New Desks for New Hope School

I never would have imagined from one conversation what has transpired, I know I still haven’t seen all the impact. Last Spring when I was in the States I had the opportunity to speak at 2 Kiwanis meetings. I really didn’t know that much about Kiwanis just that they were business driven and hey – I could come and share about Haiti – my favorite subject and I could get a free meal. At the one meeting in Ortonville, MN; I was asked to share by the United Methodist pastor from that town. After the meeting a gentleman, Brent Olson came to talk to me about some desks that he had that he wanted to deliver to Haiti. Brent is a story teller. Some desks were being made to send to Haiti and a couple other countries out of pine wood. An old farmer from Minnesota saw these and knew the wood was not strong enough to last very long. He had some Ash trees and decided to donate them all so some really strong desks could be made. Brent had filmed the trees, the farmer, all the people from the church working at building the desks; now he needed a home for the desks to finish the story.


I shared with him about the New Hope Elementary School with Living Media International that I would be involved in when I returned to Haiti. As of now the school consisted of a tin roof that a team put on in the Spring and tarps for walls. So I thought they might definitely be able to use some desks. I told him I had other contacts too if he was looking at delivering them in the city instead of the countryside. I realize many people were directly wanting to help with earthquake relief.

I really didn’t know what to expect after the conversation, but wanted to be of all the help I could.

I am always amazed by the way God works because 5 months later Brent and his wife, Robin were staying at my house in Haiti. Along with them in Haiti was Brent’s sister and brother-in-law (Myrlah and Joe) and 3 custom made desks that would fit on the plane.

Joe is a Videographer and came to finish filming the story of how a good ‘ol farmer from Minnesota who doesn’t have a lot donated his ash wood trees so that children in another country would have stronger desks. Brent is a story teller and has written a couple of books, I encourage you to check out www.independentlyspeaking.com Robin is a baby magnet and could not get enough of the beautiful Haitian children, or they couldn’t get enough of her; as well as Myrlah. Myrlah was also excited to see the Health Clinic in Mizak and see what they might need assistance with in the future.

It was a joy to see the kids building those desks after I had seen the desk for the first time sitting at the front of the UMC in Ortonville, MN ready to be blessed and sent to their Annual Conference to be blessed and prayed over by the whole conference. Sometimes you just have to stand back and be impressed at what God is able to pull all together with a few faithful servants. You never know when God might be able to use you for something truly beautiful, so be open and listen to callings to share your gifts with others. You will be amazed.

Today was nearly a typical day in Haiti, but all together it was fabulous!

I woke up early like 5:00 am and read for awhile. Then I went for a short walk up the mountain to sit and visit with God a bit. I came back a bit later ready for breakfast of oatmeal, but was pleasantly surprised by soup (yea, we eat soup for breakfast in Haiti). After I prepared to walk down to New Life Elementary School with LMI to take photos of the new books they received today. Most of the distributing had already been done, but the kids were still excited and looking through their brand new books. The teachers were really happy too. They were also encouraging the rest of the kids to bring their ‘tuition’ for school so they could receive their books. Our school is a community school (or ‘free’ school) many kids in Haiti cannot afford to go to school, so that is why this school was started. However, children are still required to pay 150Goudes (about $4); this to help cover a portion of their books. So, I took some photos and then headed back to my house. As I passed by Paul’s house on the way, I saw one of the translators for HAPI on the porch. I hadn’t seen Arold in a long time and always enjoy seeing him. He and one of the gentlemen from the Canadian team they have were just sitting on the porch visiting. I sat and visited with them for awhile, it is always great to hear stories of how people end up coming today. This story was about a Bluegrass band fundraiser and a photo of a precious little Haitian girl named Sonya. Paul was visiting with some ladies from another organization in Jacmel so I headed on my way home.

There I arranged my bag again with Laptop in hand to head down to The Center/Art Gallery. Just as I was leaving, Gabriel says, ‘oh, Angelica I was going to send you with some popcorn before you leave.’ I dropped my bag down and said I could wait, for popcorn I can wait! As I waited I made some beads. I walked down to the center with Raphael (Papi) and we met Lee in the road. Lee was coming to see us so he and Papi could go check on a desk for The Center. They checked, I kept walking so I could say hi to the folks who used to cook for me. I also passed by the clinic and visited with Jacquiline. After collecting some things from Lee’s house to take to the Gallery we were all on our way. First we enjoyed ‘lunch’ popcorn and coke and then I showed Lee the brochure for dreamer program I finished. Then Papi and I got after cleaning up and rearranging the Gallery. It was a big chore because we haven’t had any rain for some time, everything is covered in dust. Plus we have more items, so I had to find space for it all.

