Hey You!

Today was water truck day. 

Everyone wakes up gets breakfast and gets on the tap tap for an all day excursion to a slum of Port Au Prince called Cite Soleil. There is a substantial amount of things to see along the way to the site as we go to meet the water truck. I saw three people on one motorbike, lots of congested traffic, loose goats, a herd of cows moving down the same street as us in the opposite direction. Unlimited tap taps and motorcycles passing our car on either side. Horns beep beeping away. We were awash in many different smells on the route to our destination. Some good, like cooking meat and ocean air. Some not good. 

We rendezvous with the water truck and arrive at the first of three stops. A chorus of kids shouting "Hey you! Hey you!" comes streaming into our tap tap. We smile. All the children learned this phrase in English and it did get our attention. They were all smiles as we disembarked down to the ground. Children and babies in all manners of dress and undress ran to us claimed us and took us away. We held the babes and even bigger kids. We helped fill, carry and haul buckets of water until the truck was empty. It was hard work but very fun. Always, throngs of babies all around waiting for you to have a free hand to hold. Or if you had an arm free they wanted to get picked up and held two or three at a time. They were pleased to examine us, our clothes and shoes. 

The kids and people wanted us to haul buckets right to their front door and even inside their dwellings. Smiling and sloshing water the whole way. I set my buckets down in the corrugated steel labyrinth that was the neighborhood and looked into the home I was delivering to. It was small. Windowless, dark, hot, made of rusted corrugated steel on the roof and walls. Each side of the dwelling shared a wall with its neighbor. Inside couldn't have measured more than eight feet by eight feet and had a dirt floor. A big barrel for water was in there and nothing else. This is what she was smilling about. Practically house proud. But what did I know. 

I think sometimes a house is just a place to keep your water barrel. 

Seeing this whole day happen makes you think. How much do we really need to be happy?

Josie

Life is Brutiful

Word of the Day: Strength
I definitely needed this today as today was the day I was most anxious about...we went to the Home for Sick and Dying Babies. I'm a mess when I see a sad commercial on TV, so when I found out a few months ago that we would be going to a hospital/orphanage for children who are malnourished, I knew it was going to be difficult. I have prayed circles around this experience, and cried many times just thinking about it, but to my surprise, I was able to hold it together today with the help of God's strength. Every time I felt tears approaching, I also felt God's hand over me giving me the strength to hold them back and do what I needed to do in order to be His hands and feet. I will say however, that this experience was one of the most difficult experiences I have had in my life. I tried to prepare for this day as best I could...I expected to see children with bloated malnourished bellies, I expected to see 4 year old children the size of 1 1/2 year olds, but what I did not expect or prepare myself for, were the blank stares I got from some of the ill children. As a speech-language pathologist, I work with little kiddos on their foundational language skills; I smile at you, you smile at me; I tickle your feet, you give a reaction; I play Peek-a-Boo, you giggle in anticipation. However, with some of these kiddos who have had such a lack of human contact, there was no reaction. It was as if there were staring at a blank wall. That by far was the most difficult part of the day. The time at the Home for Sick and Dying Babies wasn't all sad though. There were lots of smiles, laughs, piggy back rides, and playground fun! At one point, I had the opportunity to push 9 children on a 4 person swing; the giggles and laughter were music to my ears.

The second part of the day, we went to Montfort, which is a school and a deaf orphanage. This is where the majority of the donations that we collected went and we got to deliver them! 152 pairs of shoes, 367 toothbrushes, and 118 tubes of toothpaste! After we dropped the donations off, we got to spend some time and play with the children. Once the children found out I knew a little sign language, I felt like a celebrity! I really could only ask them their name, age, and if they wanted to play; but that was enough to be surrounded by kiddos hanging and jumping on me. We spent the next hour playing soccer and jumping rope; both things that the kids can do way better than any of us!

We wrapped up the day with devotionals where we were able to share about our day and process what we had all experienced. Right before leaving for this tip, a good friend told me a quote by Glennon Doyle Melton in order to help me prepare: "Life is brutal, life is beautiful, it's brutiful," and that sums up our day exactly.

Side note: I want to let everyone know that the prayers you have prayed over us up until this trip and the prayers you are continuing to pray for us now are working as we have been protected during all our travels, everyone is healthy, and we are all jumping in full force to be the hands and feet of God even when we are pushed outside our comfort zones.

