the three-week countdown

Without hardly realizing it, we’ve come to the point where not much remains before we can open our doors. You’ve probably heard us say that before. Like when we were seeking funds for the Education Center, the last building to be constructed before opening. Or again as we launched into the power project, the last BIG project to be completed before opening. Or maybe when we presented our last wishlist: “help us get these..random things..so we can open.” 

We aren’t bluffing. To open this center is the goal. And everything that has been done, to date, has been a step in that direction. A place like this doesn’t exist in Haiti, at least no-where here in the North, that we know of. There are places where children get a second chance at life and creches that specialize in the care of malnourished children, but these places have their hands fuller than full. To create a place where moms not only stay with their child, but are the main player in their recovery is something of an experiment, one we are willing to tackle.

If it fails we will certainly admit it. But, that’s no way to think! 

It’s been 17 months since the vision was solidified

15 months since we submitted paperwork to become a US non-profit

14 months since we started the groundwork in Haiti

12 months since we acquired land

        and 11 months since we began the first bit of construction at the property

While opening has always been the goal, neither Jenn nor I would hope to remove a single one of those months from the process. The process has been amazing, inspiring, faith-building, sharpening, strengthening, hopeful, and hard. We’ve grown. I feel about 5 years older than I did 18 months ago. And I like the way that feels. 

God’s taught me more in this year of faith-walking than I could have hoped or imagined. His faithfulness is real. His presence is tangible. His greatness, undeniable. And His love covers all our imperfections. He uses people who don’t have their stuff together (me) and people who do (Jenn). ;) He brings people into your life to comfort, encourage, and test you. He brings challenges which certainly require patience, tasks that require courage, and moments that require grace.  And all- all of this is done in Love. 

what a Savior- what a friend. 

Would we wish for a shorter process or an easier one? No, not if it meant missing out on any of that.

So here’s where we’re at (since I’ve gone and promised, again, that we’d be opening soon)!

We actually have real seeds and real trees in the ground! This was something I definitely wanted to have done before opening. What do you know.. it’s done and I can’t hide behind it any longer! 

the gardens exist! 

In two weeks the electricians arrive. By the beginning of May we should have power. This afternoon Jenn, Dadou, and the bosses will be out at the land tracing the perimeter for a structure that will house the electrical equipment. Apparently, the batteries, inverter, and the generator need their own little house. 

Jenn’s birthday week(s) were a ton of fun. Our friends here in Haiti helped us celebrate the weekend before her birthday and again on the actual day. We made Mexican food and gluten-free cookie cake and delicious icy beverages. She loved it! 

she works and she plays

Friends, and people we’ve never met, sent in donations for birthday wire. We were able to buy that wire in the D.R. last Tuesday. Get this...we drove there in the truck! In preparation for these electrical supply runs, Jenn registered the truck so that she could take it back and forth between countries. 

I didn’t anticipate that driving in a new country for the first time would be so... weird. Countless times we’ve travelled around the Dominican Republic for fun, for baby heart surgeries, and for flights to the States. We always got around by minibus, town cars, taxis, and foot and we thought we were sooo cool to have figured out the system.  Let’s just say that driving your own vehicle makes going to these places far too easy. 

Oh well, at least our prior excursions weren't totally wasted. They familiarized us enough with the city so as to avoid getting lost.  And we still have our favorite $20 hotel, our favorite salchipapas cart, and Wi-fi spots A - F to fall back on. You can’t find those in a car, that much I know. 

the goods- after jenn's birthday shopping trip

While we were in Santiago we took some time to scope out a few used generators. We took pictures, listened to them purr, and took notes on their specs. Jenn gets points for finding these generators within minutes of arriving in the city. We chill on the less fancy side of town which, as it turns out, equates to a plentiful supply of used parts yards, tool rental businesses, and battery shops all within walking distance. Jenn must have kept her eyes peeled for these on previous trips. 


Thankfully we weren't entirely alone on this trip. For the first night we had my fabulous friend, Damaris, in toe. She's from L.A. and was just wrapping up her 10-day visit to our tropical oasis. I only speak Spanish in the present tense and my vocabulary consists of only those words high school Spanish teachers deem important enough to repeat every year. Jenn has a hard enough time switching from “wi” to “si” when we cross the border so I'm afraid she isn't much help either. Damaris however, rocked the negotiations and taught me how to say “what’s your absolutely lowest offer” in case we were left to our own defenses. Thankfully we weren't. On Day Two of generator shopping we had a pair of D.R. based missionaries to hang with, including one spanish speaker. 

Jenn will be heading back to the D.R. tomorrow to make the big purchase. It’s a two hour drive from Santiago back to border city of Dajabon. One again she’ll be in the driver seat. Only this time, hopefully, she’ll have a generator as a passenger. 

Spanish practice

While she’s gone I’ll continue to work on the logistics. How will we define the process of admission and discharge?  Who will we hire as an educator? Who will we hire as a nurse? Who will teach the gardening courses and who will take on business? And do we have all the right nursing supplies on hand? 

If this seems like a lot of details to iron out in a three weeks, you’re right...but crazier things have happened. And there comes a point when, although the water looks scary-cold, you just have to jump in. You’ll get warmed up by swimming around a bit and you'll be sprinting in no time. Thank you 15 years of swim practice for the above analogy. 

