tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87739462432678212732024-03-05T19:50:40.834-08:00Katie in HaitiKatie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-47360426445847119102012-01-04T19:29:00.000-08:002012-01-04T19:38:18.820-08:00Our scars remind us that the past is real...<span style="font-family:arial;"></span><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-alt:Cambria; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:8.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">As most of you know a really significant day is coming up for me in a few days, a day filled with so much emotion but one that has impacted my entire LIFE… so I wanted to take a little time to reflect on how in world I got her. A lot has happen in the past 2 years and boy has been quite the journey. Two years ago today I was in full freak out mode! After great prayer, discussion and preparation I was leaving everything I “knew” to embark on an internship. I was taking off a semester of school with only 3 left till graduation to get some hands on field experience in the country I had grown to love. I felt given the opportunity to submerge myself in the daily lives of children like the ones I had hoped to work with, as a social worker was a no brainier. I wanted to spend this time in the orphanage so when I started working in the adoption world I would at least have some first hand experience. I wanted to know what these children went through, where they came from and how they dealt with the LIFE changing process of adoption but oh did God have other plans…</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">January 4,2010 I got on the plane with Mike and Missy and my LIFE packed in two 50 pound suitcases and a carry-on. I spent a few days with them while they did some paper work for Tia’s adoption and then on Thursday January 8<sup>th</sup> they dropped me off at the orphanage. Those first 5 days were really hard! Probably the hardest I have ever gone through. I knew NO creole nor did I know ANYONE that lived there. Being an extremely outgoing person and one that talks ALL THE TIME, I had never felt so isolated and alone. It quickly became a time of finding myself; I didn’t have the things or people to fill my day with so I had to find ME, who I was outside of all my ‘stuff.’ I know God allowed me to walk through that time to show me who I was in HIM. Living such a comfortable lifestyle in the States filled with such great family and friends I sometimes turned to them in situations or I would allow a ‘problem’ to consume me instead of surrendering and allowing God to walk me through it. For the first time in my LIFE it was just God and I it was a rough walk but one that was so comforting to find rest in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tuesday, January 12 came and actually started out as a really GR8 day! It was the first day that I didn’t cry, I have never been much of a crier actually I hate crying, so I was really excited. I was starting to get a feel for how daily LIFE was and slowly started communicating with the staff.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">The earthquake was at 4:30ish pm on the 12<sup>th</sup>. I came home on the 16<sup>th</sup> to spend a little time getting myself together. Because of the scarcity of food and resources as well as the trauma my family had just gone though I felt it was best to come home for a little bit. Post earthquake there was a huge response from the people in the Nashville area; BGM became a donation spot so their office was inundated with phone calls and frequent visitors donating so I spent most of my time there. I wanted to go back and felt like I needed to but I wasn’t ready yet, I needed a little more time so I focused all my time working for Haiti. In May I felt like I was ready so I came back to finish out the rest of my internship at the crèche. Because the orphanage we were in was damaged we were moved to Dr. Bernard’s (the founder/owner) guesthouse up in the mountains. It was much different at the new crèche. LIFE was much crazier, it was summer so no school and there were teams staying there every week so we constantly had visitors and people around. I was exciting to be back and to see all the kids again but it was a big adjustment, everything that I had come to do in the beginning was completely turned upside down. When the summer was over I came back to the States but I knew me coming back was just a temporary trip. The call was on my LIFE, I knew that Haiti was where God had called me but I didn’t know what that looked like. I knew I was coming back and that it was going to be permanent I just didn’t know any details yet. I spent the fall working at the daycare I had worked prior to my internship. I went on a trip in October with Mike and Missy but I think that just fueled my fire even more to be in Haiti. After coming back I was on the prowl! I was going to use every person, resource, or connection I knew to get the ball rolling on me getting back. Some of family had a hard time with me not going back to school and I went back and forth on if I should but I knew that Haiti was were I was called. I knew finishing would only lengthen the time of me being able to get back as well as put me in more debt which would in turn prolong my ability to be in Haiti, where I didn’t need the degree I would be getting.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Around Thanksgiving I got in contact with a special needs orphanage not to far from where I was in the mountains called Wings of Hope. I started to talking with them and planned a trip to go down there for a month to get a feel for what they did and to see if I could maybe fit into their team somehow. I went to Wings with the hope and intent that this was where I would spend the rest of my LIFE. I wanted to be in Haiti so badly but I just felt like God was bouncing me around all over the place and I was ready to settle down and plant some roots. Wings of Hope was AMAZING! I loved every minute of being there! The children were so inspiring and full of LIFE and the staff was UNBELIEVIBLE! I had never seen a group of Haitians with such compassion and sense of family as the employees at Wings. Knowing the stigmas placed on people with disabilities I was floored to see these people who cared so much about these kids. They see the kids for their potential not their limits and they strived daily to push them to those. A few weeks in to my 6-week stay at Wings several things became very clear to me. One, that the Haitian people had to ability to give just as good of special needs care as any American despite what I had seen in other areas and two that Wings was an important part of my journey but not my final destination. I have to be honest I was slightly bummed by this; I wanted to find HOME and be there! The more I prayed through my time at Wings the more God began to reveal to me HIS big plan. That when it all started to come together, in those few days and the months to follow God began to connect so many what I call LIFE puzzle pieces. I started sharing where God had me with Mike and Missy and I have to be honest it was a little creepy how we all got on the same page at the same time. I came back to the States to fundraise and during my stay was when my world got super crazy.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">I will never forget sitting on Mike and Missy’s bed about two days after I got back and we had one of the CRAZIEST/BEST conversations ever! It was a conversation where we just dreamed together and it was all little things that God had shown us on our own but for the first time we were all together and we were just word vomiting all the things God was revealing. As we began to share with some close friends and family the reality of how BIG myLIFEspeaks could be became a reality. I was ELATED, EXCITED, SCARED, NERVOUS all at the same time but for the first time in my LIFE I had a purpose. God had shown me a glimps of his plan and I was taking it all in. It took me a little bit to swallow the idea of me, a single 23-year old college drop, running an orphanage but I knew that it was only Satan way of attack me and my insecurities. While I may not have the educational background God has given me so much real life experiences in the past 7 years that equipped me just as much as a degree would have. </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">I went back to Wings the summer of 2011 to spend time to just learn. Like I said Wings is an amazingly well ran family and I knew that I could learn so much from them! So I marinated in their LIVES through the joys of accomplishments and the pains of death, it was a time I will never forget and one I am so thankful for. I came back at the end of September and we were in full myLIFEspeaks mode. We continued to meet with people and started to unpack the movement God had placed on the lives of my family and I.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">On November 1, 2011 I moved into the myLIFEspeaks house and here I am today!!!! Now 8 days away from the launch of the myLIFEspeaks organization. I am here beginning to plan and prepare this house for the children that will one-day call us family and this HOME! It blows my mind to think of the rollercoaster journey I have been on the past two years. I never thought I would be where I am today! Actually a friend once said to me we should start on orphanage in Haiti, and I will never forget my response. “You can, I will never start an orphanage I couldn’t do something like that.” Well I guess God takes those kind of limits we put on ourselves and say ‘Watch, you cant by yourself, but I can use you to do something that BIG.’ I am so excited and honored to be apart of such a great team that really is going to make this happen. I believe in my heart that one day we will see a changed Haiti. This country has so much potential; they just need a little love and a lot of Jesus. myLIFEspeaks is here in Haiti to speak up for those who can speak for themselves while being apart of something much BIGGER them ourselves!!!! </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Love you all, thanks for walking though this with me!