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.

Respire Haiti Christian School

SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW!!!!!
OCT 1st.

ready or not. its here!!

for the most part RHCS is ready to take on 530 students.
this is the Lords land. this is the Lords school. this is the Lords.
RHCS is the Lords.
its HIS. not ours.
these students are His.
these students are eager to learn.
they are ready.

tomorrow- ALL DAY, be in prayer for RHCS and its students.
its going to be a good day!!!

airport

man, oh man. sitting & waiting for my 2:00 flight to PaP in the MIA airport.
woah. i am just so humbled by what has happened the last couple days.

i got to share about what the Lord is doing in Gressier through Respire Haiti. 

people prayed over me at Feliciana baptist church and the Ring Community Church. 

families and friends prayed over me. families supported me. friends supported me. people have loved on me.
i really can't believe that the Lord has allowed me to be apart of this. i have seen Him shine in so many ways. i have been used in ways that i never would have believed.
the Lord is BIGGER. way BIGGER. way, way BIGGER. His ways are HIGH.HIGH.HIGH.

benjamin and i left this morning at 3:30ish and his sweet self drove my tired self to Nola. oh, how i am so thankful for him.
(how we met and how things are going are for another blog.. but, for now i will keep you hanging....)

anyways, there were no tears at the airport. probably bc theres so much freedom there. protection there. encouragement there. support there. understanding there. There. he was there to send me off.
it was a sweet moment. Ben Morris has blown me away with his response to my move to Haiti. its been a little overwhelming but, so dang good. He "gets" my heart.

JESUS gets my heart bc He has made me. I fail Him over and over and He picks me right back up. the love, the encouragment i have felt over the last couple of days before heading out has been so evident of who He is and how He uses people to do so.

im not very good at explaining things but i hope that you can read my heart. im so overwhelmed with JOY. with THANKSGIVING.

i can't believe that i am about to board a plane to serve alongside RESPIRE HAITI.  www.respirehaiti.org


WHO IS THIS GIRL??
i serve a MIGHTY MIGHT GOD ya'll!!!
all the glory and honor to HIM.

Dear Sweet Friends, 

This is a letter that I have taken a long time to finally sit down and write. It’s a hard one. You all know my heart best and know that I have been to Haiti to serve alongside Respire Haiti for 3 of the 4 times that I have been to Haiti. I have fallen in love with the organization and with the people of the community we serve.

I write this letter to inform you that on my last trip to Gressier, I was asked to be a part of the RH team. I am completely honored and humbled by this opportunity. I have been praying about this since I returned and feel like this is something that I just can't pass up. I will be serving alongside RH and using my Doula skills in hopes to educate women on natural birth. I will also love to serve the widows (young and old) by joining them in a weekly Bible Study. There is so much encouragement that needs to be shared. Another role is to serve the Respire Haiti Christian School. I am so excited to get to know all 300+ students on more of a personal level. The idea of serving the community of Gressier makes my heart pound. My heart yearns to serve the people and build lifetime relationships. 

“The vision of Respire Haiti is founded on the principles of sustainability and empowerment. Respire Haiti’s mission is to encourage, educate and empower the people of Gressier, Haiti so that they are a successful, self-sustaining community. Respire Haiti was founded by 24 year old Megan Boudreaux.  After visiting Gressier only one time before for about 45 minutes, God began working in her heart.  Later when she returned to the United States, He began to pull her heart back towards Gressier and the children there.  In December of 2010, God gave her a vision for this community and their children. With so many children not in school and so many families struggling to provide for their kids, she moved to Gressier permanently in January of 2011 and began helping the children and people of Gressier. “

I am honored to join Jesus and RH to serve in Gressier. Please join me in prayer as I prepare my heart for this. I will be leaving the last week in September and as of right now, I’m not sure of the duration of my journey. However, I will be diligent in keeping you updated through facebook (Jessi White) and my blog (www.jessikayde.blogspot.com).

If you would like to be apart in financially supporting me, you can go to www.RespireHaiti.org, click on “donate now”, click on the "greatest need" box, and put my name in the comment tab. All donations through RH are tax deductible. There is also a choice to mail locally to my mom (Pepper White) at 2956 March St. Zachary,La 70791. For support through Prayer or financially, I will be forever grateful. What an honor it is to serve! When you support me you are supporting Respire Haiti and the people of Gressier. Their lives will be forever changed because of what the Lord is doing!

Thank you for your unwavering love and support,
jessi white

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

                                                                      Romans 12:9-13

letter to my clients:

Dearest Client,

This is a letter that I have taken a long time to finally sit down and write. It’s
a hard one. You all know my heart best and know that I have been to Haiti to
serve alongside Respire Haiti for 3 of the 4 times I’ve traveled there. I have
fallen in love with the organization and with the people of the community we
serve. Gressier, Haiti is a beautiful place. The Lord is doing huge things in this
community and through Respire Haiti (a non-profit that my friend, Megan
Boudreaux, founded). It’s been such a beautiful thing to share.

I write this letter to inform you that on my last trip to Gressier, Megan asked me
to be apart of the RH Team. This was huge for me. I am completely honored and
humbled by this opportunity. I have been praying about this since I returned
and feel like this opportunity is something that I just can't pass up. I will be
serving alongside RH and using my Doula skills as part of medical clinic. I hope
to educate women on natural birth to prepare their hearts and minds for delivery.
Along with living in a third world country comes all sorts of roles. Serving the
community of Gressier is what my heart yearns to do. I just want to be used, in
whatever the Lord has.