We’ve been contacted repeatedly in the last few weeks by people who want to refer cases. These are kids with severe malnutrition who have mothers that neither need nor want to be separated from their babies. So that’s where we’ll start. Although the homes are set up for 12 pairs, we'll just get warmed up with 2 or 3 of these cases. 

If you've been praying, thank you and don't stop now! Pray, pray, pray and if you feel compelled to support this effort, there’s never a bad time to donate. You can do so from the link on the left. 

Want to read more? check out the April Newsletter. 

Birthdays, Presents, and Solar Panels

What’s been happening at Second Mile since we last checked in? Well we’ve been busy! Jenn’s trying to polish off the last of the construction projects at the land while searching for parts and materials for the next step. 

It’s birthday week here in Haiti. I celebrated my 26th on March 21st. And Jenn is about to turn 25 on April 1st. Notice I said week. Yes... Jenn begins celebrating her birthday on March 25th. It’s no secret that she loves parties and birthday presents. More about that at the end of the post.  

aging gracefully, March 21 2013, 26 years!

We also have some big, exciting news to share about a big project.

This time we won’t make Jenn write about it. Right now her head’s spinning with numbers and calculations as it has been this entire month of March. This “big project” involves A LOT of “number crunching,” a serious thing I’ve learned to identify by the concentrated look on Jenn’s face and the way her eyes stare into Number Land (not a place I’m super familiar with...). 

I guess I can spill the beans already. 

The “big project” is power! Solar power! In just a few weeks we have an opportunity to have the Second Mile Haiti campus completely wired! It will happen in two stages. 

Try to stay with me. The technico-logical stuff is almost over I promise!...The first phase is the installations of all the electrical components (lights, outlets, switches and inverters). This phase also includes installation of batteries. These will power the system once they are charged by a diesel generator. Then in Phase 2 the solar panels will be installed on top of the recovery homes and will become our primary source of power. This can happen just as soon as we raise the funds and get the solar panels down to Haiti. 

Phew.. I just exhausted my very limited vocabulary. But that’s the basics. See Jenn for more details. 

If you read the newsletter (a green, gray, and white email that said March Newsletter), you might know that this opportunity is as cool as they come. The story is a longer one so I will try to be concise. To be honest, we hadn’t even been thinking about how to get electricity out at the property. It was one of those “we’ll think about it when we get there” kinds of things. Of course God’s timing is perfect and the opportunity to power-up came just when it was the very next step. We’re “there” at a place where electricity is one of the last big things we need before we open our doors.  

Now here’s what makes this whole thing well, kind of urgent. We have a team of skilled electricians and solar experts headed our way on April 6th! 

How’d we swing that? Well, we didn’t really swing anything. 

I-Tec (Powering Missions Worldwide) is a non-profit organization based out of PA. They travel to dozens of countries each year to help install and  maintain solar and electrical systems for other non-profits. When we contacted I-Tec at the beginning of March, they had been contacted just 10 minutes earlier by another organization in Cap Haitien, that needed help with their hospital’s solar system. 

Their need was an urgent one but our call helped clench the deal. To hear from two organizations in Haiti, located not 10 miles from each other, in the span of 10 minutes was too much of a God thing for the group to ignore. They did what they could to fit us both into their busy schedule. And we feel more than privileged to have their help. 

But April 6th is just around the corner! 13 days from today, I'm told.  The trip's nearness is the reason why Jenn’s head is exploding. Currently, she’s in the next room searching the internet for price comparisons on things like 4" square 1/2" raised cover for duplex receptacle. Yeah... we're just going to let her stay in the zone. And if she asks whether I read through any of the last 3 spreadsheets she sent me I am, most definitely, going to say "yes."  

jenn, checking light-switch prices in the DR

Not only is there a lot to prepare before the team arrives, but there’s a lot of money to raise! 

Despite the challenge, we can’t let this opportunity pass us by. When Bryan Wilson, a missionary pilot from Zambia, was here with my Dad a few weeks ago, he helped us get ready for the "big project." First, by facilitating the connection with I-Tec and then by doing the necessary ground measurements. He also helped us determine the amount of energy we will need when our facility is up and running. He and Jenn have been in communication with I-Tec so that when all is said and done we have an efficient and durable source of power (one where all the parts and pieces work together seamlessly...at least we hope!)

Blessed. There I said it. I used the word. We've been blessed by how everything is coming together! 

Our decision to go solar may or may not seem like an obvious one. In Haiti we can count on an average of 7 hours of sunlight per day. Without solar panels we would burn about $17 of diesel fuel per day. With solar panels, we won’t get anywhere close to that, and our savings in fuel cost mean that the panels will pay for themselves in 10 months! Hey maybe I have been listening after all... 

Just a few days ago Jenn received a final summary of the costs involved in this project. Boy am I glad that email finally arrived. Her total time pacing has decreased drastically since she’s got her hands on these numbers. 

If you’re a numbers person, here you have it. 

