Water Truck Day

Today we went into Cite Soliel! I had such a fun time playing with all the kids and giving the water to all the people. I had some great experiences today and I will never forget those memories. One of those memories where Sam and I both got to hold a sweet little girl. Then at the second stop we found her again! She walked up to Sam and I and started tugging on our shorts. We looked at each other and said "how did she get here?" So we played with her and held her some more. Then at the third stop she found us again! We were so surprised and we thought how cool it was that she wanted to see us over and over again. Over all this day is definitely going to be one of my favorite days on this Haiti trip!

- Cade, age 13 (Day 2)


  Going into Cite Soliel today, I was a little nervous and overwhelmed about doing what we were going to be doing. Today was GREAT and I wish I  could do it all over again. The people there are truly amazing, they are filled with so much joy and happiness even though they don't have much. It makes us feel very grateful for all that we have. In Cite Soliel right after we got off the Tap Tap and started loving the children and helping with the water truck, all of my nervousness went away. I felt not only love from the people around me, but from God. The kids there were so loving and it really showed. One little girl didn't want me to put her down on the ground, all she wanted was some love and to be held. I was holding a different girl and her mother put out her hand and motioned that she wanted the child I was holding to go with her, and when I set the child down and the mother tried to take her hand and she started crying because she wanted to stay with me. I really felt the love in this moment. One other thing that also amazed me today was, even though we don't speak Creole we can communicate threw our body and face language and also with music. Today was a GREAT day and I hope I can come back some other day.

- McKenna, age 13 (Day 2)

Day 7 The Sabbath Day ~ Surrender ~ Day 8 Journey Home

Day 7:  The Sabbath Day - Surrender:

Our day of rest started at PAP Fellowship church for missionaries in Haiti.  We enjoyed the music and sermon of Pastor Dan.  His message touched on surrendering to the Lord and how there is power in the name of Jesus.!  A road trip to the mountains included a stop along the way for a little shopping from local Haitian artisans and merchants.  The view from the peak was spectacular as we could see all of Port-au-Prince including Cite Soleil.  The mountain communities certainly were a contrast to the poverty we had seen earlier but important for us to experience.

Upon return to the guest house, the guys had a 4 on 4 soccer match with the neighborhood boys next door while the gals bonded with some other boys as they watched us.  The Haitian boys took it easy on us and it was really fun.  Their footwork (in bare feet!) could not be matched except maybe Dan.  He’s pretty good!  Fellowship on Sunday night included individual reflections from the week.  It was a spiritual experience and we concluded our night with communion in honor of God.  It was a peaceful and relaxing day.

Day 8: Our Last Day - The Journey Home

We started our long day ahead with our daily hearty breakfast prepared by the beautiful ladies of the Guest House.

• Scrambled Eggs with peppers, onions, cheese and a little diced chicken.
•  Haiti Oatmeal with a little allspice and evaporated milk
• French Toast
• Fresh Pineapple, Mango, Banana, Avocado
• Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
• Spicy Peanut Butter & Hot Sauce

We had the opportunity before leaving for the airport to visit a small Haitian business:  Peace Cycle.  In Port-au-Prince, clean drinking water is sold in small sealed plastic bags approximately 4 oz in volume.  Millions of the water bags are sold and typically discarded in the street trash every day!  Peace Cycle collects and recycles about 500 of these bags daily through family members, church members, and friends and re-purposes the plastic into various products.  We toured the operation and observed the fascinating process of producing the “raw plastic materials” that are then outsourced to local individuals who sew the plastic material into finished products like lunch bags, wine holders, and tote bags.  It’s one small step towards trash reduction and provides jobs in Haiti.  They may be found on the web at:  PeaceCYCLE.com .

Our visit with Healing Haiti concluded with hugs to our gracious Hosts and the entire Guest House/ Tap-Tap / Interpreter Staff.

At the airport, we said our “farewells for now” to Charlie, our Healing Haiti Leader.  His co-leadership with Manny made this a remarkable journey and testament to the Power of God working through our hands, feet, and hearts.  Thank you Lord, for your guidance and grace.  We are all blessed to take home our memories to share with those we love, our family, friends and supporters, and the entire KCC community.  Until our next KCC Haiti trip…Thank you and God Bless!

Post Script:  To all our followers, I want to thank you personally for your support and encouragement.  This has been a personal and public experience for me.  I truly thank my teammates for their love and patience with me:  

• Charlie K
• Manny C
• Suz C
• Kate B
• Dan C
• Kara C
• Mary H
• Rose B

It’s not everyday that someone gets blessed by God with Baptism in front of 800+ people and then leaves on a mission trip at 5:44 am the next day.  The last eight days has simply transformed me and I have surrendered my heart to Jesus.  I only hope that I can hold up to His plan for me.  And, I know that with Him anything is possible.  May God Bless you all!

