Reflecting on our week as we head home...

First, some thoughts from Michelle...

As I depart from Haiti for the 10th time, i find myself in such deep gratitude for the honor of leading these trips to Haiti. It is such a huge blessing to me to be able to help shape the experiences for my team members and to witness God at work in and through them, to serve and learn from the people of Haiti, and to allow God to continue to work in me. 

This team was a parent/child team with 7 parents and 8 children ranging in age from 10 to 14, 9 from Arizona and 6 from MN. I am in awe of how God worked through everyone, especially the kids this week!  Always positive attitudes, a willingness to serve (no matter how uncomfortable it may have been for them), endurance of the heat and length of days, personality and talents galore, willingness to share in a vulnerable and deep way, and most of all...HUGE hearts!  I am so proud of each of them!  The future, with these kids in it...looks BRIGHT!☀️  ❤️ 

With Much Appreciation and  Love, 

"Mee-Shell"

Now, for the final reflections on the week. I asked the kids to sum up their thoughts with 5 questions to guide them. Here are their responses:

Lauren, age 10:

Highlights from the Trip:

Going to the ocean and playing with the kids because, the trampolines were really fun and the kids were so sweet and nice.

What did you do this week that stretches you, or took you out of your comfort zone?

Holding the kids that didn't have all their clothes on and putting lotion on the elderly.

What could you learn from the Haitian people?  I could learn that we have more than we need when they have almost nothing.

What is God trying to teach you?  He is trying to teach me to give more and want less. 

What will you do differently after having this experience?  I will ask for things less and give more to people and praise God more.😊

Aubrey, age 10:

1. Highlight: Probably everyone surrounding you and how it felt like I was just popular kid. I felt loved by them. 

What took you out of your comfort zone?  It would be going to the disabled or how it was really different than I thought it would be but it taught me new things which is good. Now I kind of am glad I went out of my comfort zone. I thought it taught me a lot of new things like to love everyone no matter who they are or what they look like. In the Bible I think it's a... I don't know the exact verse but it is that you should not love someone just on how they are on the outside but how they really are and act from on the inside. 

What did you learn from the Haitian people? I learned that everyone will be grabbing  you and sometimes when you go back to the guesthouse you just like need to get rest.  Also they will be so nice and they'll laugh and their smiles are  so beautiful, friendly, and contagious. 

What is God trying to teach you?  I think that God's trying to teach me to do everything possible to help Haiti because they're really just the same people like us just just live in a different country and they have different colored skin. 

What will you try to do differently after this experience? I thought that I will limit my water source so I will try to use less water.  I will also do  less technology because in the guesthouse we have no TV or like really the Wi-Fi and it's not torture, really. 

Avery Villani, age 14:

1. The highlight was playing soccer with the Haitian kids at Haitian initiative. I liked sharing something that I love with the kids here. 

2. The elder visits took me out of my comfort zone. Washing their feet was hard for me, but I knew I was being like Jesus, and knowing that it made it easier for me. 

3. The Haitian people made me realize how little you need to truly be happy in life. 

4.  God is trying to teach me to always be grateful and appreciative for what I have. 

Zack, age 11:

1. I liked going out on water truck days. I liked being able to play with all the kids

2. Going out on water truck days took me out of my comfort zone the most. My mom talked to me about how interesting it was that my favorite thing was what took me out of comfort the most. I should remember that feeling next time I feel uncomfortable about a situation.

 

#4. I have learned that we always want more in the US. And "more is just more". People can be happy without always wanting more. 

Kendra, age 14:

Highlights: Being able to hang out with and being loved by kids. 

What was something that stretched you or took you out of your comfort zone? One of the most unique things I did was experience the language barrier. I have never been in a place where I could not communicate with the people around me. 

What can you learn from the Haitian people?  I can learn about their sense of community, how they protect and look out for each other. 

What is God trying to teach you?  To be able to see through God's eyes and his lens and how he sees people. To break my heart for what breaks His. 

