Best Birthday Ever (Day 4)

Friday was my 20th Birthday, two decades since I was born into this world. Two decades ago, I'm sure my parents had no idea their baby girl would be speaking at a women's conference in Haiti on her 20th Birthday. God knew. Before the foundation of the world, God knew. He knows everything and everything is in His hands and in His control.

So anyway, Friday morning we got up and ate breakfast a little earlier and then packed up to leave to Valley of Hope where we spent the next three days. I was not totally looking forward to spending the night out in the country. Actually when I first heard about the plan, I was a little dismayed. It was the same day that I had been sick, and I thought, "That is the LAST thing I need!" But I also had this little inkling that I might have a hard time leaving by day three.

We arrived at the church and set up our mattresses in a school room, and shortly, the conference began. There was a lot of singing and speaking. After a break and Beth giving her talk, I walked up to the front and gave my own. I basically went through Ephesians 2:1-10 and talked about the salvation we receive through Christ alone. There is nothing of our own works, but totally God's grace.

After some more speaking, we had lunch/dinner of smashed plantains ( although I did not eat this part of the meal), lettuce and tomatoes, spicy cole slaw, chicken legs, accra (fried fritter type things that are made from a root and are scrumptious), and of course beans and rice. In the cool of the afternoon, we went down for a walk to the "river," which is really a large river bed with some streamlets running through it. It was a neat experience to be on the streets, walking right by the natives instead of driving in a van, peering through windows. After we got back to our school house, we sat outside and relaxed before the evening service began. After some opening songs and talking, Pastor Maxeau surprised me by asking me to stand up while everyone else was sitting. Then, the whole congregation sang "Happy Birthday" to me! It was slightly awkward, but since it was so sweet, I just enjoyed the blessing. Seriously, when does your whole church sing to you, let alone a church in Haiti?

Finally, the long day was over, and we walked to our room in the dark.

Day 4 was a good one.

In the morning, I saw people on a hill praying. 

The conference. 

Barbara speaking with our translator, Ginette.

Beth speaking. 

A girl at the conference.

It looks like some people have enjoyed making math problems on the church benches. 

A cute boy. 

Magdalin talking. She was a really sweet Haitian woman that had lived in the U.S. for several years. 

A beautiful young lady.

Erica coloring with the children. 

Two girls from a girls orphanage were there. This is Nehemie coloring. 

Farmers across the street from the church. 

Eating lunch/dinner in the hot, fly-infested kitchen. 

The girl on the right is Midlin. She is an old friend of mine. 

Another orphanage girl, Yoline, by the "river."

Hanging out by the river. 

Erica and Kendal enjoying the quiet moments of the cooler part of the day. 

A girl watching us from the school building.