Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 4

 Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 4

On a side note... if you are wondering why our Texas Team has been called Texasabetes  on the blog... it's because we have 3 diabetics on our team. That can be challenging for these people... how great it is though that they have each other for support. Hats off to you guys... now lets get down to business.

Water, agua, H2O... whatever you want to call it... it is a necessity!

Today was mostly about fufilling this basic human need - water. In the States we generally take water for granted. Most people don't even like water - we prefer our sugary soda pop and specialized drinks in comparison to water. Before CoVid we could easily drink water in any location with water fountains. We even have a larger than necessary selection of bottled water in our stores... I prefer Smart Water myself but I digress. In Haiti, access to clean drinking water is a constant struggle. It is NOT taken for granted. Today we delivered water to 3 neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince. This was our first time in these neighborhoods as we are unable to travel into our beloved Citi Solei. I find it a bit comical that we didn't know what to expect at these stops since we were not familiar with the neighborhoods. They were different people of course but they all carried the same look in their eyes.... happy to get fresh water and willing to fight for it if needed. We made a total of 4 stops and it went from moments of calm to moments of chaos then back-and-forth several times. We don't think about how much we use water for until it is no longer available. The need for water can cause chaos, as I mentioned before, when people thought that the water was possibly running out, they began to push and shove to make sure they got the water they needed. Children are expected to be a part of this process trying to claim water for their families. Even smaller children, no older than 5 or 6 were carrying huge buckets of water that I could barely pick up myself. It is necessary to fill as many jugs as possible because there is always uncertainty as to when the next water truck would come. Showering, a thing that we do every day, is such a big deal and provides so much enjoyment, especially for the children. 

We also took part in a favorite thing of Team Texas today... Haitian Baptism. This takes place at the water station. See picture - pretty self explanatory and it was a great refresher!

Another new adventure we had today - was eating lunch at a Haitian restaurant.  This isn't just any restaurant.  This one is owned by a beloved Healing Haiti team member Max. The food was the diggity diggity! Fried chicken, pikliz (spicy Hatian cole slaw), plantains, fries from heaven and sauce that was out of this world. Thank you Max!

Words of the Day: water, Haitian baptism, french fries and 'dat sauce', misconception, 

liy souple (line please), laughter, blame Ed, sign language, lost?, one

Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 3

 Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 3

You haven't lived until you have been turned away from a Mother Theresa Orphanage...

but more on that later....

If we had one word to describe today, I think it would be FUN... but I guess we should back up even a little more.

Our plan was to visit a place called Hope Center. It is a local community center for a neighborhood where children are welcome to spend the day. It helps keep them off the streets and their goal is to give the children activities to do, show them about a loving community and teach them about God. We needed to provide them with a sandwich to eat so off the the grocery store we went. Going to the grocery store is a treat these days for any missionary in Haiti. The unrest has caused a lot of change for the daily rountines of people here. Our guides are keeping us safe and we are unable to visit some of the regular places we visit on these trips. It is a little disappointing not being able to serve in areas we have always been welcome before... but like we said yesterday... we must be super "Gumby" and go where we are led. Today was Hope Center and man oh man... did we have fun! 

After purchasing peanut butter and making ALOT of sandwiches... we set off on our adventure. This place was small and held 50 kids easily but adding 11 more adults made it a little crowded at times. We had soccer going on outside while inside we colored pages, painted nails, drew with sidewalk chalk and danced.  And then after we danced... we danced some more... It was HOT, it was STICKY, the smell of SWEAT filled the room and we couldn't have been any HAPPIER!

The team shared many precious moments in this. The kids wanted our attention. They wanted us to hold them. They wanted connection! My most precious moment was holding a little boy, his head rested on my shoulder as we slow danced and I was praying that he felt a mother's love from me. The program was run by 1 man and 4 staff members and you could tell that the men loved the children but individual moments were most likely few and far between so the children cherished these moments where the world revolved around them and only one other adult. 