Jenna

I'm Coming Home

Well today, May 23rd, I got to fulfill a dream that I have had for a long time now. I got go back to my home country on a mission trip. I had talked to my amazing wife about this trip for a while now mostly about going home and seeing what it would be like to be back in my birth place and then she told me that she had been wanting to go to Haiti for more than 10 years. When I arrived in the country I was kind of nervous and excited all at the same time. I was mostly kind of scared because I didn't want to cause any trouble, not sure why I would be a problem but for some reason I thought I would be lol.

When we arrived in customs I was surprised with something. Everyone that was from out of the country had to pay $10.00, I didn't know this but since I was born here in Haiti I didn't have to pay to get in to the country which was pretty cool. We then took a ride in a tap tap / Haitian Taxi to our compound and it was amazing driving through the city and it was very interesting looking at the street  as we made our way. I saw people on Dirt bikes and old big trucks and cars which was something I didn't think I would see being in Haiti. The road it self was made of lime stone.

I gotta say my favorite part of the day was when we went to play a game of soccer with some local kids. I was talking to some of them and the crazy thing was they knew instantly that I was from Haiti. But they also knew that I didn't speak the same language. I still talked to them and made great conversation. I found out that most of them all go to school and the main local that I talked to said that he wanted to be an engineer that would design buildings. I told him that I work in concrete and that we build big commercial panels for buildings. He thought that was pretty cool. Then we finished the soccer game, it was amazing.  We played in this old dusty dirt field and everyone was playing for keeps. The best thing was the locals didn't even wear shoes they just played in their bare feet. Now there was sharp rocks and some  small broken things that were in that dirt and sand, but it didn't bother them.

I must say that this has so far been a great experience and I know that its just going to keep getting  better. All I can think about is how much I'm gonna miss this place when I go home. Being in a place that you haven't been in for 27 years and then you go there and people automatically know that your from the same place thats just an awesome feeling that I can't describe. Unless if you're in my shoes then you know. But I'm gonna get to bed and make sure that I'm well rested and at full capacity to help out and serve tomorrow. Good night and thank you all for helping me get here to fulfill a dream.
-Jonathan Niesche-

Mountaintop Experience

We started our Sunday with worship service at Port-Au-Prince Fellowship, an English-speaking church. They greeted us with cinnamon rolls, coffee, and juice, what a treat! After a half an hour of rousing worship, Pastor Daniel moved into a sermon about becoming masters over sin. Even though the service was thought-provoking, our team was exhausted after our week of stretching, and several members of the group may or may not have nodded off. Still, at the end of the service we were excited to get the chance to spend the day in relaxation.

We hopped into the tap tap and started up the mountain. Our first stop was a hot, dusty, but still lovely roadside market. Many members of our team found just the perfect gift for someone back home (or themselves). After a brief interlude at the market, we continued our sojourn up the mountain. As the air cooled and the views expanded, our spirits were lifted. At the top, we were able to shop at a variety of vendors. Through shrewd bartering and persistence, many masterful oil paintings were obtained. We also were able to enjoy a satisfying meal with a spectacular view of Port-Au-Prince below. It was a refreshing change of perspective to be able to see Haiti both literally and mentally in a new way.

Back at the guesthouse, some ventured to the Elite Hotel for a final dip in the pool and cold Coke. Others lounged and contemplated. After dinner we had our final pit time of the trip, with lots of reflection, worship and prayer. Now we are finishing up our last blog post as others bustle around packing their bags and preparing to depart. We should probably do the same!

Terry and Maggie

Fight

"The Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Today has been a day for many people on our team. As the week draws near to a close, people are weary, fallen to sickness and the lack of sleep is starting to weigh heavy on our spirits. This is the perfect time for the enemy to try and creep in, when we aren't on-guard or up for a battle, and he has been trying his hardest to stop what the Lord has us here to do. The best part about all of this is, he hasn't won this week and he won't.

I am absolutely astounded by the amount of power this team holds when we pray together. This morning at breakfast, there was a very good chance that about four of our members were not going to make it out into the field with us. Three of the four made the decision that they were well enough to try and head out with us to Cite Soleil for our second go-around with the water truck. As we were en route, people were praying for each other and to themselves, but it was easy to tell that there was a lot of uncertainty going in. As soon as feet hit the ground in Cite Soleil, God's power took over all of us, and any ill feelings were left on the tap-tap. As the day continued, every once in a while something would creep up, something to distract or stop someone from stepping out in faith. It was a fight to keep moving forward and pushing the enemy away, but even in the midst of weariness and illness, the Lord was faithful (as He always is) to provide strength to His children.