What will you do differently after this experience?  I want to share and let others know what it was like in Haiti. To tell them how desperate people were to get their basic needs met. 

Lauren Fuller, age 12:

Highlight: Helping lots of different people. 

What stretched you or took you out of your comfort zone? Going to the orphanage for disabled children. It was a little scary because I didn't know how they were going to act.

 

What could the Haitian people teach you?  How to be grateful for what I have. 

 What is God trying to teach you? To be happier and not want too much stuff. 

What will you do differently after this experience? Be more thoughtful about what I am doing. 

Avery Thompson, 14 (almost):

The highlights of my trip were the water truck days because you get to play with kids and see how they live in Cite Soleil, when we went to Lalou, an orphanage and I played soccer with some boys, and the Home for Sick and Dying was really fun holding the kids and making them happy but also sad to see how they have to live.

Nothing was really super out of my comfort zone because I have been here once before, but the Home for Sick and Dying was super sad to see all the sick and sad kids. 

Something I learned from the Hatian people was how to be thankful for what I have because they have way less than I do. They have little or no food, most sleep in huts or small shelters, and most don't have any source for water, but they are all still so happy.

I think that God is trying to teach me just to be happy and do what I love. And to be thankful for what I do have.

I think after this trip I will do /try be more kind, move to Haiti, and give lots of hugs.

Danielle, age (almost) 14:

The highlight of my trip was when we went on water truck runs. I loved it because I would get to play with the kids and make them smile.

One thing that was out of my comfort zone would be when I picked up some really sick kids at the home for sick and dying children. 

A thing that I could learn from the Haitian people is being more kind and loving God more than anything else.

I think God is trying to teach me about all the similarities between the kids and Haiti and kids in America. We are all the same in so many ways,but they were just born into different conditions than us.

After this experience I think I will be slower to judge people, waste less money on things that aren't necessary, and pray more.

Day 6: Orphanage Visits

It felt like a Saturday and we needed a chill day after a high energy (but rewarding) water truck day yesterday.  We went to Lalou and LaPherre orphanages and had a chance to spend time with Haitian kids and bond with the team. 

The day started casually over breakfast while the kids played soccer with staff.  While we were relaxing in the guest house, Jeff had left at 6 am to attend a funeral ceremony at the request of a Haitian friend, he felt honored to perform 2 songs and described it as a wonderful and emotional experience.

Once Jeff returned, Mee-Shell (Local pronunciation of Michelle) got us prepared with a thoughtful devotional she authored about Charlotte’s Web.  Our new driver, Luke-naire drove us in the Tap-Tap to Lalou’s orphanage.  It was a short commute through Port au Prince, but once behind the gates we found Lalou to be a clean and cheery orphanage.  It was a unique experience for the kids to bond with Haitians in a school like setting, but being a Saturday we were not interrupting class-time so we did crafts, played soccer, sang songs, danced, put stickers on their faces and just had fun.  It was a bit sad to think these kids spent every weekend at the orphanage, but they did love playing and we loved being with them and just enjoyed the moment.  I don’t know who had more fun, the Haitians or Americans.

After Lalou we went to visit 2 fledgling non-profit organizations, but they were both closed on Saturday.   We were disappointed, but glad to see them closed for the weekend.  It was neat to drive through different parts of Port au Prince.  We returned to the guest house for our snack-lunch and planned our afternoon at LaPherre’s orphanage.  

This time we were a little more prepared with the crafts and activities.  When we arrived at LaPherre’s it was in a nicer neighborhood and less institutional than Lalou’s.  Mr. LaPherre welcomed us into the home and there were about 16 kids of various ages.  We first played inside and made some bracelets, balloon games and Jeff played some music.  Then we were blessed with angelic singing from the orphans of Haitian songs.  Mr. LaPherre had a huge fatherly smile and recorded our visit with his cell phone.  It was nice to see the children in a small family-like setting right in the city, it was clear they were more part of a community than some others we've seen.  We played with some foam air planes in their side yard and were just settling in … when we had to leave.  After LaPherre’s we went to Pizza Amour for dinner, we got there early and enjoyed some good food and team-time.  There was a friendly game of PIG at the basketball court and along with some impressive chalk art.  

