Good morning all! Today was yet another amazing day in Haiti. Today was incredibly busy, but we had fun throughout all of our activities. We started out the day by waking up at 5:45 am. Do you know how early that is for a 16 year old like me? Paulette came in to wake us up and her voice inserted myself into my dream... creepy!! Anyways, we were at Church on the Rock by 7 am for mass. When we got there, we got a little surprise - the whole church did not have power. No lights, no music, no microphones. However, this didn't affect us at all. Mass was right on time, preaching was loud enough, and singing endured. It was so beautiful; all of the people walking around with their arms open and willing to accept God into their lives. They are so willing to reach out to God and accept His presence, it's cool to see.
After church, we headed to Cite Soleil. We went to the water truck station and watched our truck fill up. While it was filling up, Danielle and I had a dance party. After our truck was full, we drove to our first water truck stop. Water truck days are my favorite days. The kids are awesome! They have so little, but are so happy. All they want is your attention and love for the hour and a half you are with them. The water line is always crazy: people yelling at each other and trying to cut the line = pure chaos - but so understandable when you are desperate to receive the water for their families before the truck runs out! We stay busy the whole time, that's for sure, and leaving once the water truck is out of water is always the hardest part.
After the first water stop, we went to the next water stop which consisted of a similar dynamic: crazy with the line and kids fighting over you for love and attention, calm with the kids who just want to be held. We were supposed to hit a third water stop, but our water truck broke down, so unfortunately we didn't make it to the third. However, due to the third water stop cancellation, we had time to take a tour of the 28 acre farm run by Healing Haiti in Cite Soleil. We learned about all of the crops they were growing, their employees, and their plans to provide jobs and better Haiti's economy in the future. It was interesting to learn how everything works.
Our last activity of the day was visiting the Sakala community center. There are around 300 kids from the ages of 12-20 who are blessed and get to visit Sakala. These kids get to eat, play, and receive tutoring at this community center. It has a full size basketball court and full size cement soccer field. The tutors help the kids with their homework, because most of their parents didn't receive an education so they can't get help from their parents. Some of the older kids were also very talented at chess. Sakala is also an after school program for younger kids. It was such a wonderful, happy place. It was very cool to see the vast range of ages because usually we only see younger kids. Sakala was definitely a highlight of the trip for our team.
When we got back to the guesthouse, we were all exhausted. We showered, ate, and had word of the day. Then it was off to bed! Not for me though, my whole room was sleeping when I found our toilet leaking and flooding our bathroom. That was quickly fixed and cleaned up, and then I went to bed too. Overall, another amazing day. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Orevwa,
Natalie
Saturday, June 29, 2019
Proud Parents & Playday
The sounds of roosters ring out as we awake for our third day in Haiti. I thought to myself, what a different birthday I am having today. As usual, the sunrise was beautiful as the Healing Haiti team greeted day. After a devotion, prayer, breakfast, and cleanup we stored our water bottles, food, and other essentials for the day into our "tap tap" for our trip to the City Soliel, the poorest area in what is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Our destination, Hope Academy to see and experience their first ever Kindergarten graduation. We take turns riding in front with our excellent driver and today was my turn. As an Iowan and soon to be Minnesotan, the ride to and from City Soliel was a ride that I-35 and I-494 a "walk in the park". We were blessed to have excellent driver as we have had everyday.
Throughout all of our time at graduation our Healing Haiti team engaged in support, talked with children, met parents, or holding small children, some of which actually fell asleep on their laps. I believe that regardless of country, culture, or socio-economic status, all parents want the best for their kids and the Haitian parents at Hope Academy in Cite Soleil are no exception. They were very proud of their kids and it was a blessing to have been able to see.
