The Day After Easter
The pastel eggshells are in the garbage and candy wrappers are strewn all over the kid’s bedrooms. We went to church yesterday and the minister was hyped. The band was hyped. And the faithful were hyped. Alongside Christians all over the world, we sang about how death...
With All My Heart
When her face peaked in through the gate of the orphanage, I had no idea how much it would change the course of my life. She knocked sheepishly, yet in anticipation, clutching a small bag of fruit by her side. She was there to see her son. She had given him to the...
It’s not shocking to see mistakes
It’s not shocking to see mistakes. Words are misspelled, colors aren’t done right, and orders are misinterpreted. It’s what happens when you have people who might only have had the opportunity to have a 5th-grade education working in a second language, for people in a...
Papillon Payroll Protection Program – In Haiti
I stood in front of over 100 artisans who were at work today this afternoon. Shirley stood next to me to help with clarification and translation if needed. A topic so sensitive and scary needs to have utmost clarity. I don’t understand the exchange rate and the...
It’s always hard to come back
It’s always hard to come back. Partially because I feel so much like my home is still in Haiti and my life straddles two worlds as I make that decision to put my family’s current needs first (as I should) above being physically present in Haiti all the time with the...
A Butterfly Story
This morning I went out running because I am trying to force myself to get some sun and exercise during these hard times. I put a bright yellow shirt on and black shorts. I found the yellow shirt buried way deep in my closet and it is a shirt I have maybe only ever...
Missional Purchasing. The Value In Handmade.
MISSIONAL PURCHASING... We aren’t unfamiliar with the concept of using our purchases for good. Buy American. 🇺🇸 Buy Local. 🏷 Support Small Businesses. 🦋 Eat at your local Ma and Pa Diner. 🍽 Support the Girl Scouts. 🍪 Buy...
Empowerment – Hope & Opportunity
My heart is heavy. All of the things I care about most seemed to be both crippled and yet also highlighted by this sinister convergence in our world right now. The virus, the economic landslide, and the outrage over George Floyd’s murder have my head spinning and my...
Hindsight is 20/20, but we see clearly what lies ahead.
Hindsight is 20/20 and had I known about the political devastation that would wreck Haiti in 2019, I still don’t think I could have done much differently.
Thanksgiving – Gratitude & Good Memories
Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I can’t help but reminisce on the many Thanksgivings that were held in my dining room in Haiti over the years. A wonderful friend whose wife was sick with cancer made a huge pallet table for me that was about 16 feet long in exchange for...