Wednesday, August 5, 2015
The Long Way Home
We are through immigration and customs. (Almost lost Leah again. Her passport wouldn't scan and they wanted to hold her. Haha. Not her day. But... we have her, no worse for wear) We have settled into a long layover. As of now, flight is on time and boarding should begin in around three hours.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
This morning we woke up and there was a flurry of activity as we packed things up, cleaned up after ourselves, sorted out things we were leaving behind, and said our last goodbyes to our host and some of our guides.
A
We headed to the airport in our Haitian Tap-Tap for the last time and said goodbye to our guides and translators.
After some exciting moments (they tried to tell Leah that she couldn't come home. Hahaha. Don't worry, Dan and Becky, I have her.)
We are in the airport at the gate and preparing to board.
They are calling us now. So, au revoir, Haïti...et jusqu'à la prochaine....
A
We headed to the airport in our Haitian Tap-Tap for the last time and said goodbye to our guides and translators.
After some exciting moments (they tried to tell Leah that she couldn't come home. Hahaha. Don't worry, Dan and Becky, I have her.)
We are in the airport at the gate and preparing to board.
They are calling us now. So, au revoir, Haïti...et jusqu'à la prochaine....
Many Great Days
After a number of days with no wireless service, it has magically reappeared this morning, as we prepare to leave.
We have done many fantastic things in this second part of our trip and I am sorry that we could not share them with you as we went. I will still post them to this blog so that you can see the blessings we have been able to share with the poorest of the poor in Haiti and also so you can see the ways in which they have blessed us.
As always... when we come to Haiti to serve, we leave immeasurably enriched.
I am gathering the kids up to leave, but keep an eye on this blog and we will post many many things that we have seen that you would not ever have imagained.
We have done many fantastic things in this second part of our trip and I am sorry that we could not share them with you as we went. I will still post them to this blog so that you can see the blessings we have been able to share with the poorest of the poor in Haiti and also so you can see the ways in which they have blessed us.
As always... when we come to Haiti to serve, we leave immeasurably enriched.
I am gathering the kids up to leave, but keep an eye on this blog and we will post many many things that we have seen that you would not ever have imagained.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Sunday
SUNDAY
We got up this morning early to get ready for church. We headed back to St Christopher where we
worshipped with the village. I had the
very good fortune of having smiled at a baby as soon as we had arrived. The grandmother who had brought the baby to
church noticed my interest and quickly hustled the baby over to me and I got to
snuggle a very beautiful Haitian baby girl on my lap all through Mass, which
was about the greatest thing EVER!!!)
They had asked our host to speak after the Gospel and he
involved our kids in an interactive homily on sin. (Since many Haitians can not read, there is a
lot of interactive participation and also nearly everything is done in a
call-and-response fashion which was very interesting for me to see, although I
am not sure how much the kids were able to follow.)
After the homily, we passed out hygiene kits to all of the
people in attendance. They also put me
on the spot and asked me, as the group leader, to address the congregation
before the closing prayer. We sang the closing hymn and then as people
filed out of the church, many (MANY!) of them came over to us to shake our
hands. We also received many hugs of
welcome. Afterwards, we mingled outside
briefly and, having brought more translators, were able to have a more
productive conversation.
Afterwards, we went to lunch at Yolti’s (There are not that
many “safe” places for Americans to eat – even at restaurants, so Yolti’s sees
a lot of traffic when groups are in town!)
After lunch, we went to a small Haitian orphanage in the
village of Source Matelas. We took
soccer balls and a selection of small toy balls and spent some time playing
with the children. It is a small
orphanage which houses 18 boys and girls whose ages range from about five years
old, to about thirteen (In Haiti, ages are often approximate.) There are many many orphanages in Haiti and
the majority do not receive support from the state. That makes life in a Haitian orphanage very
difficult for the children who are there.
Many orphanages often can only afford to feed one meal a day and this
is sometimes a meal just meant to curb
hunger which is not nutritionally balanced.
The orphanages may be hard pressed just to keep the children relatively
safe and alive, so they often can not educate the children and do not have resources
to buy clothing or toys. Ignite Your
Faith Ministries found this orphanage in that condition and has tried to come
along side the orphanage by helping fill in the gaps in funding to help with
meals. We were able to do a small part
by bringing down children’s clothes, and providing each child with a hygiene
kit, as well as some educational supplies and toys. It is hard to see the level of need and not
be able to meet it all. They still need
so much more. We tried to make up for
the lack of material things by showing them as much love as we could in the
time that we were there.
After the orphanage, we headed back to the mission house. There was a little while before dinner, so the kids really got involved with the Haitian boys who live in the house as well as spending some time with our guides/translators. There was a Fifa tournament going on in the living room, Connect Four challenges in the kitchen, and students talking and journaling up on the roof. A few kids helped Tom prepare for dinner. Riley and Ashtin were grill masters, preparing enough hot-dogs (you were expecting filet mignon?) for the approximately 25 people who were there. We had leftover sandwich meat from the night no along with hot-dogs. Chips and fruit rounded the meal out again. IT will be hard in this leg of the trip, because vegetables will be limited. IN Haiti, vegetables are usually purchased from street vendors, but - as Americans - We have to be quite cautious about exposure to bacteria and about consuming biotic elements which the Haitians can eat with no problem, but which our bodies can not handle. I don't want anyone getting sick!!
