Angels in My Dreams

I had a dream last night that I was back in Haiti, back at God's Littlest Angels and holding my babies again. They were bigger and chubbier and beautiful. I kissed them and hugged them and smelled them again.

It was heavenly.

Before and After

A conversation I had today got me thinking about how far I've come in my life, particularly in the last six years. And, since the children of Haiti are ever-present in my heart, mind, and soul I immediately linked my journey to theirs. In a way they are the same, in another way they are so different.
Sometimes we don't know how broken we are until we are healed.
That is my story.
I didn't know how broken I was, until I began to heal. I didn't realize how far I've come until today, when I revisited my "before."
These children have been broken and are healing, but their journey has been painfully, glaringly obvious. They could not hide their ribs, sunken cheeks, lifeless eyes, and weak limbs. They could not hide their devastation - they had to heal in front of the world.
Like me, these children did heal, they did change, they did persevere. It tears at my heart to see their "before" pictures because I want to think of them only as "afters." We can't ignore their journey, or the journey of the thousands of others that are struggling to heal at this moment.
Everyone has a "before" and an "after."
For some of us, it's a journey of character.
For others, it's a journey of survival.

              Before                        After                                                   

Please don't forget them.

I can't.

~Emily

"God is closest to those with broken hearts..."

I've been back from Haiti for more than two weeks and still...when I look at my pictures my heart aches for these children. These babies that wrapped their little fingers around mine and nestled their soft curly hair into my neck. These babies who loved me simply because I held them, because I loved them too. I can't explain how empty my arms are without them. Before I went to Haiti, I didn't realize this space in my heart existed until those children placed their love there and now that I am home, I am not sure how to fill it again.
God is still moving mountains in my heart, two weeks later. Big changes are occurring, and a new future is emerging for me. Change is never easy - my heart is breaking and healing at the same time. God is so good.
~Emily

Things I Learned in Haiti

Here are some things I learned in Haiti...some serious, some not so much:

~Termites leave dust behind, that's how you know they're there.
~Plantains are good with brown sugar on top.
~You can see if pants will fit without trying them on by wrapping the waist band around your neck.
~If you are baking mac & cheese and don't have bread crumbs for the top, corn flakes will work.
~Pretend sneezing is hilarious to a baby!
~Hit a cabinet door before you open it to make the critters scatter.
~Gastrolyte is your friend if you're dehydrated.
~Cold showers aren't as bad as they sound.
~Bed bugs really do exist.
~Love at first sight exists too.
~I'm not the only one in the world who loves Seventh Heaven.
~You can fry toast in a pan if your toaster is broken.
~Adding vanilla to powdered milk makes it taste sooo much better!
~You can make french toast with cloves instead of cinnamon if you have to.
~Being the minority is a truly unique experience.
~There is MUCH love in the world.
~Your heart can be broken and healed at the same time.
~I am blessed to have a family.

:)
Emily

Video Slideshow

I have put together a slideshow (complete with music!) of my time in Haiti. I tried to email it to everyone but it didn't work (it said it was too big) so I had to remove the kids' real names and post it on here. If you are dying to know their real names I'll be happy to share them with you, just leave your email address in the comments section or email me! Hope you enjoy. It makes me cry every time I watch it!
Love, Emily

Coming back up...

I can't believe I've already been back from Haiti for a week! The first few days I was home felt like a heavy blanket was covering me. I felt so down and so moved by what I had seen in Haiti. It's not an easy place to live, but it's not easy to leave either. I didn't realize how hard and fast I would fall for those children. I didn't realize how it would forever change the way I saw everything. Being in Haiti made me feel so small - how on Earth can I possibly make a difference in the world when it's so BIG and I'm so SMALL? I haven't yet figured out what the lesson is that I'm supposed to get there. But I do know that Haiti's people are no longer a nameless, faceless entity - Haiti's people are alive and breathing and a permanent fixture in my heart. I have been changed as a result of this trip and I believe there are more changes in store. Even after you leave Haiti, God continues to work on your heart as a result.