After our time at Hope Academy we drove to the nearby Cite Soleil "park" in need of work. It is one of the few parks. The park had a stage, an open concrete area, and a small basketball court, all in need of significant repair. Although there was no advanced notice and we were immediately inundated with kids. Sounds of kids saying "hey you", a common greeting that is a fun and cheerful way way to greet others. For about 2 hours our Healing Haiti team was engaged in numerous activities with the children: talking with them, handing out cross necklaces and stickers, becoming human jungle gyms, playing soccer and basketball, jumping rope, giving horseback rides, swinging kids, and braiding of hair by the children of some of the young ladies.
It was a privilege to watch the Kindergarten graduates, their parents, and families and then to play with the children of Cite Soleil. Although I missed being with my family, this was a most special day for my birthday as I had the opportunity to join in and for a brief time feel like a proud member of Cite Soleil and to spend the day with my new Healing Haiti family. What a blessing!
Greg Moen
Fairbank, Iowa
Immediately upon arrival to Hope Academy a door opened and out walked about 30 proud and very well dressed Kindergarten students getting into position for their grand entrance to what was to be a first ever graduation for Hope Academy. It was truly an amazing and beautiful event for the deservedly proud parents smiling and the Cite Soleil community. The smiles of the kids, parents, grandparents and school staff was easily seen throughout the entire time. What a joyous occasion for everyone, including us! As a retired educator it was truly one of the most special graduations I have ever seen. Graduation not only included song and recitation of long paragraphs, but also a type of dance where a boy struts his stuff past all of the beautiful girls and then stops to ask one to walk with him. It was fun and a cool thing for all to watch.
Throughout all of our time at graduation our Healing Haiti team engaged in support, talked with children, met parents, or holding small children, some of which actually fell asleep on their laps. I believe that regardless of country, culture, or socio-economic status, all parents want the best for their kids and the Haitian parents at Hope Academy in Cite Soleil are no exception. They were very proud of their kids and it was a blessing to have been able to see.
After our time at Hope Academy we drove to the nearby Cite Soleil "park" in need of work. It is one of the few parks. The park had a stage, an open concrete area, and a small basketball court, all in need of significant repair. Although there was no advanced notice and we were immediately inundated with kids. Sounds of kids saying "hey you", a common greeting that is a fun and cheerful way way to greet others. For about 2 hours our Healing Haiti team was engaged in numerous activities with the children: talking with them, handing out cross necklaces and stickers, becoming human jungle gyms, playing soccer and basketball, jumping rope, giving horseback rides, swinging kids, and braiding of hair by the children of some of the young ladies.
It was a privilege to watch the Kindergarten graduates, their parents, and families and then to play with the children of Cite Soleil. Although I missed being with my family, this was a most special day for my birthday as I had the opportunity to join in and for a brief time feel like a proud member of Cite Soleil and to spend the day with my new Healing Haiti family. What a blessing!
Greg Moen
Fairbank, Iowa
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Day 2 - First Time in Haiti... Definitely not my Last
Heartbroken, humbled, loving, and thankful...these four simple words captivate my experience here in Haiti so far. Being in this foreign country is already a step out of my comfort zone, a daring one at that. Traveling to this gorgeous place all on my own has definitely been a challenge (eighteen years old with no family or friends and having to fly alone from Pennsylvania), but without a doubt the best decision I have ever made in the span of my life. It was a difficult task to so openly say "yes" to God's calling and take this leap of faith. I was hesitant at first, but knew that this is where God wanted me.
After distributing water to the families of Cite Soleil on Monday, we started Tuesday by visiting Grace Village. A community so focused on bettering the lives of the children within Haiti. A community that cherishes the gift of education and providing it to those kids in need. For someone who is currently studying to be a teacher, it profoundly moved me to see how much these kids loved going to school and enjoyed learning. Which, in America, is rare to see, especially among older students. It is striking to see how education can impact the lives of these children so tremendously. Only consisting of tight quartered classrooms of 20-30 students with a single chalkboard and a library with a small number of books, these students and staff of Grace Village viewed their education with so much importance and reverence. The students who are days away from graduating have pride radiating from their smiles as they exclaim that they have made it this far, which is rare for many Haitian children. It is an accomplishment like no other, and truly changes their lives for the better.
