tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2896011424314528722024-02-07T20:46:14.886-08:00All God's ChildrenTore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-66839527951981393962017-02-16T10:38:00.001-08:002017-02-16T10:39:20.080-08:00Being Thankful, Even When It's Hard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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To be honest, this has been a bad week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a week where children have
died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a week where we have
failed a new mom and her newborn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
been a week where the realities of Haiti have seemed too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a week where as much as I wanted
to, there was nothing else I could do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s been a week where God chose not to step in, even though I thought
He should. </div>
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It’s been hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
been long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m tired and I’m sick, yet
neither of those changes anything that has happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was dwelling on what a rough week it has
been, God reminded me of how much I have to be thankful for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what I want to focus this blog
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am thankful for two successful weeks of surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, 85 major operations and over 30
minor cases were completed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only
were physical needs met, but every patient was also prayed over and poured
into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an opportunity that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Aunt Debby was there for the second week
of surgery! I am so thankful she was able to come and see a little of what my
life is like as well as pour into her patients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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I am thankful to be surrounded by children who love me even
when I don’t deserve it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is so
much love on this campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between the orphanage,
the Miriam Center, and the nutrition program I am showered with hugs and kisses
everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Valentines Day, the
preschool had a party where they all dressed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved being a part of it! </div>
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I am thankful to be in a country where I can openly share
about the gift of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if my
message was rejected, I can only pray that seeds were planted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am thankful for the continuous opportunity to learn, for
both myself and the staff here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
had many opportunities to learn these past two weeks from nurses, doctors,
pastors, and so many others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also
made some mistakes this week and learned from them. I am thankful though that
we were able to make changes for next time. </div>
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I am thankful that so many people loved Owens. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His death hurts so many, but also shows how
loved he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for all the
people that poured into him his last couple of weeks and tried to help as much
as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am thankful for Lovemicka's life and the eternal impact she had on so many. I am thankful that she is no longer in pain and is rejoicing with our Savior. </div>
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Most of all, I am thankful that this life is only
temporary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful that there will
come a time with no more suffering or pain. </div>
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<b>Revelations 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thee will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” </b></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-39764558503608852112017-01-28T05:54:00.000-08:002017-01-28T05:54:18.409-08:00Christmas parties, birthday parties, and more!
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Blogging is not something I necessarily enjoy, but something
I am striving to get better at doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes I feel like if I don’t have a big story there is nothing to
blog about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I am slowly
realizing that’s not true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example,
there hasn’t necessarily been a big story these past couple of weeks, but many
exciting things have happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are
a few of my favorites: </div>
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I came back into Haiti after a month stateside for the
holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am very thankful for my time
in Kentucky with friends and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
also gave Liam and I some time to work through wedding planning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, after a few weeks away I was very
ready to be back home in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may
not have had the best trip here and had some unpleasant surprises to welcome me
back (hello black mold everywhere), but I am very thankful to be here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The day after I got back we had our staff Christmas
party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so fun to see everyone all
dressed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people also came with
their spouses, so it was so enjoyable to meet them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is very common for couples (and whole
families!) to wear matching outfits to events like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Liam we will have to find something
that matches!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also did a secret
santa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me tell you, they take secret
santa to the extreme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Music is going and
you dance until you find who you had and then dance together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My secret santa gave me a beautiful vase with
fake flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole night was a lot
of fun! </div>
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Another highlight of my first week back was Benji’s
birthday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He officially turned three
years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a celebration with his
family and a couple neighbors and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He got all dressed up and was the life of the party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very next day he started preschool. It
has been quite an adjustment, but everyday seems to be getting a little better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QiWRANmkbwY-DhQgkVqwHn9yJOgKeu3WNDhzr63NxsqRP6yiHmmj26FUGDUanBMNm67INYzCICDBz5CgCiE238N08GC_3iOwyPA3TxYf_qxN-QswBwwDpvqadeH9RsQ12IRS-mr9v3M/s1600/IMG_7820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QiWRANmkbwY-DhQgkVqwHn9yJOgKeu3WNDhzr63NxsqRP6yiHmmj26FUGDUanBMNm67INYzCICDBz5CgCiE238N08GC_3iOwyPA3TxYf_qxN-QswBwwDpvqadeH9RsQ12IRS-mr9v3M/s320/IMG_7820.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTT2NMbUv-dG6M5xHoLJM_OfQRKTJCEN2d2D1q4f64dMc-vDvAZuPSH36fHvQJ3zxvnYG8FKfFSG79OYWZBwmZ1kXdL7BWq44r69hLFiSUN5z8tYdEy0NHKAAcvRrdWZTdV2BNLpjrr8/s1600/IMG_7711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTT2NMbUv-dG6M5xHoLJM_OfQRKTJCEN2d2D1q4f64dMc-vDvAZuPSH36fHvQJ3zxvnYG8FKfFSG79OYWZBwmZ1kXdL7BWq44r69hLFiSUN5z8tYdEy0NHKAAcvRrdWZTdV2BNLpjrr8/s320/IMG_7711.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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We also had a mini Christmas party for the nutrition
program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daybreak Community Church
helped me collect items and each child received a new church outfit, a pair of
socks, underwear, and a hair bow (for the girls).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of that, each mom received a care
package.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The packages had nail polish,
nail clippers, deodorant, a wash cloth, a mini soap, a mini shampoo, a mini
lotion, toothpaste, dental floss, a toothbrush, and some pads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were so surprised and excited to receive
a gift themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is more to this
story though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of the families use
the excuse “we don’t have clothes for our kids, so we cannot go to
church.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the main reason why I
wanted to get church clothes for all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Last Sunday we had eight nutrition program kids (and guardians) at
church who are not usually there!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
an answer to prayer!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the girls in her new outfit with her mom! </td></tr>
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ALSO, our surgery wing and clinic have been getting a
facelift!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This week we have replaced
eight air conditioners, two washers, two dryers, a toilet, and several lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so excited to see how this makes surgery
weeks move more smoothly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The medical
staff is excited about the changes that are being made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still have a long way to go, but I am
excited about each little step that gets us closer to being where we want to
be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am so thankful for everyone that prays me through each
transition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a bit difficult coming
back without the part of me who’s in Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, we are very excited about our future together and in
Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promise to try to be better at
blogging as we continue looking towards the future! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg2pb9mm14hLCeeh7Fh3qSEyJ6Y5q8tvQ3tpNm_wlM-PEUH-2zkmyKZ_A30QK6yV-eBowaBOHi7IHtcF1K-KW2BO3KNgTUbqdil1dCaN1knSGKtT6KDD8PRh25DtRbMHJ_qeIY3x38ew/s1600/IMG_7965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg2pb9mm14hLCeeh7Fh3qSEyJ6Y5q8tvQ3tpNm_wlM-PEUH-2zkmyKZ_A30QK6yV-eBowaBOHi7IHtcF1K-KW2BO3KNgTUbqdil1dCaN1knSGKtT6KDD8PRh25DtRbMHJ_qeIY3x38ew/s320/IMG_7965.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To help look towards the future.. we started building our house!! </td></tr>
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Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-49839673013711985502016-11-02T15:40:00.000-07:002016-11-02T15:40:05.098-07:00Medical Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I looked at my calendar yesterday
and could only think “wow we actually survived October.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the hurricane, October was already
deemed medical month between two surgery teams, a doctor doing mobile clinics,
and a medical trip to Mirebalais.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
hurricane just added more on top of the already busy month!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Several people have asked for a
post hurricane update.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest,
this zone saw more damage after the hurricane than actually during the hurricane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last several weeks have consisted of
almost constant downpours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For our Mole
campus, the hurricane’s destruction rerouted some of the water sources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With all the rain, the river swelled and the
campus flooded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the walls and
gates fell and the clinic was knee deep in water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>La baie, which many of you have heard or read
about, completely flooded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our church
there had 5 feet of water in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
staff in La Baie were so desperate for help that one walked part of the way
here and one took a boat because the roads were flooded out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met with them to find out how we could
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was thinking the immediate
needs: food, clothes, shelter, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
I brought this up, they said, “Tore, you can give us food for a week, but then
we will just be hungry again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made
plans on how to help the community beyond these next couple of weeks through
buying fishing supplies that was lost and seeds to replant gardens. I sent the
staff members with money to start this plan and will go early next week to
check on things myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart breaks
for this community who has already gone through so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVknVJOxeNrgxRXf06ddkkEm19vSPp7hgRJ8JwY2Wp1XF7YpUvcT1nfNdbRnIkQ8ZnZmGTsRL8HsNjw3tYbrDQr8LGD9c2X61nnbD4qD67XpJkl7YtK2ymFCXLaDgpt_xNpQKQeqku1k/s400/IMG_6683.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Baie</td></tr>
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While so many hearts were breaking
this past month, so much good was also happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though it was questionable whether or not they
would be able to make it with the hurricane, the iTeam arrived and went
straight to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were a small
team, but every member played such a vital role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran the eye clinic and completed 63 eye
surgeries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These eye surgeries truly
changed lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who had lost
nearly all of their vision due to cataracts were able to see again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an amazing thing to behold, especially
in the midst of all of the hurricane reports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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One week later, the next surgery
team arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had an orthopedic
surgeon and a general surgeon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
completed over 40 major surgeries and many minor surgeries as well! The rain
caused us to have to cancel the mobile clinics because we could not cross the
river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided to host a clinic for
our staff members and their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be honest, I thought we would maybe see 25 patients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were so many people we opened the
clinic for a second day and easily saw over 200 people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of these people would not have been able
to get the care they needed had it not been for the free clinic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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So many lives were completely
changed this month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a couple of
my favorite examples.</div>
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During the orthopedic team last
year, an 11 year old boy came in with chronic osteomyelitis, or an infection in
the bone of his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had already had
the infection for a year and had been turned away from every hospital he went
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He came to us the last day of
surgery of 2015 and there was not enough time for the surgeon to do what needed
to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a vivid memory of both
him and his mom sobbing when they were told we could not help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got their information so we could contact
them to come this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent the
week before the surgery team arrived trying to get in touch with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t reach them, and I worried about what
might have happened to the boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
Wednesday, I was walking through the clinic and a little boy held up his arm to
show me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I yelled his name because I was
so excited to see him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom was
surprised that I knew his name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
explained that we had been trying to get a hold of them and I felt broken
because we had not reached them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God had
provided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The surgeon sent them for an
x-ray and said we would do whatever we could to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My memory of them sobbing was replaced by an
image of them waving their arms saying “thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus.” </div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thursday, Mike got his surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent quite a bit of time talking to him
before he went back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me how he
wanted to be a bone doctor so he could do these kinds of surgeries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went back with him for his surgery, and his
mom asked me to keep praying the whole time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You best believe that’s what I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, we didn’t know if he would be able
to keep his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as the surgery
progressed, the infection was cleaned out and the surgery appears to be successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike still has a ways to go with 2 weeks of
IV antibiotics and 4 weeks or oral antibiotics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I so hope that one day he can fulfill his dreams of being a bone doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dU4lU4zlxlWak4quMsXzRkVZRG49R1f3kXy1GQcS4KlFBUbTjjLOXJxPYzLZcnsAf1vhUFiKA5g6-34GhGzOCTr7dRmrWDEtWWIdQP1h7ZsyHbD6NnApUqRy2v3r6MjCz-MKJVigX2I/s1600/IMG_6587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dU4lU4zlxlWak4quMsXzRkVZRG49R1f3kXy1GQcS4KlFBUbTjjLOXJxPYzLZcnsAf1vhUFiKA5g6-34GhGzOCTr7dRmrWDEtWWIdQP1h7ZsyHbD6NnApUqRy2v3r6MjCz-MKJVigX2I/s320/IMG_6587.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and I before surgery</td></tr>
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--></style> This same Thursday morning I went
down to the clinic to see which patients had already arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a young man sitting in the waiting
room with what looked like a red cast on his elbow (the lights aren’t the
best!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was confused because there
should not have been any elbow surgery follow ups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked what was going on, and he said he had
been cut by a machete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The red cast was
actually blood soaked gauze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called
the surgeons and they unwrapped his arm to find the bone protruding where the
machete had cut through the skin, muscle, and bone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had gone to a local hospital, but they
turned him away (which usually means they can’t do anything or don’t have much
hope).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The team was able to take him
back and fix his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s provisions
in this man’s life were so powerful. The surgeon said the local hospital had
tried to place stitches to stop the bleeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had placed a stitch around the ulnar nerve, but thankfully they
didn’t tighten it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had they tightened
it, it would have been a completely different outcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If our orthopedic team hadn’t been here, he
would have lost his arm and most likely his life.</div>
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I closed out the medical month with
a quick trip to my favorite hospital in Mirebalais with one of the boys in the
orphanage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This summer the Daybreak team
detected a heart murmur on him that we wanted to get checked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got an appointment with the cardiac
alliance which meant we made a 12 hour trip to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctors evaluated him and gave us the all
clear saying it should go away as he ages! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0f1xIQopE3i7jGaxtLWr7fXdV5J0Y6wH7qED3UQGq_aiv_3n0vzjlpnr_RfTSnxnNzYDV1A-heWle2gs5ATvRGGL-txZmQjm_lbRtOk0BWDdaObNg_HEj52-eEVlCcmkHP00Uat7evY/s1600/IMG_6621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0f1xIQopE3i7jGaxtLWr7fXdV5J0Y6wH7qED3UQGq_aiv_3n0vzjlpnr_RfTSnxnNzYDV1A-heWle2gs5ATvRGGL-txZmQjm_lbRtOk0BWDdaObNg_HEj52-eEVlCcmkHP00Uat7evY/s320/IMG_6621.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keslen and I in Mirebalais</td></tr>
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As I sit here and reflect on this
past month I am overcome with thankfulness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am thankful we weren’t hit worse by the hurricane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for the doctors who gave up their
time and energy to come and serve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
thankful for all the lives that were changed because of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for a good medical diagnosis for
Keslen and so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Trying to sum up this past month, I
am brought to Jesus’s words in Matthew 11:5, “The blind receive sight, the lame
walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus called us to be his hands and feet and follow in his
footsteps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are things He did in
his ministry, but the teams this month followed his example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blind received sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lame received the opportunity to
walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may not have had leprosy, but
we did have a case of scabies! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:) </span></span>Most importantly though, the gospel was proclaimed to everyone who walked in
our gates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t think of a more
beautiful sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b>If you are a medical professional
and want to be part of this ministry in the future, please contact me
(tore.karenbauer@nwhcm.org).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would
love to get you connected with one of the medical teams that come yearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are always in need of more people from
surgeons to anesthesiologists to scrub techs to nurses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can promise that by coming you will not
only change lives, but you will also have your life changed. </b></div>
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Thank you for praying through this
month with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please keep me in your
prayers as I have a few more weeks before I head stateside for the holidays. I
am so thankful for this life God had called me to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot imagine being anywhere else or doing
anything differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-61623728968987862222016-10-08T07:16:00.001-07:002016-10-08T08:04:53.129-07:00Hurricane Matthew: What Came and What's ComingAre you feeling overwhelmed by Hurricane Matthew posts yet? I know I am. There are so many posts. Some of them are confusing. Some of them are conflicting. Some of them are simply not true. I know there was one photo circulating “of Haiti” that was actually from Jamaica a couple years ago. I think often in the midst of a disaster it is hard to find the truth. Here is the truth of my hurricane experience. <br />
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Last Friday all of the American staff in Saint Louis headed to our Mole campus for some staff meetings. The plan was to fly there and take a truck back Tuesday morning. To give you an idea on how bad the roads are: it takes 5-6 hours via truck, but it took us 13 minutes in the plane. We knew a storm was coming, but we had no idea the magnitude. I packed a flimsy rain jacket just in case I needed it. Saturday evening Jody, the director of the Mole campus and our Haiti operations manager, told us the hurricane was coming straight towards us and was at that time a category 5. Original reports had the storm moving faster than it did, so we were not able to go home to Saint Louis. We started making plans for our Saint Louis campus from the Mole (ex. our surgery wing floods so we needed all the equipment moved). We spent Sunday helping the Mole campus prepare for the hurricane. While our Saint Louis campus is up the mountain some, the Mole campus is pretty much sea level and right across from the ocean. Here is a photo of the beach across from them (before the storm).<br />