We met a missionary family from Oregon that lived in Haiti and had adopted 12 kids and one of them was our waitress.  Early in the week we had befriended a St Louis family that had spent 5 years trying to adopt a Haitian son and their paperwork had just gone through. 

Once back at the guest house, we had some down time before we all regrouped for the last time to share our word of the day.  Our time was powerful and we were all impressed by how thoughtful the kids had been all week.  We really had great comradery with the team, today’s words were fun, sad, bittersweet, weekend, moment, family, natural, thankful, flexible and perspiration.

We were all deeply touched by the Haitian people and know that our lives will never be the same.  As we prepare to depart, we now pray, consider, and find a purposeful way to fill the void of our Haitian adventure.  

 

Day 5: Water Truck and Haitian Initiative

   We started the day early, out of the door at 6AM.  We are off to attend a local church service.  It was a truly unique experience to witness the free spirit which the Haitians worship the Lord.  Jeff knew the pastor at the church, who gave blessings to all the children.  Ours were the only I saw.

     Energized from the message Michelle delivered from our group meeting we were off to visit Elders School in Cite Soleil.  Once again, the children were excited to see us and we them.  Kids from 8 to 18 were all in school uniforms.  Many hand shakes, high fives, hugs and smiles were shared. 

   We are now off to our next stop, Cite Soleil water delivery.  Feeling more seasoned, our group worked and played hard during our two delivery stops.  We interacted with the young and old, dropping in a new phrase we learned from Jeff.  "Jezi Renmen Ou"..."Jesus Loves You."  We stopped for a quick snack and thought we were off to our next new adventure.  Surprise, we are stopping for another water delivery.  Everyone was very tired but we all rallied once again to serve the Cite Soleil residents their most basic need.  

    Now we are headed to the Haitian Initiative Soccer facility.  Boys and girls in Cite Soleil with good grades try out each year to participate in the program.  Each day they practice soccer then receive a meal.  Several of us in the group had the honor to play soccer with the kids.  The ten year olds we played against were awesome.  Avery V. and Al each managed to sneak in a goal.

     Our group seemed to click from the beginning.  We once again made it through another busy day serving the beautiful Haitian people the whole time with smiles and laughter.  

~Bill Villani

 

Day 4: Grace Village, Elderly Visits, and Mass Grave site/Memorial

Written by Aubrey age 10:

Today we drove out to Grace Village and saw what Healing Haiti had helped start. We had a tour around the orphanage and the lady taught us how Healing Haiti has helped and what is built there and what will be built there. Currently they have a library, orphanage, garden, school church, health clinic and eating center. They are working on adding a computer lab and a bakery to help employ villagers so they do not have to give up their children to an orphanage. 

Then we visited three elderly in the neighboring town where we went into their homes where we sang, gave foot massages, painted their toenails and gave them water and food. It brought a smile to your face, when they smiled back their smiles were contagious and they really made our day. 

On the way back home our team stopped at the mass graves which is a memorial for the people who died in the earthquake. The memorial is still under construction but it looks very nice. 300,000 people were buried here.  At my school we were just learning about the earthquake in Haiti so it was neat to see the site where so many were buried. Many people who have not been to Haiti thought that the devastation was still very bad, but when you get there you realize that it's in better condition.

When we got back to our guesthouse we had a Haitian meal prepared for us. We all really loved it it was delicious. We ended our evening by learning how to salsa dance. The salsa dancing was very fun and interesting because you got to learn about the music from another culture. 

At our sharing time tonight my word of the day was "love" because I shared love with the orphans and the elderly in many ways but I also felt a lot of love from them too. 

Pictured above is one of our elders, Pierre, dancing and worshipping with us!

             Aubrey, painting nails. 

             Library at Grace Village

Day 3: Home for Sick and Dying/Dari's Orphanage for kids with specialneeds/Apparent Project

Today our team split up for the morning.  10 of us went to the Home for Sick and Dying Children, the other 6 went to Dari's orphanage for special needs children. 

