I can't believe how long it's been since I sat down to update. A couple of months for sure. I guess that moving the family to a new country and trying to settle has been taking up all my moments. But alas, I found just a bit of time to write!
We've been living in Haiti for about 4 months now. The adjustment time has ebbed and flowed and thankfully I haven't experienced anything so severe that I want to pack up and leave. Actually, I don't know of anything that would make me want to pack and move again right now! :) I am definitely at the point of total excitement to enjoy the beauty and wonder of this island anyways! There is SO much to explore from caves, to waterfalls, underground lakes, beautiful hikes and gorgeous beaches and surf. Not to mention the beautiful and kind people here. Haitians are absolutely resilient and creative. I'm learning creole and love to see their smiles when I get it right! :)
Today we got our van which actually arrived here 3 months ago. Yes, that was a long 3 months. And yes 8 of us have sardined ourselves into a 5 seater pick up to go everywhere. And sometimes, even a dog was in there with us. So the rides were just interesting. But as the Lord so often does, He gave us constant reminders to be thankful for that pick up we were riding in. The pick up that has A/C, that has tinted windows to block a bit of the hot Caribbean sun, and the radio we could listen to if we wanted. And to be thankful that it was our own family sitting on our laps and taking all the space. Because every single day, we drive along with tap-taps filled overflowing with people. Car rides so full that back bumpers are nearly dragging on the ground as they drive. The heat can be unbearable sometimes and these people literally sit on each other and are squeezed so tightly together, just to get to where they have to go. Sweating. Can you imagine? And they have to PAY money for that ride! Or if you have a little bit more money, you can hop on the back of a motorcycle taxi which is a lot faster to get around and a little more spacious. Often though, you'll see 3 or even 4 people on a motorcycle which obviously isn't advised. :)
So all that to say, the 5 seater pick up was AWESOME! And maybe you see how incredibly wonderful it is to receive our own ginormous van today!
I'm thankful and confident that we heard clearly from the Lord about moving here. That single handedly is the most comforting thing for me whenever I do experience difficulty here. I know we have purpose here and that helps ease whatever discomforts we come across.
So what does life look like for us? Well, now that we've been living in our house for about 2 months, we're finally getting into a routine. Monday-Friday, I homeschool Stella and casually school Naya who is in preschool. We're still working on coordinating school hours and naps and normal life into a schedule that works. Theo is gone at whatever work sites he and his father have contracts for. Monday nights are designated to be "Marriage Monday" where Theo and I try to be intentional about serving our marriage. We like to listen to a sermon on marriage, husband and wife roles, etc. Fridays are "Family Fun Night" which obviously is the girls' favorite night. We like to watch a movie together, play a game, eat goodies, etc. Theo has also been invited to play soccer at his old school on Friday nights. This is in part, to disciple and mentor some of the high school athletes that play. The rest of us join him at the school where there is a playground for the girls to play and their cousins who live across the street join in to play too.
Saturday as always, is prep day for church. We are now in full swing of house church and we have a handful of English speaking foreigners who attend each week. There is word of several others who are also interested and will hopefully join in soon as well. This one day a week is the bulk of why we felt led to come here. To 'feed the sheep.' The 'sheep' are those who are already believers in Jesus and we feel the call to help edify and serve them while in this country. Pray for us as we build relationships with new people and some of Theo's old friends here.
In a chain of events starting with us moving into our current house, we also now feel led to open our home for our friends living in the states and abroad who will be coming to Haiti. We will not be running a team or guest house from here. We simply want to use our extra bedrooms to host our most loved friends and visitors for a small donation.
Our desire is to share the experience of Haiti with all those who have loved us and poured into our lives...and for friends of those friends. :) The vision is for a homey, family friendly and welcoming atmosphere while visiting or working in Haiti. Whether it's your own family, a couple of friends, or a small church group wanting to come to Haiti and need a place to crash, we'll host you! For $60 a night, you will get a comfy and clean bed, 24/7 electricity {that's a luxury here!}, wifi, laundry service if needed, AND a great breakfast, lunch and dinner. We can accommodate airport pick up and drop off for a small price {for gas} as well.
We've had about 15 guests stay with us within our 2 months of living here and we love it! Please contact us via facebook or email if you'd like to stay with us. For security purposes, we are only accepting friends or direct personal referrals to camp with us. :)
We so sincerely thank all of our friends and family who have and continue to pray for us and the work the Lord has called us to in Haiti. There is absolutely nothing like the prayer and love of the Body of Christ, and the friendship of the like-minded is definitely cherished.
If you would like to support us, you can do so easily through The Malachi Network.
Go to www.malachinetwork.org. Click DONATE, then scroll down to our name {Steinhauer} under the 'CHOOSE YOUR MISSIONARY' option.
We also have PAYPAL if you prefer immediate and non-tax deductible donation, under the email theosteinhauer@yahoo.com
Love & Blessings,
The Steinhauers
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