Today I start my journey back to Haiti... I am thankful for the last 5 days in Pennsylvania to see my family. I am filled with a mix of emotions as I head back... I am so excited to see the kids, My Haitian friends and family, and get back to my home. But I am also a little overwhelmed by all that lay ahead with teaching/training 10-12 therapy staff, building a unified team, transitioning the outreach program to mainly Pdp, and adjusting back to life in Haiti after being almost 6 months of not in Haiti over the last 8 months. I know it won't be easy... I know I have my work cut out for me... I know God is with me... I know I have prayer warriors stateside praying for me... I know that if I daily seek the Lord and daily seek strength it will be provided. In case anyone missed my last email update about the BIG CHANGES...TRANSITIONS You can read the full version by CLICK HERE. I am EXCITED to see what God has in store this year in the midst of all the changes. If you have any questions about the changes please let me know.
My Time with my No Boundaries International (NBI) Family.
I have spent 7.5 weeks in Oklahoma City for a season of rest, restoration, spiritual rejuvination, learning, and serving. I am so thankful for this time and I truly feel I was right where God wanted me to be at. The time flew by but the impact it had on me personally and my ministry will definitely have a lasting impact. I was immersed in christian community living with other strong believers who worship, pray, and serve daily. It was in this community that I took the time to learn teamwork strategies, leadership skills, trauma informed care, get farther in my beyond suffering book, and find REST. All which I needed to help prepare me to face the big change/transition that is coming to my ministry in 2019.
WHO and WHAT IS NBI (NO BOUNDARIES INTERNATIONAL?)
No Boundaries International is a faith based 501(c)3 nonprofit ministry dedicated to bringing hope to any type of devastation whether it’s a natural or manmade disaster, both locally as well as internationally. Here in the Oklahoma area, NBI is driven to stop modern day slavery known as “human trafficking” that is occurring on the streets of Oklahoma City. Whether it is the prostituted woman, the at-risk child, the homeless individual or those struggling with addiction and brokenness, No Boundaries seeks to reach out on a street level and provide realistic solutions to those in need.
After years of working with people from hard places, NBI has found that trafficking victims often have the common trait of low self-esteem stemming from poor family dynamics. Addiction, poverty issues, low level of education, homelessness and lack of viable choices may also play significant roles in their being lured and trapped into a predictor’s hands.
As a result, NBI has recognized the devastating effects of this modern day slavery as well as the contributing factors and has responded by operating a community center within an Oklahoma City area known for human trafficking, high crime, poverty, and at-risk children and youth. In addition, No Boundaries has a “Safe Friends” program which meets the needs of those exiting from trafficking, a free clothes closet called “Carina’s Closet”, a free food pantry, ministry to the homeless, and tutoring for the at-risk children in the area. Therapy is also available for those in need, under the guidance of well-known trauma therapist and NBI co-founder, Dr. Lori Basey. And prayer, intercession and teaching are held weekly at the community center which is located within the human trafficking track.
NBI believes that it will take a strong community driven response in order to stop the modern day evil of human trafficking. Certainly no one organization can fight this alone. It will take a combination of awareness, intervention, prevention and fundraising by many individuals, groups and organizations in collaboration with our law enforcement in order to make a strong impact.
WHAT we do: We respond to God’s call by meeting basic needs and providing inner healing, medical care, and discipleship to those in devastation.
HOW we do what we do: We restore, train and deploy the Body of Christ into areas of devastation.
WHY we do what we do: Devastation should not have lifetime effects, so we cross any border to bring the Good News to communities.
Core Values: Love…Go…Community… Prayer
HOW DID YOU END UP CONNECTED WITH NBI?
Well… lets say God has a sense of humor and you can be sure He uses all situations in your life for his glory even when you have a bad rotten attitude. When I was a senior in college we had to take a business class. I thought why would I ever need this class…this is stupid! (I know of course know it was not stupid). One of the first assignments of the class was to find an article written by an Occupational Therapist who started a non traditional community based program. I was the first presenter and the professor said He would put some articles online as examples that could also be used. Since I was first and I had a bad attitude about the project I picked the first article that popped up. Not only was it an article written by Lori Basey but also it was on working in the homeless shelters (which a week before I chose as my Thesis topic OT in homeless shelters). As I read the article I was fascinated about what Lori did and wanted to learn more about it. To my surprise the second project of the semester was to get into groups of 4 and choose 1 article to contact the author to find out if the program was still in existence and if not why not. I convinced my group that we should do my article. So one afternoon we conference called Lori. It was like pulling teeth to get her to talk about the homeless shelter as by this time she had started NBI and wanted to share all about her new program and organization. By the end our conversation I knew I wanted to talk to her more. The next day I called her back on my own (which was way out of character for me) and we talked for over an hour. Lori was intrigued by what I did in Haiti and I was intrigued by what she was doing in Africa. Next thing I knew months later I got a call from her letting me know she just got back from Haiti visiting my kids! A year later while I was in Haiti she brought a team in while I was there and served alongside me for a week. Ever since then Lori has been my role model in the OT world. She is using her OT skills in service to christ in non-traditional ways like I am in Haiti. We kept in contact over the years. 