the curious case of lydia beth

Lydie with Marley, the oldest Mastiff at Heartline

I suppose if you are the seventh child in a family of many unique children it is necessary to find your own way to be noticed, appreciated, and recognized.  Lydia has long commanded our attention and refused to stand in the shadows of her older siblings. Phoebe, only 11 months older that Lydie, most certainly tolerates more than her fair share of annoyance.

Sometime in the last year Lydia began a pattern of being totally contrary to anything we say, no matter how benign.  It's become a game now.  The other day as we rode in the car she disagreed with me and I dryly said, "Well Lydia, I guess I forgot you know everything."  She said, "I don't know everything, mom!"  We continued to chat. I waited a few minutes and said, "Well, you don't know everything."  Her reply, "Yes I do!" And so it goes. Like that. All the time.

If everyone loves the dinner, she pulls her nose up. If everyone wants cupcakes, she wants brownies. If everyone wants to watch a cartoon, she'll request a documentary. When everyone is entertained, she's bored.

The last few days have produced a few memorable quotes.

• Troy was straightening up and getting ready to answer a few emails when Lydia said, "Daddy, Can you stay here still? Stay here and stare at me." Troy complied for a time, literally staring at her while she watched TV. The moment he looked down at his phone she noticed and said, "Daaaaaddddy. Stare.at.me." 
• I made cupcakes. After Isaac finished his he said, "Thanks Mom for the delicious cupcake." Lydia said, "You can thank me too because I mostly made that frosting." (she stirred it)
• Last night at bedtime as I tucked her in, she lamented, "WHHYYYY does it always have to go -daytime - nighttime - daytime - nighttime like this???? I want it to go more daytime." 

It is so odd to us, as parents of this fairly demanding child, to find ourselves wishing we could keep her right at this age. She is speeding toward her fifth birthday this fall and ready for two days a week of school, yet we're totally willing to freeze her right in this contrary and "it is all about me" stage of her life.  Do all parents have this sick and twisted desire to keep the baby a baby forever?

Phoebe, the *most* patient big sister in the world 

Prenatal Day Updates

laughing ladies on August 9, 2012

• The last babies born in late July are doing well - so are the new Mommas 
• No August babies yet
• Dani's twins (1 boy 1 girl) were released from the hospital - hope to have photos soon
• Two ladies inside of 37 weeks have transverse babies, hoping & praying they'll turn
• Guerda & Ketia are due next 
• Three new women began the program today
• One sweet lady, Kerline, miscarried at 17 weeks last week
• To choose a specific woman to pray for, see this page

before you pack ...

We're perpetually behind on answering emails.  :(

Today we're reposting this entry (link) to answer a frequently asked question.

See this post if you're in process of trying to figure out whom to support or partner with...

Livesay [Haiti] Weblog: Before you pack ...

random ramblings and trip photos

I already lamented the hello - goodbye routine of the NYC/MSP whirlwind trip, enough of that already. On the flip side, quick trips are also nice in some ways because they leave you no time to torture yourself with trying to reconcile and make sense of the world (the two worlds). 

I could "go there", but it is so overdone (by me) and I’ll just leave it at this:There are (at least) two totally different realities on this earth and we are privileged to understand and experience a small portion of both them.     

We’re home now and reunited with this happy tribe of fools:

The downpour at dinnertime last night was the highlight of their day. They squealed with delight as it poured down and they danced in the driveway.

For all the negatives we might be able to list about raising kids here, the positives still far outweigh them in our minds.  

Kids that (literally) jump up and down over a pound or two of strawberries or clap with joy over a dish of ice cream are kids that appreciate the gifts of life in a unique way. Children that act like playing in the rain in their underwear is tantamount to a trip to an amusement park are generally content and easy to please kids. It’s nice. These kids and their worldview are special, I’m sure there are etiquette rules against me (their mom) saying it but I don't care, I’m saying it anyway. I'm proud of these little freaks.

The trip was so much fun. The free hotel was lovely. We saw two musicals, they were both so good. Troy knew his way around well enough to put me at ease. We packed a lot into a few days. NYC is insane and entertaining.  

Riding the subway made me think about Law & Order SVU ... I realized my heart rate was increased for irrational reasons seen only on television. I said something about finding Cite Soleil less intimidating than New York City; Troy mocked me.    