</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Katie <3</span></p> <span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >(Momma Kiki)</span>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-72629433639220423382011-11-17T10:25:00.000-08:002011-11-17T10:40:55.130-08:00I’ll be the carrier of LOVE and COMPASSION, I ‘ll be the carrier of LIGHT to the world I’ll the carrier of HOPE and SALVATION, I will GO shine your LI<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:0 5 2 1 2 1 8 4 8 7; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 256 0 -2147483648 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Marker Felt"; panose-1:0 2 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:8.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">Ok I know I have been awful about blogging but I promise I will get better!!! So if you didn’t know God has had my family and I on an incredible journey over the past few years and I think it has officially started to come full circle, for the first time in all our lives we understand why God had us walk through some stuff...</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">I say all of that to say I am officially the On-site director for the myLIFEspeaks campus here in Haiti! myLIFEspeaks was birthed in 2006 and has come a long way since then, want to know more check out the website, <a href="http://www.mylifespeaks.com/">www.myLIFEspeaks.com</a> . I moved here to Neply, a village in Leogane, on November 1 and I hit the ground running! I live in a rental facility were we will begin to birth the vision God has placed on our hearts… While here the next 4 months of my time will be spent getting this house up and running so we can take in children!!! That’s right we are starting an orphanage! My heart is to see typical and special needs children grow up together in a loving family environment. People with special needs have an extremely hard time here in Haiti, most of them are abandoned by their families or severely mistreated and I want to see that change! Haiti is full of compassionate loving people and I think if they had people to come alongside of them and walk through these misconceptions they just might change! I believe in my heart they can and I will spend the rest of my LIFE trying to get there!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Marker Felt";">This is all very new but also very excited. I walked into a building that had two beds and a dresser but a HOME full of potential! Leslie Watson</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">, myLIFEspeaks’ community involvement director,</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt""> moved in with me a week later so it has been nice to have a little company in the big ole house </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings">:)</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">. The past two weeks have been a time of making the house livable but it is starting to come together slowly but surely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tuesday was an extremely exciting day for myLIFEspeaks, Haiti! Mike came and saw the house for the first time and he also brought 15 people to work on the house as well. It was a completely humbling experience to see those people labor and sweat over this house to help us get it ready! Over the course of two days they cleaned out the old church on our campus that will server as our community center where we will do feed programs, English classes and many other dreams that Leslie has in store. They also scrubbed the 5 downstairs bedrooms and 2 bathrooms which is where the children will soon live. They also cleaned out the kitchen that will prepare the food for the feeding program as well as the house. I don’t know that I could possible thank them enough for all their hard work. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">Tommorrow we will have a few people come by and start working on an old warehouse that will serve as the therapy house/short term clinic. I long for the day to be able to have specialist and expert come and serve our children and ones of the community and tomorrow we are going to help make that a possibility! Then I get to see Missy and Dyllan next week when they come and bring a small team. Our hope for them is that they would be able to start building some benches for the children in the feeding program to use, now they are sitting in a very cramped courtyard at another location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But with the help of Leslie Watson, Grace Pointe and team members we are able to bring the program here to a huge community center where they can eat at a clean and orderly facility. Daily I am reminded of Gods provision. I am so excited to be be apart of something BIGGER than me! God I just want to do something so great it destine to fail without YOU!!!! Hope all of you will SEE the OPPORTUNITY, OWN the VISION and JOIN the MOVEMENT.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">WHAT IS YOUR LIFE SAYING?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Marker Felt"">*KATIE*</span></p>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-37387576557985168572011-09-16T10:29:00.000-07:002011-09-16T10:36:31.053-07:00Giving a little respect to those who dont recieve it....<div style="text-align: center;">
With the joys of LIFE we too have to experience the sadness of death....</div>
I don't know that I could have ever prepared myself for the things I witnessed today but as hard as it was I have to cling to my FATHER and find rest in HIM... Today, September 15th, my sweet Belinda went HOME to walk on streets of gold to be with her FATHER!!!! As hard as it is for me to write this I really do cling to knowing that she is REJOICING right now. With all the emotions that are running through my head, I feel it necessary to share the struggle that even death creates here in Haiti....<br />
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As much as I wish it was different, people with special needs are deemed worthless here in Haiti, they are shown no respect and outcasted greatly in society. My hope is that through this I can share with you a huge struggle that I face daily in the line of work I do... I ask you to pray for these sweet people who are shown this injustice as well as the country as a whole that maybe one day, we can put our differences behind us and learn to see people through the eyes of Christ!!!!!<br />
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When I went into the girls room to check on B this morning I was informed that she had gone to the Baptist Mission hospital... Obviously I quickly started asking questions but to my surprise no one could tell me what was going on, being the impatient person I am I decided I would go get the answers I wanted. I walked up to the hospital but when I got there I couldn't find them... Where were they? The directors told me she was up here, did they go somewhere else? Is she in the back somewhere? A thousand questions ran through my head so I decided to get a dear friend (who speaks creole since I dont) to ask the hospital staff if they had seen her. After we looked in EVERY single room for them he informed me that he was friends with one of the women who was with B... After he called her he informed me that they were on their way to the fifth hospital....<br />
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What do you mean the FIFTH hospital? Why is she not being seen, she is really sick? Why? I need answers!!! All these things were running through my head, but I knew why. I was mad, I was hurt, I was every emotion you could have. This sweet little girl is struggling to hold on and no one will see her because she is handicap....<br />
As horrible as this is, its the TRUTH. So I walked back to the house and decided to shower while I waited for answers. When I went back over to get an update, I heard the news... My sweet little B just couldn't hold on anymore. <br />
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The next hour of my LIFE was possible the hardest experience I have ever witnessed...<br />
As I stood there in shock, overwhelmed by the pain of losing someone so sweet the staff prepared her for her burial. We sang song, celebrated her precious LIFE and prayed over her. It was an extremely bittersweet time but one filled with the respect and dignity, exactly what she deserved!!!! Because she was a child with disabilities we had to take her to the cemetery somewhat secretly. She was buried between two plots at the cemetery not to far from the house.... It was a very hard time but I was so glad I could be there to respect her passing they way she deserved.<br />
I know this will not be the only death experience that I walk through here in Haiti or in America but my hope is that when the FATHER calls his children home I am able to give them the proper respect their passing deserves, maybe one day others in this country will come to do the same but until then I will do my best to help change that....<br />
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"learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17<br />
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Katie <3<br />
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<br />Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-89155950744925693162011-09-02T09:18:00.001-07:002011-09-02T09:20:46.703-07:00LORD IM AMAZED MY YOU...As I set in my room writing this I get a little lost in the familiar sound of the song and dance of the children and staff just outside my door... Every Friday we gather together to WORSHIP!!! In pure humility it is a BEAUTIFUL time of praise, adoration and submission. One of the sweetest things I've ever witnessed... People coming before the Lord dancing, shouting, singing in whatever capacity they can! Working with special needs children has it difficulties and I think often times we limit what we think these kids can do unintentionally. I say that because I have come to experience a different kind of Worship here on Fridays. The JOY that flows through the atmosphere is contagious! You can't help but acknowledge the awe of God!!!