Electrical supplies (wire, lights, PVC conduit, etc) -------------------- $6,600

Inverters and associated equipment ---------------------------------------$6,600

Batteries and cables (i.e. 24 Trojan T 105)-------------------------------$4,500

Diesel Generator (11 KW)-----------------------------------------------------$9,500

5000 Watts of Solar Panels @$1.10 per watt----------------------------$5,500

Shipping to Haiti and clearing charges -----------------------------------$3,000

                                                                                                  Total $35,700

And then we received a donation of $20,000. $20,000!!! And the big number dropped to $15,700. 

Then I-Tec shared that their California supplier of solar panels was having a sale next week. Instead of paying $1.10 per watt, because of the sale we would pay just $0.35 per watt. 

Instead of spending $5,500 on solar panels we could spend just $1,750.

That drops the big number is down to $11,950!

So here’s the deal. If you are looking for a way to get involved, Jenn has given us specific instructions and numbers. 

Let's make this her best birthday yet. 

For the purpose of birthday presents we'll break this down.

We need 5,000 Watts of Solar Panels. Each watt is only 35 cents! How many can you give Jenn for her birthday? ;)

We also need 24 batteries at $140/battery. 

And if you want to really blow Jenn* away on her birthday we still need electrical stuff, like wire, at a total cost of $6,600.

wire

*your gift would mostly help malnourished babies and their moms and the ministry of Second Mile Haiti, not Jenn specifically, but since Jenn really likes moms and babies... any amount toward the solar power project would make her day! 

Thanks for reading this really long post! We hope you're just as excited as we are about this next step! To God be the glory. 

when 'purpose' depends on the lesson

It's 1:21 am and I certainly should not be blogging right now. Oh, the grammatical errors that will surely ensue! Truth is I think I drank coffee too late in the day (I blame the time-change) and as an almost 26-year-old I believe that I am no longer young enough to tolerate caffeine at any old time of day. It appears that blogging is what happens when the house is completely quiet and I can't hear a thing but my own thoughts. 

Initially I was just replying to an email but it quickly turned bloggish.

The email I was writing was an update about Kelinise. Kelinise is an 18-year-old with Type 1 Diabetes that has been in the mix for about a year now. We've written about her a few times, here and here. The sender had stayed current regarding our friend but had just re-read the blog post where I let it all out, so to speak, and wanted to know what sort of response I had gotten when I wrote that post, several months back. 

I believe she's not the only one who would love to know how this sweet girl is fairing. 

I wrote: Blogging is a funny thing. The night I wrote the post I knew we needed more support to be able to meet all of her needs but adding that to the blog post was more of an after thought. I wrote that post more quickly than I've written anything, before or since (usually it takes me awhile). But when writing about Kelinise the words just came because her situation is so moving. I am really grateful for the relationship I have with her. I consider it a huge privilege that I get to interact with her on this level and be the one that's there for her in sickness (i guess that's the nurse in me). But I agree with you. I'm starting to see more and more of what God is teaching me through her. And it has a lot to do with grace and faithfulness (His). 

She came over today. I had a few things for her, including some shirts my mom sent for me that were way too small (what size does she think I am?! Maybe it's my massive muscles that prevented me from wearing that blouse...I'd like to think so anyway...) and some protein powder. But I also just wanted to see her.

I had kind of gotten used to seeing her everyday when she was in the hospital for a week at the beginning of this month. It wasn't her blood sugar this time. She suffered through a night of vomiting and brought herself to the clinic the next day. In consultation, she may have mentioned to the doctor that she had seen blood and he had appropriately admitted her to the inpatient adult unit. Thankfully, all her lab results, including her blood sugar, were normal. I know this not because that information is freely shared with the patients or family, but because I snuck a peak in her chart when no one was watching... (let's keep that between you and me). She really did look terrible that first day. It was full blown dehydration (sunken eyes, parched skin, the whole bit). But by 7 am the next morning she looked 10% better than her normal self. IV fluids can have that affect on people. 

She continued to look 100% for the next 6 days. The doctors must have been extremely preoccupied with the rest of the medical and surgical patients because Kelinise and another diabetic comrade were left for days without any orders for discharge. Gosh, they are patient. 

For a week I made a daily appearance at the hospital. Not at 7 am as much. An in with the orderly and the Haitian practice of freely exchanging cell phone numbers meant that I could call anytime other than between 8:00 AM and 8:30 AM (unit mopping time) and either of the hospital orderlies would pass their phone to the pit la (child). If she was doing okay, which she was, I could take my time. 

It's true, I could have left her with enough money to buy food for more than one day at a time but let's be honest, I like the girl. It's something special to have a spot next to her on that bed and sit there and, I'll use the word "chat," since gossip is frowned upon, with the candor of sisters who actually like each other. 

Sitting on patient beds, which by the way is not allowed, feels a lot like using the lavoratory in first class. It results in a harsh look from security which might be fine for some people, but is less tolerable for me, a person who finds rule-breaking uncomfortably painful. However, the security guards have grown soft on the matter of late and I've been taking advantage of it, for the good of the gossip. 

It totally throws the other patients. I watch them out of the corner of my eye. Some stare on with admiration and others just can't figure out how this little arrangement came about or what this little arrangement is. But they all like her. And they end up liking me as well. It's because I'm a soft spoken American and I speak Creole. At least I always get some points for that.