8 years ago I met NBI at the onething conference in Kansas City. 7 years ago I came and spent a week of my vacation visiting them in Oklahoma City and seeing what they do day to day. I had not talked to NBI in years I kept up on their email newsletters and on facebook and occasionally contacted Lori with questions but we were not in alot of contact. Until August of 2018 when Lori contacted me and asked if I wanted to come visit for a week. I said sure! God had actually laid on my heart a desire before they contacted me to go visit them. During my week in Oklahoma in September I learned that Lori heard from God 911 Autumn. As I shared all that was going on in my ministry… my struggles, the decision I was facing, and health problems. Lori invited to to come spend a few months with there team to get healthy emotionally, spiritually, and physically. They offered to pour into me and help me get through feeling drained and burntout in my work and ministry. I am forever grateful for Lori hearing and acting on what she heard God say. For opening the door for me to be part of their family and to find rest and healing. For he pouring into me and encouraging me as a leader and in building my team in Haiti. For believing in my ministry calling and in helping me prepare for the BIG TRANSITION/CHANGE. I know 1 thing It won’t be 7years before I come back to visit my NBI family.
WHAT DID A TYPICALLY WEEK LOOK LIKE
Monday’s- were typically a day of studying the leadership and teamwork information then in the evenings was Living Life Bible study/dinner. This is a Christian sober living community that has about 20-30 depending on the week men and woman who are getting out of a life of alcohol or drugs. We shared a meal with them, did Bible study, and also started working on life skills with them. Monday nights were so much fun!
Tuesday’s- The entire morning from 9-12 was NBI University. It was a time of worship and then a more in-depth time of Bible Study which we studied Key’s To Heavens Economy. I learned so much and was challenged to reassess my view on economy and take on Heavens view. We shared lunch together then in the afternoon was their staff meeting where I enjoyed seeing how a good christ centered staff meeting was run on a weekly basis as I am starting this with my staff when I get back. During that time they were watching the Team building videos I was working on during my own time. Then later afternoon and evening was my time to do individual study.
Wednesday- were typically a day of studying the leadership and teamwork information, BEYOND SUFFERING book, and Bible study on Acts and the Life of Paul.
Thursday’s- was community day. This is a day we spent at the old fire station on Robinson Street (there community center). Thursday’s it is open to all our friends in the area that need the emergency food pantry, clothes closet, prayer. On a typical Thursday we would serve around 70 of our friends and pray with and over them. In the evenings the activity varied sometimes it was Bible study and other times it was doing therapy with Lori working on trauma informed care.
Friday’s- were typically a day of studying the leadership and teamwork information, BEYOND SUFFERING book, and Bible study on Acts and the Life of Paul.
Saturday’s- we were always up to something different and usually spent the evening fellowshipping together.
Sunday’s- we did church at the fire station church which is open to anyone. It was common to have some of our homeless friends, some of the girls who work on Robinson street, and those who live in the area. We would have lunch then usually have the evening evening free.
MY BAPTISM
While I was completing a sermon series on Acts while I was in Oklahoma I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to get Baptised. I was baptized as an infant and dedicated by my parents to the church. I have accepted christ as my personal savior as a teenager and have been growing in my faith each year. I always felt I was baptized and so never did full-emersion baptism as an adult. Thinking about it my baptism for me signified a rededication of my life and ministry to God. I am desperate for God to be the head of my life and ministry especially as I move forward in what He is calling me to with opening 5 STAR Global Ministries. It was a chance to be washed of the sins of my past and come up and out as a new person in Christ ready to take on the world with God’s help.
CHRISTMAS OUTREACHES
It was alot of fun to be at NBI during the Christmas time. I was able to participate in so many fun outreach events.
- We took the food truck to 2 different under privileged schools the week leading up to Christmas week. We were able to bless around 800 kids with cookies, hot chocolate, and a stuffed animal donated by petsmart. It was so fun to see the children’s excitement. They also were able to bless another school with stuffed animals for all the kids but did not take the food truck out.
    