The most impactful part of the day for me, to say the least, was visiting the elders. Initially, I was expecting to see a small congregation of older Haitian citizens who lived in a building similar to the ones back in America. Ones that cared for them daily. I was surprised to find that instead, we were visiting the individual homes of these elderly people. My heart broke as we walking into these homes that consisted of nothing more than a cement wall, broken and dirty, with a single tin plate covering the top. It was the most shabbiest shelter that someone could be living in, with minimal protection from any sort of weather. And even though it was nothing in our eyes, it was everything to the elderly woman and her family that lived there. We began by singing worship music with this woman and engaging in conversation (with the help of Smith for translation, of course). Paullette then extended an invitation to anyone who would be willing to wash the feet of this elderly woman. Apprehensive at first, but realizing that God was asking me to do this, I quickly volunteered myself, along with Ava (another team member). As I bent down on my hands and knees to wash the feet of this woman, I instantly was covered in goosebumps. This specific word, in fact, was the word I used to describe this entire day. Why? Simply because with everything that I did today, I constantly felt goosebumps all over my body. In past experiences, when I felt goosebumps, it was a sign to me that God was present and the Holy Spirit was pouring grace over me. This act of service was not just to clean the dirty feet of this woman, but instead was to signify the same actions that Jesus did, when he washed his disciples feet only a day before his sacrificial death. It was an action that mimicked the selfless giving of Jesus and radiate his love to them. It was amazing to see how overjoyed and thankful this elderly woman was to me and Ava for taking the time and effort to care for her tenderly and love on her. I will forever remember the gratitude on that woman's face, as well as the goosebumps that spread across my skin as Jesus was working through me.
This was yet another day where I was unable to wipe off the smile from my face. I could undeniably feel God working within me and the other group members. He used our individual gifts in order to touch the lives of the Haitian people, while also impacting our lives at the same time. I am learning so much more about sacrifice, love, joy, and faith within these experiences. Coming here has already begun to open up new relationships with people and open up new opportunities for the future. Only day three into our trip and without a doubt I know I will be coming back. God has put it on my heart to potentially come back to Haiti and teach the children here. Many years back this was a tiny idea I had, and was something I never imagined actually formulating into a plan. However, this country and these people are things that I do not want to part with. God has called me to come on this mission trip, and I truly believe that it was to lay the building blocks for my future here in Haiti. I now view life a little differently. With more vibrance, passion, and understanding than ever before.
I look forward to what else God has in store for me and all of the group the rest of this week. As we embark on day four of this trip, I am excited to see how God continues to move within us and within the Haitian people to spread love and joy to all.
After distributing water to the families of Cite Soleil on Monday, we started Tuesday by visiting Grace Village. A community so focused on bettering the lives of the children within Haiti. A community that cherishes the gift of education and providing it to those kids in need. For someone who is currently studying to be a teacher, it profoundly moved me to see how much these kids loved going to school and enjoyed learning. Which, in America, is rare to see, especially among older students. It is striking to see how education can impact the lives of these children so tremendously. Only consisting of tight quartered classrooms of 20-30 students with a single chalkboard and a library with a small number of books, these students and staff of Grace Village viewed their education with so much importance and reverence. The students who are days away from graduating have pride radiating from their smiles as they exclaim that they have made it this far, which is rare for many Haitian children. It is an accomplishment like no other, and truly changes their lives for the better.