After the orphanage, we headed back to the mission house. There was a little while before dinner, so the kids really got involved with the Haitian boys who live in the house as well as spending some time with our guides/translators. There was a Fifa tournament going on in the living room, Connect Four challenges in the kitchen, and students talking and journaling up on the roof. A few kids helped Tom prepare for dinner. Riley and Ashtin were grill masters, preparing enough hot-dogs (you were expecting filet mignon?) for the approximately 25 people who were there. We had leftover sandwich meat from the night no along with hot-dogs. Chips and fruit rounded the meal out again. IT will be hard in this leg of the trip, because vegetables will be limited. IN Haiti, vegetables are usually purchased from street vendors, but - as Americans - We have to be quite cautious about exposure to bacteria and about consuming biotic elements which the Haitians can eat with no problem, but which our bodies can not handle. I don't want anyone getting sick!!
After dinner, we had reflections together and then a few hours before bed to continue getting to know each other and our Haitian hosts better.
It was a good day. There are a few photos below. And, yes, yes that is a lizard in the house. I believe that I may have mentioned that the windows do not have screens? Or glass. Windows in Haiti are pretty much just places where the wall has an opening.
Useless-but-fascinating-teacher-fact: the word window is derived from "wind hole." A whole in the wall where the wind can come through. Also, as it turns out, lizards.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Saturday - Good-bye and Hello
SATURDAY
This morning we woke up and, after breakfast, loaded up the
truck, saying good bye to our new friends in Bon Repos and heading off to go
even deeper into Haiti. We boarded the
trusty truck and our driver braved Saturday morning traffic in Port Au Prince to
take us to our rendez-vous at the
Airport. We were met there by our new hosts and guides, who helped us
transfer our bags and ourselves to our new transportation. It was a TRUE Haitian Tap-Tap!!! After hasty introductions, we loaded up the
Tap-Tap and piled in to head off to our second base location. We arrived at the mission home, unloaded our
stuff, and hustled right back into the vehicle to head off to our first work
with Ignite Your Faith Ministries. We
went out to do a “kids club” at St Christopher.
We arrived at the village and parked at the edge of the highway. The dirt roads climbing up the steep hills
are really only accessible on foot.
After about a 10 minute climb we arrived at the church there. The church has a frame of two-by-fours and is
covered with corrugated tin. The pieces
are mismatched and cobbled together, in an attempt to mostly enclose the space
within. The rutted dirt floor tells the
story of the driving rains that sweep the hillside from time to time. The church was packed (we later heard that
someone had counted 145 children. The
children and the youth ministers had been expecting us a lot earlier (traffic
really was a problem) and they had been praying and singing and playing games
for several hours before we arrived. It
was around 95 degrees today and the coordinators had tried to send them home as
it got hotter and hotter, but the kids had insisted on waiting on us. As we began to walk into the building, the
children cheered and clapped. They were
so genuinely glad to see us. It made us
feel really great to be so welcomed.
After the group was introduced, we got to pass out water (They had
waited all that time with no water, as – of course – there is no electricity or
running water at all in the whole village.)
We were introduced one at a time and the staff made a game out of
remembering our names (more about that later.
This would come up again.) Then
one of the coordinators told the story of Noah, and we all got to play a part
in acting the story out.
Haslom (one of the youth ministry coordinators) led some of
our students and some of the Haitian children in a dance to a song that is very
popular in Haiti right now (A Christian song!! Popular on the pop radio!!) After it was all over, they stationed some of
our kids at the door and we passed out some suckers that we had brought as well
as more sachets dlo (the little bags
of drinking water which are the most popular way to distribute clean drinking
water)
Outside, we got to mix and mingle and we found our first
major communication barrier of the trip.
In Haiti, everyone speaks Creole.
All business and all school is conducted in French, so anyone with a
minimal level of education can understand some French. Those with several years of education will probably
also begin English (depending on the kind of school that they go to) Up until this point, at Jesus in Haiti, we
had been interacting with people who spoke French and possibly some English. Enough members of our group had some French
that we were able to communicate in at least a basic form. However, for the members of St. Christopher,
this was an entirely different story.
There was very little French and no English at all. Most of these children do not even eat every
day, so the thought of going to school is out of the question for most of them.
(There is no free public education in Haiti - going to school costs money…more
money per day than the average Haitian family makes.) They chatted at us and hugged us and held our
hands. Our translators tried to help,
but there were just too many kids there to be able to keep up. We had to convey our good will with our
smiles and our hugs. The children held our hands and walked us back
down the mountain to our vehicles. Our
guides promised them that we would be back again.
After waving good-bye, we headed out and went back to the
mission house. We settled our sleeping
arrangements and some people helped get dinner ready while others began
organizing the donations we had brought. The mission home also includes a boys home for some orphaned and/or homeless children. The majority are older but there are some small boys who live here. Dickie is five and Bikende is six. A few students were playing video games (FIFA, of course!) with the older boys while we had brought down a train set that I had gotten a good deal on at a garage sale and a couple of the students helped set it up for the little boys.
