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.