Bonswa!
Today was our final day of service here in Haiti, and the entire team is feeling blessed, joyful, and begrudgingly a little fatigued from all of our wonderful service. We awoke to yet another wonderful breakfast prepared by our lovely caretakers and discussed our plan for the day. We decided to begin the day by returning to Cite Soleil, where we began our service on our first day; something we were all very excited about. We were planning on beginning the day by playing with the local children and arousing some joyful smiles with some soccer (or futbol as the locals call it), basketball, bubbles and more fun games and toys. We were then going to attempt something that has never been attempted by Healing Haiti, in which the team was very eager to be pioneers for this new ministerial activity. Historically, Healing Haiti has loved on a group of elders in Cite Soleil by visiting their homes to provide them with a meal, a beverage, and by washing their feet. Today, we were going to break that norm and instead have all of our elders, of which there were 13, were going to meet us at Grace Church to do so for all of them at once. We were all so very eager to return to the first city we visited and share God's love with the plan we had prepared. God however, in His infinite wisdom, had better plans for us.
When we arrived at Hope church, there was a total of 31 elders joyfully anticipating us, and we knew we needed to amend our previously discussed itinerary. We entered the church and engaged the elders with some worship that was much enjoyed by all of the elders and the missionary team alike. A member of our team, Barb, prepared a brief but profound lesson to share for the elders regarding Colossians 3:17; which was very well received. The elders were then invited to share any wisdom they wished to impart on the missionaries. Many of the elders wished to thank the missionaries for coming to Haiti and wanted to convey their love and prayers onto us. They also shared with us that despite their circumstances in life, their advanced age and their various infirmities, that they were truly joyful and that their joy comes from their love in Christ. They also very boldly requested we continue our support, our love and our prayers for the people of Haiti. We then proceeded to provide some food and cold beverages to the elders while we got ready to wash their feet. The gratitude that each elder imparted was so genuine and humble, one simply not help but smile. Many elders even insisted that we each got a hug and a kiss on our cheeks. We then washed the feet of each elder and engaged with them through our gracious interpreters and yet more lovely worship. The whole experience was a wonderful reminder of two very important truths. The first truth is that despite our desire to be in control of our own paths, God's plan is always better than our own. We should always be willing to relent control to fulfill God's glorious design. The second truth is that when we choose to accept Christ, we truly do become one with the body of Christ, and all divisions that could possibly exist among us will fall away.
The next ministerial activity that we engaged with was the first ministerial activity we engaged in on our very first day: assisting with the distribution of the water from the water trucks. The entire team has been reflecting on our first day and this first activity all week. Many of us have, numerous times, expressed the desire to repeat this activity. When the opportunity arose before us, it furthered the first of the two aforementioned truths; God's plan is always better than our own. The team was delighted to once again fill water buckets and distribute them to the very humble and grateful citizens of Cite Soleil and play with the local children. When the water truck ran out of water to distribute, the team enjoyed a refreshing break of drinking some much needed water and sitting in the shade. During this time, the team relayed it's joy that our subconscious prayers of participating in the distribution of the water truck was graciously answered by God, as well as how thankful we were to be the pioneers of the new activity of serving many elders simultaneously as opposed to the previous way of doing things. Once refreshed, the team further engaged the community of Cite Soleil by playing with the children. We danced, played with a parachute, and held babies. We all had a great deal of fun and left with smiles on our faces.
Our final stop for the day was Fleri Farm, an endeavor created by Healing Haiti on the outskirts of Cite Soleil. The farm's growth is overseen, both figuratively and literally, by the very intelligent long-term missionary, Kenny. Kenny gave us a tour of the farm, which had many different crops with each one having many different purposes. The Farm exists to provide local jobs as well as food and useful crops for the people of Haiti. Kenny very excitingly explained to us the many different methods that were being entertained and employed by the farm to generate jobs, food, useful crops and capital. We all learned a great deal from Kenny, and his passion is second-to-none for doing the Lord's work and serving His people. Upon returning home for the evening, we decided to visit the local pool once more to refresh and rejuvenate ourselves. The day was very productive and lovely, but it had also been a very, very long and hot one. We then returned home once more for yet another beautiful meal prepared by our caretakers. The meal was a creole dish consisting of chicken, rice, various vegetables and different spices. Soon after we finished our meal, we got together to reflect on our wonderful last day serving here in Haiti, as well as our experience ministering to Haiti as a whole during our time here. We shared a lot of heartfelt prayer, worship and words. To end the night, John taught us how to salsa dance that we all really enjoyed!