But back to why the other patients like Kelinise. They're encouraged by her. I believe seeing her manage, gives them strength. They see that she has no one by her bedside while they on the other hand have at least one if not three relatives at their beck and call. They need toothpaste? Relative #1 materializes with toothpaste in minutes. They need soup? Relative #2 buys the vegetables, cooks the soup and again... minutes later, materializes with a bowl of somethin'-somethin' that has precisely however much salt or bread or obscure ingredient the patient desires.

I'd say "I don't know how they do it!," but I do. They buy the vegetables from the vegetable vendors outside the hospital. They prepare the soup in an area alongside the hospital designated for that purpose and they serve the soup in serving dishes they've brought from home. You may see Haiti as disorganized but trust me, there's nothing more orderly than the rules and ways of hospitalized patients and their caretakers. There's order to most everything here. Here being Haiti... It just doesn't appear the way you're used to seeing it. The hospital might not be sterile but it certainly is structured.

Part of that structure is the gen moun, the "having someone."

The not having anyone? Kelinise bears it without blinking. She packs her own bag and straightens her own sheet and carries her IV bag with her to bathe herself and buy her medication. If she leaves home for a clinic visit but thinks her condition might warrant a hospital stay she buys a sliver of ice before leaving and washes out a plastic juice bottle to transport her insulin to the hospital, so that she has it at hand for her evening injection. To my friends with Type I Diabetes, that may sound like your normal. Of course, of course you would travel with insulin. But in Haiti.. if you are ill (excluding less socially acceptable conditions such as HIV) you have someone to do "the packing" and "the bringing" for you. 

Sometimes I'm her someone.   

But I'm so lame (permission to use the word). I tried to cook and bring her oatmeal like a true Haitian the morning after she was admitted but it was freezing cold by the time I made it to the hospital. I didn't put her through the torture of eating cold oatmeal complete with condensation dripping from the top of the tupperware (although, in admitting this I may be subjecting myself to condemnation from Jenn, the food police, whom I did not previously inform of this food-wasting infraction). Ok, maybe I don't know how they do it.. Boy did Myrlande the machan (food vendor) love me by the end of the week. 

Can I be honest and say that visiting the hospital was something of an escape? Visiting Kelinise everyday was a no-brainer. The hospital felt like home. There I know my purpose even without a job or a title. Even when my purpose is simply to arrive, to be there. I can fetch, and hand-hold, and small talk my way through an entire day and I never get confused. 

I sometimes get lost in this phase we're in right now with Second Mile Haiti. It's an organization that will one day be a ministry but is currently in the "building phase..." But sometimes I'm fine. Today, for example, I was fine. There was a goal: finish and send the newsletter. It was a pretty concrete task and we all (meaning Jenn and I) had decided it was kind of my job. So I didn't get lost today. 

But some days I have a hard time figuring out what is my role and what isn't. What does a nurse do with no patients? 

In Haiti as in ministry, you wear many hats. But when hat wearing is still somewhat theoretical (i.e. the ministry doesn't exist yet) daily duties are just a little more confusing, for me anyway. 

Some of you that know me well, knew me from my old job (a nurse of many kids), or understand what my future roll will be. You remind me that soon I'll be back in my element with little bodies to nurse and mothers to walk through the scary stuff. I'll be teaching and nurturing and empowering and I won't be one bit confused about it. 

Let's be clear, I'm not overly anxious to get there. I appreciate this phase and love it like I love a person. It's a brave new world and we're marching to the beat of faith. I am learning a lot in this third month of our second year as Second Mile Haiti. It's right where God has me and I have my heart bent to learn what he's teaching, i'm just job-title-less at times. 

Today, I did the only "nursing" thing I'll do for days maybe (unless of course Jenn asks for cough medicine through a syringe again... She's a weird one when she's sick but I am happy to oblige). I calculated the amount o carbohydrates in a scoop of protein powder and taught Kelinise how much she could take without causing her blood sugar to sky rocket. I mixed it up for her and made her drink it. She's quite capable of mixing and pouring but I did it this time to fulfill my need to "nurse." And she didn't mind. Then I had her step on the bathroom scale we have in our living room. We keep it there because our neighbors like to weigh in from time to time and that saves them the awkwardness of having to ask. I was happy I remembered to weigh her. The last time I mentioned anything about Kelinise she weighed 80 pounds. Not ideal for an 18 year old, not ideal. 

Today she weighed 93 lbs. She looked at me like the scale spoke English or something. I think she was just a little surprised to see such a sizable improvement. 

She's eating regularly. We have help with that. And she's living with her brother in a really healthy environment. He's a sweet kid (er..20 year old). I think he has some people in his life who notice the same thing about him that people notice about Kelinise. That is, he doesn't have anyone. And he shoulders it. He makes no excuses. He tries. 

Some professor of some class is letting him sit in on the lectures even though he hasn't paid any tuition. This is very generous and will help him when, at the end of the year, he makes another attempt to pass the government issued post-high school test that could lead to a certificate.  

It's complicated, their family. Sort of, I mean I could give you the basic run-down or you could refer to the older posts but basically, Mom had a stroke. Dad now lives with a woman who is anti- kids-from-wife #1. All the older siblings are busy trying to take care of themselves. Dad is busy trying to take care of the 6 younger siblings he had with wife #2. That leaves Kelinise with a chronic illness and Kelinos, her brother, with a bright future ahead of him and no means to pay for it, all by themselves, an hour's drive from any relative in a house that belonged to a sibling that has long since left Haiti. Yeah, I guess 'complicated' is the appropriate descriptor. 

