Day 2 Team 3 (M&M)

We woke up and had a delicious breakfast. We had some pancakes, oatmeal, fruit and eggs.

After that we went to an orphanage named Sweet Home. We had a great time playing with the sweet kids. The kids loved Rob making the animal balloons. They had fun playing with the soccer ball and bubbles that we brought to the orphanage.

Then we went to Hope Church and played with the kids. They had fun playing with the parachute, ball, water color paints/finger paints and made beautiful pictures.

After Hope Church we went to a farm called Fleri and we got a tour of the farm. We saw lots of fruits and vegetables at the farm including: pomegranate, sugar cane, avocado, mango, banana, papaya, okra and coconut. We drank some coconut water (which some of us didn’t like) and some of us ate coconut meat.

Next we went to the guest house and got our swim suits on and jumped into the pool. We shared our “word of the day” at the pool. We came back for a delicious dinner cooked by our Haitian friends, had devotions as a team and are heading to bed so we can be ready for another fun and service filled day in Haiti.

Rylee and Sofi

Day 1 Team 3 (M&M) Micki and Marcia's Team

Haiti Day 1 – Arrival Day Monday July 23, 2018

We made it down to Haiti, without any major incidents – Thank you Jesus.  That is a good way to start the trip.  Our group was divided by routes – half our group traveling through Atlanta and half of our group traveling through Miami.  Then there are our 3 Texan Goers who met us in Atlanta and traveled the rest of the Journey with us.

We all agreed it was not as hot as we expected it to be when we got here.  If you have been in Minnesota over the past couple of weeks, the humidity has been through the roof – I think the same in Texas. 

We got settled into our rooms, got acquainted, had tacos for dinner and then headed to the Elite Hotel for a cool down in the pool.

Tomorrow we start our journey in serving throughout Haiti.  We will be visiting an orphanage and going into Cite Soleil.  Each team member will take turns helping with our blogs (so we hope) and including some pictures.

Micki and Marcia

Basketball Camp, Water Truck, Home for Sick and Dying Babies

Today we got to start off with something a little different. We went to the Sprint to Cite Solei basketball camp right around the corner from where we stopped to distribute water to the community. At the basketball camp it was wonderful to see kids interact through playing a game that they all enjoy. We got to jump in with the kids during some of their drills, and Max and Ariana even played during their organized game at the end! In between the drills and the game we helped pass out and set up their lunches. After the basketball camp we hopped back on the truck to a nearby water stop where we saw some familiar faces that have traveled their from a different water stop, and many new ones. One of the interesting things we noticed about the community was that some of the children we had just played with in their basketball uniforms were now changed into their everyday clothes and were hauling water buckets. We later made our way to the Home for Sick and Dying Babies. This revisit was both heart warming and heart breaking. It was heart warming to see the improvement some of the babies had made just within two days! Some were able to be played with outside just because of the miraculous transition their bodies had made. The heart breaking part was saying goodbye to the children that we all shed our love on so dearly. After a long day of service we were able to experience a little more of the Haitian culture first handed with local salsa dancing. It was fun to observe and participate in the dancing although after we arrived we soon realized that the other people on the dance floor were a little more advanced than us! Overall another great day that made us even more excited to be able to wake up the next day ready for even more new experiences!

-Aliyah

Fridays Haitian Church, Mass Grave Site, Fleri Bakery, Grace Village and Elder Visit

Good Evening Family and Friends,

Wow did we have such an amazing packed full Day! Colleen, Max and Ro started the 6am morning off with the Haitian Church Service then woke the rest of clan up to head to Fleri Bakery and Grace Village. Jake gave us a awesome tour of the Bakery and Don did great showing and telling us about the history of Grace Village and the hug amount of growth that Healing Haiti has been able to establish for the Haitian Culture. Ro got to meet her Sponsor child that was at school at the time during our Grace Village/School tour! Our Service adventure Started with Visiting our Elder's! Filozia, Monique, Pierres and his wife Lauremise are all doing very well and I was able to have the privilege to pray over each one of them! We Finished our incredible day off with Pizza, fellowship and corn hole at Fleri Bakery! What a Fun Fill Blessed day we have! I am so thankful the Lord has orchestrated this Team, He has given each and every one of us the ability to be his hands and feet and share his everlasting Love to the Haitians! God is so Good!!!!

