Reminising

Nine years ago today, at the tender age of 24 I boarded a plane in Toronto, Ontario and began this beautiful adventure in Titanyen, Haiti! So so much has happened since then. As I've been reminiscing today I wrote out a number of my favourite memories. There are so many more I know, but here are a few! 

God moments and special memories from years 1 - 8 in Haiti:
  • Attending the first ever high school graduation from MOH school 
  • Attending my first kindergarten graduation and being SHOCKED by the dances
  • Attending the ground breaking ceremony in Bercy. 
  • Reading the eulogy at Maggie's funeral.
  • The kids Christmas pageant - they still remember all the songs 
  • Hiking to Simonette with my parents.
  • Visiting Clifton in California 
  • Jerry, Paula, Matthew and Eric's trip
  • Good Sam kids staying here post hurricanes
  • Learning how to switch gears, and hit the gas on a motorcycle before learning where the brakes are - and driving past the van der Mark's yard screaming my head off trying to stop using only my feet.
  • Our drive to Cap Haitian - B E A U T I F U L
  • Practicing driving a motorcycle in Simonette and then very nearly crashing into a house.
  • Tasting new fruit for the very first time (Korosol, kinep, arbriko)
  • Renting a coconut tree
  • Almost killing Bailey in Jacmel
  • Visiting Hand and Feet Project in Jacmel
  • Family meetings
  • The Circle of Security training with the staff
  • Naming Jeremiah, and choosing his and Hannah's last name (Mathurin - Maggie's last name)
  • The summer we took the orphanage kids to the beach in Simonette every Friday 
  • Hiking to Oranges before there was a road up the mountain
  • Emmanuella being duck-taped to the wall FOREVER!
  • Grounding 65 kids at once -  oh man! 
  • Berthony and Rony singing and dancing "Mwen gen yon espri ki nan tet mwen..."
  • The grey truck - and our many adventures
  •  Seeing Jeremiah and Hannah for the first time, on the back of a motorcycle coming out to Simonette
  • Realizing why Katie and I have such a strong bond - Sister Moms!
  • Spending the weekend at the Grooters beach house, all by myself, sitting outside and listening to the waves crashing for hours
  • Tuesday night worship - the Lord speaking to me about Kenol
  • Catherine, Christine and Larissa's visit - tasting a Wahoo for the first time
  • Diana's going away weekend at Wahoo
  • Sleeping in the back of my truck with Matthew, after the earthquake
  • Kinzie on guard duty after the earthquake - circling the kids mattresses on the ground all night long
  • Sitting with Mr. Marc in the waiting room of the old office - the day after the earthquake
  • Reading for HOURS everyday in the red chair in Amy's apartment in Austin, Texas
  • Almost walking into the back propeller of a helicopter in 2008 - Brad saved me! 
  • Simon the female cat - and every single crazy thing that happened
  • Our trip to Hinche for Jacqueson's surgery - and Jacqueson staying with me for a few weeks
  • English classes with the orphanage kids
  • Survivor games with the kids each summer (Total summer highlight!)
  • Meeting Joseph, Olivier and Joshua for the first time (they were so shy!)
  • Every single Christmas I have spent here
  • Jolibris 
  • My parents first Christmas
  • Our wedding week - everything about it
  • Our crazy adventure driving to the Dominican for our honeymoon
  • Having to sleep in a rent-by-the-hour hotel!!
  • Catherine screaming when millions of baby cockroaches ran out of the cupboard
  • Hurricane kittens
  • Every trip to the D.R.
  • Staff retreat in Furcy
  • Being hit by, at minimum, 12 motorcycles while the car was stopped in the middle of an intersection for at least an hour in a insane traffic jam and Kenol not caring at all. "That's why we have the defense (metal bars over the bumpers)"
  • Being stuck behind a mobile dance party during carnival, driving through Bon Repos on one of our first dates
  • Taking Route 9 for the very first time with Fanfan
  • Playing Haitian charades with the van der Marks and Rumfords
  • Scary horses running out of the darkness and scaring the living daylights out of Dana and I on a late night walk up the hill
God moments and special memories from year 9:
  • Jeremiah and Hannah's kindergarten graduation
  • Macline asking me to be her maren
  • Macline's graduation
  • Holly coming to teach the boys
  • Jubilee's birth
  • Spending extended time with my family in Canada
  • The boys getting visas
  • Visiting/praying with Serieus Dyverne's family in Levek
  • Clermond getting his house in Levek
  • Madam Leon picking which house she wants in Levek
  • Transition house dinner and move in day
  • Man accepting Christ at Levek intake day
  • Hope House boys movie night/sleep over
  • Beach day with the orphanage kids
  • Spiritual awakening
  • Life Austin's trip - especially our dinner together
  • CAFO conference with Taunya
  • Diana's wedding
  • Crazy Love bible study and constantly messing up dinner!! 
  • Jubilee's dedication party
  • Care packages from Megan  
  • Orphanage visits 
I've hope you've enjoyed this little walk down memory lane. What an incredible life I have been blessed to live, I need to reminisce more often! Looking back on all the incredible things God has done, and allowed me to be a part of is so exciting.

Raise your glass with me (or your coffee mug), whatever works. Here's to year 10; let me be stretched, let me be used, let me be an encouragement, let me be a kingdom builder.

Cheers friends!

Rachel




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