Miss Bass is going to Haiti!

For years I’ve wanted to go on an overseas mission trip, but never really pursued the idea. A couple of months ago I read the book Kisses for Katie. After finishing I felt God had  placed a strong desire to go on an overseas trip and soon.  I was ready to pack up, move to Uganda, and start adopting babies (it’s a really inspiring book!) but instead I began to pray.

I prayed about the opportunity to go an overseas mission trip this summer; however I had no idea how to even begin planning a trip. So needless to say, after a couple of weeks, life went on and I didn’t further pursue mission options. I did however start to look into so pretty awesome summer vacation ideas. I was getting pretty close to booking a luxury vacation at an all inclusive resort when I heard of the Haiti opportunity. I was sitting in church and saw the video announcement and immediately felt that tug in my heart again. I knew I had to go.

So I began to pray, and quickly received my answer. Go. One evening I was talking with my best friend Lori and she said, “Sometimes, you just have to keep walking. You keep walking through the doors until God closes them.” She’s a pretty smart girl and I’m blessed to have a friend like her, she is a wise encourager.

From there, things have fallen into place naturally, just as they do when God has His hand in things. First, because I had been planning a vacation I had some money saved. I know without having a little saved already the cost of the trip alone would have slowed my enthusiasm. But it didn’t. I plan to fund most of the trip myself, and I trust that God will do rest. Second, I found out that the main purpose behind the trip will be visiting the school that our church built in Carrefour Defort, Haiti. We will going to meet the students and teachers and to build relationships with them. Our days will include taking school pictures, playing with the kids, doing home visits, putting on talent shows and worships services. As I heard this I thought, “seriously could this trip be more fitting for an elementary school teacher?” Not that I’m incapable of manual labor, if the purpose of the trip was to go build a school and carry cinder blocks, I would do it whole heartily….but building relationships with kids is what I’m most passionate about. It’s like God is saying, “Here you go Janae, look what I have for you.” Now I don’t expect it to be easy. I fully expect to be pushed and stretched physically, mentally, and spiritually. But I couldn’t be more excited about getting to love on those brown eyed kiddos.

Our team leaves on June 14^th (the day after my 25^th birthday) and we will return home on the 21^st. I would love and appreciate your prayers as I prepare for the trip, as well as prayers for a safety. Most importantly I ask that you pray for the lives in Haiti we will be coming in contact with and that their hearts will be open to building relationships.

 I’m so excited! Miss Bass is going to Haiti!!!