Bonswa zanmi’m yo! Good afternoon friends!
While my time as a Lumos Traveler has past, I am still in Haiti working with Disciples’ Village! To lay the groundwork for my final post, an update on my transition from my microfinance/business training/job creation Lumos project in Haiti with Disciples’ Village (DV) into a longer-term work:
As soon as construction is finished and the brick house is turned into a home, I’ll be moving in as the mentor for our Alex’s House young women’s transition house. You can learn more about Alex’s House/Disciples’ Village here. In this transition home, by the grace of God, I will shepherd several young ladies into becoming Haitian women who are zealous followers of Jesus Christ; wise, bold, and compassionate leaders; unwavering in their value as godly women; and have a heart for serving others.
Together we will learn to manage a household (budget, clean, maintain, and repair), prepare for financial independence (with money-making skills and prep for university), and become confident in their ability to communicate in English at a high level. Not to mention, have some fun figuring out intercultural living, exploring this beautiful world together, and inviting other young women to join us.
Women’s discipleship and advancement will also be an update to my work in Haiti with DV. I’ll continue to oversee and delegate for a majority of my current job creation and business training projects, but I will start to focus on the heart behind the women I’m serving with the discipleship of a few female leaders in our partnering villages.
As I will mention in my final post, stepping into my next phase in Haiti would not be a smooth transition or nearly possible without the last two years working on a microfinance project for Disciples’ Village through the Lumos Travel Award. These last 27 months have been invaluable in training me in language, culture, driving, healthy relationships, navigating markets, problem solving, applied economics, overcoming corruption, leading, and starting the process of surrendering my control over my future and plans.
In the living and working in Haiti, specifically with finances and job opportunities, I have found my heart beating more and more for the women who are suffering yet persevering here. I have seen both the pits of despair in raising children alone in abject poverty and the hope of women empowered with some love and business skills. My desire is to get ahead of generational brokenness by pouring my life into a few young women and leveraging the support of others during these next few years, praying they go on to boldly impact their nation for Christ and to build His kingdom here.
My sincerest offerings of gratitude to the Lumos committee; Belmont community; Disciples’ Village staff and family; my mom, dad, and sister; loved ones; and the grace and goodness of God. You all are the ones who have made every single day possible these last few years, as none of this has been done by my own strength but though the support and empowering of all of you. M’ap priye pou Bondye a beni nou anpil pou tout bagay nou te fè pou mwen.
