just some thoughts....

just some thoughts:

• Respire Haiti is a wonderful thing. the Lord has surely shown off. 
• being here is the beauty of the Lord and i want to declare it. 
• somedays are harder than others.
• bucket baths. period. everyone should try it.
• hand washing clothes, twisting the mess out of them before hanging them on the line (my hands are so weak).. watching the Haitian women do this intimidates me. they are STRONG.
• i love the wind. it makes the best breeze. especially after the hottest day.
• Tachi is the best cook. the best.
• ants are insane. they are everywhere and we can't get rid of them. damn ants. 
• i miss corporate worship. but, are enjoying the ring community church podcast.
• i love living in community with the people i live with. they are fun. 
• Kids in Haiti are beautiful.
• having fun and loving Jessica, Micha, Jezelo, and Esther is like loving and having fun with my nieces and nephews. yes, they are family to me. 
• seeing kids in the neighborhood without "much", makes me wanna be a billionaire. but, then i am quick to recognize that they are ok without "much"...that life here is without "much" and its simple. and i like that. the hearts of these darling ones is what matters the most. 
• walking up that mountain is a work out. i hope to get better at it. as of now, i am struggling.
• soon, the kinder-3 teacher will have her baby and will be out for 6 weeks. guess who will fill in and and help out with the other teacher?? me! oh my. this should be fun and nuts at the same time. but, im ready. 
• the ladies (fifi,vales,rose,darline and tachi) that run this house and take care of us completely humble me. i hope to be such a hard worker as them. they know that when they work here, they are serving the Lord bc this place is the Lords. its incredible to be apart of. im so thankful for them.
• being at the school and seeing the kids work so hard brings so much joy to my heart. it also reminds me of how i wish i didn't take school for granted. if you're reading this and you're in high school or college. please don't take school for granted. be thankful for your education. for your daily lunch. for your teachers. for your a/c. for your decks. for your school supplies. for your clean uniform. for your school building. for your nice, expensive booksacks. for your shoes. for your free education (its not free here), for your books. pencils. pens.....it goes on. be thankful.
• as i write this i am in the dark. mosquito's are constantly biting me. im starting to sweat. i stink.  its funny... you can laugh, because i am. i love it. 
• being here for the tropical storm sandy was tough. it rained for 3 days straight. non-stop. the breeze that came with the rain was amazing. but. the rain caused flooding and damage to property in our area and surrounding cities. today, we are thankful for the sunshine. it has dried up most the rain and everything is really green. the people here have not complain one time. wow. 
• im so thankful for Jenny Gilbert. she designed the most creative handout for Respire Haiti, that Megan is going to be able handout to thousands of people while she in the states telling folks about RH. JENNY GILBERT you did it again! you amaze me with your work!! peeps, shes the girl to call for all your design needs!!! simply amazing!!!!! and she loves JESUS! 
• i am so thankful to John Bishop and baker printing. they printed all the 8000 handouts!!! woah, i can't even tell you how my heart was feeling after i got his email.  me and megan did a little jig and were screaming with excitement. we are sooooooo thankful for you JOHN BISHOP.
• wadley passed the TOEFL test. he was so happy and praised Jesus all night bc of it. it was incredible to be apart of. 
• alot of times, i feel like the Lord is preparing my heart for something huge that will require alot of patience. i will wait for it. 
• i especially love technology here bc it allows me to keep in touch with family and friends. 
• living in Haiti and sharing life with my Haitian friends is an honor. they make me better.
• i just want to be used up in whatever the Lord has for me. i feel like everyday its something different. He is so good. 
• He wants all of me. i want to honor Him in all that i do. i mess up most of the time. He makes all things beautiful and uses it. 
• im so thankful to the ones who have sponsored a student. you will be blessed bc of it. 
• Live simple. Love Alot.

HIs love is all around.

today, a young girl, the same girl that i took a picture of last week, the same girl that i have seen at school many of times. that sweet girl followed Megan home from school today. she didn't want to go home because her mother has been beating her. she was in tears as she told megan and wadley what has been happening at home. this is happening all the time. this is one of the many. as i watched megan and wadley pray over her i could see that the Lord was restoring at that very moment.

as i listen to this song tonight, i am thinking about her. shes probably so confused on why her mother is beating her. she doesn't deserve this. sometimes its hard to see God in stuff like this. this song reminds me that His love is all around. His love leads me to find comfort and healing, the Hope that im needing.