So we dabble. We dabble in their lives and maybe it's dabbling. But in dabbling I'm loving and I sure am learning. 

God thank you for protecting and sustaining these two lives. You whisper to their spirits and I see them moving closer to you. Thank you! Richly bless them with spiritual gifts, sweet Jesus.

Kelinise and Kelinos. They are good kids, indeed. 

And I'm not lost, just learning something new. 

A sigh of relief

From my previous posts you could probably tell that this last month hasn’t been the easiest. Let’s just say I never planned for this month.Planning is something that God is teaching me a thing or two about. Over and over he has convicted me about  “my plans.” Over and over it has been evident that God wants me to find peace in His plans and His timing. Lately I find that I always laugh, I mean notice, when anyone mentions “my plan is to do this or my plan is to do that.” I guess its because the only thing I’m sure of these days is that there is no plan. Or rather that it’s a matter of being in his plan and not the other way around.  

We have been in negotiations to purchase the piece of land that currently holds the buildings we’ve built this past year for Second Mile Haiti for about a month now. The negotiating process has been draining and exhausting. I heard Dadou say many times that he was ready for everything to just be over and done with. I agreed, but it’s just not that simple. Over the past month I had to wrestle with two contradicting thoughts. 

1. I want everyone to know we are good stewards of the money that is given to us, thus I need to argue for the best possible price. 

And.. 

1. It’s all God’s money. Every nickel in our bank account, the cash in your pocket, and that spare change in the 5 gallon bucket sitting in your bathroom. (Wait, you don’t have one of those...?)  It all belongs to God. Let Him direct when and how much is used and for what purpose.

For weeks now, I had been sticking to my guns and fighting for every penny, knowing that whatever money I could save us in land negotiations could be well-spent elsewhere.  But I had to look at my motives. I was fighting to lower the price. But what if instead I should recognize that the money belongs to God and try to find peace in the fact that regardless of the price (big or small) if this land purchase was meant to be then God’s money would come flowing in. 

And that’s exactly what happened. It’s the one thing that I have seen happen repeatedly. When we’ve learned our lessons- when we’ve struggled and grown- when we’ve gained a thing or two from the trial and come out on the right path then and only then does God’s money come flowing in.

My final beef with the land owners had been over $3,000. I wanted that much removed from the total. They weren’t so inclined. We were at a standstill for the past two weeks because of that $3,000.

Yesterday morning I woke up, got out the computer, and checked the spreadsheet that shows a record of all the checks that have been sent for Second Mile Haiti. I noticed that we had received two different checks in the amounts of $2,000 and $1,000. I usually have a good grasp on money coming in, but these two were out of the ordinary. These checks were sent by donors I wasn’t even expecting. Funny thing is... 2,000 + 1,000 = 3,000. So there we had it. The extra money had come in. How cool is that?

God’s money had come in. 

Suddenly everything made sense and I finally felt at peace with the decision we were about to make. I called Dadou to talk through the terms of the sale (one final time) and then asked him to set up “the meeting.” 

He left around 11 AM and 30 mins later called to say that the owner and the Notary would be willing to meet at 2 PM. We were expecting to have to wait a day or two before agreeing on a time that would work with everyone’s schedules. But 2 PM miraculously worked for all 6 of us that needed to be in that meeting. Due to the tendency of people to be much more optimistic than realistic when setting a timeframe we actually started our meeting closer to 3:30. But there we were, all sitting around a table in the Notary’s house. It was an unreal feeling to be sitting down again in the same place we had sat twice before. First to lease the land and then again at our first attempt to sign the purchase agreement. I know Amy was holding her breath hoping that this time all would end well. If you look at her face in most of the pictures she looks mad. “I was just afraid to mess things up if I seemed too happy”  was her excuse for the scowls.   

Before we knew it, everything was finished. Everything suddenly became more real. I’m not sure I have ever signed anything more significant in my life than these land papers.

As we walked out of the house Dadou gave me a pat on the back and whispered a “good job” in English. We all let out a little sigh of a relief. Actually, we all let out a big sign of relief. It was finished. 

In the car driving home Amy told Dadou, “you don’t know how many people in the States have been praying for this.” He responded, “you don’t know how many Haitians have been praying for this too.”

We got back to the apartment and decided we needed to celebrate!

Amy whipped up some gluten free cookies and I cracked open a few Prestiges (local beer). Not sure there is a better way to celebrate around here.  

As we were eating our cookies and drinking a cold beer Dadou noticed a spider on my hand. It was a green spider. I had never seen a spider like this before! He told us that in Haiti when you have a green spider on you it means you have great fortune coming your way. I just sort of laughed and thought it was a little ironic that I just handed over the most money I have ever held in my life, and now it turns out we have great fortune coming our way.

Five minutes later Amy walks out to the balcony and shows us that there is a green spider on her too! I guess that means double the fortune! 

I don’t disagree with the spider. I think we are going to be continually blessed if we include God in our plans or better yet if we continue to follow His.