This is Zack Villani (age 11) talking about our visit to the special needs orphanage (typed by my mom):

At first I was a little nervous because I have never been around kids with special needs before. But when I realized they are just kids who want to play and sing like any other kid, I felt a lot better. 

My favorite part of this experience was seeing smiles on their faces even though they had disabilities. I liked to make them smile. 

There was one girl who would scream very loud a lot in excitement, I think that was just how she communicated. 

Our leader, Jeff, brought his guitar and played and sang, some songs in English and some in Creole. We also had a tambourine and a box drum that the kids were able to play a little bit. We blew bubbles for them as well. 

My favorite boy was named Bradley, he was missing an eye. He sang a lot with me and was really funny. He kept coming over to me copying everything I was doing.

I was able to play the guitar for the kids, even though I played horribly compared to Jeff! #jeffisawesomeonguitar 

I played "Oceans" and "Holy Spirit" for them. <insert other leader Michelle's comment here, because she gets to edit this😉: Not true...Zack does a great job at guitar!>

What I learned today is that God makes everyone different and special in their own way. He loves every person, everywhere, in every situation!

 

Now for Avery Thompson and Danielle Gjerde's perspective on the Home for Sick and Dying and Apparent Project:

Today half of our team went to the Home for Sick and Dying. This is a hospital where parents bring their kids when they are sick and can't afford food or other needs to keep them healthy. The parents can visit their children during designated times while they are in the hospital. If they get better, their parents can take them back home. What we were doing here was holding the sick kids and making them smile. A few of them had little accidents but the ladies who worked there directed us to a closet of clothes to change the children. When we walked in we were immediately overwhelmed with the amount of kids that were wanting to be held and loved. There were rows of cribs in each room with numbers and babies in them.There were kids there with malnourishment who were extremely skinny, kids with skin problems, and ones with other illnesses. Some of the kids were crying, some were just not happy, but once you picked them up they had the brightest smiles. We held them and just showed them that we loved them. The hard part was putting the kids back in their cribs to comfort another baby because they would start crying. It was very hard leaving the kids because you got so attached to their sweet smiles.

 

Next, the whole team went to the Apparent project where Haitians are employed to make mugs, jewelry, metal art, and other typed of wall hangings or art. There are 400+ people who are employed to work there. Most, if not all, are parents who would have had to give up their children if they did not have their jobs there. Most are working at the Apparent project, while the others make their work at home and bring it in to sell. This gives the Haitians an opportunity to provide for their families. They get the clay from 4 hours away and make it. They use this clay for the mugs and some of the beads. They paint then glaze them. The other beads are made with cardboard or paper then rolled and glued. Then strung together to make necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Overall, the day was a mixture of emotions. It was full of smiles and tears,and we will not forget this experience. 

Day 2: Water Truck

Today was our first day in the heart of Haiti. We started our day with prayer and then a ride in the tap-tap to our first destination. We arrived in City Soleil to deliver clean water to families in their shacks. The moment we stepped out of the tap-tap we were bombarded with kids that just wanted to be loved by us. We helped fill up the water buckets and play with the kids in the streets. It was remarkable to see such happy kids living in such impoverished conditions. They were some of the most loving and joyful people we have ever met. 

When we finished our stop, we had the privilege of touring the newly built Hope Church and soon-to-be school. It is astonishing how it stood out among the shacks of houses with garbage covering the streets. 

Once we finished our bathroom break and tour at the church, we got back on the tap-tap to ride to our next water truck stop. Upon arriving we were amazed by the kids' playfulness and their want for our love. The kids are extremely smart, even though we had a language barrier between us, they still understood the games that we taught them. We were even able to sing songs with them. It was wonderful to be able to glorify God with these thankful people. They also loved to talk to us and ask us questions, even though most of the time we had no clue what they were trying to say. That was our shortest stop, because our water ran out quickly. So we got back on the tap-tap and headed back to Hope Church for some lunch. 