We also had the opportunity to go to the Apparent Project this afternoon which has worked to create a family-friendly work environement for many Haitians. Artisans, as they are called, create beautiful jewlery out of strips of cereal boxes, and hand crafted coffee mugs and plates.

Joyfully,
Erin

P.s. One of our members is still quite ill, we have laid hands on her and will continue to, but all extra prayers are welcomed so she may again join us tomorrow. Prayer is powerful!

Unexpected Blessings

Our day started with the sun. We walked to the Church on the Rock and experienced something none of us have ever seen before. In the best way possible. You could feel God's presence before we even walked through the door. The church was the size of an airplane hangar and there were people of all ages walking up and down the pews raising their hands and praising the Lord. Pastors took turns leading worship and preaching while a worship band played along. Before we were even settled into our row an elderly woman came and greeted each of us with a hug and smile so warm our lack of common language didn't matter. As the pastor asked each person to pray for their neighbor several of our team members were brought to tears. We walked back to the guesthouse through the streets during morning rush hour to meet up with the rest of our team for a nourishing breakfast to head out for what would turn out to be a most amazing day.

We were sad to leave two of our team members behind who weren't feeling well but armed them with prayers and headed to Carrefour Home for Sick and Dying Adults. To get to our destination we had to drive an hour through winding streets in thick traffic in our tap tap. During the drive we saw cows, goats, chickens, a pig tied to the front of a bus, a man on the back of a motorcycle holding onto a car windshield, three guys breaking into a car. As we moved toward the city center our surroundings got nicer, the streets got wider and we saw signs of civilization that we have not seen to this point including stop signs and street lights. As quickly as we were able to appreciate the beauty of the downtown we were plunged back into an overwhelming tapestry of outdoor street vendors, whizzing motorcycles, and piles of garbage on the side of the road. Streets barely wide enough for one car serve as two lane games of chicken with blaring horns and close calls. At last we caught a glimpse of the ocean quickly followed by a petroleum plant and then our turn off for the home we were visiting.

The bright blue buildings and crisp vegetation felt more like a college campus than a home for sick and dying adults. There was a large green space, an outdoor chapel and nuns in full habit bustling about their business. We walked up to the second floor and entered the first room of patients. We were given a plastic bin of lotion and nail polish. We all spread out throughout the room with instructions to massage the women, paint their nails and pray for them. Our two Haitian interpreters joined us to play guitar, lead worship and help us communicate with the patients. It's safe to say many in our group were stretched beyond their comfort zone. Slowly it became apparent that it was not our individual hands at work but the collective hands of Jesus sharing love with each and every patient. We moved from one room to the next singing with the women, painting their nails and massaging them with lotion. With hand gestures and simple words and phrases we were able to share meaningful time with each group even though our time was short with them. Our team has proved this week that we will come together to complete the work God has put in front of us. Today was no exception. We were all looking out for each other and jumping in to make sure everyone who needed our attention got it. I think it is safe to say that none of us who were there that day will ever be the same again. There were three interactions today we would like to share individually:

Elle and Bailey: We came on this trip with a heart for children and babies. We loved every minute of the water truck day, the orphanage visit and every opportunity to hold and care for little ones. When our leaders announced we would be going to the home for sick and dying adults we did not expect to get much out of it. When we entered the room full of sick patients we chose a frail woman and began to rub her with lotion and we quickly realized that she didn't have the strength to sit up. She fell over Bailey while Elle rubbed her back and then fell back against Elle as Bailey massaged her arms and trunk. Both of us were overcome with emotion as Emmanual played the perfect worshp song at the perfect time every time. That is when the tears began rolling down our faces as we realized our visit could be the last time she experiences physical touch and prayer before going to meet the Lord.