Brooklyn Bridge, view of lower Manhattan

International blogger/writers panel

The BlogHer conference was huge in numbers. I heard people saying the attendance was close to 5,000 women. I was honestly pretty disappointed with how few people came to hear the group of ladies that were brought in from around the world. The other ladies were all such neat women, I enjoyed meeting them and hearing a tiny piece of their stories. 

I have talked all of that disappointment out with a few friends and Troy, there is probably no need to do it again here. Need to let it go. 

One friend took time to write me these sweet words:

What I meant to convey (and bumbled horribly) is that sometimes we embark on journeys expecting one thing, only to find something completely different than we expected. Maybe what you wanted most was to share your heart and bring change for Heartline. But maybe what your heart needed most was Memphis (musical) and the Brooklyn Bridge and uninterrupted conversation and Troy time. I just think it's important for you to remember that God provides, even if it's in the weird form of BlogHer scholarships.

Regardless of whatever unrealistic expectation I had about attendance at our session, I am very thankful for the gift of the trip (thank you BlogHer) and for the chance to see another part of the world with my best friend. 

We try to get time alone occasionally but this obviously gave us a perfect excuse to TRULY get away from the daily stress and the usual stuff and reconnect. I love Mr Choy, I love his heart, I loved how he just rolled with the all-women conference and made me laugh when he knew who the Pioneer Woman was long before I did. He's funny. He made the entire trip so great with his planning and organizing. 

Haiti flag at Rockefeller Plaza

with our godson, Grady in MN

with Erik (best-man at our wedding) ~ waxing nostalgic at
Cup & Cone in WhiteBearLake, MN

On the last night in NYC we wanted to see Rockefeller Center. The streets were as crowded as we'd seen them. We decided to take a bike-taxi. Our driver was from Moscow. When he asked us where we lived, Troy told him.  His response, "Oh that place is better than America?" 

After a hilarious ride (the driver laughed maniacally throughout the whole thing) through insane traffic and many near death experiences (a cab actually hit the bike pulling us) we got out of the bike cart to learn that our driver believed that 7 blocks was worth $60. Troy disagreed and offered him less and the argument began.  We gave him money and started to walk while the driver told Troy not to "make him go crazy". There is no amount of crazy in the world that would impress Troy, but I am glad the guy didn't give it much of a try. I nervously asked Troy "Are we in trouble?" Troy made some remark about this not being his first rodeo and we left the guy standing there yelling at us. It made the subway seem really boring.  

The world is large, but I learned that a lot of people find ways to make their personal world small.  For example, when I did not use my whole gift card the lady at the Loft store was truly shocked when I answered her question, saying that Port au Prince has no Loft store.  (a violation of human rights for sure) It is weird to me when people don't know where Haiti is. I guess the news coverage after the earthquake didn't show maps, or nobody cares, or we have no memory space in our brains because there is too much new info coming at us all the time, or something.  

Paige & Julia 

Paige and her best friend of many years spent the last several days together holding down the fort at home. 

When I asked Paige what the hardest part was she said, "I was shocked at how much direction and instruction I was constantly giving, it was like non stop talking. I had to talk a lot. I mean A LOT."  She finally gets why Troy and I occasionally leave the premises in order to communicate.  

Today Paige and Julia are being rewarded with an entire day away from home and away from giving instruction or listening to needs. We will all be sad to say goodbye to Julia. These two have proven it is possible to remain close friends even over a long distance.

At the Minneapolis airport early in the morning yesterday, I was standing in the bathroom when a little girl about five years old entered. Not more than five seconds after she came in her mother arrived. The Mom was angry and was delivering a "you will get kidnapped" speech because the girl had gone too many steps ahead.  Maybe only Minnesotans will get this, but my favorite moment was about three minutes in to this over the top  and long lecture when the Mom said to the little girl, "Just so you know, this is not Mankato anymore, you can't just walk off like that and expect to be safe!"  

Setting aside the larger issue of teaching your kid to be fearful with the words you choose, I was rather entertained that Minneapolis and the airport qualified as big, scary, highly dangerous places that offer zero safety. When we landed in Port au Prince later in the day, I turned to Troy and said, "Just so you know, this is not Mankato anymore." 

whirlwind travel ...

Prior to this quick trip to the USA, our friend Andy said this to Dr. Jen:  "Thanks for helping me figure this out. I'm excited to help Troy be stylish for at least one night."

