PAP/Apparent Project

It’s been a busy week. I had the weekend off so that was a huge blessing. Friday was THE BEST DAY EVER! We had an intern day and we got to visit The Apparent Project. I love the Apparent Project! It has been so cool to watch them grow over the past year and getting to visit their project in Port au Prince was so encouraging. It was neat to actually see the process of how the beads were made and to shop in the store that had every necklace, earring, and bracelet imaginable. Shelley, the founder was in NYC with Donna Karen at the Clinton initiative so we didn’t get to meet her but we did get to meet her intern Sophie. Sophie is starting a line that makes jewelry out of Haitian sea glass. BEAUTIFUL. Don’t worry I got a pair of her earrings. Brianna, the girl who is over 3 Cords (the headband and bag making project at Mission of Hope) came with us. The Apparent Project model is very similar to 3 Cords and I think they will be a great contact! God is the best networker. I explained to Brianna how I hosted a jewelry party for the Apparent Project and my passion for social entrepreneurship, and now I get to work with 3 Cords and help set up house parties in the States! I’m SOO excited. I get to work on a project that I love and am passionate about. Watch out America here comes 3 Cords. Funny enough the verse that 3 Cords is modeled after (Ecclesiastes 4:) is the verse that Al, Manda, and I always loved growing up, and it is one of the reasons I felt called to MOH!

Since I had this weekend off I had some time to do what I wanted and rest. A group from Florida had come in for a couple of days to tour MOH because they are starting a non-profit restaurant (DUO 58 Catering and Events) and want to partner with the Mission! Most of the group was involved with Campus Crusade at the University of Central Florida. It was cool to hear them talk about CRU at their school and hear about their vision for the restaurant. Stacy and I went with them on Saturday back into Port au Prince. At MOH I am pretty sheltered. We see the villages around MOH but we rarely venture into PAP. Jeremy, a guy who has worked in Haiti and with MOH for years and now works with Lespwa means hope was here with the Florida group so he was our guide. We went through one of the poorest areas, Citie Soliel. We were looking out the windows of the four-runner and it’s impossible to take everything in. I’ve been around Port au Prince but Citie Soliel was a new level of poverty. Jeremy took us to a Catholic Church that had been demolished during the earthquake. It was hard for me to see. One of the girls that was with us is a wonderful photographer, so check out her website to see the pictures: http://alyssamarieart.com/blog/?p=51 . Saturday was a good day, but a hard one. It’s easy to be happy and content at MOH. I have friends, the food is great, I get to play with the kids, etc. Then I go out into the poverty of Haiti and I remember the need to pray and beg for these people. Psalm 140:12, was on my mind while we were at the dilapidated Church: “I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.” I had read that verse earlier in the day and thought about it continuously.

My fun story for the week is that a man told me I looked like a Haitian women on Thursday. As I was trying to think about how I "looked Haitian", he told me I was tall and had strong skinny legs. Thanks Haitian man, I feel accepted now!

PS…Today was my first day working with Brianna at 3 Cords and I’m SO excited. Gosh, it’s exactly what I love to do! The Lord is cool how He uses your passions.

Love and miss you guys. Pray for the growth of 3 Cords and the poor in Haiti.