Wednesday, April 11th 
 Patt Haroldson

       

Today was water truck day- we ventured in to Cite Soleil, 1 mile square in which 300,000 Haitians reside. No trees, no sanitation, no water. and all manner of shelter.  It is divided in to districts which are neighborhoods of sorts.  The debris that life generates is evident, the smell of dust and smoke  is in the air and the clamor of people is every where. Despite the tough conditions, there is a sense of organization and desire to create a home. Healing Haiti (HH) brings water in to each of the districts of Cite Soleil 6 days a week- free, clean and precious. People, including very small children,  gather with every imaginable container to be filled and taken back to their homes: barrels, buckets of every shape and size, bowls, tubs....

On days when a Healing Haiti team of volunteers comes, the people know they will have help carrying their water and the kids come in droves to be held, played with and today, just wanted some of us to sheta/sit with them.  Being part of this team of women, several of whom have never been to Haiti or any 3rd world setting, worked together and dove right in. I spent most of the day under the  water spout pulling buckets in to place and passing the filled ones out to the waiting people. At 1 stop I immediately noticed a very pregnant lady patiently waiting with 1 bucket. People had formed a line but many tried to squeeze in to the front - she just waited. The midwife in me could not help but go and take her bucket. I filled her bucket and we left together to carry it to her home. As we traveled back among the homes we came to a large puddle of water and debris and she stopped me, smiled  and said 'no". She did not want me to have to cross the puddle. Kindness. Without words, we communicated much with smiles and "merci" and parted ways.

The truck refilled and returned to a 3 different areas times. We filled bucket after bucket until the entire tanker is empty. Water is life here.  It is hard to actually describe in words. You'll have to wait for the pictures to understand.

Healing Haiti has built a trust based on a steadfast long term relationship. This legacy of trust made us immediately accepted. I marvel at the opportunity to be in places that give me an intimate view of Haitian life and to be allowed to serve there.  I came here with an attitude that God has a gift, a lesson for me. I arrived open to what ever comes my way.- no expectations except that my life will be enriched, blessed.  There is a joy in living a life open to God's touch and leading- no fear.

I have been to Haiti several times before but this is different. I have not spent time in the Port au Prince area before. I am with some really special women here and I am learning from them and laughing with them and know I am surrounded by encouragement and affirmation.  Each of us has a story and being sisters in Christ and serving together has made us instant friends. We start the day with prayer and song and end the day, reflecting on what we've experienced
Haiti gets in to your heart, it is a hard place, yet I love being here.  Life can be amazing outside of your comfort zone.

Tuesday, April 10
First full day,

This is team member Willi Pederson.  It was wonderful to start this day seeing all of our team members finding little corners to do their own personal devotions.  I love the hearts of my team members and it is a privilege watching them living out their personal time with the Lord.  After breakfast we headed out in the TapTap to Teen Challenge.  Riding the TapTap is an experience in itself!  We all pile in the back of a Fed Ex size truck that has benches on the side and wire mesh up to the roof & hang on for the ride!  Roads are very rough and bumpy and we are hanging on for dear life as we look out and see the Haitians "doing life".  I saw a woman balancing 8 dozen eggs on her head walking up a steep hill.  The physical strength and balance of Haitians is amazing!

At Teen Challenge we were introduced to the students and the programs.  It is a 18 month program for teens who have come out life challenges hard to imagine.  Most have been sexually abused and many orphaned.  They grow up in an environment impossible for us as Westerners to comprehend.  At Teen Challenge they learn what it is like to live with a roof over their head, protected physically, and learn to know Jesus learn life skills.  They will stay there for 18 months and then go back to their communities to be the light of Jesus.  Their joy was undeniable.  I gave my personal testimony of redemption through an interpreter.  The girls were on the edge of their seats & applauded when if finished.  I wanted them to know I had made plenty of bad decisions in my life and how redeemed we all are.  We are all, indeed, sisters in Christ.

Afterwards we treated the girls to manicures, pedicures & facials and the braided our hair.  It was a sweet time of international sisterhood we will take into eternity.  My heart was full as we left.

In the afternoon we went to orphanages where we fed & held babies and played with the older children.  They had health issues - many very malnourished and so small for ages.  Most are orphaned or abandoned.  Touch is universal and all of them longed to be held.  One particular little girl attached herself to me and called me mama.  It made me weep - I physically could not be a mother, so to be called mama was a bigger gift than that little girl will ever know.  At one point she crawled up my back & just wanted to play with my blonde hair.  When I became overwhelmed, this sick little girl patted me on my back to comfort me.  A moment in time etched in my memory forever.

At evening devotions we each shared memories of the day.  Journeying with these sisters in Christ is another indescribable memory.   For the first time since arriving, I slept soundly tonight after my cold water shower.  I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams.

We've Arrived

Larson/Olson Team

We have arrived safely and settled into our place we will call home for the next week.  We have come from all over, from Florida to Minnesota, Colorado, Michigan and Canada.  16 Women who love the Lord, and want to serve with open hearts.  It has been a great day getting to know one another, and giving praise to our Lord.  Great start.   Pictures coming.........

Everyone is exhausted, stay tuned....

First Lutheran Church Day 8

 Travel Day.

We made it safely to the United States!! We are waiting for our next flight home to Minneapolis! We leave Atlanta at 10:20pm and arrive at 11:58pm to Minneapolis!

We have had such an amazing and moving week that we cannot wait to share our stories with all of you!

Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for praying for our team and following our blog. Stay tuned for when our trip photos and videos will be presented.

God Bless you all!!!

First Lutheran Church Day 7

Sunday, April 8th, our last full day in Haiti! 

