After eating a wonderful Haitian spaghetti breakfast (ham, chicken, hot dogs, and white cheese garnish on top) we headed off to a remote village, Bossier, which is north of Jacmel. On our way, we drove past a funeral procession. They were walking through the streets in their finest attire, while a marching band was playing. The police were escorting the attenders as well as the funeral director. We then continued through some bumpy roads, a beautiful lake, and many spring fed water fill stations. There are many more motorcycles that make the trek up the mountain than 4-wheeled vehicles due to the conditions of the roads. Horses and mules are utilized for transportation.
We ended up at a beautiful village after 45 minutes filled with many welcoming faces. There was a strange absence of teenagers as well as people between the ages of 20-30 years old because a lot of them tend to leave Jacmel and head to Port-Au-Prince or the Dominican Republic for high school and university. Many don't return since there are more opportunities for jobs elsewhere.
We met all of the children in a catholic church and started our time with them by singing some songs. We were also able to perform our "hands" drama, which was followed by a fun, creative activity. The kids loved hanging out with us, and we enjoyed their company.
Some of us then split off to go help the women cook lunch that we had brought up to share with the entire community. We were able to grate coconuts, peel potatoes, and cut up carrots and beets. Helping prepare lunch was a new experience and it was a blast!
While some of us were making lunch, others were playing with the kids. Many fun games were involved such as dancing (a.k.a. Haiti's Got Talent), musical chairs, and heads or tails. The kids enjoyed the heads and tails game, but they cheated on the first round. They did figure the game out and it went much smoother the rest of the time.
We then walked to four different homes to visit some elders. We were able to massage and pray over the elders and their families. The elders were thankful and grateful for our visit. They were so sweet, and a couple of them were filled with a lot of energy. After our hike to the houses, we were able to enjoy lunch with the leadership council of Bossier. The leadership council is made up of a variety of different leaders from the community such as pastors, teachers and a school principal. We were able to have a great conversation with all of the members from the council. We learned that the nearest medical facility is about two hours away. Also the catholic church is currently being used for a school because their school is currently under construction. Getting supplies to a remote area is very challenging due to the rocky paths. Everyone in the community was very welcoming and the day was filled with many shared laughs and smiles. Lots of memories were formed and we are all very excited for the future of Bossier.
Charlie and Brooke (a.k.a. Creek)
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Jacmel - Home for Sick and Dying
We got an early start today with breakfast at 7:00a.m. in order to get to our destination in good time. The Home for Sick and Dying was very clean and nice. It was in the city of Jacmel, but took quite some time to get there due to traffic.
We noticed several differences between Jacmel and Port-Au-Prince. The pace is slower and the people seem more relaxed. The traffic isn't quite as chaotic in Jacmel either. Some of the architecture has more of a caribbean and colonial feel to it.
The first room we went into was the babies. There were mom's there to nurse and help care for their children. We were impressed how mom's were caring for other babies who didn't have their own mother's there. The nuns were extremely friendly and full of joy. You could tell they loved what they were doing with all their hearts. Some of the babies were very sick. One little girl was so sick and lethargic, but seemed so comforted by our presence and Alicia holding her. One little girl was being admitted when we arrived and she seemed a bit overwhelmed by the experience. It was a good sign, as that means she is firmly attached to her mother and/or caregivers. You could tell the other mothers felt for the little girl and tried to comfort her.
After awhile, some of us went into the toddler room. Most of them were pretty shy at first, but then warmed up and played games with us while being held. With a few of the boys, we played "this little piggy" and even though they couldn't understand the language, they loved the playful tickles and the human contact.
We went to another part of the Home to minister to adult women. We offered massages with lotion and all were anxious to receive this small mercy. You could see from the smiles on their beautiful faces, that they enjoyed this very much. We were able to get to most of the women, but then it was their rest time, so we had to leave. The sisters were very sweet and thanked us for coming. They would like us to come back again.
Once we arrived back at the guesthouse, we had hoped to visit some school children at a school within walking distance. However, we were informed that school doesn't start until Monday, so we decided to head to the school anyway for a tour. The teachers and administrators were there doing an in-service and planning meeting, but they were more than happy to show us around. We learned that it is a free school. We are hopeful the connections we are making during this "going deeper" trip will turn into future opportunities for service for future Healing Haiti teams. The school has a beautiful deck overlooking the ocean. You can hear the sound of the waves and it will be such a peaceful place of study. It is a brand new school building that will teach students K-6 and they are hoping to expand to higher grades.
We got hot and sweaty walking back up the mountain, so we were very excited to relax at the pool. After a delicious meal of salad, rice and chicken/veggie mix, we had our word of the day recap. Some of the words were hope, connection, fun, joy, peaceful, challenging, sweet and touch. Concerning touch, we discussed how important and impactful it can be, and how the love of an unfamiliar person can be comforting during a stressful event. Some of the team members shared some personal experiences where in their childhood they still remember the kindness of a stranger and how the feeling remains with them still today. This conversation reiterated to each of us how it may seem insignificant at times this work we are doing, but it is actually very important. We will never know this side of heaven, the impact that has been made here. We appreciate all our friends and family that have made this opportunity possible for us!
Kathleen and Kim
We noticed several differences between Jacmel and Port-Au-Prince. The pace is slower and the people seem more relaxed. The traffic isn't quite as chaotic in Jacmel either. Some of the architecture has more of a caribbean and colonial feel to it.
