A Water Filled Day

          The group took the tap-tap down the windy roads kicking up dust down to a town called Cite Soleil which is one of the poorest communities in the country. The houses are made primarily by whatever they can find out of the rubbish on the ground, or things that they grab out of the sewer before someone else desperately wants it. We pulled up and our tap-tap driver named Brunei honked the horn a couple of times throughout driving the couple blocks that we did. Almost immediately we saw kids and women running up to the truck with buckets to fill with water or just to touch our hands. As we opened the door to the back of the caged truck all we heard was, "hey you!" or, "potem," which means pick me up in Creole. Over the course of 30 minutes to an hour depending on how chaotic people got we would try to manage the hundreds of people with their buckets and fill them up to the brim with water out of a water truck that we had to follow into the city. The joy on these kids faces as soon as we picked them up or danced with them or even just gave them a little splash of water was outstanding. We stopped at three cities over the course of the day and we were exhausted!! We had an amazing time filling up buckets and buckets of water or carrying them into the tiny allies leading from slum to slum. Here is a picture of the joy that is on this little girls face to have a bucket of water.
     
               -Hunter

June 28th, 2016

Hello friends and family!

Today was our first full day experiencing the culture here in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. The trash filled streets; the lack of traffic rules; five people to a motorcycle and the joy that these people have about them.
We were up and out of the guest house by 9:00am this morning and headed off to the home for the sick and dying. There we were able to hold, play and feed these kiddos for 3 hours or so. We traveled back to the guesthouse at lunch time and ate a quick lunch/snack before heading back out to visit an organization called Rebuild Globally, where they make sandals, tote bags etc.. The group then traveled to La Phare orphanage where we were greeted with smiles and hugs! We taught these kids how to play bingo and they taught us how to jump rope to their standards! We clearly were not as skilled as they were.
The team ended the day with a dip in the neighborhood pool and a devotional/share time in the cozy guest house.

I would love to share the thoughts and feelings that I felt throughout the day with you all!
As we began our day at the home for the sick and dying, I quickly learned the impact of a simple touch, hand hold and smile. I think we stray away from physical touch back in the states and take that for granted. Here in Haiti, all these kids want is to feel loved, and that is through our physical touch. It did not matter to them that I was a complete stranger, let alone a completely different color from them. All they cared about was that I held them and showed them love. It breaks my heart to know that they are so desperate for physical touch and lack the healthy amount. There was a little boy who I instantly bonded with in the beginning. He was funny, energetic, and did not want to leave my arms. Heck every kid I held did not want to be put down. Leaving these kiddos after several hours was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. When would they get to be held next? Who would give them enough water? I felt so helpless knowing that I probably would never see them again. And yet it brought a smile to my face every time a child smiled or showed ME love!

Driving around Haiti and seeing the poverty leaves me feeling very helpless and makes me feel like there is no hope for a better life for the people of Haiti. Visiting the organization of Rebuild Globally showed me that there is hope and that these men and women are making steps toward a better lifestyle and as we learned today, they are getting "wants" vs only "needs".

We finished the day out at another orphanage that was a completely different experience. We were with older kids and the interactions were totally different. I got to joke around with three teenage boys, and sit and play bingo with three different boys between the ages of 7-10. The amount of laughter, joy and curiosity is amazing and so uplifting! To get to interact with these kids and communicate with them as much as we could with our language barrier, was so fun, satisfying and gave me extreme hope that these kids are happy and are going to be okay!

I look at these Haitian's lifestyles and am shocked at how they live, where they live and how they go about their day with a smile. But why am I? They aren't shocked or unsure of their lives. That's all they've ever known and today was my day to try to learn and adapt to that mind set. They WILL be okay and ARE okay.
How you may ask? Because of their endless hope, their endless love for their country and community and our Lord and Savior.

We'll talk to you all tomorrow!
Much love from the team and I,

Hannah Hayes

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???? LET YOUR FAITH LEAD YOU ... NOT YOUR FEAR!

June 27th 6:15 pm— Marin Ryan and Alaina Gacek

Day 7… Can you believe it?!

