Northgate In Haiti (Day 3)

Thursday, June 14, 2018

This morning, the Northgate Church team went to the Haiti Olympic Training Center, where we played with students from the Haitian Deaf Academy.  The Haitian Deaf Academy brought about 50 students, ages 4 to 18, and they were full of energy!  They loved playing basketball and soccer and were quick to show us their talents.  Even though there was a language barrier, it was a great reminder that smiles, laughter, and kindness translate to every language.

Kiz Gorham

 

Our afternoon started with a stop at Rosie’s Boutique for ice cream, milkshakes, iced coffee, and frozen lemonade.  After “playing hard” this morning, a banana split milkshake tasted divine!  After spending some time at Rosie’s, we visited four elder women in their homes.  We washed their feet, dried them, and put lotion on their feet and hands.  We asked them if there was anything that they would like us to pray for, and they responded with “diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and stomach issues, that their family would accept Christ, and that God would be with them and would continue to provide.  Max and Isaac played the guitar, and we sang to them.   Because Emmanuel, a Haitian minister, was with us, we were able to ask the ladies questions and Emmanuel could interpret for us.  One of the ladies, when asked how old she was, said she didn’t know.  One of my favorite memories of the afternoon was walking on a steep path to the next house and singing Reckless Love while we walked.

We were reminded again today of all the blessings that we have.  The children from the Haitian Deaf Academy and the four elder women were indeed blessings to us.

Mary Gorham

The day’s activities were truly a blessing. I loved being able to play with the deaf kids from the academy. I know very little ASL, but I knew enough (plus what Cassy McMahon taught us) to be able to understand them. One of the kids there even gave me my own name sign! I never get tired of seeing any of the kids here, they are so full of life and light for the lord!

Going on through the day was exhausting. By no means do I regret it, but I surely enjoyed the nap I got on the tap-tap ride. Plus, the cold showers we had at the guest house felt… amazing. I guess my Minnesotan body still isn’t used to this tropical heat.

For our dinner tonight, we had the pleasure of enjoying a beautifully made Haitian meal. Up until this point, we had had mostly American-ish food. The Haitian food was absolutely phenomenal! I am a very picky eater as all my parents know, but there was almost no aspect I didn’t like from tonight’s meal!

I really cannot wait to see what else God has in store for us the rest of the trip. There’s so much more to see and learn. Je t’aime Ayiti (I love Haiti).

Sierra Kearns