Off to the airport in a few minutes!!!!! I do not believe it is possible for me to be any more excited for the adventure that awaits!!!!
Soli Deo Gloria.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Q: What do you do with yourself when you're supposed to be in Haiti, but you're in Michigan instead?
A: Have a sleepover with the lifelong friends you said a tearful farewell to just a day before; sit around at church and teach any random junior who happens to be walking past how to get a 12 (out of 12) on their ACT essay; and take a buncha photobooth pictures.
Current plan of action is to fly to New York City on Wednesday night, spend the night with relatives, and fly out of NYC Thursday morning to Port-au-Prince with an estimated arrival of 1:25 PM on Thursday, August 30...
How Kathryn feels when she's supposed to be in Haiti but she isn't and how Clara feels when Kath's supposed to be in Haiti but isn't:
How Kathryn and Clara will feel on Wednesday night:
How Kathryn and Clara will feel on Thursday morning:
How Kathryn feels about the fact that Clara looks happy on Thursday morning:
How Kathryn (and Clara??) will feel when Kath gets to meet all those sweet little babies on Thursday:
How Kath and Clara will feel when it's time for Kath to come home:
How Clara feels about bed bugs (aka Kath's way of trying to get her to express an emotion other than happiness):
Two more days to go.
Current plan of action is to fly to New York City on Wednesday night, spend the night with relatives, and fly out of NYC Thursday morning to Port-au-Prince with an estimated arrival of 1:25 PM on Thursday, August 30...
How Kathryn feels when she's supposed to be in Haiti but she isn't and how Clara feels when Kath's supposed to be in Haiti but isn't:
How Kathryn and Clara will feel on Wednesday night:
How Kathryn and Clara will feel on Thursday morning:
How Kathryn feels about the fact that Clara looks happy on Thursday morning:
How Kathryn (and Clara??) will feel when Kath gets to meet all those sweet little babies on Thursday:
How Kath and Clara will feel when it's time for Kath to come home:
How Kath and Clara will feel when Kath is home:
How Clara feels about bed bugs (aka Kath's way of trying to get her to express an emotion other than happiness):
Two more days to go.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Almost Time?
Yesterday I thought it was almost time to go to Haiti. Now I'm hoping it's almost time to go to Haiti.
Never thought I would despise any type of inclement weather. It was always my best friend due to the fact that it has a nice tendency to cancel school. However, I am consternated to report that due to inclement and violent weather, namely a hurricane, schools all over south Florida have been cancelled, the Republican National Convention has been delayed, and my flight to Miami tomorrow is CANCELLED!!!!
Mom's on the phone right now with the airline. Correction: mom's on HOLD right now with the airline, and will be for the next 55 minutes according to that nasally, pre-recorded voice at the other end of the line.
Didn't think my lessons in flexibility on the mission field would start before arriving at said mission field!!!
Never thought I would despise any type of inclement weather. It was always my best friend due to the fact that it has a nice tendency to cancel school. However, I am consternated to report that due to inclement and violent weather, namely a hurricane, schools all over south Florida have been cancelled, the Republican National Convention has been delayed, and my flight to Miami tomorrow is CANCELLED!!!!
Mom's on the phone right now with the airline. Correction: mom's on HOLD right now with the airline, and will be for the next 55 minutes according to that nasally, pre-recorded voice at the other end of the line.
Didn't think my lessons in flexibility on the mission field would start before arriving at said mission field!!!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Almost Time...
As of this morning, the bags are packed!
Here's where I'm going!!!!
I am so excited for the many days ahead with these precious children of God.
Here's where I'm going!!!!
I am so excited for the many days ahead with these precious children of God.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Hurricane Isaac
Hopefully in 72 hours, I will be in Haiti, but it may be contingent on Hurricane Isaac. By Monday when I travel, the storm will have passed Haiti, but it's due to hit Florida. And I'm flying through Florida. Even if there isn't an actual hurricane, there will be a vicious storm, schools will likely be closed, and maybe planes won't even be flying into Miami. Thankfully if I am stranded in Miami, the wonderful Skinner family shall be providing me a place to spend the night so I won't have to spend it in some strange, scary airport or in some lonely, unfriendly hotel room.