This morning we woke up at the normal time. Most of the adults went to bed while some of the kids stayed up late laughing. The cause of the laughter was funny creole words found in the book Creole Made Easy (for citational integrity) and a video of Michelle Obama saying “Sweet Potato” (it doesn't sound that funny, but feel free to look up the video). After waking up, people continued to pack up. We then met for breakfast at 8 as usual. We ate french toast, eggs, and oatmeal. We had eaten this meal before but it hadn't lost its appeal. Then everyone finished there packing and some played cards and others chilled on the couch because there was plenty of time between breakfast and the time to leave for the airport. When it became time to leave, everyone started to move outside to gather for the tap taps and put shoes on. It was hard for some and harder for others to leave the guesthouse.  We would all miss this place dearly. We gathered in two pick-up trucks and a tap tap because one tap tap was broken. I was able to snag a spot in the back of the truck and saw the city from a different perspective. How often do you get to buzz around a busy city in the back of a truck? You have to take advantage of those opportunities! You are so close to the other cars and motorcycles whizzing past you. To put it in perspective, you would probably lose a hand if you stuck your hand out of the side of the bed of the truck. We arrived at the airport and began to hug our drivers goodbye. They were so funny and giving to us all week. They deserve endless thanks. It gets a little difficult trying to maneuver 28 people though the airport but we managed. It was a little slow getting through but we finally boarded the plane. The views on the flight to Miami was jaw dropping. We passed over many islands and bright blue waters. You could watch out your window the entire flight and not get bored. We landed in Miami around 3pm and waited in a bunch of lines after that to get through customs and all that jazz. I am sitting writing at the gate with one hour left of our five hour layover. See you soon Minnesota!

-Marin

“Let your faith lead you, not your fear.” 

We explain to people that we are going to Haiti to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and I don’t think people fully realize that what they are saying really means until they are put into an uncomfortable situation and do not know what to do. The quote that I put above had significance for this team because I felt that every single person on this team, new or veterans, would be pushed out of their comfort zone during the trip. For me, my daily life in Minnesota is very comfortable and safe, and I feel that this is true for a lot of people. We were all called in some way to go on this mission trip together. Every single person pushed their fear of the unknown aside, and just let God guide them in their faith. That feeling of knowing that God was going to protect and lead us in our ministry is an amazing feeling. To know that we are supposed to be in that spot, holding that child, and just being in the moment, you can’t help but feel God’s presence. Living in the moment is so important. We often forget when we get in a routine and just go through the motions. Haiti has made me realize that it’s okay to not think about what is going to happen in the future or tomorrow or even later in the day. In Haiti, literally we could have a plan for the day, and in an hour we could have a completely different plan. Why worry about what you are doing later when you have right now to enjoy? Once I got that into my head, I think I was able to fully appreciate everything I did. I remember holding a sweet sleeping baby, taking care of a young boy’s foot when he got cut by glass, learning Creole from seven year old Jameson, having a conversation with a girl about my age in Spanish because we figured out we were both fluent. Literally that list could go on and on. 

Yesterday at church, one of the songs and then the talk that the pastor gave after was about rising up. We were asked that no matter how long it takes, no matter what it takes, if we would rise up and serve the Lord. I was very happy that this was the message since it was the end of our week. We all had been trying to figure out all week how we would serve the Lord each day. For me personally, I have struggled this past year with figuring out what my purpose is and how I am supposed to serve. With the stress and distraction of my first year of college, I felt like I was lost. This trip was like God was trying to show me what my path is in life. I am here on Earth to serve people and to serve Him. I am here to be a voice for those that cannot advocate for themselves. I am here to love everyone, no matter what their path in life is. And finally, I am here to provide hope for the hopeless even when I feel hopeless myself. That is why Healing Haiti is so important. Hope. Sure, we don’t change everything that is wrong or broken in Haiti when we go down there. What we do is provide hope on a daily basis to those who need it. Hope is one of the most powerful things in the world and everyone needs it. Without hope, these people in Haiti will lose their purpose in the world. Hope is how I believe Haiti can be healed, and I am so excited to be apart of this amazing ministry. Every little thing or action we did this week had an impact on someone, whether it was someone from Haiti, someone on the team, the staff, or even on ourselves. Each impact provided a little bit of hope for that person for whatever they are struggling with in their life. With a little hope and a lot of faith, I know we can all find our path in this crazy world and learn how we are supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12