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At church Sunday no one in the community had even heard the hurricane was coming. What is worse than the destruction of a hurricane? Not being able to prepare for it at all. The mission was able to send people throughout the Mole and a couple close fishing villages to warn people about the hurricane. It is hard to tell people about an incoming storm though. Haiti isn’t like the States. There are no shelters set up. There was no pre-disaster relief work or giving out food. How do you prepare people for the worst when they are already living in the worst? <br />
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For me, one of the hardest parts was the waiting. We knew the hurricane was coming, but it was moving so slowly. We knew we were in the direct path of the eye of the hurricane. We prepared as much as we could and we warned everyone we could warn. The Castillo house has a satellite TV, so we were able to watch the news reports of the hurricane hitting southern Haiti. The reports were devastating. The only thing left for us to do was wait and see if the worst would happen to us.<br />
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The storm finally hit us Tuesday morning. At this point we lost service (and tv) so we were not quite sure where the eye was. The rains and winds came with more force than I expected. At the start of the hurricane, I stood with all of the orphans in the only second story building watching the tin roof. I kept thinking if the winds got much stronger, the roof would not stay. The second story room was our backup plan in case of flooding. Where would we go if the roof blew off? I was anticipating it to gradually increase to a peak and then gradually decrease. However, the storm stayed with pretty much the same intensity for about 24 hours. The pounding rains and winds caused trees and electrical poles to fall and lots of flooding. At one point, some parts of campus were knee deep in water. As trees and other debris were falling and flying through the air, it was not safe for us to be outside. We stayed inside listening and praying for the roof over our heads and for everyone who did not have a roof over theirs. <br />
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When we first starting hearing the reports of how we were going to be directly hit by the eye of the hurricane, I thought God had placed us in the Mole so we could help with the relief work afterwards. As we started walking through the town after the storm, I realized that was not true.<b> </b><u><b>God had us in the Mole so we could call on prayer warriors all around the world who because of their prayers God changed the direction of the storm.</b></u> I was blown away by the prayer response I heard of and felt. I firmly believe that because of these specific prayers the direct eye of the hurricane did not pass over us. <br />
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This is not to say there was no damage. In the Mole, houses and businesses were destroyed. The campus received damage to roofs as well as doors and gates being ripped off. As we walked around town, most of the gardens we saw were destroyed. We saw a lot of fallen trees and mounds of sand that had washed into houses. There were houses without roofs or walls. The fishing villages were pretty much destroyed. However, we did not see any injuries or death. I have heard reports of over 800 deaths in Haiti. Here we had none. I feel like one of Jody's prayer requests was answered. She called on people to pray that the things lost would be replaceable, and that is what we saw. While it was a long few days, the results really were an answer to so many prayers. <br />
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Unfortunately, the effects from Hurricane Matthew are just starting to be seen in the Northwest zone. Our already delayed presidential election has been postponed again. We are going to start seeing a rise in malnutrition. A lot of farmers lost all of their crops and/or livestock. This was their way of both feeding their families and making money. We are also going to see a food shortage for everyone. We are anticipating a rise in cholera, a huge problem that has been in Haiti since the earthquake. Today I met with our local cholera clinic to make plans for what is to come and offer support. Cholera has already taken enough lives. God moved mountains to protect us from the storm, and I know He can also protect us from this next storm of illness and starvation that is brewing.<br />
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<b>So what can you do?</b> The first and most important thing is to pray. Pray for southern Haiti, which was hit so much harder than us. Pray for the storm that is coming from the aftermath. Pray for the families that lost their homes and businesses. Pray that cholera would stop taking the lives of innocent Haitians. Pray for protection throughout the rest of hurricane season. Pray for wisdom for NWHCM as we try to find the best ways to help. The next thing you can do is collect supplies. My mother is currently collecting clothes for a boys orphanage in southern Haiti that lost everything. You can also give money. Here is our disaster relief link. <a href="http://bit.ly/NWHCMDisasterRelief">http://bit.ly/NWHCMDisasterRelief</a> This money will go towards helping families rebuild, buying food for those who have none, supplying clinics, and so much more. <br />
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I cannot thank you enough for your prayers. If it weren’t for them, this blog would have a much different tone. Please continue to pray.<br />
<br />Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-34371796281169975472016-09-28T17:52:00.001-07:002016-09-28T17:52:19.990-07:00Nutrition Program: Help Needed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I was preparing to come back to Haiti, I asked God to show me where to focus my energy. There are so many health needs on our campus alone that it easy to get overwhelmed. It didn’t take me long to hear him telling me to focus on our nutrition program. After the preschool graduation this summer, the program got a new set of children, which makes it a good time to start something new.<br /><br />The past two weeks I have spent weighing and measuring all of the children and going through birth certificates to find their birth dates (a lot of the parents only have a general idea on how old the kids are). I have plotted all of the kids based on WHO (world health organization) standards, so that we could determine the degree of malnourishment in all of the children. <u>We have seven children classified as moderately malnourished and two children classified as severely malnourished</u>.<br /><br />It is hard for us to imagine what true malnourishment really is. We have more of the opposite problem in the States. Growing up, I never even experienced true hunger let alone malnutrition. Malnutrition causes children’s bodies to not fully develop. Malnutrition causes neurological damage. Malnutrition is responsible for a third of child deaths globally. Malnutrition causes children to die from common ailments like diarrhea. <b>Every 30 seconds a child dies of malnutrition somewhere in the world</b>. Malnutrition breaks my heart.<br /><br />To be frank, the food we are financially able to provide the children in our program will not reverse malnutrition. To help these nine children, I need your help. In Port-au-Prince, we can buy a food that is designed to reverse the effects of malnutrition. It will also give them all of the vitamins and minerals that they need. To buy this food for all of these children, <b>I need just over $400 total</b>. On a smaller scale, we would also like to buy chickens for some of the families. It will be a program where we supply the chickens, and they are responsible for providing a chicken coop and the food. They will be able to keep some of the eggs for their own families, but they will also be required to bring some of the eggs back to the program. This will allow us to provide something different in all of the children’s diets. <b>Each chicken will cost about $5.</b> Please consider helping us buy this food or a couple chickens.<br /><br />You’ve read what malnutrition is and how you can help, but what does it really look like? It looks like Benji. Benji is almost three years old and is the height and weight of an average 9 month old. It looks like Negie who has the best smile. It looks like Jamesely who couldn’t wait to eat a bowl of spaghetti. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidG9JZr9WiYvm8lbKSZ1bRjOr7FK1riaDk2wnG_4tMHOakbvQoiHs0LWd1uPjh34ZtiaaHN526LJ6oUoIZlsObQ1CYA8wGfHolRPDBWQteQRgL1hUk-sI964FpgG2d_b2egnQi0lnKsjw/s1600/IMG_5868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidG9JZr9WiYvm8lbKSZ1bRjOr7FK1riaDk2wnG_4tMHOakbvQoiHs0LWd1uPjh34ZtiaaHN526LJ6oUoIZlsObQ1CYA8wGfHolRPDBWQteQRgL1hUk-sI964FpgG2d_b2egnQi0lnKsjw/s400/IMG_5868.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benji beside a boy who is an average size for their age (both almost 3)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYk_SJz9d2hs35YSkEtDwOUE248uHqHffob9zAprpmu_HA8oA2hPJhmp5owpl9pZMNAnkPXdaEzcAkjwMzkUzq3_dunOiBjROm3JZbD8R6cNRcORyXwAt7ScUyZzPY_gx7tpuVnS1v6IY/s1600/IMG_5882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYk_SJz9d2hs35YSkEtDwOUE248uHqHffob9zAprpmu_HA8oA2hPJhmp5owpl9pZMNAnkPXdaEzcAkjwMzkUzq3_dunOiBjROm3JZbD8R6cNRcORyXwAt7ScUyZzPY_gx7tpuVnS1v6IY/s320/IMG_5882.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Negie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFneNAn1TBpf8AvmP2oem7-H_ytI2zklovXBWI83XOzqjcEQBaByjY2FRAc9bbXXa0fyGryaJNMcMV5wfJrgFNloJhplMt02t90YR56G0QLzPdzG83AfNBLvG86Lf_4DSGFHi2BioVeo/s1600/IMG_4125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFneNAn1TBpf8AvmP2oem7-H_ytI2zklovXBWI83XOzqjcEQBaByjY2FRAc9bbXXa0fyGryaJNMcMV5wfJrgFNloJhplMt02t90YR56G0QLzPdzG83AfNBLvG86Lf_4DSGFHi2BioVeo/s320/IMG_4125.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamesley</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don’t want to take away from the good things that are happening in the nutrition program. All of the children are starting school, which will hopefully break the cycle of malnutrition in their families. All of the children are receiving daily multivitamins with iron. All of the children are receiving medical care that they did not previously have access to. All of the moms are attending a weekly bible study with me. This week we are registering one of the moms back in school because she wants to provide a better future for her two boys. However, there is still more to do. A quote on the WHO website stuck with me. It says, “We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the foundation of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer ‘tomorrow’. His name is ‘Today’.”<br /><br />We cannot show these children the love of Jesus without also meeting their physical needs. They need strength to grow and develop now. Waiting will be detrimental. <u><b>Will you help save these children’s lives?</b></u> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are interested in donating money, you can give through this link http://nwhcm.org/give/travel-payment (and get a tax donation!). Please put "Tore Karenbauer Nutrition Food" in the comments section. For more information, please contact me at tore.karenbauer@nwhcm.org.<br /></span></span>Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-72134248903459622172016-09-17T14:34:00.000-07:002016-09-17T14:36:00.340-07:00First Week Back!<style>
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It has been one week back in my
Haiti home, and I have so much to be thankful for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for my friends and family here
in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for this
country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful to be back here:
safe and healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for the
people who make it possible for me to be here both through prayer and financial
support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am also so very thankful for my
time in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I did not
necessarily know it, the time of rest, respite, refreshment, and reflection was
very needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for the
illness that caused this slowdown that God knew I needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to spend my time at home with
friends and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to spend
time with Raphael and Margaret’s beautiful family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also able to do quite a bit of wedding
planning (which relieved a big stressor for me).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most importantly, I feel like I was able to
do a lot of reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had time to
actually process some of the hard times I’ve encountered in Haiti as well as
look back on some of God’s blessings and provisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I have come back to Haiti a new
person with a new perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I’ve spent this first week
adjusting back to life here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been
so blessed by everyone being excited I am back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I got back relatively late, but was welcomed by signs taped to my room’s
door compliments of the boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also
welcomed back by many cockroaches!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
the power went out my first night back, I was trying to go to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept hearing a noise and thought there
might be a rat in my room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to
check, and thankfully I did not find a rat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, I found about 20 cockroaches in the bathtub!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yuck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The next day I set off a bug bomb and have killed around 50!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully that is the majority of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for the boys coming to help me
pick up all the dead ones – not my favorite part of life here! </div>
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Most of my mornings have been spent
with Benji.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s been pretty sick, but
we are praying the medicine will make him feel a bit better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This boy brings so much joy into my
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot thank God enough for
letting me play a small role in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UajxC9FaOKCP3NNO0cj_FtFD2FoIpVIq3xDHsz54K_cTDYWEIpOZhUsAyi-ZmApaktKJ9_kpy7DYS0XTYI0bBcG0l4q1RAY4tCHEHQfWqKc8Ofg0NtZCfi9SFD5tqcgR3jK0zWUTJSg/s1600/IMG_5204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UajxC9FaOKCP3NNO0cj_FtFD2FoIpVIq3xDHsz54K_cTDYWEIpOZhUsAyi-ZmApaktKJ9_kpy7DYS0XTYI0bBcG0l4q1RAY4tCHEHQfWqKc8Ofg0NtZCfi9SFD5tqcgR3jK0zWUTJSg/s400/IMG_5204.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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My afternoons have been spent with the
boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They started school this week and
will practice reciting their lessons with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before I left, they were really into playing baseball except they were
using their hands as a bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I brought in
some foam bats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were so excited and
planned a big baseball game for yesterday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was informed I also had to provide music
for the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so funny watching
the entire field break out in dance at random parts of the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will say I think they might need Coach
Karenbauer to come show them how to properly use a bat, but we had fun
nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEknIUIdjeobRa5RWHNmKy6xv4aCM_Ul0VVpFhYjNL8o0LJ97-blpZJMZzY8jdI2YCbJNggoueP2KerzO27OfhNbNf86rI1FBePa3fBncuFEDahjnj2zA2mMzKNFfJKgnQ3Y1vSxlhATw/s1600/IMG_5160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEknIUIdjeobRa5RWHNmKy6xv4aCM_Ul0VVpFhYjNL8o0LJ97-blpZJMZzY8jdI2YCbJNggoueP2KerzO27OfhNbNf86rI1FBePa3fBncuFEDahjnj2zA2mMzKNFfJKgnQ3Y1vSxlhATw/s320/IMG_5160.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wadley's first day of fourth grade! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcedgtmS8MddHtUyKr4vZ_KtcrxQ5SQ9mlsYa59VywR0BFNlXSW3bvEuD3SeSCDpsCNjaHYO6W9_sARNMXKuFEbPHx0bSh7MqHfJMQW7_6SDcFL7B_r0MyT6bma42FnhgFEtlCHbxCuy8/s1600/IMG_5373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcedgtmS8MddHtUyKr4vZ_KtcrxQ5SQ9mlsYa59VywR0BFNlXSW3bvEuD3SeSCDpsCNjaHYO6W9_sARNMXKuFEbPHx0bSh7MqHfJMQW7_6SDcFL7B_r0MyT6bma42FnhgFEtlCHbxCuy8/s400/IMG_5373.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baseball game</td></tr>
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I have been encouraged to blog
more, so I really will be working on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My big focus for this next week is the nutrition program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be on the lookout for some posts about the kids
in this program and what the program is doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thanks for all your help in getting me back here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so good to be home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-20490141974763230282016-08-13T14:27:00.001-07:002016-08-13T14:27:35.336-07:00My Three Homes
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“You will never be completely at
home again because part of your heart always will be elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the price you pay for the richness of
loving and knowing people in more than one place.”</div>
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A few years ago I never would have
guessed that this quote would so accurately describe my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly would not have guessed that I
would have three homes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kentucky will
always be my home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love Kentucky, and
I love being surrounded by my friends and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Haiti has also become my home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyday it becomes more like home to me as I
continue learning the language and culture and growing in my relationships with
my friends there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three years ago I
gained another home: Australia!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
truth is, my home is wherever Liam is, but right now that happens to be
Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I do love his family as
well!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I love having three different homes, it is hard that they are never all together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am always missing something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The beginning of July I got as
close as I could to being completely home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My three worlds collided in an absolutely beautiful way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My church (a big part of my Kentucky family),
my mom, Chris, and Liam all got off a tap-tap at my Haiti home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While my heart was overjoyed to see them, my
body was not feeling so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been
up sick most of the night prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
sickness (which ended up being typhoid and pneumonia) got worse throughout
their trip, which made things so difficult for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had spent so long helping them plan their trip, but I could not participate
in most of what they did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpnsC8aBGy_7In3a0ktTHf_sBr0YPZhDXLV7xrPAPC7ysCMlZPtwIfkYo1WVoouqGpNedHAZqKh288vr4TcsoZ_koniRolENCbgwPGnu9GAdX-6j4KXFtonWGbP3GSva2JphboWNYkwc/s1600/DSC05107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpnsC8aBGy_7In3a0ktTHf_sBr0YPZhDXLV7xrPAPC7ysCMlZPtwIfkYo1WVoouqGpNedHAZqKh288vr4TcsoZ_koniRolENCbgwPGnu9GAdX-6j4KXFtonWGbP3GSva2JphboWNYkwc/s400/DSC05107.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Daybreak Team</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO1FelYkTzk6pstm1TsI8s70yHyQmmYNp0uSKm_l0yruLWD6l6voJmmLYZdGmvt5Ew-EoqqYCfS5v6pd3uXNx84Svug8_IskJZmf30vS5NHt9Oh-O9ebcijVGaDeaWUTBZVQOM3Dil7Q/s1600/DSC05543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO1FelYkTzk6pstm1TsI8s70yHyQmmYNp0uSKm_l0yruLWD6l6voJmmLYZdGmvt5Ew-EoqqYCfS5v6pd3uXNx84Svug8_IskJZmf30vS5NHt9Oh-O9ebcijVGaDeaWUTBZVQOM3Dil7Q/s320/DSC05543.jpg" width="320" /></a>Though I was sidelined for the
majority of their week, it did not stop me from seeing the relationships they
built and the wonderful work they accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The focus of their time in Haiti was the boys in the orphanage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had many activities planned with them
including a two-day boot camp run by an army colonel, a beach trip, hiking,
devotions, and medical exams on all of the boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so funny watching the boys doing push
ups and tying knots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mingua Beef Jerky donated jerky for the boot camp. One of my favorite moments came when the boys were eating it. One of them said, "Tore, I don't know what this stuff is, but it is too good!!!" All of them thoroughly enjoyed the jerky! While the boys
loved the boot camp, it also gave them an opportunity to see what appropriate
male role models look like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men in
the group led them, taught them, and loved them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a country with a lack of male Christian
leaders, it was an amazing sight to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some of my favorite pictures. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uki-8OMPSugDQXPLiqjvw8QcoEPzUhfnPxXg60ZTx1U5ErDxoM1GETY2YU9fk9UhGcM3FnStmni70lFbi3BWtdFpkiY5Tli1wvQoS2eqC3xjqnBxhGDelMvhdSeDwe-6RlZXbITtGJ0/s1600/DSC05329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uki-8OMPSugDQXPLiqjvw8QcoEPzUhfnPxXg60ZTx1U5ErDxoM1GETY2YU9fk9UhGcM3FnStmni70lFbi3BWtdFpkiY5Tli1wvQoS2eqC3xjqnBxhGDelMvhdSeDwe-6RlZXbITtGJ0/s400/DSC05329.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam and his boot camp team</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbdy0G2WSSzJogX7MvSIw5txboJEVVgRtQ3UcWgl56y7Ht3kWulbjolmnNJwgdEf2epAvMIecCo5j_0m3TWdH3DmoPUPV-grfK1uefOI51DXl6vWPq949Hkw9zNqYewTNzVHHe5Rjy-I/s1600/IMG_4295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbdy0G2WSSzJogX7MvSIw5txboJEVVgRtQ3UcWgl56y7Ht3kWulbjolmnNJwgdEf2epAvMIecCo5j_0m3TWdH3DmoPUPV-grfK1uefOI51DXl6vWPq949Hkw9zNqYewTNzVHHe5Rjy-I/s400/IMG_4295.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning the perfect push up</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their home</td></tr>
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The hardest part of their trip for me was when we went to La Baie. The group bought bags of groceries and Creole Bibles to do a grocery ministry in the community. We split in two groups and let God lead them to homes who needed to hear His message. At each home we were able to share some scripture with the families, pray for them, and give them a bag of groceries and a Bible. This has always been one of my favorite things to do. My group went to some homes that we have been visiting for the last several years. In 2013, God led us to a house with a very sick mother. We prayed desperately for her healing, but God had other plans and she died a few months later. We visited this family every year after and tried to help the father and his children deal with their grief. In March, I unexpectedly found myself at this man's house again. I had been hiking with a group and they stopped at his house. They shared their faith with him. Afterwards I stayed back to talk to him for a little. He shared how much of an impact the Blue Grass team made in his life by returning to his house year after year and how he felt our prayers. I was excited to bring the team back to see him this summer. However, he was not there when we got to his home. His daughter informed us he passed away very unexpectedly not long after my visit. While my heart is sad over this loss of a friend, I am thankful that I was able to share with him one last time. I pray he took the words to heart and that we will meet again one day. I also pray we were able to bring a little comfort to his children who now have now lost both of their parents. </div>
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While some parts of their trip were hard, so many parts were full of so much joy. My favorite part of the whole trip
was the awards ceremony that they hosted for the boys at the end of the
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a VBS, juice and cake, and