Our missionary host, Tom, and his high school helpers had laid out a meal of cold meat sandwiches, chips, and fruit and we gathered together in the living room to pray before eating. Tom informed them that this was to be a dinner "date" and that they had to choose someone that they did not know to eat dinner with and learn as much as possible about them and their lives. He assigned pickers, starting with our Haitian guides and translators. The kids did a great job mixing up and as I went around, the "dates" seemed to be going very well. The kids seemed to be into it and were very sincerely conversing with their partners. I was so gratified to see that they were quite serious and all giving their complete and sincere attention to their dinner partners.
After dinner, we did a quick clean-up and went upstairs to the open-air second-floor/roof/patio for proper introductions and reflections on the day. Each person had to do an introduction and share information about their "date." Then each person was asked to reflect on the day and share their most memorable moment. The participation was great and we spent well over an hour on the roof, sharing each others company, getting to know each other a little better, and reflecting on the day. Darkness fell before the reflection meeting broke up.
It is hot in Haiti with no air. We also don't have screens on the windows. But we are blessed to have electricity, running water, and a solid structure, which most houses in Haiti do not have. We are also blessed with an opportunity to be in communion with these people and to try to serve the needs of people who are not as blessed as we are. This will be a tougher four days in some ways. And a more rewarding four days, as a result.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Pray for us to see what God is trying to show us as we dive deeper into Haiti. Pray for us to be committed to serve.
After dinner, we did a quick clean-up and went upstairs to the open-air second-floor/roof/patio for proper introductions and reflections on the day. Each person had to do an introduction and share information about their "date." Then each person was asked to reflect on the day and share their most memorable moment. The participation was great and we spent well over an hour on the roof, sharing each others company, getting to know each other a little better, and reflecting on the day. Darkness fell before the reflection meeting broke up.
It is hot in Haiti with no air. We also don't have screens on the windows. But we are blessed to have electricity, running water, and a solid structure, which most houses in Haiti do not have. We are also blessed with an opportunity to be in communion with these people and to try to serve the needs of people who are not as blessed as we are. This will be a tougher four days in some ways. And a more rewarding four days, as a result.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Pray for us to see what God is trying to show us as we dive deeper into Haiti. Pray for us to be committed to serve.
Friday: mass grave, Yolti's, Rosie's Boutique, Church mission
*****************Josie Burton************
Hi! Josie here! I'm going to tell you guys about my perspective of our adventures on Friday.
After breakfast, we went to the Mass Grave: a site that holds thousands of souls set to rest together due to a replete amount of casualties after the earthquake in 2010. The emotions were overwhelming while standing on the memorial being built on top of this gravesite. Many people that I have talked to in Haiti were personally affected by it in many ways mentally spiritually, and emotionally; knowing this made this visit very special to me and I was able to send prayers to the names of people who were in great need; I have met many Haitians that have asked me to pray for their family members who have passed because of this great tragedy of their lives.
After the mass grave, the group visited Yolti's, a Haitian restaurant that we have visited earlier in the week. Yolti is very proud to have us and is extremely hospitable every time we visit; she takes great pride in her restaurant. The menu included fish, beef, and chicken with picklies: pickled onions and peppers, beets, and boiled plantains with mango juice.
It is so reassuring knowing that we are giving back to Haitians and we experience firsthand the impact that we make on their lives. Such was also with Rosie's, a boutique that helps Haitian women to be entrepreneurs, something that I was extremely proud to support. We visited that next; I am sure you will see gifts coming home from there!
Since we had extra time after going to Rosie's, we went back to Victory Bible Church to help finish painting the back that we had started earlier in the week and also to finish installing the playground. This was the highlight of the days of most everyone with me because when we installed the playground, the guides with us, all in their late twenties, were SO excited. Tyson, our 28-year-old driver of Big Blue, our truck we all ride in, was having the time of his life swinging and riding on the merry-go-round. The joy on his face always will be remembered when he clutched on to the swings and laughed the hardest I have seen him this whole trip. Just imagine how happy the kids will be when they see it installed the first day of school! The teachers will have a very hard time getting them to pay attention. Every ounce of work put into fundraising was immediately worth it when I saw that smile.
After dinner, a couple of us started talking to the security guard of Bel Fle named Jean Wincelot who is going to the university of Haiti to become a lawyer. When we started talking to him more, he opened up; Leah and I taught him English, he taught us French with some tattered books he had.
We are headed to the airport and Ms. Bubb is reclaiming her computer. Orevwa!
Hi! Josie here! I'm going to tell you guys about my perspective of our adventures on Friday.
After breakfast, we went to the Mass Grave: a site that holds thousands of souls set to rest together due to a replete amount of casualties after the earthquake in 2010. The emotions were overwhelming while standing on the memorial being built on top of this gravesite. Many people that I have talked to in Haiti were personally affected by it in many ways mentally spiritually, and emotionally; knowing this made this visit very special to me and I was able to send prayers to the names of people who were in great need; I have met many Haitians that have asked me to pray for their family members who have passed because of this great tragedy of their lives.
After the mass grave, the group visited Yolti's, a Haitian restaurant that we have visited earlier in the week. Yolti is very proud to have us and is extremely hospitable every time we visit; she takes great pride in her restaurant. The menu included fish, beef, and chicken with picklies: pickled onions and peppers, beets, and boiled plantains with mango juice.
