Sonlight Academy- Meeting The Alexanders

Sonlight Academy is located in Port-de-Paix, Haiti.  Above is a picture taken before school one morning while the children were saying the pledge.  The school has between 300-350 students from K4-12th grade.  Sonlight teaches the truths of the Bible & encourages the children's Faith in Jesus.  It is also an English-Immersion school.  Haiti's spoken language is Hatian Creole but when children enter K4 everything is taught in English.  All of these children are also taught French.  Yes, they start teaching them in K4!!!! Everyday, ALL students have French class.  I was seriously blown away that ALL of these kids are fluent in 3 languages!!!!  This past week we had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful new friends. We met many, many Fabulous Teachers who's LOVE for Jesus & the Hatian People just made me overflow with JOY!!  I hope to introduce you to a few of these Great Teachers throughout this week. First I would like to share a little about the family that started it all.  Roger & Norma Alexander moved to Haiti in 1983 & started Sonlight in 1986.  You can read all about Sonlight at http://www.sonlightministries.org/, but I want to share what I saw now.....some 28 years after they moved to Haiti.
  We arrived late on a Saturday afternoon & we were immediatly welcomed by both of them.  Mrs. Norma gave hugs & kisses & welcomed us with open arms.  She pulled out a chair on her outside patio & just sat down & got to know us.  I will admit it took me a few days to get use to her hospitality.  I know that sounds weird, after all I am from the south. :D  But I had gone to Haiti on a Mission trip....to help others...to serve where ever needed, NOT be served!!! But this my friends is what Mrs. Norma does BEST!! She had iced tea waiting or fresh coffee Always!!  She made the BEST food.  Her table was set like we were somebody special coming for Sunday Dinner.....Every time!!!  I Loved to sit & visit with her, to hear about the mission, her children growing up & her grandchildren.  I Miss her already!!! I have decided when I grow up....if I ever do..lol....I want to be just like Mammie (sp?)...that's what her grandchildren call her!!  The absolute pure LOVE & Joy of Jesus come from her at all times!!! Please GOD let me serve others & love like that!!  Mr. Alexander was busy working so much of the time.  I really enjoyed the few times I got to visit with him.  Gordon however got to spend a LOT of time working with him this week & he really really enjoyed it.  I often heard them discussing things like politics, life in Haiti, & Family issues......Gordon was loving every minute!!  I will share a few pic of them.  I have been blessed to have just met them!!

Gordon visiting with Mrs. Norma

I thought they said they were working???

Homemade Pizza Anyone???

Gordon & I enjoying Sunday Dinner.

Yes, this is what I was talking about!!!

Mr. Roger playing balloon toss with his grandson Chase.

Waiving Goodbye to our group after fixing a great breakfast at 5am!!!!!  Can't you just see what I am talking about!! Yes......I Miss them both!

I FOUND MY TREASURE

Today I want to share so much.  I really have no idea how to begin!  First I should start by telling you about a TV Evangelist I saw a few years back.  I cannot for the life of me remember who it was BUT I DO REMEMBER HIS MESSAGE!! He was preaching/teaching (often called Treaching) :D from Matthew 6:21....For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  What he said was "FIND YOUR TREASURE"...."& YOU WILL FIND YOUR FIELD!!".....He was teaching on Finding GOD's Will for your Life.  It was an Awesome Message & it stuck with me.  Burning in my heart since then have been the words....."when You find Your Treasure then you have found YOUR FIELD".....the field God has called you to!!!  Well I am SO VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT AT 38 YEARS OLD ANGIE SIMMONS LIPSCOMB, Wife, Mother of 7, Sister, Nurse, Friend has finally Found MY TREASURE.  I have finally found "my field".  MY HEART IS ON FIRE, IT'S ALL CONSUMING..........MY TREASURE, MY HEART, IS IN HAITI.  This is so very Hard to explain to so many......but others seem to grasp it right away.  To me the Best way to explain it is IT IS A GOD PLACED DESIRE/FIRE.  Some may think I have "lost it", or not understand.  They may not see what I see when I am in Haiti.  Maybe I'm even looking through Rose colored glasses.  That's ok by me.....I think God placed them there!! Every Day in Haiti is Beautiful to me, the people, the trees, the breeze, the food, every sunset, the simplicity of life, I really could go on & on. HERE IS THE BIG NEWS..... My Husband & I have applied to be Missionaries to Haiti.  To work & Teach at an Amazingly Wonderful School called Sonlight Academy in Port-de-Piax, Haiti.  Hopefully throughout the next week or so I will find the time to share about the Wonderful people we met on our trip last week & about the school itself. 
After much prayer I realize God never said doing what he calls you to do would be easy.  But he did say he will Always be there & Never leave us.  Over & over lately I keep reading about how God says we are the SALT & the LIGHT of the WORLD.........What would the world be like without salt???? We can't even imagine our lives without Light!!!  I do believe God wants my family to be the Salt & the Light in this world.  To Love the Haitian people......to share the Love of Jesus.