-Alaina Gacek

Mahtomedi Team 1 - Lisa Sicard, Anna McCormick Day 7

    For the second morning in a row, we woke up tired from a fun night spent telling stories, playing bag toss, and saran wrapping Jessica's bed that lasted until around midnight. As usual, we all ate breakfast at 8:00 am and then got ready and changed into our lime green shirts for the day. When it was time to go, we were surprised to hear that, because one of the tap tap's clutch had broken yesterday, half of us had to ride in a small green pick-up truck. Of course, all of us kids wanted to ride in the back like a lot of Haitians do, but most of our parents (the moms...not Mike) said no because it was too dangerous. So around 10:00, after deciding who was riding in what vehicle, we were finally on our way to Port Au Prince Fellowship Church in Port Au Prince. When we arrived, I think a few people, including myself, were surprised to see how many other Americans were there for the service and that this church was a non-denominational English speaking church in Haiti. We found our seats right away in a small church that had a stage with a band and projector in the front. I noticed an American couple sitting behind us and I asked them what brought them here to Haiti. They told me that they used to come on short term missions to Haiti but fell in love with the country and ended up moving here permanently. I thought that was so cool that they were so passionate about their missions that they decided to live here! The service started with singing songs all together and then the pastor talked for a while. We prayed for the people in the church who said they needed to be prayed for and I thought it was amazing to see how many of the people in our group and others in the church actually went over to the people in need and prayed with them. The service ended with another song and we all high-fived or hugged everyone before going outside. This experience at church was different from any back at home because there was just so much singing and enthusiasm and participation from everyone there, Haitian and American all together. I love seeing how much people really do love God and the Church here. It is just so clear that no matter what they're going through, people are sure of their love for God.

   After this awesome experience at the Port Au Prince Fellowship, we headed up to the mountain. Valorie drove the pick-up truck and Daraval drove the one working tap-tap. As we drove toward the mountain, Alaina pointed at the radio towers at the very tippy top of the mountain. She said we are going all the way up to the towers and I didn't believe her. The mountain was huge there's no way we're going all the way up there! As we made our bumpy trip up the mountain, we saw some incredible views. It felt like we were in a tropical jungle. We were surrounded by trees and bright orange flowers. The greenery was interrupted by little cities along the mountain. Our first stop was in the city of John Brown. As soon as we hopped out of the trucks, we are bombarded by the vendors to buy their metal artwork. The artwork was absolutely beautiful. We have some at my house, that my mom Courtney bought when she went to Haiti a couple years ago, but I wanted to buy it all. We walked up past the stands and then made our way down together. The first man told Andrew and I to go down into this little house/building. I was a little nervous, but Andrew out his hand on my shoulders ad we explored the little house together. The art was beautiful and the view to the outside was even more beautiful. We continued to browse through the stands and everyone bought some metal artwork and we hopped back on the trucks. We drove all the way up the mountain, past the radio towers, and pulled up in front of a restaurant. The view was AMAZING. You could see everything! You could see the smoke rising from Cite Soleil and Craig said that when its not so foggy, you can see Grace Village. It took a very long time, but eventually we all got our food and devoured it quickly. It's Father's Day (in Haiti), so there was lots of families there having lunch together. It was quite the process, but we all got our checks and headed back out to go shopping. At the top of the mountain, there was lots of paintings and lots of bargaining. I do not like bargaining, it makes me feel uncomfortable. I got a few paintings and so did the others. Andrew and Jake got machetes... Not sure why someone didn't stop them. On our way down the mountain, we saw these adorable little brightly colored houses. They are stacked right on top of each other, it's amazing. Valorie took a detour so we could see the houses again and take pictures. Valorie and the rest of the drivers are awesome. They are so kind and genuinely care about us. It made me really happy that the drivers ate a real meal at the restaurant. Lisa and I were wondering what their home lives are like. Where do they live? Do they have everything they need? Do they have families like us? I had lots of fun with Valorie today. The pick-up didn't have a horn, so we all yelled "beep beep" whenever he turned a corner. He taught us about where we were going and about how the country is organized. He was very thankful when we gave him some peanuts for lunch. Speaking of thankful,  I am incredibly thankful that I got to see Thanlot, Emerson, and Sherby today. The Gaceks hosted Thanlot and Emerson 2 years ago and we finally got to see them today. They are all grown up and they are no longer the young boys I knew. They all remembered me and it made me so happy to see their smiles. Today was a very happy day and a great way to end our trip. This was one of the greatest weeks of my life and I want everyone else to travel to Haiti and have this indescribable experience. I made lots of new friends and strengthened the bond with my friends I came with. I can't wait to come back to the beautiful country of Haiti and fall in love with this place all over again.

