One Year In Puerto Rico

This week marks one year that I’ve been in Puerto Rico! Yahoo! Realizing this has caused such a great swell of happiness and also so much disbelief. I mean, can you tell me how it’s almost March of 2021 already?!

As most of you can relate, the last year feels like 10 years rolled into one and somehow, simultaneously, as though it’s been just a few fleeting months. The highs and lows for me have been just that - highest highs and lowest lows of my life. Cancer, then beating cancer, and simultaneously being in a pandemic were not on my list of things I ever thought I’d ever do - let alone do while adjusting to a new language, new culture, new job - new life. But here I am, in many aspects better because of the season I’ve been through, and hopeful for what is in my future. I am hopeful for you too, and for what the future holds for you.

My physical health has, by and large, leveled out. I have no cancer!! NO CANCER!! Yahoo! All my numbers have, for the most part, continued to improve month by month (albeit, frustratingly slow at times). That said, although my platelet levels have been slowly increasing over the course of the last year - my most recent results had them drop to the lowest they’ve been since surgery. This seems to be fixable and at this point is pointing towards it being due to an infection in my body, but I would so appreciate all prayers that my infection would dissipate and that my platelet levels would go back to being on an upward increase- especially because I’m not a fan of the resulting tiredness low platelets seem to give. Who likes being tired all of the time? Certainly not me. My many doctors still like to poke and prod me regularly and I imagine this will continue for at least the next year or so. It’s a rhythm or dance I’m not ever going to feel comfortable with, but at least I know what to expect, which is essentially to expect the unexpected. :) I’m continually learning to ground myself in truth and to not be taken on the all-too-tempting roller coaster of emotions at each turn. The truth is, I am healthy and will continue to become stronger.

In January, to celebrate life and beating cancer, I did a 9 day tour of six national parks - road tripping down California and across the southwest and sharing the journey with some of my most treasured people. We ended the trip in Texas as snow fell (pretty magical), and I flew back to Puerto Rico from there. When I was at my sickest this last year, I would spend hours - quite honestly what seemed like weeks - looking at outdoor photos in bed. It took me out of my misery, but also made me question if I would ever have the strength to adventure again. Needless to say, this trip was celebratory, healing, and a sort of triumphant dance. We tried to do a ‘cheers to life’ every day at some special point - a sunrise, sunset, or standing at a beautiful visit point. It seemed to bookend and close out a tough year, while at the same time, opened up the next chapter. So much awe-inspiring, breathtaking beauty in such a short span of time - definitely fell in love with wonder and the need to be inspired by things bigger than myself again. Flying back to Puerto Rico felt like I was beginning again, and as though I was gifted a do-over of starting a year I thought I was starting last February, 2020. Life was unpaused.

The good work continues in Puerto Rico. We are settling in on our Happy Givers campus, which we moved into in September. It's bursting with life daily now. We are focusing on three main areas for the first part of the year. The first of which is our new onsite community kitchen. Starting in March we will begin providing food for 50 of some of the most vulnerable, under-served households in our area. These consist of mainly seniors, single moms, and households with a disabled person in them. We are working with the local communities and leaders and we’ve had meetings with both of our neighboring town’s Mayors. We are looking forward to building strong relationships with both. We’ve hired a full time social worker and her strength to the team is tremendous. I am truly looking forward to seeing the community impacted over the years to come.

The second area we are focusing on is continuing to bring more and more of our online stores production to Puerto Rico. This store is how we create funding for most of our non-profit work. As we transfer production here, the number of local people we can employ is growing seemingly by the week. We continue to source more and more items locally and I love that even our production costs are having an impact in stimulating our local community. It’s no small undertaking to bring production here and we are definitely feeling the growing and start-up stretch from this.

The last thing we are focusing on is finally completing construction on our shipping container office and classroom for our non-profit and trade school. The trade school is still in the works, but once we have a place to have it, we can really begin to move things forward. In the spring, conditions permitting, we will begin to receive missions teams! The first team scheduled to arrive will mark fourteen months since we’ve had a team join us here. Teams and rebuilding were to be the main focus of 2020, so I am ecstatic to bring the practical work of rebuilding and restoring people’s homes back to the forefront. Please pray for wisdom and practical solutions, and for the safety of all who are working as we do this. Looking forward to sharing with you the stories of impact that these teams encounter in the community and within themselves.

Needs:

The Happy Givers NPO pays half my salary and I am responsible for the other half. Some of you already give monthly and I am beyond thankful!! Also, so thankful for the many of you who have been giving one time gifts over the course of the last year! I mean, wow, you gave! This meant all of my expenses were covered — even ALL the medical ones! I have no lingering medical bills at all! I lacked for nothing during a year that many all over the world had to go without. It was humbling and I feel so loved. Practically speaking, I’m still needing to raise $1000 in support each month. If you can give any amount monthly for the next year, I would be so thankful. I’ll put a link below to my support page. Also,  I’ve been living next door to Carlos and Cathrine and this, along with their overly generous support, has meant I’ve been able to go this first year without a car. As life is picking up (ie. I’m not in bed daily, we are not locked down in a pandemic, and I commute to work daily), and as Carlos and Cathrine are moving a few miles away, there is a growing need for me to purchase a car. Cars are about 30% more expensive here than on the mainland due to shipping and import taxes. If you would like to partner with me on this and give a one time gift towards a vehicle please use the link below.

Gifts given though the link are tax deductible gifts. :)

Side Note:

If I missed sending you a Christmas card and you still want to enjoy some mail, please message me and send me your address. I would love to send you one!