visitors from Haiti!

last week we had visitors from haiti! but first, we had snow days ALLLL week. the kids only went to school 1 day and that day was a 2 hour delay! these kids don't even know HOW to go to school.

wednesday, pastor Francois and his wife, Madou came!!! from Haiti!! they are the couple that run the orphanage/school/church that we visited this past October. i picked them up from the airport and just couldn't get over the fact that they were in OUR HOUSE!! i had butterflies all day until we got to see them!

meals with them are nice and long...because Francois talks and talks. his stories are incredible...full of ways God has proven Himself faithful in amazing ways in his life. you just can't get enough of hearing from him.

he was practicing his reading. she was practicing her English :-)
Francois' english is very good...but Madou hardly speaks any English.

we shared them with the other couple that went to Haiti with us for a couple of the days...but they stayed at our house each night.

i'm not a "touchy" person. but i couldn't stop hugging her. she's such an amazing woman...full of strength and humility and love.

i took them one morning to a fabric store to buy sewing supplies for the sewing center she runs. it was quite a scene...me and my 6 kids. and a couple from haiti that are completely overwhelmed with all the choices in this one store. whew. it was quite the trip.

Friday evening, our Bible study came over and got to hear from them.

saturday we woke up to a snowstorm bearing down on us. we had big plans for them that day...but they weren't made to be. everything got cancelled. 

pat was able to take Francois out and get him a couple things he wanted.

and then we took them to lunch at Panera. they could NOT get over the snow! that the ROADS were white. seeing the snowplows. when i ATE some snow (they didn't want any...they don't even like ice in their drinks!)

i loved it when i turned around to hold the door open for them at Panera, and they were holding hands. they are SO cute!

that evening, we hosted an Open House for them...for people that had been to Haiti previously and for people that wanted to meet them. the weather prevented some people from coming, but we still had quite a few! one family even WALKED 2 1/2 miles to come because their road wasn't plowed! (we offered to come pick them up...but they wanted the adventure :-))

going to our church was one of the main reasons he was here. but we woke up sunday morning to the news that church was cancelled. BOO! we were all so disappointed. but we decided to watch a sermon of our pastor's online. and had church at home.

more friends came over the visit with them for lunch...{i'm so sad pat and i don't have a picture with them like this!}

sunday afternoon, there was a youth meeting at church to let the kids get out of the house...and Francois and Madou went to that. he spoke to the kids and spoke GREAT truth into them. he is SUCH a gift!

early monday morning, we drove them to the airport. the next couple days, our home felt very empty. their presence is BIG and powerful. they exude the BIG God that we serve. it was such a blessing and honor for our family to have this experience to have them in our home. and some of the Cassada's are going to see them again real soon....