Celebration Children's Home

This is the orphanage that New Vision runs. As soon as you walk in the gate, the kids run to you and attach themselves to one of you for the rest of your visit. They were fun kids, but each one of them had a story that would break your heart. Nearly all of them have a family who wants to adopt them, but Haitian law makes it very difficult.



Daniel

Kimberley

Abby sporting shades with Jeffneika.



Blowing bubbles



Lisa made these great bracelets out of soda tabs. She sold them in NC to raise money for her trip, and then she brought some for the kids at the orphanage.



Modeling



Jonathan made these kids laugh just as hard as his own kids at home. They thought he was great (and so do I).

Byxbe B,B & D

Originally, we were supposed to stay in a nearby resort, but I'm so glad that the Lord worked for us to stay with the Byxbes instead. They serve full-time in Haiti and with New Vision. They had moved into this beautiful house just three days before. They plan on using it as a guest house, and we got to be their first guests.

This really was luxurious by Haitian standards. We had running water, toilets and electricity. No AC, but we were fortunate to be there when it wasn't terribly hot.



They adopted the cutie little boy from New Vision's orphanage. His name? Josiah. Yep. He was crazy cute. And yes, I'm playing on my iTouch with him. I guess I've learned the new technology that will make children be my friend.

They feed us breakfast and dinner, and it was DELICIOUS. This particular meal was goat (good!), fried plantains, french fries, steamed beets and carrots, black rice and pickilese. Pickilese was like spicy Haitian slaw, and several of us were addicted to it by the time we left. We had rice and beans often (but it was so yummy), but we also enjoyed fried mahi, fried chicken legs, LOBSTER, chicken soup, and amazing scrambled eggs with onions and salami for breakfast. Oh and the best bananas and mangoes. We were not suffering for Jesus in the food department.

The lady in back (sorry it's sideways) was the reason we had this delicious food. Yolette lives with the Byxbes and is an amazing cook. Mackensia in the front is a house parent at the orphanage and visited our house often. She also makes beautiful crafts that we got to buy as souvenirs. I got to hang out with these ladies a little bit. Mackensia spoke pretty good English, so she taught me some Creole while I helped them shell butter beans. And Yolette told me I had a nice butt (budha). After we got to know each other better, she would give me samples of her cooking - holla! She was a lot of fun.

We Went to Haiti

So we went to Haiti, and it was amazing. I'm going to break this down to a few posts because there is so much to tell! We came alongside New Vision Ministries in Montrioux, Haiti. We got connected with them because one of the women from our church is interning with them, and the family who runs it is from Hickory. Kerry Reeves is an optometrist, so he operates an eye clinic, but they have a bazillion ministries: an orphanage with 15 kids, a child-sponsorship program that pays for schooling, an international school, construction projects, English classes, and a neat micro-business ministry that I'll explain in another post.



First, it was wonderful to get to go on this trip together! Hearing Jonathan's experience last year helped prepare me for what to expect. I loved getting to share in this trip with him this time. I was really proud of Jonathan taking the initiative to do a lot of the planning for the trip. He and four from our team did a medical clinic, while I worked with children's and women's ministries.

Clockwise: Abby, Ty, Doug, Ed, Cole, Jonathan, Laura Leigh, Lisa, Lauren, Emily
This is our team, and God totally arranged this group of people. What was truly miraculous was that hardly any of us knew each other really well (beside those of us who were related), but God united us, and we all got along really well. It made the trip go very smoothly. Everyone came with a flexible spirit and willingness to serve where needed. Six of us were from Trinity, Lisa works at Jonathan's office with him, Abby was a friend of Ty's, and Lauren and Emily were friends with Liz, who lives in Haiti. The man in front, Wesnar, was one of our Haitian friends/translators/goofballs.

Collage Wall

I was finally bold enough to attempt a collage wall upstairs. I've been thinking about it for a year and half, and planning for about 6 months, so it's nice to have it come to fruition. I want to switch out some of the actually pictures, but I'm happy with the layout. We used mostly frames we already had on hand.

Spring Already?

March arrived with an exceptionally beautiful day. It was in the 70s, and we almost needed short-sleeves! It was a great morning to spend at the playground with the Morgans.

This little one is getting to be such a big boy. He has no timidity toward the playground, as his brother had.

What is up with the tongue?

"Mamaaa!"

Josiah found a shell he was proud of.

Cruising on the motorcycle.

How Did They Get Up There?

My husband is a little crazy.

Nana and Pop Came to Visit

And brought this fun Valentine's singing monkey

And played the iPad lots. Dad passed down his old one to us, and now Micah loves it too. He's actually found it in a drawer, brought it out, UNLOCKED it and chosen a game. 

I love technology...

Different Stages of Writing

Toothbrushin' Time

Book Worm

Tar Heel Family

What Does the Lobster Say?

My dad always used to do this with us. Haven't gotten him to do the fish face yet. You also get to hear Josiah's baby (aka grating) voice.

Carolina in My Mind

We took the boys to see the Tar Heels play Boston College in basketball yesterday.

Aspiring to greatness.
We also got to explain to Josiah that his existence depended on Daddy proposing to Mommy at that place.

I'm a Tar Heel born; I'm a Tar Heel bred...