lots of changes

When I look at this blog, I am amazed at how much can change in one year. I am getting married....on April 17, 2010....to a woman who is a gift that shares my heart for Haiti. Here's how we met...

In early July (2009), Josh, Clay and I went to eat supper at Applebees. We don't usually go to Applebees to eat, but it was a good decision on this particular day. After being seated, I was relieved to find out that we had a good-looking waitress...I hate getting the chubby, friendly guys. While eating, I mentioned several times that our waitress was cute....hot.....smokin' hot.....you know. To top it off, her name was Vanessa....sexy name.

We enjoyed the meal. We laughed....we enjoyed the food....we paid our bill. Clay worked at Applebees sometime ago, so he casually told me that this Vanessa girl was pretty cool. Though in time, he must have been annoyed with my frequent comments about our hot waitress (ugg, newlyweds are so monogamous...lol), so he said, "Why don't you just ask for her number, Mark?" My exact response was, "Nah, what's the point? What's the odds of a girl like that wanting to move to Haiti?"

Clay thinks for a moment. Then Clay remembers something that may have changed the course of history....ok, at least my history. Clay says, "Wait a minute. She's been to Haiti. I gave her money to go to Haiti. You guys need to talk." Eventually, Vanessa came back to offer our lingering table some more drinks. Clay told her that I have been to Haiti and that we should talk about it. I asked Vanessa some general questions about Haiti and within a minute she told me that she wants to move to Haiti to start a girls orphanage. Pure craziness. At this point, Josh and Clay started to laugh. The connection was too perfect. So...I figured Vanessa needed my Creole language learning program, so that was my door to get her phone number :). And she gave it to me.

That was in early July. The past months have been some of the best days of my life. She is a smokin' hot girl that loves the Lord....pretty dynamic combo.

since Feb

Wow....it's amazing how much can change in 6 months or so. I am now living in Winona Lake, Indiana and working for Lifeline Youth and Family Services. I'm enjoying life and my job and sense that my current job will be excellent preparation for my work in Haiti.

My goal is to work for 4 - 5 years and save enough money to buy a home and vehicle in Haiti. I have also began to study Creole since my last posting. I've spent over 100 hours with a language learning program called BYKI, which stands for before you know it. It is excellent software that has been a tremendous help.

God is blessing me....I look forward to our next post....

life at home

Much has happened since my last blog. I have returned to the U.S. and have decided to return to university admissions, preferrably in the Columbus, Ohio region. I am living with my eldest sister, Debi, and her family. I am blessed to be able to spend time with them and take my time in looking for a job. The economy is in recession, but I trust God will provide when/if he desires.

My goals in life? (Thanks for asking.) My plan is to spend time working and adding value to an admissions team for several years. I would like to save a substantial amount of money and return to Haiti to buy a home and adopt children. There are so many orphans in haiti. Haiti's population is about 9 million, and 300,000 of those people are orphaned children. I realize that I cannot help all of them, but I hope to radically change the lives of a few of them. Not by money and americanism, but by hope and love.

I am so thankful for the things I learned in Haiti. I will return with a knowledge of the country and a confidence that I can navigate the systems and culture. My time home has (so far) been one of spiritual challenges and hardship. I've had to come to grips with sin in my past and reconcile those issues with the person I am and hope to be. I am thankful that the love of Jesus is greater than all my sins.