The first room we went into was the babies. There were mom's there to nurse and help care for their children. We were impressed how mom's were caring for other babies who didn't have their own mother's there. The nuns were extremely friendly and full of joy. You could tell they loved what they were doing with all their hearts. Some of the babies were very sick. One little girl was so sick and lethargic, but seemed so comforted by our presence and Alicia holding her. One little girl was being admitted when we arrived and she seemed a bit overwhelmed by the experience. It was a good sign, as that means she is firmly attached to her mother and/or caregivers. You could tell the other mothers felt for the little girl and tried to comfort her.
After awhile, some of us went into the toddler room. Most of them were pretty shy at first, but then warmed up and played games with us while being held. With a few of the boys, we played "this little piggy" and even though they couldn't understand the language, they loved the playful tickles and the human contact.
We went to another part of the Home to minister to adult women. We offered massages with lotion and all were anxious to receive this small mercy. You could see from the smiles on their beautiful faces, that they enjoyed this very much. We were able to get to most of the women, but then it was their rest time, so we had to leave. The sisters were very sweet and thanked us for coming. They would like us to come back again.
Once we arrived back at the guesthouse, we had hoped to visit some school children at a school within walking distance. However, we were informed that school doesn't start until Monday, so we decided to head to the school anyway for a tour. The teachers and administrators were there doing an in-service and planning meeting, but they were more than happy to show us around. We learned that it is a free school. We are hopeful the connections we are making during this "going deeper" trip will turn into future opportunities for service for future Healing Haiti teams. The school has a beautiful deck overlooking the ocean. You can hear the sound of the waves and it will be such a peaceful place of study. It is a brand new school building that will teach students K-6 and they are hoping to expand to higher grades.
We got hot and sweaty walking back up the mountain, so we were very excited to relax at the pool. After a delicious meal of salad, rice and chicken/veggie mix, we had our word of the day recap. Some of the words were hope, connection, fun, joy, peaceful, challenging, sweet and touch. Concerning touch, we discussed how important and impactful it can be, and how the love of an unfamiliar person can be comforting during a stressful event. Some of the team members shared some personal experiences where in their childhood they still remember the kindness of a stranger and how the feeling remains with them still today. This conversation reiterated to each of us how it may seem insignificant at times this work we are doing, but it is actually very important. We will never know this side of heaven, the impact that has been made here. We appreciate all our friends and family that have made this opportunity possible for us!
Kathleen and Kim
Jacmel - Bassin Bleu and Beach Dinner
"Remain in me and I will remain in you. I in them will produce much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4
We started today off with a poolside breakfast of veggie omelets, scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, and of course the most important thing, coffee :) After breakfast we did a devotion on the fruits of the spirit and how they don't always come to us easily, sometimes they require sacrifice. But, when we abide in Christ, He produces good fruits in us.
After breakfast we were joined by more Healing Haiti staff that made the trek down from Port-Au-Prince and up the mountain very early in the morning. After packing the Land Cruiser and pick up truck, we headed out to Bassin Bleu for more unknown adventures. After our scary hike the other day in Furcy, I'm pretty sure many of us were nervous that the hike would be much worse. Our only hope was that there would be guides again to hold our hands through the tough spots. on the way, we got to drive across a river, which was new for many of us. Once we got to Bassin Bleu, we found many guides willing to help us out. We chose a few and headed out on our hike. To our surprise, this hike was easier than the other day. There were cement stairs and rocks for grip along the way and the guides were there to hold our hands at any slippery spots. After awhile we arrived at a high cliff with a rope. This is where some of us got a bit nervous. Kim was brave and became our guinnea pig and went first. Her guide held onto her as she held the rope and down the cliff they went together. To our relief, the cliff had indents for our feet, so it wasn't as scary as it initially looked. Once we were down, we realized we had made it down to the waterfall. All we had to do was jump off a rock and swim to the base of the waterfall. Bassin Bleu is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the jungle. It has large waterfalls surrounded by tall cliffs and a canopy of trees with a beautiful pool of bright blue water in the middle. I think it was more beautiful and spectacular than any of us were expecting. The whole team jumped in the water and were very anxious to climb up the rocks that led up to the waterfall and jump off. Bassin Bleu is 75 feet at its deepest, so there was no worries about hitting the bottom when jumpingin. At the waterfall there were three levels you could jump from. Many of us were satisfied to jump from level one or two, but we had a few brave team members, (Brooke, Charlie and Kenneth) that chose to climb up the slippery rocks and jump from a very high spot. It was fun watching everyone come to the edge of the cliff and sit and stare at the water as they contemplated whether or not they had the courage to jump. After everyone got their fill of jumping and swimming in the basin, we all swam back to shore and hiked on back to our starting point. We all made it back with no falls. After we thanked our guides, we headed back downtown to Jacmel.
On the way back to the Haiti Surf Guesthouse, we stopped to do some shopping of some Haitian hand made goods. We also got to visit a local health clinic ran by Dr. Wilbur who grew up with our Healing Haiti Director in Jacmel. It was really nice to see how Dr. Wilbur has returned to his hometown to serve his community. After seeing the clinic, we headed back to our guesthouse where we freshened up before heading to our own private beach for dinner. The sea water was a gorgeous turquoise blue and the waves were pretty big. Not big enough to keep many of us from going in, though! After a swim and some card games, the hotel staff brought out an amazing dinner of lobster, conch, rice with beans, french fries, chicken and pizza. As we all ate, we discussed our word of the day. It was fun hearing everyone's take on the day and what they felt and saw within our group. It was a great way to end our most adventurous day of the trip. The purpose of this trip was to go deeper, and I think we all got what we came for today. The good news is, we're not finished. New adventures still await us the rest of the week.
