WOW! What a morning it was today. After a week of writer's block on my introductory address to my church about the mission, editing till 12:30 last night, and apprehensiveness still about whether or not my speech was good enough, the response from my church family was overwhelming in support. I am so blessed to be apart of the St. Luke's community. Thank you all so much for your kind words of encouragement and support!

Soon I will have the opportunity to reach out to many more churches and groups that accept me to come speak. After this one, I feel more confident in what to say and how to say it. It's going to be a great adventure.

Photo credit: (A very sneaky) Joe Cloutier

Right now I am getting ready to go out and celebrate, with my family, my grandpa's 91st birthday. An aunt came in from England just for this day. My grandfather, Robert Baker, is a man who continues to live; stubbornly denying death its wants. As he always says, "It goes!" after being questioned on "How it is going [in life]". His vitality has become a sort of inspiration to live, not complain, and just go. That latter statement is true about what I am about to do with Haiti, just go! Happy birthday Grandpa, here's that we may live and just go!

Earlier this week, but past my first post, I got much more information from the Mission Personnel Office (MPO) on what I'll be doing in Haiti. I knew I would be teaching English at the Bishop Tharp Institute, but that's easier said than done. I found out also I will help the Institute in translation projects. Finally my major, French Language & Literature, coming to good use! It also said I will be helping the diocese in the effectiveness of the Millennium Development Goals. The Model United Nations alumnus in me went nuts! The MDGs are 8 goals set out by the U.N. to achieve around the world by 2015.

They are:

1. Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger,
2. Achieving universal primary education,
3. Promoting gender equality and empowering women,
4. Reducing child mortality rates,
5. Improving maternal health,
6. Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases,
7. Ensuring environmental sustainability, and
8. Developing a global partnership for development.

WOW! I will be helping a world-wide effort to achieve these goals, but especially realizing them in Haiti. Not just teaching English, but something else that impacts everyone and not just my future students. Of course 2015 is right around the corner, and many of these goals are far from being achieved. I hope that's why they called it, the "Millennium" Goals and not the "15-year Goals". Overcoming some of these problems can take a lifetime.

Fellow servant of Christ,
Zach

Hello to all who read this! Right now, as I sit here typing away (though I should be getting some sleep), I am much too excited, nervous, and hopeful of what I am about to do come September of this year. However before I begin that adventure (though I will be talking about it much more soon), there must be a prequel to why I am here. Like all great stories, there are stories before to make it possible.

My name is Zachary. That is the best part about me. Zachary comes from the Hebrew meaning, "God has not forgotten" or "God remembers". My parents chose the name because they believed God did not forget they wanted a boy. After three daughters, the best sisters (and daughters!) anyone could ask for, their prayers were answered. However, in my life, time after time, I have come back to God and He remembers me. Remembers my wants and my needs, remembers my sins and forgives them, and remembers that I try to be the best servant and remembers that I always need help.

However, my name isn't a one way street, though sometimes the other side is deserted. Like all of us at some point, we forget about God. I have forgotten about Him. But something, some place, someone always reminds that God remembers me and that I must always remember Him.

Fellow servant of Christ,
Zach