Glwa pou Bondye!

I love you.

Michael Alfred Gee 

God is on the Move!!!

KCC Day #6: Respekte Liy

Today we got to again do one  of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences we have done here in Haiti - deliver water to Cite Soleil, the second poorest slum in the world.  You're probably saying "how could that be enjoyable?".  It is one of the most physically demanding jobs we do here .  You get dirty, soaking wet, exhausted carry buckets of water to people's simple homes made of tin an maybe concrete blocks..  But what really happens is God provides us with strength and teamwork to fill hundreds of water containers from 5 gallon buckets to 50 gallon drums (even gallon pails that 3 year olds carry).  At each step, we share responsibilities:

• running the hose
• organizing the line of buckets
• moving the buckets off the line
• carrying buckets
• entertaining 2-3 kids on your hips and shoulders giving them simple love and attention.

Our team rotates from step to step so we all experience the journey.  One of the toughest jobs is holding back the crowd "in line"  Pressure to get your buckets filled is real because when the truck is empty, access to more water could be days.  Supplying water to Cite Soleil is one service that Healing Haiti does as a gift to the Haitian people.  Water tanker trucks deliver to Cite Soleil, three times a day, six days a week to an approximate population of 265,000 people in 8.5 square miles.  So being in a position to keep order and get Haitians to "Respekte Liy - Respect the Line" is challenging.  We tease in our group each one's ability to manage this.  Needless to say, we have the bell curve on the team:  from Mary and Kate riding the high end of the curve to me being at the lowest end (Mike).  [How do you deny access to  a four year old girl tapping you on the shoulder from behind while you are managing the line, staring at you with big gorgeous brown eyes holding a 5 gallon bucket?  Oh well...].  But it all works out.  God maximizes our strengths and challenges our liabilities.

The human interaction with the Water Truck cannot be measured in words.  It is a privilege to honor God in these acts of love, again being the hands and feet for his children.

Our team debriefing this evening brought forth the following reflections:

• The Haitian people thriving despite their situations
• The teamwork demonstrated with God's grace
• A bitter sweet day as the last of our "water truck days" ended
• A rewarding day with lots of laughter 
• New friendships with Haitian children
• Continuing to build friendships with team members,
• Making new friendships with strangers
• Continued experiences placing people out of their comfort zones
• Feelings of renewal: our cups are full
• Opportunities to carry water for individuals and visit their homes.

These truly are humbling days.  We are blessed to share our lives with these Haitian people and God. The guidance and strength that he has provided to us is simply indescribable.  We appreciate your willingness to join in our journey so that you may try to understand the power of our mission.  Thanks be to God for all we have. 

Day #4 KCC Haiti Team: Here is my Heart Lord, Speak What is True.

Today we visited the Hospital for Sick and Dying Adults.  The ride in the tap tap was about an hour given the traffic but it was another opportunity to see more of Port-au-Prince and the bustling city.  Our visit to the hospital was to deliver supplies that many of you helped obtain and to visit with the patients, provide lotion rubs, and pray for them. While the hospital name indicates adults, many of these patients were young men and women suffering from a variety of illnesses that do not have good prognosis.  Despite their situations, they were very thankful for our attention and prayers.  Again, it was rewarding to be the hands, feet, and voice of our Lord God.  Our team meeting this evening reflected the following experiences at the hospital:

• satisfaction for our efforts, 
• gaining comfort out of an initially uncomfortable experience for some while realizing our vulnerability reside in God's hands , 
• overcoming internal struggles from past interactions with this patient population, 
• an acknowledgement that you receive out our your experiences with God what your are willing to put in,
• feelings of redemption for becoming children of God that we didn't realize we had in us.    

On the way to our next stop, we were able to visit the Haiti Museum and had a brief tour of the history of Haiti from its beginnings of early inhabitants to present day.  It was very informative and gave us a deeper understanding of the land in which we are conducting mission work.

The last stop of the day was the La Loo orphanage.  We spent time with orphans singing, playing, gaining young companions, and conducting a teeth brushing lesson with special dye tablets that the children chewed after brushing to demonstrate where they missed. It was a great hit.  The kids loved the snacks we brought and behaved like any other kids (use your imaginations!)...it was nice to see.  The power of our teamwork shone through right down to our interpreters who always join us.  They were remarkable in leading us in song playing the guitar and a using a chair as a drum.  Thank you guys.

In closing, as one of our team members put it...today was a day of engagement...there was no one sitting on the bench.  We all were touched by God and had the opportunity to do his good work.  Thanks for your continued interest and support. We love you and miss you all.  Look forward to coming home, but for now we have much more important work to do for God.  God Bless!

