You guys.

I LIVE IN HAITI NOW.

Seriously. I don't think I quite believe it yet.Maybe it will sink in on Thursday when I actually move in to my new place. Maybe it will hit me when I am buying sheets and dishes and towels and cleaning supplies tomorrow. Maybe it will just feel normal to go HOME every day after work. My last post here was almost 2 years ago - February 3, 2017. That is 634 days. That is 1 year, 8 months and 27 days. A lot happens in 634 days. Really, a lot can happen in 14 days, or even 1 day.From the moment I step off of the plane in Haiti, I feel more at home than anywhere else I've been. Even the air hitting my lungs feels beautiful.The guesthouse I am staying at is lovely - they feed me breakfast each morning, there are plants thriving everywhere, and the staff is friendly.  At the same time, I am so ready to have my own space, to relax, unpack, cook my own food, and have my own schedule. I have been pretty creative with my suppers, as I didn't want to pay restaurant prices every day for the duration of my stay at the guesthouse. Delicious, but I am ready for REAL suppers.  It's been a long road getting here. I've been doing so much reflecting over the last week, and maybe that is why it doesn't quite feel real - I have worked towards and dreamt of this day for 8 long years. In my last blog post, I wrote:

I am committing to having houseplants.I have a job that I really enjoy (for the most part).I get to see my family more than just once a year.I have art on my walls, music in my speakers, so many books that need to be read, and so many notebooks waiting to be filled.And still, I am SO looking forward to the day that I can write “I’m moving to Haiti!” on a page just like this.(If my dreams aren’t scary and stressful, I am not real committed to them. Can “overwhelmed” be my safe state of being?)

 And here we are - I HAVE MOVED TO HAITI.I have an apartment.I am learning this area.I GET TO create therapeutic recreation programming and treatment for kids in Haiti.I GET TO be part of a medical facility that is committed to keeping families intact.I GET TO be a part of real life in Haiti. I could not ask for much more than this.I know this is not easy work - the stories of these kids don't always end happily. That is the reality of such severe malnutrition. AND I GET TO be a part of this team fighting against malnutrition. This is better than anything I could have dreamed up myself.This challenges me to have beautiful, audacious goals - anything I can think up CAN NOT be too big for God. His plans ALWAYS make my dreams and ideas seem small.

audacious

/ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/

adjective1.showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks."a series of audacious takeovers"synonyms: bold, daring, fearless, intrepid, brave, unafraid, unflinching, courageous, valiant, valorous, heroic, dashing, plucky, daredevil, devil-may-care, death-or-glory, reckless, wild, madcap2.showing an impudent lack of respect."he made an audacious remark"synonyms: impudent, impertinent, insolent, presumptuous, forward, cheeky, irreverent, discourteous, disrespectful, insubordinate, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, unmannerly, mannerless, rude, crude, brazen, brazen-faced, brash, shameless, pert, defiant, bold, bold as brass, outrageous, shocking, out of line

 Friends, this is what my dreams have been make of - and I would not be where I am right now without all the people who have encouraged me and believed in me. This is a pretty beautiful world, and a pretty beautiful life I GET TO live.Thank you, and I love you. <3Teri-Ann  PS - For anyone interested in supporting me financially:You can support me through GoFundMe --> HEREOR through Middle Ground (and get a US tax receipt!) --> HERE