Apparently our years in Haiti have left our friends thinking Troy needs wardrobe assistance.  He was 20 pounds heavier and hadn't yet had multiple interactions with Malaria the last time he wore his only suit, so they're probably onto something.

When we got to Minneapolis for Joanna and John's wedding his outfit was waiting for him. This is the moment Andy saw the fruit of his planning and work ... A sweet moment of bromance victory. This mutual admiration and pride went on for a good ten minutes, some of us had to walk away.

Haiti friends, Sarah O, Joanna, Jen, Sarah D

So far on this trip we've said hello and goodbye very quickly to a lot of friends and both sets of our parents. From one quick meet-up to the next we've been grabbing hugs, listening to rapid updates, and snapping photos. This method of seeing people we love is less than ideal but better than nothing. Our tear ducts are unblocked and washed totally clean.

We quickly ran into a store to get one 50 pound bag of cheese and meat to freeze to bring home. Before we left Haiti we were discussing luggage allowance and packing (a favorite topic of expats) and Beth proudly proclaimed, "I have never come meatless - ever! 22 years!"

I have my example. I won't let her down.

Today is day 5 in the land of electricity, warm water and smooth roads. The predictability is so lovely. We're heading home to the variables and the tribe in a matter of hours. We have a few more brief interactions and tears planned with friends first. 

nyc & heartline pt 2

I came to share the joys and privilege of working with some of the most amazing people on earth.   

Troy came to rumble with Batman. 

It's all important work. 

Heartline & NYC

I am New York City bound - for the first time in my life.
How exciting is this?!?!  

I'll be at the BlogHer conference in NYC this Thursday and Friday. Each year they generously bring in "international activists" on a scholarship (read: free gift trip!) to share about their work. I learned of this honor back in April. It was such a surprise to me that I almost deleted their email thinking it was spam.  Lots of emails begin with "Congratulations" - at that point my finger heads for the delete button - only this one had nothing to do with Esquire Sven Modderman or Aafiya Muhammad or any other person leaving their fortune buried for me in Burkina Faso.  

This year four international activists were chosen.  I'll be meeting and speaking with women that are doing important work in the Philippines, Zimbabwe, and Sudan.

I don't so much (ever!) think of myself in terms of "international activist", as much as I think of myself in terms of "mom, wife, friend, sister, and child of the King"...But those are the words they used. With that in mind I'm going to do my very best to advocate for the Haitian women I so admire while I share in New York. The challenge is to adequately communicate and represent the depth of beauty they daily exhibit in their strength, their struggles, their courage, and their undying hope.

I am excited because it is such a privilege to be invited to come share about the work Heartline is doing in Haiti; work that I truly believe is resulting in lives lifted up, improved, and changed. I shy away from dramatic statements and hyperbole, but I think I can safely say this work is saving lives in Haiti. 

More than that, though - what an honor it is to share the stories of this place and these people that I dearly love; stories of people that have changed me.

Prior to my own scare delivering Noah in 2004 I can honestly say I never once considered that all over the world women die giving birth due to a lack of very simple things, a lack of healthcare workers and midwives.  I did not consider that not so far away is a tiny little country that boasts the highest maternal mortality rate in the western hemisphere.

I'm tempted to share dozens of other mind-boggling statistics. It really is pretty crazy to see how dangerous womanhood and childbirth is in some of the world's poorest countries.  Sharing them would be my way of trying to convince you it is dire, trying to make it important to you, but I'm not going to do that.

Statistics are numbers meant to prove a point.  For me, the bigger point is this: Behind those statistics are real.live.breathing.feeling.struggling human beings. They are just like you. They are just like me. They are mothers that love their family. They want a stable life. They want to feel healthy. They want to live.

The fact is, I'd rather tell you the miraculous story of one tenacious woman and how her life was spared. I'd rather tell you about the hundreds of courageous mothers and babies that are thriving. I'd rather tell you about the ways God is showing up and providing for these women. I'd rather do all of that than depress you with the statistics that Heartline Ministries endeavors to help them beat.

That's what I plan to do in New York City.

*Thanks to MK Smith for putting together the video for us with 48 hours lead time
**Heartline's website is www.heartlineministries.org 

~forty~

July 30, 1972

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.

Lydia: Happy Birthday Momma!

Tara: Thanks baby. I am kind of old now.

Lydia: (looking her up and down) Momma, you still look like the same girl. (pausing, thinking...) You can still walk good! 