We all believe the Lord brought each and every one of us here for His glorious design, and we are all so very thankful. In such a short amount of time, each of us has changed profoundly for greater and we are all so excited to return home to share our wonderful experiences here and to share the encouragement the Lord has shared here with us. Tomorrow we shall enjoy a day of rest on the Sabbath by attending church and going to the beach. We have loved our time here, but we are eager to be home once again. Please continue to pray for us.
God Bless,
Hosanna! Team 2
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Friday, May 17, 2019
Day 4 & 5
Bonswa!
We have had a busy and full couple of days here in sun-filled Haiti. Here's a quick re-cap.
Yesterday we started our day with another delicious breakfast. Then we were off to Titanyen
to visit some of the Elders in Healing Haiti's Elder Program. We were blessed to serve four beautiful souls through washing their feet, worshiping, praying for them and bringing food and cool beverages. Next, we made a stop at Rosie's Boutique where they sell local handmade items and yummy cold ice cream treats. Shopping here helps provide employment/business opportunities for the Haitians in the area.
From there, we headed to Grace Village, where we were blessed with a tour of the facility. This tour included four family style homes for orphans, a school grades K-13, a church, missionary homes, a natural sustainable garden and a clinic. The day ended with a tour and scrumptious pizza at Fleri which is a bakery and restaurant that is also part of Grace Village and a job creation program.
Today started very early, 5:15am to be exact. We jumped out of bed excited to experience Church On The Rock. We were not disappointed. What a spirit filled morning! We got to walk home after the service. God graced us with another beautiful day. Praise Him! After breakfast, we hopped in the TapTap and went to Haiti Teen Challenge. We were inspired and in awe of the people and what God is doing there. The next destination on the schedule for the day was Papillon which is an organization that was developed by a woman whose purpose was to prevent children in Haiti from becoming orphans due to parents not having employment. Her vision blossomed into a very successful business that now employs over 130 Haitian people. Please look at their website https://papillonmarketplace.com. Their products are all made from locally sourced or recycled materials. There are many beautiful items to choose from. We all left with treasures. Our last place of service of the day included stopping at the LA PHARE Orphanage, which is run by a Pastor and his wife. We had so much fun getting to know and playing with all of the kids. We wrapped up the day with a refreshing dip in the nearby pool, a wonderful dinner and a meaningful team gathering. We continue to be grateful for everything the Lord is allowing us to experience. Mesi Jezi!!!!
Hosanna Team 2 Signing out
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Hosanna Team 2 Day Three
Bonswa!
Another warm day for team two, both in temperature and in spirits! We woke up to another wonderful and substantive meal prepared by our gracious caregivers, with the help of a couple of volunteers from our team. After sharing our hearts regarding yesterdays adventures, what to expect anticipating the day to come, and a quick prayer; we departed for our first destination for the day.
Our first destination was Deux Mains, where we were given a very lovely tour and history of the facility as well as their business as a whole by their vice president, Sarah. Deux Mains is a wonderful local business that creates beautiful shoes, bags, wallets and other artwork predominantly out of recycled tires that would otherwise be disposed of through burning, as well as locally sourced raw material and resources. A very large portion of what Sarah explained to us regarding the history of Deux Mains is an issue Haiti faces with well-meaning, but unintentionally harmful efforts various charities and other groups create by donating supplies such as food, water and clothing (Something Healing Haiti itself was once contributing to, but is extending great effort to amend.) Sarah herself explained that before she became a part of Deux Mains, she participated in such well-meaning giving of resources, but realized that doing such had only very short-sighted benefit. Not only was it short-sighted, it was actually harmful to local businesses as well as the already quite fragile economy. There is a lot of need in Haiti, but to simply offer free meals, water and clothing to the population is simply not enough to promote sustainable long-term growth. We cannot simply provide fish without also providing a fishing pole. From this realization, Deux Mains' founder, Julie, founded this incredible business. Deux Mains' mission is to provide sustainable jobs for Haitians. Many of our teammates purchased some of their goods, and they will all attest that every item is top-quality. We encourage all those reading at home to visit their website at www.deuxmains.com to browse and potentially purchase some of these amazing products to help support an even more amazing business.
