Miracles still happen

My last trip to Haiti left me with one word for several reasons... Miracle.

Ben wasn't suppose to be on this trip, but God made it very clear, through a series of events that he should go... Miracle.

Everyone on our team was either physically, emotionally or spiritually attacked by the devil and had a legitimate reason to stay home.  We didn't... Miracle.

The most life changing of events that took place during our trip was also a miracle.  We arrived at stop #26 in Cite Soliel to deliver water to the people there and they came running, desperate for it.  Skinny street, many people, too many buckets to count, people upset because there wasn't even a chance they were going to get water before the truck ran out.

I was holding the water hose, Ben and Tim were handling the buckets.  At one point I looked down the line and saw what seemed to be an infinite number of buckets.  Sadness overflowed my heart.  There wasn't any way we could provide what they needed that day, not even water.

The Bible story about Jesus feeding the 5000 came to my mind... Lord you provided then, provide now.  I trust you.

Then the water "ran out", or so I thought.  We looked up and the water truck workers had turned the water off because there were no more buckets left to fill.  WHAT???  We left stop #26 with water still in the truck.  A miracle...

Follow me

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34-35
 I am reading the book Follow Me by David Platt.  Another one of those books that rocks me to my core.
But what does follow me really mean?
~Every moment of every day.
~Death to pride
~Death to ego
~Completely aware of His presence.
~Not a spectator.
~Not a consumer.
~Denial of earthly pleasures.
~Willing to follow, to the deep dark places.
~Give up my family?
~Death to self.
~Surrendering everything.
~Refusing to settle for anything less than the best for Him.

How Lord?

It took me 37 years to find my passion. My first mission trip to Haiti was almost 2 years ago and I cannot even fathom my life without Haiti now.  

I wake up thinking about it.  

Throughout the day I sing songs in creole.

I go to sleep praying for the people there.  So many have touched my heart and if it wasnt for the stirring of His spirit to go, my life would be completely different.  

Follow me... through which door?

Open doors for us, Lord.  (and close them as you see fit).

I will take up my cross each day, knowing that it looks different each day to do that, and trust you to be my guide.

Do Something

Yesterday our agenda was changed.  Sometimes it irritates me, but I know He has a plan... Today He showed us a bit of that plan. 

We went to General Hospital and in one of the pediatric rooms there was a boy that looked to be 2-4 years old.  Severely malnourished.  We talked with the mom who said that he has severe diaherra and vomiting.  Just thought to ask a few more questions about the color of his poo, wondering if it might be cholera.  Yes.  And He was not being treated.  No meds, no fluids.  He will die.

There is a song by Matthew West that talks about the injustice in this world and in it he asks why God doesn't "do something" about it.  He said "I created you"!

If not us than who...
If not me and you...
Right now.  It's time for us to do something.
If not now then when.... 
It's time for us to do something.

So, I messaged a friend of mine that works with malnourished kids and asked her to help.  At 10 pm last night she called a sitter and jumped on a moto taxi to "do something".  She did.  She went to the hospital, found the child, and said that they had put it on antibiotics and fluids. Praise The Lord!  

While she was there, another baby was put in her path that she is going back to help today.  

Do something.  What does that mean to you...today?

What's next Lord?

It's hard to live in America.

Some days it is worse than others, but every day a piece of me dreams of home.  Over the last few months, God has really been teaching me to be still.  "Be still and know that I am God."  I know He is God, but getting taken away by the things of this world and then hoping God will keep up, messes with that concept.  Be still, Amy.

I don't know how to do that.  When God gives me a prompting to do something for His kingdom, it's really hard to find the balance of "do" and "be".  I'm a doer.  Just being means that I am lazy, or so I think.  God has really revealed to me that He has this path all laid out, that it will be easy for me to see, IF I just walk in His ways.  Walk in His ways.  Gods plans for us are to walk in His ways.

Sometimes I feel like God is mean.  He only shows us a tiny glimpse of what is ahead. I don't think He allows us to see very far down His path for good reason.  When I can see where the path goes, then I forget to hold His hand during the journey.  He wants me to need Him. What do you have for me on this path today, Lord?

Help me to be content with where you have me today and not wishing for tomorrow.

Dlo...Water

The verse, for I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, obviously is impactful for me.  We take water for granted. We can turn on the faucet, which is amazing on its own, and it is safe to drink. 

Ben is in Haiti right now and he is delivering water to the most dangerous slum in the world.  Hmm... I sit on the comfy couch with my glass of clean water and don't think twice about dumping it out when it is warm.  Or maybe I do now... 

                              My kids don't need to help me bring water home in buckets.

                                      We take showers every day and it is easy. 

                                  The average 5 gallon bucket of water weighs about 40 lbs.

                                       And most women carry them on their heads.

                                       So many buckets and not enough water...

 When the truck is empty, the people with dry buckets will wait until we come back to help them again.

The filling station where we fill up the tanker truck with water to deliver to the slums.

*Lord, keep Ben and his team safe in this dangerous place.  Provide for each person what they need for today...

but I don't know how, Lord!

"Sometimes people are reluctant to do more for God.  They feel stretched beyond their limits as it is.  But anyone willing to break through their fears will discover that life is best and most satisfying when we're living God's adventure"  --Bruce Wilkinson from Beyond Jabez.

In November 2012 I felt God calling me to maternity care in Haiti.  What?  I don't know anything about that!  I want to do something I know.  I know kids, I know special ed, I know leading teams.  This is new and unknown.  There is no explanation for this calling.  Thank you Lord?...I think.  

I want to do His will.  I want to follow Him where ever He leads me.  But... this scares me.  I am not equipped!  I know, He doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.  A dear friend of mine suggested I take a doula class.  Hmm...maybe.  Sounds like a plan.  Or maybe I will just wait for another prompting from the Lord. 

As I was fasting and praying for my February 2013 team, a man that I barely knew gave me an envelope with cash in it.  He said it was for me, for Haiti.  I took it to Haiti expecting God to use it.  He didn't.  I came home feeling like maybe I didn't listen close enough or maybe it was for another trip.  I saw him at church a few weeks later and he asked me about my trip.  As I started to explain what I felt like God was leading me to next, he asked the cost of becoming a doula.  It is the exact amount that he had handed to me in that envelope.  Amy, do you hear me?  Isn't this enough for you to listen? 

I'll sit.  I'll ponder.  I'll run.  Maybe.  Make my path clear, Lord.

This 15 day old baby in Cite Soleil broke my heart for the moms in Haiti.  I hear you Lord. 

Still, I come home, I get back into life and try to push it away.  Put it on a shelf for another day. 

Several other friends have challenged me not to wait.  As I was talking to one of those friends yesterday, I told her about a class this weekend to start the process of becoming a doula.  There are so many excuses to wait.  As I spoke with her, God made it clear that I shouldn't wait.  Ok.  I'm not gonna wait anymore. 

Class starts Friday :)    use me Lord. 

God has blessed me

I irritate myself.  I get so caught up in my life and all the stuff around me that I forget about how much He has blessed me.  I take for granted the little things.  I say little, but I really mean big. 
Today it's about my stove.  I hate cleaning the stove.  I whine and cry about it and it still doesn't get clean.  So lame.  It hit me today when I was looking at the front of the stove and how dirty it is.  Yucko.  I thought, why don't I take care of the things He has given me?  Why?  I have a stove!  It's lovely.  And dirty.  I have a dirty stove. 

A haitian stove.

I wrestle with the balance.  I am happy I have things and I think because I have them I should be taking care of them, but then the other part says to spend time with family.  Don't worry about things like the dirty stove. 

Balance.  Thankfulness.  Blessings.