Going Back!

Yes, it's true! We have been praying this year about taking a trip back to Fauche this summer, since it is Chris's last official summer break and my job ends in May. When we left Haiti, we definitely had a desire to come back and visit, and God has made a way for us to go. We're so thankful that Chris's school (IU-Terre Haute) will be funding his entire trip, since he will be working in the clinic and getting medical experience. So we aren't going to need to raise support or delay. Thanks Lord. So we will be going June 2-June 30th, and flying on MFI. (another praise, that we were able to get seats on this missionary airline)
Going back is so different than going to Haiti for the first time. We know so much more of what to expect and can actually visualize what everything looks like. We also aren't going as strangers, which is comforting and exciting since we will get to spend time with the Thede's and visit with Haitian friends. Chris will shadow doctors in the clinic and participate with much more knowledge, which will be neat. Also, there is a team coming from the States during the second two weeks which I (Kath) will get to help out with. Those are the two main things we have planned about our trip.
Wow, going for one month versus going for eight months seems completely different! Suddenly a month seems very short, while before it would have seemed like a very long missions trip. It is also different- in a cool way- going to a place that we have been before. All school year we've been talking here and there about the possibility of going, and what we could do there, but also what we could do instead. Honestly it's been hard not to choose to do our own thing in June. We love Haiti, there are so many aspects to draw us there, but it's also not a vacation spot. We prayed that God would make it happen or keep us here- so we are going with gratitude, God has definitely provided!
It has been interesting talking with friends, family, and co-workers about Haiti this year. We are still unsure about how to talk about it! We don't want to romanticize it, don't want to make it sound worse than it was, want to be honest but not too negative or go too deep when someone is just asking to be polite (haha) and don't know how to explain things or what we've learned very well! I'm sure this is a completely common experience for people who go overseas. Or even for people who go away to college or go through any time in life away from the "norm." I have found myself trying to explain not giving to everyone who asks to co-workers who simply could not understand and felt like I needed to defend myself and people they don't even know, we have found ourselves telling stories about Haiti and then later wondering if people are sick of hearing about it!, and many other scenarios. I wish I had the perfect response to everyone, and a way to tell about God's faithfulness, but it can't be summed up very easily! We feel protective of Haiti and the Thede's and their ministry and what we learned through being their "kids" for a few months. But it is just impossible to share it all! Which has been a challenge! But it's also been fun to talk about and discover what we learned, how we changed.
Well, all this to say that we are really anticipating our trip and whatever God has in store. Thank you Lord that we are able to go back. Thank you Thede's for taking us back, and thank you cockroaches and spiders for kindly evacuating our house before we return. Please pray for us as we prepare to go!
(picture of Chris doing a sweet volleyball pose at Sloan family Easter)