I know I haven’t written in a hot minute. I get so caught up in the day to day that even when I think about writing, I rarely actually find the time. A lot has been going on though and I figured it would be a great idea to write a little.

Thrasher has been great. He’s growing and crawling and climbing and teething. All fun (except the teething) things which keep us on our toes. He’s had two visits so far with his mother since he came to live with us in October. She hasn’t shown up for either of the visits. I pray now that God will protect him from her. It’s pretty obvious to me that there are things in her life more important than him. That shouldn’t be. While she’s his biological mother, she’s proving that she’s not worthy to be his mother. He’s got a wonderful mother right here in our home. Though we may not be able to keep him forever, we will care for him like he’s ours every single day that he lives with us. We really would love to adopt him if it comes to that but there are so many factors that can affect the situation. We will just pray for God’s protection and love for his life.

Near the end of last year, my good friend Wes asked me to help him on some web development stuff he was doing. He’s been in that business for several years on his own and he knows that I have a little experience, especially with WordPress. I jumped at the opportunity to make some extra cash and learn a little from a great developer. After completing the project Wes invited me over to his house. I wasn’t aware of what was in store for me when I got there. Wes and I sat down and he invited me to partner with him in his business. He is still only part-time at this but is looking to take it to the next level. He really felt like he needed someone else to do that with him. Though I’m not nearly as experienced as he is, he felt my ability to pick up new ideas and learn would quickly make up for that. I’d say my experience in other areas too, such as sales, customer service and tech in general will be a great asset. Together we decided to form Freedom Development Group. We’ve already worked on several projects together and have a lot more in the pipeline. I’m excited to start this new adventure. Regardless of if this can turn into a full-time job or not, this is a great opportunity for me to make money more money, pay off debt, learn new things and do something I really enjoy.

I’d have to say I’m liking this a lot more than computer repair and servicing, which is what I mainly did in the past. I’ve wanted to move away from that and into more development for a long time. I can work in my own space on my time without someone sitting behind me watching every move and asking a ton of questions. It’s good to have someone as smart and experienced as Wes to help me develop my skills. It’s also great to have someone with his moral values and business principles to work with. Those are rare commodities these days. We’ve developed a great friendship and has made it easy for us to work together. Though I’m sure there will be times we don’t agree 100% on things, we are the types of people who can work out differences and work together.

Finally, Haiti, the real inspiration for writing today. Unless you live in a cave you know that this week Haiti was hit by a massive earthquake. The death and destruction is horrendous. My feelings for Haiti run deep into my soul. It was on a mountaintop in a remote Haitian village that God healed and forever changed my life. I will always hold it as a special place regardless of how the rest of the world views it.

The common view of Haiti can be summarized by something someone said to me when they heard I was going to Haiti back in 2006. He said, “Haiti is a good place to be from… FAR FROM.” Of course, with political turmoil, economic disparity and utter poverty at every turn, Haiti is not somewhere people go to relax and get away. No one thinks of it as paradise. It’s not a tourist destination like Jamaica or the Bahamas. But it is a beautiful country, full of life and people who are full of love. Yeah, there is crime, corruption, gangs and violence. All the typical things you will find in a country stricken by poverty. But in the heart of most Haitians there is love, peace, family, community, art, and faith. Most of all, the people of Haiti are PEOPLE just like you and I.

Before this earthquake, there was massive need in Haiti. As the first nation comprised of freed slaves, throughout their history they have struggled. I’m not trying to get all political about this but there is truth in the stories that their nation has been kept in poverty by politics, corruption and the chains of debt. Now suddenly, all eyes are on Haiti. I’m saddened that it took this disaster to cause this awareness but I hope that in this disaster, people will make real commitments to help these people build a future. I’ve decided to renew my personal commitment to Haiti. Not just for relief from this disaster but a life-long commitment to support and pray for the individual lives in Haiti. The people who God loves and sent His Son to die for.

The moment I heard about the earthquake, I just wished I could just go there. As I look at pictures and read articles about the situation, I wish I could just be there to do something. I know that’s not possible but I can do something. There are many ways to support Haiti. Our government has just issued money to go to Haiti from our tax dollars. I don’t believe that’s what out tax dollars are for. We, as individuals, should be the ones giving. Giving more than our government could ever dream of giving. We should commit to give often, not just now in the middle of a crisis but continuously to support growth. Money given through charities gets used faster than money passing through governmental buracracy and a higher percentage of that money actually hits the ground and works to help change lives. Give now and give often.

If you wish to give, you can give in the following ways:
The Red Cross is always a great place to start.
My brother’s friends have a ministry in Haiti called Brent Gambrell Ministries.
My friend Marco has a clothing company, American Dance Party, which is selling t-shirts which all profits go directly to Haiti.
Beyond Borders is another organization in Haiti that I support.