Our Second destination was the metal market, where local artisans create their lovely art by hand and sell it. There was a vast variety of sculptures, boxes, key hooks, and wall art to be purchased and the local artists were very proud and eager to show us their work.
Our third destination was Dios, an orphanage for special needs children; where we were greeted with wide open smiles, eyes, arms and hearts. The children were so very joyful to have our company and the joy was much reciprocated. We brought crayons, chalk, bubbles, ping pong balls, and a parachute to play and interact with the children. It is difficult to accurately convey the overwhelming love that we received so instantaneously from the children and how willing they were to give it. Jesus' love was clearly present in each and every one of them, and the presence of Christ was unmistakable. We also enjoyed worship with the children and the caretakers in both English and Creole. The experience was a wonderful example of how God's love is universal, and that no matter how far we travel, it is something we cannot escape. After a heartfelt farewell, the team traveled back to our temporary home.
Upon returning back to our temporary home, we decided to enjoy a refreshing rest at a local resort known as The Elite in a resort that was only a few blocks away from home. After a day in the heat, we all thoroughly enjoyed cold beverages and a dip in the pool. We also bonded and reflected upon our day as well as the various lessons we learned together. Following our time at The Elite, we once again returned to our temporary home to enjoy yet another scrumptious meal prepared by our wonderful caretakers. Our meal was a traditionally prepared Creole meal consisting of rice, gravy, chicken, fried plantains, meatballs, and spicy coleslaw. Everyone left the dinner table full and content. We then gathered together to once again reflect on our day, share our hearts with one another, worship with one another, and prepare one another with the help of our Lord for what is to come tomorrow. Not one of us will return home with the same heart that we left with, and for that we are all so very grateful! Please continue to pray for all of us and our mission.
Bondye Beni Ou!
-Hosanna! Team 2
Another warm day for team two, both in temperature and in spirits! We woke up to another wonderful and substantive meal prepared by our gracious caregivers, with the help of a couple of volunteers from our team. After sharing our hearts regarding yesterdays adventures, what to expect anticipating the day to come, and a quick prayer; we departed for our first destination for the day.
Our first destination was Deux Mains, where we were given a very lovely tour and history of the facility as well as their business as a whole by their vice president, Sarah. Deux Mains is a wonderful local business that creates beautiful shoes, bags, wallets and other artwork predominantly out of recycled tires that would otherwise be disposed of through burning, as well as locally sourced raw material and resources. A very large portion of what Sarah explained to us regarding the history of Deux Mains is an issue Haiti faces with well-meaning, but unintentionally harmful efforts various charities and other groups create by donating supplies such as food, water and clothing (Something Healing Haiti itself was once contributing to, but is extending great effort to amend.) Sarah herself explained that before she became a part of Deux Mains, she participated in such well-meaning giving of resources, but realized that doing such had only very short-sighted benefit. Not only was it short-sighted, it was actually harmful to local businesses as well as the already quite fragile economy. There is a lot of need in Haiti, but to simply offer free meals, water and clothing to the population is simply not enough to promote sustainable long-term growth. We cannot simply provide fish without also providing a fishing pole. From this realization, Deux Mains' founder, Julie, founded this incredible business. Deux Mains' mission is to provide sustainable jobs for Haitians. Many of our teammates purchased some of their goods, and they will all attest that every item is top-quality. We encourage all those reading at home to visit their website at www.deuxmains.com to browse and potentially purchase some of these amazing products to help support an even more amazing business.
Our Second destination was the metal market, where local artisans create their lovely art by hand and sell it. There was a vast variety of sculptures, boxes, key hooks, and wall art to be purchased and the local artists were very proud and eager to show us their work.
Our third destination was Dios, an orphanage for special needs children; where we were greeted with wide open smiles, eyes, arms and hearts. The children were so very joyful to have our company and the joy was much reciprocated. We brought crayons, chalk, bubbles, ping pong balls, and a parachute to play and interact with the children. It is difficult to accurately convey the overwhelming love that we received so instantaneously from the children and how willing they were to give it. Jesus' love was clearly present in each and every one of them, and the presence of Christ was unmistakable. We also enjoyed worship with the children and the caretakers in both English and Creole. The experience was a wonderful example of how God's love is universal, and that no matter how far we travel, it is something we cannot escape. After a heartfelt farewell, the team traveled back to our temporary home.
