lately.

i've been here for over a month (besides the 4 days i was home for my grandmothers bday) and adjusting has been good:  getting used to the bucket baths, no ac, no electricity for most of the day, hand washing clothes----i like the life of simplicity. i feel like living in Mexico has prepared me for life in Haiti. 

its not easy living in the poorest country in the world. Haitians live day by day bc its hard to know what tomorrow will bring. this has been the hardest part. the reality of their lively hood has no comparison to our life in the states. so, sometimes it can be very sad and frustrating at the same time. ive learned from this bc life is not promised for tomorrow. We have not had water all weekend but the electricity has been great. Kyle (the builder) reminded me tonight that we can only pump water with the generator and that water gets pumped from the under ground tank to the small tanks on the roof then it flows out of the pipes inside the house. i was sadden to think about our neighbors and friends who don't have a generator. some don't even have a underground tank or a tank on their house. they have to walk, some walk miles, to the "community" well for water. this is life here. Haitians are good at living this way. today, as we passed the community well, i saw them filling up their buckets. they were smiling. smiling.

Saturday, after the feeding we saw Sir Rose from the other side of the hill. we started to wave at her and she invited us over. she met us at her self-made gate and opened it for us. she was so proud to have us over. she was showing us her -samaritans purse tarp- wrapped, one room (about the size of your bathroom) house. she opened the "barely there" door and wanted to show it off. it had a queen size bed for her, her daughter and her grand-son and a twin size for her son. her clothes were outside laying on rocks to dry out and we sat on a piece of plywood to visit. sir rose was so happy. she is happy. i loved visiting with her. im so glad she invited us over. i learn a lot that from that visit. You can only imagine.

meg and josh are in the states fundraising so, my role for the past week and this week is to take care of Jessica & Micha (megans haitian daughters)..this has been such a blessing to able to care for them and serve megan in this way. its been an honor. my heart has been so full bc of this. im thankful that megan allowed me to be apart of tending to them.   

the kinder-3 teacher will have her baby soon and while she is out, the "helper" teacher will step up and take her place and i will take the "helper" teachers place. OH MY WORD, even i can be a teacher!?!? my creole should increase during the next couple weeks!  its so funny to think about me being in the classroom. last week for 3 days, i went just to sit in and observe.. and goodness, if i am going to do this for the next couple weeks, i need to be in bed by 5pm. woah. i was so tired. teachers, HOW DO YOU DO IT? Madame Juliene will have her baby any day now! please be praying for a safe and healthy delivery. i had plans to come and do some prenatal classes and attend births.. i guess that will come. as for now, you can call me Madame Jessi. 

on fridays, the ladies, jacky and i have had a time of worship and prayer. woah, how they praise... tears! its such a beautiful thing to be apart of. when they pray, they pray with confidence. they pray loud. they pray for each other. they pray with joy. they pray with tears. its not like we are in church and it feels "right" to pray. we are in the kitchen or on the front porch. just simple. 

every week in november we have large groups coming! one of those groups include my mom and dad and other people that i love. i can't hardly believe my parents are coming. my heart is so overwhelmed. yesterday, they made 40 years of marriage and this is how they will celebrate---serving others. makes my heart so proud to be their daughter. daddy has never been out of the usa, but i can't wait to see how the Lord will use him here.  pray that the Lord prepares the way for each person coming and for their servant hearts. im sooo excited! 

as much as i miss my family and friends, there is so much joy in my heart as i serve here in Gressier. i love this community and the people that i live with in the Respire House. we have so much fun. the Haitians that serve alongside RH are amazing. i learn something from them daily. 

please keep RH in your daily prayers. 

satan is more real here than anywhere ive ever been. mainly bc some people welcome him here. 

pray for the safety of the RH house and us that live here and for each student at the school. 

i am so very thankful for this time. 

thank you for praying and supporting me. 

you guys are the iron that sharpens me. 

you are so loved.

                                                            my sweet friend, Sir ROSE.