Resettling after 4.5 years in Haiti

In July 2015, we moved to northern Haiti to serve as house parents for seven orphaned children at Children of the Promise.  We also both held administrative positions since 2017, which involved the oversight of all on campus programs (8 childcare spaces, physical/occupational therapy, medical care, education, and international adoption).  We are tremendously grateful for all the experience we have gained while serving in those roles.

Our goal upon signing up to be house parents was to get each of our kids adopted into a family.  Just in 2019, this has become a reality for five of the seven kids in our home.  Saying goodbye has been the definition of bittersweet. 

Aside from 2019 being a year full of goodbyes, we have had many more victories and challenges.  You can read a summarized version here:  http://bhullarsinhaiti.blogspot.com/

Since before moving to Haiti, we have always hoped and prayed for doors to open and close as needed to push us into our next phase of life.  We both feel that after pouring into the lives of the children we have fostered for four and a half years and with most of them already out of Haiti, it is the right time to go back to the United States and  recharge a bit.  We had plans to stay in Haiti even after our kids have moved on, but we cannot ignore the doors that seem to be closing here and opening back in the States.

We currently plan to land in Nashville in early 2020.  We are working on setting up housing, most likely to move into an apartment by February 1.  We do not yet have jobs lined up and know we need a few months to decompress before either of us can work full time.  This will be a huge jump adjusting to a different culture and beginning to unpack the last four and a half years of our lives.  We are both already set up with counseling services.  We will need to buy a vehicle since we sold ours prior to moving to Haiti.  We will need to repurchase basics such as a bed, a dining set, etc.  In many ways, it is terrifying thinking about what it will take to resettle in Nashville, but we know we need to step out in faith and trust that we will be okay.

For the last five years, we have raised funds to start and sustain our work in Haiti.  It was by far one of our least favorite parts of our jobs because we have never liked asking for funding for our own expenses.  It was always easier to ask for funding for our kids, nannies, and those around us who were in need.  In order to have a successful transition back to Nashville, we are humbly asking for some financial assistance to help us get back on our feet.

We are not ready to say that doors have totally closed for us in Haiti.  We have fallen in love with this country and its people, even more so since living here.  We do not know what God has in store for us beyond 2020, so we are not yet comfortable publicly announcing any plans beyond spending the next year in Nashville to work on ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

We plan to continue to update on this page as we know more in regards to our timeline and living situation.  Thank you for considering partnering with us during this season of transition.