Recap of 2006

I love the end of every year for the purpose I get to reflect what I have accoplished. And this year has been full of New experiences.
First of all in May I graduated High school. Yea that was so exciting. Truth be told though I sometimes miss it and the people that I got to see and talk to everyday that are now far away. But I can reflect on the experiences I had and the things I learned while I was in high school and apply them to my future.
In the summer I was head swim coach for a public swim team in Mt. Vernon and that was a lot of fun. It taught more responsiblility and how to work with people that you may not see eye to eye with. Haha, I know i have to get used to it.
Also durning the summer I got to go on IMPACT tour. IMPACT was a distirct choir that I was a part of. It was set up by the Southwest Indiana Nazarene churches. I was a part of it for three years and this years week long tour just added to my memories and the lessons that God has to teach you. I meet some amazing people who I have an awesome bond with only because of God. One girl whom I just love to pieces is Katie Friedmen. She is amazing and has taught me so much. She is currently doing Mission work in Africa and will be there for at least another week. I can not wait until she gets back. She wants to be a missionary, now I know why God made a strong connection between us so long ago. God is always at work on Impact tour. We had about 30 high school kids and three adult ladies on tour, so you can imagine some of the things that went on, lets just say that there was lots of excitment and boys playing with fire. Imagine that!
Not long after tour I went to church camp. Thats always a treat too. Being totally isolated from tv and the outside world for a week. I love everything about it. Just being able to sit under tress and talk to friends who are trying to serve God just like you and to be able to help each other is great. I have a few friends here at home that are christians and that is wonderful but sometimes you just need someone else. Church Camp another amazing week.
Then there was the day in July mom told me that we were adopting Manthania. By this point me and Alyssa had already knew. We had known for a few days. I also found out that day that Michelle trumps on the list of people to tell. Haha. Though it is the truth Mom told Michelle before she told me. Not that I really care I just wanted to share that with you all.
The day after Thanksgiving marked the day that I had been single for a year. Now I normally would not mention this but because of this some amazing events occured. See Matt (that was my boyfriend) and I dated for about three years. And I got pretty attached to him. I look back on it now and I don't even know how we lasted for three years. But because we broke up I started to focus more on myself and my spiritual life. I mean I always did my devotions and I felt like I was getting stuff out of them but at the same time I did a really bad job at listening to God and what he wanted to tell me. But over the course of this year I felt like I have done do much better. I have been more open to listening. Enoying the quiet and stillness that I didn't before. I feel like this year I have learned so much and that I am closer to God now than ever. So thats what I need a year to focus totally on me and God. To make sure that he was first and formost in my life. I needed this year to get everything squared away and to realize that God has a bigger plan for me than I did. He is so amazing!
Along with that I also made my first Trip to Haiti. Which as I have told you all before was amazing. It really has me captivated. I can not wait to be back there in one month and 2 days. WOW I can't even believe it. Its so wierd to think that I will be going back so soon. But I am so glad that God has put this love in my heart and has helped me find a way to go back to the children that I love so much.
So that was the year of 2006 in the life of Bethany. Of course that was the short version. I have so much else that happened but I don't want to bore you all too much, haha. If you read this far I am sorry it wasn't shorter. Writing this much was not the intent when I started. Actually I was hoping to be asleep by now but sometimes when I start talking or writing in this cause it hard to get me to stop. But I am not closing with this note.
I LOVE YOU and HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope this past year was great and the 2007 will be even better!
O.K. I lied I forgot one thing my New Years resolution, (which I normally don't make because I am not good at keeping them) To get closer to God live my life to the fullest possible measure. OK now I am finished.

The call back

Life is full of choices all of us has to make. Desicions that will help us on our walk with God and that will help us herold the call he has for us to follow. It took me a long time to find my call and when I found it I was terrified. The one thing I had always ask not to be was what God called me to do. So I went to Haiti, in my mind I thought that I was prepared for what I was going to see and that I knew a lot of stuff. I mean I had so many people preparing for all different aspects. The second night of the trip I became pretty overwhelmed. I cried for a while that night. Seeing Haiti in person is something that is indescribable. I mean you can tell people that its a third world country and show them pictures. You can tell them that people will want to sell you things, that people will use the restroom on the side of the road. They can tell you that the people of Haiti only make a dollar a day or maybe $300 a year. But until you are there no matter how much you know you still don't understand. I realized that when I was crying into my dads shoulder. As the week went on it got easier for me but still once in a while I would find myself sheding a tear or too. I spent most of everyday playing the the children of the Orphanage. I lucked out in the aspect that we didn't really do a lot of work so I got to spend so much time playing with the kids. I got to jumprope and play with sidewalk chalk and best of all I got to hug all of them!!!

