We started our day by heading out towards the rural area of Titanyen. Titanyen means “less than nothing”, and is where the Mass Graves memorial is located from the earthquake of 2010 . Despite some traffic and a re-route we made it — another exciting adventure on the tap-tap!
Upwards of 300,000 Haitians were buried there after the catastrophic earthquake— many of them didn’t have identification so they were brought from Port-au-Prince and dumped into the mass graves. Our guide and driver shared their stories with us of where they were when the earthquake happened and how it impacted them. The earthquake and the aftershocks were so massive and unexpected that the people really had no way to get the help that they needed, so many people were not able to be rescued. The earthquake devastated the city, destroying the Capitol, businesses, homes, schools, killing so many people and in the prices created many orphans.
After the mass graves we drove a little further to Grace Village in Titanyen. Our first stop was at Fleri Bakery and restaurant. We got to tour the bakery and hear how it has empowered the community of Titanyen through job creation and providing a place for fellowship and celebrations. It employs 26 locals and also has a program to help transition kids phasing out of Grace Village. The bread and pizza they were baking smelled amazing! It was so cool to see a place of such joy and hope after visiting the mass graves. We then went up the hill to Grace Village and got to tour it and see the clinic, school, and homes where the orphans stay. It was really neat to learn that the orphanage is set up family-style (instead of in dormitories) where they have house parents and get to grow up in a family unit. School was just getting out so we got to play with the kids! We even had a Haitian vs. American soccer game with kids ... needless to say the kids won— but we put up a good fight :)
Our last stop in Titanyen was doing the Elder visits. There are elders in the community that are selected and sponsored through Healing Haiti and we got to visit them in their homes, bring them a meal, wash their feet and rub lotion on their hands and feet. We visited 3 different elders and their faces lit up when we showed up and they appreciated our company, singing songs and praying over them.
We made our way back to the guest house and got to experience a delicious Haitian dinner complete with rice, beans, chicken, meatballs, and lots of veggies. Jeremy ate a whole plate of broccoli and said it was his favorite vegetable ever. It was fun to experience an authentic Haitian meal!
Overall, it was a hope-filled day seeing the good that is happening in Titanyen as a result of God’s work through Healing Haiti and the incredible Haitians here.
Thanks for following along our trip!
Blessings,
Ashley Grace
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
April 25, 2018: Traffic, babies, and Papillon!
God graced us with another beautiful day!
Our original plan was to visit the home for sick and dying adults and Mother Theresa’s (home for sick and dying children). So, we hopped on the tap tap around 9:30 this morning to head toward Carrefour only to find that traffic was BAD. Like, try four different routes and exercise patience for two hours, bad. Come to find out that there was a crane stuck on the power line; it made sense why traffic was a little crazy! I’m going to do my best to not complain about traffic back home ever again.
After realizing that we weren’t going to make it to Carrefour, we decided to go to Papillon. Papillon was created about seven years ago by an American who initially visited Haiti in 2007 to adopt a child who was put up for adoption by a family who didn’t have the financial means to care for them. This inspired her to create a place that created jobs for people so they can provide for their families - how cool is that!? Papillon is a restaurant/shop that started out with 40 employees and today now has 250+ Haitian employees on site and 50 offsite. Men and women who work there are provided with free childcare and preschool for their kids while working, which is also super amazing.
Once we had fueled up (on yummy pizza and frozen lemonade/smoothies), we got back on the tap tap and went to Mother Theresa’s. Our group was able to spend time with a lot of kids who were looking for a little love, which is exactly what they got! We were able to feed them lunch, play outside, read, and hold the babies/children, which was a really impactful experience for us. It didn’t matter that we didn’t speak the same language; love is a universal language that can break down many barriers.
Blessings!
Amanda
Our original plan was to visit the home for sick and dying adults and Mother Theresa’s (home for sick and dying children). So, we hopped on the tap tap around 9:30 this morning to head toward Carrefour only to find that traffic was BAD. Like, try four different routes and exercise patience for two hours, bad. Come to find out that there was a crane stuck on the power line; it made sense why traffic was a little crazy! I’m going to do my best to not complain about traffic back home ever again.
After realizing that we weren’t going to make it to Carrefour, we decided to go to Papillon. Papillon was created about seven years ago by an American who initially visited Haiti in 2007 to adopt a child who was put up for adoption by a family who didn’t have the financial means to care for them. This inspired her to create a place that created jobs for people so they can provide for their families - how cool is that!? Papillon is a restaurant/shop that started out with 40 employees and today now has 250+ Haitian employees on site and 50 offsite. Men and women who work there are provided with free childcare and preschool for their kids while working, which is also super amazing.
