Since we are only here for one year, I am constantly aware that much of what we are learning is not so that we can cope or flourish long term in Haiti but so that we can share with the rest of the "normal-people-world" (non-missionaries) (all tongue-in-cheek). My hope in sharing is that all of us who read these posts can be better equipped to be encouragers and advocates of global missions and those who serve away from home. When you live over 3000 kilometres from home, having visitors is a huge deal. Over the past two weeks, we have been privileged to have three visits from family or friends close enough to call family. I'd like to share what that was like so that you can get a sense of how encouraging it is for missionaries to be remembered in ways that are personal and life-giving.
My younger brother Stephen is a lawyer in Boston. He and his wife Neda, a real estate broker, and their delightful daughter, Serena, have been great personal encouragers. Though their beliefs would make supporting our agency, CRWM ingenuine and therefore they cannot, they have gone out of their way to communicate their cheerleading posture to us as people. About a month ago, in the midst of a very hectic time of purchasing a new home, Stephen booked a flight to come and visit us for the weekend preceding my birthday: November 7-10.
In preparation for his trip to us, Stephen started asking what sorts of things he could bring and kept on pressing for more and more and more and more. And more. We had some things we needed (mostly particular items we couldn't find here) that we ordered from Amazon to be shipped to his house, but most of what he took was the result of his and Neda's driving around Boston and picking up as many items as Stephen could fit into his three checked bags! When he arrived with one very large suitcase, two large duffels, a carry-on, and a back-pack, let's just say he didn't look like a tourist on a three-day trip. When he got to our home, it was like a Festivus celebration (Seinfeld reference), with the unpacking of flip flops, soccer balls, light duvets, pillows, candy, cheese, and articles of clothing for each of us. The biggest item he packed was a 32" television -- which apparently, you can put in your checked luggage!
It was great to be able to show Stephen around the city. A month before he came he had done some volunteering in Boston, packaging medical equipment for a hospital here in Port-au-Prince, St. Francois de Sales. In addition to seeing the hospital, we toured downtown Port-au-Prince, viewed the city from the mountain top to the south, and toured the many places we spend our time here: our boys' school where we played a game of 2-on-2 soccer, my office, the schools the girls are volunteering at, and some souvenir shops. When we brought him back to the airport on Monday the 10th, we were all sad to see him go, but even more glad that he had come.
That same week, on Thursday the 13th, although Erin didn't know it, she had a visitor en route to see her. A month earlier, Kelsey DeGier, made a plan to come and surprise Erin with a weekend visit. She landed Thursday at 2:00 while Erin was teaching at Adoration Christian School just a few blocks from the airport. After Carol, Meghan, and I picked up Kelsey, we went to Erin's school where Carol pulled Erin out of class. Though we had a camera malfunction and didn't quite capture "the moment" of Erin's surprise, it was imprinted in our memories as a startlingly good gift. Kelsey had not been to a developing country before and was wide-eyed as we drove down rutted roads past garbage piles, goats, stray dogs, women balancing baskets over their heads, uniformed school children, armed guards, barbed wire, and tropical plants. When we dropped her off on Monday for her flight home we asked her what her impression of Haiti was. His answer was one word: crazy. And in saying so, reminded us that we weren't crazy for often feeling the same thing.
The day after Kelsey arrived, we received a visit from Carol's uncle and aunt, Harv and Diane Geerlinks, who are still with us. Diane is with NILD (National Institute of Learning Disabilities) and has come to lead some talks and workshops with Carol at the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) Conference being held just outside of Port-au-Prince. Harv and Diane are unique in that their children have served in missions in many places: India, Philippines, Vancouver, Kenya, Rwanda, and likely more, and this perspective has helped them engage us as close friends in helpful conversations about our adjustment here.
In just a few days, this season of 'visitors' will be over and we will be back down to the six of us working our way through the adjustments of life in Haiti. We will continue to need the prayers and encouragements of so many of you who are supporting us, but we will also have been helped in a significant way by our visitors: Stephen, Kelsey, Harv & Diane.
It's funny. When we arrived in Haiti one of my colleagues said to me with sincerity, "thank you for coming, it means a lot." At the time I didn't get what she was saying and thought she was just being nice, but now I get it. Visiting your missionaries -- even if you don't do any 'work' like laying block or painting walls -- is a mission of its own. Showing an interest in their work, asking questions, learning, listening, taking pictures, and packing your suitcases with things they might need (Kelsey brought chocolate and some parts to fix a playground at Adoration School) are all great things to do and a way of coming alongside your missionaries.
As an organization here in Haiti -- Sous Espwa -- we encourage teams to come. Some of those teams - Service and Learning Teams - come and build, providing the funding and the encouragement of working alongside Haitians to help create infrastructure such as the leadership training center which our friends Clare and Sandy Streutker will be overseeing the construction of in January and February. These gifts are an invaluable blessing that will reap benefits for years to come. Some teams though - Look, Learn, Listen Teams - come simply to learn, to show a genuine curiosity about the challenge of mission in Haiti, asking questions, and simply visiting. They are not tourists, but interested advocates, and they might not have a trowel or paint brush in their hands, but they are providing a meaningful service. They are showing, just by showing up, that they care.