"You dance over me while I am unaware
You sing all around but I never hear a sound
Lord I'm amazed by you, Lord I'm amazed by you
Lord I'm amazed by you, how you love me"
I am so thankful for that LOVE, oh how underserving of for it but how amazing that he graces us with it!!! The past three months here have stretched me in ways I wasn't expecting. In my opinion I think special needs children hold a special place in Gods heart. What the world deems as broken I think are sometimes the best vessels to show us how broken we should long to be. These children don't hold back, they don't tell you what you want to here. They don't hide there feelings and act like they have it all together. There not defined by their limitations but by their ability to preserver when the odds are usually against them. I had no idea that 12 years ago when I met a 2 year old little boy with cerebral palsy that God would explode in me a passion for these children of HIS'. I had no idea I would end up falling in love with a country and move here in the hopes of showing people that this group of people deserve and need that same love we all seek.
God has huge plans ahead, plans that I often wonder if he chose the right one to carry out. This call is something I never expected I would do but oh is it confirmation that it's exactly what God wants! I am honored to serve him. I am so blessed to be able to take in each and everyone of these children God places before me. My hope is that through this ministry lives will be changed and people will come to know HIM and in return earn to see these children as CHRIST does. PERFECT! BEAUTIFUL!
What are you walking toward?
What is your LIFE saying?Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-54566521774879871882011-08-11T08:30:00.000-07:002011-08-11T09:40:04.832-07:00The Enemy he has to leave, at the sound of your Great Name....So much has happen so I am going to try and play catch up...
<br />Every time I post something I normally title it with the line of a song... I LOVE music, I LOVE to sing and on pretty much any given day I have some tune running through my head. I feel like music is quite possible the best outlet one could have. Although I am no musician I do love music... So as I started writing this, I turned on my iPod and hit shuffle and one of my favorite songs was the first one on. I just sat there thinking how timing for these words as I begin to write the events that have happen in the past few weeks...
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<br />"All the Weak find their strength at the sound of YOUR NAME
<br />Hungry souls receive grace, at the sound of YOUR NAME...
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<br />THE SICK ARE HEAL
<br />THE DEAD ARE RAISED
<br />AT THE SOUND OF YOUR GREAT NAME
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<br />REDEMER MY HEALER
<br />DEFENDER MY SAVIOR
<br />YOU ARE MY KING!!!"
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<br />At the beginning of the summer a wonderful and generous friend offered my family their house in Florida for a week, because of my dad's crazy schedule with summer camps and Haiti trips there was only one week that they were going to be able to go... The last week in July. I had already planned on leaving when we found out so there was no way I was going to be able to be there... I was really sad but tried to put on a happy face of it's all good, no worries. So as the trip approached I got on line and searched for cheap airfare several times. I wanted to find a way to get there and surprise them but as it got closer and closer prices just got higher and higher and there was no way... So the week before I was just really bummed and sad that I really couldn't work it all out, our first family vacation with the girls was going to happen and I wouldnt be there. I know in the grand scheme of things this is really trivial but my family is EXTREMELY CLOSE so it was a big deal to us... So on like on Thursday before they left on Sunday I just but a comment on Facebook about being upset about it and I decided to just give up and be ok with the fact that I wasnt going to be there... That was when God(through an amazing friend) stepped in... In a matter of on hour I was going!!!! The whole thing was worked out and it was going to be the best surprise ever!!!! So all I had to do was not say a word( that was quite possible the hardest thing ever!!!)
<br />So I got to Florida the morning after they got there and they were SOOO SURPRISED!!!! The week was AMAZING! It was so good to see and spend time with my family. We laughed, played and like any Wilson event took TONS of pictures.... So the fam left on Saturday and I got to spend the night with a friend and head out the next morning, that is when it got bad.... Renee, the Director of Communication for the St. Joseph family that lives at Wings sent me an urgent message to get a hold of here ASAP... Those kind of messages don't ever end good, you know what I mean? So at 10:30 on Saturday night I finally got in touch with her only to be made aware that during my absence a horrible illness had found it's way into our home and taken the lives of two of our kids and had 4 others very sick...
<br />I WAS SPEECHLESS... WHAT DO YOU SAY,WHAT DO YOU DO, WHAT DO YOU THINK....
<br />Not knowing what it was or what could happen she wanted to make me aware of the situation and caution me of what I was coming back to. Needless to say I didn't sleep much that night from the shock and pain of loosing these two sweet children, but I knew I had to go back and be strong for these kids and workers. I finally got back to the house about 4 Sunday night... You could see the fear of catching this crazy illness in the eyes of the kids, it was so saddening and my heart just began to break for each and every one of them. The next few days were a time of remembrance for the ones who were no longer with us as we continued to pray for the ones who were struggling to hold on at the hospital...
<br />The house became Fort Knox, there was so much bleach everywhere that I dont think it would have been possible for any illness to live through it.... Our last kid came home 4 or 5 days later and now I an happy to say everyone is well!!! Thanks to Brent and BGM we were able to start everyone on antibiotics shortly after I got back. We are just rejoicing in HIS continual provision and protection. As hard as it is to have to walk through, death is part of LIFE and we have a choice of how we deal with it... Learning to praise God during the storm is hard but an attest to the depth of our faith in HIM!!!
