Team Loween - Day 6

We started out the morning like every other, to a wonderful Haitian sunrise and a perfect breakfast made by our Haitian friends and Jim at the griddle.  After our Morning Prayer and itinerary preparation, we got ready and packed up our necessities and headed out on our daily journey. 

After a typical rough, bumpy, death defying cruise through normal Haitian traffic in our Tap Tap, we arrived at our first destination, Dios orphanage for the special needs children.  As we pulled in, the greeting smiles and happy faces, were an unexpected surprise.  For kids that have such seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing them, they were the happiest group we have met yet.  We were starting the day so tired, but their enthusiasm immediately got our fires going.  We handed out small maracas to them.  After we decorated them with stickers we all sang songs and played our instruments.  After that we grabbed some soccer balls and Frisbees and were horsing around the yard.  For “special needs”, they were surprisingly good athletes.  After we finished playing, we ended our visit with a song from one of the children.  I could not believe my ears when I heard the powerful, angelic song come out of this shy girl’s mouth.  It’s no exaggeration when I say she was incredible. 

-Mark

 

Our next visit was the orphanage for the hearing impaired.  This being my second time here in 18 months I could not believe my eyes! What once was concrete crumbles is now a spacious basketball court, playground, and even soccer field. I no longer tripped over the ground under me. I could go from game to game, child to child with ease. They are so proud, and it is so beautiful! We brought beads and string to make necklaces and white boards to communicate with them. They are so intelligent, not only do they sign but many know how to write in English! And in cursive! They expressed their gratitude of us being there and how blessed they felt for us coming to visit. As much as we moved them they moved me. I was appointed as goalie in a very intense game of soccer. One of my teammates made a goal! He ran to me with a huge smile and hugged me as we celebrated his big goal! He squeezed me and the pride ran across his face. It was that squeeze I will never forget. I have spent this week holding children, hugging them, caressing their faces as they lay there heads on my chest and giving them that human touch that so many long for, and there I was receiving it in return …10 fold. Its times like these that change your heart in humanity. That we are all brothers and sisters and that sometimes the people with so little, can leave the biggest print on your heart.

-Lyza