Amy
We started today off with a poolside breakfast of veggie omelets, scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, and of course the most important thing, coffee :) After breakfast we did a devotion on the fruits of the spirit and how they don't always come to us easily, sometimes they require sacrifice. But, when we abide in Christ, He produces good fruits in us.
After breakfast we were joined by more Healing Haiti staff that made the trek down from Port-Au-Prince and up the mountain very early in the morning. After packing the Land Cruiser and pick up truck, we headed out to Bassin Bleu for more unknown adventures. After our scary hike the other day in Furcy, I'm pretty sure many of us were nervous that the hike would be much worse. Our only hope was that there would be guides again to hold our hands through the tough spots. on the way, we got to drive across a river, which was new for many of us. Once we got to Bassin Bleu, we found many guides willing to help us out. We chose a few and headed out on our hike. To our surprise, this hike was easier than the other day. There were cement stairs and rocks for grip along the way and the guides were there to hold our hands at any slippery spots. After awhile we arrived at a high cliff with a rope. This is where some of us got a bit nervous. Kim was brave and became our guinnea pig and went first. Her guide held onto her as she held the rope and down the cliff they went together. To our relief, the cliff had indents for our feet, so it wasn't as scary as it initially looked. Once we were down, we realized we had made it down to the waterfall. All we had to do was jump off a rock and swim to the base of the waterfall. Bassin Bleu is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the jungle. It has large waterfalls surrounded by tall cliffs and a canopy of trees with a beautiful pool of bright blue water in the middle. I think it was more beautiful and spectacular than any of us were expecting. The whole team jumped in the water and were very anxious to climb up the rocks that led up to the waterfall and jump off. Bassin Bleu is 75 feet at its deepest, so there was no worries about hitting the bottom when jumpingin. At the waterfall there were three levels you could jump from. Many of us were satisfied to jump from level one or two, but we had a few brave team members, (Brooke, Charlie and Kenneth) that chose to climb up the slippery rocks and jump from a very high spot. It was fun watching everyone come to the edge of the cliff and sit and stare at the water as they contemplated whether or not they had the courage to jump. After everyone got their fill of jumping and swimming in the basin, we all swam back to shore and hiked on back to our starting point. We all made it back with no falls. After we thanked our guides, we headed back downtown to Jacmel.
On the way back to the Haiti Surf Guesthouse, we stopped to do some shopping of some Haitian hand made goods. We also got to visit a local health clinic ran by Dr. Wilbur who grew up with our Healing Haiti Director in Jacmel. It was really nice to see how Dr. Wilbur has returned to his hometown to serve his community. After seeing the clinic, we headed back to our guesthouse where we freshened up before heading to our own private beach for dinner. The sea water was a gorgeous turquoise blue and the waves were pretty big. Not big enough to keep many of us from going in, though! After a swim and some card games, the hotel staff brought out an amazing dinner of lobster, conch, rice with beans, french fries, chicken and pizza. As we all ate, we discussed our word of the day. It was fun hearing everyone's take on the day and what they felt and saw within our group. It was a great way to end our most adventurous day of the trip. The purpose of this trip was to go deeper, and I think we all got what we came for today. The good news is, we're not finished. New adventures still await us the rest of the week.
Amy
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Jacmel - Water Truck Day
The day started with a great breakfast of Haitian omelets (egg-stuffed bread), oatmeal, mango, and bananas and amazing fresh-squeezed juice. The weather was beautiful and there is a good feeling in the air in Haiti. We had devotions out on the patio using the song So Will I (100 billion times) - "all creation praises your so will I."
We donned our lime green water truck shirts and prepared to go to Cite Soleil (Sun City) in Kreyol. Cite Soleil is home to over 400,000 people in 8 square miles - higher per capita than Manhattan, NY and all on one level. It being on the bay there are no wells close by because they would pump out salt water so all water has to be trucked in. Healing Haiti delivers over 87,000 gallons per week free of charge to the residents in Cite Soleil. It is always a beautiful time to play with the children, help carry water into the homes, unload the water into the buckets and tubs that they bring, hold the babies and take lots of photos! It takes about an hour to unload the water and can be very busy and chaotic.
We took a break in Hope Church, which is located in Cite Solei, while the water truck went to refill. After this we unloaded another truck load of water in a different section of CS. Then we went to visit the Fleri Farm which is a ministry of Healing Haiti about 10 minutes down the road in a very fertile section of Port-au-Prince. Sylveus gave us a tour of the farm and pointed out different crops. The goal of the farm is to produce crops that can help feed the school children and be used at Grace, Hope and the guesthouses. In addition they would like to find a market and buy from local farmers in order to elevate the Haitian farmers in the area.
We had another great Haitian dinner we went up to the hotel to swim and relax. We had a blast playing Farkle and Alicia who was near the bottom in points snuck up on us to become the high winner! We joined the other team for 'keep the ball in the air' in the pool and it was rowdy and fun!
Kimberly and Kathleen
Monday, January 6, 2020
Jacmel Trip- Kenscoff/Furcy Adventure
Today was a great first day of serving! We started our day with a devotion from Charlie about wonder, and how we always need to be open to what Christ has in store for us, instead of making our own plans. After the devotion, we headed towards Kenscoff. This was a new area for everyone to experience. We were able to visit four elders there who were full of lively spirits. Each and every one of them were rich in their faith and were able to share fantastic stories. We were able to connect with all of them through music and songs. We were able to serve many elders, but in reality, they were also serving us. Kenscoff had a welcoming community, where we could all see the love of God and love for one another.