<br />"It's what you do with the pain and suffering that matters the most..."
<br />God brought Richnyder and Carolyn to Wings for a reason, he chose to share his precious children with us and I am so thankful but it was time for them to be with their FATHER, they are no longer in pain or suffering but rejoicing and praising HIM, so we too should share in their REJOICE and PRAISE!!!!
<br />
<br />Love you all,
<br />Let your LIFE speak....
<br />
<br />Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-12075303982203023982011-07-07T14:48:00.000-07:002011-07-10T16:25:45.656-07:00Love them like Jesus, carry them to him...For those that know me I dont get emotional very often but God has a way of turning the hardened hearts into mush and he is working hard on this one well maybe not that hard these days....<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH3OhT_UbWPIOtvx7jtmowBr3cCNZnpissYZiYPctJrq1S36Lrk-4T8Lp7V378oKoC72zwFM1ErifMqOuttKBScPNqqSlWE64J4fY9DNoKoKg0h5Bb4Qi4ILY_t-cxOp1R523X9_TBC0/s1600/IMG_0536.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626732382174821298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH3OhT_UbWPIOtvx7jtmowBr3cCNZnpissYZiYPctJrq1S36Lrk-4T8Lp7V378oKoC72zwFM1ErifMqOuttKBScPNqqSlWE64J4fY9DNoKoKg0h5Bb4Qi4ILY_t-cxOp1R523X9_TBC0/s320/IMG_0536.JPG" /></a>This is John he is one of the sweet faces that call Wings of Hope home. John has been a part of the St Joseph's family for two years. John is such as sweet boy but because of the his abusive past he doesn't mingle with others much... John was recently hospitalized, he had a horrible respiratory infection as well as some bowel related issues. Because John wander the streets before he came to Wings, he likes to get in the trash and can be found there if not be watched...<br />Some the staff members became very concerned with his quick downward spiral so he was taken to the Baptist Mission hospital so he could be better nursed back to the smiling little spit fire we know....<br />I tell you all that to share with you a very humbling and sweet moment I had on Tuesday night. John had been having a pretty good day, he had starting eating again and seemed to be getting back to himself. It was late in the afternoon and the group of BGM visitors had just left. I was sitting out on the porch and John came up to me and climbed in my lap... I was blown away! John doesn't really do things like that especially unprompted... He spent the next three hours clinging to my neck, cuddling. It was an overwhelming feeling for many reasons...<br />From the time I felt that God was calling me to come to Haiti I have always said "I want to be a mother to the motherless... I want to be that consistant unconditional love that is there through it all. I want to be there to when they have a bad day or don't feel good and just want to be loved... I want it all the good, the bad and the ugly." Today if only for those few minutes that is what I became for John...<br />It was a sweet moment to be there but more then that it was a confirmation from the Lord that he has a plan for me and it is exactly that, to Love his children like Jesus and carry them to him...<br />Thanks for reading guys...Love you all!!!!Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-9964550017011494592011-07-01T13:19:00.000-07:002011-07-01T14:50:47.505-07:00I had the time of my LIFE, and I owe it ALL to YOU....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9Xb5bsZAU0c5wxkBsXl8QuRHSLiBs0tB8chAWfILe-3ms0WZbslERSUHwBlkye7MRqKYzMRESCluCNPq22Y3tDiuaebWS8RJZoFZFCFrLRRe28RT3_0q5SIa3Enc-zloh5LW8O5PKuk/s1600/IMG_0989.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9Xb5bsZAU0c5wxkBsXl8QuRHSLiBs0tB8chAWfILe-3ms0WZbslERSUHwBlkye7MRqKYzMRESCluCNPq22Y3tDiuaebWS8RJZoFZFCFrLRRe28RT3_0q5SIa3Enc-zloh5LW8O5PKuk/s320/IMG_0989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624487681999655922" border="0" /></a>I thought I would do a little update since I've been back at Wings for a week now... Its been a crazy past couple of days but oh did the kids have a blast!!! I got back last Wednesday(the 22nd) and its been non stop since I got here. The kids and staff were excited to see me as was I to see them... There is a kid named Matt that is here with his mother for a month so I met them and we have been messing with each other ever since... He's a hoot and its going to be hilarious to spend the next month with them. I got settled in and ready for the team that arrived Friday.<br />Cotting, Wings sister school arrived Saturday. It's always exciting around the house when they are here... they bring a level of excitement that no other group can bring!!! We went down to St. Joseph's for church Sunday am, where I was able to see the massive progress they had made on the new boys house... I also met Michael, the man that started the St. Joseph's, The Trinity House and Wings. He is such an amazing man and I look forward to getting to know him and learning about his experiences.<br />Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were spent doing student evaluations and goal casting for next year... One of my new roles at the house is behavior so sitting in on all the meeting helped me evaluate where the kids are now and where the staff would like to see them be. I will be working with the kids in many different aspects... Anger management, socially acceptable behaviors, proper dressing, and all kinds of different things. Its going to be a long process but I think it will be challenging and exciting to see the improvement they will make!!!<br /><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVow-e4prQV2Dko3Lm4dRyCwDt53tSEIbVgcjFerQr18cqOq4U1KOZnim3eJQ57MGcvPJlnRiLYBKutl1tTHWhj5Fzfulq2NizvoWsb5BZtVstmTPgPJe5vvVWl_AhNU215lttrWsRjU/s1600/IMG_0977.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVow-e4prQV2Dko3Lm4dRyCwDt53tSEIbVgcjFerQr18cqOq4U1KOZnim3eJQ57MGcvPJlnRiLYBKutl1tTHWhj5Fzfulq2NizvoWsb5BZtVstmTPgPJe5vvVWl_AhNU215lttrWsRjU/s320/IMG_0977.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624491023172463506" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday after countless hours of preparation we packed all the kids up and went to the BEACH!!! It was AMAZING!!! The kids were SOO EXCITED and the had a BLAST!!!! We went to Kalico Beach which is about 2 1/2 hours away but it was worth the drive!!! We spent the entire day there soaking up the sun and splashing in the ocean, each visitor and staff member was paired up with a kid and your only responsibility was to have fun... Ester was my partner and because of her limited mobility we spent the day relaxing in the ocean. The kids that are able to walk got the opportunity to ride a jet ski for the first time ever!!! They were sooo excited to get to drive up and down the shore and wave to all their friends. It was a priceless sight, I was so glad they go to do it. The less mobile ones rode on a boat around the strip of beach clubs but Ester and I chilled on our float and watch(it was great)!!! We ate lunch right on the beach then went back in for a little more water action before we packed everyone up and headed home... Needless to say the ride back was a little quieter then going but we still had our fare share of action as we ran out of gas TWICE... We got home around 8 and I think I was in the bed around 8:15... I was burnt and worn out!!! ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GREAT DAY!!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_hW9qZ9Fsh-SxC9YeL33C1r05U1Y2Tm1vR2sju4YOG_bMxGgbwXdNAjyPRSybajMUKrKsf0HCeRDhFf36RMniiDYXQbtZBX22UH7DEPE7_RsdR7We0Gpx156nYYkN5WN7_UDBJsVpmk/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg_hW9qZ9Fsh-SxC9YeL33C1r05U1Y2Tm1vR2sju4YOG_bMxGgbwXdNAjyPRSybajMUKrKsf0HCeRDhFf36RMniiDYXQbtZBX22UH7DEPE7_RsdR7We0Gpx156nYYkN5WN7_UDBJsVpmk/s320/IMG_0979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624494605096305202" border="0" /></a><br /> BEACH BUMS....<br /><br /><br /><br />Today was another fun filled day... Today we finished breakfast and loaded up about 20 of the kids and went SHOPPING!!! The have a designated fund for the kids to be able to go and buy toys and things once a years so the staff decided why not do it when we have a group of visitors who can handle the outing... Each kid was paired with an adult and given an envelope of money. We went to the Eagle grocery store which has a rather decent toy section and allowed out kids to pick out whatever they wanted... Sam my partner got a bag of play toys including two shovels a pale, a dump truck, train, boat and several other things. He then hit the food section to spend the rest of his money... We got crackers, cookies and of course some candy!!! We finished our trip with a visit to Epi'dor for lunch... We got Cheeseburger and fries!!! Most of the kids like to get ice cream but Sam however HATES ice cream so we stuck to a bigger order of fries and a big coke... It was fun to get out and have just a regular ole day of shopping and grabbing a bite to eat!!!<br /> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnl6DQw2Di2-f7qZlqPbKTzQUvEkC1bTI0pRpgcEpIvaAt-aw7IJ-Of9df_nAEhsetLwOIYRqsd5vRkS_3Unqo4lFFUnjfMYaV57vBCeDnoD-OBk92cQvVdAC74e3PR-NPoxg8EbsFBI/s1600/IMG_0987.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnl6DQw2Di2-f7qZlqPbKTzQUvEkC1bTI0pRpgcEpIvaAt-aw7IJ-Of9df_nAEhsetLwOIYRqsd5vRkS_3Unqo4lFFUnjfMYaV57vBCeDnoD-OBk92cQvVdAC74e3PR-NPoxg8EbsFBI/s320/IMG_0987.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624494609301943730" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_J-PUhkePmO6ZiaV0bepMuwNwWo9fs9du99B1XrK8lWDU3yye0bLg8658nTZouGQtAO5rgrumieT3Ki1-EekwXvgTlIAWsv3GP3Nt7XruJKbQzcV9GHXdxk8o4_XrXhqU-3r5Z1O1Xw/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_J-PUhkePmO6ZiaV0bepMuwNwWo9fs9du99B1XrK8lWDU3yye0bLg8658nTZouGQtAO5rgrumieT3Ki1-EekwXvgTlIAWsv3GP3Nt7XruJKbQzcV9GHXdxk8o4_XrXhqU-3r5Z1O1Xw/s320/IMG_0981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624494603485529762" border="0" /></a><br /> RAGS....TO....RICHES...<br /><br />Im so blessed to be able to do what I'm doing... hope all of you enjoyed my little blurb about what's going on in my neck of the woods... love you all and please continue to pray for God's provision and blessing on the kids and this country!!!!<br /><br />Enjoying the Journey<br />KatieKatie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-66407238890203907662011-06-02T14:15:00.000-07:002011-06-02T15:21:37.316-07:00Im comin Home, comin Home...<span style="font-family: lucida grande;">Well its officially 20 days till I head back and as always there is much to be done... Every time I come back to the states I always have the feeling of emptiness and longing to go back but it is always mixed with the excitement to see my family so it always bittersweet... Its been great visiting with family and friends but the ticket is bought and I am about to pack the bags...</span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">I knew that my month long stay at Wings would be a time that God would reveal things but I had no idea the level of excitement and challenge it would bring. I am soo excited to say that God is using this next phase of my LIFE as a learning process... I have been privileged to work in many different areas serving many different groups of people and I am honored to say that I have found and now work with a place that provides the up most respect and quality care for a group of children who are deemed "unworthy." Wings of Hope tucked away in the mountains of Fermathe, Haiti is a home to 35 physically and mentally handicap young adults and children. The Wings of Hope house provides children not only a home to grow in but also the education, therapy and medical care they need to thrive in.</span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">As a volunteer there I will come along side the staff and help in any way possible. It can be difficult to raise one special needs child but when you throw 35 into the mix living in a 6 bedroom rental house it can be quite challenging. My desire is to absorb as much knowledge from the staff and children with the hope of bring that same care to more in need. Although this next chapter in my LIFE may not be the easiest I know that God has me here for a reason... To stretch me more then I think I can be stretched, to teach me more then I think I could learn and for me to grow more then I think I can grow... New adventure are so exciting and I can't wait to begin this journey...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">"Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city..."</span><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"> -God of this City, Chris Tomlin</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">Thanks for walking this journey with me... Without the love and support from my family and friends I could never have done this. Keep praying!!! I will post as many pics and info as I can...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">Proverbs 31:8... "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute."</span>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-21835089141745443352011-04-07T16:11:00.000-07:002011-04-07T16:56:28.158-07:00Lord I want to YEARN for you, I want to BURN with PASSION!!!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Often there are times in life that we go about plans thinking things will go one way but God quickly reveals an entirely different plan... God has shown me this more and more over the past year. On January 12, 2010 I received the greatest call upon my LIFE... One of service and submission. I have known since that day that Haiti is it, God had placed the call on my LIFE to serve here but what does that mean? I have spent most of my time since then trying to understand what that looks like...