When we had finished our food, we adventured deeper into the community to begin our last water delivery. Again, kids came running up to us, begging to be held. There were less kids this time, so we were able to talk to and help the people that were receiving water. Directing the water pump was chaos. It was hard to not waste any water in the massive crowd of people waiting with their buckets. When that stop was finished, we took a walk down the pier to see the trash-filled ocean and interact with more Haitians. Several of the people we talked to here knew enough English, so we could have a conversation with them.

On the tap-tap ride home, it was hard to move our arms, from holding the Haitian children and helping with the water pumps all day. Once we arrived home, we took a quick stop at the pool, and then we hung out with the neighborhood boys. We played soccer and games with them, until it was time to eat dinner. It was different, being able to interact with older kids and experiencing how their lives were like on a day-to-day basis. 

Overall, it was a day of embracing new culture and new country. We grew closer to God and His people. We went out of our comfort zone, to experience a day we will never forget. 

Avery Villani (age 14) and Kendra Fuller (age 14) 

Day 1: Travel Day

Greetings from Haiti! 

Minnesota met up with Arizona in Atlanta and arrived safely this evening in Port-Au-Prince. We are all settling in at Guest House 1 and look forward to our adventures this week!

Tomorrow we will head to Cite Soleil to deliver water. This is my 2nd trip and my daughter Lauren's 1st. Lauren says the dogs are really nice and so is Jean! She enjoyed sitting shotgun in the tap tap from the airport to the house. The group is 7 adults and 8 kids 4th grade through 9th grade. We welcome your prayers and are so grateful for all of the support! Bon nwit (good night in Creole)!

Stacy Roe

Day 6: Water Truck

This is my third trip to Haiti, and water truck day continues to be my favorite day.  Although we witness some very difficult things, we also get the satisfaction of meeting the people of City Soleil's basic need for water and witnessing their welcoming hugs and smiles. We also welcomed the nice breeze today and the slightly cooler temperature. 

Our two stops were far less chaotic than our first water truck day. There was less desperation, or so it appeared. I participated in the water line at our first stop. I started out holding the hose and enjoying the vantage point. I could see everything that was going on with all of our team members and I stopped to take a deep breath and really experience the exciting energy of the moment. I witnessed kids climbing on the backs of my team members as they were working so hard to fill water as efficiently as possible. One little boy really struck me. He was about 2 years old, no clothes, a big barrel chest and a survivor mentality. I was so amused by his antics to get water and his interactions with the other kids. His little white pitcher with pink flowers on the side was his and he wasn't going to let ANYONE take it. He also wasn't about to wait in line like everyone else. Michael and Tracy became his jungle gym and they had absolutely no idea because they were completely focused on the difficult task at hand. Michael likes to guide the hose into the buckets because he has a strong realization that the water in City Soleil is gold and doesn't want to waste one drop. City Soleil has a way of making you cherish every resource that helps to keep them alive and thriving.  The boy climbed over their backs, between their legs, was pinched by the older kids, had his pitcher stolen several times, managed to take them down and get his pitcher back. After all that work, how could I not make sure his pitcher was filled? He earned that water with shear tenacity and perseverance!  That kid will go somewhere! Not only do they have their own thirst to deal with but also the compassion to help us. A little girl saw that we were working hard on the water line and approached Tracy and Alicia. She made a cup with her hand and dipped it into the water to give them a refreshing splash on the face. She wiped away their sweat and gave them both a kiss on the cheek. It was priceless. 

Before we left I had shifted locations and ended up putting many, many buckets on top of women and children's  heads for them to carry.  The kids were all so delighted to have our attention, and we are mutually delighted to have theirs. The mood changed abruptly when right in front of me a man started yelling and whipping a boy, about 8 years of age, with a bungee cord with a metal hook on the end. The boy was running and screaming, tears streaming down his face. The man whipped him from head to toe. The boy hid behind some shanties until he knew he was safe and then came out crying and rubbing his wounds. Rachel, Maddie and I ran to comfort him. My hurt still hurts deeply for him and I'll be praying for his safety and freedom. 