then a devotion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each boy was recognized
for participating in boot camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were called up one by one where they got a certificate, a new outfit, AND a
brand new pair of tennis shoes. (a HUGE thank you to everyone who donated money or bought shoes
for them!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boys were so incredibly
excited to be individually recognized and get their surprises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We closed out the night with singing and
dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was such a beautiful night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone went to bed with full hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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After nine packed days the group went home, but Liam
stayed for another week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though I
was still sick, it was so much fun to explore Haiti with Liam and watch him
fall in love with the people I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent a lot of time
with the boys and tried to teach them to say “g’day mate.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite the sight to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent quite a bit of time with Wadley and
Benji.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did not take Liam long to see
how they had captured my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Liam was
able to spend some time in the aquaponics system to see what his future could look
like in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also took a quick trip
to the Mole so he could see our other campus as well as meet Jody, Jose, and
Susan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His time in Haiti was busy and
full of many adventures, but I think he went home ready to come back
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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When Liam left Haiti, I made the
difficult decision to come back with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had not intended to come back to the States until November, but I
needed some time to rest, recover, and gain some weight back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I am missing my Haitian family so much,
I know I needed this time in my Kentucky home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am thankful for the support and prayers that I received both in Haiti and
since I have returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During my last
week in Haiti, the boys held prayer services for me three times a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would pray healing over me, sing
worship, and share scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so
thankful that these boys are being raised to fear God in a way that they can
offer their lives in true dependence on Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a beautiful sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4-SLXr0WRA8TD7UpthjKb1mzJ0_PZ8Q-4kZrid9x4AYi5mF7805BW_MF6D0nqn_gNqN8-HdAhEg9SvmdzZ8unnD58ei8fEaQjNlYb3TVfrcF-i1JqOiEfcSFbXZazA21wI_Y_6U7Mf4/s1600/DSC05536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4-SLXr0WRA8TD7UpthjKb1mzJ0_PZ8Q-4kZrid9x4AYi5mF7805BW_MF6D0nqn_gNqN8-HdAhEg9SvmdzZ8unnD58ei8fEaQjNlYb3TVfrcF-i1JqOiEfcSFbXZazA21wI_Y_6U7Mf4/s400/DSC05536.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My plan is to return to Haiti in the next couple of weeks. I ask for your prayers as I continue to recover and prepare for my journey back. I cannot wait to hug these boys again! </div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-27993109744889625452016-07-03T06:10:00.003-07:002016-07-03T12:23:39.661-07:00The Roller Coaster of Haiti Life<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I often describe life in Haiti as a
roller coaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can experience the
highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the same day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These last three weeks have been a roller coaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day I watched a child die in the surgery
wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same week, the surgeons
performed three c-sections and brought three lives into this world in the very
same surgery wing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time that
we were celebrating at nutrition program preschool graduation, there was also a
funeral for a 9 year old boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we
were so excited about so many lives being changed with the surgery team, a good
friend tested positive for HIV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life here
is a roller coaster. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As I sat there watching Job (a boy
from the Miriam Center) die, I selfishly prayed that he would be healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as time went on, I prayed that God
would take him quickly because it was painful to watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I struggled with why God was not answering
either of those prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was reminded
of a lesson that God has been working on in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True faith is not praying and expecting God
to do something because you prayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True
faith is believing that God can do all things and trusting Him to do what is best even if it is painful for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
While my heart is still aching over
all the hard things that have happened, I do not want to focus on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to praise God during this storm
because so many amazing things have also happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These last two weeks we have had a surgery
team on campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They completed 166
surgeries!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>166 people had their lives changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one of my favorite moments from the
two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Haitian doctor’s father
had surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the nurses spoke
English and Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Tchoumany
speaks Spanish, and his father speaks English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She went through some of the pre-op instructions speaking both Spanish
and English, neither of which are their native languages, but everyone
completely understood!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9KlAo4igUE6LeSe3PGzw8KEehrQrrKorl74pBHZtFaRmQr4Z5kNgTZgle17mGLTZLpejxlLXzW4Bw8JOosGWtEXuO4OjdDNpx4x_TIAw2PIPCks3jGjecT_mNgoIT6Z8Y9g8MQXfaEQ/s1600/IMG_4185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9KlAo4igUE6LeSe3PGzw8KEehrQrrKorl74pBHZtFaRmQr4Z5kNgTZgle17mGLTZLpejxlLXzW4Bw8JOosGWtEXuO4OjdDNpx4x_TIAw2PIPCks3jGjecT_mNgoIT6Z8Y9g8MQXfaEQ/s400/IMG_4185.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Verty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pastor St. Verty always amazes me
during surgery weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time he
impressed me more than ever though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
air conditioner broke in the pre-op room, so it got HOT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Verty would stay in there all day so that
he could pray with all of the patients before they went back for surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I switched places for him a couple times so
he could go on some house visits and do a funeral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was never there for more than a couple
hours at a time, and I was exhausted by the end of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know how he did it all day everyday,
but I am so thankful that he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
could see the look of relief on a lot of the patients faces after he prayed for
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Another big event was the nutrition
program preschool graduation! 27 happy and healthy children graduated!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graduation is a huge event in Haiti, and all
of the kids looked so precious! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
child also has a Marenn (godmother) and Parenn (godfather) who attends the
graduation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was asked to be Louvens
godmother for the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so fun
to pick out a little gift for him and celebrate him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsqSfA2odaeds2sFbMuXFvlL2YZ5TVvVX24oZcjHsjrEhaaTTzZfx8u6nz8iKkENF3ML9jv1wYLhrEimC9KmbUPsIfuGbrXI72OMimdv1QrspcUzyBcEXSJlqMWEAoq06QIw4y7Px-cE/s1600/IMG_4093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsqSfA2odaeds2sFbMuXFvlL2YZ5TVvVX24oZcjHsjrEhaaTTzZfx8u6nz8iKkENF3ML9jv1wYLhrEimC9KmbUPsIfuGbrXI72OMimdv1QrspcUzyBcEXSJlqMWEAoq06QIw4y7Px-cE/s400/IMG_4093.jpg" width="303" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Louvens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I have spent the last several
months getting to know and love on the nutrition program children and their
mothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely loved watching how
proud the mothers were of their children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here are some of my favorite photos!</div>
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<br />
<br />
I don’t understand why these last
three weeks have been such a roller coaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t understand why the bad stuff has happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't understand why some kids die and some kids live. However, my job is not to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My job is to trust that God knows what He’s
doing and to hold out hope for day Revelations 21:4 describes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He will wipe every tear from their
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”<br />
<br /></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-52148539270676020842016-05-09T15:03:00.001-07:002016-05-09T15:03:58.929-07:00Saint Louis Update<style>
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Some exciting things have been
happening in Saint Louis these last couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day after my trip to Mirebalais was a
Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest, I woke up and did
not want to go to church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had spent over
24 of the last 72 hours on a bus, van, truck, or motorcycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought of sitting on the hard benches
for 3+ hours sounded miserable to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, God told me to go, so I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am so glad that I listened!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
of my friends came to church for the first time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her son is part of our nutrition program and preschool,
and her daughter goes to outreach therapy after having a clubfoot surgery in
October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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This event was very exciting, but what
is more exciting is that she was baptized last Saturday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She, two other nutrition program parents,
three boys from the orphanage, and three other members from the church were all
baptized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the honor of being the
Marenn (like the godmother) to four of the baptisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so excited for all of these people who
made this next step in their faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
thankful that they had truth spoken into them and the opportunity to accept
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pray that they will be
examples and lights in the nutrition program, orphanage, and community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some photos from the baptisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4xpjzLiwSz19pRe-3Ze0TzasnA8-kaINBJWGPYN1aXPEKCU2eSTqEBusfAY-aJIk1JGqbj4P2mQqw2B7ySUryZRt9PPjs_T1U-Q_O_2ItAuoKD9vfKZvoe2ohtWRRjJX8ovO84774Hg/s1600/IMG_3076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4xpjzLiwSz19pRe-3Ze0TzasnA8-kaINBJWGPYN1aXPEKCU2eSTqEBusfAY-aJIk1JGqbj4P2mQqw2B7ySUryZRt9PPjs_T1U-Q_O_2ItAuoKD9vfKZvoe2ohtWRRjJX8ovO84774Hg/s400/IMG_3076.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nutrition program parents</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB3iwCrqeylwI5Qr62s7Ow-qP_P2QRI4RwipT9jiHJz-qd8fdsU39zFIkUGgbxzsSYo7eKdg1B7hF17YVG2rpqDtkyNAYXXS-_Y7tPUcVMRSwHJGrcrStU1PQi_ea2R4z_tQW3PDV7sI/s1600/IMG_3079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB3iwCrqeylwI5Qr62s7Ow-qP_P2QRI4RwipT9jiHJz-qd8fdsU39zFIkUGgbxzsSYo7eKdg1B7hF17YVG2rpqDtkyNAYXXS-_Y7tPUcVMRSwHJGrcrStU1PQi_ea2R4z_tQW3PDV7sI/s400/IMG_3079.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys from the orphanage</td></tr>
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Since I’ve been back, I have been
working a lot with one of the families in the nutrition program. I started
working with them because their two year old son, Benji, was 9 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Benji had been born early and has always
struggled with sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also have
another little boy, Alandieu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
born less than a year after Benji.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
you can imagine they were very overwhelmed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the last two months, we have gotten rid of Benji’s tapeworm, and he
is finally starting to gain weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the beginning, Benji spent most of his time lying around almost lifelessly without
expressing any emotion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we have a
completely different story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Benji loves to
babble, dance, and give everyone fist bumps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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While there was an obvious need for
physical help, this family also needed spiritual help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Benji’s dad was one of the people who
accepted Christ at conference, and he was baptized on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week I was sitting in the nutrition
program, and Benji’s mom came up to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She has just started selling popsicles to try to save a little money for
her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Selling popsicles is no
joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She carries a very heavy cooler on
the top of her head and stands in the sun selling other people something cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to show me what she bought with
her hard-earned money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bought a new
skirt so that she could go to church on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She is SEVENTEEN years old and the first thing she bought was a skirt
for church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot even explain my
feelings of joy and inspiration to see her sitting in church on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benji's mom and little brother after church</td></tr>
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I am so thankful for these exciting
things happening in Saint Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please
pray with me for these new Christians and church attenders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray that they would not lose their
faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray that they would be an example
for others.</div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-5442532420759018462016-04-27T18:05:00.000-07:002016-04-27T18:05:23.598-07:00My Trip to Paul Farmer's Hospital<style>
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I am a huge Paul Farmer fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been ever since I read Mountains Beyond
Mountains my freshman year of college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have always wanted to visit where he worked in Haiti, and last week I had a
chance to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cardiology team was coming
to Paul Farmer’s new teaching hospital, and Stephanie had two kids who needed
to see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since everyone knows how
much I love Paul Farmer, Stephanie knew she would not have to convince me to be
her other person on the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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It was a long trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hospital is in Mirebalais, which is about
an hour outside of Port-au-Prince.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
left here on the midnight bus to go to Port-au-Prince.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then took a bus to Mirebalais.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all it took about 12 hours for us to
get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We dropped our stuff off at
the hotel, and Stephanie and I went to visit the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpz0mdU_PnMxmS890hHsmh8MfENI_W3rYbxYflywu0WB7MXpdRh7WHQFyXZu0CrygrAMQg07JGdT8qtJLtRQKWhyphenhyphentOIGWHunVq9si-FQ3l4MbCq1RTlyhPsiCYkjslLxlyMpYwE96xyM/s1600/IMG_2655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpz0mdU_PnMxmS890hHsmh8MfENI_W3rYbxYflywu0WB7MXpdRh7WHQFyXZu0CrygrAMQg07JGdT8qtJLtRQKWhyphenhyphentOIGWHunVq9si-FQ3l4MbCq1RTlyhPsiCYkjslLxlyMpYwE96xyM/s400/IMG_2655.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me outside of the hospital</td></tr>
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We had a friend who was able to give
us a tour of the hospital, and I was absolutely blown away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hospital was so big and beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was very well laid out and
surprisingly clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were fans
everywhere, and they even had these UV lights all over that are supposed to
kill germs in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hospital
included a men’s ward, women’s ward, children’s ward, maternity, a surgery
center, ICU, neonatal ward, and so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They also have a therapy center, lab, ct machine, x-ray, and more! It
raised my standards on what the quality of hospitals can be here (with the
right funding that is).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some
photos of the inside of the hospital.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The children's ward</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playroom for the kids</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the consultation rooms</td></tr>
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The hospital gave me conflicting
thoughts on its sustainability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
entire hospital is run by solar panels, and all the money was raised BEFORE
they built the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when a
patient comes to the hospital, all they pay is the equivalent of $1 US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means that they could get a ct scan,
surgery, stay in the hospital, and get rehab all for $1 US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While that is absolutely wonderful for the Haitians
who cannot typically afford quality healthcare, it would not cover hardly any
of the expenses of the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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As much as I loved being able to
visit the hospital and see some of Paul Farmer’s work, it was also hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We often deliver babies by cellphone light in
our birthing center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a baby stops
breathing and needs to be put on oxygen, we have to think about if we can turn
the generator on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Premature babies who
need to be in an incubator have pretty much no chance here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet this hospital had an entire neonatal
ward!! I would by lying if I said I was not jealous of some of the capabilities
that they had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As we were walking to the hospital,
Stephanie and I were talking about how different the town was than Saint
Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one yelled out “hey blanc”
(hey white person).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one seemed shocked
to see us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about how it was
kind of nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, by the time we
walked back to the hotel, we were missing the atmosphere of Saint Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Mirebalais, people may not have been
phased that we were white, but they also did not care that we were there at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to ask the security guard a
question, and he completely turned around trying to avoid us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may hear “hey blanc” a lot in Saint Louis,
but everyone says hi and everyone is willing to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This all may sound silly, but I was thankful
for a reminder of how much I love life in Saint Louis. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The next day we took the two kids
for their check up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One problem that is
often in Haiti is that if you go to a medical facility with a white person you
typically get pushed through faster/a better quality of care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were pleasantly surprised to be put at the
end of the line to see the cardiologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were even more surprised to get two good reports from the
doctor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAnZ9HKN76cWdWkADhf2iolek5yQF1tfQ2_U2UvnFMtImfPTT6ZKE2BdLvIw0JlU12ePMCOO7y-GjsyidZMur_TUhPLKxS6VSoUDypDO51A0lygSKGKDWM-VIM6JH98ZwWJIhXwtFifI/s1600/IMG_2646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAnZ9HKN76cWdWkADhf2iolek5yQF1tfQ2_U2UvnFMtImfPTT6ZKE2BdLvIw0JlU12ePMCOO7y-GjsyidZMur_TUhPLKxS6VSoUDypDO51A0lygSKGKDWM-VIM6JH98ZwWJIhXwtFifI/s320/IMG_2646.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
It was a quick trip, but I am so
thankful for the opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
thankful to fulfill a dream of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
thankful to have been able to see how another hospital runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for two clean bills of health
for the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now, I am even more
thankful to be home where everyone says hi and asks how I am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-19109917236910603412016-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:002016-04-01T12:35:08.110-07:00Spiritual Warfare in Haiti<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Spiritual Warfare is real
everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is just as real in
America as it is in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I
feel like there is one major difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In America, spiritual warfare is often disguised in music or
movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Haiti, spiritual warfare is
not always so disguised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the
actual battle between the power of God and the power of voodoo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ephesians 6:12</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Voodoo in Haiti is real, and it is
powerful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bible study I am currently
doing explained, “the original word Paul used for struggle is ‘pal<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">ē</span>’
which means a fight or contest among opponents waged in close, hand-to-hand
combat with the goal of pinning down and defeating one’s rival.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This battle is real here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple weeks ago we visited with a pastor
who said the lady next door to the church was a voodoo priestess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were having a war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he was having church services, she was
having voodoo ceremonies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The battle is
raging there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Another example of this battle was
this past week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Christians, this
week was a week leading up to Resurrection Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week spent remembering the sacrifice that
Jesus made for us ending in a celebration of his resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, for voodoo this week is always rara.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rara is a voodoo celebration where different
bands march around playing music and drinking, often armed with guns or
