July 1, 2019

So, we are close to that one year mark when all this began. In the last year or so we have had:
  1. Darin's mother pass away.
  2. Become empty-nesters with Karissa returning to Canada to study while we remained in Haiti away from her (as well as her brothers)
  3. Left our 5 year salaried missionary position with its benefits, leaving with only our clothes, two cats and some dishes to care for 14 abandoned children, becoming homeless ourselves needing to find a place to live, staring all over again with nothing not even our own broom or bed to sleep in.
  4. Darin being told twice he had cancer. After the first time with surgery, he was given a clear bill of health only to find a lump months later and a month after arriving back in Haiti. 1 lump turned to 4 then to 7 and then too many to count, all within weeks.
  5. Separation for months from one another while trying to figure out what directions to take and decisions to make now that we have the responsibility of these children and 9 staff, all while living in two different countries.
  6. Darin having daily 35 radiation treatments and 3 chemo treatments over a period of 7 weeks no longer having medical or life insurance.
  7. Four different seasons of violent riots in Haiti, one in particular causing an emergency evacuation, again, all without financial funding. Numerous power black outs lasting days on end included, fuel shortage and sky rocketing food prices while smelling the smoke of tires and property being on fire and gunshots happening over the fence of my backyard, the sound of roaring rioters just down the street.
  8. Started our own organization, forming a Board, becoming a legal non-profit organization. .
  9. Started process of licensing in Haiti as a creche/orphanage with the goal of family reunification. Received legal guardianship of 14 abandoned children ages 1-14 years of age.
  10. Found two houses to rent in Haiti, making an emergency move of the children due to safety concerns. All without regular monthly donors to pay for either housing.
  11. Seeking and gaining a mortgage without having a paid position, to purchase a small house in NS, something we did not want or plan to do. Now starting from scratch over again in less than 12 months after starting from scratch in Haiti.
  12. Lived with family members in NS for months while dealing with all of the above, using borrowed or donated items including clothes and other necessities. 
  13. Another trauma that cannot be publicly mentioned, the kind of stuff people tend not to recover from.
Through it all, Darin and I are still happily married. Neither of us are on drugs, getting drunk (we don't even drink anyway). We aren't medicating ourselves or trying to escape the pressure with anything other than prayer. We aren't crying ourselves to sleep at night. We aren't whining or complaining. Nor, have we asked for anything for ourselves other than prayer. We have sought to only direct attention to the needs of the "least of these" here in Haiti, making no apologies for being a voice for those who have no voice for themselves.
To God be the glory for His faithfulness in making his grace sufficient in the storms of life. Religion, even the Christian religion, is not enough to carry us through hell on earth but only a relationship with a real God that has conquered hell itself!
He is good even when life is brutally hard. He is enough. We know. We have the scars to prove it.

Darin Kucey: It definitely has been a challenge. I don’t think anyone realizes what Tonya has gone through while being in Haiti by herself. I have not been there since the middle of December, so, she has been left to deal with the riots, unrest, heat, lack of power and teams just to mention a few things. Haiti is hard enough to deal with as a couple, but to deal with this by herself just shows what an incredible woman she is. In many ways she has had a more difficult time than I have dealing with my cancer back in Canada.
Tonya Kucey: you are amazing! On the same token, no one knows the sacrifice you have made for the sake of these children in Haiti and sending me back to be sure that they were cared for when you could have said we need to walk away saying your cancer trumped their needs.You didn't. When I said maybe we should pack this place up, you were the one that said, "no". Instead you said for me to go back and make sure they are ok. You are the real inspiration in this.
November 8, 2018

Be sure to watch for your God moments today. He is there delighting in revealing himself to us. I shared one moment that He gave me with the school Director. It wasn't the only one I had yesterday though. Here is another one:

Darin and I had the joy of hosting a fellow Nazarene from Florida who had come to visit with us and see, firsthand, the work we are doing through Loving the Least of These Ministries Canada. He is considering bringing a youth team to work with us. As we finished dropping him off at the airport we turned a corner and starting into one of the really busy intersections in Port au Prince.

As soon as we drove around the bend there were three street boys who saw me and immediately starting jumping up and down, with big grins on their faces, arms waving in the air yelling out loud, "Madanm, Madanm! Ou la! Ou sonje nou?" ... "Madame, Madame! You are here! Do you remember us?"

Of course, I remembered them! I try to have some snack items in our vehicle and some change to give out to the children and youth living on the streets. I rolled down my window and one of the boys said, "Mwen te priye pou ou!"... I prayed for you! (message, "I prayed for you to come!")

I asked him if he was hungry, which, of course he was, and I gave the last three items I had to each of them. The response was great gratitude and then this same one boy said, "My birthday is Dec. 7th." (message: I want you to remember me on my birthday.)
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Yes, my Friend, I will remember you. And the God who created you, will never forget that He formed you in your mother's womb and has a purpose for your life. He remembers you and answers your prayer to send the white lady who always gives you something to eat and a kind word of hope and love.
November 7, 2018

What was one of your most awesome God moments of today?

Me? I had several God moments but my favourite one was when I went to speak to the Director of the children's new school regarding their school supply list. I was immediately ushered into his little office and embraced warmly. I quickly asked him about how he was and how was his family, which is a common greeting in Haiti to ask about one's family. Then I asked if his wife was pregnant yet.

Now, that may seem a bit personal ... which it is ... however, three weeks ago when I first met this Director in person and he found out I was a pastor he immediately asked me to pray for his wife to get pregnant. Apparently this couple were having difficulty in conceiving so I shared a story of another friend who conceived after 17 years of infertility. She was prayed for while in Haiti and she conceived the next week when she returned to Canada. After encouraging him to believe for a miracle for his wife, I prayed for and with him.

Thus, the question I asked him today, "is your wife pregnant." Answer?: Yes.
He embraced me again and then held me out at arms length with tears in his eyes, locked onto mine.
We stood together in awe for a moment then he raised his arms to the ceiling and said, "Praise the Lord."
Yup, a real God moment for me.