Upon returning back to our temporary home, we decided to enjoy a refreshing rest at a local resort known as The Elite in a resort that was only a few blocks away from home. After a day in the heat, we all thoroughly enjoyed cold beverages and a dip in the pool. We also bonded and reflected upon our day as well as the various lessons we learned together. Following our time at The Elite, we once again returned to our temporary home to enjoy yet another scrumptious meal prepared by our wonderful caretakers. Our meal was a traditionally prepared Creole meal consisting of rice, gravy, chicken, fried plantains, meatballs, and spicy coleslaw. Everyone left the dinner table full and content. We then gathered together to once again reflect on our day, share our hearts with one another, worship with one another, and prepare one another with the help of our Lord for what is to come tomorrow. Not one of us will return home with the same heart that we left with, and for that we are all so very grateful! Please continue to pray for all of us and our mission.
Bondye Beni Ou!
-Hosanna! Team 2
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Hosanna Day 2
Bonswa (Good Evening),
We had another amazing day discovering the depths of God's love. We started the day with another wonderful spread including fresh squeezed juice, pancakes, scrambled eggs with ham and peppers, fresh mango and banana slices, and a special oatmeal. We left the table feeling satisfied and energized for the busy day ahead.
We made our way to a local market where artists displayed their work and creations ranging from hand paintings, to wood carvings and jewelry. Most of us walked a way with a treasure to take back home with us.
Before jumping on the tap-tap (our mode of transportation), we lathered sun tan lotion and bug spray on us. Team members gathered snacks for the day, a cooler filled with our water bottles, and two jugs of water to keep us hydrated. A picture of the team and we were off for the day!
Our first stop was the water truck filling station. Once the truck was ready, we headed to Cite Soleil to distribute water to the residents there. As we arrived, we were grateful to see all the people coming with their buckets, pails, and containers to get water to provide for their families. We helped fill buckets, carry buckets, assist women with placing the bucket on their head, and transport the water from the truck to their home (an average bucket can weigh 20 - 40 lbs). We also had the amazing opportunity to hold and love on the beautiful Haitian children living in the area. Their sweet little faces will be forever engraved in our memories.
Following our water truck stop #1 we had the opportunity to visit and tour Hope Church, School and Clinic. As we toured the facility we learned this beautiful place for people to worship, children to learn, and families to come for medical assistance is built on mountain of garbage. Looking at the facility, it was hard to believe. God is so good. We also learned that you can sponsor one of the children for $300 a year and it provides an education, an adorable uniform, and a hot meal daily. We finished our time by playing with the kids, grabbing a quick snack and some water. Before we knew it, we were off to water truck stop #2.
As a group, we walked through the streets of Cite Soleil community to get to our destination. We were greeted with crowds of people in the street and around us. As we arrived we quickly went into action and helped where ever needed. Once finished, hot and tired, we jumped back into the tap-tap and headed back to the Healing Haiti guest house where we are staying.
We were all eager to shower and get refreshed for our next adventure. At 3pm we left for our third and final stop of the day, Home for Sick and Dying Babies. Our time there was spent holding babies, playing with children, and showing God's love to the children residing there. We left feeling grateful for the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
As we arrived back to the guest house, we were all excited to see dinner waiting for us on the table. The food was delicious. After cleaning up and bellies full, we gathered together on our rooftop patio for a time to process the day. Some words that were shared included: connection, love, hope, broken, peace, and intentional. We ended the evening with worship led by one of our talented team members. It was amazing!
Looking back through the day, the verse that comes to mind is
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40, 45, NIV).
To Him be the glory and honor!
Hosanna Team
We had another amazing day discovering the depths of God's love. We started the day with another wonderful spread including fresh squeezed juice, pancakes, scrambled eggs with ham and peppers, fresh mango and banana slices, and a special oatmeal. We left the table feeling satisfied and energized for the busy day ahead.
We made our way to a local market where artists displayed their work and creations ranging from hand paintings, to wood carvings and jewelry. Most of us walked a way with a treasure to take back home with us.
