Day 3 Home for sick and dying babies / special needs orphanage

Hey hey party people, we are wrapping up day 3 and boy, has today been an emotional rollercoaster. We began the day with a church service. It was unlike anything we have ever seen, and we didn't understand a word they were all saying. But watching the Haitians walk around the church and sing as loud as they could, seeing the emotions on their faces, you could feel the feeling they felt and related to it. The Haitians faith was visible, and gave us a better look on how much God means the the people of Haiti.

Next the team split into two groups, one group went to the Home for Sick and Dying Babies and the other went to Daries home for children with special needs. At the home for the Sick and dying babies we were greeted by children with smiling faces, eating mangoes, their one snack of the day. We had the opportunity to go outside and play with them on the playground and then some of their parents arrived for visiting hours. It was amazing to see overjoyed children as their families were brought together but also heartbreaking to see those with their hopes up who felt let down with no visitors. We continued into a room filled with rows of cribs filled with babies that we helped care for. Holding their fragile and sometimes very sick bodies was a very hard experience but also revealed the healing powers that love can provide. Their love for us and just to be touched was very evident. They would reach out and touch our cheeks and stare into our eyes, they would hug you endlessly and hold on to us as tight as they could. It was a life-changing and challenging experience.

Those of us who went to Daries walked into the orphanage not knowing what to expect and surely many of us were caught of guard at the level of need for love the kids were at. It was quickly known that the lack of supplies and tools is their biggest struggle. Giving all that we brought, we were soon left with only love to give. Picking up the children who needed it, we brought them outside to play with the bubbles, chalk, and other toys that we brought. It was amazing to see the smiles that instantly appeared on the kids faces as they felt the blow of the wind across their skin. As communication is limited physical touch is something that played a key role in showing these kids that they are loved. A simple tight squeeze or rub of the belly calmed the anxious shakes many of the children were experiencing. As the day carried on emotions grew deep. Not knowing when these kids will next get to go outside or feel the hug of a friend who loves them was tremendously hard to wrap our minds around. Tears flowed as we left, wishing we could do more. This experience was indescribably heartbreaking and empowering.

After doing all we could the two teams met back up to headed to our next stop. We went to the Parent Project and found a new sense of opportunity and hope that was difficult to see at our other two projects. The Parent Project works to create jobs for mothers and fathers giving them fair wages and the ability to keep families together. It was amazing to see the drive that the workers had and the hope that the Parent Project provided them with.

With love Lauryn, Ava, Lily and Britt


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Location:Healing haiti guest house 2 Port Au Prince

Day 2 water truck day

Yo yo yo. Quick shout out to the families for allowing us to go on this amazing trip! It has already passed all expectations that we have had. We think it's safe to say we all stepped out of our comfort zone and learned something new today. Today we worked the water truck and carried buckets of water with the Haitians. These people are extremely thankful for everything they have, and are so willing to also give up any of it for the people around them. Love is in Haiti, and today we had the honor of receiving it in so many ways. From hugs from the children, smiling to those around you, and looking into the kids eyes you could see the love they had for life. God blessed us with the ability to see a new part of His kingdom and its beautiful. We have the opportunity to learn from the people of Haiti, they teach us the importance of showing love for others and being grateful for what you have. The children with so little want to give so much, and that is quite humbling. Today has been eye opening and has really set the tone for the week. We are ready to get back out tomorrow and grow deeper in our faith and learn some more from all of the people we encounter! Peace out till tomorrow.

Much love everyone,
Britt and Lauryn :)

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Location:Port au Prince Haiti

Day 1: Travel day

Today was the perfect start to the week. This past week has been filled with preparation for this trip and it is very relieving that the beginning has gone so smoothly. We are off to a great start full of fun and new experiences. Haiti is like no other place either of has ever been and we are excited to explore and learn about this new culture we have found ourselves in. From what we have seen so far the community we are staying in, is the perfect place to build relationships and take steps out of our comfort zones. We were able to play soccer with the neighborhood boys, and start building the foundation of the new relationships God has in store for us. We are so excited to create new memories and grow in our faith with the Haitians.

Peace out doods,
Ty and Britt

Location:Healing Haiti Guest House 2 Port au Prince

Changed

So we reached the end of our week in Haiti and I prepare myself for the questions people may ask upon returning home…”So what did you do?”  That list, in and of itself, included very simple things.  We filled buckets of water; hugged toddlers; and let a tired child smile, sigh, and rest with a loving arm around them.  The things we did were not that extraordinary—but what those actions meant in that moment in a challenged community, an environment with very few soft edges and with people needing happiness and love, I believe, was extraordinary.  Hundreds of water buckets, countless hugs, some tears, and hundreds of smiles.