It is so reassuring knowing that we are giving back to Haitians and we experience firsthand the impact that we make on their lives. Such was also with Rosie's, a boutique that helps Haitian women to be entrepreneurs, something that I was extremely proud to support. We visited that next; I am sure you will see gifts coming home from there!
Since we had extra time after going to Rosie's, we went back to Victory Bible Church to help finish painting the back that we had started earlier in the week and also to finish installing the playground. This was the highlight of the days of most everyone with me because when we installed the playground, the guides with us, all in their late twenties, were SO excited. Tyson, our 28-year-old driver of Big Blue, our truck we all ride in, was having the time of his life swinging and riding on the merry-go-round. The joy on his face always will be remembered when he clutched on to the swings and laughed the hardest I have seen him this whole trip. Just imagine how happy the kids will be when they see it installed the first day of school! The teachers will have a very hard time getting them to pay attention. Every ounce of work put into fundraising was immediately worth it when I saw that smile.
After dinner, a couple of us started talking to the security guard of Bel Fle named Jean Wincelot who is going to the university of Haiti to become a lawyer. When we started talking to him more, he opened up; Leah and I taught him English, he taught us French with some tattered books he had.
We are headed to the airport and Ms. Bubb is reclaiming her computer. Orevwa!
Thursday - church camp and visits
Ok - I am trying on this again. Sorry the blogs are a little spotty. Each time I do one, when I go to publish it, I find out I have lost internet connection and I lose all of the work. Alternately, I have internet connection, but it freezes when I try to upload a photo. That is the nature of things in Haiti, so I have to remind myself to not get too frustrated. It is hard because I really want to share with you the amazing things that we are doing, so you can see how your support has blessed these people who are so full of joy, despite their suffering. I hope you will be patient and I will update as frequently as I can. I am going to upload shorter blogs so I don't lose connection as I type and send them without pictures, and then try to upload some photos separately and see if that goes better.
-----------------
Thursday was a great day. We woke up this morning bright and early, looking forward to spending the day working with children. We worked at a camp for children and then toured the school and had a brief lecture on the background, organization, and function of the school. The last pieces of the playground that we fundraised for had just been delivered, so that was very exciting. All of the equipment was not fully assembled and it still needed to be moved into place and anchored, but it was all there. It is really beautiful and very strong looking, so we are excited that the children will have the joy of playing on it!
So - this is how the events of the day went:
After breakfast (oatmeal...turns out the kids were not fans; good thing for toast with peanut butter and jelly!!) we gathered up our things and headed off to camp. As the children started arriving, we greeted them and took them to stations. There was jump rope and colored chalk. We had make-shift "Go Fish" games they figured out with colors and shapes flashcards we had brought. Soccer was a wildly popular station with the older boys. An impromptu hair-braiding station popped up when the girls got there and saw my group with their long very braid-able hair. After stations the kids played a couple of Haitian games directed by the youth group leaders. It was a lot of fun and such a joy to play with and love on the children. Even if we got tired and had to sit down, we did not miss out on loving the children, because as soon as you make a lap, you have at least one, if not two children who plop down on it. Then others begin creeping up, and soon you will have a child or two on your lap and one leaning on each shoulder. Some children have no parents, or only one parent and many siblings. If there are parents, they are often so busy with the business of survival that the children do not always get the attention they want and need. It was a lot of fun.
After camp, the kids were bussed back to the villages and a few students had been chosen to ride home with us. These kids rode in the trucks with us back to the village and we walked them home (You park at an entrance to the village, but it is all pedestrian roads within the villages.) We divided into three groups with two students each and an American leader (me or one of the adult missionaries who are here) and two Haitian guide/translators. We walked our children home. When we got to the house, we got to meet their families. We spoke briefly and learned about their family and they learned about ours. When we left, each family was asked what they needed, and each family asked us to pray for them. It was very powerful to pray with the children and their families. They are such a good reminder for us to trust in God and His plan and to know that He has us in His hands.
-----------------
Thursday was a great day. We woke up this morning bright and early, looking forward to spending the day working with children. We worked at a camp for children and then toured the school and had a brief lecture on the background, organization, and function of the school. The last pieces of the playground that we fundraised for had just been delivered, so that was very exciting. All of the equipment was not fully assembled and it still needed to be moved into place and anchored, but it was all there. It is really beautiful and very strong looking, so we are excited that the children will have the joy of playing on it!
So - this is how the events of the day went:
After breakfast (oatmeal...turns out the kids were not fans; good thing for toast with peanut butter and jelly!!) we gathered up our things and headed off to camp. As the children started arriving, we greeted them and took them to stations. There was jump rope and colored chalk. We had make-shift "Go Fish" games they figured out with colors and shapes flashcards we had brought. Soccer was a wildly popular station with the older boys. An impromptu hair-braiding station popped up when the girls got there and saw my group with their long very braid-able hair. After stations the kids played a couple of Haitian games directed by the youth group leaders. It was a lot of fun and such a joy to play with and love on the children. Even if we got tired and had to sit down, we did not miss out on loving the children, because as soon as you make a lap, you have at least one, if not two children who plop down on it. Then others begin creeping up, and soon you will have a child or two on your lap and one leaning on each shoulder. Some children have no parents, or only one parent and many siblings. If there are parents, they are often so busy with the business of survival that the children do not always get the attention they want and need. It was a lot of fun.