- We were able to bless our Living Life friends with Bibles and Hygiene supplies which is all they wanted for Christmas when asked the week before. We also held a outreach that our living life friends helped us pull off. It was a night of cooking out and caroling with those in the community. We had over 100 come out for the event.
  
- 5 Below donated literally thousands of toys which we were able to set up a store on community day and have a Christmas party for our friends and they were able to shop for Christmas Gifts for there children. We served over 200 people that day!
- We threw a Christmas party with a traditional meal of turkey and ham for the girls working on Robinson street. It was an amazing time of fellowship blessed by the Lord. We had 15 girls attend. They didn’t eat and leave but stayed and played games and then we had a very nice gift for them.
 
- Homeless outreach which happens every Wednesday got 100 gift boxes donated with a hat, gloves, hand warmers, candy, and a few other items in each. The homeless outreach team was able to go out and give each homeless they saw a wrapped gift box and a nice sacked lunch and pray with them the week of christmas. My roommate Michelle is in charge of this ministry and said multiple of them cried and were so excited about there gift.
- Caroling
TRAVELS
- TAOS New Mexico- the day after I arrived in Oklahoma we turned around and left for family vacation in Taos for thanksgiving. It was a fun relaxing 5 days of sermon ambushes on Acts, good quiet time, playing games, enjoying nature, family, friends, going to the movies and sharing thanksgiving dinner.
- ONETHING Convention Kansas City- This is a christian conference that occurs from December 27th till January 1. An amazing time to end the year focused on the one thing that matters which is Jesus. The conference is put on by The International House of Prayer (IHOP) and it packed full of amazing worship, prayer and Bible teachings that encourage you, challenge you and fill you up to start out the New Year right. I was super blessed that Nathan was able to join the first half of the conference via internet livestream and participate with me. It was so wonderful to grow in the Lord together. It is also amazing to bring the new year in worshipping with 20,000 other people and thousands more via livestream all over the world. So thankful I got to go to IHOP again it had been 8 years.
 
HOW THIS PREPARED ME TO FACE THE BIG CHANGE/TRANSITION
I am leaving Oklahoma feeling at peace about all the change/transition about to happen. I am leaving filled back up spiritually with a game plan to stay spiritually filled and have daily time with the Lord. I leave with the NBI team and family cheering me on, praying for me, and backing me in what I am doing. I know they got my back in prayer and to give me help and advice as I need it. I feel not alone in the season I am heading back into.
MICHELLE and ME- Michelle was my amazing Housemate that I had the privilege of doing ministry and life with my entire time in Oklahoma
I was blessed to reunite with many friends as well as make many new friends.
I also had the wonderful opportunity of meeting up with some Haiti friends while in Oklahoma.
  
CHRISTMAS HAITI
OUTREACH CHRISTMAS PARTY
The outreach Christmas party was a huge success again this year. Thank you to each and everyone who helped make it a huge success! All the families who attended heard the Christmas story, had a party meal, and left with a backpack full of beans/rice and a sermon message translated to creole in their backpack about Jesus helping Carry our loads. There were many extra backpacks and so the therapy staff did many homevisits and delivered some to families who were unable to make it to the party. Some were given to the pastor of the mission church and he handed them out to some of the families in the church in need. Some were given to the director of the mission school for him to bless some kids who needed a little extra blessing this Christmas. It was fun to hear about all those who were blessed. One little boy said he had never received a gift before! Thank you to each of you who donated to make this possible.
    
OUTREACH MEDICAL New Years FUNDRAISER
To end 2018 we held a fundraiser to raise money to buy the vitamins for the multivitamin program and Rickets vitamin program while they were on sale. We were able to get all the vitamins for the year and fill the pharmacy in Haiti for 3-4 months. I am EXCITED to share that we not only met our goal but exceeded it. The pharmacy has been filled and medications have already been used to help save kids lives. The vitamins have been delivered to people coming into Haiti over the next few weeks and will arrive by February. Thank you to everyone who gave to start the new year of outreach out ready to promote HEALTH and WELLNESS!
 
NEXT EMAIL UPDATE
I will be updating on the earthquake relief that has been happening with the money that was donated. We have been able to help 5 families so far and still have money to keep going. We are doing 1 family at a time and using a contractor that we know and trust to ensure all funding stewarded well.
TO MAKE A FINANCIALLY DONATE
1. ONLINE CTEN WEBSITE- www.cten.org/autumnmarshall/
2. PAYPAL: autumn.marshall@nwhcm.orgHAITI | 
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