Although it will have passed Haiti by Monday, it is supposed to be hitting Haiti later today. Isaac itself is not nearly as strong as was previously anticipated, which is good, and it looks as if it may moving away from Haiti. But regardless, the storm itself still has potential to inflict major damage.
This is a picture of a tent city in Haiti today waiting for the storm to hit. I can't say it looks like a place I'd want to be living in with a tropical storm on the way. Or living in any day that is... Pray for the people living in these structures - that God would protect the people and calm the storm.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Two Weeks. Fully Funded.
Two weeks from this very moment, I will be in Haiti.
That statement is quite a difficult statement for me to wrap my mind around.
And yesterday, thanks to the generosity of many friends, I met my funding goal.
This is all very wonderful and very exciting, but I must say it does raise a few questions in my mind:
The money I raised - that's a lot of money. Wouldn't it just be better for the country if I just sent that amount of money to a long term missionary in Haiti? Or a trusted organization? Will I just be another mouth to feed in a country that struggles to find food to feed its own? So many people I've talked to have connections with Haiti. It seems like at least half of those I've conversed with have either been to Haiti or know someone who has been to Haiti on a short term mission trip. But have those short term mission trips really done anything? Haiti is still impoverished. How can I reconcile raising that much money just for me to go to Haiti?
I may feel like I'm spending exorbitant amounts of money on this trip, but the large majority of my expenses are going to GLA, a trusted organization making a difference, and they wouldn't be the same orphanage that they are today without all the volunteers that come to serve. If they didn't need volunteers to come, then they wouldn't invest so much time and energy into all of the logistics it takes to get a person to Haiti. I may not make a long term lasting difference, but I am striving to follow God's call on my life and the Biblical mandate to care for orphans. I may not be even remotely close to capable of "saving" the country, but I do have the heart to love babies. And to me, loving babies really doesn't have a price tag, because those children are priceless. God has graciously given me an opportunity to be His hands and feet and show these little ones that they are special, and beautiful, and precious in His eyes.
Two weeks from this very moment, I will be in Haiti!
On another note, if you'd like to contact me via snail mail while I'm in Haiti, this is my address:
Kathryn Wong
3170 Airmans Dr. #2081 GLA
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946
I plan on responding to every letter I receive.
That statement is quite a difficult statement for me to wrap my mind around.
And yesterday, thanks to the generosity of many friends, I met my funding goal.
This is all very wonderful and very exciting, but I must say it does raise a few questions in my mind:
The money I raised - that's a lot of money. Wouldn't it just be better for the country if I just sent that amount of money to a long term missionary in Haiti? Or a trusted organization? Will I just be another mouth to feed in a country that struggles to find food to feed its own? So many people I've talked to have connections with Haiti. It seems like at least half of those I've conversed with have either been to Haiti or know someone who has been to Haiti on a short term mission trip. But have those short term mission trips really done anything? Haiti is still impoverished. How can I reconcile raising that much money just for me to go to Haiti?
I may feel like I'm spending exorbitant amounts of money on this trip, but the large majority of my expenses are going to GLA, a trusted organization making a difference, and they wouldn't be the same orphanage that they are today without all the volunteers that come to serve. If they didn't need volunteers to come, then they wouldn't invest so much time and energy into all of the logistics it takes to get a person to Haiti. I may not make a long term lasting difference, but I am striving to follow God's call on my life and the Biblical mandate to care for orphans. I may not be even remotely close to capable of "saving" the country, but I do have the heart to love babies. And to me, loving babies really doesn't have a price tag, because those children are priceless. God has graciously given me an opportunity to be His hands and feet and show these little ones that they are special, and beautiful, and precious in His eyes.
Two weeks from this very moment, I will be in Haiti!
On another note, if you'd like to contact me via snail mail while I'm in Haiti, this is my address:
Kathryn Wong
3170 Airmans Dr. #2081 GLA
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946
I plan on responding to every letter I receive.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
No More Prep Meetings
I am, quite frankly, at a loss.
When people hear about my plans for next year, the most frequent response is "Have you ever been to Haiti?" Certainly a natural question to ask. And my response usually includes something about how no, I have not, but I have been on many a mission trip.
