all the skills

 Friends, I've don't want to brag, but I've got SKILLS.

Very specific, long and hard earned, totally worthless (except in this very situation) skills.

I know how to buy GOOD gifts for men and women and kiddos in Haiti. 

I know what they love, I know what they value, I know what they can and cannot find, and I have three suitcases loaded with gifts that will be valuable to our brothers and sisters in Haiti. I know Christie's size, and I know Thaliya wants a sparkly backpack. I know Gues wants quality church shoes for baby Yasha, and Hershey's kisses, and I know Esther wants full, warm, one piece jammies for her new son, even though I also know that the days and the nights will be stifling. I know our fellow missionaries want their body weights in quality chocolate, and I know the weight and size of chocolate is worth every ounce on those hard nights.

I know exactly how to pack those suitcases, the same ones we've been packing to-and-from Haiti for thirteen years.  I know how to wrap the breakables in diapers and priceless wet wipes and stuff them with trail mix. I know at exactly what point that suitcase has reached fifty pounds, without pulling out our scale. 

I know to put every single liquid in ziplock bags, and I know that I will now have ziplock bags when we get there. 

I know what to put in an international purse carry-on for four kiddos, and I know that Lily will throw up in the non-pressurized cargo plane, and that it will be too loud for movies or ipads. 

I know what foods to take that are worth their size and weight, and I know how to pack two weeks of school work for three kids in the middle of soccer balls and Granny's diabetes testing strips.

I know how to put the old stuff on top of the new stuff so that the customs officials don't charge me an arm and a leg when I open my bag, I know how to put the cash I'm carrying in in places it will never be found. 

I know how to change the SIM card in my phone with my earring, with the Haitian card still tucked in my phone case, and I know exactly what four outfits per person will work for every situation we're about to encounter. 

I know what I will be able to find once I get there, and I know all the things to take that I won't...and all the things that we will simply do without. 

I know what six books Ben and Nora will not get tired of hearing over and over and over again, and I know what they each need to be right at home: Lambie for Sofie, Bobo for Ben, lotion for Lily and Ben-Ben for Nora (whom I was planning to bring, anyway :) 

All this useless information is serving me well this week, but most of all, this word from the kids' Easter devotions this morning that we're still wrapping up:

It is not our courage that needs strengthened...it is our faith.

Like everything in life, this is not about me being strong...just about Him being perfectly so.

Thank you for your priceless help, thank you for your priceless prayers. 

Saturday morning at 9 we do five covid tests (a first for all of us) and get on our way. As Nora says, driving to Haiti is LONG!