You are mine.

As someone who isn't a parent yet, I would assume that choosing the name for your child would be both exciting and overwhelming.  Last week, I had the opportunity to do just that.  Not for myself, but for a family that is very close to my heart.

I met this family three years ago when I moved from Port-au-Prince to Gonaives.  Two of their  children were in my class that year and just a few weeks after school started, their youngest son became very sick and passed away.  I've been involved in their lives ever since.

Their son, Ifocoeur was in my class for two years.  He is outgoing, goofy, a natural leader, has a smile that lights up a room, and loves the Lord.

I will never forget last year the many times he shared with me how his heart is broken for his parents.  His father is a bokor (Vodou priest) and Ifocoeur longs for him to leave all that and know Jesus.  Many days we've sat together in tears praying for his parents.

The Lord has continued to bring this family to the forefront of my mind, and I know that He is relentlessly pursuing them.  I can't even begin to tell you all of the ways that God has been speaking and revealing His love for this family.

Prior to the baby being born, I have been visiting the family often and praying for them.  I truly believe the Lord has a huge plan for this family.  When the baby was born, I went in the morning to see the beautiful baby girl.  During the visit, they asked me if I would name her for them.

I was (and still am) shocked and humbled to have been giving such a huge honor and responsibility….to name a baby, to name someone else's daughter, to choose what she will be called for the rest of her life.  The human side of me was stressed and slightly overwhelmed at the pressure of coming up with a name for this precious little girl.  But, I realized that it was the Lord's favor that gave me this opportunity.

After racking my brain for names that would have meaning and significance (and still be able to be pronounced with a Haitian Creole accent) I had come up with zilch, zero, zip, nadda, nothing!  I started praying hoping that He would magically give me a name but all God told me was "She's mine."  And to that I said, "God, "mine" isn't' very pretty sounding and neither is "pa'm" (creole)".  So, I opened my bible and found Isaiah 43:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze….You are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life…

I sat staring at the words in this chapter thinking how perfect this scripture is for this baby and for her family.  I know that although she is in the middle of a family that is currently devoted to "bagay mistik" (mystic things/practices), the Lord has already called her by name.  He has already said, "She's mine."  He has a plan for her life and she is in His hands.

So, with excitement and joy in my heart (and nervousness) I went to their house to tell the family  that the Lord says to her, "You are mine" and so her name is Aremine (pronounced 'ah-meen).  Words cannot describe how thankful, blessed, and humbled I am to have this opportunity to be a part of the lives of this family and to have been given the authority to say that this child is the Lord's.

Bunnies, bunnies!

This past week was very exciting for our students.  When a lady walked past the school selling rabbits, we couldn't resist buying two for our kids to take care of.  The 3rd graders (the kids I taught last year) have one and my 1st grade class has one.

Thankfully we had enough scrap wood at the school to build two rabbit cages condos.  One cage has four stories and the other has three.

After voting both classes chose names for their rabbits.  Third grade "Princess Love Cinderella" and my class named our rabbit "Prince Peanut".  Other names that they suggested include: Super Rabbit, The Lorax, Peter Rabbit, Window, Mouse, Skinny Rabbit, Gruffalo, Cotton Tail, Special Rabbit, and many more.  It has been really fun watching the kids excitement.  For all of our students and even most of our teachers, this is their first experience seeing a rabbit in person.

In Haiti, animals are typically not treated well.  I've been enjoying teaching the kids how to treat Price Peanut gently and what his needs are.  They have been really receptive to everything.  During reading centers, they read stories to him.

The kids are excited to help take care of the bunnies.  One of our boys used his snack money (5 goudes which is about 12 cents) to buy two small carrots to give the rabbit.  Other kids have went in search of grass to bring to school.

 All in all, week one of classroom bunnies has been a very positive experience for everyone!  I think we might be the only school in all of Haiti that has classroom pets!

Cemetery Adventure

I arrived at my apartment after school and found that three of my students from last year had beaten me there and were eagerly waiting for me (as if I had not just seen them 20 minutes prior).  My motorcycle had a flat tire and I figured asking them to help me push it to my tire repairman down the street would be a good way to channel their neverending energy. I had no idea it would turn into a little adventure!

I live on the same street as the city cemetery.  Most Haitians that I've met are afraid of the cemetery, zombies, etc so they don't like to go in or near it.  I don't know what got into the boys today, but they began begging me to take them inside.  Knowing this would be highly entertaining (and not wanting to disappoint), I agreed.