-Lisa Sicard and Anna McCormick

Mike and Marin Ryan pose for a pic!!

Selfie of Alaina and Lisa with a view

All the art for sale outside the restaurant!

Quick pic of kids in the back of the truck!

Courtney, Anna, and Haley show off their new items!

The green pick-up truck!

Lisa with her arms out looking outward!

Mahtomedi Team 1, Haley and Julia, Day 6

After a late night full of bonding and pranks on Jessica (jess-E-qua), we woke up surprisingly ready to take on today's activities. We ate breakfast before we left and loaded onto the tap tap. The tap tap ride to Laloo orphanage in downtown Port-au-Prince was short compared to the normal traffic. We arrived at Laloo and were greeted by the joyful smiles of the kids running alongside our tap tap. You could see their eyes light up with excitement as we unloaded the suitcases full of crafts and activities. We sat down at stations inside and revealed our activities to the children, which included friendship bracelets, beads, pipe cleaners, jump rope, and chalk. The kids were excited but stayed organized, which surprised and pleased us all. This allowed us to actually interact one-on-one with the kids and teach them new skills. As we were teaching them, they were in turn teaching us. Next, we went outside and played with chalk, jump ropes, and played soccer. The kids loved doing the jump rope with us and learning how to play tic-tac-toe. You could tell that the kids did not need to be doing an activity with us to enjoy themselves. All they needed was to have a buddy to sit next to and feel our presence and comfort to know they are loved. Similar themes have been present throughout this entire trip. The kids have taught us that you do not need physical items to be happy, happiness comes from the joy in your heart and others around you. We both hope that we can bring the positive attitudes of the children home with us. 

After we got back from Laloo, we met up with other team members at the pool nearby. At the pool, we shared laughs with the new friends we have made here. One of our favorite things about this trip has been bonding with new people, who were basically strangers to us as of last week. Next, we went to Apparent Project, which is a business that Haitian-made items. We enjoyed shopping for amazing hand-made jewelry and other items while sipping delicious smoothies from the cafe upstairs. Then, we went up to eat what felt like never-ending pizzas with our team members. A few of the other kids on our team played foosball, chess, and pool. Meanwhile, Jake decided it was smart to sit in a child's size chair. It was great to see everyone laughing together at such a silly thing. On the way home, our team raced the there tap tap home (our team one thanks to our amazing driver). It was awesome to see everyone enjoy themselves and let loose. 

This trip has been such a blessing for us in so many ways. We have grown in our faith, relationships, and our outlook on many things in our lives have changed. The bonds that we have created in such a short time through our experiences together are amazing and we truly feel like we have all become one big Healing Haiti family :)

- Julia Gacek and Haley Oswald

Haley's new friend and his snazzy glasses

Julia with her buddy Franzi

Franzi loves hugs!!!

Mahtomedi Team 1 - June 24 Day 5

Mahtomedi Team - Day 5: Purpose

Our words during daily word of the day continue to help us reflect on the day and our purpose: eduction, history, chaotic, indescribable, aware, friend, legacy, tension, moment...

After breakfast, we did water truck in Cite Soleil. We were hoping to get in two stops before mid-day, which we did. It was a very hot day - 97 degrees and the dew point had to be in the mid 70s. That said, the first stop was the most orderly of the ones we've seen. We were able to fill up most of the buckets people had. It's still challenging for us to process the lack of such a vital piece of life and basic necessity - water. We think of the water we have literally at our fingertips, and how we take it for granted. It's not difficult to understand the desperation in the eyes of those who have no regular access to water.

Marin Ryan and Jean Oswald help with the bucket line.

Mike Ryan, Abby Voyen, and Louise Sicard help filling the buckets.

Julia Gacek and Alaina Gacek are greeted by children right off the tap-tap.

Our fearless team leader, Craig Carroll, has a way with children and keeping order for the water truck line.

Anna McCormick, Lisa Sicard, and Haley Oswald play with the children.