Next, we headed higher up the mountain towards Furcy. There were breathtaking views along the way, and a much cooler climate. We started a long trek down the mountain towards a waterfall. Along the way, we kept making new friends, aka "tour guides." If it weren't for those young, kind men, we would never have made it. The path down to the waterfall was very narrow and slick. We avoided many major injuries with the help of our new friends and our teammates. After a few slips here and there, we finally made it to the waterfall, which was beautiful, but not quite as large as the "tour guides" had promised.
After taking a few pictures, we started the long journey back up. Our "tour guides" then pulled us back up the mountain to complete their duty. The hike was quite an adventure with amazing views. We also stopped to get some coffee on the way up. The coffee trees did not look like what we had imagined. The beans were pink and white. We were also able to see a gentleman ground the coffee beans himself with a large stick. There were also lots of chickens roaming around. We finished the rest of the hike to the tap tap and began our long journey home. The ride was much longer than expected since we were stuck in unexpected traffic. We were able to pass the time with some good stories. On the way home, we stopped to pick up some Haitian food, which was delicious. We finally made it to the guest house at 8 pm, where we scarfed down our taco dinner.
Overall, the day was filled with lots of laughs, smiles, and adventure. We were able to make many new friends and see a lot of new things. We are very excited for another day of serving tomorrow.
Brooke and Kristen
Next, we headed higher up the mountain towards Furcy. There were breathtaking views along the way, and a much cooler climate. We started a long trek down the mountain towards a waterfall. Along the way, we kept making new friends, aka "tour guides." If it weren't for those young, kind men, we would never have made it. The path down to the waterfall was very narrow and slick. We avoided many major injuries with the help of our new friends and our teammates. After a few slips here and there, we finally made it to the waterfall, which was beautiful, but not quite as large as the "tour guides" had promised.
After taking a few pictures, we started the long journey back up. Our "tour guides" then pulled us back up the mountain to complete their duty. The hike was quite an adventure with amazing views. We also stopped to get some coffee on the way up. The coffee trees did not look like what we had imagined. The beans were pink and white. We were also able to see a gentleman ground the coffee beans himself with a large stick. There were also lots of chickens roaming around. We finished the rest of the hike to the tap tap and began our long journey home. The ride was much longer than expected since we were stuck in unexpected traffic. We were able to pass the time with some good stories. On the way home, we stopped to pick up some Haitian food, which was delicious. We finally made it to the guest house at 8 pm, where we scarfed down our taco dinner.
Overall, the day was filled with lots of laughs, smiles, and adventure. We were able to make many new friends and see a lot of new things. We are very excited for another day of serving tomorrow.
Brooke and Kristen
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Jacmel Going Deeper - Travel Day
Jacmel Going Deeper Trip
Travel - Day One - Jan 5, 2020
We arrived in Haiti and were joyously greeted by Healing Haiti Haitian staff outside as we exited the Port-au-Prince airport. The weather was a balmy 86 degrees - quite a difference from Minnesota and Kansas weather! The staff informed us that the Vikings had won the play off game against the Saints. The atmosphere in the streets is calm and peaceful and it's pretty much 'business-as-usual. This is a welcome change from the difficulties the people have been facing in the last months here. The schools are re-opening later this week.
After a short ride in our tap-tap on now paved roads we arrived at the Healing Haiti guesthouse and settled in and then enjoyed a great meal of oven baked shepherd's pie. After dinner time we walked up to the Elite Hotel meeting friends along the way to relax around the pool. Even though the pool water was super chilly some of the team members engaged in a rousing game of pool keep-the-ball in the air.
Back at the guesthouse we had a team meeting and Word of the Day. Some of the "Words" that came up are anticipation, excitement, and peaceful. There is singing, laughing and lot's of chatter going on all around the guesthouse.
Kimberly and Charlie
Travel - Day One - Jan 5, 2020
We arrived in Haiti and were joyously greeted by Healing Haiti Haitian staff outside as we exited the Port-au-Prince airport. The weather was a balmy 86 degrees - quite a difference from Minnesota and Kansas weather! The staff informed us that the Vikings had won the play off game against the Saints. The atmosphere in the streets is calm and peaceful and it's pretty much 'business-as-usual. This is a welcome change from the difficulties the people have been facing in the last months here. The schools are re-opening later this week.
After a short ride in our tap-tap on now paved roads we arrived at the Healing Haiti guesthouse and settled in and then enjoyed a great meal of oven baked shepherd's pie. After dinner time we walked up to the Elite Hotel meeting friends along the way to relax around the pool. Even though the pool water was super chilly some of the team members engaged in a rousing game of pool keep-the-ball in the air.
Back at the guesthouse we had a team meeting and Word of the Day. Some of the "Words" that came up are anticipation, excitement, and peaceful. There is singing, laughing and lot's of chatter going on all around the guesthouse.
Kimberly and Charlie
Saturday, October 12, 2019
If I had to wrap our day up in one word I would choose heavenly..
The morning began with a beautiful sunrise at 6am. Roosters roosting, goats bleating, and a nice breeze on the balcony while most of the team slept in a little later.
