We pulled up to the mass grave where many of the people of Haiti that lost their lives to the earthquake on January 12, 2010 had been laid to rest. The memorial was beautiful just at the sight of it. Our guide explained what it was like in Haiti the day the earthquake hit as there hasn’t been one there since roughly 1854. Many people lost their lives on and around Jan 12, 2010. The government of Haiti has roughly estimated 300,000 are at this site and does not account for the families that were wiped out in their entirety. The guide alluded that there will never be a way to properly document the loss that took place after that earthquake. The people of this community experienced a huge loss and built something beautiful as a result. We stood around the center of the memorial and joined another church in prayer. While we were fixed on the Lord a strong gust of wind blew around all of us standing there. The Holy Spirit was undeniably present. In the middle of all the sadness and despair, there is this beautiful monument honoring the people who have passed.
After we left the monument we went to Fleri Resto, a bakery and restaurant opened by Healing Haiti to provide jobs and high quality baked goods to the people of Haiti. None of the many products we purchased from the bakery disappointed us. Everything they made for us was not only made with love but tasted amazing.
Our next stop was Grace Village - an orphanage, school, and clinic up on the hill, founded by Healing Haiti. In addition to the children who live at the orphanage, there are more than 300 kids in the surrounding area who get to attend school here, and the clinic is open to the public. Our tour guide shared that they recently saw their 11,000th patient, and the clinic has been open for less than 4 years....God is good!!
The best part of the trip for me today was the elder visits. In Titanyen we stopped to visit four elderly people. When we got there they were so happy to see us like we were family they hadn’t seen for some time. We brought each of them a warm meal and something to drink. Our team got to work sitting the elders down and washing their hands and feet and giving massages. The last of the elders we visited today was so joyful she put a huge smile on the faces of most everyone on the team. We cleaned and moisturized her skin and got to paint her nails, she was so pleased which made my heart smile.
The people of Haiti, outside of the help we have in house have not done anything physically for me but everyone I’ve come in contact with has touched my heart in one way or another.
~Izzy