I miss holding "my" babies and my greatest hope and prayer is that soon, their forever families will know the love and joy that holding them brings.
Emily

I hear rain and singing...

As I'm writing there is a dramatic thunderstorm going on outside, bringing in cool air that feels heavenly. Haiti is HOT and STICKY! I also hear singing, as the older children who live at GLA are trying to keep themselves occupied and the little ones unafraid by singing as loud as possible :) These people sing all the time - while they wash their clothes in tubs, while they beat rugs on the balcony, while they prepare dinner. It's awesome.
Yesterday (Saturday) was a day off and we took a trip to the beach. On the way there we saw entire cities made from tents, a truck overturned in a ditch, goats, pigs, donkeys, chickens, dogs, piles of burning trash, and SO MANY PEOPLE.  The beach was a side of Haiti I've never seen on tv-absolutely beautiful. Indescribable blue water, palm trees with coconuts hanging from them, and gorgeous views. It was a little piece of heaven in such a hurting country and I felt so fortunate to have seen that part of Haiti as well.
Today is Sunday so we had church - I wasn't feeling well so I stayed in and slept most of the day (I think the Haiti sun got to me a little bit - I was a little dehydrated but I am feeling a little better tonight, thank God). We watched a movie and I made dinner tonight and now, as I said, I am listening to singing and raindrops and feeling very grateful for the cool air I feel coming in the door. Hopefully I will feel totally better tomorrow and ready to hold some babies again!
Emily

My first post in Haiti

I arrived this morning at 9:20. Was more nervous this morning than I have been since...don't know when. Maybe when I moved to England, sight unseen?! More so, I think.

The airport in Port Au Prince is unlike any I've seen - small and packed with people and HOT (we were inside a metal storage type building with no a/c for immigration, customs, and baggage claim.) Then the part I was the most nervous about - leaving the airport and finding my driver. I started to walk outside and was asked by one person after another if they could give me a ride. I repeated "non merci" about fifty times I think! One particularly persistent guy followed me all the way until I finally saw my person who was to take me to my ride. Anyway... the driver was nice but didn't really speak english at all - we had very limited conversation but I was too distracted by the scenery. I've never in my life seen what I've seen today. I am thankful to God not only for keeping me safe as I asked Him but for the many, many blessings I continue to be showered with EVERY DAY. I wish I had seen Haiti before the earthquake - some of what I've seen I imagine is a result of that (trash everywhere, shacks, tent cities, roads with giant holes in the middle). I do have to also say how BEAUTIFUL it is here. Huge cliffs, palm trees, flowers, deep valleys, smoke-ringed mountains. It's a beautiful place.

I got to play with several children today, including a 16 month old who is the size of a 7 month old and is working on standing and babbling. I was told he weighed 5 pounds when he was brought in at 1 year of age. He was a sweet boy and I gave him some extra cuddling time this afternoon! I also played with a chunky sweet girl who is working on sitting by herself and also held a TINY baby who is just a few months old. The children are precious and I am looking forward to knowing them better and being able to tell them apart better too!

I'm grateful the internet was working tonight (it hasn't worked all day!) so that I could post. Not sure how often I'll be able to, so don't worry if I don't post or email any of you back. I'll have lots of pictures and stories to share when I return home, I'm sure.

Love, Emily

Getting Ready...

Just a quick update: I've collected $423 in total for my trip! This was in the form of yard sale money, donations, and change I collected in a jar at school. Not bad!
My tickets have been purchased, hotel is reserved for my layover in Miami, shots have been given, Malaria pills have been started, and antibiotics have been picked up (just in case). I have a few things to pick up before I go (batteries, Pepto, etc.) but I am almost ready to go! I will going to Pennsylvania first to drop off Abby the dog and flying out of a teeny airport in Elmira, NY. I am very nervous and very excited! I am pretty sure I will be taking my laptop with me as the orphanage is one of the few places in Haiti with wireless internet! They can't guarantee it will always be working, but I may take my computer just in case. Plus it would be nice to have in the airports and at the hotel as well.
Thanks again to all of you for donations, table borrowing, yard sale clean up, lawn mowing, animal sitting, and anything else I've forgotten here!
Love, Emily

Yard Sale Success!