I love Matu, I am a little partial to her. But I love each and everyone of those kids. In Febuary I have a trip planned to go to Belize for two weeks. I have been looking forward to this trip for quite a while. When I first got back from Haiti I had no desire to go to Belize all I could think about was Haiti. Now I week later I have been praying about this and God has led me to the conclusion that I can go to Belize later that he has something else for me. He wants me to go back to Haiti. So the money that I was going to put toward my trip to Belize is going to going to pay for me to go back to Haiti. Hopefully with some luck I can get a good price on tickets and go back to the little country that holds so much of my heart and thoughts. I want to use all the gifts God has given me to help the children and the people of Haiti. I hope that one day in the future I can go and spend more than week of my time helping the children. Someday I hope to be a much bigger help but for now I will have to use the weeks I am there to help has much as I can.

So my call back to Haiti is one that I love. I loved every aspect of being down there and I can't wait to go back. Haiti is a lot more to me than the place where my sister was born, I care so much for that country and those children that I spent all week with that I don't even know if I can explain it!

My Haiti Adventure

Matu, me and the cup

Steven and his shirt from Papa Shawn
My little buddy Jefferson or Zeff if you ask Noah!

Jonas and the serious look that you hardly ever see!


Nata and Fritz with Mama Laura and Papa Tom how cute all we need is Max and Zoe and that would make the family.

Ben and Bryce (Shaw) the cutest brothers ever!!!



You-You and I what else can I say except I love her.

Bethany and Bethany for some reason everyone thought this was so funny?





Angela wearing ribbons from her Mama!

Matu loved wearing Papa's sun glasses!

Nata, Fritz and I at wings of hope.

Angela spent one morning doing my hair she even put the ribbons her Mama gave her in my hair. This picture was of me and ,y hairstylist. Isn't my hair lovely?

Babaldo and I. Haha!!!

As you can see my trip went wonderfully. It was so amazing, I wish I could share all my pictures with you but there just isn't enough space. These children are amazing and even though I am at home my heart is in Haiti and I long to be back there. Playing with Matu, singing wityh LourdesMia, spinning tops with Bethany, holding Jefferson, watching Steven play the piano, seeing Jonas run in and out of you-you's room, and just knowing that everyday would be spent with these amazing children. Being back has been so hard and I often find my self crying and wanting to walk into the front door of the "O" and hear the children call out my name. Seeing Matu was so wonderful playing with her and hearing her laugh and say my name. I got to teach her who her Mama is and see her point at the picture as she learned. I just got to know her and her personality and I know now who perfect she is for my family. Not to mention how much she loved her Papa. IT was wonderful to see her giving him kisses and him holding her as she fell asleep at night. I have so much to share and tell you all. There will be much more to come but I wanted to give you just a little taste of my first Haiti experience. This is not the last trip either!!!

Love in Christ, Bethany

Manthania Here I come!!!

1 John 4:18
Where God's Love is, there is no fear, because God's perfect love drives out fear.

There you have it. I am not afraid and I will not be a afraid. There is nothing to be afraid of as long as I trust in God. Tomorrow morning I am flying out of evansville and starting my journey to Haiti. I am so excited. Since last thrusday there has been no fear only excitment. It is going to be amazing. While I am there I hope I can stick to the quote;
Yesterday is history...tomorrow is a mystery... Today is a gift that's why it's called the present.

I know its a silly quote but while I am there and when I get back I want to remember that. I often find that I take days forgranted. I need not do that. Each day is a gift from God and I shoudl cherish them. I know I will especially while I am down there. I never know what is going to happen tomorrow so I much live each as though it were my last.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week and be prepared for all the pictures and stories I will have about Manthania and all the other children.

I love you all.

Presents, Pierre, and Presence

Today is exactly one week from the day I will arrive in Haiti and meet Manthania! Dad and I started packing sometime last week or so but tonight we got out last bag we are going to use as one of the four 50 pound bags to take to the orphanage. And so we started stuffing things into this last bag. Trying to make sure that everything people brought us was going down there with us. But after we packed the last bag we realized we still had the christmas presents we had bought for all the kids, we would have just stuck them in one of our carry ons but we couldn't because each present has a bottle of bubbles in it and there are around 31 presents! So we had to unpack and repack and unpack again. Finally we worked it out but we still had things left over. We had extra crib sheets and a few toys and one package of diapers and I still had to find a place for JoJo fanny pack and things. We also still have to put my dad and I snacks somewhere?? So dad and I carry things upstairs and start going through what room we have in our bags. We had to sacrifice something, but what? Our own clothes. No we aren't going with out them, haha. Both of us will just have to double up on shorts, though I think dad will more than I will. (shh!) Michelle if he stinks just don't tell him, will just let him think its alright. We got everything in somewhere though. My suitcase is bulging I almost had to sit on it to get it closed and my back pack is filled with lots of goodies. I have just enough room left for my ipod and journal and maybe a small book. I can't wait to get to give the kids thier christmas presents, and You-You and Jimmy too!!! And I can't wait to get to celebrate my 19th birthday thier yea yea yea! It is going to be so funny to see me with all this stuff trying to lug it up to the "O" i'm sure.