Every morning the Haitian staff from Healing Haiti trickle in before most of us are awake and they begin making the most amazing breakfast from scratch. When I say from scratch I mean fresh squeezed papaya juice or passion fruit, scrambled eggs with chopped up onions, peppers and tomatoes, freshly chopped up avocado and bananas, oatmeal made with condensed milk and cinnamon, and pancakes. We all sit down and do a morning devotion with prayer to get the day going. We surrender the day to The Lord.
As the day got going our serving opportunities were somewhat limited but God had us get creative and serve at the mission house. Team 1 invited us to join in on what would be a piece of heaven on Earth. God had led them to become the hands of feet of Jesus to the Haitian staff that so selflessly serves missionaries week after week. They are so used to serving us that some were reluctant to receive what had been prepared for them. They received facials, a mint for their mouth, massages, foot rubs and hand rubs while Tommy played the guitar, Danielle as our drummer and the rest of us brought praises and worship to the Lord. We sang some songs in Creole and forced pampering on people who received facials and massages for the first time in their life! Although it was difficult to get them in this vulnerable position most of them did not want to get up once they got comfortable. They were extremely thankful and made fun of each other a little bit. What a blessing and honor to serve those who take such great care of us while we are here. They drive us, translate for us, cook, do our laundry, plan our trips and protect. This staff has been amazing and we've enjoyed getting closer with them!! To see all ages, male and female, different cultures and colors come together and love one another as Christ loves us is nothing short of heavenly!!!
The rest of the day we spent in fellowship at the pool mingling and getting to know other members of the team. Bonds have been made. It feels like one big family down here!!
Mesi Jezi
The morning began with a beautiful sunrise at 6am. Roosters roosting, goats bleating, and a nice breeze on the balcony while most of the team slept in a little later.
Every morning the Haitian staff from Healing Haiti trickle in before most of us are awake and they begin making the most amazing breakfast from scratch. When I say from scratch I mean fresh squeezed papaya juice or passion fruit, scrambled eggs with chopped up onions, peppers and tomatoes, freshly chopped up avocado and bananas, oatmeal made with condensed milk and cinnamon, and pancakes. We all sit down and do a morning devotion with prayer to get the day going. We surrender the day to The Lord.
As the day got going our serving opportunities were somewhat limited but God had us get creative and serve at the mission house. Team 1 invited us to join in on what would be a piece of heaven on Earth. God had led them to become the hands of feet of Jesus to the Haitian staff that so selflessly serves missionaries week after week. They are so used to serving us that some were reluctant to receive what had been prepared for them. They received facials, a mint for their mouth, massages, foot rubs and hand rubs while Tommy played the guitar, Danielle as our drummer and the rest of us brought praises and worship to the Lord. We sang some songs in Creole and forced pampering on people who received facials and massages for the first time in their life! Although it was difficult to get them in this vulnerable position most of them did not want to get up once they got comfortable. They were extremely thankful and made fun of each other a little bit. What a blessing and honor to serve those who take such great care of us while we are here. They drive us, translate for us, cook, do our laundry, plan our trips and protect. This staff has been amazing and we've enjoyed getting closer with them!! To see all ages, male and female, different cultures and colors come together and love one another as Christ loves us is nothing short of heavenly!!!
The rest of the day we spent in fellowship at the pool mingling and getting to know other members of the team. Bonds have been made. It feels like one big family down here!!
Mesi Jezi
Friday, October 11th
God is so relational. Yesterday morning our teammates assisted with helping the ladies make breakfast. Our team and the kitchen staff enjoyed time together working as a team in creating a meal and building relationships. God offers rest.
The Lord then offered us some down time to rest and wait on Him for His plans for the day. God is able.
God is able to open some paths that seem closed. By late morning,we were able to visit the community center. We played several games and did a number of activities with the kids. The most fun was when the kids painted on us as opposed to us face painting them. God refreshes His people. After returning to the guesthouse several members on both teams walked to a nearby hotel for a refreshing dip in a pool.
Thank you, Lord, for making a way to serve others, for your provision, and for being so good to us.
The Lord then offered us some down time to rest and wait on Him for His plans for the day. God is able.
God is able to open some paths that seem closed. By late morning,we were able to visit the community center. We played several games and did a number of activities with the kids. The most fun was when the kids painted on us as opposed to us face painting them. God refreshes His people. After returning to the guesthouse several members on both teams walked to a nearby hotel for a refreshing dip in a pool.
Thank you, Lord, for making a way to serve others, for your provision, and for being so good to us.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Today started out with tasty breakfast and prayers on the balcony. We learned that we were going to be serving in a unique and wonderful experience at a local community center called New Hope. This is a place close to the guest house and we learned one of our Healing Haiti staff grew up in this area so that made it even more special. As we arrived we were welcomed by a director who was happy to see us and LOTS of kids of all ages. Staff decided it was best for us to split up some of the older kids from the younger so a handful of us went to the local basketball court and entertained the teens with our basketball skills or lack thereof. Lol. We had half american, half Haitian teams. Some played in their flip flops and some in their bare feet. Us Americans wore out way before the teens did!! It was amazing how they could just keep going despite the heat and without drinking water. As we tired and trickled out to the sidelines we were joined with some of the younger teens that showed a lot of interest in us and wanted to communicate in 1 way or another. They began showing us their flexibility and double jointed skills. These kids are so creative and curious. Some walked on their hands, did headstands on the concrete, and even did a El Kempo? Marital arts show for us. They had lots of questions for us and we really enjoyed them.