Katie: I started working with my prayer partner Kelly but looked up and saw that one woman at the back corner of the room did not have anyone with her yet. I quickly walked over and she unbuttoned her gown and pointed to her stomach. I started rubbing her with lotion as she sproadically spasmed with pain and grimaced and moaned and writhed on her bed. Only by the grace of God was I able to sing to her, pray for her and cry with her in her time of need. As our interpreters signaled that it was time to move on I had to say goodbye as she curled into a fetal position. My only hope is that my ten minute visit brought a small measure of comfort in her difficult journey.

Kelly: As I walked into the home I was terrified. I didn't want to be there. I didn't want to rub lotion on strangers and I was worried about how I would be able to communicate with them. We entered the first room and we buddied up to get started. I sat with Jen and we took a collective deep breath and got the lotion ready. My hand was trembling as I reached for the ladies hand. My eyes filled with tears and I felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of what we were there to do. Her hand was trembling too as I started with lotion on her hands and arms. As the worship music began to play I observed myself almost from a distance and truly felt my hands being guided by Jesus. He led me to patients that I could handle working with and helped me communicate with each of them in any way that I could.

After we left Carrefour we headed out to a history museum and learned about how Haiti was formed and their history up to today. It was a very interesting opportunity to learn about the country we have all fallen in love with over the last several days. From there is was on to Laloo, an orphanage in Port au Prince. We arrived and were greeted by 30 smiling children. We shared the Easter story with them, sang songs, did a couple crafts and gave them a snack. The kids enjoyed playing with us and laughing at our attempts to speak their language.

On our way back to the guesthouse we stopped at the grocery store and had the opportunity to buy some Haitian goodies to bring home. Our team is now fully outfitted with hot sauce and spicy peanut butter.

We pulled into the driveway just before 4pm and were greeted by the smiling faces of our two sick team members who were both feeling much better. We enjoyed a delicious meal of spaghetti and garlic toast while talking over the details of our day. After dinner several people headed to the pool while others took the opportunity to relax and unwind from the day.

Pit time was especially impactful as we shared our word for the day. The floodgates of emotion opened as we shared the deep and profound ways we felt the prescense of God at Carrefour.  We spent time in extended worship as a way to continue processing all the sights and sounds of the day.

We were reflecting today how refreshing it has been to disconnect from technology. Screen time is almost nonexistent here. There is no TV and Wifi is sketchy at best which means we have had a lot of quality time to really get to know each other and spend time reflecting on our time here. It will be a challenge to get back into the routine of checking emails and following a schedule in just a few short days.

As we wind down for the night we're looking forward to a second water truck day and an opportunity to visit Apparent Project and Rebuild Global.

Kelly & Katie

Grace Village and Elder Visits

Our first stop today was Grace Village in Titanyen. As we stepped out of our taptap, the beautiful view of the mountains and ocean welcomed us. While touring Grace Village, we got to see what God is doing there through Healing Haiti and all the hands and feet of Jesus. There are four family style homes that house orphans and give them the opportunity to grow up in a family, a medical and dental clinic, church, food center, school, and a soon-to-open bakery that will create jobs for Haitians in Titanyen. A cool thing we got to witness was the unpacking and preparation of the Feed My Starving children Manna Packs. Seeing the food that many of us have packed before arrive at its final destination was a heartwarming experience. We also got to play with the children of Grace Village during their recess time. The children were glowing with smiles and eager for our attention.

Our second stop was visiting three elder's homes that Healing Haiti sponsors. Both of us had the opportunity to rub and massage one of the elder's feet, hands, and face. Her face was overcome with delight as we showed her our love with a simple touch. We were also able to worship with them in both English and Creole. Before we left each elder's home, we asked them what they would like prayer for and then we prayed over them.

Our last stop of the day was a visit to the mass grave of the Haitians who were killed in the devastating earthquake in January 2010. We got the privilege to hear one of our interpreters, Emmanuel, share his experience on the day of the earthquake. He said that the people of Haiti were not educated on how to handle earthquakes, resulting in panicked chaos and hundreds of thousands of deaths. The memorial above the mass grave is big and beautiful. With the loving quotes on the walls, shiny marble floors, and flowers, the memorial was a celebration of the many lives lost.

We finished our day with a salsa lesson from Jean, one of the Haitian leaders. There is nothing quite like ending a busy day dancing in the moonlight on a balcony in Haiti.

We cannot believe that we are already halfway done with our trip, but we are excited to see what else God has in store for us the rest of the week. #GlwaPouBonye!

Yours truly,

Veronika and Cora