Meet Winifred

Wini and Emmanuel (one of her patients after the earthquake)

Wini helping Jeronie and Walnise labor

Today I want to introduce you to one of our co-workers. She just celebrated her birthday this week which has me thinking about how special she is and all that she's accomplished in her life. 

Winifred (Wini) is one of the gifts we all received from the earthquake.  Before I explain that and how we met, let me back up a bit.

Winifred is one of three daughters born to her mother; she is the oldest of the three girls. Wini grew up just outside of Port au Prince. She loves to learn, worked hard at school and did well.  

Wini has a love for people and an unusual tenderness toward others.  When a woman in her neighborhood died giving birth, Wini adopted the baby. Daphne is a spunky little girl that clearly exhibits the characteristics of a well-loved child. Wini is a great single mom. 

After getting through primary and secondary school Wini started nursing school. She had to save the first two years tuition because they required that she pay for the first half all in one lump sum.  When she excelled in nursing school they were able to see her great potential and offered to help with the second half of her tuition.  

Wini lives with her mother and daughter and carries a heavy responsibility as one of the main providers for her family. 

After the 2010 earthquake Wini wanted to put her nursing skills to work immediately. She lived very nearby but was not aware of Heartline or the programs being offered. One day, as she was passing by the road that two of the Heartline houses are located on, she noticed the large truck with patients being transported and she followed it down the street. She knocked on the gate and offered her help at the field hospital.  In the immediate chaos following the earthquake she was told that it would be a volunteer position to start and that there wasn't time to interview or make job offers.  John and Beth's daughter Morgan, an E.R. nurse herself, quickly noticed Wini's excellence and told her dad that he should do his best to offer Wini a permanent job. Dr. Jen has reiterated time and again what a high-quality nurse Wini is and how much she appreciates working with someone of her caliber. 

When I work with Wini I always learn from her and enjoy watching the way she genuinely loves and cares for people. Wini plays a KEY role in Heartline's Maternity Program and Early Childhood Development Program - she acts as a teacher, a translator, a nurse, a midwife, and more.  Wini is smart, capable, loving, and hard-working. We're all so grateful that we get to work with her. I feel like she extends us a ton of grace when we don't get cultural things and we mess up her language. 

Stories are written about expats and how they are attempting to lift up Haiti  -  that's nice and all - but the fact is - Haitians are doing a ton of great work and it too often goes unnoticed.

All that to say - today I want you all to notice that Wini is working hard and loving people and she is simply amazing at what she does. 

Wini being silly (and intense!) at self-defense class 

kenbe kè l ' Seyè ~ hold her heart Lord

For the past several months a beautiful young lady has been coming each Thursday to the prenatal program.  Every so often she needs to miss class due to appointments with a counselor. We're normally very strict about attendance but in this case we understand the importance of counseling.  It is so rare for someone in Haiti to have the great benefit and gift of caring for their mental health; we'd never want to stop anyone from seeking that.

A little more than nine months ago her next door neighbor, an adult man with a wife and children, began to force himself on this precious young woman, just a teenager.  When the family of the young woman found out, they had the courage to press the police (in a broken system) to intervene. When the police questioned him, the man took his opportunity to avoid the possible consequences. He left Haiti and fled to another nearby island.  

The family made every effort to love and support their daughter and when they found out she was pregnant they enrolled her in the Heartline Prenatal Program.

A few weeks ago I asked her, "Do you think you'll raise your child, or have you been thinking about adoption?"  The brave young woman looked me directly in the eyes and said, "The baby is not at fault for what he did. I am going to care for this baby."  

"You have a lot of courage." I said. 

"Wi" was her solemn and resolved reply. 

This young woman, just a girl herself, is laboring today.  

Will you pray for her?  

She's about to do something that will require every last ounce of her physical and mental strength and courage. She's about to attempt to love her baby unconditionally in spite of this very unfair and unkind circumstance. She's about to show us all what love looks like. 

The Strong

The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, became a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong.
-Thomas Carlyle




Photos from the last seven days ... 

