Emotional goodbyes and newfound hellos

The VDM Crew in Canada

Wow, what a tough adventure returning from full time missions in a 5th world country. I know we have been silent for a while and mainly to be honest it is because we just did not know what to say. Our hearts ache for our Haiti home, our co-workers and friends, the broken lives and faith-filled hearts. At the same time we know that God has called us back to Canada.

We miss the smiles, the heartfelt greetings, the heat, the sweat and the tears. We miss the community living (it's true Rachel), the relationships, the language and the bond between earthquake survivors. As crazy as it sounds we miss the life threatening traffic, the hour and a half dangerous drive to groceries and the rocky mountain hill. We miss friends that are willing to lay down their life for you and we miss being there for others no matter what time of day or night. We miss our lives in Haiti.

Transition back to a culture that is for the most part oblivious to poverty, God, their eternal security and most things that do not relate to their daily schedule has been tough. Relating to and integrating back into that is harder than we thought yet not...

We have found a fantastic and I mean fantastic Christian school for the kids where they are nurtured and loved beyond what any parent would hope for. They have teachers that see their potential and encourage them to be all that God has called them to be and they are being used mightily. Teagan has her grade 10 class sponsoring a grade 10 student at Mission of Hope school already and she is leading a mission trip to Haiti this March break with 15 of her students. She has been asked to make presentations at which she has made people cry and ignited their hearts...The Lord is using her in amazing ways. The 4 younger ones are excelling both in the classroom and on the field and we are told by their teachers they are setting an example for others in their caring ways and leadership abilities. Praise God for how He is using them as well.

Laurens is getting used to being back on the force and remembering all the paperwork involved in investigations in Canada, the rules in Canada and the red tape in Canada......all the whole appreciating the fact that Canadians are fortunate to be in a country that provides so much for it's people and what a blessing it is to live in a country where so many have a job that pays more than enough.

Cheryl is getting used to being mom to 5 kids that have homework, activities, driving to school and who have things due all the time, all the while unpacking in our new home. She will be starting to do chiropractic out of her home office soon and covering for other chiropractors on vacation and maternity leave. She misses all her orthopaedic surgeon, ER doc and FP friends from the US and is hoping they will relocate to Canada and refer her patients :) Most of all she is trying to get used to being away from her Haitian staff friends and missing her housekeeper horribly!

We feel a renewed strength to share our faith with others and to open the eyes of others beyond these borders. We look forward to not just jumping back into same old same old but rather in to same old place, fresh new outlook.

It is an interesting road that we travel when we follow the Lord with all our hearts. He walks with us into difficult situations and is there before, during and after the fire. We seek His face in all things as we get used to this new phase in our journey with Him.

Thank you for being with us on our journey. The journey never ends and we are pressing forward with joy in our hearts.

Bridgely getting ready to race

Grayden showing them how it's done in the long distance

The twins...like they have always lived in Canada!