Cody Team - Day 3 - "Mother Teresa, Gertrude, La Phere Orphanage"

Day Three:

On our third day, we split the team in half. One part of the team went to an orphanage while the other group went to Mother Teresa's clinic for sick and dying babies. I will describe my feelings about the trip to Mother Teresa's clinic. When we first entered the clinic we delivered two suitcases full of donated items like 4x4 gauze pads, Betadine antiseptic solution, and other items needed by the clinic. Then, we split up and some went to hold babies and others went to play with the toddlers. Holding these tiny children, talking softly to them and praying that God would heal them was a blessing to me.

The heart breaking thing was to hear them start crying when you

laid them back in their crib.

After holding and praying for several of the babies, I went up to the room with the toddlers. This was a different type of blessing. Many would run to you wanting to be held and wanting you to play with them and their toys. One little boy had a toy truck that was like a flatbed trailer. He didn't quite know what to do with it. So, I put it on the floor and placed another one of his toys on it and then rolled it across the room. He ran and brought it back and watched as I did it again. That's all it took. He was off to play using the truck in it's new found way.

The most blessed experience at the clinic was when one little girl came and wanted me to hold her. I picked her up to sit on my lap and she watched the others play for a few minutes and then looked up into my eyes, lay her head on my shoulder and in a few minutes was sound asleep. She slept soundly in my arms for a long time.  When we had to leave, I carried her in and placed her in her assigned bed, still sound asleep. I thank God for allowing me to experience this moment of complete trust from this little child. I will take the vision of her trusting eyes home with me. 

After a short rest back at the guest house, we went to an orphanage to play with the children. We brought crayons and pages to be colored, and soccer balls. The soccer was played in a small confined area but that didn't diminish the joy and enthusiasm you could see on the boys faces. I tried a bit of soccer when some of the younger boys invited me. I could tell they were taking it easy on me when I saw one of the boys roll the ball to me. I got whipped by

the six or seven year olds. Still, we had a great time.  Looking at the conditions in the orphanage we saw a well cared for living space. More importantly, we could tell by the way the children interacted with each other and with us that they were being well raised. They were respectful and courteous. They came to each of us as we were about to leave and hugged us with smiles on there

faces.

Cody Team - Day 2 - "Hey You!"

Day Two:  Water Truck Day

Our second day, Tuesday, started with water truck stops. We delivered water to several stops in Cite Soleil. As always, the children came running wanting to be lifted up and to have their picture taken. And, we took many pictures. At one of the stops a little girl came up to me to be held for a while. I picked her up and noticed that she must have had very loving care. Her hair was well cared for with braids and some white beads. She had on a very nice dress. It was a pink print material with white trim. While I held her a young man came up to us and spoke to the girl. Just then, we were called to return to the TapTap because we were leaving for the next stop. The little girl said something in creole which I could not understand. The young man asked if I wanted to know what she had said. Naturally, I said yes.. He told me she had called me her Angel. The love I felt for her had surely been returned.  

Our afternoon was spent visiting a fishing pier and then going to Haiti Initiative, a place that provides education, a soccer training program and a meal for local children. To get to be on the soccer teams the children must do all their school work. When we walked into the school and meal area the children ran to claim someone to sit with them and hold them.  A bright-eyed little girl claimed me and took me to where she wanted to sit. There were some songs that they sung. This little girl sang with such enthusiasm and joy that it was infectious. Then, she took me up with her to get her lunch. It was a rice and meat mixture that looked nutritious. When we got back to her place, I as astonished to watch her untie a plastic bag from her pocket and then start spooning her meal into the bag. She ate none of it. Also, a girl sitting beside her dumped about 90 percent of her lunch on my girls plate and all of that went into the bag. I finally realized what was happening. She was taking it home to her family. God blessed me so much to allow me to sit with this young girl. I was humbled to watch this loving act from this young person.

Cody Team - Day 1 - "Arrival"

Healing Haiti Mission Trip - October 24, 2016 - Team 2

Day One:

The team arrived on two different flights. Two men from New York

on an American Airlines non stop flight from Kennedy International to Port-au-Prince arrived about 11:00am Haitian time. The rest of

the team flew on Delta from various locations, meeting in Atlanta

and then proceeding to Haiti from there. Both groups had good

flying weather and, thankfully, uneventful flights.

Our team is comprised of fifteen souls. Five women and ten men.

Our evening meal was about 8:30pm. Afterword, we gathered

together in the lounging area for fellowship and a briefing from our

team leaders. With that out of the way, we all turned in for some much needed rest to prepare for the first day of mission work.