Before jumping on the tap-tap (our mode of transportation), we lathered sun tan lotion and bug spray on us. Team members gathered snacks for the day, a cooler filled with our water bottles, and two jugs of water to keep us hydrated. A picture of the team and we were off for the day!
Our first stop was the water truck filling station. Once the truck was ready, we headed to Cite Soleil to distribute water to the residents there. As we arrived, we were grateful to see all the people coming with their buckets, pails, and containers to get water to provide for their families. We helped fill buckets, carry buckets, assist women with placing the bucket on their head, and transport the water from the truck to their home (an average bucket can weigh 20 - 40 lbs). We also had the amazing opportunity to hold and love on the beautiful Haitian children living in the area. Their sweet little faces will be forever engraved in our memories.
Following our water truck stop #1 we had the opportunity to visit and tour Hope Church, School and Clinic. As we toured the facility we learned this beautiful place for people to worship, children to learn, and families to come for medical assistance is built on mountain of garbage. Looking at the facility, it was hard to believe. God is so good. We also learned that you can sponsor one of the children for $300 a year and it provides an education, an adorable uniform, and a hot meal daily. We finished our time by playing with the kids, grabbing a quick snack and some water. Before we knew it, we were off to water truck stop #2.
As a group, we walked through the streets of Cite Soleil community to get to our destination. We were greeted with crowds of people in the street and around us. As we arrived we quickly went into action and helped where ever needed. Once finished, hot and tired, we jumped back into the tap-tap and headed back to the Healing Haiti guest house where we are staying.
We were all eager to shower and get refreshed for our next adventure. At 3pm we left for our third and final stop of the day, Home for Sick and Dying Babies. Our time there was spent holding babies, playing with children, and showing God's love to the children residing there. We left feeling grateful for the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
As we arrived back to the guest house, we were all excited to see dinner waiting for us on the table. The food was delicious. After cleaning up and bellies full, we gathered together on our rooftop patio for a time to process the day. Some words that were shared included: connection, love, hope, broken, peace, and intentional. We ended the evening with worship led by one of our talented team members. It was amazing!
Looking back through the day, the verse that comes to mind is
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40, 45, NIV).
To Him be the glory and honor!
Hosanna Team
Monday, May 13, 2019
Bonswa from Team 2!
It is currently 18:07 local time and our team is winding down from a very long day of travel. Nine out of thirteen of our troop departed from the Twin Cities at approximately 05:20 local time this morning, and the remainder departed at approximately 06:20 local time for Atlanta Georgia. The team rendezvoused and was made whole before our departure towards Port-Au-Prince, Haiti around 10:20. Our flight was a slightly turbulent one, but we are all quite thankful to have arrived safe and on-schedule to our final destination! We were warmly greeted by the locals following our landing at around 14:20 and we were escorted to our lovely home for the week once we managed to inch our way through local Customs. We were greeted by our very friendly Haitian caretakers and finally able to unpack and unwind at about 17:00. Our team then underwent a very informative debriefing from our long-term missionary, Ashley, and our team leaders on our itinerary as well as a general idea of what to expect while we're here. The team then enjoyed a much anticipated meal of tacos prepared by our Haitian caretakers. Following our meal, we enjoyed a nice reflection regarding our day, our feelings, our expectations and our hopes for our trip. Once we finished sharing our hearts with the Lord and one another, we participated in a very profound worship time to the melody of a guitar. The guitar was graciously provided by our temporary home, played by our very talented teammate, John Russell. At the moment, our team is taking this time to engage in a little bit of bonding and private reflection. We are so very grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to be serving the people of Haiti as well as for keeping us safe and enthusiastic. To all of those reading this at home, please continue to pray for us and our endeavors!
Bondye beni ou!
