The Year: 2013

Sometimes, the direction of our lives goes where we would least expect it. And it often is because of some unexpected paths which we take, which leads us to where we are suppose to be. Our Heavenly Father has a design for our lives, it is just that sometimes we forget to listen to what He is saying, and fail to go where He directs us to go. And sometimes the push we receive comes from a place we never expected.

When Sharon returned from Haiti, she knew that she needed to do more. But she wanted it to be in a fashion more fitting to something that she was comfortable with, and the idea of a medical mission was launched. She was "introduced" to Homayon Ghassemi through his father, who worked as a physician at the same hospital where she worked. They talked and planned and were ready for the trip to happen. But unfortunately, not being able to connect to the right people "on the ground" in the country made this a dream that almost fizzled. But God had different plans. Sharon had kept in contact with one of the ministers from her previous trip to Haiti. One day, she saw a photo that he had posted, and the comment related to a child who needed surgical intervention for an abscess area on her buttocks. Conversation started, and than a lady named Mickey posted responses. The conversation turned to her working in a clinic in Carrefour, Haiti, and she lived there. The keys started to fly and soon Sharon "introduced" Mickey to Homayon. They talked and soon our trip was on! The date of May was selected and we thought we were all set. But God had an additional plan.

Sharon was talking to her niece, Lilias, who expressed an interest in the trip. They all prayed about it, and soon Lilias was on-board for going. Time was short, it was February already, so there wasn't much time to fund raise. But friends were great about donating funds, and soon both Sharon and Lilias found them on their way to Haiti, and a new direction in their lives.

Please check out the following pictures for the trip for this year. They arrived as strangers but left as friends, leaving behind new friends and a promise to return again. Even before leaving the country, plans were in the works for the next year. Our Heavenly Father does know what he is doing, it just sometimes takes us paying a bit more attention to the signs. We hope and pray that you will listen when He talks to you as well.

Translators Wendell, Ronald, Pierre with Bread To The Nations team member Mickey.	The line of people waiting outside the church. Many waited for hours to be seen. They didn't leave and they didn't complain about the wait.
Liz and Mickey, along with the baby girl that's picture being posted helped to set this mission trip in motion.	Lilias and Sharon, taken during a clinic day.
The tents that some of the people around the church still live in. No electricity, no running water, no toilets.	Teaching how to make the water safe to drink, during the hygiene clinic that the team sponsored.
Lilias and Ronald triage a patient during clinic.	Some of the kids that visited us during clinic.

Sharon and Wendell, who worked as her translator during clinic.

Lilias and Ronald, who worked as her translator during clinic.