On the Manthania front we found out that Nathan talked to man from the town of Manthania who knew her family. Yes thats right we found someone who new she existed. He told us that her last name was Pierre (he couldn't remember what her first name was), he said that the whole Pierre family has died and that he assumed that she had died also but after i guess seeing a picture of her he knew that she was the little Pierre girl. Just a little something that we can tell her as she gets older. Besides that we are just waiting for a little more information from Gail to see just what to do next.

And my life, I know that at times I am slacker when it comes to doing my daily devotions but I try my best to remember but I get busy and then I stay up to late and by the time I get upstairs all I want to do is sleep. But I have been reading a devotional called " The faith Journey through Fantasy Lands" which takes different elements from Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter and combines it with bibical stories. The part of the book I read last led me to the book of Esther, which is my favorite book of the bible. When I was looking through different side notes that my bible has it told me that no where in the book of Esther is the name or God mentioned and neither is the word pray, at least not in the NIV version. It just amazes me that in in a book in which his name is not written the God is so present. It also made me think of the movie resently "One Night with the King" It was totally awesomeand just brought more to my favorite book of the bible than I thought. It made me think deeper into each person in the story and showed me that there was so much more to Esther and the Kings relationship. I mean I knew it was there and that he must have loved her but it was just brought to life for me. And as I know Angela will agree with me Esther's outfits were awesome! All of this reminded me that God is there all the time even when I don't exactly feel overpowered with the holy spirit that he is still ever present. His presence is like the wind you can't see it but you can feel it, i guess that could be why the bible tells that faith is being sure of what we hope and certian of the things unseen.

The talk

On the tuesday night before thanksgiving I got a chance to hang out with a group of my friends from highschool. It was so much fun. We ate dinner and then played like a million games of UNO and some rounds of mad gab, but a little before midnight we all crashed in Devons living room. We then all started talking about out lives and stuff. Patrick Tieken who has been my friend for a while now was adopted from South Korea. I had to ask some questions. I have spent a lot of reasearching the things that adopted children go through as they grow up. I ask him so many questions and lucking he was patient with me and actually loved to me all about it. Patrick was only about 15 or 16 months old when he was brought home by his parents so he has no memory of his life before he was brought home. When he started elementary school no one seemed to notice he was any different or that his parents looked different from him. Actually he said it was till third grade that any of the other children even asked. That was when he started to realize he didn't know very much about where he was from. So in 4th or 5th grade one I can't remember he got to do a media fair on South Korea. He found out about the city he was from and all kinds of interesting facts about the country he even found the national anthem and made it play in the background.

One thing that I made sure I ask him was whether or not he had ever looked for his parents and whether he thought he would ever go to South Korea and find them. He told me that he did sometimes wonder what his parents were like. He knows that if he wanted he could find his mother but there wasn't even a father listed of his birth certificate. He said that for now he was content with the parents he has. He said that his adoptive parents are his parents and that they have given him so much more than he could ask for. They love him and have always taken care of him. Patrick has a younger sister too that was adopted from the same city in South Korea that he was from. Patrick said that it doesn't really even feel like he was adopted, he its more like well, we have different hair colors and eye colors from our parents. He said it just as simple as that except for instead of differnt color eyes he has different color skin.

I ask him also if he ever got made fun of. He said yes that people did say things to him. He said as long as you tell the children at a young age as young as second grade that its ok if other kids make fun of them because they are loved. He said that knowing that helped him to get through time like that.

I just thought this conversation was a good one. I enjoy asking patrick questions about this kind of stuff because he has a view that I can't ever have.

I just glanced in at my clock and I have realized that in one hour and 37 minutes it will be one week until I leave to go Haiti!!!! I am no longer nervous about it either just excited to get to go and meet all the kids!!