The most impactful part of the day for me, to say the least, was visiting the elders. Initially, I was expecting to see a small congregation of older Haitian citizens who lived in a building similar to the ones back in America. Ones that cared for them daily. I was surprised to find that instead, we were visiting the individual homes of these elderly people. My heart broke as we walking into these homes that consisted of nothing more than a cement wall, broken and dirty, with a single tin plate covering the top. It was the most shabbiest shelter that someone could be living in, with minimal protection from any sort of weather. And even though it was nothing in our eyes, it was everything to the elderly woman and her family that lived there. We began by singing worship music with this woman and engaging in conversation (with the help of Smith for translation, of course). Paullette then extended an invitation to anyone who would be willing to wash the feet of this elderly woman. Apprehensive at first, but realizing that God was asking me to do this, I quickly volunteered myself, along with Ava (another team member). As I bent down on my hands and knees to wash the feet of this woman, I instantly was covered in goosebumps. This specific word, in fact, was the word I used to describe this entire day. Why? Simply because with everything that I did today, I constantly felt goosebumps all over my body. In past experiences, when I felt goosebumps, it was a sign to me that God was present and the Holy Spirit was pouring grace over me. This act of service was not just to clean the dirty feet of this woman, but instead was to signify the same actions that Jesus did, when he washed his disciples feet only a day before his sacrificial death. It was an action that mimicked the selfless giving of Jesus and radiate his love to them. It was amazing to see how overjoyed and thankful this elderly woman was to me and Ava for taking the time and effort to care for her tenderly and love on her. I will forever remember the gratitude on that woman's face, as well as the goosebumps that spread across my skin as Jesus was working through me.
This was yet another day where I was unable to wipe off the smile from my face. I could undeniably feel God working within me and the other group members. He used our individual gifts in order to touch the lives of the Haitian people, while also impacting our lives at the same time. I am learning so much more about sacrifice, love, joy, and faith within these experiences. Coming here has already begun to open up new relationships with people and open up new opportunities for the future. Only day three into our trip and without a doubt I know I will be coming back. God has put it on my heart to potentially come back to Haiti and teach the children here. Many years back this was a tiny idea I had, and was something I never imagined actually formulating into a plan. However, this country and these people are things that I do not want to part with. God has called me to come on this mission trip, and I truly believe that it was to lay the building blocks for my future here in Haiti. I now view life a little differently. With more vibrance, passion, and understanding than ever before.
I look forward to what else God has in store for me and all of the group the rest of this week. As we embark on day four of this trip, I am excited to see how God continues to move within us and within the Haitian people to spread love and joy to all.
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Day 1 - Cite Soleil Water Delivery
After a series of flights and flight delays, our team of 13 came together to experience this amazing trip together. We met up in Miami for the night and spent some time near the Miami airport. After a fabulous dinner of Cuban food, we rested up and prepared for our last leg of the flight from Miami to Port-au-Prince. Flying in to Port-au-Prince was awe inspiring. We flew over the Bahamas and several Caribbean islands, then made our approach over Haiti and landed in Port-au-Prince.
Port-au-Prince welcomed us with the heat of Haiti as we waited in line for customs. Several members of the other Healing Haiti team were on our same flight so it was fun to meet and fellowship with them. We picked up our luggage (all suitcases accounted for!) and met the Healing Haiti staff. After a short ride on the tap-tap, we arrived at the guest house. What a beautiful house, all made by hand! We spent the remainder of the afternoon getting settled in, figuring out sleeping arrangements and getting to know each other. We had a friendly competition with the other during a heated round of the question game and called it a night.
We jumped right in on our first day delivering water to Cite Soleil. Cite Soleil is the poorest area in the western hemisphere. It is a true shanty town with most houses pieced together out of scrap materials. Our 2 Healing Haiti teams joined forces, along with a refurbished milk truck, to bring water to 3 areas of Cite Soleil. Each stop was a unique experience, allowing us to deliver water and spend time with some amazing kids. It's crazy to think that something we take for granted is so rare and sought after by these people. Amy described yesterday as "sensory overload" which is a great way to describe the day. The smells, the sights, the sounds - everything was a bit of a blur.
