Done with Tomorrow: Haiti Through Junior High Eyes

just got back from Haiti a few days ago. God put together a very unique team and for eight days we did our best to share Jesus with hopeless eyes. My plan is to share several posts about the trip, each focusing in on different aspects or experiences. so here's the first

i love mission trips but i especially love watching the "first timers" who have no idea what is just around every corner. We had three on this trip who quickly came to be known as the "Junior High Girls" and they were a blast and a blessing!! Now, let me explain...they are not 13 or 14 year olds, but they were the youngest of our group and all three were wide eyed first time mission tripers. here's the deal... in every jr. high group, you've got these 3 types:
1. The leader--bold, fearless, strong, and willing to do anything. we know her as Sassy
2. The sweet shy one--a little unsure, but LOVES deeply and has a heart of gold. Meet Shannie
3. The crazy one--inquisitive doesn't quite cover it-there's no telling what she might say or ask, loves to laugh, loves Jesus, loves people. AKA Stephanie!
here's where it all began

"It's about to get real, real fast" Tig

And real is indeed what it got.
God used each of these sweet girls in so many ways. He used them to give hope to the Haitian people. He used them to give joy to our team. He used them to make much of Jesus.

One of my favorite Sassy moments took place on Sunday night as we gathered for worship at with the congregation of Pastor Vilma's church. Let's just say freedom rang and by the time we sat down for the sermon, i was sweating like a pig after a Zumba workout! Sassy did not hesitate to join in the dance, which gave us all the courage to forget ourselves and remember Who we were there for. The joy on her face as she worshiped the One who created Haitian and American and brought us all together was a beautiful sight to behold.

Sassy and Moses, one of our translators who also lead the way in worship Sunday night.

Shannie-would you like to know how Shannon got this perfect little nicname? Well, naturally, at VBS, she was the one who received all the love notes and letters begging that she promises to come back soon! Yes, Stephanie, (I can hear her now), you got some too!! 2 young boys slipped past the water line that ran through the compound (this is the line the kids know they are not supposed to cross) to bravely deliver them to Shannie as he called her in his note. Now, here's the good part. After talking to them one evening after supper, Shannon decided she had to find a way to share the Gospel with them. Much to her disappointment the boys didn't return the next day. She went out to look for them at least 3 times. But the next day they were back and using the oldest boy, John Michael, as a translator, she did indeed share with them the truth of God's Word and at least one of them came to know Christ. Way to go Shannie!!!

A little Haitian boy shows Shannie his color sheet at VBS

Stephanie. What can i say....really...i'm trying to think of what i can say that

won't incriminate or embarrass us all!! What flitters through her sweet little brain just bounces straight out of her sweet little mouth. But I will never forget the look on her face when she laid her stuff down on her bunk that first afternoon in country. Stephanie didn't just tear up...She sobbed. Her heart was completely broken in two by the sights, sounds, smells and the absolute poverty, the likes of which she had never seen. In that moment, she will tell you herself, she was forever changed. But in between taking blood pressures at the clinic and teaching the lesson at VBS, she kept us all laughing. Just when someone would feel defeated or just plain tired....Stephanie! Here's a couple Tigisms: (i'm only sharing a couple because Renea is working on a book deal and I don't want to plagerize)
"Just because you get bit by one little mosquito, don't mean you're gonna get the chung-cung flu." (followed by eye roll)
"What do they eat? there's nothing out there but rocks and tumbleweeds!" (She's confused with Texas?)
"Marla, I'm itchy. It may be the cracker crumbs in my bed, but I really feel itchy. Marla, do you think it's the crumbs???"