Please take just 1o minutes to preview this video. We are running a marathon IN Haiti January 9th, 2011. Our goal is to raise $50,000 to benefit the educational needs of the children we are serving in Ouanaminthe. This is my personal story as to why this marathon is so important to me. We could really use your help getting the word out about this exciting and unique opportunity! Thank you for your support...

World Changer!

OK, so I love to recognize "World Changers!" Please let me introduce you to Sara Gorman who has just jumped on board with the needs of the Haiti orphanage. Sara is one of those people you meet and just sense their faithfulness to God's calling on their life. She not only hears the call, she acts upon it. Sara wanted to help feed the children at the orphanage we serve, so she approached the school she works at, Christian Life School, and brought them right along side her hopeful project. In a very short amount of time, Sara's school had raised $650.00 for the food program. What an amazing feeling to know your faithfulness has fed kids for an entire month. What a true example Sara is in what it means to be relentless in missions.

SHE is a World Changer!

Sara, thank you for your generous heart and more importantly for hearing the call. Many many thanks to the students and families of Christian Life School in Wisconsin for your harmonious efforts in serving the children. A wise woman (uh-hum- Jan) told me, "God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called." Now I know she does not take credit for making up this nifty phrase, but what a profound statement! It's certainly given me a new look on serving. I don't have to work tirelessly in becoming the best at everything, I simply need to "listen" more intently to the specific call on my life. Way to go Sara for doing just that....

Orphan Art

"Orphan Art" T-shirts and Tote Bags Have Arrived! T-Shirts $20.00

Tote Bags $15.00

I am so excited to announce that our first t-shirt and tote bag designs are officially here! The best part is, it's art work directly from the orphanage. What better way to empower the children to make a difference in their own lives. We have taken their beautiful art work to create a series of t-shirts and totes which will be used to help fund their monthly food program. Buying a shirt at $20.00 and one tote bag at $15.00 feeds one child for an entire month. Email us at restorehaiti@yahoo.com if you are interested in making an order. Yeah for "Orphan Art!"

Ouanaminthe Marathon

We have officially announced the Inaugural Ouanaminthe Marathon in Haiti. I was beyond thrilled to see so many runners show up for a 5 mile fun run, followed by coffee, bagels and a time of sharing for this unique and exciting event. I have never found comfort speaking in front of others, but this time was different. There was a certain peace and calm being surrounded by runners who graciously listened as I shared my heart and hope for Haiti. Their enthusiasm and support of this event was overwhelming and by the end of our time together, we had 18 people sign up to either run the marathon in Haiti or to be part of the fund raising efforts. It was incredible! Here is a copy of the flyer for anyone who is interested in participating in this exciting opportunity. Whether your running in Haiti, raising awareness, or fund raising in the US, we need your support!

"World Changers"

^{Matthew 6:2a, 3-4}

So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you... But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

I love to serve others. I find no greater joy than coming along side someone in need to lending a helping hand. I was fortunate to marry a man who is also extremely giving and we try very hard to pass on a generous heart to our children. I remember when I was a little girl. I would spend hours cleaning the house for mom and dad just to hear~ "Wow, you did this all by yourself?" It never got old! Sadly, this need for affirmation has followed me all through my life. I have always wanted to "give" like scripture says- in secret. Oh man, that's tough. I've even caught myself hinting for a little appreciation after giving in some way. Boy do I have a long way to go. Have you ever met those people who just give and give and give and ask for nothing in return, absolutely nothing? You can just see their joy comes from the act of giving rather than any affirmation they may receive. I love these people! We call these "World Changers." World changers are those people who think little of themselves and mainly of others. Their heart breaks for those in need, but rather than just feeling bad, they DO SOMETHING to make whatever little difference they can, never thinking of themselves in the process. Meet Julia (holding the check) and her little sister Tessa. Julia is the youngest World Changer I have had the privilege of meeting. Julia began collecting spare change from around the house after Hurricane Katrina. She wanted to do anything to help the people who had lost so much. Her compassion continued well beyond her first natural disaster. Julia wanted to help my husband and I with our ministries in Haiti and Ethiopia. Julia collects all year long and would you believe she had well over $100 this past December which she divided amongst the ministries she was passionate about. It was certainly my privilege to take this photo with Julia as she donated her savings to the Haiti food program. Julia never asked for anything in return. She simply handed me the check, smiled, and ran off to play. This is the generous heart I speak of. It's a precious moment when adults re-learn from children the forgotten of innocence childhood. May we come to know the true meaning of compassion as seen through the eyes of a child and may we come to know what it means to be a real "World Changer" in the process.