God planted a seed in each of us and we came to this place—we weren’t sure how or if it would grow.  Were we nervous?  Definitely.  But then we figured out how to see through the eyes of God—not in some holier-than-thou sense, but through truly placing ourselves in service.  Things began to sprout.  We saw leaves of hope…both within the people we served and inside ourselves.

So when asked, “What did you do?”, we can say, “We changed.”  Not only in the sense of helping in Haiti, but equally changing within.  We’ve a deeper relationship with God, a renewed faith, and a sense of responsibility as a global citizen.  Thank you and God bless.  

-Dan

Hope

Today we awoke with the memories of yesterday’s visits to the home for Sick and Dying babies, as well as our time spent at Dares, a home for special needs children.  Our lives and hearts will be forever touched by these children - and our hearts and prayers will be with them always.  We find peace in knowing they are wrapped in God’s love. 

While yesterday our hearts struggled at times with hope…today our hearts were overjoyed and overfilled. In fact, at evening devotionals, we lost count of the ways in which we saw hope.     

Today we visited Grace Village and also had the honor of spending time with some amazing Elders in Titanyen village. 

For those who are not familiar, Grace Village is a school, orphanage, feeding center and medical clinic for people in the surrounding village of Titanyen. It is an amazing place that is doing transformational things in the community and for children and families in Haiti - far too many to list here but one you really must see to understand. I could really envision working at this place as it’s truly making a difference in this country. This article gives a good glimpse of how it all began:

http://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/news/article_1351704a-5a02-11e2-bf71-001a4bcf887a.html 

For each of our elder visits today, we delivered food and water to their home, washed their feet, spent time with them in prayer and song, and simply shared love and faith. We were able to meet family members and even hold a one-day-old newborn grand baby. What a blessing after yesterday made our hearts feel so heavy.

Each elder visit was special in its own unique way as each individual showed their character and heart to us.  It would be so hard to describe them all in a short blog. 

We will cherish those visits as much as the times we have enjoyed with the many other special people we have met and served in Haiti so far. 

Has it really only been four days? We have met so many new brothers and sisters and formed bonds in this country. I can’t believe it has only been four days.  

I will share one of the elder visits at the end of our day as she stood out to many of us for her incredible spirit. She was a 91 year old woman who lives in a concrete home with a tin roof. She struggles with dementia and memory loss but has the most beautiful spirit and was so happy to see us. She was beaming with joy from the moment we walked in, swayed and hummed to the music we played the entire time we visited with her.  This beautiful woman’s spirit reminds us all that despite having what one might think is so little, her heart is still overfilled with such incredible joy. 

We’ll close this blog with a wonderful bible verse shared by our Pastor Kris which was so fitting for our day:

“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:3-5

-Beth

Day 3- Blurred Lines

Blurred Lines

The Children…

Some are very small, some are quite tall, 

Some are smiling, some are crying,

Some are our own, some we hold for just a moment in time.

The Children…

Brave, 

Strong, 

Resilient, 

Compassionate, 

Longing.

Some are our own, some we hold for just a moment in time.

The Children…

Some are hungry, some are thirsty,

Some are healthy, some are sick.

Some are our own, some we hold for just a moment in time.

The children we brought with us to Haiti, 

and those we meet here-

together, they are blurring the lines

of the great divide in our world.

I’m pretty sure this is what Jesus wanted us to do-

Blur the lines…

Jill

Matthew:

Jesus said, let the children come to me.

Life Giving Water

A boy. A girl. Unknown. Or just doesn't matter. What matters... love. 

Today, Easter Lutheran Church was graced by the love of Haitians. We delivered water, but they gave us so much more. We held, snuggled, played, hugged, and shared something so special with the kids that we all will be changed. Maybe we change the world by changing ourselves? 

I signed on to write about our day today in Cite Soleil. But, for once, I am struggling with words. Its difficult to write about the arms wrapped around you, squeezing enough to feel her breathing and her heartbeat against mine. It is hard to say what the smiles on their sweet faces told us. There aren't many words that can describe how water really IS life.

So we will let Jesus do the talking:

“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?.......Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” - John 4

-Stephanie