KCC Day #4: God's Family- If I have you and nothing else, I have everything...

Another exceptional day with Healing Haiti. We spent our day visiting Titanyen, a community northeast of Port-au-Prince where Grace Village is located.  Grace Village is a beautiful school and orphanage that has grown to amazing things through the vision of Healing Haiti over the past 10 years.  We had an opportunity to tour the brilliantly colored facility and hear exciting plans for continued growth of the village.  On site is a school to almost 400 students (Grace Academy), a Medical & Dental clinic for approximately 13,000 area residents a hydroponics and aquaculture program, Job creation efforts include a bakery due to open later this year and outreach extends to Grace Church an Elder program supporting local older residents in need of daily or weekly care and medical attention.  Many of our team members were returning to Grace Village after 6 months to two years and were elated by the grown and progress of Healing Haiti in such a short time.   All because of people who believe in God and the vision of family being the foundation of a Christian faith.

The Elder Program was the most challenging, rewarding, and humbling experience for our team today.  We visited three recipients of the outreach program and delivered hot food, played music and sang for them, washed their feet, lotioned their feet, legs, and arms and prayed for them.  These three individuals provided inspiration for us while we were trying to comfort them.  Despite the sickness and health issues they had today, their dignity and faith for Jesus was unwavering.  It was empowering and emotional to feel the presence of God and be witness to his love through our hands and voice. Several of us were surprised that our discomfort was easily dispelled by the grace of these elders, knowing that they are part of our family of God.

Thanks for following.  We love you all.  Good night.

KCC Day #3: All the Poor and Powerless

Manny, one of our leaders, has an amazing way setting the stage for our upcoming day with music.   The title of this song (by Sons and Daughters) doesn't really describe the depth of the song but the lyrics certainly provided us inspiration for our day as missionaries of God:  "...go on scream it from the mountains...go on and tell it to the masses, that He is God".

We spent time today holding and comforting 30+ infants and toddlers at the Hospital for Sick and Dying Children.  While most are not orphans, their parents do not have the means to care for these children and the children are placed here for whatever time they may have left in their lives.  We had the privilege of assisting in the care and feeding of 10+ toddlers at lunch.  I know I can say for everyone on my team that the children caught our hearts and responded amazing to our love and attention.  We each had the opportunity to provide the human touch of God's love to these precious young souls.  As we were there, it was also touching to see so many of the parents visiting their sick children.  Love and faith was certainly present.

Our second stop was an orphanage for emotionally challenged and/or physically disabled infants and children.  We were blessed by a "vocal concert" by the children led by one of young men who was blind.  As one of my teammates described, we certainly felt the presence of God in the room as we visited.  This visit was for me, one of my discomfort zones.  But in reflection, I can share with you that as I entered the room, two young girls caught my attention and God provided me with the gift of their smiles and desire to connect.  Quite frankly, their physical deformities were quickly forgotten as we clapped to the music and one of the girls crawled from the floor to be held by me.

Lastly, we visited Papillion Enterprises, a powerful demonstration of hope in Haiti.   This effort has grown to employ 300+ Haitians in creating hand crafted gifts such as jewelry, clay pottery, clothing, and metal work that is sold locally and internationally.

All of our experiences are supported in part by the great work of Healing Haiti.   We are fortunate to be able to contribute to the good efforts of this organization through our personal investments.  God certainly has fulfilled our desires to do mission work in his name.   As Charlies ending song for the day says:  "...we want more and more and more of you (God).  Thank you all for your continuing love, support and interest in our journey. We want you to be a part of it.  Mike

There is Power in the Name of Jesus to Break Every Chain...

The title today reflects what a amazing experience we had today delivering water to Citi Soleil, the second poorest slum in the world.  While Healing Haiti is not a charitable organization, this is the one service we provide to this impoverished community located in the Port-au-Prince area.  Our team reflection this evening simply brought together a variety of emotions including:

• Despite the contrast these people live in compared to us, they are equal to us in their love of God.  The children's love was infectious, and the people appreciative of simple things like helping to carry heavy buckets of water to their simple homes of tin.
• We as a team are transforming our own lives as an unstoppable force to bring hope, love and faith to very deserving human beings.

My word of the day was WATER.  Albeit it might seem a simple reaction to our day of work, it really has so many meanings to me.  Here is my personal definition for today: Water (noun): a common required element of life for all of us that God has called us to share with other human beings regardless of their walk in life.  This experience brings powerful emotion to me.  Thank you all for your love, friendship, and support of our team.  We are doing extraordinary things.  God is CERTAINLY on the Move.