And The Work Begins...

      Blessed
It has been an exhausting but awesome past two days. Yesterday we started the first day of work and worked in a warehouse from 8:30 to 12:00. I wasn’t really prepared for what it was going to be like so I think that’s why yesterday was a much harder morning than today. Yesterday morning, after breakfast, we worshiped and sang the song “enough.” Brooke and I always harmonize that song together and it made me think about her and miss her all day. As I still did the harmony of it, I prayed for you Brookie, and that you would trust God more and more every day this summer. He has wonderful plans for you. It has taken me a while to get used to the salty taste of the water so the challenge for me yesterday was staying hydrated. We also had a Creole lesson for a long time. It was so cool but very hard. The language here is beautiful. I loved learning how to sing, “Lord I lift your name on high” in Creole. Last night was great. After we had spaghetti for dinner and FRESH mangos (first fruit we have had) we got into our discipleship groups that we will meet with every Monday night and told our life stories. As I was listening to the amazing girls in my group and also telling my story it made me realize how beautiful it is to have a “God story.” It makes me excited to know that God has already written the rest of my story and that I get to walk hand in hand with Him as I continue to see what that is. I know this 5-week journey will be such a huge part of it. I know it will because I’ve only been here for 5 days and have learned so much about myself, about faith, and about God. 

Even though the heat today is absolutely scorching, it has been a much more peaceful day. I don’t know if that’s because I am getting used to everything here and getting closer with the team, or if its because I knew what to expect when we worked for 4 hours this morning. Each day I’m getting more used to the water so I was more hydrated today. I led a devotional for the team this morning about being still in Gods presence and letting Him control your thoughts so that we would receive His peace in the most effective way. It was a perfect devotional to study this morning as I had the hardest time falling asleep last night along with some of my friends from thinking about the green little bugs in our beds (haha). This is one of the things you can pray about.

                                                                   The App State Group!

Getting tackled! 

The cutest thing happened to me as I was heading back to the warehouse from a water break this morning. So many of the kids were all outside in their school uniforms playing with each other in between their sessions.  I waved to them and before I knew it they were all running full force towards me screaming with huge smiles on their faces and just tackled me. All of them just wanted me to hug them and hold them. I had about two boys climbing on my right leg, and two other boys climbing on my left. I held two little girls on each side of my hip and had one precious girl on my back crying because the little boy behind her was pulling her down so he could get on my back. It soon got out of hand and before I knew it my pants were falling off and I was completely on the ground laughing hysterically, trying to remember how to say, “just hold on” in Creole. It was chaos but it was a moment that I will never forget. They all had no idea who I was, but they showed so much love to me and just wanted to be loved back. It was beautiful. 
Please continue to pray for me and for our team. We are going into Port au Prince all day tomorrow and working with University students!

First Sunday In Haiti- Happy Mothers Day!

I've heard so many amazing stories about the church services here at Nehemiah Vision, and to actually experience one for the first time today was unreal. I woke up this morning more at peace and so excited to experience my first church service in Haiti. I sat down next to these boys and behind some little girls that were in the cutest dresses. I wasn't even sitting down for 2 minutes before the little girl in front of me turned around and reached her hand out to hold mine. She didn't let go for 20 minutes and just played with my hands and my Jesus ring I wear. Its amazing, people here don’t even know you, cant understand you, but they still love you and want attention from you. The team was kind of scattered throughout the church sitting in between the Haitians. As I looked around at that, it gave me a beautiful picture of how we are all ONE body of Christ. Even though we come from such a different world from them, we were all there to worship the same God.

A church service here is usually about 4 hours long. At first I didn’t know how I was going to last that long in the heat, and not understanding anything. But then God grabbed my heart and told me to just pray and read His word when they are not translating anything because its not about understanding the Haitians, its about understanding God. 

All the songs were sang in Creole. The Haitians started singing songs that we knew, like "How great is Our God." It was one of the most amazing moments to listen to the Haitians sing in Creole and us sing in English at the same time. It was a very powerful worship experience. Whenever a new team comes here, they make them go to the front of the church and sing a song. 27 of us all stood in front of everybody and sang "Our God is Greater." It was one of the most fun things I have ever done. I couldn’t stop smiling. People here have so little, but yet they still lift their hands and praise God for being a merciful King. 

