I went to Haiti for the first time in July 2010 right after the earthquake hit and fell in love with the people and the nation of Haiti. I then went back the next summer and led my first team through Saddleback Church. I have since maintained relationships with both my translators, Ostanel and Manno and have also stayed in touch with Pastor Previllon who is the Pastor and "Father" of the orphanage we worked with both summers called, "Swamp Kids." I have always desired to go back to Haiti and the Lord has really impressed on my heart that the time is now. I truly want to make good use of my time on earth and live everyday poured out for the Gospel. The Lord is worthy of it all and I have come to a place in my life and walk with the Lord where I am not going to wait around for stuff to happen or come to me. I am going to use all that He has given me and run with it. I have His Spirit inside me, His Word in front of me, and a world that needs to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. What better time? Why wait? I desire so strongly to see every nation know the saving love and grace of His Son and worship Him in return. Will you help me on this journey? Will you come alongside me in this heart cry and support me?
I will be leading a team of 10 people to Port-au Prince, Haiti from August 6-14, 2014 and will need to raise $1,300. We will be partnering with the same translator, orphanage, and church as before in 2010 & 2011. We also will simply do any ministry that needs to be done! Both Ostanel and Manno are on the frontlines of ministry & aid in Haiti and wherever they need help or the simple light of Christ, we will go. Any door the Lord opens, we will walk in. But I can't do this without you. I know the Lord will provide money, whether it be through thin air or through you. I have seen Him provide in crazy ways but I love that we all get to partner together in bringing His light to dark places. I love that even though you won't physically be on this trip with me, you can spiritually and emotionally be there with me. Without your financial and prayer support I can't go to Haiti. Missionaries can't do the things they do without people like you. What a joy to be able to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth from exactly where you are! What a blessing to be able to give to the Body of Christ! Would you consider financially partnering with me on this journey? It is so much more than me going to Haiti. It is about the love of Christ being extended to people and children who may have never experienced it. It is about Jesus being displayed in a tangible way. It is about Him receiving all glory, honor, and praise. I would be so blessed by your willingness to come alongside me. If you can't donate financially, know that your prayers are richer to me than any dollar amount. I am so thankful for them and I am so thankful for you. Any amount of money helps, don't think any donation is too small. The Lord knows your heart and sees your willingness and will bless you for giving out of the abundance He has given you. May the Lord continue to bless you, keep you, and cause His face to shine upon you. Please, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me at lindsay@traveltheroad.com - Many blessings!
In Him,
Lindsay Kulick
Garret Yancey's Support Letter - 2015
Dear Friends and Family,
I’m proud to announce that I will be returning to Haiti for my second missions trip at the Espwa Kids orphanage in Bon Repos, Haiti. The Lord had shown me great things during my last trip and brought me to a place of complete abandon in regards to both material wealth and comforts. He also brought me to a place where I care more about others than I ever have before and more about pleasing and honoring God with my life. The orphanage is in a season of upgrade right now; a wall exists around the perimeter that never did before and a bathroom is being built for the kids as well. The kids also receive education thanks to donations through Awaken Hope’s website which is the organization I’ll be going down to Haiti with once again. Awaken Hope sponsors the Espwa Kids orphanage and raises funds for their education as well as employs local Haitians to do jobs such as translating, hosting, and building. Our goal is to help the locals and kids get on their feet by using what we have to equip them to one day use what they have to bless others.
I personally have felt a calling for quite sometime now, even before going to Haiti, for missions in general. After going to Haiti however, I felt specifically called there for this season in my life. I personally love these kids and have a heart for orphans, it’s just so sad to see these kids live in the conditions that they do. They deserve better, much better, and deserve to experience the love of Christ and me going down there along with my team becomes a conduit for that love. I will be going with some of the same people and some new people as well from July 15-23 and I couldn’t be more excited.
The trip is going to cost me $1600 and I cannot afford it because I do have bills that I need to take care of and will have to take some time off work without pay. Regardless, I am stepping out in faith and I know that the Lord will provide the finances for this trip because I know that me going to Haiti again is His will and I want to be obedient to that. Would you please consider coming alongside me both financially and prayerfully as I go on this journey and expedition of ministry and love? A favorite verse of mine is James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” The first trip definitely separated me from the world more than I ever thought possible and this next trip will definitely separate me even more. It is an honor to visit and love these kids and the people of Haiti. Thank you for you support, prayers, and love. With out all of you trips like this would be impossible but of course with God all things are possible.