It is currently 18:07 local time and our team is winding down from a very long day of travel. Nine out of thirteen of our troop departed from the Twin Cities at approximately 05:20 local time this morning, and the remainder departed at approximately 06:20 local time for Atlanta Georgia. The team rendezvoused and was made whole before our departure towards Port-Au-Prince, Haiti around 10:20. Our flight was a slightly turbulent one, but we are all quite thankful to have arrived safe and on-schedule to our final destination! We were warmly greeted by the locals following our landing at around 14:20 and we were escorted to our lovely home for the week once we managed to inch our way through local Customs. We were greeted by our very friendly Haitian caretakers and finally able to unpack and unwind at about 17:00. Our team then underwent a very informative debriefing from our long-term missionary, Ashley, and our team leaders on our itinerary as well as a general idea of what to expect while we're here. The team then enjoyed a much anticipated meal of tacos prepared by our Haitian caretakers. Following our meal, we enjoyed a nice reflection regarding our day, our feelings, our expectations and our hopes for our trip. Once we finished sharing our hearts with the Lord and one another, we participated in a very profound worship time to the melody of a guitar. The guitar was graciously provided by our temporary home, played by our very talented teammate, John Russell. At the moment, our team is taking this time to engage in a little bit of bonding and private reflection. We are so very grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to be serving the people of Haiti as well as for keeping us safe and enthusiastic. To all of those reading this at home, please continue to pray for us and our endeavors!
Bondye beni ou!
Friday, May 3, 2019
Friyay!!!
Hi friends and family!!
We had a wonderful start to our day!! We attended Church on the Rock for an EARLY morning service. We were up, church ready, and out the door by 5:45 AM! We were a little groggy but we sure perked up once we arrived. Let me tell you, Haitians sure know how to praise Jesus!! Their service was nothing like we have ever seen in the United States. The Haitians spend the first portion of the service praising God by song and dance. They are all so free, full of life, and full of the spirit of God. They had no care in the world who was watching them - it was their moment with Jesus and it was beautiful to witness. We did not stay for the sermon as it was in Creole, but we are all so grateful to have gotten to experience this - and with open arms from the Haitians. They were happy to see us and so welcoming. Truly our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We walked back to the guesthouse where we had breakfast and prepared for the day. Our first stop was at a treatment center, Haiti Teen Challenge, where we started out hearing incredible testimonies from a couple of the people going through the program. Along with drugs and alcohol, gang affiliation and prostitution are prevalent in Haiti, so it was incredibly touching to hear their stories and how they got out of that lifestyle. Then a few people from our group shared testimonies - it was an emotional moment, as one of our team member's brothers is struggling with drug addiction and has actually been to Teen Challenge in Minnesota several times. She asked for everyone in the room to pray for her brother, and they did right then and there. They grabbed a guitar, sang a beautiful song (seriously, this Haitian beauty could SING), and once the song was over, they all started praying out loud in Creole for her brother by name. It was the most moving, powerful moment that none of us will forget. And thankfully it's caught on camera so she can share it with her brother back home and show him how an entire room full of complete strangers who understand his struggle better than anyone prayed for him by name. One thing that was said that really stuck with us - "addiction is addiction no matter where you are in the world." So true. I pray every single person in that room continues to draw close to God and lean on him for strength to overcome whatever addiction or hardship their facing. And I pray the same for our team member's brother.
We then headed over to Papillon where we enjoyed a smoothie and a bite to eat. We were given a tour by one of the Papillon staff. The hard work and details that go into their handmade items was incredible to see in action. It is vital that this business thrives as many Haitians rely on the sales to eat, pay their rent, and to be able to send their children to school. School is not free for Haitians! If you wish, please check out the link below where you can find more information about this business and shop online if you wish!
https://papillonmarketplace.com/
Our last stop was at an orphanage called La Phare's. These children truly touched our hearts today. They were beautiful, friendly, playful, and simply amazing. We painted nails, played tic-tac-toe, jumped rope, monkey in the middle and much more! Our visit ended by some touching songs sang to us by the orphans!
