More

                                 

        At the end of each day, we gather in the living room and discuss a Bible passage, go through pictures from the day, and participate in “Word of the Day.” The activity is pretty self-explanatory but essentially what it is is that we go around the circle and each one of us pick one word to describe our day. I look back at our first day of travel to Haiti and my word was “unsure.” I was nervous about what waited for me and what I was about to see. Tonight my word was “more.” I fell in love with the people of Haiti. I fell in love with the beauty of Haiti. I fell in love with Haiti. I want to hold a baby one more time. I want to visit Grace Village one more time. I want to ride on the tap-tap one more time. I want to see Marie and Edmund one more time. I want to sit in one of our nightly meetings one more time. I want MORE of Haiti. I began my journey here nervous about what my reaction to Haiti would be, and I ended this week wanting more. The team I served with is another HUGE reason why I had such an amazing experience here. The ups and downs of each day really drew us closer together.  We bonded through stories and laughter throughout the week and now I can call this group all dear friends of mine. Thank you everyone for praying for us this week and for all the donations that were given. Glwa pou bondye! Glory to God!

Hanna

John 13:17

"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

On Thursday, we traveled to Titanyen, a village about 20 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince.  Our guide explained that Titanyen is a Creole word meaning “less than nothing.”  It aptly describes the circumstances of many of the villagers.  We visited the homes of five elders who are cared for by Grace Village.  They are provided food and regular health checks.

At the second stop, the one room shack could not accommodate all 14 of us, so I chose to stay outside, relieved I wouldn’t have to bear the stifling heat within the walls of this elderly man’s home.  I slid down against the mud wall, sweat trickling down my sides, making my t-shirt cling to me.  Sitting on the dirt ground, it was easier to put my arm around the little girl who had shadowed me from the tap-tap to the house.  As I sat there, thinking nothing in particular, around the corner struts a little girl in a black polka-dotted dress.  She very deliberately marched over to me and stared intently at me.  As I stared back, I could see my reflection in her eyes and she, no doubt, could see her own reflection in my sunglasses.  I took my glasses off and continued to stare.  Again, I saw my reflection in her intensely beautiful liquid brown eyes.  I thought about how we are each reflected in the eyes of those around us, in the eyes of those who know us best. 

She inched closer to me and let me hug her.  In Creole, I tried to ask her name, but she only stared back at me.  Minutes passed and she seemed content to just stare at me and I was content to just stare back.  Others noticed the attention.  Someone snapped a photo.  Soon, people started to file out of the house and I knew soon it would be time to leave.  I reluctantly followed the line of people back to the tap tap.  The driver told me to put her down and I did so. I will never know her name and I will never see her again.  Each of us have experienced this kind of encounter in Haiti; surprisingly intimate, completely unexpected, and painfully brief.   

Our fourth stop was at the home of Edmond, an 81-year-old, blind, partially deaf man.  He lives alone in a mud shack, barely big enough to fit a small cot, a table, and a few personal belongings.  There were two holes in the walls, near the roof of corrugated metal.  The “windows” were not large enough to allow even a small breeze. 

Our team waited outside while Edmond ate the bananas and sandwiches we brought for him.  No grass grew in the yard.  There was only dirt.  Two large pigs, and several piglets, one looking very sickly, wallowed in a mud hole under a tree which provided the only shade. Chickens pecked at the dirt.  Dogs with their hip bones protruding from underneath their skin wandered the grounds searching for scraps. 

Our team was there to wash and massage Edmond.  I had managed to avoid this task on our three prior stops, but I felt a pull and volunteered.  Jonas, our translator, had taught us the Creole version of “Glory to God” on the journey over.  A chorus of “Glwa Pou Bondye” now enveloped us, as four of us began to wash Edmond’s arms and legs with baby wipes, the sweat from my forehead, stinging my eyes.   As I sat on the dirt floor of his cramped and airless shack, I looked up into his sightless eyes and saw a look of utter joy and gratitude.  As we continued to massage Edmond, it occurred to me, that he was the one performing an act of service for us.  This blind and deaf man had welcomed us, strangers, foreigners, into his home.  In trusting us he had made himself vulnerable.  At that moment, the presence of the one who had made himself vulnerable for all mankind filled the room.  Complete contentment washed over me and I began to tremble.  I have never felt more alive than at that moment.  Glwa pou Bondye pou tu jou! 

Life Skill Lessons - Day 5

                                   

     Today our group trekked back out to Titanyen to do a life skill lesson with the children at Grace Village.  Our Leader-in-Training, Erin, developed a wonderful Stress Management lesson for the kids.   The lesson was based on the scripture from Matthew 6:25-34 focusing on how God loves us more than the birds of the air so of course He will provide for us.  After the kids read the verses in Creole, we split the boys and the girls.  The boys went outside to fly kites and the girls worked their way through three stations: 

·        
      Aromatherapy:  Erin had five different scents on small sponges that the children could smell.  She explained the effects of each scent and let them choose their favorite giving them a cotton ball scented with it.