HIS LOVE IS ALL AROUND.
even in the hurting.
this love is YOURS.
this love restores the broken.

to follow up, the local Pastor is going to go talk to her parents. hopefully, things will change. hopefully hearts will be changed. hopefully, hearts will be restored.

please pray.
join be in prayer for this sweet girl and her family.

im hopeful.
Jesus will show-off through this. somehow. HE WILL WIN. HE already has.

here are the lyrics:

Majesty enthroned in beauty
All my life, Your love pursues me
and I'm found in You
Oh Holy One, the King of glory
You're the Author of my story
and I'm found in You

'Cause You give me life and lead me to find
Your grace and Your mercy, given so freely
Your word is my light, it leads me to find
Your comfort and healing, the hope that I'm needing

Your love is all around
Your love is all around

Oh Living One, You reign forever
Drawing me into Your presence
and I'm found in You
Oh Great Redeemer, Precious Savior
You are faithful, though I wander
and I'm found in You

'Cause You give me life and lead me to find
Your grace and Your mercy, given so freely
Your word is my light, it leads me to find
Your comfort and healing, the hope that I'm needing

Your love is all around, Oh
Your love is all around, Oh

And I hear Your voice
I hear the words You've spoken
This love is Yours
This love restores the broken (x2)

Oh, Your love is all around
Oh, Your love is all around
Oh, Your love is all around

And this is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
And this is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

And oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

http://youtu.be/h3Gi5RLK4ME........ listen here.

sponsorship.

this week i have been taking pictures of every student at Respire Haiti Christian School. 
the point of the pictures is to get every student at RHCS sponsored.  Megan and Josh are leaving Tuesday for Louisiana, Colorado and Tennessee. as of right now, out of the 530+ students, less than 1/2 of these students are not sponsored. we are believing that during this trip to the states and the people that are going to be hearing Megans story about what the Lord is doing through Respire Haiti...that every student that needs to be sponsored will BE! please believe this with me. join me in prayer for this trip.

 i know i have blogged about this before, but being able to see every student as i took their picture, as they held up their name and their grade...... woah.  it was overwheming. it was beautiful.
some of the pictures i took i had to keep the camera behind my eye a little bit longer bc i didn't want the student to see the tears.  even as i have had to upload these pictures, i am able to see them, see their name, what grade they are in and PRAY over them as i upload the pictures.
now, when i go to the school i can see them, know their name and do my best to love on them and encourage them.
i feel extremely blessed to be able to see these kids. to love on them. care for them. im so thankful to be apart of this.


Would you like to sponsor a Student?  for $250/ year, it covers uniforms. breakfast. books. and fees.
go to www.respirehaiti.org to do so.


school is a place of refuge for alot of these student.
school is a place where they are getting encouraged.
school is a safe place.
school is a place where they are surrounded by people who love Jesus.
educated.
empowered.
loved.
cared for.
taught.
build friendships.
build identity.
build self confidence.

the list goes on.

BE APART OF IT.  you will be blessed because of it. 

this is Saintil. he and his sister came to the house a few days before school started. this little guy was so excited about starting school but, he didn't have any decent clothes to wear. we dug around and found him pants and a pair of shoes. he was so proud and has been everyday when i have seen him at school. he runs up to me and gives me a bear hug. he wears the pants we gave him to school everyday. he is so thankful to be there. he is learning and is happy to do so. he is Saintil. he's just an example of the many.

new attire.

sweet friends and family that have supported me financially:

because of you the ladies that work here at the Respire haiti house, sir rose, sir vales, sir fifi,  darlene, tachi and one brave guy jacky have new shoes, sandles, uniform shirts and bottoms. everyday, they come to work and work hard. they only have a few outfits and they wear those outfits to work with the chance of getting them messed-up by cleaning supplies.  after being here for the 2 weeks, we decided on getting them a work uniform.  something that they can wear everyday so that they are no longer getting their everyday clothes messed-up. in all reality they only have a few clothes.

when i was in the states i only had a couple of hours to search out and find the perfect outfit for each one of these darling people. i didn't want to give up until all the outfits were found.  im so thankful bc the Lord provided in every way. i didn't have to search hard. walked in the store and everything was there!!

i could not wait to give them their "uniform".
oh the smiles on their faces when i gave them their surprises.  they all went to the back, changed into the new attire and "modeled" back into the living room where we were. they were so proud and so thankful.  they immediately thanked God first. they knew that this was a gift from HIM. im thankful that i got to share this with them. i thankful that you get to share this with me and them. im thankful that you and i were both were used in this.

