A lot of beginnings

This update finds us in a place where we are starting a lot of things, but finishing very few.

First, we’re starting this newsletter. We hope to keep you informed in the months to come about how we are progressing toward our goal to get to Haiti. And then in the years that follow about the highs and lows of ministry in Haiti. But for now, we’re still working out the technical details of our list. So please bear with us if things don’t go perfectly.

We’re also at the beginning of our support raising. We’ve set our budget, come up with a plan, finished our website, and are almost to the point of moving forward. At the end of this month we’ll be in New York for my (Nick’s) 10 year high-school reunion, and we’re using that trip as an opportunity to begin speaking to people and churches are about what we’re planning to do. Please let us know if you’re interested in supporting us, or if you would like to talk about it more.

Our family is doing well. Gwenn began (yes, another beginning) home schooling Nia about a month ago and is really enjoying it. While it’s hard to adjust to a new routine, the structure has been good for our family. Nico is participating in school as well—working on his speech, which is still delayed. But the work is paying off as we’re beginning to understand a lot more of what he’s saying. Josiah usually sleeps through school, but he is also learning new things—walking and talking like a toddler.

Haitian Children’s Home is at a new beginning as well. I’m writing this on a plane on my way to Haiti for a groundbreaking ceremony on our new land. It’s going to be an exciting event and it’s an exiting time to be part of this organization. Got did an amazing thing to bless us with a big dream, and a piece of land big enough to fulfill it. But, like I said, this is a beginning, not an end. It’s the beginning of a new phase of development. We have the land, but we need homes. We need vehicles. We need a school. We have a great opportunity to live out redemption in Raymond, Haiti. I know that God will provide what we need, I hope you’ll consider being a part of it.

Here are some things you can thank God for:

• God's provision with the land
• God's grace to get through a lot of busy times
• The amazing way He has woven so many things together to start us on this journey

Here are some tings you can be praying for:

• Nick's trip to Haiti - A tropical storm is on the horizon
• Gwenn's trip to Pennsylvania with the kids - Visiting family is always great, but three kids by yourself is hard
• God's provision for our support raising
• God's grace to get through a lot more busy times

Thank you for joining us on this journey.