Well the tables are packed away, the remaining clothes and other things are in boxes awaiting their new home at Goodwill, and I am tired and happy! My total profit from my yard sale was $157, including a generous $40 donation from my new neighbor who, it turns out, is from Haiti! I was once again shown this weekend how many wonderful friends I have here in North Carolina and how truly blessed I am. Thanks to God and the beautiful weather He provided, my sale was a success!
Thanks again to everyone who donated items, tables, and time! It is really appreciated. I couldn't have done it without you.
Emily

Shots and Yard Sale

Got a bunch of shots today - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Pertussis, Tetanus...was very nervous but just kept reminding myself of how fortunate I am to have been born in a country where, not only do I have access to clean, safe healthcare, I have insurance that did end up paying for most of it! Glad it's over - well, until I come back. But then I just have a couple of follow-up Hepatitis shots.
The yard sale is on for Saturday and Sunday! Pray for nice weather and LOTS of customers!
Emily
If you are new to my blog, click here to catch up!

Yard Sale!

So my next attempt to raise money is a yard sale! It's going to be held on Memorial Day weekend on Ross Road in Lillington. I've cleaned up and priced most of the stuff, just a little left to do and some signs to make and I'm ready! Still trying to secure some tables, looks like I've got one big one for sure and possibly two small ones... cross your fingers for me. Don't want to have to put the stuff on the ground! Hopefully I will have lots of customers and make some money to put toward my trip - It's going to cost about $1700 all together!
Thanks for following my journey! If you are new, click here to catch up :)
Emily

Shots

Good news and bad news...the good news is, I found out about my shots. The bad news is, I have to get shots. I hate shots! But I am going to look on the bright side and remember that in many countries in the world, life saving shots are not available and neither is medicine or clean water to drink and I have access to all of those things. So, things are pretty good, considering. I found out I can get my shots at the Health Department, which should be MUCH cheaper than a travel clinic or going to Duke. I have to get the Malaria pills and antibiotics from my doctor, but other than that the Health Dept can do all of the shots. Also, I don't need an appointment AND I can wait until 2 weeks before I leave if I choose. I think I'll get them a little sooner than that though, just to get it over with.
Seven weeks to go!
If you are new to my blog, read this! 

I'm Leavin', On a Jet Plane...

Okay, well not yet. But soon I will be! I bought my tickets on Sunday. I leave on a Tuesday, stay in a hotel in the Miami airport overnight, and leave early the next morning for Haiti. I will be there almost a month, flying back into Elmira, NY with no overnight stay, but 3 different flights that I am already praying will be on time. I thought it would be really scary to buy the tickets but I didn't feel scared at all! I felt like it's the right move for me. I think it is going to change me in ways I can't predict and I am excited (and maybe a little scared) about that. The ticket cost $784, plus the hotel in the airport cost $130, so I have spent a little over $900 already! My room and board will be about $700, plus my shots...ugh. It's a little overwhelming if I think about it too much. So. I am just going to keep praying that the money comes from somewhere! Thank God my parents are watching my girls (cat & dog) or I would have a nice kennel bill to add to that. So THANKS Mom and Dad!!
I am tentatively planning my yard sale for Memorial Day weekend. I'll keep you posted!
Thanks for reading! If you are new to my blog, you can read about my story here.
Emily

New!