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I would love to tell you that I know, but I'm not there yet? However, I do know that God has and is getting me closer to that and I am sooo excited! I would be lying if I said I hadn't had some extremely frustrating days in the past few months but I have come to realize something in the calmness of the place I love... The waiting is where we grow the most! How are we able to carry out the task God has called us to do without HIM first preparing us ?? God has perfect timing, he knows the when, the what and the how... All we have to do is wait! Why do we have to make the waiting so bad though? I have to see the beauty in the prep work... </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> My prayer over the next 20 days has taken a turn... I have to stop asking for the where, the what and the how but the ability to see the right in front of me... I don't need to know what a year from now looks like because today is all that matters. God allow me to soak! I want to soak in you Lord! I am eager to grow in YOU, OPEN MY EYES, OPEN MY EARS, OPEN MY HEART!!! </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"How re-freashing to know you dont NEED me, How amazing to find that you WANT me, so I'll STAND on your trust and I'll fight with your STRENGTH until you bring the VICTORY, by the power of Christ in me" - Casting Crowns, In ME</span>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-13809054574321789442011-03-25T15:39:00.000-07:002011-03-25T16:44:44.903-07:00Home is where the Heart is...I don't know that I can describe to you to Joy I have to be exactly where I am right now... As time led up to me coming I continually prayed that God would prepare me for what the journey he would have me on. I was excited beyond belief that God had opened a door for me to serve but I was also anxious in that I had never met or been to the place I was committing to for the next month...<br />I say all that to say... Wings is AMAZING!!! The children, staff and directors mesh so well together creating a beautiful enviornment to care and raise these children. I am looking forward to bonding and getting to know each and everyone of these children. They are going to teach me soo much more then I could ever do for them.<br />Friday are a day of worship, celebration and fun! We spent most of the day danced and worshiped. It made me so excited to see the staff and pastor so passionate about worshiping, but encouraging the kids to do so as well. God is stretching me each and everyday and my hope is that my LIFE will be used in return... After worship we had boutique, which is where the kids get to buy toys and things from the "store" with the money they have earned for doing chores around the house. Gary, the assistant director, and I then proceeded to attempt to play "Jesus loves Me" with these bells... HAHA that was a sight! KC, April and I took five of the kids down to another house down the street for a visit, it was fun to see the kids and how they interact with each other. I think we are going to a wedding tomorrow and to the St. Joseph house for church on Sunday. Monday I will get to see how school and therapy works so I am excited to see how that goes... Until then - LOVE YOU ALL! THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS!Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-43366722883285494842010-11-13T16:30:00.000-08:002010-11-13T17:49:04.933-08:00Hold on... Be strong...So I'm going to try and get this up to date as best as possible... there has so much that has happen since then so I am going to have to summarize some of the things that happen...<br />The bus that Dr. Bernard was able to get took all the kids and workers to the Guesthouse while Mike Brent Tia <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Naika</span> Dr.Bernard Claudette and I went to check on the orphanage... We saw tons of destruction, devastation and death... I was speechless there was nothing I could do or say to fix this, I remember just thinking maybe if I just went to sleep I would wake up and all of it would be a dream. It took us about 4 hour to get to the guesthouse once we were arrived they quickly sat us down to eat. We went to our room shortly after and attempted to sleep, there were two after shocks that night. After the first one happen I was awake, I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't so I decided I would start writing down as much as I could... We got up and got ready so we could start on our journey to go back home... Little did I know that this was the start of one of the craziest days. We got to the airport even getting Tia in but little did we know that getting her into the airport wasn't that big of a step there was much more to come...<br />Up until this point the plan was for all of us to come home together on a private plane but from that point on none of the plans we had in our heads happen, it was all God from here. Mike stayed in Haiti with Tia because he would have gone to jail if he brought her home illegally while Brent and I came home. We had tons of obstacles and <span style="font-style: italic;"></span>first experiences but thankfully after 36 hours and no sleep I was back in Nashville... those 36 hours were the most emotional 36 hours of my life, it all became real. The numbness went away and it hurt. Badly.<br />I didn't think I would ever come back, I didn't think I would see my family again. but what was harder was in the midst of those emotions the only thing I wanted was to be right back where I had just left. The country I loved and came to help had just experienced the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">devastating</span> natural disaster and I left three days after it happen...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"></span>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-65166083069393864962010-07-23T20:15:00.000-07:002010-08-29T15:39:45.375-07:00Recollecting on a LIFE event!!! Part 2<span style="font-size:100%;">I didn't realize how much of the earthquake I hadn't written about...<br />So I get the phone call the morning after that Mike was on his way(January 13)... So the waiting began... I have honestly tried my hardest to think about what happen the rest of that day (Wednesday) but I cant, I don't know if I blocked it out or so much happen during that time I just cant remember but Tuesday for the most part is still a blur to me... I remember things and conversations I had over the 2 days we spent outside but which days they happened are what run together...<br />Jamarie and Wesley the two males workers had to go inside the creche the next morning to get food and essentials for the kids, the kids had gone since 1:00pm the day before without anything to eat or drink. The babies in diapers hadn't been changed since at least 4:00. Babies here in America would have a hard time going 15 hours without food as well but most of these babies are extremely malnourished and dehydrated so that 15 hours was becoming extremely LIFE threatening!!! The sight of seeing two men (who could have easily walked away and said this is my job these are not my children)go into a building that was completely unsafe and potentially going to fall at any minute to save the lives of children was OVERWHELMING and completely humbling... It was an experience of seeing FAITH IN ACTION, I saw two men become CHRIST, their willingness to sacrifice their LIFE to care for others was AMAZING!!! They didn't do what they did for glory they did it because their love for those children is so deep that they would lay down their lives for them just as a parent would and just like JESUS did for each and every one of us...I have fallen in love with Haiti for multiple