After camp, the kids were bussed back to the villages and a few students had been chosen to ride home with us. These kids rode in the trucks with us back to the village and we walked them home (You park at an entrance to the village, but it is all pedestrian roads within the villages.) We divided into three groups with two students each and an American leader (me or one of the adult missionaries who are here) and two Haitian guide/translators. We walked our children home. When we got to the house, we got to meet their families. We spoke briefly and learned about their family and they learned about ours. When we left, each family was asked what they needed, and each family asked us to pray for them. It was very powerful to pray with the children and their families. They are such a good reminder for us to trust in God and His plan and to know that He has us in His hands.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Tonight
I was sitting in my porch corner typing an update for you when my computer went dead. There is no plug here where I am and I can't get WiFi where there is a plug. I will charge the laptop overnight and will update in the morning as we are having a late start. (The truck isn't pulling out until 9:30.) I just wanted to "check in" that we are ok and that I will do a better summary of the day when I am not "thumb-typing" on my phone.
Many kids are in bed and some are journaling. There is a small group playing soccer in the dark in the driveway with the hotel security guards. I think I will sit here in the dark on a beautiful warm night for a little bit and listen to the wind rustle in the coconut palms and watch the kids laughing together before I go to bed. It's such a simple thing, but it is so enjoyable.
You know, the word "enjoy" comes from the French, and literally means to be IN JOY. Joy is such a powerful thing. I think I forget that, sometimes. So often, I "enjoy" things without truly taking joy in them.
To take joy from the small things is a lesson that Haiti can teach like nowhere else. The Haitians are amazing people. Despite their hardships; despite living lives of desperation and destitution; despite a poverty so heavy that it seems like it could crush your soul; and despite surviving that day after day after day, with no end in sight, the Haitians are a joyful people; they are full of joy. . It never fails to amaze me. Our students feel it, too. It has come up several times in evening reflections: Haitians are joyful. Full of joy.
Haitians find joy in the small things: a hand to hold, a lap to sit on, a game of "soccer" played with a stone from the parking lot, a smile from a new friend.
We come to help Haiti, but, in the end, Haiti helps us: Haiti helps us to remember where our problems belong in the grand scheme of God's plan. Haiti remind us to find God in all things and to allow Him to fill us with joy.
Many kids are in bed and some are journaling. There is a small group playing soccer in the dark in the driveway with the hotel security guards. I think I will sit here in the dark on a beautiful warm night for a little bit and listen to the wind rustle in the coconut palms and watch the kids laughing together before I go to bed. It's such a simple thing, but it is so enjoyable.
You know, the word "enjoy" comes from the French, and literally means to be IN JOY. Joy is such a powerful thing. I think I forget that, sometimes. So often, I "enjoy" things without truly taking joy in them.
To take joy from the small things is a lesson that Haiti can teach like nowhere else. The Haitians are amazing people. Despite their hardships; despite living lives of desperation and destitution; despite a poverty so heavy that it seems like it could crush your soul; and despite surviving that day after day after day, with no end in sight, the Haitians are a joyful people; they are full of joy. . It never fails to amaze me. Our students feel it, too. It has come up several times in evening reflections: Haitians are joyful. Full of joy.
Haitians find joy in the small things: a hand to hold, a lap to sit on, a game of "soccer" played with a stone from the parking lot, a smile from a new friend.
We come to help Haiti, but, in the end, Haiti helps us: Haiti helps us to remember where our problems belong in the grand scheme of God's plan. Haiti remind us to find God in all things and to allow Him to fill us with joy.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Our Wednesday
It was a great day in Haiti. Our morning started off early with an "American" breakfast. The Haitian cooks at the mission hotel work very hard and prepare very good food. This morning, we had scrambled eggs with vegetables and made-from-scratch sweet rolls. Toast with peanut butter/jelly was also offered as was citron, which is a lemonade type drink made from freshly squeezed lemons and water and sugar. It is funny for us to think of lemonade being a breakfast drink, but... I guess it is a freshly squeezed citrus fruit, like oranges, or grapefruit, so I am not sure why it is so weird.
Let me add here a request for your pardon for any typos. Internet access works better in some areas than in others, so I am sitting outside on the back corner of the porch of the hotel lobby (fantastic connection here! I might even be able to get some pictures up tonight, haha!) But, being Haiti, there are no outside lights (anywhere) so I can't see the keyboard. I will do my best, but ask your patience, with typos, as I am typing in the dark and I am not the best typist, anyway.
