Preparing for Haiti

My daughter Lauren and I will be in Haiti on October 16th. We will be going with 14 other adults and teenagers from our community and serving along side Adventures In Missions (AIM).

We will be bringing our own tents and other sleeping devices. Our facilities include one cold shower and one bucket shower available to us for the week. We also have one toilet. The average temperature will be 90 degrees.

Our assignment includes, prayer walking, tent repair, rubble clean up, sports ministry and helping in an orphanage. Serving in an orphanage would be my dream but I'm not setting any expectations because they tell us to remain flexible since our assignment can change daily. I will serve in what ever capacity God leads me to serve.

Two close friends of mine will be making this trip with me and two of Lauren's close friends are also going. I am very excited to travel this journey, serving those in need with my friends. But I'm most looking forward to the mother-daughter time Lauren and I will have together.

When we first signed up to go, Lauren insisted on paying her own way, which we did not want to argue with her about. So, she sold pizzas to raise funds and she also sent out support letters. The main purpose for the support letter is to 1. ask friends and family to cover her in prayer and 2. ask for financial assistance.

God is good because just before we had to turn in our support money, she reached her goal. Thank you to all who are lifting her in prayer and supporting her financially! Thank you for believing in her! You are all a huge blessing!

We just started our malaria meds yesterday. The doctor recommended taking them 2 weeks prior to departing. Shots wise, we didn't have to do anything because we were already immunized from our Ethiopian trip.

Oh yeah, we have already had team bonding times. We have gathered as a team for several training sessions and we held a pancake breakfast fundraiser:

The team worked hard to keep the pancakes replenished in the serving line:

God will use us when we are available - Rick Warren

God's willing servants:

Lauren was our sausage maker.

She stood over the hot stove for 5 hours and did not complain once: