the Diner of See-You-Soons

 Oh friends.

I wish we could sit down for coffee and talk through all the ways He's shown up for us this precious trip.  

The days have been SO so full, both of work and friends and emotions that by bedtime I can hardly keep my eyes open and my mind is s-c-a-t-t-e-r-e-d, but I promise to be sharing more these coming weeks. 

Truth be told, I didn't think we were ever going to get what we needed.  I've been trying and trying to heal and move on WITHOUT it.  Trying.

But the Lord, He gives us what we need...somehow, in His time, some way. And while this trip has been stretching in many ways, and while it has taken a LOT longer than I would have preferred my biggest take away is feeling loved.

Not by our Haitian or missionary family, though I do...but Loved by Him. 

He has seen our hearts, from Matt's to little Nora's, and has been redeeming these 2 weeks so many little and large things...bringing healing in ways only He could have. Meeting needs I didn't even know we had. Renewing our hearts in ways I hadn't thought possible. 

What could not be done the last 6 months He has been doing this 2 weeks, and had simply impressed heavily upon our hearts to COME.

It felt crazy to come in the middle of October. It felt crazy to come in the middle of busy lives. Crazy in the middle of Covid...to be traveling internationally with small children. Crazy with no passport for Nora and on and on. But I asked a new friend if we were nuts, heading into Haiti with small kids in the middle of all this with 12 hour road trips and on and on and on, she said,  "why would it be nuts for you to go home and love on your people?"

It was that simple: He had made a way for us to go home and love on our people, and in turn, He has truly truly loved on us...through His people, and just all on His own, too.

Top joys...

1- seeing the kids SO at home and relaxed and free in a culture they DO get.  Sofie told me on day two, "Mom, finally, we don't stick out any more."

It made me realize that as hard as we have been working to learn and live well the new culture of Mississippi, it is all very new still...we don't feel relaxed and at home and fluent yet. No matter where we go, we all still feel uncertain and are trying to observe and learn and figure out where we fit.  But in Haiti, Sofie feels like she doesn't stick out, and man, we have all just been deeply feeling that sentiment. 

2- having GOOD time with almost all of our dearest friends and family...from the precious babies I have missed so badly, to the men and women around us we have prayed for daily, even to the Hari's and Sharon, we have had GOOD good meaningful time and conversations and I'm so thankful.

3- seeing Emmaus, though struggling to regain donors and support after a crazy season, is NOT struggling in the most precious ways...what JOY to see our staff maneuver challenging times TOGETHER and with humility and commitment and great love. What JOY to see our brothers and sisters coming together in prayer and preaching and living the Gospel. It is NOT struggling in integrity or hard-work, in true brotherhood or in beautiful service to the Lord. What JOY to see our brothers and sisters tonight leading worship and preaching the Gospel to thousands in downtown Cap-Haitian. Being here, seeing, hearing, digging, I could not be prouder of Emmaus University, and it's a JOY to support them and what God is mightily doing through them...and THAT is a joy in itself. 

Tomorrow night is our last night after somehow accomplishing the 13,127 things that still need done, and Esther and Jodenel sweetly invited us "for your last meal at the Ambrase House, the Diner of Goodbyes." We were all in peals of laughter over their hilarious wording, but quickly Leme pitched in, "we all know Stacey HATES goodbyes!  Let's call it the 'Diner of See-You-Soons!'"

What a joy to not stick out. To be well known. To be so proud of these brothers and sisters. And to head back to our other missionfield with genuine "See You Soons."