When we stopped to fill the water trucks, some of us had to use the restroom. As we entered the gates I noticed two young women sitting on a ledge. They were interested in us, so they followed us to the restroom. Although we had a major language barrier, we managed to find out that her mother lives in Bagley Minnesota. My husband has family in Bagley, a very small town in Northern Minnesota. What a strange coincidence and a very small world! 

Our last water truck stop was also full of life and action. The kids were hanging off us all. The team members filling the buckets continued to work like a family that we have definitely become. We carried buckets, played with children, sang songs and enjoyed the last moment we had to spend with these amazing and resilient people. They continue to amaze me and will forever have all of our hearts. As I sit here typing, I feel the muscles in every part of my body and I only lived a very brief moment of their daily lives. They are strong and have overcome and continue to overcome adversity yet genuinely smile along the way. I will take their smiles home with me and remember to appreciate things a lot more. 

Day 5: Carrefour, Einstein Alberts, La Lou Orphanage, Pizza Amour

If I had to pick one word to describe the whole day for my team it would be polish. For some of our team the day began with alarms announcing "time to get ready for church" and for others the day started with a plate full of pancakes. This morning we had the chance to attend a 6:00 AM church service at a local church that is about a 10 minute walk away from our guest house. I attended this beautiful service where the church-goers would pace up and down the aisles declaring their prayers with their arms high above their heads. Although we were only able to stay for an hour, their passion was truly heart-warming. The word polish fits into this piece of the day due to the imperfections and the unpolished aspects of Haiti that our team has witnessed throughout our trip up to this point. It occured to me that while in the United States we may have ornate, polished, and extravagant churches, that this church surrounded by dust and garbage was impeccably polished.

Our first stop of the day was at Carrefour (home for sick and dying adults). While this visit was out of many of our team members' comfort zones, everyone walked in with their beautiful souls and determination to help anyone in need. The word polish ties into this experience more literally since most women wanted their nails painted with the nail polish we brought with. I think that all of our team members  who went outside of their comfort zone were comforted by the knowledge that the women now had the color of the nail polish to brighten up their days. 

Next stop was Einstein Alberts. We pulled up to this little shop full of beautiful, handcrafted bowls that several women were varnishing. We were all able to see all of the lovely wooden bowls that had been made with much effort and time. There were not many bowls ready for sale when we arrived, but even thought they were not all varnished or polished, they were still stunning and held as much value to the women/men who spent the time crafting them. Our visit was short, but we left with several bowls and lots of smiling faces.

La Lou Orphanage came next, and seemed to be bursting with laughs. We were greeted by the cutest kids who were all very eager to participate in our team member, Dawn's, art lesson. There were many colorful giraffes in the room after the excited kids finished coloring their drawings. They caught on to our singing and clapping games quickly and they all laughed when we sang and danced the TootyTa. Cassie gave them a fantastic dental lesson where they all 'polished' their teeth with the new toothbrushes we gave them. La Lou Orphanage was a joyful visit for many.

After our service work was done we were able to polish off our day with a fun grocery store visit and pizza from Pizza Amour. These trips provided us with great bonding time, tons of laughs, and stomachs full of pizza and dessert. 

Natalie (:

Day 4: Grace Village Tour // Elderly Visits

Our morning started off with a tour of Grace Village.  Grace Village is a place created by the founders of Healing Haiti where a few children live, and hundreds of children get food and an education.  Some of the children who now live at Grace Village were once child slaves who are now being taught how to trust and love.  Before they came to Grace Village, many of those children were used to people stealing their blankets at night when they slept .  At Grace Village they are taught "what's theirs is theirs" and nobody steals.  They are taught to live like a family, so ultimately when they have a family of their own later in life, they have that life skill in place.