Thanks for visiting.
My younger brother Stephen is a lawyer in Boston. He and his wife Neda, a real estate broker, and their delightful daughter, Serena, have been great personal encouragers. Though their beliefs would make supporting our agency, CRWM ingenuine and therefore they cannot, they have gone out of their way to communicate their cheerleading posture to us as people. About a month ago, in the midst of a very hectic time of purchasing a new home, Stephen booked a flight to come and visit us for the weekend preceding my birthday: November 7-10.
In preparation for his trip to us, Stephen started asking what sorts of things he could bring and kept on pressing for more and more and more and more. And more. We had some things we needed (mostly particular items we couldn't find here) that we ordered from Amazon to be shipped to his house, but most of what he took was the result of his and Neda's driving around Boston and picking up as many items as Stephen could fit into his three checked bags! When he arrived with one very large suitcase, two large duffels, a carry-on, and a back-pack, let's just say he didn't look like a tourist on a three-day trip. When he got to our home, it was like a Festivus celebration (Seinfeld reference), with the unpacking of flip flops, soccer balls, light duvets, pillows, candy, cheese, and articles of clothing for each of us. The biggest item he packed was a 32" television -- which apparently, you can put in your checked luggage!
 |
| Picking up Stephen and his five bags of luggage at the airport |
It was great to be able to show Stephen around the city. A month before he came he had done some volunteering in Boston, packaging medical equipment for a hospital here in Port-au-Prince, St. Francois de Sales. In addition to seeing the hospital, we toured downtown Port-au-Prince, viewed the city from the mountain top to the south, and toured the many places we spend our time here: our boys' school where we played a game of 2-on-2 soccer, my office, the schools the girls are volunteering at, and some souvenir shops. When we brought him back to the airport on Monday the 10th, we were all sad to see him go, but even more glad that he had come.
That same week, on Thursday the 13th, although Erin didn't know it, she had a visitor en route to see her. A month earlier, Kelsey DeGier, made a plan to come and surprise Erin with a weekend visit. She landed Thursday at 2:00 while Erin was teaching at Adoration Christian School just a few blocks from the airport. After Carol, Meghan, and I picked up Kelsey, we went to Erin's school where Carol pulled Erin out of class. Though we had a camera malfunction and didn't quite capture "the moment" of Erin's surprise, it was imprinted in our memories as a startlingly good gift. Kelsey had not been to a developing country before and was wide-eyed as we drove down rutted roads past garbage piles, goats, stray dogs, women balancing baskets over their heads, uniformed school children, armed guards, barbed wire, and tropical plants. When we dropped her off on Monday for her flight home we asked her what her impression of Haiti was. His answer was one word: crazy. And in saying so, reminded us that we weren't crazy for often feeling the same thing.
 |
| Erin delighted by the Surprise of Kelsey's Presence! |
The day after Kelsey arrived, we received a visit from Carol's uncle and aunt, Harv and Diane Geerlinks, who are still with us. Diane is with NILD (National Institute of Learning Disabilities) and has come to lead some talks and workshops with Carol at the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) Conference being held just outside of Port-au-Prince. Harv and Diane are unique in that their children have served in missions in many places: India, Philippines, Vancouver, Kenya, Rwanda, and likely more, and this perspective has helped them engage us as close friends in helpful conversations about our adjustment here.
 |
| Harv and his helper, Franklin, trying out the playground equipment they repaired together with the parts Kelsey's dad Wes DeGier sent with her. |
In just a few days, this season of 'visitors' will be over and we will be back down to the six of us working our way through the adjustments of life in Haiti. We will continue to need the prayers and encouragements of so many of you who are supporting us, but we will also have been helped in a significant way by our visitors: Stephen, Kelsey, Harv & Diane.
It's funny. When we arrived in Haiti one of my colleagues said to me with sincerity, "thank you for coming, it means a lot." At the time I didn't get what she was saying and thought she was just being nice, but now I get it. Visiting your missionaries -- even if you don't do any 'work' like laying block or painting walls -- is a mission of its own. Showing an interest in their work, asking questions, learning, listening, taking pictures, and packing your suitcases with things they might need (Kelsey brought chocolate and some parts to fix a playground at Adoration School) are all great things to do and a way of coming alongside your missionaries.
As an organization here in Haiti -- Sous Espwa -- we encourage teams to come. Some of those teams - Service and Learning Teams - come and build, providing the funding and the encouragement of working alongside Haitians to help create infrastructure such as the leadership training center which our friends Clare and Sandy Streutker will be overseeing the construction of in January and February. These gifts are an invaluable blessing that will reap benefits for years to come. Some teams though - Look, Learn, Listen Teams - come simply to learn, to show a genuine curiosity about the challenge of mission in Haiti, asking questions, and simply visiting. They are not tourists, but interested advocates, and they might not have a trowel or paint brush in their hands, but they are providing a meaningful service. They are showing, just by showing up, that they care.
Thanks for visiting.
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