Currently Reading How can I get myself to do what I need to do? By Terry Gogna see related

I Am Still Excited

I made it back from Haiti !!!

What an exciting trip. I actually wished we could stay longer

I has been my dream to go to a short term mission trip since college, but was unable to go due to visa problem.
But finally I got my chance (all credits go to God), so we left for Haiti on June 25th.
We stayed overnite in Miami airport. It's funny how the flight from LA to Miami was longer than the flight from Miami to Haiti (4 hour vs. 90 minutes !)

So during this airport stay I got to learn how to play casino, which apparently the very popular (probably the ONLY card game they play in Haiti). I had played it once or twice before, but this is a good refresher.
And unlike counting calories, this game not only requires math but also strategy. Oh well

Once we got to Haiti, the challenge of keeping our luggages began. But we made it to the bus.
It was good to see Uwe again after a year. He still looked the same. Uwe arrived one day before we did & stayed in Port au Prince.
We took a bus to the orphanage, I slept the whole way, but they said the trip took 2-3 hours.

Once we got to the orphanage, I was jealous of people who have visited before, because they knew the children's names while I looked like an idiot, haha ....
"How can I remember their name, they all look alike."

By the 3rd day I got all children's name. The young adults' was still a challenge, I did not hangout with them as much in the beginning. By the 1st week I think I knew almost everybody, plus I learned Creole a bit.
It is actually a simple language, I like it, the grammar is pretty similar to Indo.
Pronounciation is challenging, though.
And I can sing 2 songs (2 complete songs !!!) in Creole

We visited 5 different Churches (One day we split into 2 groups so I still haven's seen the funky Madame that everyone was talking about, but I was amazed by the GEORGEOUS view from the mountain Church), 2 youth services, 25 salvations.
Clint, Mitch, Flo, & Jessica preached. The rest testified.
People in Haiti really know how to worship God. I wish I could sing all the songs with them.
There was one night, the very 1st night I had to testify, that God gave me a word to share to the congregation
We also prayed for people in every services.

We had a beach day. I probably drank a gallon of salt water, from the ball tossing game (It's not the action of catching the ball, it's the boys who tried to make me drown. But mine was nothing compare to Adam's incident ) Oh yeah everytime we traveled, we rode on the back of a truck
It was not comfortable then, but now I kinda missed it. It's like a hayride without the hay, haha...

We had Bingo night, soccer/'world cup', singing show, movie night, dance night, casino tournament & Olympics plus Super Olympics. I had a blast !
Matt had a great fighting spirit, so all credits go to him. I really did not do much.
Oh yea, I was not the only 1st timer. There were Matt & Desiree. She's a nurse, so everytime there's someone with open cut, she's using her skills. She is such a great nurse.
She should work at Brotman, we need more nurses like that, haha...

The highlight of the trip for the Haitians was probably the "Christmas in July" where we served them food (we did not cook for them though) & gave them presents (Helloooo ... it's Christmas !)
It's so amazing to see the boys' face as they got new toys (cars, playing card, and the other thing I don't know the English word huahaha .... ) Marianise loved her Helo Kitty bag, she had it all the time.
But the funniest thing was probably the older boys & their new wallet. They totally love it !
Thumbs up for those who picked these gifts, GREAT job, guys !

My highlight was just being away from busyness: No phone calls, no emails, no traffic, no boss, no meetings ...
I appreciated the quietness & peace, the time to meditate ... & being able to see shooting stars every night was definitely a sweet treat. I have never seen one before !

And food was awesome ! Praise God for the bakery.
I think I can eat rice & beans everyday. Mommy cooks really well.

Thanks for the team that make everything possible: Winston, Sara, Jessica, Mitch, Adam, Clint (special thanks for being so sweet on the plane), Flo, Angela, Brian, Desiree, Matt, & Uwe.

I am still excited about the trip & looking forward for the next one.
I do not know when that day is (thanks to my status being an alien !) but God will open doors, I believe. I will return for sure. Soon.

Now this is special : since we returned to LA on July 10, I have spoken to Poppa Bob, Fredlande, Elimage, David, & Jean Bernard .

SUMMER is almost here !

Have not written for a month. Been concentrating on other stuff.

But life is good. GREAT, in fact. Looking forward for an adventurous summer, started with my 1st mission trip to Haiti , lots and lots of work, family visit, cousin's wedding ... and will be closed with ... ready ?!?!?

A RETIREMENT PLAN !

I have promised my best friends that they will be retiring soon ... in their early 30s. So gotta work hard & smart for this to happen. I wish it's my year to retire, too...

Currently Reading The Greatest Miracle in the World By Og Mandino see related

Writing Mode: ON

A couple weeks ago my best friend from Indo emailed me. He's been writing for magazines for some time & is now working on writing a book. He suggested me doing the same.

The wildest idea ever! On top of my job, ministry, business, etc.. I want to add another thing?
Yesss,WHY NOT !!!

I used to write a lot. As a kid, I wrote superhero stories, now I regret not sending those to be published.
Who knows I could be another J.K Rowling ?!?!?
As a teenager, I wrote short stories. This time, I did send it to a famous nationwide kids magazine.
Those stories did not get published until I was in college.
One day my mom received a letter adressed to "Farika Rusli" with a money order.
When she found out it was from the magazine, she tried to search what edition those stories were published on but never located one.

So anyway ... for an unknown reason, these days I do love writing.
I actually finished one story today. Now the question is: How can I send it there??? There is no email address in the website. And hey, someone who's responsible throwing this idea, youknow who you are, PLEASE RESPOND TO MY EMAIL !!!

Later on I do want to write a book. I've always wanted it.

There are people out there who need to know they are special, they are loved, and they are capable of doing things. And my book will address this issue. I was a nobody, until SOMEONE stepped in & took charge of my life, and I let him to, until this day.

Taking Risk Part 2

THE GREATEST RISK IN LIFE IS NOT TAKING ONE

Scary fact yet very true. I found this writing in my devotional book.

Today I cancelled 3 appoinments (THREE!!!) because I do not want to put people in RISK of getting sick. But by cancelling my appoinments, I also RISK missing a valuable lesson I can learn, hanging out with the gals, & losing a contract.

But I learned my lesson. I was sick in December & it took me a while to recover because I still managed to run everything & RISK one of the most valuable thing I have: Health.

I guess a good friend of risk is called "making a wise decision."

Currently Reading Life's Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter By Hal Urban see related

Risk Free Trial

Anyway, after 4 hours I can finally EAT !!!

So tonight is kinda unproductive. But when I think about it again, this WAS EXACTLY what I did before the business. Stayed home & watched TV. Then started dreaming "oh I wish I have this and can do that, just like those on TV series" but did nothing to change my situation.

And the past few months I skipped TV except for weekend (not even every weekend).
So staying home in front of the computer & TV is kinda strange again to me.

But anyway, I am almost finished with this book. And actually before I started reading this, I also wrote important lessons in life.

One of them is "Taking risk".
Every successful person took some kind of risk, and often times the degree of their success is based on their risk/sacrifice, whatever you call it.
Last Easter I thought about it. What if after Jesus died & rose again, He still had no follower ?!?!?!
After all the sacrifices He made ... What a HUGE risk !!!

I feel like mediocre sometimes. I am not a risk taker.
And life could be comfortable sometimes, that I am not willing to risk anything for the better.
Who knows it will be better anyway??? You never know. That's WHY it's called risk, I guess. Haha...

I got the point, though. In order to move on, one must take a risk.

Who'd ever thought life could be this scary.