Also at Grace Village, they have an aquaponics system where they farm their own talapia and use hydroponics to grow their own vegetables, as the terrain is not conducive to growing plants.  They have two bread ovens, where they teach people in the community to make bread so that they can go and sell it in the community to support themselves.  They are now working on a commercial bakery to provide a needed service as well as many more jobs for the local people.  So much at Grace Village is about coming alongside the people of Haiti to help them learn how to help themselves and not just accept handouts.

 

In the afternoon we visited 3 women in the elderly program.  We washed their hands and feet and brought them a hot meal and cold water.  We poured our hearts into them through touch, praying for them, asking them about their experiences, and singing and dancing with the children that gathered.  We started with Marolen, who was frail and quiet.  Then Felicie, who was happy to see us and was so grateful for her house that was built by Healing Haiti, followed by Maricia, who was so joyous that she greeted all of us with hugs and hooted and hollered when we washed and dryed her feet!  Let's just say that her fingers and toes were painted by some unusual methods and persons, along with her grandchildren.  ;)

To end our day, we were given a tour and explanation of the earthquake that shattered this beautiful country when we visited the Mass Gravesite.  The multitude of souls that were lost sank into each and every one of us as we looked around and thought about what it must have been like to have lived through such a disaster...

Tracy, Cassie, and Michael

Day 3: Orphanage for Children with Special Needs//Home for Sick and Dying babies//Apparent Project//General Hospital

                            Orphanage for Children with Special Needs

Today we had the privilege of visiting a new partner with Healing Haiti, an orphanage for children with special needs. When we arrived, the 20 children were gathered in a nice tiled room at the front of the building.  It was a good spot, as the breeze came through to keep everyone cool.  They were excited to see us, and our team all stepped in to interact and get to know the children.  One girl 'chose' me (Debbie).  She couldn't walk, but scooted over to my legs and looked up at me with her beautiful eyes and I sat down to be with her.  She really likes to have her back massaged and has a great smile  - her name is Diane.  Another boy named Bradley came up to me (Tony) and was quick to join in on a little game and continually wanted to play, he was all smiles. Many of the children were eager to have our attention and to be held and played with.  Since this was a first experience for a Healing Haiti team, we had no idea what to expect or plan for.  We sang some songs and they loved it, so we got the guitar, and Michael played and we all sang some more.  Oh, it was so much fun!  One guy, Fonz, got some wonderful loud clapping going as he joined in to the beat of the music. As Michael strummed instrumentally, one of the workers started humming a tune.  Soon it turned into a loud impromptu sing along, a Haiitian-inspired hallelujah song! This was the highlight of our time while serving these wonderful people. 

-Debbie and Tony

                                              Home for Sick and Dying Babies

  The other half of our group were blessed with the heart breaking visit to the Home for Sick and Dying Babies.  The ward that had the sickest babies was filled with about 10 children in various states of health.  We jumped in, each one of us, regardless of whatever ailed the child, picked them up, and held them.  They were thin, quiet, and when those big brown eyes opened, there was nothing to do but hold them as close to your heart as you could.  I (Tracy) picked a child named "Jeff" who happened to be next to "Elvis" and put him on my shoulder.  We hung together the entire time, ate a few times, and slept in my arms.  I could do nothing for him but hold him close, talk to him, and pray silently for this child whom no one came to visit.  Other parents came and went, but we were alone.  The emotions that I felt upon surrendering him to his crib overcame me, and the tears came quickly.  

-Tracy

                                              General Hospital

Today was my first ever visit to General Hospital. I've been to Haiti 2 times before, and to be honest, I've avoided this visit. It was definitely far outside of my comfort zone. We brought care packages for everyone, many donations and fresh, cold water. Although they received our gifts with so much joy, it still didn't feel like enough. The facility was lacking basic supplies, so we brought with us some formula and diapers.  So many sick, sick babies. The nurses asked us to take one of the abandoned babies. His parents coudn't care for him and so they abandoned him at the hospital. Many of the babies needed fresh diapers, more food, and physical touch. It was beyond overwhelming. I wish I could have done more but I'm so glad for what we did do. 

