Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Thoughts from the heart

I've been busy lately. Besides doing the whole "stay-at-home mom" thing, I've been head registrar for a women's retreat that is two days away! This year, there are 107 or 108 women attending. I've enjoyed doing registration, but it's been a lot of work! I've also been spending extra time trying to keep up with the news in Haiti. It's wonderful to see all the aid that is pouring in, but saddening when I realize how huge the disaster is. While the media has stopped doing much coverage on Haiti, I continue to read about it via the links from my previous posts, or talking with missionaries around town. A few staff members from E.C. recently went to the border to deliver food and water; others took a scouting bike trip and established some contacts. Another missionary I talked with has been to Haiti to take supplies to some of the "tent cities" that have been set up. The aid continues to grow, as does the need. Here are some thoughts that I wrote in my journal a few days ago (with some editing):

"Lord, I sit here beneath my roof, inside my house, with all my needs met. Meanwhile, only a few thundered miles away, hundreds of thoursands of people are homeless; many are starving, dieing. I long to do something besides praying and giving. I want to use my hands and feet; I desire to go. But I know my place right now is here, taking care of my own family, caring for my own dear children, while close by so many thousands of children have no one to care for them. So for now I wait, and ache, and pray, and try to be patient..."

And we're still waiting. And praying. Please continue to lift up Haiti in your prayers!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Blog of Missionaries in Haiti

A family in Haiti is giving daily information on the Haitian aid efforts via their blog. They live in Port au Prince and are doing all they can to help the injured. I came across the link from a news article. It is a blessing to see news that offers hope and encouragement, in spite of the challenges they face. Keep praying!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Praying for Haiti and Organizations that are helping

I'm sure all of you have been affected by the news on the severe earthquake that our neighbor, Haiti suffered this past week. It's hard to be on the same island and feel as though we personally can do nothing, besides prayer and giving. Escuela Caribe has considered sending a group to Haiti to help out, but has decided to wait until the situation is safer for students. As the situation begins to improve, EC will consider being part of ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts. Right now authorities are requesting that extra people not come across the border, as they are having difficulties getting into the cities to help people. Please pray that the help that is ready can get through to the people that need it!

Many of you may already have contacts with people or organizations that are working to help Haiti. However, for those of you who do not, here are a few suggestions we have of organizations that are helping with the relief effort. Each of these ministries already have relationships with Haiti:


-Missionary Flights International- The same organization that brings us our mail also takes mail to Haiti and participates in disaster relief. They have been posting about their status and work here. If you desire, you can donate to their work under "disaster relief fund" here.

-Kids Alive- We have many close missionary friends that work with Kids Alive here in the D.R. Besides moving some children to their ministry sites in Northern Haiti, Kids Alive is arranging with the Dominican Government to bring some of the displaced Haitian children to their orphanages here in the D.R. If this takes place, the children could arrive as early as Monday, some to the site here in Jarabacoa.
Go here for more information.

-Finally, Compassion International also has ministries in Haiti and are contributing to the relief effort. Read more about their efforts here, and/or donate here.

Please keep these ministries in your prayers as they work to bring relief and help to the children and people of Haiti.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Thoughts for a new year

As I reflected on this past year, one item stood out among the uncertainties and transitions that defined our 2009; God is in control. Here's an excerpt from my journal that explains my thoughts:

Lord, I thank you for a new year- a reminder that You are in control. Who knows what 2010 will bring? You do. And you have gone before us to prepare the way. I don't need to fear a new year. This past year has taught us that anything can change suddenly, even when we think we are secure. But with you as our captain, we can look toward the future with a sense of adventure. You are in control. When I try to control my life, I end up anxious, worried, stressed, and have my priorities all wrong. When I surrender control, You fill me with peace, joy, freedom, assurance, security, and straightened priorities. Thank you that each day can be new; I don't need to wait until next year!

The other day I listened to a song that expresses this; everytime I hear it I laugh inwardly as I am reminded of how often I try to take control instead of letting go. Praise the Lord He is in control. So many times He has blessed me by giving me exactly what I thought I didn't want!

It's out of my hands- Carolyn Arends

And so I stand here
Looking at all that I have made
Fallen in ruins
And it would seem that

It's out of my hands
There's nothing I can do
The best laid plans
Again have fallen through
I thought my world
Was under my command
Now I can't believe
Just how glad I am
It's out of my hands

My favourite delusion
I must control the universe
Failure brings freedom
You are God, and I'm not so

It's out of my hands
There's nothing I can do
The best laid plans
Again have fallen through
I thought my world
Was under my command
Now I can't believe
Just how glad I am
It's out of my hands

And so I stand here
Looking at all that You have made
Learning to place my
Life in your keeping

It's out of my hands
I know this much is true
The best laid plans
All belong to You
When I know my world
Is under Your command
I can't believe
Just how glad I am
It's out of my hands

The best laid plans
Again have fallen through
I thought my world
Was under my command
Now I can't believe
Just how glad I am
It's out of my hands

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Happy Kings Day!

In the Dominican Republic, families give each other gifts on Kings day instead of Christmas. While Christmas is a day of celebration here, Kings day is the day gifts are exchanged, in rememberance of the gifts the kings brought to Jesus (although I'm sure there are some who give gifts on Christmas as well, since many have lived in the U.S., or have family there). This year we decided to celebrate Kings day, in a way. We didn't do anything big, but it's been nice to leave the Christmas decorations up, continue listening to Christmas music, and extend the Christmas season longer than we usually do. It's been a good reminder to me that Christmas is the celebration of a beginning, and a reason for continued celebration!
We also decided to give Jeremiah his main gift from us today. It seemed silly to take it to the U.S. and bring it back, especially since we hadn't made it yet. So in the U.S. we gave him a few clothes, but today we're giving him a matching/memory game we made. Daniel took some extra wood, cut it into small squares, and painted it with white oil-based paint. Then I used puffy paint we bought while we were in the States to paint numbers, pictures, and letters to make two sets of a matching/memory game. The idea is for him to learn to match the numbers with the number of pictures on the squares, and the capital letters with the lower-case letters. Later we can turn it into a memory game (using some at a time). We only have letters A-O right now. But that's still a lot of squares!
Here's a picture of the completed squares:

In other news, we're going to Pizza and Pepperoni tonight along with other staff to welcome the new staff arriving from Marion!

Christmas Vacation: Part II

On Sunday, after the wedding, we returned to Chicago for the "Meet Timmy" open house, where we caught up with friends and some family we wouldn't see later.

The Peterson boys!




On Monday we celebrated Aunt Sara's birthday with some Brie cheese:
Tuesday we hung out with my family and saw Aunt Sa and Uncle Brent.
Wednesday we played in the snow with Grandpa Howie and went sledding.



Christmas eve morning we had Christmas with Daniel's family


Christmas Eve night we went to church and then celebrated with the Gerig family

Christmas morning



Great Grandpa and Grandma Gerig came over for Christmas brunch
Then we headed out to have Christmas Dinner with Daniel's extended family.

Family Photo
Saturday we played in the snow.


Sunday we had dinner with both families and then headed back to the D.R. on Monday.
It was a whirlwind of a trip, but we had fun!

And now for all the photos: