A little catch up

Saturday and Sunday were great! 20 people from our home church, Reality LA, got in town for their week long trip. It's so sweet to have people from home here.

Sunday we went to church and it was so encouraging, all about having an attitude of gratitude, something you can't help but feel convicted of in a place like Haiti. Our greatest poverty in the states does not compare to the condition of this country, but yet there is continued joy; so encouraging. We then had the most amazing Haitian meal cooked by one of the Haitian staff, Sentimen, with the Reality team and all the staff from Child Hope. It was so good. We had a short time of prayer which was so encouraging. After that we got to see Ari and the band she's in, "Preacher's for Christ," perform. It was so fun! We spent the rest of the evening relaxing with the Manassero family and watching Elf.

Preacher's for Christ Concert

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Preachers4Christ/222942024406534

Today the team got started early! There is always so much to do here. Another missionary family here is moving from one house to another so we got to help pack, clean the new house, and paint
It's such a blessing to be here and serve and be so encouraged by the Lord. Jake and I both really feel that He is showing us so much about the ministry He has called us to in the states. We have a heart for this country and these amazing people, but for now we feel He is using Haiti in such an amazing to teach us about what He has for us in Los Angeles.
Thank you all so much for prayer for Jake, He's feeling so much better! And I never even caught whatever he had! Please keep all of the full time staff here in prayer. It's natural that there would be incredible attack against people serving Him day in and day out, but it's clear that some days are worse than others, and I know that prayers for strength and endurance would be so appreciated.

A Beautiful Haitian Sunset

Giving Thanks

Thanks be to God for Giving His Son


       Thank you LORD, we finally made it to Haiti! We Landed in Port Au Prince and it was very warm and humid. Instantly we were surrounded by Haitian culture as we heard a Haitian band playing at the bottom of the escalator. It was very welcoming to be ushered in with music, and the musicians seemed really happy. We made our way to the airport transit that drove us to customs check-in. After a surprisingly easy stamp-and-go, we were met by a Haitian named "Mr. Big", who took us to one of the missionaries from the orphanage, his name was Lucas. He was a very fun and humorous individual and he made the ride exciting as we went on our way to Child Hope.

"ITS A MAD HOUSE, A MAD HOUSE!"

            Driving in America, we have lights and stop signs, and people only honk their horn because they're indignant at other drivers. Not here. Driving in Haiti, you just go for it and honk your horn so other drivers know your rushing through the intersection or road way. Not to mention the roads are full of large pot holes and crevasses that shake your car back and forth the whole ride. Needless to say, it was very exciting! Lucas was very well acquainted with the feel of traffic. The most interesting part was the people and the way of life. Apart from the town looking like a Pakistani war zone out of Call of Duty, it was very interesting to see all the details of life and characteristics of culture and living conditions. If a picture speaks a thousand words, this would fall under the speechless category. The earthquake clearly took its toll on the country.

CHILD HOPE HEADQUARTERS

              Arriving at child hope we came to a closed gate with tall stone walls surrounding the border of the house.  Answering the sound of Lucas' car horn was a guard at the gate holding a shot-gun. Ari was there to greet us as we came into what seemed like home. Ari's brothers and sisters we're all playing and friends from the neighborhood were there as well, having water fights in the kitchen made it feel just like home in Eagle Rock. Jacqueline and I were so tired, so Ari insisted we take a rest, so we did and we were out for a good two hours. Thank you LORD for rest!

THANKSGIVING IN HAITI!?

       When we awoke it was time to go to a Thanksgiving get-together at the Manassero's pastor's house. This time we drove in a bus size truck with a hay-ride style seating and metal cage surrounding the back cab where we sat. It seated about 12 comfortably and was kind of like a bird cage on wheels, it was pretty cool. We arrived at a very nice house for the area and gathered together. It was so amazing to see how God took care of his people amongst a poverty stricken place. It was amazing and the food was delicious. Giving thanks to God with other brothers and sisters in the mission field was truly a blessing, and so much fun. When we came back we had a time of worship, giving thanks to God through the fruit of our lips. What a time of worship! It was so sweet and so rich in His Spirit. This has been such an amazing first day in Haiti and we give thanks to God for blessing us with this mission. Thank you LORD!

-Jake

      

Looking to Him

Our First Trip To Haiti Together!!!

