Friday, October 19, 2018

Healing Haiti Team 2, Oct. 19,2018

  6:00 AM service at Church on the Rock. There were about 150 locals present and only a few were not up walking and moving with the spirit from the service in them. The church looked like it would hold 500 parishioners. It was clean and neat throughout. We were greeted by the first speaking Pastor and many parishioners returned our smiles, hand shakes and one gave each of us a hug. We all walked home and the children were walking to school in their uniforms.
   Breakfast was pancakes, avocados, mango, bananas, scrambled eggs, juice, oatmeal.
   After devotions the Tap Tap took us to the site of the Mass Graves. The guide mentioned 300,000 people died in the earth quake and a majority of them are buried here, Almost every person in Haiti lost someone that day. There is a site up the hill from the Mass Graves where non Haitians quake victims are buried. It is marked by 3 large crosses. This area of Haiti  is called Titanyen, (tea- tawn-yeah)   which means "less than nothing
    Next stop was Grace Academy. It looks like an oasis with its new buildings and bright colors. A 2 y/o named James greeted us . Mackenzie (sp) greeted us and showed us around. The classrooms are small but organized and the students were attentive to their tasks. There are 150 sponsored student and about 450 total. Only 60 of them live there in family style settings. Kinder garden covers grades 1-3 and there are 13 grade levels in all. Last year students are called  "Filo" for "last year". They were a different uniform too. All of the teachers and the dentist are Haitians.
   There is a medical and dental clinic there along with a small library.
    Next we went to serve some elders. The first was Deaufort, a somewhat frail man who lives alone. ( he smiled when he explained that God lives with him so he is not alone) It appeared his only family contact was with his daughter, Claudia and she had written her name and number on the outside of his small house. We bathed his feet and put lotion on his hands, feet and shoulders. He received a meal. We prayed for his well being and that his roof would get fixed.
   Maricia was next and we did the same with her. She was cheerful and in generally god health. She cares for a grandchild. She asked for prayer for spiritual strength and enough health to care for her grandson.
   Elafet has an approx 20 y/o granddaughter who doesn't speak and did not respond to our greetings. She was sitting in the hot sun. Elefet was also frail in appearance. She asked for prayer to find a better living situation as only one of them can sleep on the bed and the other, (usually Elefet) is on the floor.
   Next we toured the Fleri ( It means to flourish) Bakery. Jake is the Executive Manager at there. Every employee is Haitian. We ate their pizza an it may be the best we have ever had. Wendy bought Monkey Bread there for our breakfast treat tomorrow.
   After we got home, Mike and Charlie went for a haircut.