Changed - 8/3

This morning, we had the opportunity to attend The Church on the Rock. 26 of us here at the guesthouse compound got up before dawn and loaded up the tap tap or walked. From our team, we had our leaders, Regina and Angela, plus Dave, Scott, Ellie, and Anastasia. The long-term guesthouse missionaries, Krista and Alicia, came as well, and the rest were from the other teams. It was very different from worship at Salem. People wandered around singing, dancing, and waving their arms in the air. I loved it!

We came back in time for breakfast. We changed out of our church clothes and then the whole team went to Dios orphanage for special needs kids. Many of them are non-verbal and several are in wheelchairs. That didn't stop them from playing soccer though! We also did mani-pedis on some of the girls, played cards and colored. Plus they really loved the bubbles.

We were surprised by how easy it was to make a connection with someone who cannot speak.

On our way back to the guesthouse, we stopped at the Metal Market. We shopped and shopped but couldn't buy something from every artisan. Many of our friends and family will be getting gifts of metal art, I am sure. We even bought something for Salem!

Then we came back to the guesthouse to change before heading to our last visit of the day: Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity Hospital for Sick and Dying Babies. Only 10 of us were allowed to go so Amie, Regina, James, Ian, and Maggie stayed behind. We were also joined by Alicia, one of the long-term guesthouse missionaries.

We aren't allowed to take photos there so we will not have any to show you. We wear blue Healing Haiti aprons to protect our church clothes which we wear to show respect for the nuns and workers. Everyone held and fed babies, even our translator Jonas!

Dave connected with a little girl who had a bad arm and an oozing infection but the most beautiful eyes. Thomas fed a baby and then held another for a long time. Lindsey fed and also held while workers changed bedding. Some of us were able to put a baby down and then pick up another, but many just held the one. A few fell asleep in our arms. Ellie and Anastasia were gently singing and speaking softly in French to them. Scott carried two tiny almost-twos out to the playground to watch the older kids playing.

We went there to show them love but we all felt the love from them.

We had earlier dinner than previous nights. During word of the day and during devotions, we talked a lot about how changed we were by both visits.

Everyone was emotional at some point during the day.

Tomorrow, we go back to Cite Soleil for another water delivery.  We talked about that also. Our time here is nearly done.

How will we continue to be missionaries at home?