Getting Ready for Haiti

It was 3 degrees Fahrenheit when I was driving to work a couple of days ago here in eastern Pennsylvania. The high temperature in Haiti today was 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes, I'm getting ready to enter a different climate and even more so, a different culture. In one month I'll be boarding a plane with seven others to travel to La Gonave, Haiti. If you'd like to read about my last trip to Haiti, check out this link: http://mentoringmoments.org/index.php?s=inside+another+culture

Here are a couple of sights from my last adventure in Haiti.

Two Haitian women were doing laundry by hand for about 40 children in an orphanage.



The Haitian children always came running whenever they spotted us with huge smiles and open arms.



A Haitian girl with her donkey, a common form of transportation.

I look forward to sharing Jesus' love and growing and learning through this experience. I'm sure that as in the last time, I'll gain much more than I give. If you ever have the chance to step inside another culture, I highly recommend it. You'll be surprised at what can happen, not just to you, but in you!

Hope and Haiti

I am so excited, because in February I will be traveling to Haiti with a mission team. A year ago today a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, and there is still much rebuilding and repair to be done. I'm not exactly sure what my role will be on this trip, but it will be interesting to find out. Many times in life it is the willingness to act and to be available that are more important than the talents we have.

This will be my second trip to Haiti. The first was a couple of years ago, before the earthquake. I found the Haitian people to be kind, generous, and joyful. Many have so little, yet they share with others in whatever way they can. I gained so very much from that experience - much more than I gave!

I'd say the biggest lesson I learned on my last trip was to elevate relationships. Don't take for granted the people in your life. Treasure them. Don't let yourself get too busy to miss out on really looking and really listening. Value the moments and the memories; enjoy the adventure of life!

 

I'll keep you posted on this next trip. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. Thanks for taking time to stop by!

                                                                                      ~ Sarah

The Hot Dog Lady and Smiles

Mike and I used to play a silly game when we'd go to the mall. To be honest, it was mostly me, but Mike graciously went along with it. There was a woman who worked at a little hot dog and pretzel stand in the middle of the mall. She pretty much always had a rather grumpy attitude and manner about her. It became a challenge for us to try to get her to smile whenever we happened across her path. Sometimes we failed in this mission, but sometimes we succeeded. When we did succeed, it made her smile and actually brightened our day, too.

You've probably heard the saying "He's a glass half-empty kind of guy". It refers to a person having a negative view of things. Of course, when a glass is half-empty, it's also half-full. It's the exact same glass, just seen from two very different perspectives. There is another saying that goes "attitude is everything".

You may have heard of, read the book, or seen the movie Polyanna. It's about a little girl who plays the "glad game". Basically, she looks for the positive in every situation and ends up transforming the lives of everyone around her with her bright outlook. I'm sure we all know people who brighten the mood when they are around and others who are rather like dark clouds rolling into a room.

Why am I throwing out these sayings/cliches/stories? I want to challenge you...and me.

We each have a choice, perhaps not in what happens to us, but definitely in how we react and respond. This may seem trivial, but I challenge you to look for the half-full, celebrate the small things, notice the beauty around you, be thankful, and share the joys of life. I dare you to start collecting smiles. Life itself is something to celebrate!

Fishing

I was thinking about fishing. This is strange for me, because I never go fishing and don't know much about it at all. I do know that people who go fishing sometimes catch fish and sometimes don't catch fish. It's not necessarily that they are trying harder at different times. I've heard fishermen say after coming home empty-handed that the fish "just weren't biting".

So why am I thinking about all this? Well, Jesus told some of the disciples that He would make them fishers of men. Kind of a strange thing to say, but since He was talking to fishermen, I suppose it made sense to them. What I'm trying to say is that christians have great news to share with people - the news that Jesus came to earth, died on the cross, and rose again to save us from our sins. As we open up and share this amazing truth, it's like throwing a fishing line out. I guess in reality it's more like throwing a lifeline out. The thing is that not everyone will catch and accept this truth. We may come up empty-handed sometimes, just like fishermen do. Fishermen don't quit, though. They keep throwing their lines and nets out, and so should we.

I hope this encourages you to "keep fishing".  We need to do our part and leave the results to God. He loves each person and wants them to hear the good news.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about with Jesus and why He came to earth, please check out:
http://sarahshares.com/YouAreVerySpecial.html

Let it snow!

Yesterday it snowed less than an inch here in eastern Pennsylvania. Actually, I think it was less than half an inch! I love watching the falling snow transform everything. It started me humming "Let It Snow", "White Christmas", and other snow-filled songs throughout the day as I cared for patients in my hospital. It also reminded me of an experience I had in a past winter with driving in the snow. Check it out at: Ice Scrapers and Life. I hope this encourages you to take a chance and let God into your life. He will transform it beautifully!