the ask

The truth is my least favorite part of living in Haiti is having to rely on others to support us. But then I also get it. It’s Gods way of making us have total faith, total reliance on Him. And even more cool is that it’s His way of letting people who can’t be here serving all the time to make an impact on the world through supporting our work here. So even though it’s hard and uncomfortable, I get it.

So in usual fashion of probably being too honest on here, I want to give you the real deal. I feel like so often finances and where people stand is such a weird hidden thing because of the uncomfortableness of it all. So today I’m facing my fear of being uncomfortable and doing it anyways.

Here is where we are:

-Before we moved to Haiti we asked for support. Some people gave that we are SO thankful for. Because of them we have been able to live here for the past 8 months and learn so much about how to help and walk alongside Haitians.

-Our monthly support is and has been around $325. This, with my leftover wedding revenue, has sustained us because we are provided with a room and food at our current organization. This will change with moving to Las Anglais.

-The weddings I had this year helped out a ton. However, they were not billed additionally for travel since I booked them prior to us deciding to move… but the income from them let us come home and see our family and have a break, which we are forever grateful for.

-I am limiting weddings to maybe 1-2 a year while I am home visiting because I really feel like God is moving us to serve wholly in Haiti rather than trying to balance so much.

-The move out to Les Anglais is hugely based in faith because we are starting at zero. We do now have a bed so that is progress:) We have outlined a budget that includes housing, diesel, etc. Les Anglais doesn’t have electricity or running water so there are one time things like a generator and water tank that we will have to buy once we find a house.

-We have the budget that outlines it all and would be more than glad to email anyone who wants to see it in detail but to give everyone a rundown, the overall monthly budget is about $3750. A bulk of that is diesel that will allow us to minister to the people of Les Anglais and have electricity to do so.

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We firmly believe in what we are going to do there. We LOVE the people in Les Anglais and know that God loves them and wants so much for them. Babies shouldn’t have to die out there because of easily preventable things. Mom’s shouldn’t have to bury their 10 year old because he was the one she chose not to feed because she didn’t have enough. Families should have a fighting chance.

Even though I know it’s weird because we aren’t there yet, we can’t tell you stories yet of the people you are going to touch through supporting us, we can’t show you many pictures of how much these people need people who love and support them so that they can raise up, survive and live a better life; all I can say is that God is in this. And for whatever reason He decided to use us. And we are saying yes. Even when it means moving with no promised provision for the future, even if it means not having a car, even if it means going without on alot of things. Because you know what, that is what God tells us to do. That is what the Haitian’s do. They have faith more than I have ever seen before because they rely on God so much for everyday needs that we take for granted.

So today is the day we are giving it to God. I spent yesterday discouraged and really nervous about this journey and how we were going to make it out there and today I’m choosing faith.

If you would like to walk along side of us to help the people of Les Anglais, we would be honored. Head on over here to donate a one time or monthly gift…every little bit helps! Click here to give! Mention “the Kelley’s” in the comment box:)