Cati Goes to Haiti

This sweet gift was the inspiration behind this post and serves as a constant reminder. Life has a funny way of making you wait. But is it really life that's making you wait or is it God trying to teach you something? God has a funny way of proving that the waiting is all worth it.  Six months ago I was making myself over-anxious about decisions that I had no control over and that weren't even relevant at that point in time. I was pushing far too hard. I knew that I needed to sit and wait and that it would all work out when it needed to. However, my flesh didn't want to let go. It wanted final decisions. It wanted action. But it still wasn't the right time.  So, I had to take a pause. I had to take a step back and focus on the things that I could control and wait for the rest.  What's the biggest thing that I can control? My PRAYERS . God hears us when we talk to Him. He hears our concerns. He hears our desires. He knows our hearts, mo

Moses wants to come to school. They are precious in His sight.  Jesus loves the little children of the world.  I don't really know exactly where to begin today. So, I'm just going to type and see where it goes... News channels, magazines, Facebook, newspapers, Twitter, and Instagram seem to always be filled with the latest reports of people acting against someone different from themselves.  Beliefs.  Race.  Gender.  Age. Politics.  You name it...someone has done something malicious.  It's heartbreaking and it is NOT OKAY.  I can hardly stand to watch the news or scroll my Facebook because it's honestly so depressing and it makes my heart sad to know that people would act in such ways.  God created us to be in relationship with people -- and not just people that are like us. He created us to be unified in His name. Serving Him TOGETHER as ONE BODY .  "Diversity is a gospel matter."  This quote comes out of a devotional written by Kris

Because how cute is he? It's been a few weeks since we last heard from one another. To say that life in Haiti has been a little bit hectic, would be an understatement. Between school, English, meetings, people making various trips, and overall life, we seem to be meeting ourselves coming and going.  So, today, I have a short update about all the things happening as well as some exciting news!  ----- School has been rolling since August 1, but it's been filled with many four day weeks due to our schedule and things coming up. We're finally starting to (sort-of) get back into a five day swing. The kids are off to a great start. They've already finished their first piece of writing and are headed into persuasive writing now. We are learning more in-depth about poetry and geography this year and are making plans for our economic unit.  Micah working on Biology Micah has faced the weight of a high-school work load this year as well as the struggles that come

Celebrated two years in Haiti at the beach. This post has taken me a little bit to figure out. I've had many thoughts and emotions over the last several weeks; lots of ideas about what I wanted to be able to include, but I just wasn't in the place that I could write it yet. I've known the title for a while, but didn't feel reset. I finally got there -- with a little help from my friends and a whole lotta help from Jesus.  I've been sitting in what I will call a dark place for the last month. This summer has been hard.  EXHAUSTED. LAZY. HOMESICK. LONELY. UNCOMFORTABLE. OVERWHELMED. NEGATIVITY. STUCK.   These are the words that have plagued me and I struggled to find my way out of them. The idea of 'resetting' was in the back of my mind, but that required energy and work -- energy I didn't have and work I honestly didn't really care to do. I knew I had neglected the things that make all of those feelings and emotions go away. My quiet tim

By now I'm sure that many of you have heard...things in Haiti got a little bit tense last week and especially over the weekend. I thought that I would give you an "official" update of how things are and also a little perspective. The last thing in the world that I want is for anyone to think that this place is dangerous or a "lost cause." One thing I know to be true, is that social media and other news outlets do not always portray the full story, or for that matter, the full truth. So, let me give you a little bit of background... Last week, the government made an announcement that they would be increasing fuel prices on gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. These fuel increases varied anywhere from 36-49%. That's a huge increase, right? It would be a large increase in America too. Just as any American would be enraged by an increase that steep, so were the people of Haiti. Fuel is a huge part of life here -- transportation, generators, many forms of work, and

My brother and SISTER-in-law! It's been a whirlwind month since my last post. If you haven't read it yet, pop on over to check out my plans for next year ( Cheers to Year Three! ) The last four weeks have flown by.... I spent almost 3 weeks in America at the end of May/beginning of June -- the main purpose of my visit (other than just seeing all my peeps) ....my brother got married! This trip was filled with lots of traveling for wedding things (bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, a wedding) plus all of the travel I normally do when I'm home to see people. I didn't even keep track of the miles this trip...it was A LOT!  It was a beautiful time home. I was ready. I was ready to take a rest from Haiti. That by no means that I'm miserable or unhappy (quite the opposite really...it's also difficult to leave). But, life in a foreign country is hard sometimes. It's not the things that you grew up with and have always known. Sometimes it's uncomfor

If you've been reading my blog posts, chances are none of you will be surprised to hear that I'm staying for another year (at least) in Haiti! Read my recent update letter to get caught up on my work and my plans for the future.... Friends, Family, and Followers... It’s crazy to think that just over two years ago, I made the decision to move to Haiti and serve as a homeschool teacher. The last two years have been an adventure to say the least, and I just know that there’s more to come. In case you hadn’t guessed it…I’m staying in Haiti another year! This last school year has been filled with lots of learning, growth, projects, and fun. I was able to spice up the curriculum a little bit (perks of being the teacher and the principal and the superintendent and the curriculum director all in one!) this year. We had food competitions for writing, we studied different countries, and had a legitimate food truck (well, bus) to learn about economics. The kids continue to bl