machetes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friends have told me I do
not even want to know some of things that go on during these celebrations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When one band meets another band, they often
fight and many people (even innocent bystanders) are hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also will destroy people’s gardens and
property simply because they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were not allowed to leave campus for the week because it was not safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of my Haitian friends have told me that
they celebrate rara during the week before Easter because they are celebrating
Jesus’ death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their biggest celebration
is always on Good Friday, the day we remember our Lord Jesus as dying on the
cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They related these rioting bands
to the riots that were held against Jesus surrounding his death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
A book I am reading explains,
“Voodoo is not just part of Haiti’s heritage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is not just for the uneducated, a way of explaining what seems
unexplainable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not just about
cultural expressions of music and dance.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Voodoo is real, and it is powerful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
This past week was also women's
conference at our church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conference is
a week of worship and evangelism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
night the church was overflowing with people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We sang; we danced; we listened to sermons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we were doing this and fighting to win
souls for Christ, the rara bands were encouraging people to join them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The battle was real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote in my journal how this week the air
felt charged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spiritual warfare was
so prevalent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one night of
conference, a rara band actually went right past the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after they passed, we sang a song
with lyrics that said "satan you lose!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no words to describe the feelings
during those moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To hear and see
the voodoo band walk by and feel the evil that occupied them and then to sing
that song was extremely powerful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Throughout the week, over 20 people
accepted Christ at conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several
parents of children in the nutrition program were among those 20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been working a lot with one boy in the
program named Benji.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His dad accepted
Christ during conference!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-jDM3ASMkvkRE6tIr_VWXtCnLNwd_3-a61UbWRSjThZN-oJ9YmJDUF-p7RK9Xm0g-uA7swMahxNoOBts-ixWeJiNcp6d6EXZAzgWs064LWvIt1t_m74wTGtITKKwuGdKSoghPN6rkZ4/s1600/IMG_1755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-jDM3ASMkvkRE6tIr_VWXtCnLNwd_3-a61UbWRSjThZN-oJ9YmJDUF-p7RK9Xm0g-uA7swMahxNoOBts-ixWeJiNcp6d6EXZAzgWs064LWvIt1t_m74wTGtITKKwuGdKSoghPN6rkZ4/s320/IMG_1755.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benji and his dad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
While I am so thankful for the 20
souls who were saved, victory is not always the result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the church was winning souls over for
Christ, there were people choosing the other side as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it is simply too late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days ago Benji's dad came and asked if I
would go pray with his cousin who was sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When we were hiking up the mountain, I was so inspired by this new
Christian walking with his Bible in his hand to share the gospel with his
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would love to tell you that we
were able to persuade him to accept Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even better, I would love to tell you that he accepted Christ and was
healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that is not always what
happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For us, it was too late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we got to the house, the man had
died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please join me in praying for this
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray for this new Christian,
that his faith may not be wavered in this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray that he still has the courage to share
the gospel with the rest of his family, before it is too late for them
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
These past two weeks have been
hard, and they have been trying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
have been moments when I have rejoiced, like when my friends accepted
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there have also been
moments I have mourned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The battle is
real, and we will keep fighting it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
so thankful to know that victory was found on that cross nearly 2000 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3jizAz7PXsn3s-bQsKG33GYH-cR1i-nfyBNZe6FZoSBKZFW4bNw9kzvSBfZJR5EcevAozbqR8i_kDsvOwJi_7-eKjcOXcQkMx1r0c-hbH7AYjp0I2sfnTYHqRZbNxAb5XrHg_et-6r0/s1600/IMG_0791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3jizAz7PXsn3s-bQsKG33GYH-cR1i-nfyBNZe6FZoSBKZFW4bNw9kzvSBfZJR5EcevAozbqR8i_kDsvOwJi_7-eKjcOXcQkMx1r0c-hbH7AYjp0I2sfnTYHqRZbNxAb5XrHg_et-6r0/s400/IMG_0791.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-64891451601115763562016-03-14T17:59:00.001-07:002016-03-14T18:02:29.985-07:00Settling Back In<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I have now been back home in Haiti
for over two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some moments
these two weeks have felt like only two days and at other moments they have
felt like two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time back has
been spent reconnecting with all of my friends, setting up my house, and
getting settled back into the Haiti routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here is a before and after photo of my house! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgToXvvEHFO4hbPN0foj_Ymcr_O0Ux-8m1iM4ZBijHtWMDLrMmjvkfl0VzFbf6-spGKCRNcspJU8-CDF_kDmhbh3U_Gu_mJvAPoBzTJYJDRtwjrKIux8HPNjwSYl-QuNqylJdFTsUY9HQ/s1600/IMG_0632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgToXvvEHFO4hbPN0foj_Ymcr_O0Ux-8m1iM4ZBijHtWMDLrMmjvkfl0VzFbf6-spGKCRNcspJU8-CDF_kDmhbh3U_Gu_mJvAPoBzTJYJDRtwjrKIux8HPNjwSYl-QuNqylJdFTsUY9HQ/s640/IMG_0632.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDwEoVp-_NZeJ6LpJ85J5vm8fYNdOCVIAiqNQjUoPpW9xsw5qv3Fbv6EXki2WeMI4MiRPDPRilWqrH0n-M2D1NEwKLhxRIwr-u1Eh7eNpnNB2N2wHZDz5lcW0dGF0mnVYlxDJcbKSo_E/s1600/IMG_0828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDwEoVp-_NZeJ6LpJ85J5vm8fYNdOCVIAiqNQjUoPpW9xsw5qv3Fbv6EXki2WeMI4MiRPDPRilWqrH0n-M2D1NEwKLhxRIwr-u1Eh7eNpnNB2N2wHZDz5lcW0dGF0mnVYlxDJcbKSo_E/s640/IMG_0828.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I would be lying if I said I didn’t
love life in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely love
the chaos of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely love the
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely love the cultural
differences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday I was reminded of
all of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were many moments of
pure chaos as Haiti decided to not do the time change, but many phones
automatically changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the most
common question of yesterday was “what time is it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I spent time in the afternoon running
around laughing and playing tag with the boys, I was reminded how much I love
the people here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was reminded of my
love of the cultural differences when everyone started dancing at church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I am used to people feeling
self-conscious about raising their arms, there were people in church doing the
“whip and nae nae.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you do
anything other than smile when you see that? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjoe_UkUcalifJ2GQy05UjCv2_DKpGeC4JFcYssJudC6cx11NZ4y2fWZn1xSoiguaQ_eRONAulJ8JSYkJvyk58MyQM_evgv_SXT63UqWdh_mGnAAXANlXs_V8s4P279gjeDzlIATEMsc/s1600/IMG_0873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjoe_UkUcalifJ2GQy05UjCv2_DKpGeC4JFcYssJudC6cx11NZ4y2fWZn1xSoiguaQ_eRONAulJ8JSYkJvyk58MyQM_evgv_SXT63UqWdh_mGnAAXANlXs_V8s4P279gjeDzlIATEMsc/s400/IMG_0873.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the boys after church</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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These last two weeks have been
filled with so many good moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
had so much fun celebrating my engagement with all of my friends and family
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are so excited to meet
Liam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have loved spending every
morning in the nutrition program being showered with hugs and kisses from the
sweet kids there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I walk past
them, I am bombarded with “TOREEEE!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had to laugh a couple days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
the kids in the preschool yelled out “TO-LE” for my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the other kids was quick to put him in
his place and tell him that he needed to pronounce my name with an R not a
L.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WFU011A7FGuG5Kr3arlXg_N1SYApJrnJFH_JmBVF2KyuFP_ewN8Ku4qoq-W-0BtowF48ZojLkSAIh4cYth_ajbpar4u9ai98X6WMZyDeX1mNfHEhKrdsJzGY4GK7DeCQI9yA7y96ziY/s1600/IMG_0777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WFU011A7FGuG5Kr3arlXg_N1SYApJrnJFH_JmBVF2KyuFP_ewN8Ku4qoq-W-0BtowF48ZojLkSAIh4cYth_ajbpar4u9ai98X6WMZyDeX1mNfHEhKrdsJzGY4GK7DeCQI9yA7y96ziY/s400/IMG_0777.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the nutrition program kids! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I also had the opportunity to teach
an English class at the local trade school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Roderick, the teacher, asked me to teach about Easter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each student was given an English Bible to
follow along with as I read the Easter story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were able to discuss some words from the story that they did not
understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They then started asking all
sorts of questions about the bible and Jesus’s story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so thankful for this trade school not
only pouring into their educational needs, but also their spiritual needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvGFIuNFeLfmi4b7sp97DFxPgvkwkReDLMogFcyAQP2bt7G9X5OjGFoRk12i0YnK4M5sx_4f002bFOAtEYQ97A3wjTpEJyf7MWeWePm63x5wnnq7i2ee3DVQ1LRQ9k52nCLtg-R1fN60/s1600/IMG_1028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvGFIuNFeLfmi4b7sp97DFxPgvkwkReDLMogFcyAQP2bt7G9X5OjGFoRk12i0YnK4M5sx_4f002bFOAtEYQ97A3wjTpEJyf7MWeWePm63x5wnnq7i2ee3DVQ1LRQ9k52nCLtg-R1fN60/s400/IMG_1028.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trade school class</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPuCWaucqdNShL1KkoYldCDwFo3hWHSMOyYRbM952C_TIK0ebZT5eBpNuE4wchDxcHTh8g2GDB0_29eUQW4aZCqeZrZpSFWVYB1LRrL24Z9ZMh_mfEmMcQ5mcEcn92QTE8x60MjJnqR4/s1600/IMG_1029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPuCWaucqdNShL1KkoYldCDwFo3hWHSMOyYRbM952C_TIK0ebZT5eBpNuE4wchDxcHTh8g2GDB0_29eUQW4aZCqeZrZpSFWVYB1LRrL24Z9ZMh_mfEmMcQ5mcEcn92QTE8x60MjJnqR4/s400/IMG_1029.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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While these last couple of weeks
have been filled with so many good moments, there have also been the moments
that are not as easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These weeks have
not let me forget the reality of Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As much as I love being able to hold and love on the boys, it is equally
as hard to hold a sick ten pound two year old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As much as I have loved following up on some of the surgery patients, it
is equally as hard to see the patients that it is too late to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as I love church here, it is equally
has hard to hear the voodoo drums every night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The hardest moment for me came
after a long hard day last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
sitting upstairs when one of the boys asked me to come to the birthing center
(also used as the urgent treatment room).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I walked in, I immediately saw Jozye, one of the boys from la baie,
lying there and the doctor trying to find a pulse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I immediately bent down at the foot of the
bed and started praying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is still
a little confusion about the story, but it appears that he had fallen, hit his
head, and had a seizure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor told
us his pulse was okay and we just needed to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those moments of not knowing what had
happened and waiting for the doctor to say she had found a pulse were
horrifying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jozye has a younger brother
in the orphanage, Chinaider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the
doctor said that we just needed to wait, I went to look for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in the back sobbing because he thought
his brother had died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These boys have
already gone through so much in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
pray that in those moments I was able to be a little sense of comfort for Chinaider as we sat together and prayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had the doctor explain to him his brother was going to be okay, and I
just held him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so thankful that God
is faithful, and He heard our prayers that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jozye is doing so much better, and sang at
church on Sunday to praise God for protecting him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an example of how to give God the
glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUu_8gGqwf7V2dajdB_DGZgJPpanPtEhWrB3rcj_iqRVA1MXgrdKaILoUlROl1tL7aGO6dHJ5KMi-JveyQ560Y5BhF7stBnzk-17lb2MZSAmq4gN565cv5doZnPz7FPlGFzCIm1UDKZag/s1600/IMG_3463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUu_8gGqwf7V2dajdB_DGZgJPpanPtEhWrB3rcj_iqRVA1MXgrdKaILoUlROl1tL7aGO6dHJ5KMi-JveyQ560Y5BhF7stBnzk-17lb2MZSAmq4gN565cv5doZnPz7FPlGFzCIm1UDKZag/s320/IMG_3463.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jozye and Chinaider</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Thank you for all of your prayers
as I have been settling in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have felt
your prayers of protection and peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
could not be here without them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-34318857949076594242015-11-02T16:09:00.002-08:002015-11-02T16:09:29.878-08:00A Birthday to Remember
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Though Haiti is often full of hard
work and heartbreaking stories, sometimes we have a lot of fun too.<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I wanted to write a quick blog on a fun
event that occurred this week. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Most of you have read about my special
boy Wadley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wadley has had anything but
an easy life, especially for only being 12 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a short recount, Wadley lost his family in
a truck accident, lived with an abusive aunt, and was diagnosed with muscular
dystrophy last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we get closer
and closer, I cherish the times that he opens up to me about his past, even
though it also breaks my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few
months ago I asked Wadley about his birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said that he did not know when it was because no one ever told him
his birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of every year,
he would just say he was a year older.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, this did not work for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone deserves a birthday, and everyone
deserves a big party! </div>
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<br /></div>
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Last Friday turned out to be a
pretty good day for Wadley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started
off with no school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent the morning
playing with his friends (while I secretly worked on party decorations).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Friday afternoon he and I go to
outreach therapy together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
therapy, I sent him to play with his friends, and then the real work
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autumn, the occupational
therapist, Carlos, the physical therapist, and myself started decorating one of
the rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wadley’s favorite colors are
blue and yellow, so all the decorations were blue and yellow! (Thanks mom for
sending those in!) </div>
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Next, all of the children who live
in the Miriam Center (the special needs home) came in to get ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were so excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We passed out hats for everyone to get them
in the spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it was time to bring
Wadley in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to tell him we needed
him for something, and he walked into his first surprise birthday party! </div>
<br />
<br />
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It took him a little bit to figure
out what was going on, but once he did, he was the life of the party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was cake, a photo booth, and lots of
dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone had so much fun! Mom
had sent down sunglasses for everyone, and they were a huge hit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have enjoyed watching these sunglasses make
their rounds through the campus the last couple of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other night a security guard was wearing
a pair, and I saw a couple pairs at church yesterday! </div>
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I had to laugh preparing for the
party about how you make do with what you have in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrapped Wadley’s presents in Christmas
wrapping paper and pink duct tape, but it worked! </div>
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While Wadley has many friends in
the Miriam Center, he also has many friends in the boy’s orphanage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to be able to include them too, so
Wadley made a list of some of his best friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These friends were all invited to a movie night complete with juice, snacks,
and a goodie bag!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all showed up all
dressed up and excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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All in all, I am so thankful to
have been able to give Wadley a day for himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained to him after it was all over how
now he can say that October 30<sup>th</sup> is his birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I cannot change his past, I can do my
best to make his present life all that it can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is an amazing thought that even our best
birthday parties in this life are a mere glimpse into the parties we will have
in Heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope and pray that everyone
reading this will be in attendance of Wadley’s heavenly birthdays, when those
days come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I am looking forward
to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-60591346779885865432015-10-29T12:12:00.000-07:002015-10-29T12:12:25.094-07:00Blessings and Lessons (Part 2)<style>
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Part 2!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something I love about surgery weeks is all
the new people that they bring to campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While this opens a huge door for ministry, I also found this week that
these patients provide huge blessings and lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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One of the patients who came for
eye surgery really impacted me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
sitting inside the surgery wing, and a Haitian man came in and said “Can you
help me? There is a lady outside who is really sick.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went out to find this lady sitting there
who was missing one leg from the knee down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She proceeded to take off her shoe from her other foot and not only was
she missing all of her toes, but the area was grossly infected and rotting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept asking, “Wait, you are here for eye
surgery?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you sure you are here for
the eye team?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a smile on her face,
she kept saying that yes she was here for the eye surgery, but she had diabetes
and this kept happening to her foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
got one of the doctors to come examine her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said that she could still have her eye surgery, but she would need to
start a week’s worth of iv antibiotics and then also have surgery with the
orthopedic team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was from several
hours away, so this meant she would have to stay on campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we explained this to her, she just said,
“okay that’s fine” with a smile on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ultimately the decision was mad that she could not have the eye surgery,
but she still stayed waiting for the orthopedic team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day she would sit at the front of campus
and greet everyone who came and went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She never asked me for anything, but she was so appreciative when I
would give her a little money to get some food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew that staying for what ended up being two weeks was not in her
plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the first day, she would
hug me every time she saw me and call me her best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The orthopedic team arrived, and
she was able to have her first surgery on the first day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There happened to be a prosthetics team in
Port-de-Paix during this same week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
day following her surgery, she walked on the foot she had operated on to find a
motorcycle and went all the way to Port-de-Paix (about an hour).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to Port-de-Paix every day for a
week, after that including the day she had her second surgery (during which
more bone was removed and the wound was closed).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all thought that when she went back after
her second operation she would get her new leg; however, when she got there,
she was told she could not get a leg because her knee was too contracted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was worked out for her to come back in
January to meet with another team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
she was telling me the whole story, I was heartbroken for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did not get her eye surgery, she had more
of her one foot removed, and she did not get a prosthetic leg after all those
painful trips to Port-de-Paix!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My face
must have given away that I was upset because she looked at me with her ever