LamiGuerline's son, born 7:55pm Thursday night

Quindra, due late this year

six healthy six month olds graduated on Tuesday from EarlyChildhood Dev.
L to R - Yvline, Michlene, Fifi, Stephanie, Alline, Beatrice

Bianca & her Momma Mirlene, graduating from Harbor House

laughs at ECD class on Tuesday

future midwife? Hope holding Lami Guerline's hour old son - he weighed 7lbs even

Olguine delivered on Sunday night

Edline, one of the most extraordinary women we've met, teaches Braille - expecting this fall

Harbor House advancement ceremony 

Thursday Prenatal Class - a room full of expectant mommas

Leoni and Judler 

happy Bianca 

Thank you for supporting the work of Heartline Ministries in Haiti.  Here are some of the lives your dollars and prayers are touching. For more information on our programs please comment here or write livesayfamily @ gmail.com

Livesay [Haiti] Weblog: Barber Shop

I'm short on both time and words lately. 
Since Isaac needs a haircut and we've been nagging him to choose whom he wants to cut it; we're remembering and reposting this Troy train-wreck... hope you enjoy it.
Livesay [Haiti] Weblog: Barber Shop: (Written by Troy)

Ask Isaac Link

Ask Isaac: Owen and Kyle ask:
Kyle and Owen recorded their question for Isaac, he answered them. Check it out.

an adoption reunion story

Tina & Matt in Haiti 

The archives of a seven year old blog are overwhelming to search.  I wish I could link to past posts wherein the multiple stories of how adoption has impacted my family have been told.

Obviously as the adoptive parents of three amazing Haitian sensations we've been immeasurably blessed by adoption. Our open relationship with Isaac and Hope/Phoebe's first families is something we once feared. We've come to cherish those developing relationships. The gift of our adoption has grown exponentially as we have become family with the tenacious women that gave life to our three children.

In the past I know I have written about my little sister Tina and her husband Matt. These are two strong people that Troy and I deeply admire. We had a chance to spend 8 days with them when they visited here earlier this month. It was good to be able to look them in the eyes and tell them how their growth and healing has been a witness to us - how we've seen Jesus in them.

Tina and Matt are unique as the adoptive parents of Annie (adopted from Haiti in 2010) because they have lived the other two roles as well.  The "adoption triad" as it is called in fancy adoption vernacular is totally represented by these two people.  They are the birth/first mother (Tina), the adoptive parent (Tina/Matt), and the (adult) adoptee (Matt).  

They understand the loss of every angle, they undersand the joy of every angle, they understand the pain of every angle, they understand the redemption of every angle. They understand the gift of grace in ways most others cannot. I feel like I am a better momma because of the things they've taught me about adoption.  

As many long time readers know, my niece Whitney was placed for adoption. She was born in between my oldest two girls, Britt (in 90') and Paige (in 94'). Those three births and the situations Tina and I landed ourselves in with the choices we made were all part of a five year period none of us would ever choose to relive.  (Especially not our poor parents.)   God is always reliable to redeem these things and He has done exactly that with all three of our unplanned baby girls.

Everything I have ever written about adoption, I've written with the stories of my own children's adoptions and the individual stories of Matt, Tina, and Whitney on my mind.

I quickly searched and can find one post written in 2006 on the 13th birthday of my niece, Whitney.  Each year we have celebrated the life that Tina carried into this world, the gift of the baby she placed into the loving care of a chosen family, the beauty of the sacrifice Tina made ... And of course each year we also mourned with Tina over what she'd lost.  

Adoption is beautiful and redemptive but those of us anywhere in the middle of the triad know it is not without pain.

For 19 years we prayed faithfully for the amazing family that Whitney became wholly a part of and we prayed for Whitney.  I regularly stood in awe of Tina's strength and grace over the 19 years.  She has always hoped to one day meet Whitney but also lived in the knowledge that that decision wasn't necessarily up to her.  She prayed and hoped and hoped and prayed. As her family that loves her dearly, we all did the same. 

Friday night the most joyful amazing thing took place.  

Tina & Whitney reunited after 19 years 

Troy and I on Skype getting to meet our niece 
(and also we got to watch Paige meet her cousin)

Paige, Whitney, Tina, Proud Grandma Carolyn

Paige, Tina, Grandpa looking on as Whitney and my Mom meet 

Nineteen years is a long time to wait for an answered prayer but I think Tina (and Grandma and Grandpa and cousins and siblings and Aunt Tara) would tell you it was totally worth the wait.

Whitney is a gorgeous, happy, intelligent, joy-filled college student that grew up with a loving Mom and Dad.  She and Tina trust God to help them navigate their future relationship ... Seeing all that He has already done for them makes that a pretty safe plan.

We want to share our joy. We want to share God's faithfulness and Tina's answered prayers. We want to introduce you to our precious niece, Whitney.  :)

Honoring the change

An important post for adoptive parents (applies even more to international adoption and older-child adoption) welcome to my brain . net: Honoring the change: On Friday I was camped in a coffee shop for awhile.  This is what was stirring in my head: Yesterday I had the privilege of soaking up...

yo avanse ~ they are advancing

Left to Right:
Fedline/Michlanda ~Sergeline/Jobens ~ Leoni/Judler ~ Alloune/Ashline ~
Mirlene/Bianca ~Joanne/Ricardo ~ Faphane/Rebecca

Today Heartline Ministries had a short ceremony and "send out" party for the seven young women living at the Harbor House.  We all hope and plan to remain in contact and relationship with them as they re-establish themselves in their real world. These seven ladies have already seen so much more in their short lives than most of us can even imagine.  


Today they stand together as young mothers that have made a decision to love and raise their children. They have more conquering and healing and growing to do  - but they are advancing in that day by day and bit by bit. 


We so want to honor them and their accomplishments and also speak (write) honestly about the struggles.  Each young woman comes with her own important story to tell. Each young woman has overcome in one way or another. We admit that in our own poverty we have not always been as patient with them as we would have liked. We hope to share more about their lives, more about today and about their future plans, but right now we feel the heavy weight of the importance of God's love and guidance in their lives so we're simply praying this...


Lord,
We thank you for your love for all. We thank you that the hurts of these young women are your hurts too. We thank you that you've not abandoned them or forgotten them.  Lord we struggle with the hard things they've faced in their short lives and we struggle with injustice. We thank you that you are not a God that looks away or leaves us to face hardship alone. We wait impatiently Lord for your Kingdom to come and for all wrongs to be made right.  In the meantime Lord, we pray for your Hand of protection on these seven young women and their seven precious little ones.  We pray they continue to love their little ones and daily be freed from the chains that attempt to tie them to their past. We pray God that no harm would come to them. We pray Lord that you will draw them close to you and that in drawing close to you they will find comfort, peace, joy, and an unconditional love like no.other.love.  We pray Lord that you show us how to support and love them in healthy ways as they make this huge transition. We ask that you provide for their needs. We pray that they look to You as their only true source of hope.  Amen. 



**Thank you to the staff at the Harbor House. Thank you to all members of the larger body that have supported this adventure in the last 18 months. Heartline Ministries wants to thank those that have loved and invested in these women.  The list is long and we probably have no idea how many of you have been praying and giving. We'll be spending about six weeks in prayer and planning before we determine how to move forward. 

Orthodontics

Today's photo: An ode to Orthodontia  - a privilege of the rich  ...  A first world privilege available to us; even in this not-so-first-world. 


All of us typing and reading this are "the rich", are we not?


I remember a Haitian friend from a mountain village marveling that Americans have doctors for their dogs  -  he just kept repeating it over and over again, "Dogs go to the doctor. DOGS!!"  I couldn't defend us. It's true, we're so rich we are able to buy our dogs longer lives.


Here in Haiti, that's not a thing.


As you can see, there is some room for improvement in that ^ there mouth. We're about to embark upon the next round of orthodontic work in our family. Three more children are ready to be assessed and then possibly wired and adjusted depending on what the expert tells us. 


I feel a little bit about this (orthodontics) like my Haitian friend feels about dog doctors.   It is kind of hard to reconcile using real money to make these teeth straight; when all around me people don't have access to sufficient clean water or electricity or basic healthcare that meets the needs of the majority of the population. In fact, many times a year someone tells me about their toothache and that the cost for extracting the tooth is too steep for them to cover. 

straight teeth vs clean water

straight teeth vs access to healthcare

straight teeth vs ability to eat dinner every night

that.is.uncomfortable.

I am glad it makes me uncomfortable. I am glad it feels obnoxious, because it is. I don't want to get to a place where these vast disparities don't bother me. They SHOULD bother me. It NEEDS to bother us that we can easily send our dogs to the doctor and we can straighten our teeth and some of us can even fix our wrinkles and give ourselves a facelift .... Meanwhile all around the world there is a struggle going on that the likes of us and our straight teeth cannot.possibly.comprehend.

We should try to comprehend -

Especially if we claim to follow Jesus.

We need to be uncomfortable with what we see.

