Haiti Elections

Blanket Baptist Church

Everyone around me knows that I am very excited about an upcoming trip to Haiti. I simply cannot wait for next Tuesday...for many reasons...

With Pastor Evens & Surpris Cherazard 

• This is the first trip that I have led from start to finish. I was able to visit Blanket, Haiti in July 2009 to meet Pastor Evens. We surveyed the site, did the water testing, and met with the elders. I immediately fell in love with this church and its people. I could not wait to come back with a team and bring a water system!
• When I returned to Blanket in March 2010, we simply went to do an additional survey for a solar system. It was a wonderful reunion and strengthened my feelings of love for this church. I was determined to bring a team with me soon. 
• Herndon United Methodist Church answered this desire and became nearly as excited as I was about the project. We have an amazing team of "rookies", and an amazing group of "veterans" to oversee the work. 
• In the time since I began going to Haiti, Ancy Fils-Aime and I have become family. Literally, we call each other "Brother" and "Sister". I cannot wait to see him in less than a week!
• This trip will cause many of my worlds to collide! Many of my great friends from the US will be meeting my great Haitian family. I cannot wait to introduce Jay and Tim and Sally to Ancy and Valdes. It will be like bringing my best friends home to meet my family. 

My brother, Ancy

With all of this excitement, there have been many, many nerves. First was the cholera outbreak. Then the Haiti Presidential Elections were in November, which caused us to move our original installation date to January. With this election, riots and protests have occurred, leaving the country in much turmoil. When they announced the Presidential Run-off Election date as the day before our departure from Haiti, I began to fret. Each day, I prayed for guidance and wisdom to know what to do for our team. Should we still go to Haiti? Should we postpone again? The people of Blanket need clean water, and they have waited so long. What should we do? 

Today, the answer came. The run-off election has been postponed... I could not believe it! Sure, there is still unrest and anxiety, but we have dodged a big bullet. I am also so very thankful that we will be in Haiti for the one-year anniversary of the earthquake. The Haitian people are so resilient, so joyful, so beautiful. It will be a blessing to celebrate with them, to mourn with them, and to dream with them of a better future. Oh, I am so thankful for my family in Haiti, for my friends who are taking this adventure with me, and for elections being postponed!

Do you believe in miracles? I do. I am thankful that God performs miracles each and everyday. We simply need to open our eyes, see them, and praise Him. 

Grace & peace!