Blog Posts

As we have been busy with teams, construction, and the move of Pastor Julbenson and his family we have certainly felt physically tired and weary.  Or probably more accurately stated, just completely exhausted.  We get emails, messages, and phone calls reminding us to take it easy, get some rest, don't grow tired and weary, even…

About a year ago we had a team doing door to door evangelism who ran into a paralyzed, almost blind woman.  That woman made such an impression on this team that they had asked me to check back in on her for them. A few weeks later we had another team so I went with…

God has been teaching me for awhile now on the importance of being persistent, but this week He has allowed me to start seeing the effects of persistence.  It started with a study in Luke on the parable of the persistent woman and the judge.  Then while in the states our interim pastor told the…

One thing I have been so encouraged by in Haiti is the way other organizations work together to accomplish the most for God’s Kingdom.  In the states I would see many organizations, churches, ministries, all competing not collaborating. Just this week we have worked with 5 other organizations that I can think of off the…

Have you ever had something so unexpected happen in your life that you just can't eat? Have you ever thought of that feeling as a call to fast? I never had until recently.I had always seen what I call “planned fasts”, where an individual or church makes the decision to fast and pray over something…

Many of you have heard this story, but I wanted to write it down as something to look back on.  People continue to tell me “you need to write this down” or “I hope you are writing all this down”.  Well, I have not been so I may be playing catch up these next few…

We have been living in Haiti full-time over a year now and all I can say is….it's not what I expected.  The only realistic expectation one can be certain of in Haiti is to expect the unexpected. Matt and I both felt God calling us to Haiti for the purpose of discipleship but we have yet…

We often get questions about the large age distance between our middle child and our youngest son Joel. So I thought I would share the story.  Matt only wanted two kids.  I reluctantly submitted and he had a successful vasectomy when Dean was a little over a year old.  About 3 years later I felt…

There has been much confusion in regards to orphans and Hope Rising.  I am writing today to clear that confusion.  Hope Rising does not have a children's home……yet.  We do help orphans in other facilities in Haiti but those children we minister to right now are not ours.  What Hope Rising does have is a…

I have wanted to write a blog for a while now and praying that God would give me something He wanted me to say.  Finally after praying last night He showed this to me today. Two recent events happened in Haiti and at first they will not seem related in anyway, but just stick with…