Back at the building with the smaller kids there was face paintings, a puppet show done in Creole and English and some music played on the guitar. The little kids took great pleasure in decorating some of the Americans faces as well! At the end of our visit we all joined together again to watch the Haitian version of guitar along with mosh pit. It was a new and amazing experience to goers old and new!
After our visit we were able to take a deep breath at Papillion for some smoothies and shopping. It was a nice break from our extensive play time!! A good opportunity to regroup and reenergize.
We all feel really blessed to experience community in the way we have so far this week. Within our team.. With the other team and most of all with the Haitians. Staff and kiddos.
Love is a universal language. A smile. A wink. Just acknowledging "I see you." What an honor to experience a third world country such as Haiti. Such resilience and care for one another here. We could all learn a thing or two from each other if we just put down our difference and shared in each others wisdom. I would call this: A HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE.
Going to bed with our palms up and ready to serve in whatever way God has for us tomorrow.
Bon nwit
Back at the building with the smaller kids there was face paintings, a puppet show done in Creole and English and some music played on the guitar. The little kids took great pleasure in decorating some of the Americans faces as well! At the end of our visit we all joined together again to watch the Haitian version of guitar along with mosh pit. It was a new and amazing experience to goers old and new!
After our visit we were able to take a deep breath at Papillion for some smoothies and shopping. It was a nice break from our extensive play time!! A good opportunity to regroup and reenergize.
We all feel really blessed to experience community in the way we have so far this week. Within our team.. With the other team and most of all with the Haitians. Staff and kiddos.
Love is a universal language. A smile. A wink. Just acknowledging "I see you." What an honor to experience a third world country such as Haiti. Such resilience and care for one another here. We could all learn a thing or two from each other if we just put down our difference and shared in each others wisdom. I would call this: A HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE.
Going to bed with our palms up and ready to serve in whatever way God has for us tomorrow.
Bon nwit
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
We praise you God. We praise God for the calm in Delmas. We launched into a day with a devotion from "Jesus Calling" book and an awesome breakfast cooked by our kitchen staff. We received soul and spiritual food and fuel for the day.
An interesting element is occurring this week. Both teams have united into one unit. We are walking shoulder-to-shoulder serving together as the hands and feet of Christ. This started yesterday and is continuing today. This morning, both teams walked up the street to "harmonies des arts" to shop. The "harmoines" has metal art, canvas paintings, stone sculptures and wooden nick-knacks. Next, and uniquely, as only God can plan the week, both teams to the "home for sick and dying children". The nuns were thrilled to see us and we were excited to assist them. The team jumped right into holding babies, changing diapers, and interacting in various ways with the babies. We were gifted the opportunity to assist with helping to clean areas of the facility and feed the babies. We were also blessed to sit with each other as one team form differing states and connect with one another. Then we were able to enjoy some down time at the Elite hotel swimming pool.
A bit of soccer in the street with the neighborhood boys rounded out our day.
"All of you together are Christ's body and each of you is apart of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27
An interesting element is occurring this week. Both teams have united into one unit. We are walking shoulder-to-shoulder serving together as the hands and feet of Christ. This started yesterday and is continuing today. This morning, both teams walked up the street to "harmonies des arts" to shop. The "harmoines" has metal art, canvas paintings, stone sculptures and wooden nick-knacks. Next, and uniquely, as only God can plan the week, both teams to the "home for sick and dying children". The nuns were thrilled to see us and we were excited to assist them. The team jumped right into holding babies, changing diapers, and interacting in various ways with the babies. We were gifted the opportunity to assist with helping to clean areas of the facility and feed the babies. We were also blessed to sit with each other as one team form differing states and connect with one another. Then we were able to enjoy some down time at the Elite hotel swimming pool.
A bit of soccer in the street with the neighborhood boys rounded out our day.
"All of you together are Christ's body and each of you is apart of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27
Late posting our first blog - our first day was good. Our team and the other team united and did 2 water truck stops together. We were told by Alicia and Katie that the Cite Soleil community was excited to see us. It was intense as usual, but oh so good!
Our team visited the home for sick and dying children, we held and fed the babies. The streets were calm and quiet. Rachael discerned no energy on the streets when we arrived on Monday. I trust the streets will soon be bustling with people. We have spent each night worshiping the Lord honoring praise to him. We feel safe and protected as any previous trip - by God's almighty hand. We will see what the Lord has planned for us each day. Keep the prayers coming!
Our team visited the home for sick and dying children, we held and fed the babies. The streets were calm and quiet. Rachael discerned no energy on the streets when we arrived on Monday. I trust the streets will soon be bustling with people. We have spent each night worshiping the Lord honoring praise to him. We feel safe and protected as any previous trip - by God's almighty hand. We will see what the Lord has planned for us each day. Keep the prayers coming!
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Team Tex-io ~ Day 4 ~ July 25, 2019
Thursday, July 25, 2019
This morning we got to serve the Elders of
Titanyen just as Christ served his apostles, with a slightly updated twist. We
washed their feet, massaged lotion onto them and painted their toenails (all beautiful
women). We prayed for them and their families and whatever else was on their
hearts. In Haiti, not all elders have a support system and Healing Haiti allows
outside people to sponsor elders so that they receive a hot meal, water and
visits from missionaries and volunteers. Often the elderly are taken advantage
of in Haiti and this system helps alleviate some of the common problems they
experience. We noticed that many of the elderly have been tasked with taking
care of their grandchildren. One elderly woman we met slept on the floor so
that her grandchild could sleep on the bed. We
learned that we experience the same problems even 2,003 (or 1,927 to be more exact)
miles apart – the same hopes for our children, same fears and the same
spiritual struggles.