After breakfast, we loaded up the truck and went out to the village of Cabaret. We divided into three groups and each group went with an American "leader" (me or Valerie or Riley) as well as two Haitian translator/guides to visit the home of a member of the church. We spent about an hour meeting them, speaking with them, singing with them, praying with them. That was a great experience to meet people where they live and speak with them and share with them. Afterwards, we walked back to the truck and went on to lunch at Yolti's Bar Restaurant in Cabaret. There are not many restaurants in Haiti, and even fewer where Americans can eat, but Yolti's is one of them. We were offered a choice of chicken, fish, or goat. Sadly, no one was brave enough to choose goat, but a select few chose the fish. After a good meal, we continued our day by driving to the village of Transformation, where we did a "kids club." This is how it goes: we pull into a village and the kids, who see the truck, come running. Then, the group goes strolling through town and the children come running out of houses and yards and come running from everywhere. Haitians are very affectionate and open and they are very demonstrative with their affection, so very soon, every Knight was covered in small children, who wanted to hold hands, be carried, ride piggy-back, and/or perch up on our shoulders. Older children also come running, and they want to be "cool," but it is hard for them to resist the magnet of "new friends" so, very soon, they were also leaning on us and, if they go to school, they will try to determine if you can speak French (or occasionally, English) in search of a way to communicate and get to know you better. If that does not work, they contented themselves with walking near us. Occasionally, they will reach out and touch your shoulder, or stroke your arm, or touch a piece of your clothing or hair ... just to have a connection since the oral connection did not work out. The mothers of young children come out, and hand over their babies and soon the kids had their arms full. We looped our way through the streets of the village and arrived back in the center to the shade of a large jade tree, much like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, with all of the youth of the town in tow. At this point, the games begin. There are some games and songs. It is interesting to see the difference in the way things are played in Haiti. Since Haiti is an oral culture, there is a lot of repetition and call-and-response. It is also remarkable how quickly the children can remember a large group of foreign names. After the games and songs, there is a Bible lesson. The story for today was Noah and the Ark. Afterwards, there is an oral quiz and students who successfully answer questions from the lesson received "un beau cadeau" from the prize bag of toys that the kids had collected to bring down to Haiti. Then some suckers were distributed and after, some of us cuddled sleepy babies and some joined the older kids in a game of soccer.
Too soon, it was time to go. We clambered back into the truck, waving good-bye to the children of Transformation and returned to the hotel The students had an hour to clean up and then went to The Beacon for dinner. The Beacon is a home for teenaged boys. After eating a delicious Haitian meal, we all helped to clear the table and then some kids helped to do dishes "Haitian Style," (If you get a chance to ask Leah or Maddie about that, you should.) while others played a little game of basketball with some of the boys. After all of the cleaning up was done, we divided into four groups: three soccer teams and a group of spectators. Some very fun (and funny!!!) soccer was played for about an hour or so, and then we returned home. After a quick clean-up, we gathered in the dining room for some reflection.
Finally, the kids went back to their rooms to clean up and gather what they will need for tomorrow. All journaled before many went to bed very early. Some were still writing when I started to look for a good wireless spot around 10:00. It is nearly 11:30 now and I suspect that all are asleep.
Tomorrow will come early and we will be going to a day camp at the church to help with the children. We are very excited because many of the pieces of the playground that we fundraised so hard for were delivered today and we are going to get a chance to see them tomorrow.
Continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to show God's love to people through our service to them.
Let me add here a request for your pardon for any typos. Internet access works better in some areas than in others, so I am sitting outside on the back corner of the porch of the hotel lobby (fantastic connection here! I might even be able to get some pictures up tonight, haha!) But, being Haiti, there are no outside lights (anywhere) so I can't see the keyboard. I will do my best, but ask your patience, with typos, as I am typing in the dark and I am not the best typist, anyway.
After breakfast, we loaded up the truck and went out to the village of Cabaret. We divided into three groups and each group went with an American "leader" (me or Valerie or Riley) as well as two Haitian translator/guides to visit the home of a member of the church. We spent about an hour meeting them, speaking with them, singing with them, praying with them. That was a great experience to meet people where they live and speak with them and share with them. Afterwards, we walked back to the truck and went on to lunch at Yolti's Bar Restaurant in Cabaret. There are not many restaurants in Haiti, and even fewer where Americans can eat, but Yolti's is one of them. We were offered a choice of chicken, fish, or goat. Sadly, no one was brave enough to choose goat, but a select few chose the fish. After a good meal, we continued our day by driving to the village of Transformation, where we did a "kids club." This is how it goes: we pull into a village and the kids, who see the truck, come running. Then, the group goes strolling through town and the children come running out of houses and yards and come running from everywhere. Haitians are very affectionate and open and they are very demonstrative with their affection, so very soon, every Knight was covered in small children, who wanted to hold hands, be carried, ride piggy-back, and/or perch up on our shoulders. Older children also come running, and they want to be "cool," but it is hard for them to resist the magnet of "new friends" so, very soon, they were also leaning on us and, if they go to school, they will try to determine if you can speak French (or occasionally, English) in search of a way to communicate and get to know you better. If that does not work, they contented themselves with walking near us. Occasionally, they will reach out and touch your shoulder, or stroke your arm, or touch a piece of your clothing or hair ... just to have a connection since the oral connection did not work out. The mothers of young children come out, and hand over their babies and soon the kids had their arms full. We looped our way through the streets of the village and arrived back in the center to the shade of a large jade tree, much like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, with all of the youth of the town in tow. At this point, the games begin. There are some games and songs. It is interesting to see the difference in the way things are played in Haiti. Since Haiti is an oral culture, there is a lot of repetition and call-and-response. It is also remarkable how quickly the children can remember a large group of foreign names. After the games and songs, there is a Bible lesson. The story for today was Noah and the Ark. Afterwards, there is an oral quiz and students who successfully answer questions from the lesson received "un beau cadeau" from the prize bag of toys that the kids had collected to bring down to Haiti. Then some suckers were distributed and after, some of us cuddled sleepy babies and some joined the older kids in a game of soccer.
