bonjour!

Hey All!
I hope you don't mind if I e-mail you every few days while I am in Haiti.  Some of you I know better than others, but most of you I figure have either been or have an interest in Haiti.
Alicia (my wife) and I are going for nine days and we are SO excited.  We leave tonight at 10:45 and will get there sometime tomorrow morning. 
I went to Haiti in August of last year.  My poor wife Alicia - she didn't go.  Boy has she heard about it ever since.  I think most times people get culture shock when they're in a different culture and are relieved when they go back to their "normal" way of living.  Is that how it works?  I came back and have just wanted to go back to Haiti ever since.  There's something so wonderful about people having joy even with so little.  In America, we live our days rushing around going in a little circle all day.  something has just changed inside me and I can only explain it by telling you that it was God doing a new work in me.  The story is so crazy and totally God and this e-mail is already long but if you want to know more, then just ask...
 
so finally after many months of waiting we are ready to go back tonight, for nine days.  we are going with a team of 20 other people and are stoked on getting to use our creole and connect with the kids through a summer camp we are putting on in port au prince.  i will be sending updates when I have internet, assuming I do.  mosquitoes, bugs, voodoo, guys with guns and funny blue helmets, intense heat and humidity and sticking out like a sore thumb - these are all a part of haiti.  but there is also the kids at the orphanage.  in the middle of all of this absolute destitution (where people literally eating dirt) there is hope for this nation through what Jesus is doing with these kids.  It is an absolute honor to be able to be a part of this and I am so excited...
 
please keep us in your prayers if you are a pray-er... we are also hoping to connect with a haitian guy we met who runs a  restaurant in downtown LA who will be there at the same time, hopefully that happens but who knows.  it's haiti!
 
please forward this along to whoever you like or direct them to www.haiticampinabox.blogspot.com like I said I will update when I can hopefully with pictures!
 
lucas simmons
p.s. if you forget about the blog:  my facebook, lucasyalicia.com, flickr.com/photos/lucastheexperience (when there are pictures), lucastheexperience.blogspot.com, and aliciatheexperience.blogspot.com should all be updating
 
p.p.s. alicia actually went to the bank in AMERICA today and told the teller she was going to Haiti and the guy started talking to her in Haitian Creole!  How funny and totally God is that???