During each stop, the team spent time filling and hauling buckets of water and spending time with the kids. We became human jungle gyms with kids wanting to be picked up, given piggyback rides and playing games. The beautiful kids kept saying "hey you!" and it was fun to see their smiling, welcoming faces as we exited the tap-tap. We all have sore arms after hauling all of those buckets of water!
We also stopped at Hope School and Clinic in Cite Soleil and were able to see kids practice for their kindergarten graduation ceremony. School was not in session but it was fun to see the impact that Healing Haiti is having in Cite Soleil. What used to be an 80ft trash heap is now a school that feeds and educates the poorest children in Cite Soleil. The campus also has a life-saving clinic and solar powered sewing and technology pods. We were able to get a tour and hear more about the building process from Smith, our guide. The children were dressed in beautiful easter dresses and it was fun to play with them and do silly dances. Julie and Ava were even able to spend time with girls named Julie and Ava!
After a long and tiring day, many team members decided to take a refreshing trip to the pool. It was a great way to relax and cool off. We had a delicious dinner of spaghetti made by the wonderful Haitian ladies who work at the guest house and spent some time as a team doing word of the day and Creole word of the day. Team time was a fantastic way to regroup and process the day. It was a moving experience for everyone and we talked a lot about the situations that these people are put in. It was great to be the hands and feet of Jesus and love these beautiful people!
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Day 6 - Church Service at Rendez-vous // Up the Mountain // A proposal! // A special Haitian visitor
It's hard for us to believe that our time together in Haiti is soon coming to an end but boy oh boy was our last full day an amazing one. We went to a church service at Rendez-vous - it reminded us of our church services at Woodridge and Crow River...they even had their own version of Pastor Annette who gave announcements :) It was a blessing to worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters - they had headphones which translated for us! After the service, we headed "up the mountain"... a trip in the tap taps which brought us up a mountain to a restaurant that had an amazing view of Haiti. We enjoyed a delicious lunch together and shopped with local merchants (the bartering that went on was quite epic). But the most memorable part of the mountain trip was a proposal that occurred between two of our team members! Justin asked Aphton to be his wife and she said "YES"! Our team felt honored to be a part of their special moment. Congratulations to the future Mr. & Mrs.
We got back to the guesthouse and some of the team walked to a nearby hotel and enjoyed some relaxation and fun at the pool. It was so refreshing to cool off as it's been SOOOOOOO hot. We ate our last meal together and answered the question, "What is something you don't want to forget about your time in Haiti?"
Our last team time was very special as we had a guest join us - Ephraim is our new friend who lives in Haiti and is a friend of Susan Hasselquist (from Woodridge). We asked him many questions and it was nice to get to know him better. It was honored to pray over him. We worshipped together and shared our last words of the day (even our new friend submitted a word!):
Abe - REFRAME
Craig - CONTINUE
Sue - PURSUE
Jen - FAMILY
Lydia - MINDSET
Jenny - CLARITY
Amy - GAINED
Annette - PROLUGUE
Josh - CHECKPOINT
Corrina - BITTERSWEET
Maya - SIGNIFICANT
Kate - GLAD
Lauren - BEAUTY
Savannah - ENJOY
Aphton - I DO
Justin - HONORED
Shannon - PHOTO
Ephraim (our special Haitian guest) - THANK YOU
We are currently enjoying our last night by hanging out together, writing in journals and cards, playing games and enjoying popcorn Abe made for us.
We are SO thankful for our time in Haiti - the Lord answered so many prayers and we are forever grateful to Him. May He continue to be glorified even after we have left this beautiful country.
We got back to the guesthouse and some of the team walked to a nearby hotel and enjoyed some relaxation and fun at the pool. It was so refreshing to cool off as it's been SOOOOOOO hot. We ate our last meal together and answered the question, "What is something you don't want to forget about your time in Haiti?"