This afternoon we went to the Disney Land of
Haiti – Grace Village. This is a beautiful place where there is a community clinic,
feeding center, church, school and an orphanage that is set up in family style
housing. They have a beautiful playground and basketball court. Down the hill
from them is a bakery and restaurant that is creating job opportunities for
local Haitians. We brought sidewalk chalk and drew pictures and wrote words. Some
of the older kids even drew on some of the younger kids heads and arms and Dan's beard. We might not share a common language but we like to laugh at the same things.
Jezi renmen eu – Jesus loves you!
Dan, Tiffany, Ed, Amanda, Logan and Candice
Words of the Day – nasal gas, smoked, 82%, universal,
togetherness, calm, timing, whole heartedness
Team Tex-io ~ Day 3 ~ July 24, 2019
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Water truck day! We had the opportunity to deliver water to 3 different districts in Cite Soleil. In most of the districts, there is not access to clean or running water so the organization that we serve with delivers water daily each week, depending on the safety of the area. Every stop consisted of filling tons of buckets, bathtubs, barrels and pals of water and helping carry them to their respective homes. Children tried to play in the water pouring from the large hose but they were swatted or pulled out of the way so the water wouldn't be wasted. This water is used for bathing, drinking and cooking. As the water seemed to run out the people became more chaotic. In a stark contrast, bath time among the children was a team event playing and spashing in large tubs and the smiles on their faces were similar to what we see in the States during Christmas. To think - water... a gift.
For those who weren't carrying buckets or using the hose to fill the buckets, we had children hanging off of every limb. Younger mothers would come up and ask you to take their baby so they could have a break or so they could carry the water back to their homes. The children would bite, scratch and hit each other to be the one who was being held. I just kept thinking - what made me so worthy to give you love?
Jezi renmen eu – Jesus loves you!
Dan, Tiffany, Ed, Amanda, Logan and Candice
Words of the Day – maxi pad, gratitute, relationships, team, impact, growth, loved
Team Tex-io ~ Day 2 ~ July 23, 2019
Tuesday,
July 23, 2019
We visited the Haitian History Museum today and learned about the 4 founding fathers of Haiti - all former slaves who wanted and deserved so much more. I found out that at one time Haiti, then called San Domingo, was one of the richest colonies in the world due to the number of plantations here. It seems ironic that Haiti is now the poorest country in the world. The tour guide who spoke to us was so pleased to share of the greatest times in Haitian history.
Our "job" today was to play with kids in Cite Soleil! We played soccer, jump rope, parachute and silly faces. It's amazing how some things are the same everywhere - hugs, smiles, tickle fights. A very memorable moment for Amanda was that she was holding a little girl who had a large scar on her face and the other children were making fun of her by pointing and laughing. All of this ceased when Amanda showed her own scar on her hand and there was an immediate bond between the two of them. Acceptance is important in every culture.
Our "job" today was to play with kids in Cite Soleil! We played soccer, jump rope, parachute and silly faces. It's amazing how some things are the same everywhere - hugs, smiles, tickle fights. A very memorable moment for Amanda was that she was holding a little girl who had a large scar on her face and the other children were making fun of her by pointing and laughing. All of this ceased when Amanda showed her own scar on her hand and there was an immediate bond between the two of them. Acceptance is important in every culture.
I think it's important to note for anyone that is reading this that we are going through the organization called "Healing Haiti". Their staff and volunteers are changing lives in Haiti, not by giving tons of resources but by empowering Haitians to raise up their own community. I saw a sign at Hope Clinic in Cite Soleil that said something along the lines of "you should help us take care of this clinic because this is a part of your community". What if we all took the same pride in our own communities the way these residents do?
Jezi renmen eu – Jesus loves you!
Jezi renmen eu – Jesus loves you!
Dan,
Tiffany, Ed, Amanda, Logan and Candice
Words of
the Day – blessed, hope, humble, buccaneer, dirt, hey you, communication
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Team Tex-io ~ Day 1 ~ July 22, 2019
Monday,
July 22, 2019
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| Candice - the Author of this Blog |
Team Tex-io = Texas and Ohio ~ Dan & Tiffany Leslie, Amanda & Logan Barton, Ed Janes, Candice Kumor
We’re HERE! We are a small team this time with only 6 but we are “Sinceuwas/Sensuous 6” because we are so tired from our trip to Haiti that we are asking “Since you was up {Sinceuwas} “could you get me some water/jerky/gummy bears?”. It took some of us 2 days to make this trip – leaving Texas Sunday afternoon then arriving in Haiti Monday afternoon, not due to the distance but the delays. What’s important is that we are here – 4 from Texas and 2 from Ohio and we are here to love on and be loved by the Haitian people. We are getting to know each other, familiarizing ourselves with our surroundings and finding our place here. It is a different kind of peace here and we can’t wait to see what God has in store for our relationships with the Haitians. One thing is for sure Haiti is absolutely worth getting up in the middle of the night, sleeping on an airport floor and getting your back cushion stolen by an old lady at the airport (true story). We look forward to what God has in store for us, not what the itinerary says or what our hearts hope to see but what God has planned for each us. We are Team Tex-io!
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| Team Ohio at Graduation - Logan & Amanda |
 |
| Team Texas at Wichita Falls Airport - Tiffany, Dan, Ed, Candice |
Jezi renmen
eu – Jesus loves you!
