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Jillian's Missionary's Confessions

Letters to Friends & Family/ Intro to Emmaus House

Dear Friends, Family, & CHCH Supporters:

We write you today to inform you of two major changes that will soon be taking place at the Cap Haitien Children’s Home. These changes, although at first may seem upsetting, we believe are in the best interest of the children living at the orphanage. We ask that you please join us in prayer for the CHCH at this time of change and transition, and as always pray that in everything we do here, we will above all glorify God.

In July 2013 Hunter and I will be stepping down as administrators of the Cap Haitien Children’s Home. This decision was not an easy one for us to make. We have cherished our time at the CHCH- with the kids, the staff, the teams, and you all as supporters. We have witnessed God do some amazing things here over the past few years and are forever grateful to have been apart His work in this place.

The reason and timing for our resignation is due to the second major change that is about to take place at the children’s home. Due to newly enforced IBESR (social service) laws, all children 18 and older are no longer permitted to live at licensed orphanages. The Cap Haitien Children’s Home, soon to be licensed, has 15 teenagers who will be 18 and older this year. And in February we were given a six-month warning to have them off the property.

At first this put Hunter and I in a panic. What in the world were we going to do? Already stressed about a million other things, in addition to the legal process for IBESR we were currently undergoing for the orphanage, we were now going to have to come up with a plan for 15 of our most dearly loved kids. So we began to pray, asking God for His upmost guidance. We only wanted His will to be done in the lives our teenagers- nothing more and nothing less. We also turned to some of our most trusted mentors back home for wisdom and support. And after much prayer, collaboration with various churches and Christians throughout America, and with the blessing of the Southwest church ofChrist (the overseeing congregation for the CHCH), the decision was made for us to step down as CHCH directors in order to help start and administer a new transition home for our teenagers.

Named the Emmaus House, the transition home will be overseen by both an American and Haitian board of directors. The mission of the Emmaus House will be to transition young adults from the Cap Haitien Children’s Home to independent living. The home will seek to provide life skills, professional skills, and education to afford our teenagers the opportunity to be faithful, strong, and knowledgeable followers of Christ and able to spread the gospel in Haiti.

Hunter and I are truly excited to embark on this new venture with our teenagers. We have been so blessed to be a part of their lives thus far, and we know without a doubt God is calling us to continue on with them as they make this transition into adulthood. We are sad to be leaving the kids and the staff at the CHCH, but we rest assured that God will send someone in our place.

We want to thank you for all of the love and encouragement you have given us over the past few years as we have worked at the CHCH.  There is no way we could have done this job without your continued prayers and support. We have been honored to work for the CHCH and to serve alongside each of you for the children who live here.

If you have any questions about the future of the CHCH or the Emmaus House please feel free to Email us. To find out more information about the Emmaus House and to see how you can get involved, please check out the following sites or email Tanya Pirtle, board member, for more information:

New Blog: Jillian’s Missionary Confessions

Facebook: EmmausHouseHaiti

Blessings,

Hunter & Jillian Kittrell

Confidence, OT Men & Satan's Lies

Satan has been tugging at my confidence today- making me feel like I am not capable of leadership, that I am an unworthy missionary, and that my love is not good enough to raise these kids. His lies have been lingering all around me today, coming at me from every which direction. And just when I was about to give him an inch of believe- just when I was about to start doubting my abilities myself- I found this video. It made me laugh. It made me think. And it was almost as if God was patting me on the back and telling Satan to get out of the way! I was His chosen one, so back off!!!

So here is the video. It isn't much, but I think it is rather cute and it can be a reminder to all of us that He chooses the weakest of us all to do the greatest things in His kingdom! And never let Satan trick you into thinking otherwise! I mean, if God chose men like these to be our Biblical examples then COME ON! don't ever doubt that He can't choose us too!

I'm glad my God has confidence in me. I'm glad He sees all I am capable of becoming through Him even when I can't see past today. I'm glad He sees past my failures and my flaws, my sins and my doubts. And I am glad He chose me, a young woman, to be in the role I am today. I trust Him. I trust that He chose me for a reason. If He didn't think I was capable, He wouldn't have sent me. I know that to be true.

I know the battle for my confidence is far from over. If Satan can tempt me into thinking I am useless down here then that it exactly what I will be- useless. So I won't let his lies taunt me. God has a plan for me in Haiti, for that I am certain. And when I lack confidence in myself, I will simply focus on the confidence I have in my God instead.

Question: Do you ever doubt that you are capable of handling what God has called you for in your  life? How do you overcome those doubts?

~ Jillian 

INSPIRED BY LIFE LINKS

• This little chair (in the photo above) sits on my bookshelf and reminds me everyday of "the little boy with the wooden chair" who INSPIRED me to keep the simple faith of a child. 

• I met this pretty lady last summer when she came to visit the CHCH and am now daily INSPIRED by her story as she fights cancer. 

• This author/speaker INSPIRES my heart/life/faith on so many levels! Oh to give her a hug! 

• If you are 1 of 11, 941,760 people than chances are you have already seen this video, but just in case you aren't, listen to this Pep Talk and be ready to be INSPIRED. 

• This woman and this quote INSPIRES me everyday. 

• This video makes me smile every time and just goes to show that it doesn't always take $$$ to INSPIRE and spread a little love.

• This man, known as our adopted Nashville father,  INSPIRED us to move to Haiti. 

• My dad is the Senior Operation Director for this INSPIRING organization in Northeast Tennessee.

• This singing duo INSPIRES me tons...and so does this song. 

• Being a trained educator in Haiti is difficult, but seeing this woman in action is INSPIRING. 

Been inspired? Now go do some inspiring yourself!

~ Jillian 

Haitian Creole Gestures

If you have ever been to the CHCH before, chances are you have seen

many, if not all, of these gestures among our children. If you have ever wondered

what they have meant, here is a quick little lesson. Enjoy and feel free to practice

for your next trip to visit us and the kids! :-) ~ Jillian