So what’s next? Well I am just sitting here on the balcony waiting for Dadou to get back from the construction store to finalize an estimate for what it will cost to finish the education building, security post, and the offices. And I’m feeling optimistic about the great fortune we have coming our way. Maybe it’s not a monetary fortune, but in terms of blessings, and experiences, and opportunities...I’d say there are great things just ahead. 

Important caption:

This post was edited a whole lot by Amy Syres. Thankful that she spent the last hour correcting all my grammatical errors and especially thankful that she can express my thoughts/feelings into words (yeah...we spend a lot of time together...).

Letter Part 2

I am so glad we have board members to keep us accountable! A few days ago I got the reminder email saying “Jenn, it’s been two weeks and you promised to send out an update!” I can’t believe time as passed by so quickly since I posted about “the letter.” If you have no idea what I’m talking about then free to read my previous post and that should catch you up. 

I am sure everyone is dying to know where we are at with the fundraising for the purchase of the land. I am excited to let everyone know that we have almost reached our goal! We set a goal of raising $18,000 and finding 10 new monthly supporters to commit to $100/month. We haven’t reached the $18,000, but we sure are close! We are $4,500 away from that goal. We also had 7 new supporters commit to donating monthly! 

So $4,500 and 3 monthly supporters left and we will be in good shape. We know it’s only a matter of God’s timing.

Since we haven’t settled the land negotiations we have tried really hard to stay away from the land. It’s not in our best interest to be working when the land owners understand that we are in standstill until the matter is settled. Weeks ago we stopped all work, only to be resumed when we finished the “deal.” As you can imagine not being out at the land leaves me feeling pretty antsy. I so badly want to finish the two projects we have underway right now, the education building and the shop. It’s hard to step foot on the land when there isn’t work going on. It feels so empty, and I have felt a little lost these last couple weeks. 

Our attempt to keep a low profile at the land was especially hard for us this past week. We were expecting our very first group of volunteers and we wanted them to have the full experience of working on the land with the Haitien guys who have been so invested in the buildings. The group would consist of three guys, one of them happened to be Amy’s dad. We had a ton of ideas for how we could use their experience and skills to continue to get the facility ready for use. But as the time got closer we were worried about the whole “land situation.” 

While living here in Haiti we’ve come to learn that there’s no use in getting too attached to your plans. You can think about things. You can prepare. And you can schedule. But you have to accept that plan A can turn into plan D in seconds flat. If you are someone that has to have everything planned out (I hate to break it to you) but maybe Haiti isn’t your thing. ;) Here, we worry less about the ideal situation and more about what God might want to teach us in flexibility and the ability to adjust to obstacles with grace. And we use the word “re-group” like it’s going out of style. 

We knew we wanted the guys to make 12 beds and shelves for the recovery homes. The decision to have a team do this project instead of a local carpenter was more about saving money than it was about the skill involved. In fact, Haitian wood craftsmen are so skilled in their field that we would have been hard pressed to find someone willing to design anything less than a bed fit for a king, compete with banisters and intricate engravings. We needed something simple and practical and easy to duplicate x 12. 

We were able to “re-group” and make do by having the guys work from the porch of our apartment. As soon as they got here they drew a quick sketch for the beds and Dadou and I headed off to the “home depot” around the corner. 

We stored all materials on our balcony, and the 2x4’s we stored on the side of our apartment. The guys used the power saw only when we had city power here at the complex. Well... that’s not entirely true. We might have gotten in trouble once or maybe three times because we ran the saw when the generator didn’t happen to be running. That’s okay though. When the power wasn’t available they used a hand saw. They even had Amy on drill duty. I think if we ever need any more beds we’ll be able to count on her to whip a few together. ;)

After 2 1/2 days, 12 beds were made. We stored 4 beds in our living room, and 8 beds were just chillin’ on our porch. It was quite a scene, but it worked. The guys made-do with what we had available and they did it with smiles on their faces. We couldn’t have asked for better guys to come down. They get the awards for flexibility, positivity, and patience. 

By Wednesday there was nothing left for these guys to do that could be done from our apartment.  The other projects we had planned was to build shelves, a desk, and a work station in the pharmacy. This was a struggle since we wanted to make use of their time and the fact that they were just plain hard and willing workers. So I caved and decided we would go ahead and do the pharmacy shelves, at the land.

We were out at the land from Wednesday thru Friday. We closed off our gates to the community, and didn’t let anyone inside. These three guys worked along side four Haitians that practically live at the land at the land anyways. In a day and a half everything in the pharmacy was finished. It’s was an exciting time for Amy especially as it was a project she has been looking forward to the most. Let’s not forget she has been storing over 50 containers of medical supplies in her room... that infringes on yoga practice just slightly. 

I have another bit of exciting news to share, but to be honest I think it’s going to require another blog post. I’ll give you a hint.. it has something to do with power, electricity, and solar panels. It’s a little too early to reveal.

So in conclusion this was a great week with great company. These guys were understanding about the sleeping accommodations (air mattresses) and the time it took to prepare our “healthy” meals. Patience is a virtue, with no microwave.  I didn’t even see one of them spit out the food despite it being mostly veggies and mostly healthy, “weird,” and straight from the market. If I might add, Amy’s an amazing cook and they were complementary. And I know Amy enjoyed showing her Dad and these friends what life is like in Haiti, for us and for our neighbors. 

