy!

>> Our host mom, Mona, let us tag along to the market one day.  A Haitian market is a VERY crowded place with barely enough pathway for one person to walk through.  She introduced us to some of her many cousins, and we saw her pick out various fruits (including my new favorite: Kowosol), and get some chicken legs from a cardboard covered bowl for our dinner. Her chicken is my favorite!

>> Invited our 10-year-old host sister, Nika, to church and she came with us!! 

>> Took Mona and Nika out for ice cream for Mona's birthday. They both got so dressed up and Nika was so excited to be invited...it was so worth it! 

>> Shredding coconut has become my job at our house. Unfortunately, this means that by the time I leave, I most likely will have no fingertip on my right index finger. Mona uses the shredded coconut in her bean sauce.

>> The common area at our house has become one of my favorite places. This is where everyone hangs out and where Mona cooks. It is fun to sit out there during the day and interact with the dozen or so people who come over each day. 

>> Greta's and my room is another favorite place.  It has become the safe, comfortable place we get to call home. 

  I already have a part two started because I had so many highlights in Haiti! Look for that in the next couple weeks! 

Prayer Requests:

  ~ Safe travels to Jamaica on March 7th. 

  ~ Health for our team. We've had our bouts of illness run through the team making it a tough couple weeks. 

   ~ Within a week of each other, two of our teammates have returned to the States due to illness. Please pray for speedy recoveries for both of them so they are able to rejoin us soon! 

    ~ That our final week in Haiti will be an intentional one. That each of us will grow even closer to our host families and bridge gaps in this last week. 

  Family and Friends, your prayers, support, and encouragement mean more to me than you could ever know. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Sierra

Update from Haiti

  Hello from Haiti!  I've been here almost two weeks now - I can't believe it!  I will admit that I've started this post about four times now, I just can't seem to find what to write about.  I thought I'd tell you about how my typical day goes.  

  First of all, let me tell you about our home.  I'm living with two of my teammates right now and we're staying with our host mom, Mona.  Mona has a home that is best described as motel style with separate rooms all accessed from outside.  I think there are at least 15 people who live here right now including us.  There is a common area outside where clothes lines are strung and the activity happens.  We are in a city, Petit Goave, and we live on a busy street right across from a bar.  You can imagine how loud it can get here!  But I've learned so sleep through it. 

 

  We all wake up around 7:30 and get ready for the day, have devotional/journaling time, or sit with whoever is outside.  We eat breakfast just with our translator, Jimmy, but the whole family does not eat together.  After breakfast, my roommate, Greta, and I do the dishes, and then it differs day to day after that.  We've shredded coconut, mashed spices together, made fresh grapefruit juice, and I've even plucked gray hairs out of a man's head!  It all depends what our host family is doing.  

  At 3:00 everyday, we go to a school to teach English. It's fun to see the kids learning, and we often have the opportunity to debrief as a team afterward, if needed.  As we walk down the street, we pass many people selling items, chatting with friends, or those yelling, "Blanc! Blanc!" after us. 

  Our evenings are always different, too.  Sometimes, we get to be with our team, and other nights are just spent doing the dishes and laughing with our family.  One of our host cousins sells fried food from her porch, so we often get to help her prepare some of the food and sit out there after dark.  I always get my nightly cuddles from my 10-year-old host sister, Nika, during this time, too.  I go to bed early, around 9:00, as the heat makes me very tired. 

  It's a very different way of living here.  Very simple, and slow-paced.  The first week came with a lot of struggles, but I had a fresh perspective starting this second week.  What I'm doing day-to-day is hard to describe.  It's hard to explain, and I often worry that my answers won't be satisfactory to those of you back home.  But I have to remind myself daily that I'm here for the Lord.  Because He brought me here.  I'm here to serve Him, through serving His people in the smallest of ways. 

  Thank you for your prayers.  I feel them!  

Updated prayer requests would be:

  - Health for my team. A few have gotten sick from food while being here. Please pray for quick healing for them and avoidance for the rest. 

  - Bonding with our host family.  Although this second week has improved our relationships with them, further connection would be amazing! 

Sierra