Dad's Do It Different

Tonight after dinner I was doing some laundry in our garage/laundry room while Chris and Nora were playing with two worms that were in the driveway.  It had just poured and they were escaping the flooded street. "That's the biggest one I've EVER seen!" said Nora.  Her father's response: "Why don't you eat it?"  Saying this to a child who puts absolutely everything in her mouth was really not a dare, but more of a suggestion.  Luckily the kid showed a glimmer of reason and declined.  So Chris threw a worm at me and then put one in Nora's hair.  We all took turns holding them and making them jump and then I distributed the hand sanitizer and headed inside to lay down.  That's how I left them.  A few minutes later, Chris calls into the house for me to come outside because Nora has something she wants to show me.  What I found was further evidence that dad's just do things differently.

Now I like to think I'm a pretty fun, hands-on mom, but running around and dunking my head in the overflowing storm water is not something I have considered doing recently.

Letting my daughter run around in her soaking wet PJ shirt and diaper in the middle of the street isn't at the top of my list either.  This was one of those many times that I was especially thankful that Nora has a parent like him to balance out a parent like me.  Forget how gross it seems, she was having a blast.

Nora gets her arts and crafts, dance party, pretend fun with me and then she has her dad to fill in the blanks with an abundance of outdoorsy activities that every little toddler girl needs in her life.  

When he isn't taking her to Home Depot's kids craft day, you can find them skinny dipping in the pool, emptying out the tool bucket and tuning up her tricycle, or possibly mowing the lawn.  

Chris has always wanted a daughter and he enriches her life in ways that I can't.

She can pull a tape like the best of them.  

She can spot poo like nobody's business.

And she's mastering the art of pool surfing.

He even taught Nora how to feed fresh saliva to the koi at the Japanese steak house. 

She became so good at it, she taught her Papa.

Happy Father's Day to the Yin to my Yang.  

A big "Thank You" to the guy who does all the things with our daughter that I just don't feel like doing.

PERSPECTIVE

   Last fall (sorry I am slacker on the blog posts) I was given the opportunity to go to Haiti where I worked alongside two other guys to build a home for a Haitian pastor who lost his in the 2010 earthquake. I had asked the Lord to provide an opportunity to serve an unmet need as I felt him calling me to get more involved. I have had  the opportunity to travel to several countries, but Haiti is the poorest I have ever visited. We worked and stayed near Port-Au-Prince where the roads are in poor condition, you don't walk anywhere after dark, trash is literally everywhere, there is little clean water, and overall terrible living conditions. Many Haitians get by on one meal a day, they have very little skills and education....and it has been this way for a long time. There is also a very strong presence of Voodoo in Haiti. Please be praying for this nation as there are so many needs! Despite the dire circumstances Haitians face, the Lord is indeed working in Haiti and I am blessed to have been a small part of His big plan. After completing the home we were able to dedicate it to Pastor Oerick and his wife. We prayed with them and presented them with two framed bible verses to hang in their new home. Their emotions ran high and they were overwhelmed by this gift. Pastor Oerick prayed in Creole and although I could not understand the words he spoke, they gave off a powerful presence.... and as we stood there together, it was evident the Lord was with us. 

The house was designed and built to withstand both hurricanes and earthquakes. 

(Mrs. Oerick picked out the color...bright colors are very popular in Haiti.)

The organization I joined for this trip was the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism...or ABWE. The goal of this group it to provide housing and/or a church for local pastors with needs. By providing them a home they are better equipped to run their ministry and reach out to their local community with the Love of Christ.

A typical sight in Haiti....a home built by unskilled labor with no engineering. Haitians believe by pouring solid concrete roofs over concrete block the home is structurally strong to resist natural disasters. The problem is there is no foundation and the structures collapse like a pancake. This is why so many die during earthquakes.

Left to right

Glen from Ohio...a home builder, baker, and big time snorer. Dave from Michigan....our team leader, a life long missionary, and a master negotiator for Haitian goods. Chris....the youngest by twenty five years, the cook, and the dishwasher.

 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Acts 20:35

During our time in Haiti we were given several opportunities to share Christ's love with others and through the use of creole tracts share the story of salvation as well. There is much work to be done in this country, but God is certainly alive and has positioned workers to join the harvest.

Please keep Haiti in your prayers and if you are ever open to serving joining an ABWE team is a great way to start.

 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”  Psalm 127:1

 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.”  1 Timothy 15:1