-Nikki

Water truck day, in front of Hope Church

       Water truck day, on the pier

Half the team getting ready for the Home for Sick and Dying Babies

At the orphanage for kids with special needs

Artisans at the Apparent Project, making paper beads

7-28-15 DAY 1 || Watertruck day ||

Day 1: Travel Day

Everybody's morning started at approximately 3 am after weeks of preparation and excitement. Then it was off to a long day at the airport for all. After a few delays, checked bags and lots of extra patience, we finally arrived at the guest house and are getting to know each other over dinner and group chats.  We are getting settled in and praying for a safe, rewarding and adventurous week ahead! We are all very excited to serve, learn and love this week. 

Now it's off to an early bed time to catch up on some rest and prepare for a big day tomorrow. 

Until tomorrow,

Je vous remercie et que Dieu bénisse

Meet our team!

               Our lovely Illinois family!

         Minnesota peeps, representing!

Day 2: Water Truck Day

Our first day serving started out strong. We woke up and had some french toast and eggs, chugged a few bottles of water, and headed on our way to Haitian Initiative in the wobbly taptap.

At H.I. we watched boys and girls practice, and picked up a game of soccer with the ladies. Suprisingly we only lost 2-0. After our visit at the soccer field, we walked them to their lunch room, danced, and handed out food from feed my starving children! Then, back to the taptap..

Our team arrived at the first stop (17) of our watertruck journey in City Soleil. It was a little bit hectic, but exciting to see smiles all around. 

Natalie: "Even though I needed to take a break from the heat in the taptap, the kids would pop their heads in smiling to make sure I was okay. Who knew a smile could make me feel so much better?"

At this stop we got to visit the new church and school that is being built. The kids were running alongside us to go dance and sing with hope and celebration for what the future has in store!

Phaylen: "This part was the most emotional part of the day for me. Seeing the kids by their new partially built church, dancing, smiling, and singing made me feel extremely happy."

After seeing the constuction on the church, we all got back on the taptap and went to watertruck stop number two. We were greeted by the typical "hey you!" from every kid on the street. This stop was much shorter than our first, but very well done by the people on the line of buckets.

We said our goodbyes and headed to the taptap.

Stop number three (stop #26) came late because the watertruck lines were long. We were very tired before this stop but our translater Emanuel got us singing "God is so good", which hyped us up. We arrived at stop three which was located ocean side. The people were very excited to see us and couldn't wait to get their water. The lack of rain water made them a little more desperate than normal. After the truck was empty, we walked to the pier with some of the kids and sat on the edge. We watched the older boys show off and do backflips off the pier. Our day came to an end as we waved goodbye to the kids as they chased the taptap until they couldnt run anymore.

-Rachel, Phaylen, and Natalie

P.S. We will add some water truck pictures later...wifi probs!  😉

Last Day

Today was an amazing day spent together as a team worshiping and winding our week down. We started out the morning driving out to Grace Church in Titanyen. We took in the turquoise blue ocean and mountain landscapes of this beautiful country. We pulled up to Grace Church and immediately heard the glorious worship music resounding within. Gathering together within the church, we felt the Holy Spirit flowing through us! Despite the diversity of language and mode of worship, there's a unity that can only come with the power of the Holy Spirit.

After our church service our team spent time together enjoying the miraculous beauty of Haiti. We took in the exquisitely deep color of the ocean, the majestic rolling mountains, and of course, the "belle" people of Haiti. We used this time of appreciation to reflect on our past week of serving and glorified God for such beauty.

After our last dinner spent as a team, everyone gave their "Word of the Day" during evening devotionals. Many of us mentioned the words united, unity, one and similar. We all experienced a sense of oneness as we praised God together. We spoke different languages and worshiped in different styles but we were all praising our God.

Later that evening Jeff Gacek, the founder of Healing Haiti,  came and shared his journey with God prompting him to come to Haiti, having him be obedient to His calling and have a broken heart for the people of Haiti. He shared about current ministries within Healing Haiti, and future projects and partnerships underway to further this ministry and job creation in Haiti.