Haiti Earthquake

Psalm 22:24

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

It is in times such as these when we begin to question God. Why? How? Where are You? I cannot begin to imagine the depths of painful cries heard throughout the heavens when such tragedies such as this occur. My heart is heavy for the people of Haiti who I have come to know and love. Their sorrow is felt around the globe and yet their voices have been silenced in the rubble. We have a great responsibility at hand, to be the voice. As the dust begins to settle and the damage is made clear, I pray we will each know our place in restoring this country. We returned from Haiti safely on Saturday and missed this tragedy by days. I think I speak for most people who minister to the Haitian community, that while our bodies are here, our hearts and prayers are there. Our town of Ouanaminthe certainly felt the serious quakes, but no major damage or injuries have been reported. I have heard from many missionaries living in this city that schools have been closed as teachers and students are beyond distracted by concern for loved ones in Port Au Prince. It is my guess that towns like Ouanaminthe will become future homes to the displaced peoples of this devastated area, and they will need our help in this process. For those who are following our Haiti Marathon set for January of next year, the planning process is well underway. This unique fundraiser hopes to assist with the desperate educational needs as well as community transformation in the city of Ouanaminthe. In light of this recent tragedy, we will be donating a substantial portion of the proceeds to relief efforts in Port Au Prince as well. For immediate assistance, 100% of all on-line donations will be made directly to relief efforts from now until April 1st. Your support and encouragement in this process are welcomed and needed. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me: restorehaiti@yahoo.com I have learned a very important lesson about God during my year of serving in Haiti that I want to share with you. You see, over the past year, I have seen children go hungry. I have held a small orphaned child in my arms as they sewed his precious head back together. I have directly experienced the harsh realities of corruption in Haiti. I have watched ministries come and go in support of Haiti and I have seen people turn a blind eye to the need of a desperate country. However, on the other hand, I have seen hope through the eyes of those we consider hopeless. I have learned the difference between belief in God and dependence on God. I have learned to dance with joy and worship with passion. I have learned to smile and truly mean it. I ask you--Who is helping who? I have learned that in spite of great tragedy, we have a God of love, compassion, and hope and though we may walk through the most painful of times, we walk not alone....

Be assured we are loved.

Mission Accomplished!

Well, I am not sure where to begin in explaining this recent trip to Haiti. I can honestly say it was the most exhausting, fulfilling, patience testing, faith building and perfect trip ever. Starting with our first flight from Chicago being cancelled, the floodgates to the unexpected were opened wide as we began a challenging pursuit of servant hood. With 2 team members landing in Puerto Plata, and 4 team members being re-routed to Santiago, not to mentioned 7 out of 8 suitcases lost, we were suddenly forced to make the ultimate decision to get a good night sleep, pay $57 for 4 toothbrushes, a razor and a comb, and make the 3 hour trek to Haiti with very little food, clothing to share, and 2 sleeping bags between 6 women.

Having lost one full day to travel mishaps, and making the border crossing with minutes to spare, we spent the evening loving on the children of the orphanage and preparing to accomplish all three projects in the following 24 hours. Our disposable camera project involved distributing 100 cameras to the students of the school and challenging them to photograph where they see hope, beauty, and need for change in their country. Thankfully our cameras traveled as carry on but our only work day fell upon a school holiday, Argh!!! With the amazing instruction of Jackie, Meghan and Gloria the orphans, and school staff quickly accepted the task and headed out in full force shooting photos throughout the mud filled streets of Ouanaminthe.

The art project was completed as well! Although we were not able to use art work from hundreds of students in the school due to the holiday, the children at the orphanage were more than thrilled to participate. Their drawings will be made into tote bags, t-shirts, stationery, and much more as a way to raise money for their new school. Meredith had also came up with an excellent idea to have the children decorate their own t-shirts which topped the scale on fun! Thanks Kristi and Meredith for making this happen!

Our final project was the music CD. With Gloria's expertise in this area, we were able to obtain singing from the adult and children choirs as well as from the orphanage. The MP3's or CD's will be available for purchase as a fundraiser using their God given talents.