the ladies were so proud. they pranced around in their new skirts, tops and shoes like they had just won a million dollars. something so simple as a new scrub top, an old navy skirt, converse from target, non-name brand crocs .. all purchased at dirt cheap. woah. makes me wonder. makes me think.

all the "new" we get. all the new we "have to have". all the new we expect. all the new we whine about. all the new thats instant. all the new we take for granted. i could go on forever, but i think you get the point.

lets start living with grateful hearts. 
share life. 
share your $.
share your hearts.
share your families.
share and join Jesus in what He is doing in other people. 

we are all in this life together. we need each other.
we are not to do this alone.

"1st, im going to wear my outfit to church on Sunday, then i'm going to start wearing it to work"- sir fifi. 


pics to follow.

my 4 days home.

let me just tell you about my 4 days home.

beautiful. just beautiful.

i landed in new orleans at around 11:00 Wednesday night to sweet Ben Morris waiting patiently for me. i was about an hour late. once in Zachary, we went to walmart for streamers and balloons to decorate the arch way at my parents for Cami and Ali's sweet 16. even though it was 1am, ben was such a trooper to tag along to surprise them.

Thursday:
morning, i woke up early to see Cami and Ali. at first they were confused on who decorated, it was fun to see them!  i wanted to go back to bed but didn't bc my to-do list was way long. a bunch of cousins were in town for the same reason as me (for our Queens 90th bday) so, Tanner came over early to tag alone with me. we went to the goodwill to find scrubs for the ladies & jacky (the working crew and the Respire house)  and it was a success. then headed over to dirt cheap to find more scrubs, skirts and shoes for them. double success!
after this.. i went to avery lane (newly owned by bffe katie amorello) and was used as a model for a simple color and a quick trim. it was nice to sit and relax for a bit and for this i am thankful!!! im so happy for kaite and joe and this step they have made in purchasing avery lane as a business.
left avery lane feeling pampered and girly.  then, went to Vertu (owned by cristen willcut, in her new location) and bought cami and ali their birthday surprise (sale rack, of course!)
THEN-----we (c&a, tanner, and kelli) got ready for the NEEDTOBREATHE concert.  before the show we went to Zoe's kitchen for a benefit for Bonniekate and even made the news. http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/your-stories/community-continues-to-ra  oh goodness!  anything for BK. she is so loved!!!
the NEEDTOBREATHE show was amazing. we had such a fun time!! so, we started off in the back, bc those are the seats we were assigned to but, our sweet friends addie adair and justie bought their tickets 30 min bf the show and got front & center seats. what? how did that happen? well, apparently they added some seating at the last minute and they did not sell them all sooooo.. what did we do? we march ourselves up to the front and got to sit on the 2nd row!!!!  we did some dancing, got some good photos and laughed alot!!! i think the funnest part for me and the girls was to see my sister having a ball!!  im so thankful that we got to share this time together! we sang our hearts out!! happy sweet 16 cami and ali!! 
i even got to see some awesome people at the concert! Rebecca Blair being one of them! im so thankful that she has been in my life for the past 8 years or so. i love her heart!!! she is so special to me. 

FRIDAY:  
woke up early again and ran more errands. 
at noon i went to slaughter (a town near my home town) and met some cousins and my aunts.  my sister was taking Tanner's (cousin from Cali) senior pics at some old buildings in slaughter. these buildings are special to my family bc my aunts and uncles used to walk the streets of this town and were always in and out of these buildings.  took pictures here and my aunts and 90 year old grandmother reminisced. it was a special time. 

after this... i visited with my cousins and my momma. we laughed alot! always laughter at the white house.  at 3:ish i headed to st. francisville to JBRC at get Colby (bens darling son) off the bus. i was holding back the tears as he couldn't get off the bus fast enough to come and bear hug me. what a special boy he is!! we packed his weekend bag and headed to baton rouge to meet his daddy. ben had drill all weekend ..blah blah..  we went to the mall for dinner, walked around then... went to menchies for dessert. such a fun evening. we had such a good time.  the mall was our chosen gathering bc we had to meet in the middle .. we both probably would have not picked it first but, it worked and honestly it didn't matter where we met, we enjoyed each others company! 

i spent the evening with all my cousins at our cousin hangout. we laughed and cried all night. we hung out at my grandmothers old house where my cousins live now and we reminisced all night. lots of tears (happy & sad) were shed. i can't even begin to tell you how much i love my family!!!! 