Blessings,
Ro 😘

Cite Soleil, Fleri Farm, For HIs Glory

Hello, everyone! Today was a crazy fun day. We first started at Stop #17 in Cite Soleil to play with all the kids. The face paint was a huge success - they couldn't get enough of it. We probably drew about 500 hearts on their arms, foreheads, and cheeks; but we loved every moment of it. After a couple hours of goofing around, we headed to Fleri Farms. With 56 acres of land, we toured just a tiny sliver and got to see mangoes, coconuts, dragon fruits, pomegranates, and so much more. We even got to taste raw sugarcane. We held the puppy, ate lunch, and witnessed the miracles of the Healing Haiti farm. On the last stop of Day 4, we went to "For His Glory" orphanage. This was easily the highlight of my day. It was a very nice compound with several classrooms, a big playground, and loving nannies to feed and care for them. The children were so full of smiles and overjoyed to see us. As they played with the soccer ball, or slid down the slides, all I felt was an overwhelming amount of love that filled the air. The children varied in age and there were a couple special needs children that were full of laughter. Overall, it was an amazing day full of unforgettable experiences.

 - Addie Sabados

Day 1: Elder School, Hope Church and Water Truck Day!

Day 1: Elder School, Hope Church and Water Truck Day!

We were blessed with an amazing first day in Cite Soleil! First, we stopped at Elder school, where we were greeted by what seemed like a million bright smiling faces. The children ranged from about age 3 to 18. They took us on a tour of their school and concluded with a dance party on the top floor. We joined in song and dance as we got to get a first glimpse of what life is like for a child living in Haiti. After we said our goodbyes, we headed to our first water truck stop. As soon as we got off the tap-tap, a bunch of kids came running towards us. We helped little boys, little girls, mothers, and grandmas carry water buckets to their homes. By the end of the day, all our arms were sore and we couldn't believe how people carry that much everyday! Next, we headed to Hope church, which is a church that also operates as a school. The children literally tackled our group members to the ground when they first saw us. We danced and even did some pushups with them. On our next water truck stop, we ventured to the pier. Again, we were surrounded by tons of little workers. The children were so excited to see us, and some made sure to put us to work! It was amazing seeing how the children's faces lit up when you picked them up. The children impressed us with their working skills, but we were blown away by the amount of joy they displayed, despite the living circumstances. We all went to bed exhausted, but smiles were everywhere to be seen.

-Kristina Collins  

May 2018 - Wednesday EHS Team

Hi everyone! My name is Ariana and today we visited Papillion, LePhare, and Mother Teresa's. Papillion was founded by an American woman who came to Haiti to adopt a child and during the process realized how many people don't want to give up their babies, but they have to because they can't provide. We received a tour at Papillion and were told about the free childcare the mothers receive and how Papillion employs approximately 250 Haitians. It was neat seeing how the beads are made and we were able to buy a lot of things in the gift shop! After Papillion we went to an orphanage called LePhare where we were greeted with a welcome song from the kids. Knowing they took the time to learn a song and sing it to us was very special. During our time there we painted the kids nails, played with chalk and bubbles, jumped rope, and had a lot of fun with face paint. It was uplifting to see these kids having fun and see the smiles on their faces. We then left the orphanage and went to the Home for the Sick and Dying Babies. Home for the Sick and Dying Babies has two rooms, both of them full of cribs holding sick children that were dropped off by their parents because they didn't have the means to take care of them. A lot of the parents visit and take their child back when they are better, but there are some orphans that are left behind. We were able to hold the children without IV's and could even bring them outside to play with them. It was heartbreaking to see these kids so helpless but also uplifting when we saw kids comforting other kids and helping each other. All of these children were so content to just be held and loved on and it was a very eye opening experience. Leaving the Home for the Sick and Dying Babies was difficult because they all cried when we put them back in their cribs and left, but I know Home for the Sick and Dying Babies will be an experience we won't forget. Day 2 was a success and I hope this week continues to be as great as it has started out!

-Ariana