Mumble and the Heart Song

Good morning,

I haven't got a lot of time because I have to leave for play practice in less than an hour and I still have to do my hair and when my hair is wet and tangly like it is now it take a few minutes.haha. Anywho, O took my sister Alyssa, my little brother Kaleb and our cousin Hannah to the movies yesterday. And what did we see, none other than HAPPY FEET!!!! Yes I am a big Kid and I love all animated movies. I am a disney dork and I will admit. After all Disney is one of my favorite places on Earth. While I was watching Happy Feet it made me think of a quote that I had found and written in my journal of my favorite quotes and verses.

To love a person is to learn the song that's in thier heart and send it to them when they have forgotten.

I have no idea who wrote this quote but I do know that it holds great importance. See in the movie a little penguin is born his name is Mumble, and Mumble is different. The penguins in the movie find thier mate by singing to each other, you sing your heart song and then when you find the person who likes your heart song that is your mate. Well you find out early on in the film that Mumble can't sing. All the kids except for Gloria laugh at him and they tell him he isn't a penguin if he can't sing. It's very sad and I hope that I can never be like that to the people that are around me. In the end though Mumbles "happy feet" as they are refered too helped to save all the penguins.

This also put some thoughts about my sister into my head. I think each of us have a heart song, A song that is sung would tell our inner most fears and secrets. Though personally I think mine would be something funny and not very serious. But anyway. I love Manthania just as much as I love Alyssa and Kaleb and I have yet to meet her. I know that if Kaleb and Alyssa get hurt or lose themselves for a moment I want to help them gain back thier heart song. I know that when Manthania get here there will be struggles for her, but I hope that song that is in her right now in the "O" I hope that it can stay because that is who she is, and if she ever loses it I hope that I can help her find it and make it even better. Of course she isn't the only one coming to Indiana and I hope that each day I see Jonas, Noah, Steven, Angela, and Glory that I can help them keep thier heart song because it is theirs and it will change with them but there will always be a piece of it tied into there lives at the "O".

I can't wait I leave two weeks from yesterday to go to the "O" and meet all the children there. My heart song has truly changed because of these children.

The Start

A blog.... The one place I can tell everyone what is going on in my life. So I'll start telling you all who I am.

My name is Bethany Burnett and I am 18 almost 19 years old. I go to Ivy Tech and am studing to be a preschool teacher. I go to Point Township Church of the Nazarene. I have always been very involved in my youth group and through that I have meet many teens through out southwest Indiana. All my life I have known that God had a plan for me and my life I just never knew exactly what it would be. As a kid I always wanted to do something with music but last year when it was time to decide what college to go to and what to declare as my major I had no idea what God wanted me to do. I prayed long and hard about it but still no answer came. I was so upset I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong not to get an answer. Now I know that it wasn't that I was doing something wrong it was that I wasn't supposed to find out until this school year started. Actually the journey began when my mom and sister commited to going to Haiti with Michelle Cundiff. So in June they packed thier bags and they went to Haiti to spend a week in an Orphanage. While they were there I was with the southwest Indiana district Nazarene Impact Chior. I was still praying for God's Guidance. It wasn't until three weeks after that when I first got to see my mom and my sister for the first time since they got back from the states. When talking to my sister that night she told me that she had read moms journal while they were in Arizona and that in almost every entry Mom mentioned a little girl named Manthania, she was at the "O" they had visited. Needless to say the next day Alyssa (thats my sister) and I had already decided that Manthania was no doubt going to be our little sister. A week later Mom and Dad finally told us that yes our guesses were right. And this is truly where I start.

Manthania was found walking all alone and was brought to the "O" somtime after that. She is so adorable. I love her so so much!!! I looked at pictures of her and all the other kids at the "O" and without every meeting them they became a part of me. I learned all the kids names and whether or not the had a forever family. I knew then that the love for these children was something that was given to me by God. But for the next few months I put it off and didn't think about what God wanted me to do in my future all I did was concentrate on what God wanted me to do right then. Finally though I had to admit it. God loves irony. see as a child the one thing I ask God was to please not ask me to be a missionary. If you know me I am a homebody. God put a string in my heart to help the children in other countries. He wants me to be a part time missionary and he wants me to work with the children. Of course Haiti is on the top of the list of places that I want to go for my missions and Three angels is a wonderful place for me to start. I hope that someday I can go and volunteer there. To be totally honest I am scared out of my mind about this but I know that God will be with me.

Ok now you know all about me and probably more than you really wanted to. This blog is going to be all about my spiritual journeys and will have a lot to do with Manthania and teh adoption. Actually my next blog will be all about that.

You all have probably read Angela, Michelle, and Kristina blogs and there you find a mothers perspective.

Here you will find the views of a sister, its a different view but I hope that my future posts will enlighten you and show you a better look into my everyday life.

Love in Christ,

Bethany