Too soon, it was time to go. We clambered back into the truck, waving good-bye to the children of Transformation and returned to the hotel The students had an hour to clean up and then went to The Beacon for dinner. The Beacon is a home for teenaged boys. After eating a delicious Haitian meal, we all helped to clear the table and then some kids helped to do dishes "Haitian Style," (If you get a chance to ask Leah or Maddie about that, you should.) while others played a little game of basketball with some of the boys. After all of the cleaning up was done, we divided into four groups: three soccer teams and a group of spectators. Some very fun (and funny!!!) soccer was played for about an hour or so, and then we returned home. After a quick clean-up, we gathered in the dining room for some reflection.
Finally, the kids went back to their rooms to clean up and gather what they will need for tomorrow. All journaled before many went to bed very early. Some were still writing when I started to look for a good wireless spot around 10:00. It is nearly 11:30 now and I suspect that all are asleep.
Tomorrow will come early and we will be going to a day camp at the church to help with the children. We are very excited because many of the pieces of the playground that we fundraised so hard for were delivered today and we are going to get a chance to see them tomorrow.
Continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to show God's love to people through our service to them.
Good Morning from Bon Repos
In Haiti, the vast majority of people do not have electricity, there are no street lights, and daily life revolves around the sun; it's early to bed and early to rise. I am up listening to the sounds of the day. Dogs are barking, people are setting their merchandise and produce out in front of their houses, hoping to make the $2 today, that is the income of the average Haitian family.
I am having a few peaceful moments. The kids will be up soon and our work for another big, but great, day in Haiti will begin.
I am having a few peaceful moments. The kids will be up soon and our work for another big, but great, day in Haiti will begin.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Hello from Haiti
Hello from Haiti! Hope all is well up north. We are blessed.
Here is a quick recap of what we have done.
Yesterday, we had a considerable delay in Miami so we got into the airport at Port Au Prince quite late. We got in the line for customs and I was so proud of the kids for greeting the Haitian customs and passport control staff in French or Creole. So many Americans do not make that effort, and it is too bad, because the rewards you get for that effort are so great. The Haitians were smiling and talking back to the kids and truly took pleasure in the efforts that the kids made to be courteous and friendly. I was proud of them.
After getting everyone through customs and then passport control, and an extensive and interesting effort to reacquire our luggage, we proceeded to the exit where we were met by mission staff who had come to pick us up. We loaded up the truck, and drove from Port Au Prince to the suburb where we are staying (Bon Repos). We did all of the sign in for the hotel and got our rooms (they really are very nice for a missions trip) and we ate dinner. We got there so late that the dinner was over and they went and picked up pizzas from a new Haitian pizza place nearby.
We got settled in and went to bed to rest up for today.
Morning came pretty early, but we had some rise-and-shiners who were up around 6am. The other groups had set alarms for later. We were all at breakfast by 8am, ate and got things ready to go. We loaded up the truck and headed down the street to visit The Lighthouse, an orphanage run by Jesus in Haiti. They showed us around and we learned about that ministry. The orphans were all away at camp except for one, a blind boy named Jovens who joined our group. We were amazed when he played keyboards for us. He is a very talented boy!
We went from the Lighthouse out to the Mission property. We spent the day in service, painting the benches for the school and painting a wall of the new church. It is very hot and they were working in the sun and they did great. We just filled up our water bottles and dug right in. They got a lot of work done in the few hours that we were there. There were a few older children who live nearby who came by to see what was going on and joined in. It was great for us to get to talk to Haitian kids our own ages. We ate lunch out there, making special peanut butter sandwiches with Haitian style peanut butter and got to try four different kinds of Haitian Jelly made with fruits we don't see in the US. As a snack in the afternoon, we got to try sugar cane - fresh from the market!
IT gets dark fairly early this close to the equator, so we headed home. We had about an hour until dinner so the kids swam or showered. Then the Haitian staff at the hotel had prepared a full Haitian meal and the kids dug in. They tried things that they hadn't ever had before, and the meal got good reviews.
We had reflections and prayer after dinner and discussed out itinerary tomorrow. After that, most were very tired. Many were journaling and then going to bed.
Tomorrow, we are visiting the villages of Cabaret and Transformation. We will visit homes of older ladies who attend church to have conversation and let them feel loved. We will be eating lunch at a Haitian Restaurant and then will be going to Transformation to help with a Kids Club. This should be a GREAT DAY!! We also are expecting that the playground we have purchased for the school as the target of our fundraising efforts will be delivered tomorrow. We remain flexible but optimistic in that expectation.
I will update with photos if I can get a better connection. Right now it takes so long that it keeps timing out, but if I can get a better connection, I would love for you to be able to SEE some of the great things we are doing as the hands and feet of Jesus In Haiti.
We continue this adventure, praying for servants' hearts! Please keep us in your prayers as well!
Here is a quick recap of what we have done.
Yesterday, we had a considerable delay in Miami so we got into the airport at Port Au Prince quite late. We got in the line for customs and I was so proud of the kids for greeting the Haitian customs and passport control staff in French or Creole. So many Americans do not make that effort, and it is too bad, because the rewards you get for that effort are so great. The Haitians were smiling and talking back to the kids and truly took pleasure in the efforts that the kids made to be courteous and friendly. I was proud of them.
