"GOTCHA" Day/Birthday Celebration 2014

Tomorrow February 5th is a BIG day for Celebration at our house!!!! Nope....not because it is my Birthday! :D I realized 4 years ago just how Smart God is - bahahaha - he KNEW that I would soon want to stop counting my Birthday & gave us another reason to Celebrate this day!!! He truly knows what he is doing. So today instead of me turning 41 - we Celebrate "Gotcha" DAY!! Some are asking - What is Gotcha day??? In the Adoption World it is one of the most wonderful days of your life!!! It is the day our 3 youngest children came home from Haiti to live with us FOREVER!!!

The last few days I have been looking back at all of our pictures from that 1st trip to Haiti in January 2010.  I have been reminded of ALL that God did for us. Our children were so little when they got to come "home" & live with us.  Levi was then 2 & the twins were 3 months old. We are all they truly remember.  I also look back & realize other things. One thing I look back & will always remember is how I felt when we first arrived in Haiti.  I had a Peace on that trip that is so very hard to explain. I remember walking down the road from the creche' (children's home) & heading toward the missionaries house & telling Gordon "I could live here"!! He, at the time thought I had lost my mind ....but God later changed his! On that trip I also remember sitting with a group of Haitians & Americans playing the guitar & singing Praise & Worship music in that small little living room...all sitting on the floor.  I felt the presence of God as much if not more than ever before.  I had to get up & leave the room. I walked out back ..... outside the house & just talked to God.  I felt like I could just reach out & touch Him. The images in my mind will stay there forever.  I left that trip with a longing for Haiti that I could NEVER Explain to anyone that hasn't felt a calling like that before.  Each trip back for the next few years I had the SAME feeling as I did then.  - I think back on a few other things as well. 1. On that very first trip we met Pastor Andy who now runs Hope Vision as well as some of the children that still live there. 2. We met & became friends with John & Carmen Niehaus. Carmen is the daughter of the Alexanders who founded Sonlight. Carmen has lived here & been the Principal of the Academy for 25+ years.  Funny how when we slept on the U.S. Embassy floor for 4-5 days back then, chatted & became friends I didn't realize that friendship would be what would bring Gordon & I back to Haiti on that next Mission trip. Because of that we came back every year for 3 years & made many other friends here in Port-de-Paix.  This in itself has been HUGE in helping us feel at home since we moved.  I love looking back & seeing how God put those pieces of the puzzle in our lives together!! :) -

Every day in Haiti is not easy. Every day in Haiti we are not out "saving the world".  Actually we are not doing that at all.  I know some peoples perception of "whatever" Missionaries do is so far different from actual life. Some days we feel as if we are just in survival mode. But, most days we are just living life. We are loving those people God puts in our path. We are trying to be the Light of Jesus in this part of the world God has placed us in. Some days we get to bless others....some days they bless us!! We get to make a difference in one persons life at a time. We try to help show others Haiti through bringing in short term teams & Bless whomever God shows us whenever we can! We try our best to raise awareness of the needs at Hope Vision & the need for the new Home for the children. We truly try to just stay open to whatever God wants us to do Every single day!!

I have to add as I sit typing this our electricity has gone out.  I also found out our electricity bill is ....ummm, how do I say EXTREMELY HIGH! :(.........AGAIN!!! I PRAY we find a way to keep people from tapping into our line & stealing. This is crazy......over $700 dollars for electricity????? ! It is 6:35pm & it is PITCH BLACK. My husband went to crank our generator & ....it won't crank!!! :( - in another world I would be having a melt down. Tonight - I am laughing (not at the bill mind you....just the situation) :D JESUS - JESUS - JESUS!! That is all I can say about that!!!!!

I normally wouldn't do this BUT ......I DO HAVE A BIG BIRTHDAY / GOTCHA DAY WISH.....we are still in need of Money for our flights home this summer so we can share about Haiti, raise much needed support & see our family. We know so many of you support us monthly & we are so very thankful for you. WE also know we have many great friends & family who send us encouraging words & pray for us but can not support us monthly at this time.  We totally understand that BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH OUR PLANE TICKETS.  I talked with a few people & thought we would put this out there & ask if you could help raise this money TODAY/TOMORROW on our SPECIAL DAY!!! AIM (Assisting International Missions) has created a "Donate" button that we added to our blog today - SEE THE TOP RIGHT CORNER!! We need to raise $4314 dollars total for our flights! Can you Help?? Any amount would be greatly appreciated!! Please feel free to share with your friends too! (**you can give via PayPal, or credit card & this is a secure site)

*ALL MONEY GOES STRAIGHT TO AIM (who is a non-profit, 501c3 organization & is tax exempt) & they will transfer to us! PLEASE PRAY WITH US ABOUT THIS! I KNOW MY GOD IS ABLE!!  WE LOVE YOU ALL & CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU THIS SUMMER!

Please if you have ANY questions please send them to us - lipscombsinhaiti@gmail.com

Thought we would share a few pictures from then.....& now!!!
MUCH LOVE - Angie & The Lipscomb Family

Headed Home from Haiti 2010...leaving Haiti on a US Air Force plane

Our plane from Miami to Pensacola Florida (Home)

Our first Sunday morning at our Home Church!! Robertsdale First Assembly of God!

Gordon & Our Awesome Pastor Mike Lynn with our babies

Our first family photos taken by SoLife studios - August 2010 we loved them.

Family Vacation To Disney World!!!! 2013

Headed to church in Haiti last Sunday!!  (SarahBeth, Caroline, Meredith, Levi, & Gabriella)

Dad, Edril, & Gabriel last Sunday before church!! 

THINKING ABOUT A MISSION TRIP??