We had a wonderful start to our day!! We attended Church on the Rock for an EARLY morning service. We were up, church ready, and out the door by 5:45 AM! We were a little groggy but we sure perked up once we arrived. Let me tell you, Haitians sure know how to praise Jesus!! Their service was nothing like we have ever seen in the United States. The Haitians spend the first portion of the service praising God by song and dance. They are all so free, full of life, and full of the spirit of God. They had no care in the world who was watching them - it was their moment with Jesus and it was beautiful to witness. We did not stay for the sermon as it was in Creole, but we are all so grateful to have gotten to experience this - and with open arms from the Haitians. They were happy to see us and so welcoming. Truly our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We walked back to the guesthouse where we had breakfast and prepared for the day. Our first stop was at a treatment center, Haiti Teen Challenge, where we started out hearing incredible testimonies from a couple of the people going through the program. Along with drugs and alcohol, gang affiliation and prostitution are prevalent in Haiti, so it was incredibly touching to hear their stories and how they got out of that lifestyle. Then a few people from our group shared testimonies - it was an emotional moment, as one of our team member's brothers is struggling with drug addiction and has actually been to Teen Challenge in Minnesota several times. She asked for everyone in the room to pray for her brother, and they did right then and there. They grabbed a guitar, sang a beautiful song (seriously, this Haitian beauty could SING), and once the song was over, they all started praying out loud in Creole for her brother by name. It was the most moving, powerful moment that none of us will forget. And thankfully it's caught on camera so she can share it with her brother back home and show him how an entire room full of complete strangers who understand his struggle better than anyone prayed for him by name. One thing that was said that really stuck with us - "addiction is addiction no matter where you are in the world." So true. I pray every single person in that room continues to draw close to God and lean on him for strength to overcome whatever addiction or hardship their facing. And I pray the same for our team member's brother.
We then headed over to Papillon where we enjoyed a smoothie and a bite to eat. We were given a tour by one of the Papillon staff. The hard work and details that go into their handmade items was incredible to see in action. It is vital that this business thrives as many Haitians rely on the sales to eat, pay their rent, and to be able to send their children to school. School is not free for Haitians! If you wish, please check out the link below where you can find more information about this business and shop online if you wish!
https://papillonmarketplace.com/
Our last stop was at an orphanage called La Phare's. These children truly touched our hearts today. They were beautiful, friendly, playful, and simply amazing. We painted nails, played tic-tac-toe, jumped rope, monkey in the middle and much more! Our visit ended by some touching songs sang to us by the orphans!
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Titanyen!
Hello friends and family!
Some of us woke up early to watch the sunrise from our rooftop patio, hot coffee in hand and sleepy eyes. We listened as the roosters woke up the neighborhood and watched the neighborhood slowly come alive.
Our first stop of the day was Grace Village, but not before we filled our bellies with egg scramble, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and french toast.
Our drive to Grace Village was so pretty with desert looking landscape and a beautiful view of the ocean, turquoise in color.
Grace Village has a school, orphanage, clinic, garden, and more on their grounds. They even have a playground that was originally in Bloomington, MN - it was refurbished and donated to Grace Village. It was so rewarding getting a tour from Caleb, the long term missionary who lives in Grace Village. Caleb and his family seem to love it in Haiti by observing their interactions with the staff, children, and us.
Caleb gave us a tour of the grounds, and even shared some inspiring stories of orphans with "success" stories thanks to Grace Village and Healing Haiti. The grounds were full of sweet, energetic, and happy boys who followed us around the whole tour. We gave hive fives and piggy back rides.
Caleb explained that the orphanage changed from dorm style, to family style, because they wanted the children to grow and thrive in a family atmosphere. They impressed the importance of the kids having a constant parental influence, so the children have a "mommi" and "poppi", they eat together, and interact together.
A sweet moment was when one of our group members, Erik saw a little boy he remembered from his trip to Haiti last year. The little boy lit up when he saw Erik! It was translated that the little boy remembered Erik and spent the rest of our time in Grace Village by his side. It is touching when we can see the fruits of our labor here in Haiti!
After our tour of Grace Village we waved goodbye and stopped at a shop called Rosie's, to get some souvenirs, ice cream, and iced coffee's! We then headed to our next stop - "elder visits". Grace Village has a community of elders that they provide assistance to as they are able. We visited with four different elders. Our first stop was to an elderly gentlemen who has the best spirit in the world. This man is happy as can be and has an incredible connection with our trip leader, Andrea. Today was not their first encounter! We washed his feet, applied lotion to his hands, arms, feet, legs, back, and scalp. We also provided him with a fresh shave!
Our next elder was a woman who was not feeling well. She was feeling exhausted from the heat. We prayed with her and sang her songs. This seemed to brighten her spirits as she was up and walking around just before we left - stating we "motivated" her to get up and move around. Thank God for working through our hands to give her the boost she needed for the day.
Our next elder visit was to a younger woman who keeps a close eye on the neighborhood elders. She is 37 years old and currently 5 months pregnant. We provided her with a foot and leg wash followed by lotion. We rubbed her back and prayed for her health and the health of her growing baby.