Mark 16:15 - ...."Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

This will not be a quick process.  We will be here another year as we prepare.  With a family this size we will need lots of prayer & support, but we have NO DOUBT this is what God has called us to do!
Love to ALL,

Angie & Gordon

A Ticket To Heaven

Today I would like to tell you how VERY Proud I am of my children. I am such a Blessed Mom to have 7 wonderful kiddos. Yes, they still make mistakes as we all do. Yes, I still get frustrated like all parents.  Knowing that my children are trying to live for Jesus & find HIS WILL for their lives makes me overflow with pure Joy!!!! Outside of their Salvation, finding HIS WILL is the Most Important thing to me. Today I wanted to share with you about my daughter Sarah Beth who will be 12 this Friday 4/29.  Last year when Sarah Beth arrived home from church camp she proudly told me that she knew what God wanted her to be.  She told me without a doubt that she was going to be a Missionary.  We talked alot about Missions, different places in the world, and how God places different calling's on people & how God gives people different gifts.  We talked about friends we have that are Missionaries...... the McMath's who are going to Spain, the Jacob's Family in Nepal, & several friends in Haiti. She has continued talking about this off & on since last Summer.  OK, so fast forward to Easter Sunday (2 days ago)........ 6 of my children were riding in the van with me as I was going to see a patient.  Unable to make it to church because of work we were having a BIG discussion in the vehicle during our 30 minute drive!!  We were talking about Jesus dying on the cross for us & how much he loved us.  I wanted to make sure they understood how he suffered for us.  He gave up HIS LIFE for all of us.  They were EXCITED to talk about His Resurrection, what that meant, & how that changed our Relationship with him!!!  Sarah Beth looked up scriptures & read from the Bible to share with her younger siblings as I drove.   (another Proud moment as a mom) :D  When we were finished with our discussion Sarah Beth had gotten quiet, she seemed to be in deep thought.  After a minute or two she said, "Mom, I had a really weird dream last night."   I asked her if she wanted to talk about it.  She smiled & said "it was really really weird!!"  I laughed & said "people have weird dreams all the time."  So she began to share......... We were all in an airport & had lots of luggage with us.  I think we were leaving the country.  The weird thing was there were a lot of people who didn't want me to go.  They all kept trying to give me stuff & Promise me lots of things if I would stay.  Being a Mom I asked the BIG question....."do you know who it was???"  Sarah Beth said "No, I couldn't see their faces, but I think they were friends. People who loved me.  They were trying to give me Candy, they were promising to take me on trips & buy me anything I wanted if I would stay."  So then that is when my Sweet SarahBeth said to me  "I asked them if they could give me A Ticket to Heaven."  The people said "No, we Can't."  She said "well, I'm sorry I have to go!! This is what God wants me to do!!!  She said that's when she picked up he luggage & started walking toward her plane & then she woke up.  I HAD CHILLS ALL OVER & WAS TRYING TO FIGHT BACK THE TEARS as the 11 years old said "isn't that weird mom, but it seemed so Real."  WoW!!  That is when I took the opportunity to talk about the many ways God talks to us and about following God even when others don't understand, even family & those who love you most! THANK YOU LORD FOR THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH MY CHILDREN!!!

This is a picture of SarahBeth & I from a field trip to New Orleans yesterday!! The day after our Big discussion!     Lord what do YOU want me to do? (Ac 9:6 NKJV)