Day 5 Clinic Water Truck Fleri Farm Stop 17 Play

Today was another hot and dusty day under the Haitian sun, but full of fun, smiles and children!  We started out the day by getting a quick tour of the clinic since we were leaving two of our team who were medical with Dr. Mosman and his PA, Amanda, at the clinic to shadow and learn the inside workings of Hope Clinic. 

 
Since we were down to just 4 team members on our team we joined up with the other large team from Minnesota and toured the Fleri Farm. It is in the cul-de-sac area of Cite Soleil and very good farmland. Kenny, the long-term missionary who is most involved in the farm, gave us a great tour and it's so cool to see his passion for all things Fleri Farm and to hear of the dreams and potential for the land. They want so much to elevate the Haitians and their economy and not compete with them so there are so many things to consider as they develop the vision.

Then we went back to help unload water in Cite Soleil. As always the children were full of smiles and love to give and receive. Almost all really love to get their picture taken and then of course we need to show it to them in the viewer and they invariably laugh at themselves. The girls like to pose like models with a pouty face and the boys have to do their hands like rappers do on tv. 

 There was a lot of water-carrying going on and our young people are so willing to help!

After we completed water trucking, we went and played with local children at stop 17 playday. Many of the children organized a soccer game with us and it was so much fun! Others were jumping rope, coloring and drawing, or dancing to music. It was such a beautiful day and all of the locals at Cite Soleil were so bright once again.

 After being worn out by the kids and the heat we returned to the Guesthouse to enjoy a delicious-as- always meal prepared by the wonderful guesthouse ladies. They take such good care of us and are so appreciated by us and all teams that come to serve. We couldn't do what we do without their help to get us through the week!

Today was a very awesome day for us in spite of the incredible heat!  It was almost 100 degrees! Phew - but it was also a super fun day with lots of kids and young people. We started the day out going to the neighborhood artisans shopping opportunity a couple of blocks away. Then we went to a special needs orphanage called Dio's where we played for several hours with the kids and youth. We drew with chalk, sang, colored, played soccer and ball with them, etc. They were so content to have us there and to soak up the love! Our leader also went over to the patio and encouraged the orphanage staff with the Haitian pastor of the ministry interpreting. We let them know how much God loves and appreciates them and their work with the children and how important it is in the kingdom of God. 

Then we had a long bumpy dusty ride to a place called Papillon Enterprises which is an orphan prevention project that employs nearly 200 Haitians, paying them a livable wage so they can support their families and not have to give their children over to orphanages or adoption. We shopped and supported the economy very nicely! Upstairs they have a place called the Clay Cafe where we enjoyed smoothies and french fries. 

After that we went back to Cite Soleil to visit an after-school program called Sakala. Sakala translates to "Peace and positive things can be here". The children there were absolutely brilliant. A few even learned English through school and speaking with other volunteers and we were able to communicate by writing and trading off a dry-erase board. So cool! Other children developed magnificent soccer skills and were perfectly booting a ball to a partner clear across their track! They also had a lot of fun playing with sidewalk chalk and other quick games with us. The young man beside Sydney, holding up the dry erase board, was so appreciative of her time with him communicating via the dry erase board that he wrote a beautiful paragraph thanking her for spending time with him and that he and his mother appreciate her visit so much. We though that was super special of him!

After a busy and sizzling day in the sun our team decided to cool off by the hotel pool which hosted a grand wedding reception. One of the team members was feeling pretty high and mighty as the reception died down and pushed her older brother in the pool when he wasn't looking.  (written by the brother who was pushed into the pool)

We started this hot beautiful day in Haiti in the community of Titanyen visiting elders.  We visited four beautiful elders and had such a wonderful time of fellowship with them. We washed their feet and lotioned them, trimmed some nails, lotioned arms and gave back rubs. They were SOOO appreciative and thankful for our visit.  We asked them questions about their lives and then sang and prayed with them.

 

After this we got back into the tap-tap and drove a few minutes down the road to a place called Rosie's Boutique where we had ice cream and shopped. It was started by an American woman who had a Haitian mother try to give her her child to take and raise because she couldn't afford to feed her. This left a deep and lasting impression on her and she began to pray and dream about how she could make a difference. She founded Rosie's Boutique to give women a way to earn a living wage that would allow them to support their children themselves.


Next we went back to Grace Village and took a tour and played with some children for couple of hours. Many team members that have visited in the last year will remember J (who Maria is holding).  He was found to be all alone living in the streets of Cite Soley. When HH missionaries and staff became aware of this he was taken in at Grace Village and now lives and goes to school there. He is well-loved by all there and always have a bright smile and ornery nature.

To top off the beautiful day we went down the hill to Fleri Boulange (Flourish Bakery) and Pizzeria. Peterson, the Bakery Manager, gave us a great tour of the bakery and then we had some of the best pizza of our lives. It was a great day in Haiti!

Cite Soleil Water truck & Home for Sick and Dying Babies

After a delicious breakfast we loaded up on the tap-tap (Healing Haiti's taxi/truck) and headed out to the city well to collect water and then on to Cite Soleil to deliver water. Cite Soleil (Sun City) is home to an estimated 400,000 people in just 8 square miles - very densely populated! It is the poorest slum in the western hemisphere. As we entered the area we were met with shouts of "Hey you!" We were swarmed by kids from all directions wanting to be held and carried. They look at you with big sad eyes and say, "Pote'm" which means "pick me up."  The water truck driver honks the horn and people come from all directions with a stack of 5 gal buckets to fill. They sometimes request help to carry it back to their house and other times they just want you to help lift the bucket on top of their head. It is so amazing how they can balance and carry the heavy weight of the bucket on their head!

We then had a tour of Hope Church, school, Innovation lab, sewing pod, etc. What God is doing in Cite Soleil is mind-blowing! The most cutting edge technology available (donated free of charge to Healing Haiti) is being utilized in Hope's Innovation Lab. They expect that in 10-15 years the kids who have grown up in Cite Soleil and studied in Hope's Innovation Lab will be sought after for their technology expertise.  Alicia Rose, our LT missionary/assistant to the Clinic Manager, then explained to us about the work that is going on at the clinic. It just opened in Jan this year and has been such a blessing to the people of that community.   We then helped unload another water truck, held more kids and babies and generally got very dirty, wet, and worn out!

Our next adventure of the day consisted of going to an orphanage for sick and dying babies. That consisted of holding the babies and assisting in feeding them dinner. It was amazing to watch how much the babies soaked up all our love and enjoyed every moment of us holding, playing, or feeding them. Before going into this orphanage I thought that it may be chaotic and unsanitary because it is often very difficult to run these facilities, however, it was well put together and organized. There was a schedule for feeding times and the staff were very caring and we could tell they treasured these children and treated them as they would their own. So overall, this experience and the smile on the kid's faces will be ones we never forget. (:

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

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. 

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

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.