Our last team time was very special as we had a guest join us - Ephraim is our new friend who lives in Haiti and is a friend of Susan Hasselquist (from Woodridge). We asked him many questions and it was nice to get to know him better. It was honored to pray over him. We worshipped together and shared our last words of the day (even our new friend submitted a word!):
Abe - REFRAME
Craig - CONTINUE
Sue - PURSUE
Jen - FAMILY
Lydia - MINDSET
Jenny - CLARITY
Amy - GAINED
Annette - PROLUGUE
Josh - CHECKPOINT
Corrina - BITTERSWEET
Maya - SIGNIFICANT
Kate - GLAD
Lauren - BEAUTY
Savannah - ENJOY
Aphton - I DO
Justin - HONORED
Shannon - PHOTO
Ephraim (our special Haitian guest) - THANK YOU
We are currently enjoying our last night by hanging out together, writing in journals and cards, playing games and enjoying popcorn Abe made for us.
We are SO thankful for our time in Haiti - the Lord answered so many prayers and we are forever grateful to Him. May He continue to be glorified even after we have left this beautiful country.
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Day 5 - Elder Visits at Hope // Croation Orphanage // Dios Orphanage
Our day started by elder visits at Hope Church - we washed feet, served them lunch, sang songs and prayed with them. We then went to Croation Orphanage {please read Lydia's contribution below about her special experience there), followed by another orphanage called "Dios" where kids with special needs have a place to live and feel loved. Our trip is coming to an end soon and we all agree that the week has flown by. Our words of the day were:
Jenny - ALLELUIA
Sue - CREOLE
Jen - SIMPLE
Kate - CHANGE
Lydia - PURSUED
Amy - HELD
Shannon - HOME
Annette - NAME
Justin - EQUAL
Aphton - HONORED
Josh - UNIVERSAL
Savannah - FUZZY
Corrina - CONNECTIONS
Maya - OVERFLOW
Lauren - HANDS
Craig - CONTENT
Abe - ENERGY
Today at Croation orphanage, we began by sharing the names of the team and the 40+ kids that live there. One of the kids, Max, who is six years old caught my attention when he hesitated to stand and share his name. I knew at that very moment he was one I was called to pursue. As our team began playing with the children, I intentionally kept my eye on Max. With not a hint of doubt in my mind, I decided to go over to him. I called, "Max!" and his response was to immediately walk away from the group and me. It was about five times that I repeated this process, and each time there was no sign of Max letting his walls down.
As I began to get desperate, I stood by him and watched as he got water to drink. I followed and paused when he went into a building, but kept my eyes on the doorway for when he came out. Let me tell you, I have never had such a hard time making a friend! :) Soon enough, he poked his head out to see if I was still there... And once again, I smiled and said, "Max!" Once again I motioned for him to come and hang out with me. To my surprise, he walked towards me... but he continued to walk, and soon he had walked right past me. By now he should have gotten the drift that I would continue to follow him until the point of acknowledgement.
I sat down close to him, and two kids began painting my nails. I sat and watched Max with high hopes that he would finally come by me. As he slowly turned his head to see if was still looking, I smiled. When our eyes met, I once again said, "Max" and he came over to sit on the chair next to me.
I could tell Max was fighting what seemed to be the belief that he was not worthy of being loved and seen as equally as the other children. It became evident to me that the other kids did not especially like Max and did not want to include him in the fun that they were having. He began helping the girls paint my nails but they tried to tell him that he could not help and tried removing the nails he was painting because they were "ugly." I did my best to teach them to share and demonstrate that Max has equal opportunity and the right to be a part of this moment. I tried to teach the girls that this was Max's work of art and that it matters to me.
All too soon... It was time to leave. I was unsure of how Max would respond because he hadn't smiled or talked during our time, but he had stayed close to me. When I told him, "orevwa" ("goodbye"), he had the piercing look that you never want to witness and walked away by himself... so I followed. I called his name one last time and ran up to give him a big hug. I communicated, "I love you" to him because those were the last words I wanted him to hear, not "goodbye." As I walked away, I heard a quiet voice call, "bye" in English and turned to see him wave before turning back to the building. He had the sweetest look in that moment.