Have you ever thought about taking a Mission trip?  Maybe you are wondering what you would do on a mission trip. Well let me tell you how you might spend your time here on a short term trip to Port-de-Paix, Haiti!

You might spend some time in a classroom at a local school where they are making a HUGE difference in the childrens lives & teaching them about Jesus. Don't worry thinking...."I'm not a teacher" -You could read a book to the school children or just play a game of kickball. You could bring in much needed supplies & clothing for the children of Hope Vision & other local orphanages.  You can visit the hospital here & pray with the sick.  You may decide to sponsor a child at the orphanage, the school, or the House of Moses! You will get the chance to try Haitian food & transportation......who knows....you might even like it!!! :D  You may make new friends, the kind of friendships that last a lifetime!!! You could help purchase food for the kids at the orphanage, play with the kids & just share the love of Jesus!  You might see the Beauty of Haiti, take a hike, visit the market or even help build the new childrens home for Hope Vision.  Maybe....just maybe the trip would change a life.... Maybe even YOURS???

For more information on coming on a short-term mission trip to Haiti & staying with us please email us at lipscombsinhaiti@gmail.com

We put together a little video so that you can see what a great time you will have while here in Haiti!!

*Please share with your friends! We would LOVE to see you in Haiti! We are currently scheduling teams for Fall/Winter 2014! (September through December)

Good Morning

GOOD MORNING!!! I woke up this morning with all of this on my mind - I thought I would share!!! 

   The past few weeks in Haiti have brought so much Peace & Joy.  God is doing Great things.  Being here in Haiti is teaching me/us what I thought I already knew!! :D  It is easy for me to say "God is in control" or "His timing is perfect" but when you truly learn to KNOW & LIVE that -----> things really begin to change!! I thought that praying for the last few years about moving to Haiti….all the tears….the strong pull we felt to come here…..the doors not opening when we were SURE that they were…..the continued prayers….& just learning to WAIT on God had in some way taught me that lesson! HAHAHAHA, let me just laugh at myself now!! With God there is always something to learn. Kind of like reading a verse in your bible for years & knowing the meaning & then one day WHAM -God revealing that verse to you in a different way. I sometimes think it feels like that! 

 

  I look back some days & realize I am a totally different person than I once was. I once just went along with the flow, I wasn't overly organized, I was always happy & I was just totally laid back. Somewhere in life, I think as a defense mechanism, I became a person of Control.  NO, I didn't want to control others….well, unless you lived in my house, or it had anything to do with our family....but I thought I HAD to be in control in my life. I think this way I thought, no one could ever again "jerk the rug" out from under me, I guess you could say.  I would make the decisions, I would know WHAT was going on, & I learned to like controlling my/our life. Sometimes it was totally overwhelming, exhausting even BUT I learned to like the control.  Well, several years ago God totally changed my life….once again he set me on His Path. I have prayed for Wisdom, Guidance, & even Patience. God has slowly changed SO MUCH about me & I am thankfully learning to "let" God be the leader in my life.  I have learned HIS ways are ALWAYS best! HIS timing is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT & when you REALLY give your life to him & step out in Faith……when you "Get out of the Boat" he will not let you sink!!! A few times I have started sinking….or I felt like I was, that is when I realized that I had taken my eyes off Jesus & started trying to "fix" things myself…..AGAIN!!!!! Sometimes we have to get to "the end of our rope", "hit a wall" , etc before we STOP trying to do it all by our self & just say -God I need you, I need your will more than ever & I ask that you show me. God please help ......I do not know what to do!      As I sit here blogging this morning I am so thankful for the new friendships God has given us lately & the hearts he is mending.  I am thankful for those friends who are always here to uplift & encourage. I am thankful God has moved us to Haiti & is stretching us in every direction.....it has made me realize that GOD really is the one in control here & I can just RELAX & enjoy life!! Not to mention HIS plans are Always WAY better than mine.....dreams I could not even fathom!! NOPE....I do not have all the answers! YEP, there are things I wish God would let me know! (Sooner rather than later) :D BUT I do know that I am walking in a Crazy Peace I did not know I could have.  I mean a CRAZY CRAZY I have NO IDEA what is going on PEACE!!!! A Peace that says GOD is going to take care of ALL of our needs according to HIS riches in Glory (taken from Phil 4:19)  - I know he will light the path & show us his ways when HE wants to, he will provide each need when HIS timing is RIght & you better believe it will be so HE GETS THE GLORY!!! <3 <3

My prayer today is that if you do not have this PEACE that you STOP whatever it is your doing & just talk to God! It doesn't have to be some formal prayer, it doesn't have to be out loud, just talk to him like you would talk to your BEST friend about what you are thinking, what your worries are, & HE will listen & He will answer!!! Maybe long ago you were close to HIM, maybe it has been years since you talked to God ......guess what.....He is the ALPHA & the OMEGA, he is the beginning & the end....HE NEVER CHANGES....he is the same Yesterday, Today, & Forever.....All you have to do is talk to HIM! Don't let Satan the FATHER of ALL lies tell you that God isn't listening, SATAN IS A LIAR.....GOD CARES....NO MATTER WHAT you have done, No matter how long it has been.....ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU & Really ask him to change your heart & seek him.....I feel like this is for someone this morning.....God is a God of Love, Mercy, & Grace & I am so THANKFUL for that!!! IF I can pray for you PLEASE let me know!!

** send me an email - lipscombsinhaiti@gmail.com - I just wanted to add a picture of our family (except for Tyler who is in college in Arkansas) & a picture of the beautiful city of Port-de-Paix, Haiti. Thank you for praying for us & for God's will for our family!! We are Blessed to be serving here in Haiti!! 

**If you would like to join our prayer team or receive our email updates please inbox me on facebook or send me an email to the email address above!!

 Thanks so much! Angie