My new passport arrived today! Yay! I am getting ready to buy my tickets soon...am still receiving donations in my change jar at school, and getting ready for my yard sale. Hope some money will be divinely provided, or at least the opportunity to raise more money will be divinely provided :) Thanks to everyone who has shown their support. If you are new to my blog, read about my journey here.

Love,
Emily

Progress

Well, it's been almost 2 months since my last post and I'm making some small progress! I sent off for my new passport (the old one wasn't expired yet but it was under my old name and I'm trying to really embrace my new-old name!) Anyway my picture is funky and I have a few more wrinkles than the old pic but as long as they let me out of, and then back into the states, I'm good to go!
I've collected lots of stuff for my yard sale - thanks to Amy, Tara, Jill, Kelly, Mom, Eric, and Peter for your donations. If I left anybody off, I'm sorry! I think I will probably have the sale on Memorial Day weekend, since I haven't been able to determine when Lillington's town wide yard sale is. If anybody knows, let me know ok? Otherwise, it will be Memorial Day weekend, probably both Sat and Sun. If anybody is willing to help, let me know that too! Also, I am looking for a volunteer to mow my lawn once or twice while I'm gone, just so it doesn't look like my house is abandoned. Any volunteers?
In other news, I will have to make my appointment for my shots soon. Lots of shots and I am not looking forward to that part. Still, I would rather get a shot than get sick, so thank God for shots, right?!
As always, if you would like to donate toward my trip I would be VERY grateful! Click here for details.
Lots of love!
Emily

GLA has a new address!

If you are interested in donating towards the cost of my trip, THANK YOU! You can send your donation to the following address:
God’s Littlest Angels

c/o Mrs. Jean Bell
2275 Waynoka Dr Suite D
Colorado Springs, CO 80915

PLEASE be sure to make your check payable to God's Littlest Angels, and CLEARLY mark that it is meant to help pay "for the support of Emily Hume-Vaughan at GLA Haiti in summer 2010."
 
Thanks again!
Emily

Shots and Other Stuff

Some good news... I have put a jar in the workroom at my school and have started collecting loose change. People have even put dollars in there! Very exciting, considering...
Some bad news...I have to pay for all the shots that I need. Insurance will not pay for any of them, because they're considered "elective" since I'm healthy and don't technically need them...yet. (Would they rather pay for the treatement of malaria AFTER I get it? Or Hepatitis? Hmmm) Anyway that will add a little to the total needed.
I am more determined than ever to go, now that they need so much more help than before.  I am trying to raise money any way I can: collecting loose change at school, throwing my own loose change in a jar at home, asking for donations from friends and family, organizing a giant yard sale in the spring, and a few other things. Hopefully all of those efforts will add up to what I need! I believe it is meant for me to go, and therefore the money will come, if I have faith that it will come.
Thank you for reading, hope to have good news again soon!
Emily

Sadness

Please take some time to pray for the people of Haiti, who are trying to put their country back together after a very serious earthquake. According to God's Littlest Angels' web site, no one was hurt at the orphanage but many of the families of the permanent staff are suffering. Please consider praying or even donating to help them rebuild! It is what we would want them to do for us.
Watch a video of Dixie, the orphanage director, here.

Did you hear?

I've sent out emails, I've posted on Facebook, I've told my friends! I am excited about the moral support I am receiving for this trip.  Several friends have already promised to donate money to help me fund my trip to Haiti (see this post for details) and I am praying that my wonderful friends and family continue to support me in this way as well. Please, if you haven't already, feel free to share my blog address with anyone you'd like!
On the fundraising front: I am gathering items to sell at a yard sale in the spring to raise money for the trip. I cleaned out my closets this weekend and now have two large boxes of items! I am hoping for donations of unwanted items from my friends as well.
On the trip front: I had a reminder set for myself for January to start looking into getting the shot's I'll need. Apparently, there are many! Shots are not my favorite thing (not even close) so pray for bravery on my part with that one. :)
Thanks for following my journey, only 6 months and 19 days to go!
Emily