These moments are what give life. Max was fighting to accept love and needed to be pursued. All of the voices of the children telling him he wasn't good enough or wanted simply didn't matter. The truth Jesus says about him triumphs over any lie. The awkward pursuit after Max was worth his heart for a few short moments. A pursuit like Jesus pursues is always worth while and can happen any day, not just in Haiti.
Joy in Christ,
Lydia
Jenny - ALLELUIA
Sue - CREOLE
Jen - SIMPLE
Kate - CHANGE
Lydia - PURSUED
Amy - HELD
Shannon - HOME
Annette - NAME
Justin - EQUAL
Aphton - HONORED
Josh - UNIVERSAL
Savannah - FUZZY
Corrina - CONNECTIONS
Maya - OVERFLOW
Lauren - HANDS
Craig - CONTENT
Abe - ENERGY
Today at Croation orphanage, we began by sharing the names of the team and the 40+ kids that live there. One of the kids, Max, who is six years old caught my attention when he hesitated to stand and share his name. I knew at that very moment he was one I was called to pursue. As our team began playing with the children, I intentionally kept my eye on Max. With not a hint of doubt in my mind, I decided to go over to him. I called, "Max!" and his response was to immediately walk away from the group and me. It was about five times that I repeated this process, and each time there was no sign of Max letting his walls down.
As I began to get desperate, I stood by him and watched as he got water to drink. I followed and paused when he went into a building, but kept my eyes on the doorway for when he came out. Let me tell you, I have never had such a hard time making a friend! :) Soon enough, he poked his head out to see if I was still there... And once again, I smiled and said, "Max!" Once again I motioned for him to come and hang out with me. To my surprise, he walked towards me... but he continued to walk, and soon he had walked right past me. By now he should have gotten the drift that I would continue to follow him until the point of acknowledgement.
I sat down close to him, and two kids began painting my nails. I sat and watched Max with high hopes that he would finally come by me. As he slowly turned his head to see if was still looking, I smiled. When our eyes met, I once again said, "Max" and he came over to sit on the chair next to me.
I could tell Max was fighting what seemed to be the belief that he was not worthy of being loved and seen as equally as the other children. It became evident to me that the other kids did not especially like Max and did not want to include him in the fun that they were having. He began helping the girls paint my nails but they tried to tell him that he could not help and tried removing the nails he was painting because they were "ugly." I did my best to teach them to share and demonstrate that Max has equal opportunity and the right to be a part of this moment. I tried to teach the girls that this was Max's work of art and that it matters to me.
All too soon... It was time to leave. I was unsure of how Max would respond because he hadn't smiled or talked during our time, but he had stayed close to me. When I told him, "orevwa" ("goodbye"), he had the piercing look that you never want to witness and walked away by himself... so I followed. I called his name one last time and ran up to give him a big hug. I communicated, "I love you" to him because those were the last words I wanted him to hear, not "goodbye." As I walked away, I heard a quiet voice call, "bye" in English and turned to see him wave before turning back to the building. He had the sweetest look in that moment.
These moments are what give life. Max was fighting to accept love and needed to be pursued. All of the voices of the children telling him he wasn't good enough or wanted simply didn't matter. The truth Jesus says about him triumphs over any lie. The awkward pursuit after Max was worth his heart for a few short moments. A pursuit like Jesus pursues is always worth while and can happen any day, not just in Haiti.
Joy in Christ,
Lydia
Friday, June 21, 2019
Day 4 - Church on the Rock // Water Truck // Fleri Farm // Sakala // Mother Teresa's
Day 4 was a very, very busy day...and although Day 4 can oftentimes bring great exhaustion, the Lord gave us the energy we needed and we had a GREAT, GREAT day!