Dan,
Tiffany, Ed, Amanda, Logan and Candice
Words of
the Day – relationship, happy, peace, “Naked Haitian Baby Butt”, refreshed, amazed,
kitty cat shorts
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Family Team / Day 7 / 7.21.19
Today was a bitter sweet day, as it is our last full day in
Haiti. Like every other morning, we
started our day with a cup of Haitian coffee and a wonderful breakfast. After breakfast, our team headed to Rendevous
Church. The worship consisted of a mix of English, Creole and French worship
songs – all of which were full of passion. Rendevous church provides headsets
so that the sermon can be translated into English. Today’s message was on Abraham’s obedience to
God – to the point of being willing to sacrifice his own son. It was a
challenge to all of us to be obedient to God’s call.
Our afternoon was spent enjoying the beauty of Haiti. We ventured to Wahoo Beach resort and enjoyed
swimming in the ocean, tried fresh crab, some of the team went snorkeling and
some played volleyball. The day was
enjoyed by all.
As we reflect on our week, each team member had a “word (or
words) of the week” that were shared during group time.
Leadership/Perspective
– without leadership, no great idea can get off the ground. God brought this team together and it is
clear God has had a hand in leading Healing Haiti. God enriched our lives
through this experience and has given us a new perspective. ~Shane
Change/Impact/Thankful
– On different levels this experience has changed us. From being in a house
full of strangers, that are now friends to going into Haiti as a team. We made
change. Impact – I believe we touched people. I believe we loved people. And
we had impact. I feel like my heart has changed and I have
been impacted. Thankful – thankful that we came upon this organization of Healing Haiti. Their vision is in the right place. Thankful that we came to Haiti as a family ~Stacey
Creation –
because I feel like a different person.
Being with the kids and giving love has made me a different person and I
want that to continue after I return home. ~Jaxson
Opened – before I
came here I had no experience with a third world country. I had pictures and
videos and stuff through technology. It
is so different and now I can really imagine what life is like in a third world
country. I feel like something was
missing before and when I came here something was opened up in me. ~Emma
Perspective –
There have been so many things with what we’ve done and the change of having no
distractions – it is experiencing God in a different way ~Stephen
House – In our
first world civilization we live in our own house and we are isolated from
others, even in our churches. This was
an opportunity to see God’s true light as we really got out of our house. You see the beauty in community and how happy
the Haitians are. This trip brought us
out of our house and into God’s house. I feel like I have been opened to God’s
house. ~Wade
Change/Action – Change because we all had our
preparation meetings over the computer and didn’t know each other very
well. We have changed that we now know
each other better. We have changed in
not hesitating to jump in. No one
hesitated on their action the entire
week. I have figured out the action that I need to do when I get
home. ~Mark
Mission –
God/Jesus brought us here and it was our mission to come to Haiti. We completed our mission. We made someone’s day by putting a smile on
their face. ~Sawyer
Grateful/Direction
– grateful for the opportunity to be here with this team, grateful that the
opportunity presented itself 7 years ago which has brought us to today. Grateful
that Haiti has changed me, grateful to have the opportunity to see what God has
to teach me. Direction – questioning where do we (our family) go from here ~Trent
Reset/Vision – Each
time I return to Haiti I am shown the importance of hitting the reset
button. Haiti teaches me that the
simplest things are the most important in life and that getting caught up in
the busyness of life can be a distraction from God’s vision for your life. ~Marcia
Relationship –
the things that I will remember are the relationships that I made – our team,
kids on water truck day, elder visits, etc.
These are the things I will end up remembering years from now. ~Genna
Impact – Although
it may be a little difference overall, it was a big impact for the people we
served in Haiti. The visits made their
day and when you think of Healing Haiti teams visiting multiple times a year, the
impact added together is big. ~Colton
Grateful – I am
just grateful to have been on this trip and in Haiti this last week. ~Rylee
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Family Team / Day 6 / 7.20.19
Today we did water truck day at the beginning and end of our
day, and spent time with area elders of Cite Soleil at Hope Church in between.
The first water truck stop was stop #17 which was in the heart of the poorest place. The place was packed to the brim with Haitians with water jugs. The kids were climbing up everyone’s back to get on their shoulders and sit. They had the biggest smiles and laughed endlessly. As the buckets were filling up, we would help carry them back to their houses and say Merci which is thank you. I met a girl named Sabrina who was 16 years old and had to get 4 full buckets of water for her family, which consisted of her mom and super young sister and brother. Our 2nd stop (after spending time with the elders) was to “4 Coffins” which was a little further down the street from stop 17. It was also very hectic with many people and most of them were young kids who wanted to be picked up and held. But the other half was young adult females getting water with kids who were too small to pick up the water so we had to step in and pick up the water and bring them to their house.
After the first water stop, we went to Hope church for the elder visit. Approximately 30 elders from Cite Solei, near Hope Church, were there waiting for us. We decided to do a Spa Day for them so we had 7 people washing feet, then we would lotion their feet after they dried. We would rotate every elder in until everyone’s feet were washed. The remaining people polished ladies’ nails if they chose and we took polaroid photos of everyone. Many of whom haven’t seen themselves or had a picture of themselves in years, if ever. After every elder was done with their feet washing, nails and picture, they were given a meal along with water and juice.
After we got back from Hope Church, we were able go outsides the gates of the guesthouse to play soccer, draw with sidewalk chalk, and jump rope. We were outside for maybe 1-2 hours and had a blast. The local neighborhood kids were really good at playing soccer.
~Jaxson and Colton
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