Finding Treasures in the Field: Reality...Blessings...Joy

Good Morning from Beautiful Port-de-Paix Haiti!! Sometimes I really can't believe that we actually LIVE here. The "honeymoon" phase is over & reality is definitely here!! By reality I mean we eat rice & beans several times a week, our electricity (that we are fortunate to have) is still being tapped into on a daily basis & stolen so our electricity bill is over $700 dollars each month. The mosquitos NEVER let up, & winter in Haiti means the high is more like 80-90 with a light breeze with lows in the mid 70's. Reality also means you walk everywhere you go or hop on a "taxi" (moto) if you need to go downtown. Wal-Mart is not just down the street & if you want a jar of peanut butter you might just have to spend $12-$17 U.S dollars to purchase some! When you walk down the street between our house & Hope Vision there are children with no shoes, tattered clothing & most are half dressed if that! Their bright eyes look up at you & shine with their big smiles as they run to grab your hand Yelling "Blanc" "Blanc" meaning foreigner or "white person"- it pains me at times because lots of them look to you like you are something special. Like you can "save" the world & help them all. The truth is .....we can't BUT I WISH WE COULD!!! I wish we could help with giving them bagged up Rice & Beans, or helping them go to school, but I know that I can only do what I can do......SO HARD TO ACCEPT SOME DAYS!!! I can ALWAYS be kind & gentle & loving....maybe some how THAT will make a difference. I have taken a soccer ball or two here or there & given it to the boys always playing soccer with a piece of plastic or a small make shift ball. I also know that you can not always just give, give, give. That in itself actually HURTS in many cases. Knowing when & how to help is a hard thing here on a daily basis. I have come to realize NOW more than EVER I MUST rely on my relationship with God & the discerning of the Spirit. I MUST KNOW WHEN He is nudging me to help, to take the extra step, to give the last of what we have. Also I MUST know when he is telling us to tell the man in the wheel chair that we do not have work for him. PLEASE DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME ......Life here is So full of JOY...it is Joy overflowing!! Knowing you are RIGHT where GOD made you to be is the BEST feeling in the world!!
Being able to get up & go play with the babies at Hope Vision & have coffee or just chat with another Missionary friend is a great way to start your day!! Being able to visit the children of Hope Vision at school & they yell out your name when they see you is an AWESOME feeling!! Seeing their BIG smiles & watching them trying hard at school is wonderful. Getting to spend other days at Sonlight Academy (the school our kids attend) is also a HUGE BLESSING!! Last week I got to help the 8th grade with the Olympics & it was such a FUN day!!! I took a few minutes to pop in our kids classrooms to check on them & grab a quick hug....I LOVE THAT!!! I also was blessed to spend last Saturday morning with Mammy (Mrs Norma Alexander) learning how to bake bread, make lots of goodies, & came home with lots of recipes. Mammy is a "seasoned" missionary to Haiti who has been here for over 30 years!!!! SHE KNOWS HOW TO SURVIVE & how to cook here!! This was such a treat for me & Mrs. Irland who helps cook at our house! I was also blessed to be able to help out the House of Moses by teaching English club one Saturday morning. This really is the Life I never dreamed I would live....it is weird how it is the HARDEST thing I have ever done but totally the most rewarding!!!
Thank you all so very much for the Prayers & support!!! I am EXCITED to announce that our tickets to the U.S from Port-au-prince have been purchased!!! THANK YOU to Mrs. Drucie Brown who already does so much in Haiti but Blessed us with this help!!!! We are so happy that all we have left is the travel costs for our family from Port-de-Paix to Port-au_prince!! Thank you to ALL that support our family here!! Your support is HOW we are able to live here & help others!! This is how we are able to purchase food to share with others including Hope Vision when they don't have enough food to feed all of the children!!!
For those that have asked you can now give through the secure site on our blog by paypal or by credit/debit card!! You can also mail your support to AIM - PO Box 2030 - Robertsdale, AL 36567. I do however feel that I need to let you know that we receive a transfer once a month form AIM & it is on the first Thursday of the month. If they do not receive support in time to be processed & sent on this day it will have to wait until the following month. Thank you for ALL that you do give!!

IF you are interested in coming on a Mission trip PLEASE email us for more information - lipscombsinhaiti@gmail.com - The cost varies some but for a Ballpark amount - you usually purchase your roundtrip ticket to Port-au-Prince Haiti from your airport of choice ($450-$650) usually from all I have priced out & then your cost in Haiti are around $650 dollars. This includes transfers to & from the airport in Haiti, travel to the northern tip of the island where we are by bus & or plane, all food & lodging plus some extras!!

***For anyone interested in coming to Haiti soon we have a team coming April 26th-May 3rd of this year & they have several spots available on their team!!! The team is from South Alabama but you DO NOT have to be!! You can meet the rest of the team in Miami, FL as you fly in to Haiti!! Please email me if you are interested at lipscombsinhatiti@gmail.com - The team leaders name is Natalie Gaines & she has been to Haiti before - here is her contact information - Natalie Gaines email: natpg07@gmail.com & phone # is 251-402-5711 - If you are interested in coming any time this fall/early winter -(September- December 2014) we are starting to book those trips too!! Please let us know if you are interested!

We have some prayer request we would like to ask you to pray with us about -

PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Mr Ron Cockerham (Missionary at Hope Vision) is having a Skin Cancer removed from his back this morning in Haiti. He & Mrs Karen will be traveling to Port-au-Prince tomorrow & on to the U.S for the rest of Feb & March! Pray that the CA is removed with NO problems, it is encapsulated, & they get it all then he will be free & clear from Cancer!!! Pray for their travels & for them to get some rest in the states!!!
2. Pray for AIM. As I type this Mike Sullivan, Rodney Phillips, Both co-founders of AIM are in India seeking how God may want them to help there! With them is Bert Jones a board member of AIM & a personal friend of ours. Also another missionary Jacob Baker who are all together in India! Pray for God's will for all of them, guidance, wisdom & discernment!! Pray for their travels also!!
3. Pray for Edril's visitor's visa! Pray for FAVOR with those who are making the decisions in Haiti. WE will be applying for his visa in the next few weeks!!!
4. Pray for Lovlie Geffard from the House of Moses who has had severe ear pains for years now, with migraines. She had an MRI yesterday & everyone is awaiting the results!! Pray for her & her mom Christi Barnes as they travel to try to seek medical help for Lovlie & for DEVINE HEALING!!!!
5.Pray for the teams coming in the next few weeks & that GOD will show us exaclty WHAT he wants us to do & WHO he wants us to help & bless while they are here!!!
6. Pray for our family & our monthly support to be consistent & to increase so that we may do more for the Kingdom!! Pray for God's will in ALL that we do & that others will see Jesus in our family on a daily basis!! Pray we grasp creole better & continue to learn!
7. Please continue to Pray for Pastor Andy & all the children at Hope Vision!! For the funds to come in to complete the building project of the new home of Hope Vision!!

I wanted to add a few pictures from the past few weeks.....I LOVE PICTURES! I feel like pictures tell a story all by themselves!!

The School for Hope Vision