The day started early. We got up before 6am and went to worship at Church on the Rock - what a powerful service it was. Although English wasn't spoken very much during the service, worshipping alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters was a very special experience. We walked back to the base and had breakfast together. After breakfast, we loaded into our tap taps and headed to Area 17 to help with the water truck. When the water was gone we headed to Fleri Farm and got a tour. It was amazing to see all the vegetation flourishing (even in this extreme heat).
We headed back into Cite Soleil and did another water truck at Four Coffins. We then headed to the pier and took some team pictures. We headed back to the guesthouse and got ready for our afternoon. Many of the team went to Mother Teresa's home for sick and dying children. The remaining team went back to Sakala to play games with the kids.
The incredibly sweet ladies that have been graciously feeding us this week spent all day preparing a traditional Haitian meal for us - what a treat!!! The food was so good and each of us enjoyed it as we know how much of a labor of love it was. There were many laughs around the dinner table as the team time question was, "tell us about an embarrassing moment in your life".
We gathered for team time. Lydia (who has been doing an incredible job of leading our worship time) sang us a special song called, "Nothing Else". Then we all sang "Tremble" and "Great Are You Lord". Because it was a very busy day, our nightly slide show had over 300 pictures! We've included just a few of them below :)
Our words of the day were:
Kate - GREETING
Corrina - GLWA POU BONDYE (GLORY TO GOD)
Lydia - TOUCH
Josh - NEW
Amy - MANY
Annette - GIGGLE
Jenny - BLESSED
Lauren - POWER
Shannon - TRUST
Jen - POWERFUL
Craig - RELY
Savannah - ACTIONS
Justin - ENFORCER
Maya - PRAISE
Sue - FUN
Aphton - HANDS/TOUCH
Abe - MOMENT
It's hard to believe we're heading into the weekend already...although Annette reminded us that a weekend in Haiti feels like a weekday :) We look forward to another day of serving tomorrow!!
The day started early. We got up before 6am and went to worship at Church on the Rock - what a powerful service it was. Although English wasn't spoken very much during the service, worshipping alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters was a very special experience. We walked back to the base and had breakfast together. After breakfast, we loaded into our tap taps and headed to Area 17 to help with the water truck. When the water was gone we headed to Fleri Farm and got a tour. It was amazing to see all the vegetation flourishing (even in this extreme heat).
We headed back into Cite Soleil and did another water truck at Four Coffins. We then headed to the pier and took some team pictures. We headed back to the guesthouse and got ready for our afternoon. Many of the team went to Mother Teresa's home for sick and dying children. The remaining team went back to Sakala to play games with the kids.
The incredibly sweet ladies that have been graciously feeding us this week spent all day preparing a traditional Haitian meal for us - what a treat!!! The food was so good and each of us enjoyed it as we know how much of a labor of love it was. There were many laughs around the dinner table as the team time question was, "tell us about an embarrassing moment in your life".
We gathered for team time. Lydia (who has been doing an incredible job of leading our worship time) sang us a special song called, "Nothing Else". Then we all sang "Tremble" and "Great Are You Lord". Because it was a very busy day, our nightly slide show had over 300 pictures! We've included just a few of them below :)
Our words of the day were:
Kate - GREETING
Corrina - GLWA POU BONDYE (GLORY TO GOD)
Lydia - TOUCH
Josh - NEW
Amy - MANY
Annette - GIGGLE
Jenny - BLESSED
Lauren - POWER
Shannon - TRUST
Jen - POWERFUL
Craig - RELY
Savannah - ACTIONS
Justin - ENFORCER
Maya - PRAISE
Sue - FUN
Aphton - HANDS/TOUCH
Abe - MOMENT
It's hard to believe we're heading into the weekend already...although Annette reminded us that a weekend in Haiti feels like a weekday :) We look forward to another day of serving tomorrow!!
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