Until we figure the land stuff out we will continue to just make-do. It won’t be much longer until we are back to having close to thirty guys sitting under the mango tree enjoying Youseline’s cooking. It won’t be much longer until all the kids will be back hanging around, waiting for their opportunity to help. It won’t be much longer until I’m making 5 or 6 supply trips a week. It won’t be much longer. It’s all in his timing.

The Letter

The last two weeks have been interesting to say the least. They have not been easy. I laugh when I see the word "easy." Let’s just say I have grown a lot in the last two weeks. I’m going to process some thoughts through this blog post. Stick with me. 

Two weeks ago we decided it would be a good time to purchase our land. We originally have agreed to lease it for 10 years for a very reasonable price with the option to buy it after the 10 years or renew it for another 10 years for the same amount. Yet it  became very clear to us that if we were going to purchase the land it was going to be now or never. I thought it would be quick and easy. I mean God you’re on my side right? And you want our organization to be placed on this land, right? 

I figured negotiations would be simple. They have been up to this point. And, if God is for us then who could be against us, right?

I picture you all sitting in your chairs shaking your heads. I’m sure you know what’s about to come...and you are probably on the right path with your assumptions. 

The land negotiations have not been easy and they have not worked in our favor. Nothing feels like it has worked.

Amy happened to be in the States during all these negotiations...lucky her. It's okay though. It was perfect timing for her to be in the States since she really doesn’t like negotiations.. or money if we’re being honest. Those things fall under Jenn’s portfolio of roles.

Sigh. 

Okay, so back to things not going according to plan.

I was a tad bit angry. Poor sweet Amy received a little bit of my wrath via email. She encouraged me to reach out to the board, and to sit and pray a bit. It’s when you're irritated that you throw back a “what do you think I have been doing all this time?.” But she was right..maybe I hadn’t really been praying or maybe I needed to reach out and ask people to pray for me. 

Do you ever just sit during a bible study or small group and when asked for prayer requests you just sit there? Maybe if you're like me you can think of a thousand other people that need prayer but you would never think to include yourself? That’s me. 

I never thought of reaching out to people and saying, “hey, pray for me. My heart is heavy and it’s so heavy it’s not allowing me to think clearly.

So that’s what I did. 

I contacted the board. I either skyped or called every single one of them from Haiti. Two of the board members prayed over me over the phone, and another sent a Micheal W Smith youtube video of the song “Give it Away.”

You don’t find better board members then that. You really don’t. They were encouraging and uplifting. 

Then I sat down with a not-so-heavy heart and wrote, “The Letter.” It’s literally called “The Letter” in my google docs.

Confession: I got a little help with the grammar.

We are on the precipice of opening the doors of Second Mile Haiti to women and their children, and we couldn’t be more excited. However, we have hit a seeming road block. I say “seeming” because we serve an infinitely powerful and faithful God who has shown up for us over and over again in the past year. Instead of feeling discouraged, I feel excited because I think we are about to see God do something big. And we would love for you to be a part of it!

Unbelievably, it has been almost one year since we came to an agreement on renting the land Second Mile Haiti is building on. It has become absolutely clear to us that the most prudent decision would be to purchase the land. Unfortunately, when dealing with parties from two different cultures, there is the potential for misunderstandings and misperceptions. We want people here in Haiti to know our hearts and to grasp the potential this property has for the surrounding communities. Two weeks ago, we made the decision to purchase the land. Since then, we stopped all work on the land to focus on negotiations. We have met for countless hours in the landowner’s home, in rum distilleries, under mango trees, and even on a pig farm. These meetings have literally lasted from sunrise to sunset. We have been pouring out our hearts and vision for Second Mile Haiti, striving for everyone involved to be on the same page. 

And this is where you come in. In the past year, God has used so many of you to be His hands and feet and provide for the needs of Second Mile Haiti. We couldn’t have come this far without your financial support and your prayers and we are so thankful for you! In the past two weeks, we have reached two conclusions: First, we need help purchasing the land and secondly, we need some major prayer warriors supporting us.

Here's what we need, plain and simple:

In a two week period, we need to raise $15,000 in one-time donations, and we need to find 12 people willing to donate $100/month for one year. It sounds doable and easy when it's broken down. We serve a very big God that makes these numbers seem small.

Prayer warriors we need you too! We need you big time! We need you to pray for people to come into our life and commit to making this goal happen. We need you to pray for these one-time donors and monthly supporters. We need you to pray for our future negotiations and that the people involved in these decisions will see our hearts. We need prayer for guidance and direction at this critical time, especially as we look ahead to these next few exciting months.

I also have another request: Would you consider passing this email on to friends and family that you think might be looking for an opportunity to give? Or to someone else you know who is a faithful prayer warrior? This may be just how God wants to use you.

If you are interested in becoming a monthly donor or giving a one time donation via online then you can do so here.

If you would like to make a donation via check:

Make checks payable to Second Mile Ministries

5251 W Desert Falcon Ln

Tucson, AZ 85742

In two weeks, I will be sending out another email and I can’t wait to report back to you on what God has done. I know that God works powerfully through the body of Christ. Being a “missionary” means you often have to ask for things from people…it can be an uncomfortable position to be in sometimes. However, I am learning that it is when all of us work together as the body of Christ, each using the gifts God has given them, that He works most powerfully through His people. 

