Family

I love my family!  We are a close bunch.  I typically talk to my mom and sister at least once a day. 

Over the years I have had the privilege of being a part of other "families".  My school family has been a huge blessing, especially on those days when I am overwhelmed, burnt out, frustrated, disappointed, discouraged, etc.  I know that I can turn to any of these family members and they will be there to encourage and love on me.  My first few years I was part of one great family and I continue to see those girls for dinner at least every other month.  Then we were scattered and I became part of a new family.  "Team M" has been my amazing school family over the past 3 years and they are a huge reason why this change is bittersweet.  I want to take them with me because they are amazing teachers and friends.  I hope the new teacher in room 120 knows how very lucky they are to become part of this family. 

I have also been blessed with an amazing church family.  I grew up in a phenomenal church and youth group.  I struggled through college and my early 20's to find somewhere that I loved as much as where I grew up, but then God led me to Church of the Highlands where I stepped into a family of believers that are on fire for God and want to learn, grow, and serve more than I ever have before.  The passion and enthusiasm are contagious.  The below picture is my Haiti family.  The 12 of us are tied together by this experience and they will continue to be a part of my life. 

"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart..." - Philippians 1:7

Faithful Friends

Throughout my life I have been blessed over and over with amazing friends.  Starting in middle school God surrounded me with a group of girls that challenged and encouraged me.  These girls continue to be a part of my life nearly twenty years later.  We have been through heartbreak, loss, love, celebrations, and so much more.  But even after all this time I know that I can count on them to cover me in prayer, encourage me, laugh or cry with me.  We have been through lots together over the past few years and our bond has proven to be strong and faithful.  When someone sends out a text or email that they need us, we are there without delay.  "A friend loves at ALL times..."

Over the past several years I have also been blessed with a group of amazing friends through my church.  They have stretched me, challenged me, and encouraged me in my walk with Christ.  It is so neat to look back and see how and when I met each of these dear friends.  I know that they have each come into my life according to His timing.

Over the past few weeks I have been humbled by the way these friends have loved, encouraged, and helped me prepare for a new school, a new year, and a new perspective.  Several friends came up to my school and helped clean, dust, throw away, rearrage, etc.  I was feeling very good about the progress and felt like one more full day in my room should be enough to finish everything up.  I was overwhelmed when I walked into my lab last Thursday and found curtains hung, boxes unpacked, shelves painted, etc.  On Wednesday of last week my precious friend Lauren coordinated with several of my friends and they came up to my school and worked to make my new home bright, clean, and happy.  I just kept walking around the room touching everything and saying "Oh my gosh!  Oh my gosh!"  I was blown away by such a selfless act of service, but not surprised that these friends were willing to do so much for someone else because that is the kind of people they are... Amazing people!

The song link above is so perfect to describe these people that I am blessed to call friends.  Some I have known for more than half my life and some I have only met within the past few months, but I know that God has brought each of them into my life and I am thankful.

Something brought you to my mind today

I thought about the funny ways

You make me laugh

And yet I feel like it's ok to cry with you

Something about just being with you

When I leave I feel like I've been near God

And that's the way it ought to be, yeah

‘Cause you've been more than a friend to me

You fight off my enemies

‘Cause you have spoken the truth over my life

And you'll never know what it means to me

Just to know you've been on your knees for me

Oh, you have blessed my life

More than you'll ever know

You Move Me

"Oh but You move me.

You give me courage I didn't know I had.

You move me on

I can't go with You and stay where I am

So You move me on."

I was laying in bed last night thinking about all that has transpired over the past few weeks and this song came to my mind.  I have not thought of or heard this song in a long time, but it seems so fitting for where I am right now. 

I was also thinking about the fact that this song was on a mix tape that my friend Stacey made back in high school.  I remember her loving the words to this song.  How fitting these words are for her now, too. 

Tomorrow begins a whole new chapter of my life and I am beyond excited.  You all know me well enough to know that I am typically overwhelmed and anxious when it comes to change of any sort, but this is all such a testament to "the peace that passes understanding" because from the moment I was offered the job and assured that this was indeed where God was leading me I have not felt nervous or anxious at all (even after finding a box of dead frogs in the lab).  He is faithful.  I am blessed.  

Plans

Hello my name is Meredith and I am a planner.  I like checklists.  I like details.  I like to know what to expect.

But, faith in action requires us to step out not knowing what the plan is or any of the details. 