After the service everyone went outside and just played with the kids, shook peoples hands, took pictures and met some of the families. I held this one little baby boy named Kevince (the little boy in the picture) for the longest time. His mom loved when I took pictures of her family. One lady came up to me and just started singing a worship song to me. She knew English so we both just sang it to each other. It was a beautiful moment. After holding many children, and trying to communicate with some of the families after church made me realize the beauty and the value behind a smile, or a hug. When Jesus shines through you, that is the greatest thing people can connect to. 

It is also Mothers Day here in Haiti. One of the mothers at Church at 18 kids! I saw many mothers breast-feeding during church. Those were the moments when I had to remind myself how different of a world I am in. I just wanted give a shout out to my mom as I am celebrating Mothers Day here in Haiti. I love you so much and am very thankful for you.I hope one day we can do something like this together. You are a blessing to me. 

I also wanted to say how cool it was to skype my sisters and my mom today outside in the compound and have them meet some of the kids! It was one of the best moments I have had so far. They were so amazed! It was a blessing for me to introduce my family to them! I love you guys!

The Beauty of Challenges

Isaiah 40:28-29 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives his strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

I cant express how it felt to wake up in the compound this morning not only knowing that Im actually here in Haiti but to think that I will be waking up here for 5 weeks. Once I finally fell asleep last night  I slept well. I must say it is hard to fall asleep when there are bugs in your bed and mosqitos all around your head from the scented shampoo I used. I was pretty nervous last night and just was having the hardest time falling asleep, and then my friend told me to ask God to put me under His wing and to just pray. I stopped thinking about the bugs in my bed, how itchy and hot I was and just started thanking God for allowing me to be here. Its amazing how when you allow yourself to be still and pray to God, He brings a tremendous amount of peace to your mind and reminds you to rest in Him.

This morning we had some oatmeal, worshiped and talked about fear with the team. We each got 5 sticky notes and had to write down 5 fears that we have for this trip. I wrote down homesickness/lack of communication, cockroaches, getting sick, letting the challenges of this trip affect me in a negative way and the fear of not doing enough to make a difference. After we wrote our fears down we each one by one posted each sticky not on the wall and had to tell the team what our fears were. What was so comforting about doing this is that it showed me and the team how we are all in the same boat. I know I am not alone in my fears.
It was such a perfect topic to start off the first full day in Haiti and to also discuss what God says about fear after my mind was racing of all my worries last night. God really spoke to me as we read Isaiah 40 this morning. I know that fear does not come from God, it comes from sin. I  feel Gods protection here and know that He is above everything.

We went to Chambrun village today for the first time and I got to play with the kids! It was so surreal to actually be doing what I have always dreamed of. The hardest part was not understanding a thing they were saying. After today, I am so motivated to learn Creole (I have already started practicing). The language barrier is a big challenge. Its hard to connect with the kids when they cant understand you. However, it gave me a chance to just hold their hands, play duck duck goose, laugh and hold them, and just allow God to speak through our actions. They loved when I took pictures of them and looking at the picture. They dont get many chances to see what they look like. Every picture I showed them they would get the biggest smile on their faces. It was so wonderful to see. Please pray for me as I continue this journey in Haiti that has just started. I know that God makes something beautiful out of the challenges, and that is that I am learning to only depend on Him and trust Him with my whole heart, mind, and soul.

                                             Me and some of the precious boys at the village

Its been a wonderful and extremely hot first full day in Haiti. Tonight we had a yummy dinner and played games with the team that really made us all bond so well. To my family back at home. I love and miss you!

First Day In Haiti-Vicious Mosquitos

This is the dorm where we sleep at the compound. 