present smile and said, “It is okay friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am happy because now I will see you again when I come back.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so inspired by the joy that was always
evident on her face no matter what the circumstance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Since most of the orthopedic cases
were major surgeries, most of the patients had to stay for several days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved getting to know some of the patients
throughout the days that they were here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One family really stood out to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lady’s name is Meprilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
is 83 years old, and she broke her hip over a month before the team got
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found out about her because her
grandson is in our orphanage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took me
to see her a few weeks before the team arrived, and I remember wondering if she
would make it until the team arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was lying there crying in pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She had her surgery on the first day, and she ended up being one of the
most difficult patients of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
never listened, she tried to bite and pinch the nurses, and she just caused a
lot of problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her son demonstrated so
much love and patience throughout this whole process though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never left her side even as she tried to
bite him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never gave up trying to
feed her even when she would spit food back at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After her surgery, her dressing had to be
changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she screamed in pain, her
son left the room , went outside, and broke down in tears. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard him screaming and weeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are not common emotions in the Haitian
culture, and I realized that he loved his mother so much that he felt all of
her pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was breaking him to see how
hurt she was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I had not met him
during my visit, I have no doubt that he has had those feelings for the last
month as she was lying there with a broken hip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I feel as if this man gave me a little glimpse into how God felt as He
watched his son on the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is a
picture of Meprilla’s son and her grandson (who lives in our orphanage).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please pray for Meprilla (and her family) as
she still has a long way to go and is still in a lot of pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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While the two weeks were full of many
victories, there were also hard times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were a couple incidents when I did not know if the patients were
going to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were times where we
saw signs of neglect and abuse in children’s lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a time when a mother tried to
abandon her child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a time when
a simple cyst was actually a brain aneurism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was an emergency case that came in of a girl who was hit by a
truck and had an open leg fracture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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During the difficult moments, I
clung to the things that I am thankful for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am thankful that the man we met in La Baie was able to come for
surgery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful that I was able
to spend more time with him and minister to him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please keep him in your prayers as his leg is
now infected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray for complete
healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am also thankful for a surgeon
that allowed me to scrub in and assist in one of the surgeries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was such a fun experience for me, but it
also gave me a better glimpse into why the patients felt the way that they did
after surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I am thankful for Tammy, a nurse from Lexington, who was willing to bring in a wheelchair for Wadley. Though he does not need it now, it is such a relief to know it will be here when the time comes. I am so thankful for her dedication in getting the wheelchair here, and her instant love for Wadley. </div>
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I am thankful for the two surgery
teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They loved their patients
unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them were
yelled at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them were cursed
at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them had poop flung at them,
but they never lost their Christian testimony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They gave up their time and money to come here and serve the Haitian
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my favorite stories from
the eye team was a story one of the doctors shared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was one of the last stops in the eye clinic,
so the patients had already interacted with many Americans by the time they got
to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor said that by the time
one of the patients had reached him the man said, “I want what all of you
have!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This doctor was able to lead
this man to Christ because of the Christ-like love that everyone had
demonstrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an example of how we
should live everyday: a light shining from us that is so great that people want
what we have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-82305223029259293402015-10-22T14:26:00.000-07:002015-10-22T14:26:04.708-07:00Searching for Donkeys (Part 1)
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PART 1! These last two weeks have
been so full that it’s going to take two blogs to write about all that has gone
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a start to how God has worked
these last two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Every week day morning is started
off with Haitian staff devotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cannot think of a better way to start a work day than with prayer, singing, and
a short message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day a different
department is assigned to lead the devotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A few weeks ago it was my turn to share, and I chose to share a devotion
about 1 Samuel 9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this chapter, Saul was
sent out to search for some missing donkeys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I explained how this was not in Saul’s original plans for his day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this was probably an annoying task, he
had no idea what God had in store for this search.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This search took him much longer and farther
than he had planned on going until he ended up in the town that Samuel lived
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 Samuel 9:15-16 reveals that God
had told Samuel to anoint the man coming from the land of Benjamin as
king.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would be Saul!! God used
missing donkeys to anoint Saul as ruler over the Israelites! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Wow! God has made the truths of
this devotion so apparent in our lives these past couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two weeks ago the eye surgery team
arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had planned that they would
use our one working anesthesia machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(We
have been praying for the acquisition of a second machine.) However, when the
team arrived, we were informed that now this anesthesia machine was not working
either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a major hiccup in our
plan and a bit of an annoyance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
knowing what else to do, we went out looking for donkeys (or anesthesia
machines) at a hospital about 30 minutes away, but God also had much more in
store for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While there, we were
introduced to an anesthesia machine technician.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a job pretty much unheard of in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the last month, I have asked many
organizations if they knew of anyone who could fix medical machinery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even places in the nation’s capital,
Port-au-Prince, did not know of anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fact that this man was trained to fix medical machinery AND was way
up in the Northwest zone, OUR zone, of Haiti could only be a God thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was able to come fix both of our machines
and countless other machines on campus (plus they gave us an anesthesia machine
to borrow while ours were being fixed)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
I was originally upset that we were having to search for donkeys, I am so
thankful for this now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
While sometimes we have to search
for donkeys, sometimes God sends them to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The day before the eye surgery team arrived, we also had an unexpected
visitor arrive on campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The director
of the Haitian National Police (along with all his body guards) showed up and
informed us that he would be having surgery the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This turned into chaos as we tried to quickly
prepare a place suitable for him to stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While we were all a bit frazzled by this, God once again had bigger
plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the team arrived the next
day, they had a lot of problems with customs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Customs took all of their bags with medical supplies and said that they
could not bring them into the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since this meant that the Haitian National Police Director would not be
able to get his surgery, he quickly started making phone calls to get the
supplies released from customs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without
his help, we would not have been able to get the bags released, and the surgery
week would not have been possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only
God could have used something potentially dangerous to bring glory to
Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The last two weeks of surgery were
insanely busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The eye surgery team saw nearly
800 people in the eye clinic and completed about 80 surgeries!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day that they left, an orthopedic surgery
team arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This team was able to
complete 22 major orthopedic cases and 30 minor procedures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing that I loved watching during the
busyness was how much the Haitian staff stepped up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stepped into roles that needed filled
whether that was welcoming visitors, organizing the large amounts of people on
campus, or simply praying for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
found one of the ladies who works in the orphanage in the surgery wing one
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was wondering what she was doing
until I heard her going up to people and asking, “Do you know Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you accepted him as your Savior?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you have a church to go to?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so thankful for a staff that wants to
pour into the spiritual needs of the community as much as we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another example of service I saw was one of
the night security guards leading a blind elderly lady to where she was
supposed to sit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him why he was
doing that, and he said, “She looks like my grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted to help her out a little.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though he was probably ready to go home
and go to bed, he stopped to help this lady first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
All in all, I am so thankful for
the last two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for
God sending us searching for donkeys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am thankful for God sending us unexpected donkeys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for the surgery teams and all
they accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful for the
Haitian staff and how they demonstrated Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am thankful for the individual patients that impacted my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be watching in a couple days for part 2 which
will go more into details about these patients!! </div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-20905290223697530602015-09-13T16:49:00.002-07:002015-09-13T16:49:56.920-07:00Lessons Learned: The Good, The Bad, and The Funny
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Sometimes when I think about my life
now all I can do is laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so
different than anything I could have imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is even different than what I imagined when I knew I was moving
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the differences are good,
like I would have never imagined having Wadley in my life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the differences are hard, like seeing
the reality of the health situation first hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of the differences are just funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never would have imagined myself so excited about hosting a campus
de-worming day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never would have
imagined myself bucketing water to my house so I could bathe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never would have imagined myself attempting
to organize a depot that seems to be filled with rats and spiders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never would have imagined myself a constant
home of choice for ringworm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I am so thankful for the good
differences and how they are impacting my life personally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The funny differences I both hate and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I am thankful for the opportunity to
learn how to adjust to things that might not exactly be what I had in
mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While God is teaching me both
about myself and the world through all of the differences, it is the hard
differences that have stood out to me this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has been teaching me that I don’t always
have to know what to say or what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m not expected to know what to say when someone shares with me about a
recent rape, or when a child dies, or when everything in the world seems to be
going wrong for a family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not my
job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My job is to listen to the Holy
Spirit as He communicates what God wants me to say in the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Romans 8 promises that the Holy Spirit helps
us in our weakness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So often I am
weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what to do or what to
say; but in those moments, God becomes our strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I love so many parts of this
country; but at the same time, I hate so many parts of this country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t the heat or the lack of conveniences
that I hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the injustice, the
corruption, the abuse that I hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
the fact that children and adults are dying of curable diseases that I
hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the fear that voodoo holds
over the entire population (Christian and non-Christian) that I hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the darkness of the wretched country
that I hate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I love this country
with my whole heart, my heart breaks for it every single day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
So often I find myself coming back
to Habakkuk’s complaint in Habakkuk 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not
save?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you make me look at
injustice?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you tolerate
wrongdoing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Destruction and violence are
before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice
never prevails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wicked hem in the
righteous, so that justice is perverted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
While I so often pray this
complaint, I also find myself holding onto the promise God made Habakkuk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look at the nations and watch and be utterly
amazed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For I am going to do something
in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This promise is what helps me get through the
horrors that are a part of every day life here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I feel helpless because of the things I am confronted with, God is
going to become the strength in the midst of my weakness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have to know what to do or what to
say in every situation; I just have to rely on God’s strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly believe that God will move Haiti’s
mountains for Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I hold on to His
promise, I will do my part in working towards the day that I am utterly
amazed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-64216803686295576272015-09-01T15:56:00.002-07:002015-09-01T15:56:27.810-07:00The Other Side of the Island
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As I was coming up on three months
in Haiti, I needed to get my passport stamped since a Haitian visa is only good
for three months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This meant a trip to
the Dominican Republic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The journey to
the Dominican started off with a moto (like a small American motorcycle) ride
to the big river, followed by a moto ride to Borgne, which took about 2
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My moto was packed with the
driver, Northwest’s travel coordinator, Caitlin, and a Haitian male nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And don’t forget our bags! Once we got to
Borgne, we got into a packed van to get to Cap-Haitien.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This took about another three hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Once in Cap-Haitien, we met our
friends Heather and Papito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heather and
Papito used to work in the Miriam center, but now they have started a
ministry/school for special needs children in Terrier Rouge, a town close to
Cap-Haitien.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all went to a restaurant
in Cap-Haitien.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The restaurant was a
reminder of how different parts of the same country can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The menu had things such as hamburgers and
pizza, which are much different than our typical rice and beans, chicken, or
spaghetti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were about the same
number of Americans in the restaurant as Haitians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was also odd considering the closest
Americans to our Saint Louis compound are about an hour away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After lunch, we made a quick stop at Heather
and Papito’s house, and then we drove for another hour to the border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Even when you first cross the
border, the difference between Haiti and the Dominican are obvious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where there are rocky dirt roads in Haiti,
there are paved roads in the Dominican.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Where there are crumbling makeshift buildings in Haiti, there are nice
little shops along the streets in the Dominican.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
There seems to have always been a
conflict between the Dominican and Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, this summer that conflict got particularly violent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Dominican started mass deportations and
increased the violence against not only Haitian people, but people of Haitian
descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means if you look Haitian
or even if you speak Spanish (the official language of the Dominican) with a
little Haitian accent, you are at risk for deportation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This summer deported man ended up at the
Mayor’s office in Saint Louis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
mother had moved to the Dominican when she was pregnant with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was born in the Dominican, always lived in
the Dominican, and only spoke Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, he was deported merely because of his heritage.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We saw a piece of this conflict
first hand when we took a three-hour bus ride from the border to Santiago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon entering every town along the way, we
were stopped and an officer got on the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The way these officers treated the Haitians on our bus was
atrocious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Haitian was required to
show all of their paperwork, and they were often questioned beyond their
paperwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw paperwork be ripped
and thrown away, and we saw our Haitian brothers and sisters be completely
degraded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the whole ride, as an
obviously white, non-Haitian, I was only asked once to show my passport, and
even then just waving it in the air was enough for the officer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Though the trip there was long and
hard to see how the Haitians were treated, our trip to the Dominican was very
nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Santiago was just like an American
city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were roads, traffic lights,
grocery stores, American restaurants, and all kinds of things that are not in
Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to get some much
needed rest and relaxation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able
to do some shopping and get supplies that are hard to find or expensive in
Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to eat good food
such as TGIF, Wendys, Sweet Frog, and a couple others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
While I truly enjoyed my time in
the Dominican, it both broke my heart and reassured me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It broke my heart to see how the Haitians
were treated there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It broke my heart to
know that I was on the same island, but things were so different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can life be like that in the Dominican,
but how it is Haiti on the same island?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t get me wrong, there are poor places in the Dominican.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in Haiti, there are not poor
places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everywhere is poor, and
occasionally there is a place that is wealthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This trip was reassuring because it reassured me that I am in the place
that God wants me to be; a place that needs so much help; a place that needs
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also reassured me that I am
going to be okay in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed
having conveniences such as air conditioning, good food, hot showers, etc.
