From the time I ended my job in Philadelphia till the time I
moved to Haiti was a BUSY month. I ended working in Philadelphia on Feb 1. I
packed everything into my SUV on Saturday and started the drive back across PA.
God truly open a wonderful door for me stay with an amazing women named Joyce
who graciously opened her home to me for the 3 months I was in Philly. It was hard to say goodbye but it also
marked the end of 1 adventure and I was onto the next.
I stopped for lunch
towards the middle of state to meet a dear friend Marty I had met when I lived
in NV. His wife and him were in Carson City in the same apartment complex with
me. They were there seeking a specific cancer treatment for his wife Doreen. I
became good friends with them over that year and have kept in touch with them
over the last 2.5 years. They call me their “adopted daughter” Unfortunately
with me moving to Vegas and them back to PA we had not seen each other for over
a year and a half. Doreen passed away while I was in Haiti last summer so when
I heard I got a job in Philly I was EXCITED to be able to visit my dear friend.
We had a WONDERFUL lunch. I drove
straight to my friend Emily Bailey’s House in Oil City, PA so I could speak at
her church the next morning. The last 2.5 hours of my trip the roads were
horrible and with 4 wheel drive. By God’s grace I made it safely. It was
wonderful to share with this congregation the 8 things God has called me to in
Haiti (which I wrote about in a previous blog post) and share specific stories
of children that fall under each. I have to smile at how God used the testing
of my faith in Philadelphia to build the exact message I shared at churches!
BIG GOD! I made it home Sunday night and just relaxed on the couch with my
family. Mon-Wed were spend
ordering therapy supplies for Haiti, looking for missionary health insurance,
setting up dr. apt. etc.
Thursday Feb 7th I headed up to Erie for 4 days
of speaking/fundraising. I stayed with a good friend Julia Campbell who is a 4th
year student at Gannon University going for Occupational Therapy. I first met
Julie when I was a freshman at Gannon 8 years before when I played softball for
the church she attended. I got to see Julia in a sense grow into the calling God
had for her which was to go to OT school and see her love for missions grow! I
am so EXCITED that she is coming to Haiti in May to do an internship under
me. On Thursday afternoon I was
videotaped at Grace Baptist Church so I could share my story and calling Haiti.
Grace Baptist has a dear place in my heart, as it is the church that really
helped me grow in my faith the last 3 years of college. It is what I would
consider my “home church in Haiti.” I had the blessing of talking with 3 of my
dear pastor friends (Mike, Derek, and Al) before I left. I admire all 3 of them
for their godliness and hearts for missions. I left Grace and went straight to
Gannon to set up for a time of sharing with the OT students at Gannon. I
absolutely love sharing the work I do in Haiti with therapy students because it
opens their eyes to a whole different way of using their major then they may
have ever thought before. I was surprised to see the fieldwork 2 supervisors
from Sharon at my presentation J. Friday was spent visiting my Gannon
family & friends which was wonderful. Saturday we started preparing food
and setting up First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant for the dinner Julia
and I were having. First Church of the Covenant was the church I went to my
freshman/sophomore year of college and the Kirk House is the Christian community
house owned by the church, which I lived, in my sophomore, junior, and senior
year. This church played a huge part in spiritual growth during my time in Erie
as well. My parents came up to Erie to cook for the dinner. We had a GREAT turn
out of over 100 people for the after church luncheon. Julia & a few of her
friends played/sang a beautiful song, Julia shared her heart & call to
Haiti and then I shared about my call to Haiti, some specific stories of kids,
and videos/pictures. The fundraiser was a huge success.
Monday Feb 11th
I headed down to Pittsburgh to meet up with my friend Molly to help her with
her fundraiser at Archie’s Bar and Grill in Pittsburgh. Molly is a Speech Therapist I met while
working alongside her in Philly. After hearing about what I was doing, she felt
lead to come and serve for 3.5 months to help set-up a ST program in
Haiti. She did such a wonderful
Job with the fundraiser and it was a HUGE success! I have been blown away by
the generosity of people.
I was suppose to go to Indiana/Lexington/Cincinnati area Feb
13th till the 19th but really felt the tug on my hear to
cancel that trip on the way down the Pittsburgh. I realized I only had 2 weeks
left at home, I had not seen any of my family or friends since moving back from
Philly and I had so much that I still needed to get done that I had forgot to
plan for like taxes, moving all my stuff from storage to the attack, going
through boxes to see what I could sell, organizing/cleaning my room at my
parents, etc. After praying for
about it I did end up making the hard decision to cancel that trip.
I spent my last 2 weeks at home doing all the things
previously listed and going to dr. appointments, getting hair cut, getting new
glasses, finishing buying supplies for Haiti, making therapy folders for Haiti, making lacing cards and
educational games, packing and trying to do as much visiting with family and
friends as I could.
This is the longest stretch of time I have ever had between
finishing up at school or a job then heading to Haiti. The most I have ever had
was 1 week and the least was a day. It was nice having the month to get things
in order, get rested up, and see so many of my family and friends.
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