Many a mission trip, yes, but never one like this.
Mission trips in the past have always been organized and executed by the wonderful people at good old Knox Pres. This mission trip must be organized and executed by me.
Mission trips in the past have always been in the context of my community at Knox. This mission trip, I'm not going as part of a team. I suppose I will be a part of a team once I get to Haiti, but for now, I go alone.
And mission trips in the past have always had two, three, sometimes more prep meetings, usually about 2-3 hours long, that everyone going on the trip had to attend in order to adequately prepare. These meetings included logistical details, information about the mission location, team building activities, discussions about justice and what it means to serve...
But now I have no more prep meetings, and I am at a loss. How does one prepare for a mission trip with no prep meetings??? Will I even be prepared for this mission trip with no prep meetings???
And so instead of two or three designated time frames for preparation, I am faced with a challenge:
How can I make my entire life a prep meeting? How can I shift my entire mentality to one that is preparing me for the mission field? In speech, in all my interactions, in what I prioritize, in my habits, in what I indulge in, how can everything be a prep meeting?
At first I tried to compartmentalize it too much. For instance, in order to prepare, I am reading this book:
It's a very good book with many helpful suggestions and practical approaches to serving overseas in the most effective way possible, and I'm learning a lot. But my preparation for this trip should not be limited to just one hour of reading this book each day. My preparation for this trip should be evident in all that I do!
And you know what? I realized something else. Good old Knox Pres is still playing a role in preparing me. A big and important one. Maybe not at all with those nitty-gritty logistics, but in the past few weeks, Knox people have given me so much advice, so much encouragement, and so much support. Rather than being sent out by Knox with people from Knox, I am simply being sent out by God and Knox is an important part of that sending. They are more than doing their part to prepare me for this venture. In fact, they have more than done their part to prepare me for this venture with these past eighteen years of teaching and nurturing and loving me.
It's like my whole entire life has been a prep meeting for this trip. Maybe I don't need to be at such a loss after all.
When people hear about my plans for next year, the most frequent response is "Have you ever been to Haiti?" Certainly a natural question to ask. And my response usually includes something about how no, I have not, but I have been on many a mission trip.
Many a mission trip, yes, but never one like this.
Mission trips in the past have always been organized and executed by the wonderful people at good old Knox Pres. This mission trip must be organized and executed by me.
Mission trips in the past have always been in the context of my community at Knox. This mission trip, I'm not going as part of a team. I suppose I will be a part of a team once I get to Haiti, but for now, I go alone.
And mission trips in the past have always had two, three, sometimes more prep meetings, usually about 2-3 hours long, that everyone going on the trip had to attend in order to adequately prepare. These meetings included logistical details, information about the mission location, team building activities, discussions about justice and what it means to serve...
But now I have no more prep meetings, and I am at a loss. How does one prepare for a mission trip with no prep meetings??? Will I even be prepared for this mission trip with no prep meetings???
And so instead of two or three designated time frames for preparation, I am faced with a challenge:
How can I make my entire life a prep meeting? How can I shift my entire mentality to one that is preparing me for the mission field? In speech, in all my interactions, in what I prioritize, in my habits, in what I indulge in, how can everything be a prep meeting?
At first I tried to compartmentalize it too much. For instance, in order to prepare, I am reading this book:
It's a very good book with many helpful suggestions and practical approaches to serving overseas in the most effective way possible, and I'm learning a lot. But my preparation for this trip should not be limited to just one hour of reading this book each day. My preparation for this trip should be evident in all that I do!
And you know what? I realized something else. Good old Knox Pres is still playing a role in preparing me. A big and important one. Maybe not at all with those nitty-gritty logistics, but in the past few weeks, Knox people have given me so much advice, so much encouragement, and so much support. Rather than being sent out by Knox with people from Knox, I am simply being sent out by God and Knox is an important part of that sending. They are more than doing their part to prepare me for this venture. In fact, they have more than done their part to prepare me for this venture with these past eighteen years of teaching and nurturing and loving me.
It's like my whole entire life has been a prep meeting for this trip. Maybe I don't need to be at such a loss after all.
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