HAITI- IMAGINE MISSIONS

When Kevin and I decided to go to Haiti on this mission trip, it was beyond our imaginations of what we would be in store for. I had a mission trip on my Bucket List for quite a long time so this will be a dream come true for me. Something to cross off my list. The name of the mission group we are going with is called "Imagine Missions". It is an orphanage housing 130 children. My passion in life is pediatric nursing so this will definitely be my cup of tea. I have lots of "nerves" going on....... I am a planner, super organized, "don't rock my boat" kind of girl and I've been told that I need to just "go with the flow". Be ready for changes. I'm told the most chaotic time is the airport in Haiti. It can be very chaotic, kids pulling on you begging for money, people wanting to carry your luggage for a fee, etc. You can't. You have to say "No, mesi", i.e. no thank you. If you give money to anybody it opens you up for prey. I would be fine with saying no to an adult, but a child? I will though. It puts your whole group in jeopardy if you do. Once at the orphanage we will have a little bit more free will.
This will be only my 4th. flight so that has me a little nervous too. Don't get me wrong, I actually like to fly, but it's still a little nerve-wrecking to me. We have a lot of donated shoes to take with us so we have to try to get them packed into our checked bags tomorrow night. Each bag will weigh 50 lbs. and we will need to pull 2 each, plus a backpack, plus a carry on. I only weigh 100lbs. so I will be carrying and pulling more than I weigh. That has me a little nervous as well with my bad back self. No, really, I'll be fine. There are lots of people way worse off than me so I can do it. I plan to take lots of pictures to share when I return.
I am hoping I fall so in love with the Haitian people that I will want to return again some day. I am specifically asking for prayer at 11:30am every day until we return. Not just for me and my physical problems (my back), but for our team, that we will share the love of Jesus with others, that God will put people in our path that we need to see and talk to, but also that God will put people in OUR lives that we need to hear from. We want to be a blessing, but we also want to receive a blessing. I am going expecting and IMAGINING GOD showing up and showing out!!! I am so eternally grateful for the opportunity. Thank you friends for the prayers in advance and for helping us get there. You guys are awesome!!
Excited,
Wendy

Emotions and Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this Sunday. I get emotional/tearful when I think about it.

I miss mom terribly.

I keep trying to remind myself how blessed I was to have had her in my life for 36 years. I also think about being a mother to my own daughter and I wonder if I'm mothering her the right way sometimes. I know I could do better at times, but no doubt she knows she is loved. I love being her mother. She is so sweet. She went to Florida last week for Spring Break without her daddy and I (with my sister's in-laws) and I celebrated a birthday while she was gone. She came back with a little necklace she had picked out from somewhere and went to her room, found a small used giftbag, and handed it to me saying "happy late birthday". It looked like a beaded Mickey Mouse and they did go to SeaWorld so I guess she got Mrs. Mary to buy it for her. What a sweetie!! Mary (my sister's mother-in-law) has stepped in to be our "mom". She doesn't even know how much I appreciate the love that she has not only for my sister and her family, but she has loved us just as much. I try to tell her often what she means to me! If I could convince myself to go down the card aisle, I'd buy her a Mother's Day card. I love her!!

We leave for Haiti in 21 days!!! I'm getting excited and nervous all at the same time. I can't believe that I finally get to go on a mission trip. God has so blessed us!! We are almost ready. I need to find a couple more used suitcases to use to leave there. We are not going to return with anything except the clothes on our backs so I want to find old luggage that I won't care that I leave. I've been looking at the Goodwill in our town and did find one, but I need three more. My husband and I need two a piece. We are also taking shoes (used or new) for the orphanage and being a nurse I have a lot of "medical" items that I am donating. A very sweet dentist donated toothbrushes and toothpaste too. We leave on May 24th. Please be in prayer for us, especially now with all that is going on with security in the U.S. It makes me a tad bit more nervous for our safety traveling to a foreign country and leaving my own child here for 9 days.

Thanks for checking in! I will write again soon!
Blessings,
Wendy