{rice, beans & love}

I would consider myself a dreamer, always dreaming up all sorts of activities and plans that we could have and build here in Haiti. Pretty easy to dream here, when you’re starting with basically nothing. Webert’s favorite phrase, as I tell him another idea, is “Come down, Kayla, come down” – bringing me back to reality. I see a better Haiti in the future, but the hard part is not getting distracted from what the Lord’s future is for Haiti.

We talk so much here. Talk about what we are doing, talk about what we can do, talk about what we will do. We talk and dream up things everyday in this life, but today I’m not only challenging myself to “shut-up” but want to challenge you as well. Challenge ourselves to “femen bousche nou,” shut our mouths, and listen to what the Man upstairs is planning out. I think He is talking to us, talking about a better tomorrow, but we are too busy talking that we forget to “come down” and look up to listen.

Proverbs 20:24 says, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord, How then can any understand his ways?”

And the note for the verse in the footer says, “We are often confused by the events around us. Many things we will never understand; others will fall into place in years to come as we look back and see how God was working. This proverb counsels us not to worry if we don’t understand everything as it happens. Instead, we should trust that God knows what he’s doing, even if his timing or design is not clear.” (NIV, Life Application Study Bible.)

This verse tells me that is okay to dream, and some people are going to call me foolish and think I am crazy anyways. But, this verse also reminds me to dream and walk in the ways of the Lord. So, where exactly is he leading me?

It has led me on this crazy adventure in Haiti, which by the way I’m so blessed by the support I have received from all my followers. But the adventure has led me into so many unknowns, but it has also led me to meet lots of new people from all over the place.

People, who are dreamers, just like me. People who believe in a better tomorrow.

Two and a half years ago I met Briana, a girl from Canada, who I would consider a really good friend today. We have kept in touch via Facebook and e-mails, sharing our own heartaches and sufferings with each other, praying for one another hundreds of miles apart. She’s one of those people I’m so thankful that God crossed my path with.

Several months ago Briana connected me with one of her friends that she also met through Haiti. Sally Philips came to Haiti for the first time for a weeklong mission trip. Her heart broke and she confessed to me that after she went back home she would find her self in the fetal position sobbing, not knowing what she could do for these people. She traveled back to Haiti a few months later, for a month long stay that time. It was during that time when the Lord crossed her path with Briana. They both worked together in a sewing project for that month.

During that month long stay, the Lord revealed His plan to Sally and told her how He wanted her to start a new project here in Haiti that would teach and employ women. I believe Sally had to keep her mouth shut for quite some time before she received the whole plan. Today she has got it though and I’m so excited to tell you about it.

After being introduced to Sally through e-mail, we communicated for several months discussing her dreams and what the Lord was calling her do. We finally met this past month and are now beginning to see what the Lord’s design is for both her project and the mountaintop. Sally’s non-profit is Threads of Kindness and what she hopes to build is a factory that will produce medical scrubs and be shipped internationally. Her program will first teach women how to sew and once they graduate from the program they will then be offered full-time sewing jobs making medical scrubs. Sally has been researching and designing exactly what the demands are for scrubs these days, and she’s confidant in her product.

Her heart and her mission are so similar to both ViBella’s mission and my heart that it is obvious this is the working of the Lord. Who else would put it all together like this? The women who will be employed at Threads of Kindness will hopefully be mothers of children at our school. We want to integrate our programs and I see this happening by mothers dropping their children off at school and then going to work themselves. It’s a beautiful picture: working mothers and children being educated. We are planning for the factory to be built at the back of our school property.

Sally hopes to start with 20-25 women and reach 50 full-time employees, if it is the Lord’s will. Even 20 full-time jobs added to this community will make such a large impact, so I am very excited for the endless possibilities that Threads of Kindness, Vi Bella and the school, together, hold for this community.

So what is standing in our way, you may be wondering now?

The logistics of course. We are still figuring out the shipping, importing and exporting details. We have some leads, but haven’t gotten everything completely figured out quite yet. I guess this is when we need to stay faithful and wait for the Lord’s direction.

How can you get involved?

Threads of Kindness is an established 501(3)c non-profit in the United States, based out of Norman, Oklahoma. Most of the funds have been raised for the building, but they are still looking for support. For more information on Threads of Kindness you can go to their website: www.threadsofkindness.org, their Facebook page: Threads of Kindness or follow them on Twitter @kindthreads. Donations can be made through pay pal on their website or by mailing a check to P.O Box 8 Norman, Oklahoma 73070.

When Webert and I first began dreaming about all the things we would do on the mountaintop, this wasn’t close to anything we thought of. But we have both agreed that is time for us to remain faithful and watch what God is going to do, not what we are going to do. Time for us to close our mouths. Listen. Watch. Be captivated.

We are captivated by the opportunity of Threads of Kindness and we are praying it will come to full. Pray with us as we wait anxiously for all the details to unfold and come together.

“Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”

–Proverbs 19:21