admin, Author at New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool https://newjoy.org/author/admin/ Welcome. Grace. Faith. Promise. Thu, 03 Oct 2019 12:36:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Haiti Mission Trip Recap https://newjoy.org/2019/10/03/haiti-mission/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=haiti-mission Thu, 03 Oct 2019 12:36:55 +0000 https://newjoy.org/?p=5253 New Joy Went to Fondwa, Haiti! August 31 – September 7, 2019 Wow! 10 people from New Joy went to Haiti and we came back full of love and gratitude. I can’t pretend to understand the complexities of life in Haiti but what I do understand is that life is difficult there. Access to some […]

The post Haiti Mission Trip Recap appeared first on New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool.

]]>

New Joy Went to Fondwa, Haiti!
August 31 – September 7, 2019

Wow!

10 people from New Joy went to Haiti and we came back full of love and gratitude.

I can’t pretend to understand the complexities of life in Haiti but what I do understand is that life is difficult there. Access to some basics like clean water and food are a challenge. Access to physically stable housing is a challenge. Currently, access to fuel is a challenge. But what is not a challenge is access to a community that will look after and love you and your family.

Being in this country for a short amount of time cannot possibly give someone the entire picture. But what it can give is the opportunity to hear people’s stories of challenge and resilience and love of community. We heard about how the earthquake 10 years ago is still painfully fresh, how people make a living in an area where there aren’t many jobs, and how people want a physically stable house to protect their family from harsh weather.

We traveled with an organization called Zanmi Fondwa.

The mission of Zanmi Fondwa is to help families find stability through housing, education, and economic development and one of the ways they live this mission is to hire local people to build stable houses for those in the community. So far, they have been able to create over 60 jobs and are on a path to build 40 homes in 3 years. Incredible! When we learned about this organization, we knew we wanted to know more.

Our time in Haiti was spent chatting with neighbors, playing with the kids, helping the staff out when we could (painting, carrying concrete blocks, medical clinic and pharmacy), exploring the area, and interviewing homeowners that were about to receive a new home through Zanmi Fondwa. We were welcomed into neighbor’s homes to share stories and coffee. We were fed delicious pate’s and peanut candies. But most beautifully, we were trusted with vulnerability and honesty. I can’t express my gratitude enough to have been able to share these moments with everyone that was there.

For me personally, there were many highlights of this trip but two especially stand out:

  • Interviewing homeowners that were going to be receiving a new Zanmi Fondwa house. I’ll be honest. I had an incredible amount of anxiety about this. I looked at the questions beforehand and some of them were going to be uncomfortable to ask. But I went. Yes, some of the questions made me squirm but the homeowners answered with an incredible amount of grace and honesty. These interviews will be etched in my heart for a long time. They made me think of Brene Brown’s teaching on shame. She is quoted as saying something along the lines of shame can’t survive when it’s met with empathy and understanding.
  • The ‘porch kids’. There were these kids that came to sit with us on the porch of the guest house where we were staying. We played games, temporary tattooed each other, sang songs and drew together. They didn’t speak English, we didn’t speak Creole but it didn’t matter…not really anyway. We had fun... we laughed... and we were silly. It was genuine and I am grateful for the lessons they taught me. They weren’t worried about not being welcomed. They just showed up…everyday…just in case someone was in the mood to play. My hope is that I can start to embody that spirit. If I’m more like the kids on the porch, I’ll show up authentically.

The post Haiti Mission Trip Recap appeared first on New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool.

]]> Outreach Ministry Community Meetings https://newjoy.org/2019/09/27/community-meetings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=community-meetings Fri, 27 Sep 2019 14:35:19 +0000 https://newjoy.org/?p=5243 Outreach Ministry Community Meetings   Would you like to join me? As the Outreach Coordinator, I spend quite a bit of my time organizing opportunities for the congregation to demonstrate the love of Christ in our community. We have been able to serve with organizations like Open Doors, Habitat for Humanity, Family Promise, Food 4 […]

The post Outreach Ministry Community Meetings appeared first on New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool.

]]>

Outreach Ministry Community Meetings

 

Would you like to join me?

As the Outreach Coordinator, I spend quite a bit of my time organizing opportunities for the congregation to demonstrate the love of Christ in our community. We have been able to serve with organizations like Open Doors, Habitat for Humanity, Family Promise, Food 4 Souls, Zanmi Fondwa, Lutheran Child and Family Services and Wheeler Mission and several others.