Our last elder visit was a tough one! This woman was complaining of a fever and chest pain. Because of this, she declined any cares. We still sang with her and prayed for her. Ultimately, we felt it was best that she be evaluated by a doctor. We drove her up to the clinic at Grace Village where she received IV fluids and was then taken back home to rest. All elders were also given a warm meal, a beverage, and a few bags of clean water.
Our last stop was at Fleri, a bakery and restaurant owned and operated by Healing Haiti. There is so much history behind this business and I encourage you to follow the link below to learn more about it! We enjoyed pizza, apps, and a cold beverage before heading home. We all agreed that the creole pizza was the best of the three we ordered - deluxe, bbq chicken, and creole. It was amazing!! Today was VERY busy - hence the long post :) We were tuckered out at the end of the day!
https://www.facebook.com/FleriResto/
Some of us woke up early to watch the sunrise from our rooftop patio, hot coffee in hand and sleepy eyes. We listened as the roosters woke up the neighborhood and watched the neighborhood slowly come alive.
Our first stop of the day was Grace Village, but not before we filled our bellies with egg scramble, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and french toast.
Our drive to Grace Village was so pretty with desert looking landscape and a beautiful view of the ocean, turquoise in color.
Grace Village has a school, orphanage, clinic, garden, and more on their grounds. They even have a playground that was originally in Bloomington, MN - it was refurbished and donated to Grace Village. It was so rewarding getting a tour from Caleb, the long term missionary who lives in Grace Village. Caleb and his family seem to love it in Haiti by observing their interactions with the staff, children, and us.
Caleb gave us a tour of the grounds, and even shared some inspiring stories of orphans with "success" stories thanks to Grace Village and Healing Haiti. The grounds were full of sweet, energetic, and happy boys who followed us around the whole tour. We gave hive fives and piggy back rides.
Caleb explained that the orphanage changed from dorm style, to family style, because they wanted the children to grow and thrive in a family atmosphere. They impressed the importance of the kids having a constant parental influence, so the children have a "mommi" and "poppi", they eat together, and interact together.
A sweet moment was when one of our group members, Erik saw a little boy he remembered from his trip to Haiti last year. The little boy lit up when he saw Erik! It was translated that the little boy remembered Erik and spent the rest of our time in Grace Village by his side. It is touching when we can see the fruits of our labor here in Haiti!
After our tour of Grace Village we waved goodbye and stopped at a shop called Rosie's, to get some souvenirs, ice cream, and iced coffee's! We then headed to our next stop - "elder visits". Grace Village has a community of elders that they provide assistance to as they are able. We visited with four different elders. Our first stop was to an elderly gentlemen who has the best spirit in the world. This man is happy as can be and has an incredible connection with our trip leader, Andrea. Today was not their first encounter! We washed his feet, applied lotion to his hands, arms, feet, legs, back, and scalp. We also provided him with a fresh shave!
Our next elder was a woman who was not feeling well. She was feeling exhausted from the heat. We prayed with her and sang her songs. This seemed to brighten her spirits as she was up and walking around just before we left - stating we "motivated" her to get up and move around. Thank God for working through our hands to give her the boost she needed for the day.
Our next elder visit was to a younger woman who keeps a close eye on the neighborhood elders. She is 37 years old and currently 5 months pregnant. We provided her with a foot and leg wash followed by lotion. We rubbed her back and prayed for her health and the health of her growing baby.
Our last elder visit was a tough one! This woman was complaining of a fever and chest pain. Because of this, she declined any cares. We still sang with her and prayed for her. Ultimately, we felt it was best that she be evaluated by a doctor. We drove her up to the clinic at Grace Village where she received IV fluids and was then taken back home to rest. All elders were also given a warm meal, a beverage, and a few bags of clean water.
Our last stop was at Fleri, a bakery and restaurant owned and operated by Healing Haiti. There is so much history behind this business and I encourage you to follow the link below to learn more about it! We enjoyed pizza, apps, and a cold beverage before heading home. We all agreed that the creole pizza was the best of the three we ordered - deluxe, bbq chicken, and creole. It was amazing!! Today was VERY busy - hence the long post :) We were tuckered out at the end of the day!
https://www.facebook.com/FleriResto/
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