Today, we started the morning with Worship at Church on the Rock.  They asked that we not take pictures (even Lisa obeyed the rule this time) so I will describe it the best I can.

The auditorium was filled with local Haitians and visitors with so much energy! It was addicting and moving. All were dressed in their Sunday best, and all were welcomed.  You would look up and see so many hands and hearts reaching up praising and worshiping our Lord together. I think I saw Jane raise her arms. (and a tissue) It was a moving morning as only God can do.

After Church we rode out to Carries, Haiti for some fun in the sun at Wahoo Bay. It was a great opportunity to replenish our bodies, mind and soul for our trip home and the days ahead of us. A well needed renewal, and God gave us a perfect day for it!   Hallelujah!

Brandi showed us her "can do" attitude once again as she ventured out of her comfort zone and did some snorkeling with the team.  Just the fact that 13 of us all went on one old fishing row boat is enough to gather one's courage.  (Josh, I sure hope you got the glue off your foot from the boat.

Another lesson learned; remember to check out the equipment before starting to barter the price.)

I think I saw a mother-daughter kayak race; Kara& Lori definitely earned first place and took the hardware home!  Elise requested a new partner. J   Bodi was “King of the Raft” until Emily& Rachel joined.  Nothing can stop those two when they are together. 💗

 

First Lutheran Church Day 6

 Day 6, Second Water Truck day and Dio's Special Needs Orphanage!

We started out our day by heading to the water truck station to watch our water truck get filled. While there we watched the Haitians take showers in the water trucks that were overflowing and dripping. We say a little boy that had a VIKINGS Jersey on so we had to get a photo with him!

Off to our first stop where we saw a few things that stuck out and were heart wrenching. There was a bunch of kids fighting or rioting in the streets. One little girl in particular was getting beat up and bullied. The kids would rally around here and she would lay on the ground and lash out! It was terrible to see! The discipline here is so much more harsh than back home which is another hard thing to watch, they use belts, cut off parts of pants to hit the children when they disobey.  While these fights were happening, some of us gathered together and said a prayer that the spirits that were causing these fights would go away. We were all holding at least 2-3 kids and one little girl shouted out " in the name of Jesus"! If that doesn't give you goose bumps! It was amazing within minutes of our prayer the fighting stopped!!!

Our second stop was really moving also. We connected with a lot of children and families that were in need. We carried many heavy buckets of water down the streets to their homes, sewage running in the gutters, kids naked or half naked, but smiling from ear to ear!!!! The famous saying from the children here in Haiti is "Hey You" and the kids start chanting that! It is sound to our ears!!

We headed back to the guest house to shower and get ready to go to Dios, the special needs orphanage!

When we pulled up to the orphanage we saw kids of all kinds! Some were Walking, some were using walkers or canes and others sitting resting!  We brought out the toy bin and the kids went nuts! To see what those kids can do even WITH their disability is absolutely amazing!!! To see the joy that our team brought to their faces was humbling! These kids haves so much to give to us that we loved every minute there! We were jumping rope, playing soccer, coloring, braiding hair, using chalk, playing tic tac toe and snuggling!!! Just what Jesus ordered us to do with them!!!

God has blessed us in so many ways on this trip and I pray that we as a team and as we come home and share with others can be the CHANGE here in Haiti!!!

First Lutheran Church Day 5

Day 5! How does that even seem possible!

We started our day out by attending Church! What an experience, to see the holy spirit alive in so many people here was amazing and a lot of us felt so much relief. Relief knowing that God is changing lives here right in front of our own eyes. We walked back to the guest house from church, which was fun to see the "streets" of Haiti.

We headed out to go to Titanyen. A little town where Healing Haiti built Grace Village, Grace Church, Grace Shool and Fleri Bakery and restaurant. On our way we stopped at the mass grave site which is a large area at the foot of the mountains where 100's of thousands of people are buried from the earth quake that happened in 2010. They have a large memorial and then up on top of the mountain in the distance stood a bunch of crosses! How amazing!


We headed to get a tour of Fleri Bakery where they make bread and wholesale it to the community to sell on the streets. They also sell the bread in retail.. The whole theory behind the job creation is so great. They employ 26 people alone at the bakery and the restaurant employs the Haition teenagers to wait tables and serve the food!

We had 4 elders ( Older adults in the Titanten Community) that we got the pleasure of visiting  today.  When we visit them we bring them a hot meal, a water bottle with cold water, juice, and a care package with some personal items and some snacks. We sing to them while they get their feet  and hands washed. We sang songs like, this little light of mine, amazing grace, O My Soul and Jesus loves me! Mollee was a excellent leader at this! Before we leave we ask them for their prayer requests and pray over them!

 We started with Marcia. When we showed up she was raising her arms in the air  and was so happy to see us! She said she had been waiting for us to come and was quickly finding a chair to sit down on so that we could wash her hands and feet and massage her back with lotion. When that was finished we painted her nails and toe nails! While doing all of this we sang songs to her!!!! Marcias prayer was for her family, kids, grandkids and for her spirit!


We then moved to Edmund, this sweet man oh my soul! He is blind and almost all the way deaf but he was so happy we were there! The best part about this visit was when we gave him the cold water and he took his first drink and said "ahhhhhh" it tasted soo good! Edmund's prayer requests were for less pain and to not be bored. He lays in bed because he cannot see or hear and he gets bored. He expressed he was in a lot of physical pain.

We visited two other elders and then headed back to Grace village to get a tour of the school and orphanage! All the work that healing Haiti has done here is amazing and the views are a bonus for sure!!!!

Tomorrow is our last water truck day along with our visit to Dios Special needs orphanage!