Haley Oswald, Courtney McCormick, and Anna McCormick are almost always holding children!

After the water stops, we came back to clean up and go to The National Museum of Haiti. This was an incredible learning experience. It is located in downtown Port-au-Prince and is located below ground so it is cool. It did have air-conditioning too. It is an artistic building with seven alcove-like areas that describe Haiti's myriad and complex history. Our Haitian tour guide took all this information and through the exhibits, artifacts, and art gave us an overview. It was a somber experience. I wound up going online to read more after we got back and found wikipedia did have a good overview. It is fascinating and integral to understanding Haiti. 

Both Team 1 and Team 2 by the National Museum of Haiti

Our purpose this week is to serve but also learn. Jessica, from Team 2, spoke to our daughters last night in an impromptu conversation and spoke of how everything in her life has had a purpose to bring her into the career she has (helping long team missionaries re-enter the US) and how she didn't realize God's work until it happened. The girls were really impacted by her story, and she's very funny!

1 Peter 4: 8-11

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift s/he has received to serve others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, s/he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, s/he should do it with the strength God provides so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 

-Jean and Haley Oswald and the Mahtomedi Team

Mahtomedi Team - Water Truck, Grace Village, Elders, Haitian Memorial

Mahtomedi Mission Team - June 23, 2016

Teamwork, frustration, adaptable, disciplined, stuck, guitar, fear, joyful... have all been part of our words of the day today and yesterday.

Yesterday was a water truck day. It was more grueling than I had thought. We had three water stops in Cite Soleil districts, which are numbered. Our first was by HH's new Hope Church, which we were able to see and attend to some injuries of children. The church is amazing and is serving many in Cite Soleil. On it's opening day, 5000 Haitians came! Cite Soleil does not have well-water, so people depend on the water trucks. HH water is free. When the truck comes, people line up their buckets and we help the line, the hose, and the people fill and carry their buckets. We also play with the children, "potem!" "potem" they say, which means "up!" as they want to be held. Sometimes we had three to four we were holding. We made three water stops, which took most of the day.

Lisa Gacek playing with children

Louise Sicard learning games

Abby Voyen would hold as many children as she could!

Marin Ryan agreed to requests to "potem."

Haley Oswald and Julia Gacek also play with the children.

Today, Thursday, we went to Grace Village, visited the elders in Titanyen and then went to the new Haitian Memorial for the January 2010 devastating earthquake. Grace Village is about 45 minutes north of Port-au-Prince. We took the tap-tap there. GV supports Haitians with a school, health clinic, family housing, meals, bakery, and Grace church. The goal is to have Haitians be educated and independent to support themselves and families. Once thought an impossible vision, it is truly amazing!

Part of GV's support is eldercare. We visited four elders to bring food, care packages/bags, wash and lotion their feet and hands and arms, talk with them, sing and pray. When asked what they need, interestingly most said nothing and to give to others. They had everything they needed in God. Our last stop was visiting a couple. Although they did not have much materially in our eyes, they were so joyful - with each other, with their grown sons, and with their grandchildren. Pierre, the gentleman, wanted to dance, so Anna became his partner! You could see Fye (proud) in the sons' eyes towards their parents and in the parents' to their family.

Anna McCormick dances with elder Pierre

Perhaps one of the most powerful experiences we will take away from this trip was Brunee's (sp?) retelling of the Haitian earthquake at the Memorial built in January 2016. It down the mountain a bit from GV and is the site of a mass burial. Although English is not is first language, through his words and emotion and gestures gave us such a personal recollection of the 37 second earthquake, the aftershocks, and the immediate aftermath. He had just gotten out of trade school and was on the bus when it happened. No one knew what was going on b/c the last earthquake was in 1942 in Haiti, but it was in a different part of Haiti. He got off the bus and saw pieces of buildings collapsing on people, even his school he was just at crumbled. To make matters worse it was a little after 5pm and it was getting dark. Once he got to his uncle's house, he saw all other house around this house collapsed, but his had not.

I recently saw a quote that said fear can stand for "forget everything and run" or "face everything and rise." As a group, we are seeing a lot of the latter in Haiti, not only from people within our group but also the Haitian people. It reminds me of Paul's words in Romans 5: 1-5


"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (NIV)

-Jean and Haley Oswald and the Mahtomedi Team