Where do I start. It has been a long time since I shared some personal thought about my life. Life is hard. Really hard sometimes. So I tend to keep all my thoughts and feelings to myself. I am going to try to began sharing some more. We will see how that goes. So let’s start with something easy. Or maybe not so easy 🙂
I have 4 children. One is grown and lives in the USA. He is in the US Marines. Two other boys close in age and a girl that will be double digits this year. We live in a rural village in Haiti. You have to travel on a rough rocky dirt road to arrive in the village. If you take the short road you drive through a riverbed to get here. The long road is more dirt and rocks. It is dusty most days. We deal with a lot of sickness and sometimes death. We get to see the sick become well. We get to see prayers answered. We get to see kids to young die of neglect and hunger. We get to experience all the up and downs of life her but it is beautiful here and we love it.
We live in a small 2 bedroom apartment above the medical clinic. There are always people in the yard and we don’t have much of a private life. We have adjusted over the year to this and enjoy our lives. We have electric 24/7 and running water most of the time. We eat rice and beans 7 days a week and no one minds. I don’t know how my kids will adjust to stateside food. They love eating goat and finding crabs and shrimp in the river that runs right in front of our home. They love street food and fresh citrus juice. They love pumpkin soup and if we are honest enjoy cat as well. (not me).
My heart hurts that my oldest son does not write more and has not returned to visit his home land. I never want my kids to forget this great country and our little village of Cazale. The people here have always treated my kids well and with respect. My kids in return do the same. They hold US passports but consider themselves Haitian and prefer to be called that. They have found a way to live a happy live that is very basic and simple. They play soccer daily and sometimes basketball. Henley enjoys rapping and Trey doing DJ stuff. Ameyah likes to play with her friend, braid hair and cook greasy street food.
Henley will be leaving at the end of this school year to do his last year of high school in the USA. He is excited about the move but also freaking out a bit at the same time. How do you go from being home schooled your whole life and living in the little village to doing high school in the USA? How do you leave your best friends and family? All these thought are going through his head and mine as well. But I also know it will be good for him.
How do you let them go? How do you trust that you have done the best you can? It is hard to let all of them go but I know I must. I know Henley’s heart and he is a good person that loves life. He loves God. He loves his family. I pray that God will continue to hold him close to Him and guide him in his decisions bit or small in his life. Near of far I will be with him each step of the way.
All the pictures in the post were taken by Henley right here in our area. These are several waterfalls that he and his friend have been exploring over the last several months. Some of them are easy to get to and some he said are very hard and have a lot of climbing to get to them. They love going and taking a whole afternoon to swim and find these new places so close to our home. So much beauty here you just have to look for it.
Comments(10)
Sharel says
January 14, 2020 at 1:31 pm😭😭😭😭 Wish you were sending him to me !!! I would love him and squeeze him and pray over him and try my best to keep him in love with Haiti.
Hettie Ward says
January 14, 2020 at 1:45 pmI loved your words as a momma. We have been to Real Hope several times and understand the wonderful life giving ministry that you all do for Haiti. I hope Henley will love his senior year in the states. Love and prayers to you all. The Mike Ward Family
Rob Roberts says
January 14, 2020 at 1:50 pmLicia, l enjoyed reading about your family and remember my visit to Cazale many years ago when your ministry was in its infancy. You and your family have done a great work and blessed the lives of many people. Great is your reward in Heaven ! May the Lord continue to bless you and your siblings as you serve Him.
Taila says
January 14, 2020 at 2:14 pmThank you for sharing, Licia! Haiti is beautiful indeed and you have a beautiful family! These pictures turned out great too, way to go Henley!
Brad Brizendine says
January 14, 2020 at 2:22 pmLicia, you have done a wonderful job showing your children the love of Jesus… along with extraordinary devotion to their wellbeing. You’ve lived a sacrificial life in service of the King, publicly walked your message and displayed an exemplary heart of love for the lost and hurting. Myself, Joan and many others are honored to have known you and your entire family over these 30+ years. Your children will indeed “rise up and called you blessed”. (Prov. 31:28)
We love you deeply, Licia
Susan McAnelly says
January 14, 2020 at 6:30 pmI love that you are reaching out to us and inviting us into your life. You are one selfless person who loves God and I deeply admire that.
You will see that your kids will blossom into
people that in one sense you always knew they would and in another sense into people you never imagined. One thing is for sure they are all wonderful and a gracious gift from God.
Steve Eckart says
January 15, 2020 at 7:23 amThank you so much fir sharing your heart. It is an open window to what real life is in your real hope ministry. We love you guys and pray for you regularly.
Stephanie says
January 15, 2020 at 1:12 pmYour love for God, your family, the country and people of Haiti has always inspired me. Thank you for finding and sharing the beautiful in the hard. Our oldest child leaves home to return stateside in May, and it weighs heavy on my heart even while I am convinced it is time to spread her wings. Praying for you as I send this post. God bless you.
Katie Meyer says
January 16, 2020 at 12:02 pmThis is the heartache of mammas. You have great kids who will likely have a much better grasp on the workings of the world than most American raised kids. Maybe they will be able to help our kids to better understand. <3
Tish says
January 18, 2020 at 9:01 pmYou, your sister, Casey and entire family have been nothing but an incredible witness of what it means to serve God with everything you have. The love, dedication, courage, honor and selflessness that you have shown not only to Christ but to your kids is beyond words. I only wish I had he courage to live the life you have lived. Hang in there, your kids will soar and sooner or later come to fully respect and admire what you have sacrificed.