So in we went.  I noticed as we walked through the cemetery gates that I suddenly had three small boys clinging to my arms and sides but all the while saying, "We're not scared!  We believe in Jesus!" That became their mantra as we wandered around the empty cemetery.

Ifocoeur said that he wanted to look around to find his little brother's grave (among hundreds of unmarked graves) so we wandered around as the boys asked me question after question.  David became thoroughly freaked out when he saw a grave with the name "David" on it.  He claimed he was going to change his name, and ironically he sudden began complaining that he had to pee.

"We want to see some bones," they said.  If you've ever been in the Gonaives cemetery you know you need not look far to find broken caskets and skeletons laying around. Sure enough just a few minutes later we saw a pile of bones up ahead.  The looks on the boys faces were priceless.  "Well, do you want a closer look?" I asked them.  They responded, "You go first, Katie! You first!!" as they shoved me in front of them.  I could tell they were loving that "haunted house" feeling of being completely terrified but also enjoying it at the same time.  Somehow in my attempt to explain to them that there is no reason to be afraid of bones, I got roped into proving it to them by touching one.  I guess that's what I get (add that to my list of things I've never imagined myself doing)!

Eventually, Ifocoeur realized that it was impossible to find his brother's grave so he gave up and announced, "This one looks like it might be his.  Let's stop here and talk to him."  I asked him, "Do you want a few minutes alone with your brother to talk to him?"  He looked up at me like I had three heads and said, "WHAT!!!! NO DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE!"  So the four of us said a few words to his brother before deciding to leave and head back to the tire repairman.

I know that the boys were mostly afraid of someone (aka a zombie) coming up out of a grave and chasing them.  That is something that I tried to teach them many times in class last year: You don't need to be afraid of zombies or evil spirits.  If you have Jesus, you have  the power of the Holy Spirit...that means you have authority over all of those things that scare you.  As much as their mantra of "We're not scared because we believe in Jesus" made me laugh, it also made me proud to know that they listened to things that I taught them last year.  I'm not sure whether our impromptu field trip to the cemetery helped the boys conquer their fear of the cemetery, but I do think that is an adventure they will remember and laugh about for a very, very long time. 

Wrecked

I've always struggled to put into words how this place, Haiti, makes me feel. The range of emotions seems impossible to describe, impossible to convey to people who are not living it and breathing it. 

In this moment, the word "wrecked" seems to say so much. The poverty and sickness that I see daily wrecks me and breaks my heart.  The pain, suffering, and injustice that is all around has left me weeping before The Lord. The physical conditions of this country frequently wreck my health. 

And at the same time...

The Father wrecks me daily with His love in ways that I never experienced before. The children wreck me with their hope, their smiles, and their innocence. I'm wrecked when I see a friend and mother of four who already struggles to feed her own children choose to take in three homeless children.  

Sometimes I wonder, "when will this get easier? When will I have a moment to breathe?" Then I remember that it's in our weakness He is made strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Blessed are the poor in spirit and blessed are those who mourn. (Mathew 5)

I think being wrecked is exactly how He wants me to be. 

New School Year!

I landed back in Haiti just 12 short days before the start of the new school year.  It is always a pure joy, and at the same time a shock to be back on Haitian soil.  The three hour ride from the airport to Gonaives (in the back of the truck) is always a good time to wrap my head around the fact that I seemed to have jumped from one world to another in a matter of hours.

When my friend, Tia, and I arrived at our apartment, our neighbor boys and several students appeared at our doorstep within minutes to greet us.  Its a beautiful thing to have loved ones excited to see us.

The past two weeks are a blur of unpacking, cleaning, setting up my classroom, and adjusting back to the Haitian pace of life.

The heat during this time of year makes it difficult to get things done, but we couldn't let that stop us at school because we simply had way too much to do!  Two weeks ago when I walked into my classroom, this was how it looked…

Many moto trips to and from the school taking supplies to our classrooms…

After lots of hours of hard work this was the result!

The first day of school was a blast!

This year, I only have six students.  I know...crazy.  I almost don't know what to do with myself in class because it is so much calmer and easier than what I am used to.  So, with my extra time I have been helping other teachers and helping in the preschool room.

I am very excited about what this school year will hold for the students and for me.  Praying for God's presence to be in all that we do at school this year.