The journey begins. Haiti Day 1.

By the time you read this I will either be in an airplane 37000 feet about the earth or on the ground in Haiti. Today is the day that I leave behind my expectations about Haiti and instead trade them for reality.

When I originally wrote this this, it was less than two days before I left (I finished it up on the plane somewhere over Green Bay, Wisconsin, as my plane was rerouted due to intense storms in the area thus leaving me only 30 minutes to grab my connecting flight in Miami). And my heart is doing those little flips of nervous excitement. I know my life, my perspective, and my heart won’t be the same. And I am so thrilled to share about my journey with you via my site.

I am grateful for every single email that you have sent me. For the comments. For the tweets. For the facebook mentions. And all of those encouraging words. They matter to me.

I think often when I write this site, this labor of love for me, that I write to myself just as much to all of you. The phrase brave mother wasn’t by accident. It’s exactly where I am, as well, in this journey of life. For too long I’ve lived cowering behind safe and have been afraid to truly embrace life and joy and hope and adventure.

This trip to Haiti is a lesson in bravery for me.

I could say it’s because I’m flying alone. And navigating the airport alone. Or that it’s because I’m not really sure what to expect. Or that the whole thing makes me nervous. Those reasons, yeah, they’re brave. But the real brave for me is being willing to push myself to do something that years ago I would have told you was impossible.

It’s easy to shrug our shoulders and to mutter those I don’t really care kind of words. I’ve done that. I’ve lived that way, with that posture of deceiving myself into not really caring kind of way. But, now hear me, that’s not how we’re to live. We’re not to live numb to life. Even though sometimes it’s easier to live that way. I know.

But when you dim the painful parts of life you also dim joy.

And joy is too powerful and too beautiful to let fade.

So, for me, going to Haiti is also a fight for that real, in the pit of the stomach, joy. It’s not about me getting. It’s about me learning, letting go, and giving. And I know in return that the blessings I will receive will far surpass anything I ever expected.

As a blessing to me I’d love it if you would share my Haiti journey with others. It’s a tremendous blessing that Praying Pelican Missions asked me to attend a trip on their behalf and to write about it. But, I need your help and support now. Comment. Share. Learn more about Praying Pelican Mission. And learn about Haiti with me. When I come home I’m going to have a project that you and I and the next mom reading this site will be able to work for. We might be able to build a school. Imagine that. Build a school for kids. Or sponsor kids to attend school. Those things matter. They make a difference.

So now, now as you read this, think of me, please. Send your encouragement. Prayers. Thoughts.

And be brave yourself.

Because if anything when you read this site I want you to shut your laptop and to leave feeling brave. Inspired. And knowing that this life is a gift and that what you are doing every single day is amazing.

Thank you.

Rachel
(and that last pic of me was about 10 minutes for my plane took off for Miami. Grin.)

******
To stay up to date with my Haiti Trip make sure to: subscribe by email (click subscribe by email ) You can also follow me on facebook -> finding joy blog or on twitter @finding_joy or on instagram at finding_joy You can also search the hashtag #findingjoyhaiti on instagram to find my pics right away.

Make sure to follow Praying Pelican Mission on their facebook page Praying Pelican Missions and on twitter at PrayingPelican To learn more about Haiti please read Haiti Short-Term Missions.

to receive finding joy via email simply click subscribe.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.