"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" - Prov 16:9

As has been the case in basically all areas of our life together so far, we have our ideas and make our plans, but the Lord is the one who always redirects those steps to his path.

Plan:
November 22 - sleep-in a little, run errands, pack, leave for Haiti
November 23 - arrive in Fort Lauderdale 6:30 am, get connecting flight to Port-au-Prince, arrive in Port-au-Prince 9:00 am

Reality:
November 22 - Jake: wake up at 2:30 am with the flu, get sick multiple times, sleep almost not at all, spend all day in bed with a fever teetering between 101 and 103. Pray. Jacqueline: also sleep very little, try to deal with the first time Jake gets this sick, try to pack, and try to not get sick. Pray. Leave for airport, arrive with enough time, get a call from airline during security check saying that because the flight out of LAX is delayed, we will miss our connecting flight to Haiti. Get on plane with hope of somehow making connecting flight.
November 23 - Arrive to Fort Lauderdale at 6:55 am. Get off plane 7:06 am. Go to gate 30 seconds away, find that plane left 6 minutes ago. Find out the next flight is tomorrow morning at 7am. Sit and regroup. Find hotel (complete with a few unwanted crawling friends.) Wait for shuttle. Sleep finally. Pray. Have amazing friends Brooke and Tim come pick us up for dinner and thanksgiving eve service at their church. (Which was such a blessing and encouragement). Sleep!

As I write this I realize the real problem. It has nothing to do with changed plans. The Lord knew before we even booked our tickets that we wouldn't be able to get on that flight. The problem was that after every single thing written there, the word "pray" does not immediately follow. My focus was all wrong the whole time. This is a moment of significant self-realization.
Yesterday morning as we were sitting there not knowing if we were even going to be able to go on this trip, my mom emailed me a devotional my dad had sent her that morning. I will include it here because it was so powerful, and also so insightful to the fact that I am so prone to wander from the Truth I know. I was so encouraged by this, but still so easily forgot to constantly look to Christ throughout the craziness of the day.
Praying you would somehow be encouraged as the Lord convicts and corrects my heart.

The Outward, Upward Look

Charles Spurgeon - "Faith's Checkbook"

"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else"
(Isaiah 45:22).

This is a promise of promises. It lies at the foundation of our spiritual life. Salvation comes through a look at Him who is "a just God and a Saviour." How simple is the direction! "Look unto me." How reasonable is the requirement! Surely the creature should look to the Creator. We have looked elsewhere long enough; it is time that we look alone to Him who invites our expectation and promises to give us His salvation.
Only a look!
Will we not look at once? We are to bring nothing in ourselves but to look outward and upward to our LORD on His throne, whither He has gone up from the cross. A look requires no preparation, no violent effort: it needs neither wit nor wisdom, wealth nor strength. All that we need is in the LORD our God, and if we look to Him for everything, that everything shall be ours, and we shall be saved.
Come, far-off ones, look hither! Ye ends of the earth, turn your eyes this way! As from the furthest regions men may see the sun and enjoy his light, so you who lie in death's borders at the very gates of hell may by a look receive the light of God, the life of heaven, the salvation of the LORD Jesus Christ, who is God and therefore able to save.

So We Got Married ...

Well... It's been a crazy couple of months. I don't think Jake or I could have ever imagined all that the Lord had in store for 2011! It's been the most amazing whirlwind of our lives.

Here's the quickest version of our story:

We met in July 2008 through my friend Emily and his friend Casey who were dating.

We walked together in their wedding in June 2009.

He thought I was in love with him, I thought I wasn't, we'll let the picture speak for itself

We would see each other on and off with our friends. Jake had been praying about if the Lord had anything in store for us over those few years. And in January 2011 the Lord really showed me that Jake was the person I was supposed to marry, and had been confirming the same thing to Jake.

We started dating in March

got engaged in July

and got married in October

all that + the last month and a half = the best 8 months of my life!

Next on the list for this adventure ... Haiti for thanksgiving!

We'll do our best to keep track of that trip and all that the Lord's doing in our lives on here. Please keep us in your prayers, as we have seen the evidence of the power of it, and will openly admit our need for it.

Praise the Lord for His infinite grace, mercy, and faithfulness!

"Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me."
Psalm 103:1-2