reasons one of them being their understanding and execution of the word COMMUNITY. I have never been around people who genuinely love and care about their neighbor the way the bible tells us to as much as the people of Haiti and what make that love grow even deeper was going through the most traumatic situation most of them will probably ever experience and seeing that love not be compromised but increased tenfold... Sometime after noon on Tuesday some men brought a woman to the church where we were staying, she couldn't walk because her house had collapsed on her. She had a huge laceration on her head where debris had hit her head as well as multiple cuts, scraps and a broken leg. I watched an extremely graphic sight as the workers of the creche did their best to clean and remove glass form her head and attempt to stabilize her leg until further medical attention could be given.Little did I know 6 months after my return this situation would be the hardest thing I deal with... God used this very moment of people with no knowledge of what to do come together and help someone they had never meet. I had such a hard time with why. Why did they do that, why did they help her, why did they cut her hair out and dig in her head with a razor to get the glass that was digging into her scalp, why did they give this woman food for a day and a half when the food they had was almost gone, Why??? I know the church answer because it's the right thing to do, I know that but there were over 200,000 people who died from the earthquake. They men and women were taking care of 48 children who had just be displaced from the only stability and safety net they had and instead of retreating and protecting what they had they were giving it out and caring for those who couldn't.<br />I remember that morning going into the village behind where we were to take a shower, Jamarie had a friend in the village that he insisted I go to his house to shower and use the bathroom at. So we got up and went over to their house then we came back and waited... I talked to Missy and she told me Mike was trying to get to us but there was so much damage that she didn't know how long it would take... To everyone here that made all the sense in the world, but I didn't really understand what she meant. I hadn't been but maybe 150 ft away from the platform we were staying on and everything around us was cracked but nothing was down that I could see. It wasn't until after Mike got there that I realized how bad it really was...<br />Anxious was an under statement... Knowing my dad was on his way to get me consumed my every thought. I was trying to hold myself together but the anxiety wasn't only in me but in the other workers as well. I told them my dad was coming and that they were bringing help so it was a constant wondering of when they would get there. Every time someone walked past the gate I looked to see if it was Mike. I remember being so wound up that I felt nauseous, I had to get my mind off of it ha ha... I decided that I would go and sit down and try to write down some what was going on. So much had gone on and I knew the questioning would coming so I did my best to go back and write as much as I could.<br />I started writing trying to add as much detail as possible and remember as much of what happen as possible I got about a day an a half's worth of the earthquake and I just happen to look up and there they were... Brent came in first and came up the stairs and started looking for me as I frantically was putting my stuff in my bag so I could go over to Mike... To every one's surprise (NOT!!!!) Mike walled in holding his flip camera to document the "Katie being found." It was an overwhelming moment, being faced with death brings upon a profound longing for your family and for reasons God is revealing to me little by little I am starting to understand why God allowed me to be exactly where I was on January 12 2010...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq_Hu_ilavzbER_BFJ_smsKxTse1a5qCTm_LJYUm_7BbbWMwNPA8ls-FavXeLV8DWNPX3CdjHI5GwUoUDhyphenhyphenmCTsKYaq9xU7I8GoPShR1Y_RFDiEMyiomaYVMycEsNKkkb9U7Wr2s_NIc/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUq_Hu_ilavzbER_BFJ_smsKxTse1a5qCTm_LJYUm_7BbbWMwNPA8ls-FavXeLV8DWNPX3CdjHI5GwUoUDhyphenhyphenmCTsKYaq9xU7I8GoPShR1Y_RFDiEMyiomaYVMycEsNKkkb9U7Wr2s_NIc/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510963631542483906" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmOIjeqNEwAqDfiUvAzPgASkhTjAi1P_KdNmtMHi4wCXTkMhvqqLjqp3NloWo-Kpjw-_jDcS57UQ4i9wDnlvf5s9LyZQex5Doi0zAlsshX0CR4OPIUowMJsBPnxwZm1vy8TDaNpUnz80/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinmOIjeqNEwAqDfiUvAzPgASkhTjAi1P_KdNmtMHi4wCXTkMhvqqLjqp3NloWo-Kpjw-_jDcS57UQ4i9wDnlvf5s9LyZQex5Doi0zAlsshX0CR4OPIUowMJsBPnxwZm1vy8TDaNpUnz80/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510952887678459682" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">I think from the time Mike got there with Brent, B, Dr Bernard and Claudette the reality of what happen became real. Mike started telling me all this stuff and I honestly remember shutting him and Brent both out... They were both chatter boxes and running around and I couldn't even catch up with what they were saying. They were telling me about all this destruction and masses upon masses of catastrophes but it was like they were talking about another world... I could come to grips with the fact that less than half a mile a way thousands of lives were gone... All I kept saying to myself was, WHY AM I STILL HERE??? Dr. Bernard got a vehicle, which was a miracle in it's self because there were no vehicles to be found and we loaded all of the children in a bus which took them and the workers to his guesthouse in Thomasin... Mike, Brent, B, Dr Bernard, Claudette, Naika, Tia and Myself all got in a van and made our way to the orphanage to check on the kids there.<br />I saw many things that I hope I or anyone else never have to experience again but I think the hardest thing to process is the sight of 8 white dump trucks carrying the bodies of over 400 children who where killed in the collapsing of a school... Seeing it was hard but then finding out that the school was located one street over made that nauseousness in the pit of my stomach even worse. We spent the next 2 hours driving the 25 min. drive to the orphanage. I have never seen destruction like this, every street we went down was either blocked with buildings that had fallen or people dead and alive who had no where to go. There were piles and piles of bodies everywhere. As we drove through the street I just sat there in amazement. Yes I had felt the earthquake but I just couldn't understand how or why something like this happened?</span>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-52683953962669251372010-04-03T19:37:00.001-07:002010-04-09T20:11:33.577-07:00Recollecting on a LIFE event!!! Part 1 <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >I could give you the excuse that I have been too busy to sit down and write where I'm at (which I really have) but I just haven't been there yet. So much has happen in the past three months I really don't know where to start...