Individual possessions are rare so the sharing or giving away of something is very significant here. Another precious moment was when a team member received an earring from a child. It should be noted that this was the only earring she had. Despite the language barrier, there was so much love established that the little girl felt obligued to give her this special gift. The receiver felt extremely special. The desire to give something back was overwhelming but not possible. 

Then the music got hopping and a dance off was on. These kids could DANCE! Standing in a circle...cheering each one on... the room was HAPPY!

Now here is when it gets a little real. We made these peanut butter sandwiches and every child got at least one. We asked if we could pass out seconds and we were told no, we could feed more children.  While we were inside doing these activities, other children began to line up outside the center in hopes of getting fed. Let that sink in a little... children were lining up outside the center in hopes to score a meal!  

We all left that center with our hearts a little more full. We left thankful for being able to serve these kids, we left happy and TIRED!

We ventured on to Mother Theresa's orphanage next. Turns out another group of missionaries were already at the orphanage. No worries! We are Super Gumby and we will be coming back for you Mother Theresa later in the week!

We experienced a lot of ups and downs today but we know that GOD IS GOOD!

Words of the Day: plethora, dance, "that was NOT a good idea", grateful, jungle gym, dance party, maturing, laughter, "fun, change, connection", volleyball

Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 2

💓 Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 2 👵

Team Texas has a saying when we are in Haiti... the rule is to be like "Gumby". For those who have no idea who Gumby is... look up the green claymation figure that bends every way. When you are in Haiti, you have to learn to be flexible.  The schedule can change at a drop of the hat. So far this trip has proved to be no different. What was supposed to be our schedule lasted for 15 minutes and then we were diverted to another task. No matter - whatever we are supposed to be doing - it is in God's timing and not ours.

 Today turned into Elder Visits. To define "elder" in Haiti would require the explanation that the average life expectancy is 64 years, compared to 79 in the United States. We were privileged to visit 4 of the local elders in Titanyen. In some cultures, elders are revered for their knowledge and understanding of the world. In Haiti, most elders are no longer able to contribute to the household therefore are often forgotten about. We visited these 4 residents, bringing them food, juice, water and washing their feet. It is a very humbling experience to wash a stranger's feet, just as Jesus washed the disciple's feet. To be allowed in their homes is a honor. Some local children gathered with us at one of the houses while we were there. Their smiles bring joy. They were quick to braid a couple of our team mates hair too. Our last elder left a few of us with a troubled mind. He was blind, deaf and layed on a mattress on the floor. He was happy and ready to eat the food we brought for him. It raised questions in one of our team mates mind- did he have more expectations in life? When asking all these Elders, what their prayer requests were.. they didn't ask for "things". They asked for health, they asked for their children to be cared for, they asked for them to make decisions pleasing to the Lord, they asked to walk again and one even asked for death.  Visiting these elders is a special time and it is a reminder that we are all God's people and we are called to serve each other. 

“ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

John 13:14-17

Titanyen seemed busier to us this time. It was actually a market day and people came from surrounding areas to buy fruit, bread, rice, etc... There was an area of "parked" donkeys awaiting their owners to carry their goods home. I think one donkey has a Mercedes emblem on it's butt but don't hold me to that. Curious Hatians stared as we walked through a small sea of people. We have never been to their market before so we welcomed this experience.

You don't have to travel to a foreign country to do God's work. Can you imagine washing strangers feet in your hometown? The Bible tells us how to live. It seems so simple. Why does it seem so simple here but so much harder back home? We know these things, we, more often than not, we know what God wants us to do and we will always be blessed when we do them. 

Words of the Day: happiness, "goo-bye", comfortable being uncomfortable, humanity, compass, innocence, spirtual warface, "getting out of self, self understanding, accepting self", feet, hidden

Team 1 = Texasabetes - Day 1

👍 Team Texasabetes - Monday, June 14th ❤

Today was a travel day!

One team member described it as an adventure.... I would have described it as a scene from the classic movie Vacation.  This trip to Haiti has been an adventure in the making from the very beginning.  June 2020 was our original travel plans and like the rest of the world, our 2020 plans were cancelled by the CoVid. 