I cant believe I am here. It has been a day full of all sorts of emotions. The airport was a great way for God to introduce to me the culture shock I will be having. We rode in the "tap tap." Thats what the bus was called.  We drove about an hour and a half through port au prince to get to the compound. Driving through port au prince was absolutely mind blowing. Ive seen pictures of all the destruction and heard stories but to actually see it for  myself is completely different, its indescribable. There is so much need here but I know God is working.
The hardest part about driving through port au prince was when the "tap tap" would stop because of traffic, kids and men would come up and hit the bus asking for money and you just had to ignore them. Ofcourse they asked it in the creole (their language) but you just had to turn away. The driving was INSANE! I guess you can say that when there are no lights, no stop signs, kids running in the street between cars  it is quite an adventure.
As we got close to the compound, the driver started to go real fast, the wind was blowing, and the beautiful mountains were right in front of me. It was an incredible moment to just thank God for bringing me here and also ask Him to comfort me through this experience.
Besides the crazy mosquitos attacking us, when we arrived at the compound there was such a peace that went over me. We met Pasor Pierce (the pastor for the nehemiah vision ministry) and some other really wonderful people. It feels like its a completely different wolrd from where we are staying to what we drove through today. I feel so welcomed here. I feel safe, which is not a feeling I would have had in the airport or driving through port au prince if it werent for being with 27 people. The kitchen ladies made us dinner, and we all have just been getting settled in. The water is very different, purified, but different. I know that will take some time to get used to. O and also the amount of cockroaches that are here will take some getting used too as well. One crawled in my bag and I screamed and just thought to myself (how am I going to do this), but I remembered what my mom told me about having to get over the fear of cockroaches here (haha).

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are Gods workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

God has planned for me to be here all my life. He has prepared me and my heart to do good works for His glory. I cant wait for God to use me here and to see what He has been preparing for me. Although I am overwhelmed, and experiencing major culture shock, I know that God is at work and each day I will feel His hands on me more and more here.

"Be Still and know that I am God"

Last night was the last night of the briefing in Miami. There was something about yesterday, I couldnt stop thinking about my twin sister Brooke. I guess it hit me how big of a jump it is to go from being apart for 5 days your whole life to 5 weeks. I miss her already but its not so much about missing her, its about wanting her to experience all this with me. We skyped last night and I can honestly say it was one of the saddest things watching her cry as she talked about her dream of going to Uganda this summer being shattered because of all the unrest over there. My mind was racing with all these ideas of how I could get her here, how I could mae her happy, but then God took a hold of me and made me realize that He is in control of everything. I dont always understand His plans, but I know that they are more beautiful than anything we could ever imagine Brookie. If it was my plan, I would have Brooke here to experience these 5 weeks with me. However Gods plan is different and we have to fight sometimes to understand that.
Brooke I know God has amazing things in store for you this summer. "Be still and know that He is God!" The same God that is with me in Haiti is the same God that is with you in Charlotte. Everything we do is for His kingdom. Your smile, your laugh, your humor can help minister to so many people. You dont always have to think you have to be in another country. I know that we will experience something like this together eventually! But this is our time to be on our own and allow God to just do His work in us. I love you so much!
Ive had to remind myself that its okay to miss someone and to cry. But we must trust God and not allow our emotions to distract what God wants to do through us.
I am so blessed to say that I have a twin sister as special as Brooke. I love you

"For every time you fall apart, there will be a sould to guide your journey. And when you chose to turn away, there in the mirror you will see my face."

One Day Away

I cant believe I will be in Haiti in less than 24 hours. The team has gathered in Miami for a briefing to just get to know each other and get in Gods word before we head off to an adventure that will will be challenging and also extremely beautiful. Although I just left home yesterday, I feel like I have been here much longer. Half of that is because I miss my twin sister already, but the other half is because the relationships I have built are already incredible. Its crazy to be on a team with 26 strangers knowing that through this 5 week journey their going to become family. In just a matter of spending a day, and sharing testimonies with each other, I feel like they already are family in a sense.
I am very anxious to get on that plane tomorrow. I know that this trip is going to change my life and my heart forever. The directors have already warned everybody that there will be times that are extremely frustrating. They have told us about the frustration that will come along with being extremely hot and sweaty all the time, eating the same food everyday, and living in such tight corners with 26 people. But the beauty that will come out of this trip will outweigh the frustration that comes along with the challenging times. I am so excited to God to rock my world! I have been thinking about home a lot and the people that I miss already, but I know once I get to Haiti and hold the hands of the any children, I wont even think about anything besides the moment I am in.
Please continue to pray for me, for the team, and for the lives we will minister to.

This is where the briefing is taking place. This is my bible study leaders amazing home in Miami that she has opened up for the team to saty in! Its beautiful and has beeb so fun! 

Love, Cam