Britt and Paige have already been given the gift of straight teeth. My Mom and Dad gave me this gift many moons ago. We value straight teeth in this family, generations have handed down this value.  


My wish today is that in addition to our desire to have straight teeth we also have a desire to be "champions of equality" to whatever degree we have the power and ability to be that.

I believe that followers of Jesus are to be champions of equality, and that it is our calling, as imitators of Christ, to reflect God’s new vision for the world, initiated through Jesus Christ, in which there is no hierarchy or power struggle between slave and free, Jew and Greek, male and female, for all are one in the family of God. -Rachel Held Evans

Here is to straight teeth and total discomfort with the injustice of this world.  Let's all do something generous today for those that cannot fathom spending money on dog doctors or straight teeth.

I want justice to be so pervasive that it will be taken for granted, just as injustice is taken for granted today. 
-Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

head space

The last few months have both Troy and I trapped in our heads a bit.  We can sit and talk to one another at the end of the day and not measure or weigh our words with one another, but trying to write in this public space about some of the recent confusion and struggles feels daunting. That is why there have not been very many words of substance printed here lately.


Hopefully at some point the word block will end and the words will be released like doves from their prison inside my head.

I intentionally ran a bunch of miles in June and then got too busy to run much in the first half of July.  That always changes how I cope and how I process and find my peace with whatever is troubling me.

I ran twice recently and found myself processing things more effectively as a result of just a couple of short neighborhood runs. Hopefully now that things might slow down a bit and there will be time to log some miles - the discouragement we've been flirting with will quickly separate itself into neat little categories that we can reconcile easily somehow.

Unfortunately Isaac, Noah, and I waited too long to start our run today. The little men and I could only pull off a couple miles in the beating hot noon sun. Our conversations took us from machetes to "kissing that one sick way where you twist your tongues together" and then back to machetes. 


We covered much more distance in our conversations than with our feet today.  


The good news is this:  Tomorrow is new day to run, and to reason, and to listen, and to pray.

Short Documentary

Marathoning for Mamba from mk smith on Vimeo.

This video shows the city and the countryside of Haiti so well; two very different parts of the country.

[See THIS blog post for MK's full explanation of this (her Master's degree) project and how it came about originally.]

MK came to shoot this story on Tara and RHFH in late 2009, shortly before the earthquake. It was done to promote Real Hope for Haiti and their awesome program that helps malnourished children in the mountains of Haiti. It focuses on a peanut butter product called Medika Mamba that is being produced in the northern part of Haiti.

Her resume:

M.K. Smith is an award-winning multimedia photographer and producer. Trained in non-linear editing and photojournalism she has an equal love for shooting and editing stories. Freelance clients include Runner’s World, Star Tribune, Northwestern College and Dream Reality Films, in various roles of Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Editor. 

M.K.‘s work can be seen on her website, www.kineticmusings.com , and be contacted at mk@kineticmusings.com. Available for freelance work and seeking collaborative humanitarian filmmaking and journalism opportunities. M.K. has a Master of Arts in Visual Communication from Ohio University, lives in Minneapolis, MN, and hopes to one day be a proud dog owner. 

MK is finished with her education and is seeking employment.  If you are able to share this piece and have connections to pass along to MK please do so. We are thankful for her talent, heart, and friendship - and know that she would be a blessing to anyone fortunate enough to work with her.

Troy

9 pics from last 9 days

sometimes one lounging chair just isn't sufficient ~ the pinnacle of relaxation

MN lard-friends visiting  

Tess & kids

Family from MN visiting us!!!! 

Mike Healy teaching self defense at Heartline

Port au Prince Fellowship, Hope singing with Troy

Walnise doing well

Kick-Ball Championship Tournament July 2012 with Matt & Tina & Aidan Cleary

Holy cow the last six weeks have been insane.  Thank you to every.single.friend.and.family.member that stopped in to encourage and love on us and give us strawberries and bacon. (all 21 of you!) We're able to be here because you help us be here.  Thank you for that. 

This morning the third birth of July took place at Heartline Ministries. We're anxious to welcome some more new little ones into the world this month. The guys are looking toward the future as the Men's Bakery Program continues to be developed. The Harbor House gals graduate and transition into the next phase of their lives late this week. We'll be praying about the next group of residents at Harbor House and would appreciate if you'd join us in that. 

Random Haitian Proverb of the day: "Kote y’ap plimen kòdenn, poul pa ri." Where they pluck turkeys, chickens do not laugh.