During the midst of this Tigo came by with a ‘present’ – It was my old camera! I thought it was lost but turns out I had left it in his truck. Tigo hung out and helped clean and detangle mobiles. Lee then started hanging some of the paintings and arranging the sign outside. We all headed home late in the afternoon ready for our ‘showers’ for the day. Upon returning home we were given bean sauce with yams. Shortly after Gabriel arrived home and I started helping her make Lasagna. We made everything from scratch and it turned out amazing, except the cat stole the rest of the cheese I would have used for an omelet the next day. Gabriel sat and ate with us and Lee came by later to try the lasagna.

The rest of the night I just relaxed and read at the house until turning off the flashlight around 8:00pm. Great work filled, fun filled, all around Haitian day – including the random visits.

Christmas Eve Service

It was your ‘normal’ Christmas Eve Service as I have normally experienced it. You read through the scriptures in the New Testament, which involve the story of the birth of Jesus; Mary being told she was pregnant up to the wise men coming. And we all sing the traditional songs in between. ‘Hark the Harold Angels Sing’, which I believe you should always stand for. How can you not? And the other songs such as ‘ We Three Kings’, ‘Bethlehem’, ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ (oh wait that isn’t for this story but still one of my favorites). But you always end with ‘Silent Night’ and the lights are turned off, the candlelight begins with the Christ candle at the front of the church and then is passed one at a time from person to person. As I looked at the little light in my hand I smiled; then I slowly turned to see the other lights in the room. Everyone had their little candle in front of their face and you could feel the warmth and energy in the room. It wasn’t just candles, it is easy to see the light in the darkness; even the small candlelight helps us all see. But in the world when we have all the ‘light’ or endless supplies of distractions in our lives, it makes it hard to see our light of Christ shining with in to others in the world.

That light always seems more visible in children to me, doesn’t it? They are still pure from the love of God and haven’t yet been completely consumed by the distractions yet. I was reminded of this at the second Christmas Eve service (yes I went to two, my mother is a pastor). As the same service, same story was repeated again, I listened. And this time we did stand for “Hark the Harold Angels Sing”! Other than that have to admit I was a bit distracted. Everything was plugging along the same ready to light the Christ candle and all the other candles in the room, just like before. The ushers lit their candles from the pastors then began passing the light down the eisles. Suddenly a little boy ran up to the front from the back of the church to get the light from the pastor. As he walked back to his seat or should I say crept back, because he was moving very, very slow; he was watching that little light with great intensity and protecting it from going out. He continued to watch and smile all the way back, like he just captured the greatest thing in the world and couldn’t keep his eyes off it. His parents were of course embarrassed and apologized for him running up and distracting everyone.

I just smiled too and tears came to my eyes as I thought – “But that is what it is about!” Jesus didn’t come so we would continue to act like everyone else! He challenged us to seek out what is right. Find the love in the world and share it with others. Stand up for justice. Maybe even move to another country or dare I say step out of line at church and run like a child to search for the light of Christ.

~Presence~

(Some of these reflections I found from a while back when I was working with CoffeeLoft.org as the director for the campus ministry. But I thought they were important to share.)

We simply don’t realize the impact ‘presence has. This has been a reoccurring theme throughout the last couple of months.


The first was a thank you note I received from one of my Haitian friends. He went on and on about all I had done for him and his family. This was during the time of the earthquake in Haiti. I was stunned; just that day I was thinking – ‘Have I done anything?’ I felt lost and heartbroken because – ‘What can I do?’ But he said you call and you care and you help us connect us to our other family members. I cried. It was just my call that made a difference and nothing more.


The second was when I went to the funeral of an elderly long term member of our church. I knew I needed to go not because I knew him. But because of his and his wife’s ‘presence’ in the church. They have been lifelong members; they are what I would call ‘Saints’ in the church. But since I have been here I haven’t seen them involved other then tentatively attending every Sunday. But there ‘presence’ speaks to their servitude to God.


And tonight -sometimes campus ministry and church in general are hard. We don’t see people in the pews on Sunday morning and we wonder – are we doing something wrong? Are we sharing Christ with others? But we need to look at our ‘presence’. What does our ‘presence’ say in the community?


We used to have a monthly activity with CoffeeLoft.org known as Coffee Loft Live Music, a jam session in the ‘Loft’ (upstairs) of our church where students come and listen to music of their peers and enjoy coffee and Italian sodas in a candlelit setting with crayons and newsprint on the tables. As some of the students were walking up the stairs, they mentioned how they had volunteered for Welcome Table here in the church. (Welcome Table is a weekly community meal open to everyone and served by people in the community.) So as I sat in a filled room with over 60 students listening to the low key relaxing music and enjoying the presence of the spirit; I was a little sad as I thought in many peoples’ eyes this would not count as ‘church’ or ‘ministry’ because 80% of those students might never sit in the pew Sunday morning. But I believe down the road when they are thinking about churches and experiences they will remember that First UMC in Vermillion that had a jam session for the students and created a place that they could just hang out and relax. And they will think of Welcome Table – that as a college student (and member of the community) they could come and get a free meal and also help serve that meal. They felt and experienced the presence of the church without sitting in church Sunday morning.