Once we had fueled up (on yummy pizza and frozen lemonade/smoothies), we got back on the tap tap and went to Mother Theresa’s. Our group was able to spend time with a lot of kids who were looking for a little love, which is exactly what they got! We were able to feed them lunch, play outside, read, and hold the babies/children, which was a really impactful experience for us. It didn’t matter that we didn’t speak the same language; love is a universal language that can break down many barriers.
Blessings!
Amanda
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
April 24th, 2018: Water truck, Farm and Hope Church and School
God has blessed us with an experience we will never forget!
Today was water truck day so we made three stops in Cité Soleil, one of the poorest cities, to deliver clean water. We carried buckets, held the water hose and played with kids. There are few words that can be used to describe what we saw and felt today. The Haitians line up buckets before we arrived and the kids flocked to the tap tap before we even opened the door! They were grateful for the water and for our help carrying the water buckets back to their homes. The kids were full of joy, many of them running to us to be held, play a game or be in a photo with us. The joy that spilled out of them, despite their circumstances, warmed our hearts.
In between water truck stops, we visited Healing Haiti’s farm. They grow bananas, limes, coconuts, egg plants and more. We played with the puppies, went on a tour of the farm and drank coconut water right out of the coconut; it was sweet and refreshing!
We also visited Hope Church and School, a beautiful church and school built on land that used to be piled high with garbage. The kids, all matching in their purple and white uniforms, were happy to see us and we were happy to see them getting the opportunity to go to school; it made us hopeful for what the future could hold for Cité Soleil.
Blessings!
Kaylin
Monday, April 23, 2018
April 23rd, 2018: Our First Day!
Joy, gratitude and peace are just a few of the words we can use to describe our day. We united as a team for the first time in Atlanta, Georgia; that is where we started to form a team bond that will undoubtedly last for many years to come.
Unfamiliarly smells filled our noses as many of us stepped into Haiti for the first time. We made our way through the lively crowd of people outside the airport and loaded our luggage onto the tap tap. After arriving at the guest house, we took a tour, played a little bean bag toss and ate dinner (tacos!). After dinner, several of us went to play and talk to the kids in the lot next to the guest house. We talked, laughed, sang and danced with them, which left them and us smiling from ear to ear! They were so inspiring!
As we reflected on our day, we realized how blessed we are to be here; God called us to be here and we are excited to see how He uses, changes and challenges us throughout the next week.
Blessings!
Kaylin
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Thursday, April 12
"Glory to God!''
These were among the words sung in Creole and English--exaltations lifted up to heaven from the homes of the Healing Haiti elders today. Our team, guided by Jonas and Valery, visited these precious people and sang hymns with them such as Amazing Grace, Praise Ye the Lord, Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, and Glory to God.
We also washed their faces, arms, and legs. We massaged their shoulders and their hands. We laughed with them and danced with them. But it was the songs that I'm humming tonight, remembering the looks of joy on the faces of the elders who have come to think of Healing Haiti as Jesus' hands and feet.
Earlier in the day we visited Grace Village where Jake talked with us about how God has blessed the efforts of Healing Haiti with the success of Fleuri bakery and restaurant.
After visiting an orphanage where we played four-square, hopscotch, and colored in coloring books, with the children we got back in the tap tap to make our way home.
We shared dinner, devotionals, and prayer time with our leaders Lisa Olson and Barb Larson. We are now heading to our bunk beds where we'll fall asleep talking about the highlights of our day. We'll each have our own special moments to which we'll drift off to sleep. Mine will be the beautiful voices raised in perfect harmony giving Glory to God.
These were among the words sung in Creole and English--exaltations lifted up to heaven from the homes of the Healing Haiti elders today. Our team, guided by Jonas and Valery, visited these precious people and sang hymns with them such as Amazing Grace, Praise Ye the Lord, Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, and Glory to God.
We also washed their faces, arms, and legs. We massaged their shoulders and their hands. We laughed with them and danced with them. But it was the songs that I'm humming tonight, remembering the looks of joy on the faces of the elders who have come to think of Healing Haiti as Jesus' hands and feet.
Earlier in the day we visited Grace Village where Jake talked with us about how God has blessed the efforts of Healing Haiti with the success of Fleuri bakery and restaurant.
After visiting an orphanage where we played four-square, hopscotch, and colored in coloring books, with the children we got back in the tap tap to make our way home.
We shared dinner, devotionals, and prayer time with our leaders Lisa Olson and Barb Larson. We are now heading to our bunk beds where we'll fall asleep talking about the highlights of our day. We'll each have our own special moments to which we'll drift off to sleep. Mine will be the beautiful voices raised in perfect harmony giving Glory to God.
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.
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.
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