What a wonderful day!!!
We were able to travel to Cite Soliel to celebrate Christmas with the Elders who live in and attend church there. If you are hearing about Cite Soleil for the first time, it is important to know that it is the poorest slum area in the Western Hemisphere. There is very limited to no electricity, no access to clean water and most people live in tin shanties. This is an area where most are unable to leave, as they feel there is no way out. The poverty is real, the desperation is unimaginable. You simply can't believe or understand it unless you have been there. Typically, people who have been there have no words for what they have seen once they return home.
Why is it important to know this? Because this area has nothing. Absolutely nothing, EXCEPT the love of Christ in their hearts. Their faith is something that I rarely see at home. When greeted with "How are you?", the typical response is "Good with Jesus". I am guilty of a selfish reply back home, "oh, I'm so busy....". My first thoughts go to the things on my to-do list. We live in a 1st world county with 1st world problems and mind sets, full of abundance. It's the things we have instead of what is in our hearts and who we are loving and serving.
Today, we served the Elders of Hope Church in Cite Soleil. When we arrived there were already about 50 people waiting for us. Our team quickly divided and knew exactly what we were going to do. We set up two stations for washing feet, one station for washing hands and one station for doing nail polish. Every single Elder was washed, lotioned, massaged, hugged, prayed over and loved on in some way while our team was there. We had worship music and most of the Elders and our team members got up and danced, it was so fun to see their smiling faces! A few Elders stood up in front of their peers and gave their testimony or sang a song that was important to them. Then, a wonderful Haitian meal was served. It was a fantastic day!
During our "word of the day", when we had group in the evening, many of us were overcome with emotions as we reminisced about our day. These beautiful Elders, so thankful.... we were so blessed by them today. Blessed by their beautiful smiles, blessed by their hugs, blessed by their "thank you's", blessed by their tears, blessed by their singing and dancing, blessed by their love.
I could go on and on about the Elders in Cite Soleil, I love them. But, I will leave with a quote from Mother Teresa..."If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." Serve the one in front of you, God put them there for a reason.
Peace - Marni
Saturday, December 14, 2019
12-13-2019
We left HealingHaiti guesthouse early this morning and headed into the mountain city of Kenscoff. This was one of the newer outreach sites and although only one of our team members is new to Haiti, today was new to all of us. So the saying..."It's okay, she's new..." could be used on all of us today....except Jeff and Dave, of course. Unless....well...unless we're talking about painting nails. We are growing as a family and each year I come here, a few new members are added to experience Haiti's beauty.
Once we reached the site, many of the children were not there yet because they were finishing up their exams, but quickly filtered in and soon the church was filled with smiling faces, some shy and some eager. The language is not a barrier as we have some pretty amazing, enthusiastic interpreters.
The scenery was certainly something to look at twice. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful part of the country. The mountainside was lush. Farmers out in the field and tending their gardens. Bananas, coffee, avocados..all growing and full in the trees. Our Lord really did something amazing here as I think the land was painted with every shade of green possible....and maybe some new ones...who knows.
Whether we left to go visit elders or stayed back with the kids, we all were able to find our gift and minister to the individuals placed in our lives. It was a full day of joy and laughter. We all left intending to be those hands and feet, doing God's will as He orchestrated long ago, but somehow...in the midst of it all...we were also served and I have to think He planned that too. What a blessing it is to be in this land and to share life with the families and communities.
I'll leave with a few verses out of Revelation as seemed fitting and appeared to me as a sign of some sort as it definitely followed the day's events and really spoke some volume. You know sometimes you will hear it said that the Bible is "alive" ....I certainly believe that to be the case. Hope comes from knowing that we will someday be with our Father in heaven. We don't know when and we don't know how...but He is waiting for us all with His arms open wide. He sent His son to die for each and every one of us. I pray all our hearts be open to receive the gift that was so greatly given. It's free and cannot be earned. Jesus...the greatest servant we will ever know.
Revelation 7:9-10 KJV
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Love - Julie
We left HealingHaiti guesthouse early this morning and headed into the mountain city of Kenscoff. This was one of the newer outreach sites and although only one of our team members is new to Haiti, today was new to all of us. So the saying..."It's okay, she's new..." could be used on all of us today....except Jeff and Dave, of course. Unless....well...unless we're talking about painting nails. We are growing as a family and each year I come here, a few new members are added to experience Haiti's beauty.
Once we reached the site, many of the children were not there yet because they were finishing up their exams, but quickly filtered in and soon the church was filled with smiling faces, some shy and some eager. The language is not a barrier as we have some pretty amazing, enthusiastic interpreters.
The scenery was certainly something to look at twice. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful part of the country. The mountainside was lush. Farmers out in the field and tending their gardens. Bananas, coffee, avocados..all growing and full in the trees. Our Lord really did something amazing here as I think the land was painted with every shade of green possible....and maybe some new ones...who knows.
Whether we left to go visit elders or stayed back with the kids, we all were able to find our gift and minister to the individuals placed in our lives. It was a full day of joy and laughter. We all left intending to be those hands and feet, doing God's will as He orchestrated long ago, but somehow...in the midst of it all...we were also served and I have to think He planned that too. What a blessing it is to be in this land and to share life with the families and communities.
I'll leave with a few verses out of Revelation as seemed fitting and appeared to me as a sign of some sort as it definitely followed the day's events and really spoke some volume. You know sometimes you will hear it said that the Bible is "alive" ....I certainly believe that to be the case. Hope comes from knowing that we will someday be with our Father in heaven. We don't know when and we don't know how...but He is waiting for us all with His arms open wide. He sent His son to die for each and every one of us. I pray all our hearts be open to receive the gift that was so greatly given. It's free and cannot be earned. Jesus...the greatest servant we will ever know.
Revelation 7:9-10 KJV
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Love - Julie
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