Fruit of Your Labor

Blessed are all who fear the LORD,

Who walk in obedience to him.

You will eat the fruit of your labor;

Blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Psalm 128:1-2

When we first arrived, Kerry prefaced us with the fact that we may never see the fruit of our labor while we are here in Haiti. I was prepared for that. God had other plans. He blessed me last Saturday with the fruit of my labor.

All of us girls were asked to take on the task of teaching a literacy class to the men and women of the fishing village. We happily agreed and most of the men and women were very excited to participate. By December, our group had dwindled to a few faithful. When we came back in January, we actually discussed stopping the literacy program because we did not have a lot of people coming anymore. We decided to keep doing it for the few that did come.

Necilia was one of them. She is an elderly woman around 60 years of age. The first day of literacy we learned she didn’t even know how to write the letters of the Creole alphabet. So we started with the basics. By January she had filled a notebook up with letters and words to practice. A few of us didn’t believe it was her notebook because of the vast improvement of her writing skills. We moved on to sounds in February. She struggled so much every week but kept coming back without fail. We always knew Necilia was coming. At one point, we talked about as a group that we were just going to love on her at the literacy program because we didn’t have much hope for her to do more than learn the Creole alphabet.

Last Saturday, Kelsea was working with Necilia. I joined in to help Necilia because she is my favorite lady among the women. I sat down as Kelsea was showing her a flashcard and asked her to read it. Necilia, without hesitation read the flashcard. I couldn’t believe what I had heard! We all screamed in our happiness, looked at each other with awe, and I cried. Neclilia can read…she can read! Necilia had the biggest smile on her face.

Teaching Necilia at Literacy Program

It’s worth it. 52% of Haitians are illiterate. Six months. One hour a week. Necilia can read. We gave her more than you can imagine. She can read the Bible. It’s totally worth it. 

Perseverance Until the End

Three weeks ago today I returned from spring break vacation the States. That week away renewed my spirit and my visa. I came back prepared to finish my last five weeks in Haiti in high spirits and determined to finish up all I had started and love on my students, the kids downstairs, and the men and women of the fishing village. Little did I know that the last three weeks were going to be the hardest three weeks of my life so far. Since getting off the plane, there has been spiritual attack after spiritual attack. They started out small and individual to each one working with our ministry. I had been praying against a thought that crossed my mind very regularly since Saturday of someone getting in an accident involving a car/truck/moto. As I look back on it now, I think God was preparing me for what was to come. On Tuesday, only three days after returning, my best friend Liz was hit by a moto crossing the street to open the gate at school. I will never ever forget watching her get hit and fall to the ground. If any of you reading this blog know me at all, you know I don't do well with anything medical. I got off the bus as others were helping her back on to take her to the hospital. God was watching over her…she escaped with 1 stitch, a swollen upper lip, a bump on her forehead and scratches. I knew she would be fine and knew I had a school to take care of and make sure everyone else did their job. Students and teachers were shaken up because several had seen it happen. Half the teachers drove away to take Liz to the hospital as I became the middle and high school math, science, English, history, critical thinking, bible, yearbook, and P.E. teacher (14 different classes in all). Liz was out all week so I took over planning and teaching for all 14 different classes. That week finally ended, Liz returned and I rejoiced to be free from that much responsibility. It was emotionally and physically draining.

The second week came and went with multiple disciplinary issues with all my students. I felt like my students had taken 5 steps back and we were at the start of the school year again. It was very frustrating and discouraging to see how far back we moved after I thought we were making huge breakthroughs. The weekend started with a rouge fishing trip with the high school students where the only highlight was riding rough waves that reminded me of California and a peeling sunburn. I’m sure Jeff and Luke did not enjoy being trapped on a boat with their teachers but it was wonderful being able to spend time with them and chat on a more personal level.

Sickness knocked me down on Sunday and kept me laying low long into the third week. I started feeling better towards the end of the week when severe spiritual warfare brought me into a saddened state of mind. Two weeks left and I want to go home. I feel far from hearing God and having Him speak into my life every day while I am here. I want my life to be simple again, easy. I felt bad for having these thoughts until today when I read from the book, ReEntry by Peter Jordan, that my thoughts are part of a natural process in which God is weaning me from my present circumstance and is preparing me for my next step in life. That comforted me and God has continued to encourage me throughout today. 

I don’t tell you these things for pity or to make you think badly about Haiti. I tell you these things so that you will know how to love me and uphold me in prayer. I have two weeks until I return home for the next step in my life. I have no idea what that is or what it entails. All I know is that I have two weeks to persevere in Haiti so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. I also know is that God cares for his children and He never gives more than a person can handle. God has given me His strength over the past three weeks and I have conquered much in His name. I pray that I will continue in His strength and conquer more in His name in my last two weeks in Haiti.

“Consider is pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37