Anchor

"Hope is symbolized in Christian iconography by an anchor. And what does an anchor do? It keeps the ship on course when wind and waves rage against it. But the anchor of hope is sunk in Heaven, not on earth." Gregory Floyd, a Grief Unveiled

Its time for me write but to be honest the words are a little hard to find right now. As many of you know our new house fell through two days before we came back to Haiti. With it- the plans we had mapped out for the year revolving around this idea of a community center. We had so beautifully prepared the soil for what was to come- a building in the area we already know so well and centered around the kids we spent a year getting to know so deeply. You might be confused about why ALL the plans are subject to change, after all it was just the space falling through, right?

Currently with only our moto (motorcycle) as means of transportation we are slowed down on the house hunting as it has been raining and causing these back dirt roads to be thick with mud. Mud is no problem in a truck but on the moto it presents a slippery sort of mucky danger.

We found one house suitable for the dream we had in this area however it was double our price range and the yard still did not have the accommodations for the various types of trainings we wanted to hold. The original property had about two acres of grass and trees to create space for others to come and participate in bible studies, medical clinics, job skills trainings, after school programs, and much more. 

Knowing that our current home area is possibly not an option we began looking to other towns and saw a couple houses that just do not match our needs. 

I appreciate those of you who encouraged us before we left. For others who felt the burden with us and were pushed to pray. And for the rest who felt the disappointment with us and just held our hearts with tenderness. We were severely discouraged as God had shaped this vision Himself and revealed so much to us the last year, and within one minute it was all gone.

We questioned what He was doing. We really were not even sure we were supposed to stay in Haiti after that but seemed to have a deep gut feeling the best is yet to come. "It definitely gets harder before it gets easier. But it will definitely get better--if you don't give up when its hardest. 'So lets not allow ourselves to get fatigued at doing good. At the right time we will harvest a crop if we don't give up, or quit' (Gal 6:9 MSG)". This excerpt is from the book "The Broken Way" by Ann Voskamp.

So in the not-knowing we trust. We still do not have the answers or a secure location but we still praise God for what He is doing. We trust His plans are bigger and infinitely better.

Are we still bummed? Of course. 

Does this mean we quit? Absolutely not- we are ready to harvest what we have been preparing this soil for- and what rich fertile soil it is! We will continue pursuing the ones the Lord has placed directly around us from the precious ones at the children's home and their neighbors to the neighbors on our own street.

Is that not faith? Even in less than optimal circumstances we are still called to trust and to choose peace. Last year's faith looked different- we had no idea what the year would hold but had mostly secure details. This year we will not lose heart over missing details. We realize God will bring the perfect circumstance to us for the ministry He has chosen. 

​We are in contact with a couple ministries here in Haiti and realizing we are not opposed to working full time with those who have the wisdom and experience we need to solicit to navigate this island. 

We write about this part of our journey to encourage you who are in a similar season where the details are unknown or what was mapped out dissipates. We encourage you to press into the ALL-KNOWING God who is not surprised or overwhelmed by your situation, He brings peace to your circumstance.

We write to offer this knowledge that you are not alone on your journey. At times we all face the unknown. At times we all face the concrete becoming abstract. Everything here on earth is subject to change which makes it all the more important to press in to God as our constant. 

We began our journey last year with HOPE. The Lord showing me my hope was in the wrong place- it needs to be anchored to Him. 

If you're unsure- anchor yourself to Him.

If you're disappointed- praise Him anyway.

If you're discouraged- pray to Him. 

If you feel alone- reach out for prayer. I know this is sometimes the hardest part but this is why we write. We want to show you our vulnerability so the Lord may get all the glory. He is made strong in our weakness. 

If you are unsure if the best is yet to come- Abide in Him and I promise you it will!

Abide in Love sweet friends