while I was in the Dominican, but God does not call us to a life of
comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be lying if I said I
didn’t miss air conditioning when I wake up drenched with sweat at 2 a.m., but
this trip made me realize that I’m fine without those comforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God gives us what we need to do what He calls
us to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God doesn’t ask us to do the
easy things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about what He did for
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was definitely not an easy
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God promises that, “my grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God may not always remove our difficulties,
but He does always give us the appropriate amount of grace sufficient for each
circumstance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives us what we need
when we need it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through this, not only
are we strengthened, but more importantly He is glorified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-64816074823426532782015-08-13T07:09:00.001-07:002015-08-13T07:11:06.853-07:00That Still Small Voice<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been quite a while since I have last
blogged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is easy to get caught up in
the busyness of all that goes on around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Between the special needs home, the orphanage, the elderly home, the
clinic, the birthing center, the nutrition program, and so much more there is
always something to do around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something that God has been teaching me is to listen for that still
small voice in the midst of the busyness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is often the things that we don’t think we have the time for, or are
not in our immediate plan that God uses to impact or bless us the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
A couple weeks ago I went to our
campus in the Mole to do my health evaluations on the Mole and another
community in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time was spent
going around the communities to visit people and places such as water sources,
clinics, midwives, nurses, and different families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One afternoon my translator (and dear
friend), Lunes, and I were on the way to visit a midwife in community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left later than we wanted, and her house
was farther than we wanted to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the
way there, a little special needs boy caught my attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the most beautiful smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent a little bit of time talking with him
and then continued on my way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we
continued walking, I heard that still small voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Lunes that we needed to stop at their
house on the way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we stopped
at the house, the children were eating unripen breadfruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lunes took one look at it and pulled out his
wallet to give them money to get something better to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was such an example of Haitians serving
other Haitians, and something that really impacted me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent time with the family that day, and
were able to spend time the next couple of days praying with them and loving on
the children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day we were able to go
to the market and pick out a bunch of groceries for the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing we picked up was a few pieces
of candy for all of the kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
so excited for this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as I hope
that we were a little blessing for this family, I know they were a big blessing
for both me and Lunes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n-pstIz1wlQTwYLL4qNFIVenYxVUs4U3JpQ09T44Y92PnjtPcDlEraupTloxI61fdjpzsMRjnGI0jdbYsD0w6pGd5s3A70ftKjRx7yZ3d1zb1LY-eV5MKA7j6Tw6ulVw5ynZllup-CI/s1600/IMG_2654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n-pstIz1wlQTwYLL4qNFIVenYxVUs4U3JpQ09T44Y92PnjtPcDlEraupTloxI61fdjpzsMRjnGI0jdbYsD0w6pGd5s3A70ftKjRx7yZ3d1zb1LY-eV5MKA7j6Tw6ulVw5ynZllup-CI/s320/IMG_2654.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-oSwZasoDVGjF7LlV2fKwu72HITbSkm365ot_2V2QZqfMzJNXCk3RlzZ5ykilJGA3dynvNSk-bN_0D5W28Yu4SJYZ2Ma2VPPlE3HDnJi-noAjFanrGXXUd52TTked8byq28tZFn_Xc0/s1600/IMG_2667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-oSwZasoDVGjF7LlV2fKwu72HITbSkm365ot_2V2QZqfMzJNXCk3RlzZ5ykilJGA3dynvNSk-bN_0D5W28Yu4SJYZ2Ma2VPPlE3HDnJi-noAjFanrGXXUd52TTked8byq28tZFn_Xc0/s320/IMG_2667.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
John-Wisley, the special needs boy Me and John-Wisley's family </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Another example of this happened
last Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have an outreach program
for families with special needs children to come and receive physical therapy,
occupational therapy, and encouragement once a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are roughly 45 families that come
throughout the week for outreach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
been going to outreach every Friday with my friend Wadley, so I have gotten to
know a couple of these families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
are such an inspiration!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raising a
special needs child anywhere is hard, but it is so hard here, where special
needs children are seen as a voodoo curse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In a country where it is common for special needs children to be
abandoned, it is so encouraging to watch these mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles,
or siblings loving on these children and taking an active role in their
therapy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last Friday, we had a family
bingo day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady I was sitting beside
had a daughter with down syndrome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
lady either could not read or could not see, so she was struggling with
bingo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After every number was called,
she would ask me if she had the number on her card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would help show her if she had the number
so she could put the marker on the card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eventually she won a round, and I have never seen someone more excited
to scream BINGO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I enjoyed
watching her yell this, I enjoyed watching her give her prize of a bag of
cookies to daughter even more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
daughter was so excited, and I know the mother was so excited to be able to
give her daughter a treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she was
leaving later in the day, she came back to find me and give me a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just kept saying “thank you so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God bless you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be praying for you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a response for me doing something as
simple as helping her put markers on a bingo card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I had not intended to help this lady
during family bingo day, I was so blessed by it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I did not come to Haiti with the
intention of spending my Friday afternoons in outreach, I would not have it any
other way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so thankful for the
friendships that are growing there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCkIAVIJ5YtfXatMhXcVKrfJN1tha7ffKyt936mb872fomUMm_hyphenhyphenC38vtCR-F2IkwxU-jHkTYRCbxG9kcEp5G9FN8yNgvIHMrT2I3Ss8Yj-nEx1P9PpbXk-S_JOmzAMWlE9Zhv_q35fs/s1600/IMG_2939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCkIAVIJ5YtfXatMhXcVKrfJN1tha7ffKyt936mb872fomUMm_hyphenhyphenC38vtCR-F2IkwxU-jHkTYRCbxG9kcEp5G9FN8yNgvIHMrT2I3Ss8Yj-nEx1P9PpbXk-S_JOmzAMWlE9Zhv_q35fs/s320/IMG_2939.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wadley after winning a round of Bingo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMvuNaN_tKy83EUI0g1HMQbC3KH0n6ttuSeisrSyZMsb-MWGqMpixgXqm42KGiaCz8_10w_Mh2Y3EhVG42-vIS6EbUpEhhTVrTU49jkDd22vTXyLcpAc4TEnYMFm4lfTc_Gx9u68JbLY/s1600/IMG_2914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMvuNaN_tKy83EUI0g1HMQbC3KH0n6ttuSeisrSyZMsb-MWGqMpixgXqm42KGiaCz8_10w_Mh2Y3EhVG42-vIS6EbUpEhhTVrTU49jkDd22vTXyLcpAc4TEnYMFm4lfTc_Gx9u68JbLY/s320/IMG_2914.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the families all dressed up for Bingo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Listening for that still small
voice is something I am struggling with every day; however, these two examples
have shown me how rewarding it can be to do something that was not in your
initial plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be something as
simple as stopping to talk to someone when you were intending to go somewhere,
or it could be a bigger change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though
it is easy to get lost in busyness, it is in these moments that God’s presence
is revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-12069183707851017702015-07-01T16:09:00.001-07:002015-07-01T16:09:19.789-07:00My Time With Blue Grass
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
It is about time that I blog about
everything that went on when Mom and Mark were here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ten days were extremely busy, exhausting,
fun, encouraging, and so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
loved having the Blue Grass team here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was so fun to serve along side Mom and Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also loved watching the team love on the
people that I love. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My beautiful Haitian family with part of my American family</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The week and a half with them
started out a bit different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I actually
left campus the day after the team got to campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had another team that was traveling to
their neighbors project communities, and I was able to tag along with
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I am in Haiti, I will be
traveling to all of our neighbors project communities to do a health evaluation
on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the hope that we will be
able to identify their biggest needs and start working towards ways of meeting
these needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to travel to
Beauchamp and Mayette and meet with the pastors in these communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was such an affirmation to me that I am
doing what I need to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first
question I asked<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(before I really
explained who I was or what I was wanting to do) was “what do you think that
the biggest problem is in your community?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In both of these communities, the pastors said that their biggest
problem was health. Both of these communities are currently fighting cholera
and high childhood mortality rates, but there is no clinic or health facility
within a two hour walk of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
particularly inspired by the pastor in Beauchamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pastor Luke shared with me both the physical
struggles and the spiritual struggles of life in Beauchamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The physical struggles included the fact that
the closest water source <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is a two and a
half hour walk (one way) away and the local school closed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it was the spiritual struggles that
Pastor Luke was passionate about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that in the last survey, 275 habitats
were identified in Beauchamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also
said that he tried to count how many witch doctors were in Beauchamp, and he
had to stop counting at 42 because it was so discouraging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beauchamp is a spiritual battlefield, but I
was inspired by Pastor Luke’s passion for this community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Mayette, Haiti</div>
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After a couple days, I left
Beauchamp for La Baie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite an
adventure to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My interpreter,
the moto driver, and I all climbed onto the motorcycle with our bags and
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ride was up and down these
little rocky dirt paths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it was
not a good sign when my interpreter kept saying “this isn’t safe!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may have gone the wrong direction twice,
but we made it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the trip was an
adventure, it was so cool to be able to pass by these remote villages and see
what everyday life looked like there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blue Grass met me in La Baie, and they never stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first thing that we did was grocery
ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group had bought groceries
while they were in Saint Louis, and we started hiking up the mountain with the
groceries and a creole Bible for each house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were a couple houses that we knew that we wanted to go to, and we
were able to stop at them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We once again
stopped by the house that the mother had died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The daughter shared with us that it has been very hard for her since her
mom died because she really misses her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I pray that our devotion brought her a little peace and that the Bible
that was left will continue to bring the family peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we were walking with the bags, I told
the group that we would go to whatever houses we felt like God led us to for
the remaining grocery bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We nearly
passed one house, and Mark said that he felt like we should stop there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom told him to speak up, so he hollered at
the group to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked up this
hill to the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man who lived there
had a nasty wound on his leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had had
it for a long time, but he could not get it to go away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom was able to talk to him about it some,
and the next day she brought him everything he could need to take care of it
and clean it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went through how he
should clean and wrap it, and he was very responsive and thankful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so neat to watch her in her element.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main thing that we wanted to do in La
Baie was a two day sports camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We gave
out wrist bands so that we could keep track of how many people were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The camp must have been pretty good because
this little boy made his own bracelet so that he could come! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9MHaZ6UiuLs3fCjGK9C7eMnpED5WyKarV5x5SvbvNW214YSvot0hYInfLB54JmsTjd6XPS9RYTpQgo_GNSQulDEqYv75K4aUeH55BzsjZLuHnKfvvuaQ9fHWhAih-bYlGnalEP1OFUw/s1600/IMG_2191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9MHaZ6UiuLs3fCjGK9C7eMnpED5WyKarV5x5SvbvNW214YSvot0hYInfLB54JmsTjd6XPS9RYTpQgo_GNSQulDEqYv75K4aUeH55BzsjZLuHnKfvvuaQ9fHWhAih-bYlGnalEP1OFUw/s320/IMG_2191.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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He got to stay :) </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We learned a lot the first day of
sports camp and were able to make the second day run great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved watching the integration between the
boys in our orphanage and the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was also such a good opportunity for us to open our doors to the
community since we hosted the camp on the mission’s property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone at the camp not only got to play
sports and do different activities, but each day they were also able to hear a
devotion and be prayed over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was
our ultimate purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also able
to do a VBS for the children who could not attend our sports camp, which was so
much fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At La Baie, I was also able to
do my community evaluation there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom
was able to join me for this, and I am very thankful for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went through the questions with the campus
director, and then we were able to hike to another town to meet with a lady who
runs a clinic there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This adventure
started out a little discouraging because I wanted to see the water source, but
no one knew where it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then got to
the clinic, but it was closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt
like it had been a bit of a wasted trip, but then someone said they thought
they knew where the lady lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
walked to her house and were able to interview her there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end, we asked her about the water
source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ended up being right behind
her house, and she took us to see it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The group was also able to spend a lot of time with the orphan boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They loved on them, and played hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were many soccer games, hugs, laughs,
and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfneL60GY05FzyjCx5PB5zT_R1Z5Z0lrpmd_P08Jtr44tH88hCnQZavATvm3FnJzUoMisPNxTCDWxAvIuGknecE5pIMl0-ZtPxewJOM31IyKbDoc3sDaWvKfQ8kXigPuGuFLEmFpRQlM/s1600/IMG_2211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfneL60GY05FzyjCx5PB5zT_R1Z5Z0lrpmd_P08Jtr44tH88hCnQZavATvm3FnJzUoMisPNxTCDWxAvIuGknecE5pIMl0-ZtPxewJOM31IyKbDoc3sDaWvKfQ8kXigPuGuFLEmFpRQlM/s320/IMG_2211.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>
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Blue Grass with the orphan boys </div>
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<br /></div>
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After returning from La Baie, there
was still a lot of ministry to do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
were able to do the bracelet boy bible study and once again pray over each boy
individually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every afternoon before and
after La Baie, the group would visit different bracelet boys’ houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At their houses, we were able to meet their
family, pray over them and their needs, and give them a Creole Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved watching the group invest even deeper
into the bracelet boys’ lives, and I loved watching the boys respond to
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leah was actually able to visit
Frankis’s house and pray over his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Frankis is the boy that she had been praying over for the last year
through the prayer ministry we started last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Leah with Frankis's family </div>
<br />
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The team was able to go to
Ansefalour to do a VBS and pray over the voodoo monument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is a huge opportunity to be lights in
the midst of darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also able
to take the Miriam Center kids to the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was so fun to participate in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For the last two years, I had been trying to get our team to go on a
trip with them, but it never worked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am so glad it was able to work out this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ride there might have been the best part
though!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is hard enough to hold
yourself on a tap tap, but it is even harder when you have kids on your lap!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGiYjfEm3TJfiFZZIAyufFylxfQMId4QmepsZ-XqtcDR2Xd1eil0Lok5O-t-2br2RMBzPq0b3-I_otsFtdFjrAX05wNV5GP3NP68FYIwymZ0LqCvrikpDG4euOQqYzrtYFznZWrn89VM/s1600/IMG_2298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGiYjfEm3TJfiFZZIAyufFylxfQMId4QmepsZ-XqtcDR2Xd1eil0Lok5O-t-2br2RMBzPq0b3-I_otsFtdFjrAX05wNV5GP3NP68FYIwymZ0LqCvrikpDG4euOQqYzrtYFznZWrn89VM/s320/IMG_2298.JPG" width="240" /></a> </div>
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Mom with John Kerry and me with Wadly </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
There were so many more things that
the group was able to do from going to House of Hope to visiting families, to
hanging out with the gran moun (elderly people) and orphans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so thankful for their acts of service
and sacrifices that they made in order to get here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am also thankful that I was able to join
their group and serve along side of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you for your prayers while they were here, and for your continual
prayers after they leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-16755795167780449782015-06-15T18:31:00.001-07:002015-06-15T18:31:14.559-07:00Surgery Week
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Last week I blogged a little about
Haitian church, but I did not really go into anything about my time here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been a longer adjustment than I
thought, but I have loved my time here so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love seeing positive changes in the way things are working on
campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a new room for the
Miriam Center, which was much needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am so excited to see how God uses that room to bring visibility to some of the
children who are often left out this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It has also been so good to reconnect with old friends and make some new
ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It adds so much to the
relationship when you are able to say that you are staying longer than the
typical ten days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
An "old friend," Jacob</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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A new friend, Wadly <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
For the past week or so, we have
had a surgery team here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been
pretty cool to watch them in action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have spent a lot of time in the surgery wing trying to help make sure things
are running smoothly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have found that
my time there has been filled with extremes on both ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are happy moments when the surgeons are
able to change people’s lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After one
of the surgeries, the man who was operated on said “Thank you so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I can go to church, I can go to the
market, I can go to town.” One small operation was able to completely change
his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there are also
difficult times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One boy came in for a
surgery and the doctors found a mass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They think that it could be cancerous, and they are taking it back for
biopsies in the States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to
find a place that could treat him if it is cancer; however, that place is in
Port-au-Prince.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lives on Tortuga
Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is cancer, it is likely
that he will not be able to get the treatment that he needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though this has been and could be really
hard, I am so thankful that we were able to build a connection with this
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have really enjoyed getting to
know Pastor St. Verdi, the pastor of the mission church more this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has such a heart for this community, and
he has really demonstrated that heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has prayed with every patient prior to them going into surgery and is
planning follow up visits to check in on some of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only does this build a connection between
the church and the patients, but it has also been an opportunity to share the
peace that our Lord and Savior brings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As I was doing my quiet time this
morning, I asked God to remind my why I am in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, what a reminder he gave me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This morning I went into surgery wing, and
the first patient was a little boy whose fifth birthday was today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he went back, Pastor St. Verdi went to
pray with his grandmother who had brought him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I noticed that she was crying, and something told me that I needed to
try to comfort her a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat with
