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: 

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      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.

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

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           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.