Mission Accomplished!

Of course our luggage arrived the evening before departure allowing us to deliver the generous donations given by friends, family and supporters around the country. We were also able to fix the pastors car and purchase a months supply of food for the orphanage.

In spite of being uncomfortable and a bit smelly, our team was able to share our resources, our faith, and our hope for the goals accomplished.

Thank you everyone!

Everyone is back home and safe in spite of more airline cancellations leaving most of our team in Miami for a couple of days, of course right?

Welcome to the mission field my friends!

Haiti Marathon

There's simply nothing more perfect than a run in the snow. Anyone who truly knows me may be laughing about now. Having been born and raise in Orange County, California, I am the first to complain about the insane winters here in Chicago. My running club gives me a hard time about all the treadmill running I did last year to train for the Boston Marathon, and when I do show up dressed to run outside in the cold everyone is shocked. Maybe its the beautiful snow covered scenery that's calling my name, or that hypnotizing crunch of snow under my feet. Or better yet, maybe it's the extreme sport of car dodging on slippery roads thats got my attention. What ever it is, something's different this time around. I can't wait to get outside and just run! Running is my life! It's what keeps me grounded and most importantly, it's what kept me intact when my son passed away 13 years ago. Running clears my mind and keeps me focused. The further the run the better! I'm not a fast runner, but fast running has never been the focus for me. I just love to run... Three of the most important areas of my life: Family, Running, & Haiti. I can't think of a better way to join these three areas than to run a marathon (yes, this one is also 26.2 miles...) IN HAITI and bring my family along for the ride. So there it is folks, I'm officially announcing the first ever marathon in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, January 9th, 2011. This race won't be for everyone and details will be forthcoming. My goal is to raise $50,000 for education and community transformation in Ouanaminthe. The planning team is coming together to make this dream a reality. Your encouragement and support is priceless!

Food Program In Place!

I've only been home for two days. I am convinced that short term depression is simply part of returning to the day to day grind. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing and being with my family more than any trip to Haiti can compare to. Still, I can't help but miss the 32 children in the orphanage the minute I cross over the Haitian border. It's hard to step back into this abundant lifestyle even after three short days of sleeping on concrete floors, going without water or electricity, bathing with wet wipes, eating protein bars for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and using a bucket to flush the toilet. My time in Haiti involves a different kind of abundance. There is an abundance of joy, laughter, and sincere smiles. We experience an abundance of hope, faith, and trust. We have an abundance of children climbing into our laps, playing with our hair, and offering hugs and kisses with no strings attached. It's this abundance that keeps me moving forward in making a difference, even if for just one of these precious children. Just to give you an idea of where we are with present and future planning: Tyro Mavin Worldwide (http://www.tyromavin.org/) is a non-profit which will be working with us to support the orphanage directly. We have officially set up a food program for the orphanage to provide a monthly supply of rice, beans, pastas, oil, produce, and poultry. Pastor Willio has also built a wonderful garden in the backyard of the orphanage which will grow corn, beans, and sugar cane. During this trip, we purchased seven doves which will be bred for food and resale purposes. We hope to implement as many self sustaining options as possible. We are almost completely funded for 26 teacher salaries and hope to begin food, education, and medical sponsorship for the 32 orphans. Finally, our largest goal is to begin fund raising to build a new and safe school for the children. We head back to Haiti January 4th through the 8th to begin several fundraising campaigns. The unique side of these efforts are that the Haitian children will be primarily responsible for each of these fundraising events. It is our hope to empower them to contribute to building their own school. More details will be forthcoming. Until then, feel free to email me any questions, concerns, advice or encouragement for the journey ahead. (restorehaiti@yahoo.com)

Too often we focus on the tears of those in Haiti and forget the complete joy our experiences there have taught us. I created this video to give you a peek into the smiles and laughter that has warmed my heart and taught me more about living than I ever expected.

Thanks to my very good friend Mike the website is up and running. It's a work in progress so bare with us. I leave to Haiti this Thursday and would as you to pray for safe travel and a progress for the trip. We hope to set up the food program for the orphanage as well as setting them up on the internet for better communication.

I wanted to thank the Volunteers In Mission (Of the United Methodist Church) for giving me the opportunity to share my stories about Haiti with them. These people get it! They were so gracious with providing me contacts and suggestions. Can't wait to get moving on them.

Many blessings to you all.