her and hugged her, patted her back, and tried to bring a little sliver of
comfort as the surgery went on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Surgery
is a very scary thing for Haitians, as it is not common/typically does not have
high success rates.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to check on
the boy, and I came out and told her that the surgery was finished and he did
very good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She immediately started
saying “Thank you Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you
Savior.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we walked arm in arm to see
her grandson, she was singing praises the whole time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we were sitting with the boy, she started
to share with me their story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said
that the boy’s father told her he would kill her if anything happened to his
boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told us how the boy’s mother
left the father, so the father did bad things to the boy to try to make the
mother suffer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that she tried
to take care of the boy, but she could not send him to school or anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then asked if the mission could take the
boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The love that this grandmother has
for her grandson is extremely evident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cannot imagine what it took for her to get to the point of asking someone else
to take her grandson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that taking
the boy was not the answer, so I went to get Pastor St. Verdi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was also impacted by their story, so we
went to talk to the people in charge of Northwest’s programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story short, we were able to get him
into a program and registered for school next year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His grandmother told him that today was the
best birthday for him because he will be able to go to school next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so awesome to play a little part in
this, and it was definitely that moment I had asked God for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At northwest, we say that we are about people
not projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a perfect example
of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5GTXQqLhCmHt-42y8I1nfRO8D9zw79ZyI8oN9a9Kbvpaxkz0OXoDKXU4CRQmPEDScEtFXPHQdvhlZeq7DubPAsXiLpWAIY3ODFJ7S6aIEbAl7QvmadwWve5wgV-nyAjFG-LeZlDiVNg/s1600/IMG_2079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5GTXQqLhCmHt-42y8I1nfRO8D9zw79ZyI8oN9a9Kbvpaxkz0OXoDKXU4CRQmPEDScEtFXPHQdvhlZeq7DubPAsXiLpWAIY3ODFJ7S6aIEbAl7QvmadwWve5wgV-nyAjFG-LeZlDiVNg/s320/IMG_2079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Me, Rolson, and his grandmother before we registered for school</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Overall, though there have been
hard things to see this week, I am so thankful for the relationships that have
been built and the lives that have been changed for the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am looking forward to more of these as this
next week is also full of surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank
you so much for all of your prayers, support, and encouragement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot wait to see what all God does while
I am here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has already been evident
in so many ways. </div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-56858500216275727362015-06-08T18:01:00.001-07:002015-06-08T18:01:52.419-07:00Lessons From Haitian Church<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
There are a lot of things that
Haitians do extremely well, and church is definitely one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not think that you can go to church in
Haiti and not be inspired, encouraged, and challenged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way I can think to describe it as is
a little glimpse of Heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Church in Haiti is a big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone wears their Sunday best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their Sunday best could be a ball gown, or a
pair of gym pants with dress shoes, but they do whatever they can to dress
nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone walks to church, and many
people walk from very far away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
worship is incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone sings,
everyone claps (even if you cannot find the beat like me), everyone waves their
arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is dancing, tears, and
prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their way of worship is such a
biblical way of worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their acts of
reverence to God do not stop there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
though most Haitian families live off less than a dollar a day, they still put
whatever they can in the offering basket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During prayers, they do not get frustrated when the prayer goes a little
too long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, they get on their
knees and pray along with the pastor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Not only was I inspired by this,
but I was also challenged in church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During church, I was reminded that church is not supposed to be a place
of comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, it is supposed to be
a place where we go to worship, encourage, and learn with other believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haitian church is anything but
comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no
air-conditioning, and it is so hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone is crammed together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
benches are made for about three people to sit comfortably on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, my bench had eight people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though it is hot and crowded, church
services last over two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Haitian people do not go to church for the donuts or the appearance or any
other reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one would sit that
crammed in such a hot area for that long just because.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They go for the reason we should all be going
to church: to worship our creator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Now my question is: are we going to
church for the right reason? Would we continue to go if the air conditioner was
broken and everyone had to sit on the front few pews?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we respect God by dressing our best for
church?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we worship with no
reserve?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we stay faithful in offering
when other needs seem greater? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As my perspective of church has
been and will continue to be challenged and changed, I challenge you to think
about all of this as you go to church next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t just go because it is a habit, but go
to worship our Savior. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0RMiqjVGiyQ8Rnz3wBVEcX6xgvC_Lr-KsGmdUqWpEWIcJlQBf9LjG6QD2oec0Xy-tHhOX1F2LWMwJoz76YkcrnyQGGtAWbkLJ8THo5JSoIHkPFMgKuNG31GViht3izecDFkVQOCIGzk/s1600/IMG_1957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0RMiqjVGiyQ8Rnz3wBVEcX6xgvC_Lr-KsGmdUqWpEWIcJlQBf9LjG6QD2oec0Xy-tHhOX1F2LWMwJoz76YkcrnyQGGtAWbkLJ8THo5JSoIHkPFMgKuNG31GViht3izecDFkVQOCIGzk/s320/IMG_1957.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Part of my Haitian family after church. From left to right: Jumar, Richie, Yoli, and Niason<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-10042461422745397332015-03-22T15:36:00.000-07:002015-03-22T15:38:09.617-07:00Much Madness is Divinest Sense<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“What are your plans after college?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems to be the dreaded question for
most people my age right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
quicker graduation approaches, the more often you hear this question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike a lot of people who are dreading this
next step after college, I am counting down the days! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two weeks after graduation I will be heading
down to Haiti to start my long-term track there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be going through Northwest Haiti
Christian Mission (the same organization I have previously gone with).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next step for me in their long-term
missionary candidacy is to complete a “long” internship, which will be from the
end of May to just before Thanksgiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After this internship, I will be able to spend some time with family,
evaluate where exactly I see myself in Haiti, and start fundraising for the
long-run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Since my first trip to Haiti in
2009, I have known that God had more in store for me there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just did not know exactly what that meant
(and I still cannot fathom the depths of His plans for me there!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, He did give a little guidance after
my three-month internship with Northwest (in 2012).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the semester after this, a professor
encouraged me to write one of my research papers on sustainable healthcare in
Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This opened a huge door for
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had always loved health, but I
thought that it would not be a part of my life after I felt God was steering me
away from the medical school track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, sustainable healthcare combined business and health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout writing this research paper, I
fell in love with the concept of sustainable healthcare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to add public health to my degree,
and I have spent a lot of the last two years continuing this research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has opened so many doors for me in this
area from meeting different contacts to attending the global medical mission
conference this past November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
During my trip to Haiti last
summer, I was able to talk to some of Northwest’s leadership about my future in
Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did I know, they were
planning a community health development project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Northwest does a ministry called Neighbors Projects,
where different churches in the United States are partnered with a community’s
church in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Northwest had been
looking for ways to further develop these communities where they have churches,
and one of the ways they were looking at was through public health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s timing never ceases to amaze me, and I
am so excited to partner with Northwest in this endeavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Community health development will be my focus
this internship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Health is not only a
need in every community, but it also opens a door for a way of evangelism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot wait to see how God combines
community health and evangelism during this internship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I anticipate this internship being a lot of
learning, and hopefully a bit of doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot wait to see how God stretches me, teaches me, and uses me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
While I am so excited about working
towards my calling in Haiti, this is something very different than what I am
“expected” to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recently had a
professor tell my class that as graduating business students from Georgetown
College, we would be the ones making the most money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am expected to go from here and either
continue my education or go into the workforce and start working my way up a
company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would not mind doing this;
however, I would rather do what God has called me to do, even if that is often
the unexpected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A line from one of Emily
Dickenson’s poems says “Much madness is divinest sense.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this quote because I see this in my
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To most, being 22 years old and
moving to a third world country seems like “much madness”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that madness is “divinest sense,” or
what God has planned for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During one
of our recent sermons about faith, my pastor said “Faith sees what reason
cannot – faith goes beyond reason.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are so many examples of this in the Bible: Noah building an arc,
Moses being put in the river, the paralytic’s friends cutting a hole in the
roof to lower their friend to see Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>None of these (and so many others) seemed reasonable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, through the faith of these people
doing the unreasonable, God’s plan was done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Sometimes I find it hard when
people tell me I should be getting a master’s degree, finding a job, worrying
about retirement, or paying off students loans instead of going to Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a moment, comments like these make me question
what I am doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, God is
faithful, and He has encouraged me in so many ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent this past week in Tampa with my best
friend for spring break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first night
there, we were driving around to see what was around our hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wouldn’t you know, there was a Haitian
restaurant pretty close to it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went
for lunch one day and were able to not only enjoy a yummy Haitian meal, but
also talk to some of the Haitian people who owned and visited the restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were the only Americans in the place, so I
felt a bit like we were in Haiti!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later
in the week, we went to a bakery for breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we were walking in, I noticed a Haitian flag on the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The owner was from Haiti, and had a little
Haiti store inside!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little things like
these remind me that as unconventional as it may be, going to Haiti is what I
am supposed to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
If you are interested in supporting
my journey in Haiti, please contact me at <a href="mailto:tckarenbauer@gmail.com">tckarenbauer@gmail.com</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will also be selling these t-shirts for $15
as a fundraiser!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would like one,
let me know! They say "spirit lead me where my trust is without borders" and "Haiti 2015"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SdoK14GALalZDnSQAlYAbQOT_f2vJUXT2VyZ2Z7Cyjxrst9i5hefNPe9nNzypRSql3LuJ5mQjH5q8Z2LLspxQHM2dm3wttwYz5LF0lekjMvGYmtLjiaBV42usqybclf5WqAS_9SeKhA/s1600/IMG_0904.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SdoK14GALalZDnSQAlYAbQOT_f2vJUXT2VyZ2Z7Cyjxrst9i5hefNPe9nNzypRSql3LuJ5mQjH5q8Z2LLspxQHM2dm3wttwYz5LF0lekjMvGYmtLjiaBV42usqybclf5WqAS_9SeKhA/s1600/IMG_0904.PNG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
In closing, I ask for your prayers
as I prepare to finish school and head to Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a lot that needs done in a little
amount of time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also ask for prayers
of peace for both my family and myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though
we have known this day was coming, it will still be hard to saying goodbye. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-41804688623736539862014-07-03T18:04:00.002-07:002014-07-03T18:04:09.509-07:00Trip Number 5
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<br />
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Unfortunately, due to a couple extremes (getting sick and
then preparing for a trip to the other side of the world) this blog has not
been on the top of my to do list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the sickness gave me more time to reflect, and the 16 and 9
hour flight gave me time to type.. so here I am! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On June 5<sup>th</sup>, 5 Blue Grass students, 1 recent Blue
Grass graduate, my dad, Cameron (my best friend) and myself all left for
Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This marks my 5<sup>th</sup> trip
to Haiti, but it was the first trip for 4 of the students!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew God had big plans for this trip before
we even left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened so many doors in
the planning process from raising money, to getting necessary approvals, to
raising donations, to still providing when one of the students was rejected for
a passport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hand was evident is so
many ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Boy did HE have plans for this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both this team and the trip were
amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only was the team the hands
and feet of Jesus, but they were also the voice of truth in a country that so
desperately needs the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This team
went beyond just serving the people, and truly exemplified Christ through
ministering to the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a leader,
I loved watching them overcoming the culture shock and stepping into what
really needed to be done: spreading the Word of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This change was most evident to me our fourth day in Haiti
when we went to La Baie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Saint-Louis-du-Nord, where the main campus is stationed, is in the
northwest zone of Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The northwest
zone is the poorest zone in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the Western
Hemisphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By our standards,
Saint-Louis is the definition of poverty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, by La Baie standards, Saint-Louis is a mansion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drive to La Baie is about 2 hours, and on
the way you go from lush tropical scenery to desert scenery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then you get to La Baie, and it looks like
the place they film on all those sad tv commercials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>La Baie is where grass huts are a
reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>La Baie is where it is rare to
see a child who is not malnourished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>La
Baie is where the students fell in love with Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Northwest has a campus at La Baie that houses about 40
orphan boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent time with them,
and everyone on the team thoroughly enjoyed getting attached to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are such fun kids to be around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, after spending the morning and early
afternoon with them, our day was just getting started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, we did a hut to hut ministry at La
Baie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hiked up in the mountains where
the poverty keeps getting worse even when you think it cannot get any
worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The memories of the families we met
on this journey have stuck with last year’s team every since.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About a month before we left, God told me had
more in store for this year’s trip to La Baie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not only did he want us to hike back up this mountain for more hut to
huts, but he wanted us to bring groceries with us as part of our ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through money from a donation taken up at
school, we purchased 6 bags of groceries at the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(This was also an experience for the team as
the market makes our farmer’s market look like paradise).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love doing this because while we will
eventually use the groceries to bless families, by purchasing them at the
market, we are putting back into the local economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We started up the mountain at the hottest part of the day
carrying these extremely heavy bags (filled with everything: flour, sugar,
noodles, beans, rice, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, bleach, etc.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boy was it exhausting, but the reward was
incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to reconnect
with some of the families we had previously met, and bring a little relief for
them in Jesus’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only were we
able to tell them God sent us with groceries for them, but at each house a
different student shared the gospel with these families and prayed over them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THAT is what we went to Haiti for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While each of the 6 families we were able to share with were
special, there were two that stuck out: a high and a low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The high was a house we had visited last
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year they asked us to pray
over their sick daughter that she would get better and be able to go to
school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did this family report
that their daughter was healthy, but she was also attending school in
Port-au-Prince.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an answered prayer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While God had said yes to that prayer,
sometimes He says no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year we
visited a house where the mother was very sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was laying in the middle of the floor in misery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed over her and begged God to heal
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when God took us to that
house this year, the father informed us she had passed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure why this was and still is so
hard for me to understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the
students shared an amazing devotion about overcoming hardships through
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was not a dry eye there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how to put in words the emotions
that were felt in that house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the
sadness was overwhelming, from the group and the family; God’s presence was
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sent us back to that house for
a reason, and I pray we were a sliver of comfort in what I am sure has been one
of the hardest years for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We finished that day doing two Vacation Bible Schools: one
for the neighborhood where we had 185 kids, and one for the orphan boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each was uniquely special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this was a crazy busy day, this is the
day that I watched the team become missionaries: people striving to serve God
by spreading the gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the
most rewarding thing of the trip for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other rewarding part of my trip came from the group that
holds a special place in my heart: the bracelet boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the group that has tugged at my heart
since my first trip before they were even the bracelet boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This past year God has put a ministry in my
heart to create prayer warriors for these boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This ministry is currently in the works, and I would love to share more
about it with you if you are interested!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Part of this ministry involved getting to know each of the bracelet boys
even more than I already did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It meant
sitting down with each one individually and finding out their personal stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While I knew most of these boys already, I did not know many of their
stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not how each one got to
the place they are at today, and boy did it make me even more passionate about
this ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These boys have been
through so much from parents dying to giving up food in order to go to
school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their struggles are something I
will never be able to relate to; however, hearing them has made me appreciate
these boys even more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only did I get to sit down with each of these boys, but
we also had a group Bible study with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the boys on the team led it, and did an amazing job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have never seen the boys so attentive and
receptive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the Bible study
the team split up and each bracelet boy was prayed over individually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I know this is something no one on the
