Goodbyes

I've been saying my goodbyes this week. To my 3 little nieces, siblings, grandparents, and friends. I forgot that I would probably miss the people back at home. I've just been so excited and it's come so fast that I didn't really realize until Monday that I would miss out on life here as I know it for 10 weeks. I also booked my return flight which is also very exciting. I'm excited to go but I'm excited to have my return in site. I sure do like things planned, that seems to be obvious.

I will miss my Faith family a lot. Worshiping with them each Sunday, summer camp fires at the parks, bbqs on the weekends. I'll really miss lunch with my Uma every few weeks at Smitty's. I'll miss seeing my twin nieces grow and change so quickly. I'm sure they'll be talking using real words by the time I get back. And little Gus from church will likely be walking - I'll miss seeing him grow. I'll especially miss my small group and bible studies on Wednesday evenings. I will miss those friends and that sacred time we share each week together. I'll miss the crazy times in the church basement working with and for some crazy people. Oh both the joys and frustrations I will miss. I will miss the freedom I have here and the easy access I have to everything I want or need. I will miss being able to communicate easily and express things to be understood.

I'm truly excited to be leaving for Haiti on Saturday afternoon. I'm giddy and overwhelmed with excitement, but I'm also sad to leave this comfortable life here in Winnipeg. I did my last load of laundry that I'll do in 10 weeks in a washing machine. Soon it will all be done by hand. There are lots of lasts that I've had this week, but there are so many firsts to come. It's just bitter sweet and I think that's okay. I have a real sense of peace about where I'm headed. Good, challenging, exciting times are to come. God be with you as He is with me. May you sense His presence in YOUR life as I've in mine.

Haiti Video

This powerpoint was inspired by a song that was played for us while returning from the beach. It is a Haitian artist that is singing about the reality of a Haitian. It talks about 5 guys that take a boat to sea but have no real destination. Anything would be better than staying in Haiti, even the birds don't stay in Haiti. So, I hope you enjoy it. Sorry the quality isn't great, it was created as a powerpoint presentation. All pictures are from our trip aside from Dr. Manno's patient and the picture of the city street in Winnipeg. Pictures are from Rose Friesen, Janelle Peterson, Jason Klippenstein and Cody Anderson who were on the March trip with me. Thanks guys!

The funny thing is...

So after my hilarious scare/frustration with booking my airline ticket...about 4 hours after I booked the May 30th flight, the following week's flight was available again...this was after I freaked out about leaving in 3 weeks rather than 4 (it was hard enough to commit to up and going in 1 month)!!! It's not as easy as it may sound you know! This is hard for a person who needs to mentally prepare herself for things well in advance! I need to play out each day prior to my departure (well not THAT specific) but I need to become "okay" with the reality that I'll be leaving in 4 weeks...or in this case now 3. Anyways, all that to say, I think God's up to something a little bigger then I might think. I'm convinced that I need to be in Haiti between the 31st of May and June 6th! I was cornered into that decision and so I guess in a way made it easier...

I've been busy packing and preparing. Yes I know I have 2 weeks left but my suitcase it almost full. I've been collecting things to take down with me for people there. I truly cannot wait to get on that plane and be on my way. This afternoon was spent calling around/visiting hydroponic stores to find grow bags for our friend that has a nursery in the community. I can now say I set foot in one of those places....well two actually...very interesting.

I'm so excited!!!!!!

I do have waves of fear that wash over me though. Fear about the lack of control I'll have. I won't be able to decide what to eat and when, where I will be going, what time things will happen, what I will be doing each day and each moment. It will very much be a "go-with-the-flow" kind of summer. A time of waiting.....and waiting....and waiting.....
I really am thankful for my year in Ecuador that has helped ease me into this mentality. It will be challenging. O will it be challenging! But I think it will be just lovely.
Once I just let go...I think I'll just get into a groove. Yes I'm sure I'll get frustrated with many of things along the way...but that's all part of the journey. I can't wait to see those I met down there 2 months ago and tell them that I'm back to stay! (at least for a few months anyways). I can't wait to see their smiles and see how they've been.

Since I made this final decision last week I've been a little ADD. I have lots of lists but I can't seem to keep doing one thing...I've been all over the city...doing random tasks. Today I even found myself cleaning out the parents fridge to keep me busy. Maybe I should have just left this weekend...! I'm going crazy here!!!!

But in just 2 weeks from now I'll be in Montreal in a hotel...waiting to fly into the DR to start my adventure. Oh Lord...will you make sure it rains a few days while I'm there...? I'm kind of scared of how hot is might actually be....

Flights & Prep

This afternoon I booked my flight. Not after some real trouble though.

Apparently Air Canada sells a whole bunch of tickets to Air Canada VACATIONS and so I went to book my flight last night all of the economy seats were booked. You see, they only fly out once a week to the Dominican which is how I plan to get to my destination of Haut-Limbe, Haiti soo....I was in a bit of a pickle!

Well, a very long story short, I booked my flight a week earlier then I'd planned (which is actually 3 months earlier then I'd originally planned...why do I even try to plan...???) and in 3 weeks I'll be overnighting in Montreal heading to Puerta Plata the next morning (May 31st).

As I try to think about all that needs to be done in the next 20 days I can't help but just be excited! Things will work out here in Winnipeg and I feel not one bit of guilt for leaving my responsibilities for 3 months. I need a break from this chapter of my life. It's time to start a new one. I plan to return back to this way of life here in Winnipeg soon, but for now I just can't wait to step out. There are bigger things happening...and God's got a plan!

While in Haiti I hope to create and implement a patient database for the clinic/hospital. After much searching these last 2 months for the perfect health clinic software with just the right fields, I realized there has to be a better option! Microsoft Access! Now I hear it's a sucker to learn but once you've got it it's an amazing tool. So...in the next 3 weeks I plan to read the dummies book for Access and start on this task. Any Access experts out there?

And what will be waiting for me when I arrive in Limbe?









A whole lot of patient cards to be entered into the system. Thousands...

And I just can't wait! :)
(ask me in 1 month how excited I am to be entering in all those crazy names that I can't spell let alone pronounce. Good name base for picking baby names...??? Just kiddin!)

I just can't wait to go! :)