Thank you for the encouragement that each one of you are to us!

Blessings,

Jenn Schenk

Co-Founder

Amy and I might have had to hold our breath and count 1...2...send when we actually emailed  this letter to a couple of our friends and family. This is not our favorite thing to do. But just as we sent those emails we had response emails come in.

We had people respond that they were praying over the letter and others responded by saying they would pass it along to other people they knew that would be interested. We flat out had people tell us it would a great letter and we were thanked for sending it to them. 

Ha!

I laugh because I never thought I would be told it was a great letter and I certainly didn't think I would ever be thanked for sending it.

So in just a week's time we have had close to $8,000 come in and 4 more people committed to be monthly supporters. 

AND...drumroll please.

The price of land has decreased.

I guess if I was preaching a sermon this is where I would ask us all to give a hand clap for God. I would hope he gets a standing ovation. I think if we let him in our lives more often we would find ourselves clapping, whistling, and cheering quite often.

So here I am still with a not-so-heavy heart, and I can tell you..

This land stuff just isn't a big deal anymore. It's going to work out.

God just gave another trial to make sure we were giving him all the glory.

He needed people to see how freakin awesome he is in case they forgot.

And he needed to stay the main character in this story.

Small successes aren't so small here.

Small successes aren't so small here.

Today I woke up and started my day by inputting finances and working on payroll. Have I mentioned I love payroll? This time, inputting payroll had a whole different meaning to me. This time I was giving Dadou (our Haitian director/project manager/partner in work life) a check for the 12th time. 12 times means he has been working for a year! Time sure does fly by. He has been at my side every step of the journey. He has been a great teacher the last 12 months. Dadou has invested so much into me. He has taught me how to not get taken advantage of, prices in construction, appropriate creole phases, how to be a good boss to employees, and when it's appropriate to give. It's hard to sum up in one sentence everything he has done for me.  Let's just say he has played a huge role in Second Mile Haiti and all the successes that the organization has had so far.

Anyways, back to what I was saying. Dadou received his 12th check today. In a year Dadou has been able to purchase a motorcycle. This motorcycle has been a blessing to Second Mile Haiti. He has used the motorcycle to transport employees to the land, pick up random materials we need, and to give me rides into town and to the bank. Every time I go to the land his motorcycle isn't there because he is letting someone use it. That's what is so great about Dadou. He knows he has an advantage over most Haitians and instead of gloating or only using it for himself, he instead decides to use it for everyone and the needs of other people. This is what makes Dadou a great director. The higher he moves up the ladder the more he gives to people.

In a year Dadou has also been able to build a house! Dadou's house is almost finished. He put the roof on last December and today he has workers out at the house putting plaster on the walls. Today, I took a trip out to his house to see for myself. And as expected, It was bel. It felt good to be out at his house. The workers were singing, and there were smiles all around. Most of the workers were employed from his village. They were his neighbors and they were happy for him. There was even 4 other people standing in front of his house talking about how bel it was. This is exciting! There's something about a person 1. having a job, 2. rising through all the hardships, and 3. being able to build their own house. There is pride in that. A pride the unfortunately most Haitians don't get to understand. But, at least those workers and onlookers can look at Dadou, and say, "he did it, it can be done."

Best part of the story. Last week I sat down Dadou and we were going over everything for the week. He randomly interrupted me and said he had been saving 75% of his check each month and have been putting it in the bank. I smiled really big. He then continued by telling me he'd saved 3/4 of what he would need to purchase a truck. I just about gasped. A truck?? Wow. Now that's big time. And here's the what made me even more impressed; He started telling me all the reasons he wanted to purchase a truck.

"Jenn, when it rains to much it's hard to take Tania (his daughter) to school. I worry about her when she goes to school on a moto. And Jenn, there has been a lot of sick people in our village and people in my family are constantly going to the hospital. I need a truck so that I can take them to/from the hospital. (His mother-in-law recently had a stroke and once a week she goes to a local hospital for therapy.) And…when the organization's truck isn't working I'd be able to use my truck to pick up cement, rebar, and stuff for construction."

Wow. When he was finished talking I half expected him to borrow the rest of the money he needed for the car. But instead he said he thinks that in about 4 more months he'll have saved the rest of the money he needs.

This is why I love my job. I am glad I get to be on the same team as Dadou. I'm glad we have had the opportunity to invest in him, but I'm really glad that he's able to invest in me. I no longer see Dadou's job as an asset to his family alone. I see it as an asset to his whole village. Because he is building a house there have been job opportunities for his neighbors. Through him, his family and friends will be able to have the opportunity to go to the hospital on a minute's notice. And because he's just that good of a guy, his family and friends are taken care of.  The money he makes is invested back into the community when he makes purchases for things his family needs. And those people that sell food, and clothes, and materials receive much needed income. It's a chain. It's a chain I'm happy to be a part of. Our role as his employer seems so small compared to the role he plays in his friends and families lives. So yes, this 12th check meant something, and so will the 13th, 19th, and 24th. Don't worry I will let you know the amazing things that come from 24 checks ;)