·        
      Relaxation Breathing:  Konrad, Mona and Sandy helped lead the kids in different breathing techniques.

·
           Yoga:  Alli, Jamie and Jennifer did a simple yoga routine with the kiddos.

When the girls were all done, the boys came in and the girls flew kites and played on the playground.

Nightly, back at the guest house, we share “God-sightings."  Tonight, mine was a certain moment when we were all in the feeding center.  The yoga kids were fully engaged and a little giggly in their poses.  The breathing kids were stretched out on the floor doing deep breathing and the aromatherapy kids were fascinated with the different scents.  A breeze was blowing through the door and windows and one of Grace Village’s Haitian staff was playing some beautiful guitar music.  All our team was fully engaged using their various gifts and all the kids happily focused on what we were showing them.  It was a sacred moment that brought tears to my eyes imagining the journey that brought each individual to this point of beautiful community.

     After Grace Village we went to another orphanage we refer to Isaiah’s.  This is a more typical Haitian orphanage with 14 children.  All of whom were orphaned as a result of the earthquake in 2010.  Isaiah and his brother were moved to do something to help and the orphanage was born.  Amazingly, they now also have a school that serves approximately 400 students.  We did the same life skills lessons there but the biggest hit was the pick-up games of soccer. 

     As I communicated with my son back home and told him we’d gone to two orphanages he said it sounded depressing.  That took me aback.  The word I would best use to describe our day is hope. 

God IS working through faithful servants here. 

  

Grace Village & Elderly Visits - Day 3

        Our team had a packed schedule today in Titanyen. We began at Grace Village, an organization funded by Healing Haiti. The work that is being done there is simply remarkable. There is SO much going on! They provide housing for children in a family-style setting. They also have a transition program where teenagers living at Grace Village who are approaching adulthood can attain skills useful for life when it is their time to leave. They provide a school for Kindergarten to 11^th grade and nearly 300 children are enrolled. There is also a clinic where anyone can be seen for a very minimal charge. They have a church close by where nearly 1,000 Haitians come to worship throughout the week. Ever heard of aquaponics? Neither had I until today! I can’t even try to explain the process to you but basically they are organically raising tanks of tilapia to be used there and sold in the marketplace. The neat part about Grace Village is that it’s not just a bunch of Americans running the place. Its Haitians hired as cooks, nurses, teachers, engineers, and so much more! They are trying to give the people of Haiti an opportunity, not just a meal and a bed. They are giving them life skills that they can bring to their community.

Next, we visited five of the locals. Not just any locals. Elderly men and woman, and wow! it was such an awesome experience. First, we met Marie, a woman of 104 years. How amazing! She loved the visit and we brought her food, water, and we gave her massages! (We did this with all the elderly we visited) We sang with her and prayed with her. We also met Meme (74 year old blind man) and the smile on his face when we arrived is one that I will never forget. We visited Antchola (64 year old woman) and we even got to meet with her grand-daughter! Edmond (81 year old man) is blind, deaf, and is still praying for another wife! His brother was nearby and we had the opportunity to pray with him as well. Finally, we met Maricia (74 years old) and she was a woman full of hugs and smiles. She LOVED our visit and as we sang to her, she danced and that is something I will never forget.

Finally, we went to the mass grave site for those that had died during the earthquake in 2010. It is unsure how many had died during the disaster, but it is estimated 300,000-400,000 people. One natural disaster hasn’t stopped the people from continuing on. Today reminded me that God is at work in Grace Village, in Haiti, and EVERYWHERE. All that is going on at Grace Village inspired me. God is there and doing huge things! The joy all the men and women we visited today brought me to tears at one point. They worship God all the time and trust that God will provide the essentials to carry on. And He will. He always will. Today was my favorite day of the journey so far. God is so good!

Hanna 

Fragile

       Each night at our team meeting, we all choose a word to describe our experiences during that day. Today my word was fragile. When we went to the home for sick and dying babies, I had to be really careful and gentle with all of the babies, because a lot of them were really fragile. But I realized that I was fragile too, in an emotional way. After a while we had to leave, and it took me a long time to say goodbye to the baby that I was rocking back-and-forth in my arms. I had been holding him for a while and even sang him a couple of songs. Every time I had set him down in his crib, he started to cry because he wanted me to keep holding him. Usually I just picked him back up and continued singing to him. But setting him down for the last time, I knew I wouldn’t be there to comfort him any longer. It took me a few minutes to bring myself to leave. It was extremely difficult to say goodbye to my little buddy, because I knew the second I let him go, he would start crying again. I wish I could have stayed there longer, and at the moment I was leaving, I felt extremely fragile. But at the same time, I was happy that our group was able to serve at the home for sick and dying babies for as long as we did. Looking back on the day, I am glad that I was able to comfort the babies for at least a little while. 