I am super excited about this journey. I’m excited to learn. To serve. To be used up.

I’m hoping to leave sometime in October. As of right now, I’m not exactly sure
of my departure date and I will work up until then. Honestly, I am unsure of
the duration of my journey. However, I will be diligent in keeping you updated
through Facebook (Jessi White) and my blog (www.jessikayde.blogspot.com).
By visiting www.RespireHaiti.org, you can learn more about the mission of RH,
read Megan’s blog or donate to a great mission. If you would like to donate in
my name, from the website click on the box “donate now” and it will lead you to
another page. From there, donate under “greatest need” and in the note put my
name. When you donate to me, you are also donating to Respire Haiti. For this I
am forever thankful. All donations are tax-deductible.

As for you, I will have everyone’s formula available to the girls at the shop. Angela
and Nicole are no longer at The Shag. They are working at Shear Image
(658-7771), located in Zachary. I would trust anyone of these girls with you,
and I hope that you would continue to use their services.

I am so thankful for you. Thank you for understanding my heart.

Through Jesus ONLY,
Jessi White

my favorite teenagers. (brag post)

ill start with:   Hunter Cain White.


Hunter is my favorite 16 year old. the cutest 16 year old i know.  he's a great big brother - who loves and protects his sisters and brother. he is a strong hearted king of guy. of course, i think he's an awesome baseball player and a great dancer. he loves people and always greets with a hug. even though sometimes, i call him a "punk"-- he really does have the sweetest heart. Hunter is learning so much about himself and what is means to love with all your heart. Hunter loves Jesus and is learning what a relationship with HIM looks like. Hunter knows what is to put family 1st. Hes an awesome big brother and a great cousin, darling nephew, humble son, and a wonderful grand-son. Hunter is my pride and joy. the 1st born. i am so proud of him.


so, Hunter was at zhs.  he was on the "famous" zhs baseball team, his friends were great. life was good. 
life is still really good for Hunter. he now goes to Silliman in Clinton. he lives with his dad (my brother) Jo-Jo, step-mom Jerry Kay, step-sister Madeline and brother Deacon in Norwood.  it has been a huge adjustment for Hunter but, he has done so very well.  he is a teenager boy, and where some teenager boys would have taken longer to adjust, Hunter has done so well.  at his new school, he was able to be on the basketball team,  the baseball team and now he is in spring training for football!! while on the baseball team he injured his pitching arm and had to sit out for about 4 weeks. his attitude stayed positive and his teammates and coaching staff were super encouraging to him. he was voted on by his classmates for "all around beau" for the sophomore class.  SHS academically was a challenge for Hunter but, now he is holding good grades and even told my sister that next year he will have straight A's. although he misses seeing his friends daily at ZHS, his new friends at SHS have been so great!  oh, and he even got to go to his 1st prom with his darling girlfriend Haley, who is a junior and a golf-pro (go haley!) 
Hunter is also learning what it means to work and earn money. he is understanding that is takes hard work and that nothing is ever handed over. it has not been easy as a 16 year old to "get this" but, hes learning. 
i can see so much growth in Hunter since the move. we all, as his family and support, have learned something from this. 


we are Hunters #1 fans!!!!  

my next favorite teenagers... Alissa Lee and Camrie Marie


Ali and Cami are 15, inseparable, and love each other so much.  i love that they are best friends.  one can't do something without the other.  C&A stick together. i love that they have each other in this teenager world they live in bc i know that i would not want to be a teenager in 2012. they love to dance and act goofy together. they really are the funniest people i know. they don't have to have "the best" and they are thankful. their hearts are so sweet. the Lord has everything to do with this. 


--->Ali is so fun. her sweet personality attracts many friends. she loves cami so much and tends to her like "shes the big sister".
--->Cami is a goof- ball. she loves Ali so much and is thankful that Ali does all the "important" stuff.  Cami's super laid personality is such a blast to be around. 


Cami and Ali live with my momma and dad (their mawee & pawee).  they surely miss living with Hunter but, they make sure that they see him a couple times a week and every weekend. this has also been an adjustment for them as well as the family. they have become little ladies and its been so fun to watch them grow. C&A have been so sweet to my parents. they're learning to cook and help around the house, only bc my momma does not play when it come to house work..hahaha. they are in 9th grade at ZHS with really good grades!!  Cami and Ali just recently made the ZHS cheer team for their 10th grade year. they LOVE cheer. in February the cheer team went to disney world to compete in nationals and got 12th in the nation. i was so thankful to share this experience with the team. they have improved so much in cheerleading. i am so impressed with what they can do!! 
they also looked beautiful at their 1st homecoming dance. they were asked to ZHS and Sillman. Popular! haha.  they looked 15 and not 25. thank goodness. 
along with Hunter, C&A are also learning what it means to work. they are starting to babysit and learn responsibility. they love babysitting their 1/2 sister Katie and are thankful to do so.  C&A have great friends who love them so much.  they are looked up to by their friends bc of their strong desire to want to be like Jesus. Cami and Ali are great sisters, great cousins, great daughters, great grand-daughters and great nieces. they always put family 1st. 

wow. im in tears after writing about my darling heart White kids. i really could go on & on about these 3. they make my heart so full. i wish we could press the pause button -- they are growing up way to fast. im thankful that the Lord allowed me to my their aunt. its been such a blessing. so thankful. i wish i could explain how my heart feels when we are together. pure joy. they have taught me so much about life and hardships, how to balance them and keep your head up. they have taught me that family is a gift from God. a gift. 

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  Eph. 6:4

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor. 13:7