I also attend various community meetings. These meetings give us the opportunity to stay connected with our neighbors and allows us to build our outreach efforts in a way that serves the needs of our area.

The meetings I attend on a regular basis are:

  • Wellbeing Coalition of Westfield (meeting days and times vary),
  • Carmel Interfaith Alliance (meets 3rd Wednesday at noon at Amber Indian)
  • COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters meets 3rd Thursday at 10am at the Noblesville City Building).

Some others that I intend on attending more regularly are:

  • The Good Samaritan Network Meetings (2nd Tuesday at 3:45p at Hamilton County 4H Fairgrounds)
  • The Women of Westfield meetings (times vary).

I’d love to have you join me at these meetings! If you are interested, please email me at outreach@newjoy.org.

Peace & Love,
Amber

The post Outreach Ministry Community Meetings appeared first on New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool.

]]> Haiti Mission Trip https://newjoy.org/2019/08/09/haiti-mission-trip/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=haiti-mission-trip Fri, 09 Aug 2019 16:18:34 +0000 https://newjoy.org/?p=5106 Haiti Mission Trip August 31 – September 7, 2019   Who we are and why we're going!

The post Haiti Mission Trip appeared first on New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool.

]]>

Haiti Mission Trip
August 31 – September 7, 2019

 

Who we are and why we're going!

Vicar Will

"I made friends with a Haitian student when I was in college. We have since lost touch, but I still remember his kindness and calm spirit and have long been interested in visiting and learning firsthand about his country. Jamalyn's presentation really encouraged me to join this trip."

Selia

"I've wanted to go to Haiti since the idea was introduced in our church a few years back, but I've never gotten the chance. Just the opportunity to spread joy and love to people outside of my community is amazing. When I'm there, I am excited to be helping out, and just connecting with the people. Making music with the other band members going, and creating memories that will last me a century."

Jim

"I am eager to go to Haiti for a couple of reasons. Several dearly-loved friends went on the last trip, and it was a joyous spiritual and cultural experience for them — I'd love to join them for another such experience. Having never been to Haiti, I am eager to see the island, and get to know some of the people there. They have been through so much as a country for so long, and I'm eager to see the Holy Spirit working in and through them with dear brothers and sisters."

Shawna

"I'm most excited about the opportunity to live and serve alongside fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and to build relationships – with the peole that we meet in Haiti, and with fellow travelers on this journey. I'm especially looking forward to learning from and about the people of Fondwa!"

Debi

"This is my first mission trip and what excites me most is to live among – and just be with – the people of Fondwa. To learn about their culture, understand what motivates them and where they struggle so as we are there we can share skills, hope, ideas, and companionship that are most impactful for the community. And above all, to embody God's love, as it transcends borders, cultures, and language."

Alexa

"I am hoping that a trip to Haiti can be a reminder of the joy that can be found in simple pleasures. I am excited to unplug and experience the wonder of God's creation and children in a completely foreign land. I also hope to deepen my friendships with my fellow travelers, brothers and sisters in Christ."

Glenn

"I am excited to be part of the team that will be God's hands and feet in Haiti. It will be an awesome opportunity to better understand what God means to love one another."

Amber

"I am looking forward to going back to Haiti for a few reasons. Haiti is a difficult yet beautiful country and it is full of contradictions – loud, yet quiet; energetic, yet serene; chaotic, yet focused. It is here, in the midst of all of this, that I experience God and relationships in a way that I've never experienced anywhere else. I love to hear people's stories, so I'm also looking forward to meeting those that have been impacted by the work of Zanmi Fondwa and learning about them and their families. And I can't lie... I'm so very much looking forwards to some good Haitian coffee!"

Kelleen

"I really had no thought of going on the trip until listening to Jamalyn and hearing the amazing things that are going on in Haiti. I'm looking forward to helping and learning from a culture so different than Hamilton County and to seeing how God works through us and with us."

Jane

"I hope that going on a mission trip to Haiti will allow me to see the world from a different perspective. I know God will open my eyes to new things and how other people live. I look forward to meeting new people and making new and lasting friendships."

The post Haiti Mission Trip appeared first on New Joy Lutheran Church & Preschool.

]]>