team will ever forget, I also believe these boys will never forget that moment
either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God was moving in that chapel. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This trip had serving in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From getting on our hands and knees to wash the feet of the elderly, to
standing up for the special needs kids who are so looked down upon, to loving
children all around the northwest zone, the team served the Haitian people and
therefore served God everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trip
had teaching in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the grocery
ministry to bible study with the bracelet boys, to sharing the gospel at the
jail, to sharing with the brothel ministry, this team taught about Jesus’s
sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the biggest part of
this trip was prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is always a
reason to pray, and this team took advantage of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed over the bracelet boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed over numerous people with
chikungunya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed over the people
we encountered in the jail and then went outside to pray for the corruption of
the jail system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed for each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prayed for different families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot think of anything better we could
have done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was in these moments, in
these prayer circles, in these hands that were laid on people where I saw the
team’s heart break for Haiti and for the Haitian people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a leader, this was a rewarding and an encouraging trip
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God used this team, and I truly
believe He will continue to use this team both back home and maybe in Haiti
again one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a personal level, this
trip was such a blessing for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
able to reconnect and grow closer with my Haitian friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to pray for the safety and
protection of my Haitian family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
able to discuss my future in Haiti with Northwest staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a closing note, I ask for prayers in two major
areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first is prayer for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a lot of big decisions to make these
next few months about my future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I
know God will lead me in the right direction, I can’t help but be a little
nervous about it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second, and
biggest prayer request, is for the Haitian people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chikungunya is taking over Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day I saw more and more of my friends
come down with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this disease is
rarely deadly, it is absolutely miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was miserable, and I was in the States for half of this sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ask that you pray for the people who are
coming down with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people who have
high fevers in the already hot climate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The people who still have to hike up and down mountains with the severe
joint pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people who do not know
what cold beverages are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people who
do not have access to Tylenol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray for
the people who are suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-65915484651082105922013-08-16T15:22:00.001-07:002013-08-16T15:22:53.985-07:00Trip Number Four
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<br />
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Trying to compact an entire trip
into one blog is going to be difficult, but here is my attempt! Overall the
trip was wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so excited that
Blue Grass Baptist School is now involved with Northwest Haiti Christian
Mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing to see what God
did both in the student’s lives and in the Haitian’s lives through them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My prayer is that this relationship between
the school and the mission continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
know everyone on the trip had their lives changed and were impacted in
different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were all stretched
out of their comfort zone, but they did everything they were asked without
complaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so proud and
impressed with the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The trip was full of both good and
hard moments like every trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going
to write about a couple of them, and then write about what God did in my life
the last day we were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I absolutely loved being able to
reconnect with all of my friends in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That was one the highlights of the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bracelet bandits made me feel like a rock star the first day because
they all started clapping and chanting my name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love those boys so much, and I am so proud of the young men they are
becoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have all grown so much,
and I am so excited to see what God has in store for their futures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to do a Bible Study with them
one day, and I was very impressed with how well they listened and paid
attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really meant a lot to me
to be able to share and pray with these boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also am so thankful we had the opportunity to spend time with
Kenzie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to visit where he
is now living and pray with the family who has taken him in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please continue to pray for him as he is
still dealing with the loss of his mother. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
All of this was wonderful, but my
favorite part of the trip was watching Mark fall in love with Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he wrote on the team blog
(www.bgbsmissions.blogspot.com) , “it’s in the Karenbauer genes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark experienced a lot of new things from
dancing with the elderly to spoon feeding special needs children who could not
feed themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He loved everyone with
a true servants heart, and I could not be more proud to call him my
brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One moment that will stay in my
heart was one of the first days we were there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was downstairs playing with one of the special needs boys,
Markenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark came downstairs and
Markenly’s face completely lit up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
jumped out of my arms and ran to Mark while yelling his name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at that moment when I saw the impact
my baby brother was having on the people I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a special moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Being in a third world county is
not always fun and games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are hard
moments that you do not always wish to remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of those moments happened at House of
Hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did our VBS and all the team
members started playing with different kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I started going in some of the backrooms because there are usually
babies in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went in one, and the
mom motioned me over to show me her baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This baby was so malnourished that its swollen skin had started
splitting open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen plenty of
children who are malnourished, but never one to this extreme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot imagine being that mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could see on her face that she was
experiencing her baby’s pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I
will probably never see them again in this lifetime, but I will never forget
that precious angel. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Another hard moment came when I was
reconnected with one of my friends from last summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennica was a little girl who lived near the
mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last summer she was one of the
happiest little girls ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She always
had the biggest smile on her face, and it was one of the prettiest smiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw Jennica this week, she did not
have a smile on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked her
what was wrong and she said her teeth hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then she showed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennica’s
teeth are rotting out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This girl who’s
gorgeous smile brought me so much joy last summer, is now suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not know what to say, and I still do
not really know what to say about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
always breaks my heart when I see suffering, but it is so much harder when it
is someone you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The hard times broke my heart, but
the good things made being in Haiti worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The whole week I was so glad I had gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, I felt a little discouraged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew I was there mainly to help to team, but I had done everything we
had done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been to Tortuga, house
of hope, the bay, and everywhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were so many new experiences for the team, but I was not
experiencing anything drastically new. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The night before our last day, I began praying
that God would do something radical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
prayed that He would give me an experience that would give me some reassurance
as for my call to Haiti.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Boy does God answer prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day we left for Ansefalour, the
voodoo capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the blog I wrote
before I left, I wrote about my first trip to Ansefalour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the place where God showed me He had
more in store for me in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well we
got to Ansefalour and started our day out with a VBS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a bit disheartening for the group
because one of the boys at our VBS was removed and beaten because he tried to
steal a granola bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After VBS, the
group was playing with the kids at the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cameron and I went to see if I could find the baby from last
summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last summer, my mom went around
this community doing medical hut to huts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We stopped at this one house and asked if they had any medical
needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man said his wife had had a
baby five hours prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom was able
to check the baby and mother out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
the rest of the summer, I visited this family every time I was in
Ansefalour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During one of these visits
they asked me to be this precious babies godmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to admit; I was a bit nervous going
back to the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The baby had been
sick when I last saw him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so
scared something had happened to him, or the family had moved, or they had
forgotten me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been an entire year
since I had last been there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got to
the house and my precious godson, Richardson, was a healthy (and chunky)
thirteen month old!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked if they
remembered me, and the dad said, “of course, you are my son’s godmother!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so good to check on them and pray for
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dad told me he always knew
when I was not in Haiti because I do not come visit them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also wanted to make sure I knew they were
Christians, which is such an encouragement considering they live in the voodoo
capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The visit was such a blessing
and encouragement to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Next we went to the voodoo monument
that claims the city of Ansefalour for voodoo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is quite a hike, but an experience for everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have done this hike a lot, so I did not
expect to get anything different from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I figured we would hike up there, take some pictures, I would explain
the story of the monument, and then we would pray over it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, on the way up I had some children follow
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not unusual, and it was not
unusual that the children were asking for food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I told them I could not give them anything and then they started talking
really fast in creole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too much
and too fast for me to understand, so I asked my translator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me they were calling on the spirits
and putting a voodoo curse on me because I would not give them food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this seems a bit silly, it was a real
eye opening experience for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we
do VBS in Ansefalour, and the children pay attention and know all the songs, it
is so easy to believe that they believe what we are talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, hearing these children calling to
the spirits really opened my eyes to the fact that voodoo has such a power over
this city, even over the children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
is so much work to be done in Ansefalour still. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
At this point, God had already done
radical things in my life, but He was not done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Next we went to the voodoo temple, the place that houses the doll that
the people worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been to the
temple between 10 and 15 times, and the only time I was ever allowed inside was
my very first trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our translator knew
the person at the door, and he let our group in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the first time since God had used this
place to turn my world upside down, I went back inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot accurately describe the inside of
the temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a place of darkness
and pure evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are sick people laying
in back corners, people praying, people crying, and people worshipping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people’s eyes are dull and almost
lifeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is alcohol, candles, and
incense all over the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smells
are overwhelming, but the atmosphere makes it the worst place I have ever been
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though I know God is always
with me, the evil is so prevalent there that it is hard to feel Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel almost engulfed and choked by this
evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doll, Saint Anne, is upstairs
in a glass case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People sit in pews in
this room and fervently pray to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their dedication breaks my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It breaks my heart because I know what they are putting their hope into
cannot help them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I think the temple shook everyone
on the team up a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful
that they had the opportunity to see it though because it shows them what we
truly are up against.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Voodoo does have a
power over people, and we are called to break that power by spreading God’s
word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are called to be His lights in
the midst of darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly believe
that He did more than just something radical in my life: He did something
radical in everyone’s lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
It was a hard day, but God blessed
me afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to take the
group to Jim’s and Niason’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
spent time with the family, and prayed over them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the prayer, I was sobbing as
was their family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love those children
more than anything, and I am so thankful God put them in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spending time at their house was such an
amazing experience because it showed me that I meant as much to them as they do
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have not had an easy life, and
it breaks my heart to see the conditions they live in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I am so encouraged by their smiles and
joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are some of the happiest
people I have ever met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Saying goodbye to the family, to my
bracelet boys, and my brother was extremely difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss them all so much already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart hurts for Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know God has a plan for me in Haiti, but
the waiting now is hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is so
much to do, so many people to love, I just wish I could be there already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
This is not the end of me in Haiti,
and I pray it is just the beginning of Blue Grass in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-289601142431452872.post-32162472312466782772013-07-30T16:07:00.003-07:002013-07-30T16:07:48.900-07:00Going Back Home
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Three days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three days until I leave for Haiti, the
country I have grown to love, cherish, and consider my own home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t be more excited! This will be my
fourth trip to Haiti, and, like every trip, it will be different from any of my
previous trips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year I will be
co-leading a team along with my father!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The team includes five high school students from Blue Grass Baptist
School, one of the student’s dad, my best friend, and of course me and my
father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has definitely had His hand
in this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been more than a
struggle at times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus helping plan a
mission trip from the other side of the world was a task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the team was very patient, and God
was very good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything is set for us
to go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so excited for these high
school students to have the same opportunity I had in high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trip changed my life, and I can only
pray that it will change theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Four years ago I would never have
imagined myself in this position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I
was preparing for this first trip to Haiti, I was not excited at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not want to go, and I had no idea why I
had signed up for the trip (good thing God knew what He was doing!) The
beginning of my two-week trip was miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hated it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The beginning of the
second week I decided it was bearable, and I was glad I had gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I was positive I would never do
anything like that again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the
middle of the second week we went to Ansefalour, the voodoo capital, and my
life turned upside down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not have
accurate words to describe what I saw in the voodoo temple, other than false
hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This false hope completely broke
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After leaving the temple, I knew
without a shadow of doubt that God had more for me in Haiti, and I was ready
for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(After returning from
Ansefalour, I met James.. God just adding to my desire to return).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six months after we returned home, the
earthquake hit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt a piece of me
break with every video, news report, or story I saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had already been planning on returning the
next summer, but this only added to my desire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Six months after the earthquake, I was able to share my Haiti experience
with my church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved every minute of
this two-week trip, however, I felt as if it were not long enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last summer I returned for a three-month
internship with the mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The past
posts on this blog are about my experiences during this internship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned so much and became so much more
aware of my call to Haiti.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I cannot wait to pursue that call
during this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though it will be
difficult because it will not be as long as my last trip, I have many reasons
to be extremely excited for this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first reason is the team!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
has orchestrated an amazing team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
so excited to work with them, but I am more excited because this will be the
first out of country mission trip for most of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no doubt that they will go through a
major culture shock; I know I did my first trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I also know God is going to change
them in so many ways, and I cannot wait to see how!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The second, and maybe selfishly the
main reason I am excited is because of Mark! My own little brother is one of
the team members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have dreamed of the
day I would get to share Haiti with him, and it is finally here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just thinking about it brings tears to my
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After four years of telling him
everything I could about this country, I finally get to watch my brother love
on the people I love so dearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so
proud of the man he is becoming, and I know this trip is only going to add to
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark has a huge heart, and I know he
is going to use it there in so many ways.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
There are many other reasons I am
excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot wait to see my Haitian
brother, Kenzie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be amazing for
him to meet Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot wait to
reconnect with all the friends I have made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot wait to love on the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot wait to see all of the changes at the mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is going to be an amazing trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know God has big things in store it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot wait to see how he changes both the
group and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
During the trip, I do not think I
will be updating this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if
you are interested in what we are doing, the group will be updating a blog at <a href="http://www.bgbsmissions.blogspot.com/">www.bgbsmissions.blogspot.com</a>.
I encourage you to check it out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cannot say how often we will have internet, but we will try to update it
whenever we can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Tore Karenbauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15656254886307431287noreply@blogger.com0