After getting everyone through customs and then passport control, and an extensive and interesting effort to reacquire our luggage, we proceeded to the exit where we were met by mission staff who had come to pick us up. We loaded up the truck, and drove from Port Au Prince to the suburb where we are staying (Bon Repos). We did all of the sign in for the hotel and got our rooms (they really are very nice for a missions trip) and we ate dinner. We got there so late that the dinner was over and they went and picked up pizzas from a new Haitian pizza place nearby.
We got settled in and went to bed to rest up for today.
Morning came pretty early, but we had some rise-and-shiners who were up around 6am. The other groups had set alarms for later. We were all at breakfast by 8am, ate and got things ready to go. We loaded up the truck and headed down the street to visit The Lighthouse, an orphanage run by Jesus in Haiti. They showed us around and we learned about that ministry. The orphans were all away at camp except for one, a blind boy named Jovens who joined our group. We were amazed when he played keyboards for us. He is a very talented boy!
We went from the Lighthouse out to the Mission property. We spent the day in service, painting the benches for the school and painting a wall of the new church. It is very hot and they were working in the sun and they did great. We just filled up our water bottles and dug right in. They got a lot of work done in the few hours that we were there. There were a few older children who live nearby who came by to see what was going on and joined in. It was great for us to get to talk to Haitian kids our own ages. We ate lunch out there, making special peanut butter sandwiches with Haitian style peanut butter and got to try four different kinds of Haitian Jelly made with fruits we don't see in the US. As a snack in the afternoon, we got to try sugar cane - fresh from the market!
IT gets dark fairly early this close to the equator, so we headed home. We had about an hour until dinner so the kids swam or showered. Then the Haitian staff at the hotel had prepared a full Haitian meal and the kids dug in. They tried things that they hadn't ever had before, and the meal got good reviews.
We had reflections and prayer after dinner and discussed out itinerary tomorrow. After that, most were very tired. Many were journaling and then going to bed.
Tomorrow, we are visiting the villages of Cabaret and Transformation. We will visit homes of older ladies who attend church to have conversation and let them feel loved. We will be eating lunch at a Haitian Restaurant and then will be going to Transformation to help with a Kids Club. This should be a GREAT DAY!! We also are expecting that the playground we have purchased for the school as the target of our fundraising efforts will be delivered tomorrow. We remain flexible but optimistic in that expectation.
I will update with photos if I can get a better connection. Right now it takes so long that it keeps timing out, but if I can get a better connection, I would love for you to be able to SEE some of the great things we are doing as the hands and feet of Jesus In Haiti.
We continue this adventure, praying for servants' hearts! Please keep us in your prayers as well!
Monday, July 27, 2015
In Miami
We are underway! After a crazy morning, we had an uneventful flight from Detroit to Miami. Since we are in Miami, I tried to convince them to get a Cuban sandwich for lunch. (Most of them had Wendy's, haha)
As we wait on our flight to Port Au Prince, the kids are practicing their Creole and doing a lot of laughing. Some are working on summer reading. The flight looks like it is on time and boarding should begin around 1:25.
As we wait on our flight to Port Au Prince, the kids are practicing their Creole and doing a lot of laughing. Some are working on summer reading. The flight looks like it is on time and boarding should begin around 1:25.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Really Getting Ready!
We are wrapping things up and getting ready! Ten days from now we will be on the ground in Haiti!!! There is plenty to keep us busy in these last ten days, though. Everyone is going over their packing list. We are busy collecting items from the wish lists of the school and orphanage. We are still accepting donations for anyone who wants to partner in our service projects. The fall athletic teams are helping us out by collecting items to pack in "hygiene kits" to deliver to homeless families and children! There is a lot going on! We will be wrapping up everything up this week though! Haiti, here we come! We can't wait to be there and serve!
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Counting Down the Days!
Members of the Bishop Luers community will be leaving for a service trip to Haiti this summer, leaving July 27. It is our goal to serve the people of Haiti and show them God's love through our service to them.
We have been preparing to go by having weekly classes to learn about Haiti, and we have also been fundraising for our trip. It is our goal to build a playground at a school for homeless children, to deliver hygiene supplies and school supplies. We will be serving at a school, at several orphanages, and visiting people in a village to help with the ongoing construction projects to help the people who were left homeless by the catastrophic earthquake of 2010.
If you wish to make a contribution to our projects, please contact our moderator, Ms. Bubb at Bishop Luers High School (cbubb@bishopluers.org or 260-456-1261) Please pray for us as we undertake this trip and we hope you will follow along with us on this blog.
We have been preparing to go by having weekly classes to learn about Haiti, and we have also been fundraising for our trip. It is our goal to build a playground at a school for homeless children, to deliver hygiene supplies and school supplies. We will be serving at a school, at several orphanages, and visiting people in a village to help with the ongoing construction projects to help the people who were left homeless by the catastrophic earthquake of 2010.
If you wish to make a contribution to our projects, please contact our moderator, Ms. Bubb at Bishop Luers High School (cbubb@bishopluers.org or 260-456-1261) Please pray for us as we undertake this trip and we hope you will follow along with us on this blog.
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