In Him,
Garrett Yancey
Leslie's Support Letter - 2015
Beloved Friends and Family,
I hope you are doing well. I wanted to tell you a little bit about what has been going on in my life since my return home from Haiti. As you may know I had the opportunity to serve at an orphanage in Port-au Prince, Haiti. The kids I encountered have all left a special mark in my heart. God placed it on our hearts to start a non-profit organization. We are in the process of obtaining our 501-c3 tax ID number and are taking as many trips as possible to Haiti to really build a good foundation for our non-profit, Awaken Hope. We launched our website for Awaken Hope this past summer and are currently trying to get all our kids sponsored monthly to cover their school fees. Our mission statement is to see hope awakened in the lives of orphans through love, joy, discipleship, education, and meeting their basic needs so they can grow and thrive in a relationship with Jesus Christ. We realized we wanted to give these children more than just our time once a year. I personally realized a lot about my life, it reassured me of things I desire to do and passions I have for my life. I realized how beautiful adoption would look like in my life and how it's something I really want to encounter and continue to grow in. Haiti has given me purpose. It wrecked my life, shattered it to pieces, and put it back together way more beautifully than it was before.
"I flew eight hours and drove forty minutes in a tap tap taxi truck to get to the orphanage in Port-Au Prince Haiti. After seeing many goats and children giggling and running towards our truck, we finally made it. It was a tiny orphanage built with cement. I saw the children all sitting outside, singing to us in Creole. I had no idea what they were singing but I had butterflies. I got out of the car and the children ran towards me with smiles. They haven't had anyone visit them in years. There was one little boy specifically, Dawens Jean, looking me in the eye from afar. Our eyes instantly met and everything else blurred out, nothing seemed to matter anymore. He ran towards me and I ran toward him with open arms. It was as if his whole life he had been waiting for this moment, it was as if he had been waiting for me. I hugged him and wept. I knew my life would never be the same after that day."
These trips take faith. That everything will work together for our good. We rely on mustard seeds of faith, to believe that great things will happen on these missions. That God will have favor for us and keep us under His wing. At the orphanage we have a saying, "Let hope arise." In the midst of the poverty and the lives these children live, they have so much faith and hope that it’s simply inspiring. I love to serve people and being at the orphanage and serving these children reassured me of my passion: to save and change the world. But as time has gone I've learned that I will not change the world, Jesus will do that. I can however, change the world for one person. I can change the world for these children at this orphanage. And if at least one of these children sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute and every dollar. In fact, it is worth spending my life for. We may not be able to take everyone out of their situation, but what we can do is put ourselves into their situation. My heart began to break over and over for children and people not only in Haiti but all around the world who have no one to show them love. Who would do this for them? It is up to us, to go out and serve and change the world one child at a time. We sit and talk about compassion, unimaginable love, revival, and then we keep talking about it and don't do anything in regards. But revival is happening now, compassion is working, selfless love is real and it is all instilled in you to go out and serve. My love for children and people around me isn't something I could muster up, it is God given, it comes from the overflow of the love He has given me. I am just an ordinary girl, serving an extraordinary God.
Will you consider helping me on this journey? Will you come alongside me in this heart cry and support me? We will be going back and forth to Haiti in the next year making sure these kids are getting taking care of and going to school. I will continue to go on these trips to Haiti to serve at this orphanage solely by donations, fundraising, prayer and faith! This trip I will need to fundraise $1500 dollars and I can't do this without you. I know the Lord will provide and I pray that you will consider partnering with me either financially or prayerfully. I would be so blessed by your willingness to come alongside me on this journey. If you can't donate financially, know that your prayers are richer to me than any dollar amount. I am so thankful for them and I am so thankful for you. Anything helps, please don't think any donation is too small! The Lord knows your heart and sees your willingness and will bless you for giving out of the abundance he has given you. May the Lord continue to Bless you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read a little piece of my story. My journey continues!
Blessings with Love,
Leslie
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