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At that moment all the reality set in, I was in a country by myself without anyone and I was terrified. Dealing with abandonment and isolation was very real to me growing up, being in the environment where I had no one those feeling became real again. God had brought me to Haiti for numerous reasons one of those was to break me of my attachments. I was allowing people and the busyness life to come in the way of my dependency of Christ. I believe 100% that God had to break me first in order to use me for the weeks that were to follow. God was all I had!!! He provided more for me in three days then I could ever imagine. The first weekend at the creche I spent most of my time crying... I did a lot of journaling and some intense time in the word!!! God was all I had, and he quickly became more than enough. In preparation for my trip my biggest fear was the language barrier... And oh was it a ligament concern. I was in a five story building with over 50 people in it and one of them knew English and it wasn't good by any means. I consider myself a fairly easy going kinda person who can get along with most people or at least ease most situations with a little humor. But none of that mattered... I was in a place where my comfort, my ability to communicate was useless!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Needless to say God was quick to intervene and provide a true ANGEL, who goes by the name of Jamarie or John Mark as I called him for 3 days till he said "you know my name is not John Mark right?... NO" Jamarie was a man that worked at the creche as a janitor. At night he would come to my floor and we would talk because PRAISE YOU JESUS!!!! He knew English, well a little at least. He learned some English in school but never had anyone to practice with so he was very eager to talk to me as was I eager to talk to him or anyone at that point :-) The first two nights we just got to know each other during this time he gave me a book that had creole in it, he said he was going to teach me creole because I was helping his English...</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >I have no doubt in my mind that the reason God placed Jamarie in my life was to be there during the earthquake. When the earthquake happen he was the first person to find me and he refused to leave my side until Mike came and got me two days later. </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >I really didn't know what was going on during the quake but afterwords I said to myself I think this might be bad, not ever being in a earthquake I really had no idea what to do or what a earthquake could do...</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >The creche was unsafe due to the first two floors buckling so we move all 48 children across the street to an elderly woman's property where a church was in the process of being built. It was a foundation with re bar posts that had an old Verizon build board as a temporary covering.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >I</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" > cant explain my feeling during the earthquake or even after because I can't say that I had any. When we got all the kids over to the church the night of the earthquake I asked Jamarie what we were going to do and he said we will wait for Dr Bernard to come, I knew that it would possible be at least a day till anyone came so all there was to do was wait. I was overwhelmed with the presence of Christ from the moment it hit. I didn't know what the future held, I didn't know if we were going to live or die, be helped or not but I did know God was in control and that was all I needed. I can't describe the feeling but when you come face to face with Christ its an overwhelming experience!!!! I remember saying "God I now know why you brought me here, I don't know if I'm going to die here or spend several months here but YOU are with me and that all I need." I wasn't giving up but it was a very real moment that this really could be the end and I was so OK with that...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >I tried to stay up as long as I could but my body was just shutting down. The sweet lady that lived on the grounds cleared me a spot and gave me two blankets to sleep on and I gave in. Throughout the night there were aftershocks that were followed by constant cries of Praise, Fear and Uncertainty. The next morning was when I was received the phone calls from my step mom and Mike and Missy. I had to turn my phone off the night before because all calls were failing and I only had half a battery. I talked to Mike and Missy and told them where we were and Mike reassured me that he was coming to get Tia and I...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >That awesome... But when?.... How long would it take?... How many days would it take them to get to us? It was worse know that someone was coming then thinking I was stuck there forever because know someone was coming consumed me....</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span></p>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-29715493086403081782010-01-06T17:48:00.000-08:002010-01-06T18:43:07.398-08:00Seeing through the eyes of Christ....Today was an amazing day!!! We visited so many places and met some amazing people today, I think today I saw a glimpse of the beauty of Haiti the way God sees Haiti. Today we got up and went to see some of the places that BGM will brings teams to and work. We went by the Orphanage, the Creche and the beach the we might be staying at. I was able to see my room that I at the creche where I will be for the next 6 months with Tia. We met up with a friend of Brent's named Gilbert and he took us all around Haiti. We went to an oil factory where they take this root and make oil that is used for perfume. They also age this wood for 20 years that is turned and separated into oil for fuel. We also went and visited Charlie at the Mission, we got to see our friends and hang out with them. On the way back around 5 we experienced something we have never done before, we went all the way back in the bark! (in the US driving in the dark is no big deal, but in Haiti there are NO street lights and it was CRAZY and a little scary!!!) We were in a huge traffic jam where Gilbert was weaving in and out like a crazy person, but it was awesome!!! I am back at the guest house and about to shower and hit the sack. This is the last night I will be at the Guesthouse for a while so I will blog as soon as I can. Thank you guys for your prayers. I love you all!!!<div><br /></div>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-55513862541503601992010-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:002010-01-05T12:58:11.882-08:00I am here!!!Mike, Missy and I woke up bright and early yesterday morning and headed out. We arrived at the airport in Nashville at 4:30am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">boarded</span> and headed out at 6. We had a little of a layover so Missy's nephew came down and we were able to hang out a little. We arrived in Haiti at 4:15pm where we were surprised to find out our luggage and 30 other bags were lost(that made for an interesting night, I am such my mother's child <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">because</span> the only thing I was worried about was brushing my teeth)... Because I normally have all my stuff in my backpack when I come to Haiti, the idea of my stuff being lost never crossed my mind so I had NOTHING!!! We all just laughed about it and said well hopefully it will make it here <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tomorrow</span>. When we left the airport we went to Dr. Bernard's office in Port-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Au</span>-Prince (where I will split my time 2 days in his office/ 3 days at the creche.) and picked up two women who were adopting and Dr.Bernard. We went back to the guesthouse(which is AMAZING!!!) and ate dinner. After dinner we played volleyball which was interesting since Mike and Missy were dressed up and I had on a dress.<br /> We got up this morning ate breakfast then we headed out to the office. Mike and Missy were able to go see the judge and some of the other families worked on their adoptions as well. Right before we left the office we joined the workers in a time of devotion which was AMAZING to see workers come together and praise God in the middle of the day. We went to the airport and picked up our luggage and headed back to the house for lunch and some down time.Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8773946243267821273.post-74905223666609214632010-01-03T21:18:00.000-08:002010-01-03T22:03:57.241-08:00T minus 4 hoursWell... it's really here. I am laying in my bed for the last time in seven months. I have a million things on my mind so I thought the best way for all the people in the US to feel included and in touch with what's going on I would write to you.<div><br /></div><div>I can't begin to tell you the things God has already done in my life through this trip and I haven't even left Franklin yet. In June of this past year(2009) I was anxiously awaiting my trip to Haiti the week of July 4th (my birthday.) Our family was and still is in the process of adopting a little girl from Haiti and through the director of the orphanage I found out about the opportunities the orphanage had for interns. Having the heart for Haiti and it's people I immediately started praying about going. Knowing that God was working in me at the time regarding his call on my life the idea that serving in Haiti was a TRUE calling became reality. I emailed Dr. Bernard regarding my interest in interning and he quickly responded with open arms. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This entire experience has been completely ordained by God, from the moment I was given conformation as to go God has literally lined everything up. I have had an overwhelming peace about it all because I KNEW the Lord would not call me to do something and not provide better than I could ever imagine and he has done just that. I don't know that six months ago I could have convinced myself to do this but I know that God has something huge in store and I can't wait to be apart of what He is about to do in Haiti. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I think one of the biggest ways God showed me just how serious he was, was through the financial aspect of this trip. I am a college student who works 10 hours a week. I didn't have a clue as to how I was going to pay for this trip but I knew that I couldn't let money stop me from going. So I sent letter and told myself daily that God was going to provide and boy did he ever... </div><div>This was the beginning of December (a month before I was leaving) I was sitting in my room and I was beginning to freak out because I had received some money but I still had a LONG way to go, I was checking the mail daily and it was not looking good. So I decided to take it upon myself to email Dr. Bernard and say that I didn't know if I was going to have the money. I then had a LONG conversation with God where I had to give it up, I knew I couldn't make it work but I was going to try. God was quick to show me that he could when I had received the total $3,500 needed for the trip within 10 days of that conversation!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>God is all over this trip and I thank you for all your prayers and support updates to come...</div><div>~Katie</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Katie Dufleuranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12523369194078019342noreply@blogger.com0