It is our presence in the world everyday that shows people our relationship with Jesus. It is the simple things we do every day in our lives for others that shows our spirits to the world. And then I believe when you live your lives that way and you come together Sunday morning with others who live their lives in the same fashion that is when you really worship and celebrate all the gifts and grace that God has given us and that we are able to share with others. So on Sunday morning how can you not stand up and be excited; sing with all your heart and praise the amazement of God in the world.

No warm water that I was expecting

Daily life. I am a ‘nester’. Typically women are by nature, however this can seem tricky in a different culture. I have my own little house now that I fixed up from a local family. I - or rather I should say the 1st United Methodist Church in Vermillion and other donors fixed up the house for me to live there, because they help support so much of the work I do in Haiti. So I can use the house for as long as I need it, but the house is right on the property with the family. We have one outhouse and one shower and one little half done kitchen and one barrel of water. Today I was frustrated because I put out water in the sun for my bath this afternoon. It has been cold here and it has probably been four days since I have washed my hair, so I needed some warm water. When I came back to my house I didn’t see the water, the jug - the water was in was sitting empty. I was disappointed but I knew the lady that washes my clothes came today so the water was probably used for that. I asked Philo (the mama) and she immediately searched for water and found some that I am pretty sure was going to be used to wash the dishes. But she washed out a 3 gallon bucket to put some of the water in so I could bathe and wash my hair. So - that is a half full 3 gallon bucket of water, but the sun was shining and I washed my hair so I was pretty happy. But still I found myself going over in my head how it is sometimes frustrating living with other people and especially in a country where you have so little to share. But still we all manage and somehow, as this photo reminded me as I looked through them this evening we stay happy.

This is Eugenie (Gabriel) one of the family members taken one morning in the ‘kitchen’ as she was beginning to make coffee. I thought she looked beautiful sitting there so I took a picture but she jumped up in the photo. After she let me take this cheesy one, but she is still beautiful.

           This idea of what is a blessing was being talked about in my home church and people from my mother’s church during the Advent season. It is because they were all doing an Advent Study from Adam Hamliton book ‘The Journey’. I have not read the book nor watched the series but have just caught two discussions on ‘blessings’. Both sets of people talked about that they had never thought about blessings as was discussed in the book. Most people think of blessings as the ‘things’ we have in our life. These aren’t always just material things but also things like good health, a happy family, etc. I was sort of surprised by this. Because truly I have felt blessed in my life, but not with wealth. I feel it inside in my core in my spirit, just a feeling of being loved and being safe. This came to life this morning in Haiti. I felt refreshed and energized at 6:00 in the morning as I walked to watch the sunrise at the top of the hill near my house where you can see God in all directions.  I thought there and thought about blessings. I have been blessed because I have been shown the grace and love of God throughout my lifetime by many different people and experiences. I think because of that I see the beauty in the world, in the little things. I look at the colors and am awed. As I walked back to my house thinking about blessings, I am blessed too by my material possessions in Haiti, and yet by U.S. standards this would not be so. I have a little 2 room house that doesn’t leak, I have food minimum of twice a day (mostly 3 times a day), and someone else goes and gets water so that I can ‘take a shower’. I don’t have electricity, running water, a TV, or a refrigerator; and yet I am indeed blessed with material things too.

When talking about material possessions and blessing, someone asked me ‘well what about the ‘things’ in your life?’. In the states I have said that I was blessed to have 2 vehicles, one being a truck, so I always felt a responsibility for sharing that ‘blessing’ of a truck or even the car with others. But I don’t know that I actually consider it a ‘blessing’, it seems a little superficial for how much deeper a ‘blessing’ is in our life. A pastor friend then asked me – ‘well what about you working in Haiti. If someone is starving and in need of food and they do a food distribution isn’t that a blessing?’ I thought about it and yes I guess that is – but then I would describe a blessing as taking care of a basic need we have for life. In that case it would also be someone else that was being a blessing.

The other ‘Things’ we have in our lives are not ‘blessing’ but just extra perks. Blessings are something deep and rich, that touch your soul by God. I don’t really consider my TV in this category. Now know, because of blessings – if you are truly blessed, you need to be a blessing to others. And I believe if you really feel it – you can’t help but not to bless other people with your life. I learned this depth of giving and being a blessing to others in the world more richly from my church family at the UMC in Vermillion. Although we are not a very large church it is working and living out blessings in the neighborhood and the world. This is what Jesus was teaching us to be in the world. First we are shown this Amazing Love and then we have to share it. This is such a cliché phrase, but I think but it is true when you feel it in your spirit - “Blessed to be a blessing.”