Saturday: 
started the morning off to getting Colby ready for Evie and Bella's soccer game. he was so excited to go and support them.. i was too! this was my first game and let me just tell you, they are GREAT! huge improvement from last year. it was awesome to see them play so hard in the HOT sun! i was a very proud aunt! i was "coaching" from the sidelines and Bella scored the only goal.. we went crazy!! 
at 1:00 we went to church to set up for the party. we used quotes about growing old and actual quotes from our Grandmother as part of the decor. we also used her ceramic birds (she collects them). and lots of flowers!! it was all sooo darling. we wanted to reflect her personality and i think we nailed it. 

@ 4 the party started. many, many, many people stopped by to show their love for our Queens 90th Birthday. we ate, ate more and had delicious cake and of course took tons and tons of pictures. we laughed alot and even cried some. we are extremely blessed to have her and we are extremely thankful to have the same blood flow. i could go on and on about her. She has our hearts. she is our glue. she is beautiful. she is 90!!!!!!!!!! 
after the party. most of the family came over to moms to watch the LSU game and loved on Mawmaw some more.  it was a late night. it was a beautiful night!!! 

Sunday:  
we rested.
Colby and i went on a date while ben had to report to drill. 
a walmart trip and a visit to the nursing home to visit sweet Granny Grace was most of the day and evening. 
finished the night with a date with Ben to sammys and a motorcycle ride on his harley. so much fun! 
last minute packing and we left for NOLA airport at 3:30am. checked in, said our goodbyes with some tears and i was sent off with some encouragement and support. hes an awesome dude. 

to my family :  you guys are sooooooo freaking loved. goodness! 
so thankful that i got to share this weekend with you all. ok, need to stop. im getting all emotional just thinking about you all. thankful that you all love and support me. 


back in Gressier and heart is happy. 
excited to be back. i know its where im supposed to be at this time. 
im thankful to share this. im thankful to join RH. im thankful for the people who share this with me. 

1st week of school.

Monday was the 1st day of school.
all day Sunday we stayed on the mountain getting things prepared for Respire Haiti Christian School. it was a long day! some of the teachers came to prepare their rooms and it was so encouraging to see them so excited, as they hung up "diy" paper crafts.

monday comes (ready or not). school starts at 8. so we strut up the mountain early to try to get there before some of the students. we met up with some students on the uphill and all walked together. some of us were hand in hand. some in uniforms. some not.
its a government requirement here for all students to be in uniform. with belt. with black dress shoes. this is the part that keeps a lot of students from not going to school at all. ever.  i have seen it this week, as the 1st week of school. a lot of the students did not come to school because they did not have the "proper" attire. sad.
even though megan made it clear to come in "civil" clothes the 1st week, a lot of them did not come. RHCS really needed them to be there bc Tuesday, we handed out uniform shirts (provided by RHCS sponsors) and Wednesday everyone got a new booksack (provided by RHCS sponsors). RHCS wants the students to know that school is very important no matter the attire. no matter what you have or don't have. to see the response on each students face as they received their booksacks & uniforms was a blessing to be apart of. i am so thankful that i got to share that with them.

this is why its so important to get every student a sponsor. for $250/year, your sponsored student gets shoes, a meal everyday, books for school, and a uniform. please consider to sponsor a student. go to www.respirehaiti.org to do so. thanks so much in advance. spending a couple days at the school this week has really opened my eyes to how important the sponsorship program is.
 I finally got to talk to my sweet momma after a week of being here and one of the 1st things she said is, "Jess, my pokino group is going to sponsor a student!!" she was soo excited!! mom is coming in november and she will be able to meet their sponsor student!! thats so fun!!

this week i also got the job as being somewhat of the "house manager" (whatever that means) haha.
i will pretty much tend to the ladies that work here at the house and make sure they are staying encouraged and lifted up. everyone needs that! im excited to do so. on Fridays, i will start a devotional with them and have prayer. the ladies are Sir (sister) Rose, Sir Valez, Sir Fifi, Darlene and Tashi and one guy Jackie (he tends to the yard and pretty much does whatever you ask of him).
im excited to share life with these hard working people with really sweet hearts. be in prayer for these people.

Monday makes 2 weeks here and its been just so wonderful.
im so thankful to be here and share life in Haiti.
so thankful.
thankful for the prayers.the support.the encouragement.