Pic Credit: Jerry Espinosa

Back from another trip to Haiti. Looking forward to getting this week started and making things happen. But first, let me take a moment to reflect on my 7th pilgrimage to Haiti last week.

• Every-time I go to Haiti, it helps me to re-center my life and ensure my priorities are straight.
• Haiti is beautiful. The people, the art, the food. We need to tell these stories more and more.
• Worshipping God in the midst of the largest tent-city in Haiti never gets old. We can learn so much from the resolve of Haitians and the local church that continues to move forward in spite of so many obstacles.
• We blogged daily while in Haiti. Go here for the links.
• The team from Austin New Church was amazing. As always!
• We will be launching our anti-trafficking initiative soon. Can’t wait to share the details. We’re going to need your help.
• We were able to start a new water project for 30 orphans to have clean water. We’ve committed to 25 clean water projects. This well was funded by a church that raised the funds through a Garage Sale for Orphans event last month. I love this!
• We also built two homes for two families. One home was also for a widow. Helping a family move back into a home NEVER gets old. This is why we’re doing the 100 homes project.
• We don’t call our trips “mission trips,” instead we call them “pilgrimages.” It’s truly a time to listen, learn, feel tension, be present and also get some work is done. (building two houses) Each team member raised an extra $500 to help build the two homes. Which also helped to created 10-12 jobs for Haitians before we arrived.
• It looks like we will be sending a family to live in Haiti full-time in the next few months. That’s crazy, scary and beautiful.
• We’ve also committed to giving a micro-loan to three pastors so they can expand their businesses. If only you could see how happy they were to learn that we will help them move their businesses forward.

1.  Arrival

2. Partnership 

3. A letter home. 

4. Grateful 

5. Connecting w/ an orphan! 

*Creative Commons: Flickr*

I wanted to give a quick update on some upcoming travel plans. I would love to connect with you while I’m on the road.

Seattle: Sept 14-19: I head back to my beloved city of Seattle. I will be speaking at Pathways Church on Sept 18th.

Portland: Friday Sept 16th, I will be in Portland for the day!

Atlanta: October 5-7 I will be in the Atlanta area.

LA/OC: Oct 18-20: I will be in Socal. LA proper and Orange County.

Phoenix: 21-23: I will be speaking at Together for Adoption Conference. Hope to see you there!

Haiti: Nov 2-9

Raleigh: Dec 3: Art Show in Raleigh.

New York City – Dec 6-9:: I get a chance to hang with Rob and Jo from Love146. I’m hoping to learn a ton from these friends.

Austin: Dec 20-30: Holiday’s and working!

Corpus Christi – Jan 20-22: Speaking at Oso Creek Church. FYI: Robbie Seay will be leading worship that Sunday. (More info soon)

Haiti: Feb 10-17

I would love for you to follow our journey…It always helps knowing people are praying and routing for you!

I’m here in the Miami airport on a layover. I’m heading to Haiti for the 5th time in 13 months.  Throw-in, one two-week trip to Africa and,

I’m tired of leaving my family.
I’m tired of airports and airplanes.
I’m tired of the stress and anxiety that goes with planning and executing these trips.

H.E.L.P. is understaffed at the moment.  Which means we’re so far behind on EVERYTHING.

Then I arrive in Port au Prince, I feel the heat and humidity and I know, soon we will sit in traffic for hours on end.

I dont’ want to go to Haiti.

But then something beautiful happens.

I’ll see Jay Louis and he will give me a huge hug and thank me once again.
I’ll see Garry, our driver, and he will shake my hand and smile!
I’ll see Jean Alix, he will smile, laugh and say “get to work” people have needs and we have answers.
I’ll see the ever so humble Pastor Gaetan and he will hug me and talk in broken english. “Thanks you for visiting Haiti and leaving your family and country to help ours.”
I’ll see St Cyr serve thousands in a tent city.
I’ll see Junior and he will inspire me with his hope and courage to see positive change take place in his country.
I’ll hold our kids, who have been orphaned.  They will give me high-fives, hugs and smiles.
I’ll meet the community leaders, who will thank me for coming back, again!
Maybe I’ll connect with Troy and see the amazing work Heartline is doing.
Maybe I’ll connect with Jay Cherry and see the amazing work Real Hope for Haiti is doing.

Then, I will repent and ask God to forgive me.
Then, I will realize that I’ve done so little compared to these people.

And for seven days I’ll do my best to become Haitian.  I”ll drink great coffee, eat amazing food, pray deep prayers, serve amazing people and do what I love to do – offer hope to those who need it.

In return, they offer hope back to me.  I see their faith, I see their courage, I see their work-ethic. They inspire me!

And I will realize I have the best job ever.

I’ll realize how lucky I am to be in this country with these people.

I don’t always want to go to Haiti.  But every-time I’m reminded how much I love this country and these people.

And everytime I leave, I feel more blessed then when I arrived.

Haiti – I will see you today- I can’t wait.

- I really enjoyed reconnecting w/ some old friends who helped me get started in ministry over 15 years ago. Mark Tucker, John Harris and Jason Harper – good hanging boys!

- I was able to see old childhood friends. The kind of friends that are life-long friends. Even though you rarely speak or get to hang much. Always good to reconnect and catch-up!

- I did not have time to connect with everyone. Bitter about that!

- J and I took a half day and headed to Lake Tahoe. Man, I miss NorCal. Wine Country, Yosemite, Tahoe, SF, etc… I could go on and on! Here some iPhone pics.

- I really enjoyed hanging with Jake Larson. He helped start XXX ministry. Good dude!

- This week the HELP team heads to NW Arkansas. – Speaking of NW Arkansas, can’t believe !C//Orphan is 3 weeks. Register peeps, it’s going to be amazing.

- I’ve really enjoyed working with Charles, Mike and Katelyn. These are some “get-it-done” leaders. My kind of friends!

- In three weeks, I’ll be leading another team to Haiti with friends from Newsong Church & ANC. Trip is focused on orphans and trafficking.

- I’m also going to be hanging in SoCal this April and attending this and this – who’s going?

- Lakers are killing me!

It’s Monday, let’s make this week count!

We just want to let our Haitian friends no that we have not forgotten!

Never take someone you care about for granted, hold every person close to your heart because you might wake up one day and realize that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones

We simply don’t want to forget the people of Haiti. My friend Troy Livesay posted this story on his blog today; simple reminder of how much the people of Haiti have suffered, and why they still need our help.

So, if you live close, and wan to connect and have coffee, please let me know. I would love to chat and dream and see if we could partner (formally, or informally) and make a difference!

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