Konrad

Gertrude's Orphanage - Day 1

Visiting Gertrude’s began with Junior, a special young adult who greeted us at the gate.  Suddenly we were witnessing as Junior play fought with our Tap Tap driver, Maxim.  Obviously this was a ritual between them displaying the warmth and caring environment inside.  Several children waited to take our hands.  Gertrude’s began in 1993 and has evolved into caring for 48 children, approximately half with special needs.  We caught a glimpse of instruction with some of the children, their eyes glued to the teacher, hardly acknowledging our presence. 

The “classroom” later transformed into the cafeteria.  We were able to be there for lunch, offering our services to help feed those unable to feed themselves.  Our team of 14 was kept busy as staff appeared to each of us with a bowl of what looked like polenta, spinach, and gravy.  Staff directed us to a child anxiously awaiting their lunch.  Thankfully staff gave us some direction.  We later marveled at how readily the children ate every morsel.  Other children helped us clear bowls and clean up children. Just as we settled in to hold the children we were told it was nap time. Our time went quickly in this well run welcoming home, with cheerful staff who somehow manage typically without the 14 of us.  I think we each felt our visit with these children of God came to a fast close.  What no playground time?  Children readily took our hands, some in our arms, and Junior was there again as it was time to say farewell.  What a blessed gift of time to share. 

Sandy

Home For Sick and Dying Babies - Day 1

Half of our team visited the Home for the Sick and Dying Babies on Tuesday morning which opened all our hearts.  We were blessed to spend the morning holding these precious children and even had the opportunity to feed many of the babies.  Another mission team from Miami was also visiting, and they played guitar and we sang and danced with the little ones.  Love best describes our time spent at the home.  Love radiated throughout.  From the outstretched arms of these children reaching for us, complete strangers, to the selfless staff at the orphanage, and then to the love between the children and their parents.  By chance I happened to be the only one in the nursery when visiting hours ended for the parents, and they were all bringing their babies back to their cribs.  The nursery went from fairly quiet to a room full of almost 60 babies and toddlers crying out for their parents in a matter of a few seconds.  Although it was a heartbreaking moment, it was also wonderful to witness the love between parent and child.  I was overwhelmed with emotion.  I pray that my presence at that moment and my attempt to distract and hold some of the children provided as least some comfort to the parents, especially the two dads who were struggling to leave their little girls.  I couldn’t help but think how I’d feel in their situation and how I would behave just as the one dad had after leaving his daughter in my arms continuously peeking around the wall until he knew his little girl was content and calm.

Jennifer

Water Truck in Cite Soleil - Day 2

                                     

There is no good way to accurately describe Cite Soleil, where our team went today with a water truck to assist in the delivery of water.  The people who live in this vast tent city are among the poorest people in the Western Hemisphere.  The water they receive at our delivery is their only free water, otherwise it must be collected from the rain or purchased.  This is the water they use for everything: cooking, drinking, bathing and washing clothes.  The process is simple.  The truck pulls up at a designated water stop.  People line up with their containers and using a huge hose, the containers are filled.  But that doesn’t begin to illustrate the layers of the experience.  Images that will stay with me forever include children, many naked, running behind our “tap-tap” yelling “hey you! hey you!”  They climbed up the back of the tap-tap and swarmed us as we tried to exit.  Children all around us were raising their hands saying “ Pote m’ ” (Carry me).  And we did.  I believe Luis held the record of four children at once and every time I looked, Jamie had at least two children clinging to and smiling up at her.  Anne started up a game of London Bridge and the children squealed as they were caught in the bridge.  

As we helped many children carry their water buckets they clung to our hands.  We saw small children struggling with their buckets.  Whenever we could we would jump in and carry the buckets.  They were heavy!!  These children and adults who carried the water were strong!  Many put the bucket right up on their head.  One little girl that couldn’t have been more than three led me far down a street with her water bucket and as I began to wonder if she knew where to go I looked up at adults standing around and they all pointed to her home.  She knew right where to go.  We connected easily with the children while the adults were more reserved.  At our first stop I remember thinking “I think I’ll pass on holding the children without pants”  but one look into their beautiful eyes and that went out the window and I found myself not even noticing the lack of clothing.  I only was aware of a child craving some loving interaction. The whole experience left me wanting to know more about Haiti, to understand more about the culture, to learn more of the language….

Anna