Ballad Photography
Writers of popular television shows often say that the fifth
season is the hardest to write. Okay,
that’s not true at all, but it got me through my first sentence of a
long-overdue blogpost (which sometimes is the hardest part).
This August, we began our fifth season in Haiti. Like television shows, we see our cast
changing season-to-season, encounter new plot twists, and get to experience our
own character development.
Season Five Casting:
-Cassie is returning for her fourth season. She along with Kristen were our pioneer
teachers at the JAK Academy. However,
Cassie has returned alone and in a new role.
She has stepped in to administration as a co-director along with Paul’s protégé
Samuel. This summer, we got to celebrate
with Kristen as she married Blarizel (as we call him) and they are starting their
life together in Toronto. We miss her a lot and hope that she not only
makes cameos in our story, but may even return for future seasons.
-Returning to teaching this year we have Peyton (3rd
season), Kenzie (2nd season), and Emily (2nd
season). We are so grateful for the
faithfulness of our teachers to leave careers or potential careers stateside to
teach local Haitian kids in English and with the love of Christ. If anyone knows someone who would be interested
in this, please let us know!
-Also returning this year for their second season are Isaac
and Chelsea who are solid supports for Paul and me. With Isaac running financials, Chelsea running
sponsorship, and together they run short-term team experiences, they keep us
sane with helping hands and insights.
-Our new cast members this year at the JAK Academy are
Marissa (1st grade), Krista (Kin 3), and Paige (student
specialist). We are excited to get to
know them more in our communal living and kingdom work together.
-As far as our Haitian staff, we’ve still got our solid team
of Ronald, Lubin, Gertrude, Kenold, Samuel, Robenson… the whole gang.
-One new cast member we are excited to welcome is our doctor
who will be moving from Port-au-Prince to come live on the compound with us and
serve in our new medical clinic opening late fall!
Season Five Plot
Twists:
Okay, so that may be a little dramatic of a statement, but
it’s continuing on with the analogy, so we will go with it. And, since I don’t know the future, I can’t
tell SPOILER ALERT or anything, but here’s what we’ve got going on this year.
-Paul has resigned his role as the director of the JAK
Academy (to Cassie and Samuel as I said earlier) to focus his time more on just
being the Haiti Director of the mission.
This has been a much-over-do and much-need change, although he’s shocked
that he’s not really any-less busy than when he was doing both things. He’s working a lot with legalities in Haiti
to make sure that we are as “by-the-book” as we can be and setting a good
example for the community.
-I (Bethany) have also resigned my old job of running the
sponsorship program to take on the new task of opening our new medical
clinic. There will be much more to say
about this as we get closer to opening, so stay tuned for that.
-Tiona and Lieuna get to spend half of each day over at the
orphanage with Gertrude’s mother, whom we affectionately refer to as Grann.
Season Five Character
Development:
-Paul always never ceases to amaze me. As long as I’ve known him, I’ve seen small
leadership opportunities and ministries given to him, and over the years they have
grown into big, bigger, and even huge opportunities and responsibilities. He not only has stepped up every time, but
thrives at each new platform. Please
pray for him as he continues to learn to juggle life, make very hard decisions,
and discern directions – as well as keep that charm and goofiness about him
that makes him oh-so-very Paul.
-I (Bethany) will be forced to grow (and already have) as I
take on this new leadership role in the community. Truthfully, when I think about the reality of
it, it makes me pee a little, but I’m excited for a new challenge ahead. I am forced to push harder into my study of
the Creole language and interaction with the people in this village, as well as
leading a group of people for a similar goal to provide as excellent quality of
medical care we can. I am grateful for
the time I’ve had with my babies over the past few years, but also I am very
excited for the opportunity to re-get-to-know the people in this village and
have hands-on ministry.
-Tiona and Lieuna get a very special opportunity to get to
know their Haitian roots in a way they never would have if they just stayed
with me all day. Almost half their
waking hours immersed in Creole, Haitian food, and interacting with the kiddos
in the orphanage that we love so much that are their new
brothers-and-sisters. It truly is a
blessing for them as well as us.
For new episodes of Season Five, please follow Mission-Haiti
on Facebook (@Mission-Haiti) and Instagram (@mission_haiti).
Thank you for all your help to get here. Also, feel free to take a browse around as I’ve
re-vamped the blog (after all, it’s about time after five years, right?!).
Alright, Cheers!
Until next time!