Haiti was a big test of faith for me.  A little over a month before the trip we changed locations and increased the trip cost by $400.  I really had to pray through whether or not I should go on this trip and I felt God continually whisper to me that this was part of the reason He led me to this trip.  Not knowing the plan is out of my comfort zone, but God doesn't always want us to be comfortable.  Leading up to the trip I heard the term "graciously flexible" at every turn.  I asked lots of questions and had others asking me questions pertaining to the trip where the response continued to be "I don't know."  And the closer we got to leaving for Haiti the more I was okay with not knowing.  I knew I was being obedient and that was all that mattered.  God knew the plans and I trusted that He was in charge. 

This test of faith has continued here at home, too.  On the trip I had some conversatoins with Ellen (our team leader) about the school she teaches at.  I was intrigued and let her know I might be interested in the future if there was ever a position available.  Eight days after I mentioned that God provided the opportunity for me to teach at Cornerstone Christian School in Woodlawn.  I had lots of questions and "what ifs", but I also had 100% faith that this was where God was leading me and the next part of His plan for me.  So, even though I don't know what to expect on August 1 when I start my new job and I don't know the details about how to teach middle school Science in an inner city school, I know that God's plans are way better than mine and I know that He's got me right where He wants me and there is no place I'd rather be.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Break Every Chain

There is power in the name of Jesus

To break every chain

One of my favorite memories from the trip was from our first day.  We spent the afternoon in a mountain church with lots of precious kids.  As we headed back down the mountain, Davis (our leader from Global Effect) suggested that we stop at this Voodoo sacrifice tree to pray and sing some worship songs.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, 70% of Haitians practice Voodoo to some extent so it was everywhere.  We unloaded the tap tap and stood facing this tree and loudly sang "There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain."  Then we sang "Mighty to Save".  While we were worshipping a woman came up with a bucket on her head.  She began to join us in worship by lifting her hands and swaying back and forth with the bucket still firmly planted on her head.  As we were leaving, one of our team members gave her a granola bar and a bottle of water.  She began saying something in Creole that we could not understand, so we called over one of our translators to interpret for us.  He told us that she had said, "When I woke up this morning I did not have any food and you have answered my prayer for food."  We saw her again at the mountain church the next day and as we unloaded the tap tap she came up to hug each one of us.  It was a powerful moment.

A Beautiful Mess

I saw a facebook post from one of my friends that went to Haiti with me where she described Haiti as a "beautiful mess".  I thought this was the perfect description for what I saw, heard, and experienced June 24 - July 1 in Grand Goave, Haiti.  On the flight back home I was scribbling away in my journal trying to recount each and every memory from my mission trip and I was struck by the number of contrasts I was writing about.  For example, when we arrived in Haiti we landed in the capital city, Port-au-Prince.  We had about a two hour van ride to Grand Goave where we stayed for the week.  Before the plane even touched down it was already blatantly obvious that we were in the poorest country in the western hemisphere.  As I looked out the plane window I could see "tent cities" everywhere.  These were homes made of tarps, mattress walls, sheets, scraps, etc.  On our two hour drive I was saddened by the filth and poverty that were everywhere.  There is no garbage system in Haiti so the streets are covered in large piles of trash.  I never saw a single trash can the whole trip.  But, in sharp contrast, Haiti is also one of the most beautiful places I have been.  There are huge mountains that are visible in the distance and the island is surrounded by the crystal-clear blue Carribean. 

Another drastic contrast was joy and anger.  The people of Haiti could be so kind and tender, but I also saw lots of anger and pent-up rage come out at times, even in the children.  This was especially the case when we started to serve food.  You could tell that they definitely had taken on a "survival of the fittest" mentality. 

There was pride and apathy.  Most of the people seemed to take great pride in their appearance, but they also showed apathy in their care for their surroundings by throwing trash everywhere.

In some ways Haiti seems decades behind most other countries, but in other ways they are very knowledgeable about current events, especially when it comes to pop culture.  It was so strange to have a child who lived in a tent ask if we could be their facebook friend and then want us to type our name into their cell phone.

There was also a noticeable contrast spiritually.  An estimated 70% of Haiti's population practice Voodoo.  At times our team experienced an obvious evil presence because it is so prevalent.  However, we also witnessed some of the most beautiful praise and worship of our mighty God.  It is overwhelming to hear the Haitian congregations singing with all their heart and soul to worship the same God I do.  Our first night there we were having dinner at the orphanage that served us lunch and dinner all week.  We could hear loud singing coming from the church on the premises.  When one of our translators came by I asked him what they were singing.  He said, "They are singing, 'We worship you Lord.  You are Alpha and Omega.  We worship you Lord.' "  They repeated this over and over with growing passion and praise.  It was such a beautiful moment in the midst of such an overwhelming mess.