2021, our trip was back on but we had many hiccups along the way.  Has anyone flown lately?  We bought our tickets EARLY... wanted to get a good price! Turns out, early doesn't mean easy.  After our flights changing what seemed like a million times... spending several hours of our lives we will never get  back trying to fix those flights.... the day finally came to travel!

Some of our team left from Wichita Falls... others left from DFW. We had a very quick exchange when we landed in DFW. Spent only 20 minutes on ground and then were off again.  Turns out our next layover would be worse.  Diverted due to "weather"... our plan was delayed landing. The run was on!  I didn't realize Jennifer could run so fast. Three of us made it to stop the plane from leaving while the others caught up. That was a scene!

Yay God - we made it!

It is good to be back in Haiti. Smells and sounds bring back memories for the ones returning.  New ones are learning all about the lay of the land.  The Haitian ladies had an awesome meal waiting on us. We have excitement on the team and can't wait to start serving tomorrow.

This evenings word of the day was a good one.  Alot of insight and anticipation discussed... and as always ALOT of laughter with Team Texas! 

Words of the Day:

Rocky - rushed - rest

Adventure

Proud

Happy

Relief

Control

Sausage - don't ask!

Water

Excitement

Anticipation

     

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.

Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

~ Teresa of Ávila

Day 7/Team 1

The Best Laid Plans...

Things don't always turn out the way you planned, especially in Haiti!  Today we were excited to spend some more time with our favorite Deaf kids at the Deaf Church and then head to the beach!!  I (Julie) have been to Haiti six times and had never been to the beach.  Well, God had other plans...

The route to church was blocked today, so our talented drivers diverted to a different route.  Apparently, everyone who owns a vehicle decided to follow that same route!  We sat still for over an hour, but enjoyed the sights and sounds of local vendors selling a wide variety of food.  These chicken feet were some of the more "interesting" items.  After our Haitian staff did some research by asking oncoming moto drivers, we discovered that this route was also impassable.  So, we headed back to the guest house and got ready for a day of rest and fun at the local hotel pool!  We were able to spend time with the other team here (from Ohio, South Carolina, and Washington) and our Healing Haiti interpreters/all-around-awesome trip coordinators.  Our disappointment turned out to be a great way to spend our last full day together.  We ended the evening by singing some worship songs with the other team and enjoyed Ouida worshipping with her ASL interpretation of the songs.  

Tomorrow will be spent doing some visits to local organizations and then heading to the airport.  We hope you have enjoyed a little of our journey this week.  Thanks for following along!  

We will start planning our next trip once we get home!!  We are hoping for a much bigger "Deaf-focused" trip next summer and would love it if you joined us!  Let me know if you would like more information.  (You have a whole year to save/raise the funds!!)  

 

Day 6/ Team 1

Our team woke up to some good breakfast and natural lemon juice then we went through heavy traffic towards Grace Village to visit the children to play soccer and learn some Creole language.  We also met Deaf guy that works at the bakery next to the school where they make the best bread and cinnamon rolls even Pizza in Haiti.

We had our lunch on top of the mountain and ate delicious Haiti Mangos with gorgeous views of the sea and relax. Talk to each others about our experience in life and how visiting Haiti has impacted each one of us.  Our day was full of joy!

Day 5/Team 1

 

Another meaningful day in Haiti. Our Deaf focused team and the other Healing Haiti team traveled together this morning to our favorite Deaf academy. Our tap-tap ride involved lots of bumps, traffic, and sign lessons. Upon arrival, we were greeted with warm smiles and happy hands. We spent the day conversing and learning from staff and students...I didn't want to leave. 

We journeyed back to Healing Haiti--navigating Port-au-Prince traffic requires great skill while riding requires great trust. 

The cooks had prepared a Haitian meal for dinner... it was most wonderful, just like I remember. 

To end the day, a thunderstorm and always pleasant company. I am grateful!