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

Day 7: Grace Church service & Wahoo Beach resort

Hi, it's Danielle blogging again. We began our day by going up to Grace Church. It was a very uplifting and energetic service. The people in Haiti rely so much on their faith, and you can see it in the way that they worship. Many people raised their hands high in the air and sang with passion.
After church, we drove out to a beach  resort called Wahoo Bay. The beauty of the surroundings there left us awestruck. The ocean was so clear and blue, the sand was beautiful and fine, and mountains on one side reached high. It's always a great experience going to see the beautiful parts of Haiti because for most of the week we are centered in the city of Port-au-Prince. It's also simply a nice time to just wind down and process the past days that we've had here. We spent the time there swimming, snorkeling, relaxing, and of course, jumping off of the water trampoline. This past week here has been one that none of us will ever forget. This country, the hearts of the people here, and each smile that we witness are all so beautiful. We now thank God, the people that helped get us here, and the wonderful staff and people of Haiti for making this week so amazing.

Day 6: Water Truck delivery & Home for the Sick and Dying Babies

Hello blog readers,
Today was our last day serving the people of Haiti. We started off our day by doing two water truck stops. Water truck day always brings on tons of emotions. It's overwhelming, fun, exciting, heartbreaking, and eye opening all at once. Being on the water line means you are directing and holding the hose. If you aren't a part of the water line, you are helping carry the buckets of water being filled up or loving on the kids. Today after delivering a bucket, Abby and I had the opportunity to help some ladies wash their laundry. Washing laundry in Haiti is not throwing all your darks in one pile, your lights in another, and then throwing them into a machine. Washing laundry in Haiti starts with a large bucket of soapy water and your hands. Clothes become clean when you rub your hands back and forth with the fabric in the bucket of soapy water until it makes a squeaking noise. We helped them wash clothes for about ten minutes. Most of the ten minutes was spent laughing at the fact that we had no idea what we were doing. This was actually one of my favorite experiences I have had while in Haiti. It really allowed me to be apart of the culture here and that was super cool. Something I have always loved about water truck day is watching the kids dump the water on themselves and dance while they're doing it. It shocks me every time how joyful the Haitian people are even though they are living in the conditions that they are. The littlest things can and will put the biggest smile on their faces.

-Rachel Nagel

After our last water truck stop we went to the grocery store! The grocery store is always a somewhat exciting adventure. The best part of going to the grocery store is the air conditioning. Besides AC we enjoyed buying a whole bunch of different Haitian food such as ice cream, candy, and drinks to try! Dana was especially excited about finding limeade! After finding all of our delicious snacks we got on the taptap to go to the home for sick and dying babies. When we arrived we were led into two different rooms of babies. Each room had at least 30 cribs. We started off by feeding each child their lunch which was soup. After lunch we were allowed to take the babies out of their cribs and bring them outside on the playground. Some kids had to be held because they were too little and sick to play. In America we have the luxury of technology and here in Haiti they have little access to care for the sick. This was one of the most heartbreaking experiences of the entire trip.

-Rachel Nagel & Grace Rieckhoff

Day 5: Elder visits, Grace Village orphanage tour and Fleri bakery

Hi, our  names are Danielle and Grace, and today we're blogging about our fifth day here in Haiti.  We started the day by going to visit some Elders in the city of Titanyen. We were able to visit three homes. The elders were so grateful for the time we spent with them. We were able to bring them a hot meal, wash their feet, rub lotion on any of their aches, sing with them, and most importantly pray for them. These simple things that we provided for them really meant a lot to these people. In Haiti, the life expectancy is much lower than in the US. This means that many of them have outlived their children. For many of these elders, we are the only "family" they really have. For me, it was really fun being able to bring a guitar with and make these visits more vivacious with some songs that they could sing and dance to. There was one especially lively elder who could not stop smiling, laughing, and dancing. His smile was contagious and brought so much joy to us all, as well as an inspiration. While visiting these three homes I think it was a good view to see how truly happy they are and that they put all their trust in God and his plan for them. They were all so joyful over the little things people have and I truly think it opened all our eyes to us in the group to how grateful we should be for every little thing we have in life.

After the elder visits, we went to Grace Village and had a tour of the whole set up of the area. Grace Village is a family style orphanage and school in the mountains with a beautiful view. Lots of kids call Grace Village their home after the hurricane. A family style orphanage is where there are 4-6 kids in a house with two adults that are fulfilling roles as parents and teaching them things such as cleaning their own clothes. Healing Haiti firmly believes that children should be able to experience growing up with a family, not in dorms. There are more than 60 kids in the orphanage, about 450 kids in the school, and they have helped over 11,000 in their clinic. It was amazing to see all the cool opportunities these kids have at the orphanage/school.
~Danielle Gjerde & Grace Rieckhoff

As an addition to our Grace Village visit, we were blessed with the opportunity to both take a tour of the Fleri bakery and enjoy an incredibly delicious dinner there. The tour was led by Jake Stebbing, Fleri's manager. During the tour, we were surrounded by Haitian employees making their products, and restaurant employees preparing for the dinner hour.  Jake shared how the mission of the bakery has changed quite a bit since its inception due to Healing Haiti's focus on job creation. Originally, they were going to use part of the facility as a baking school, but as those involved in the project sought God's will on the matter, it made far more sense to start a restaurant.  And proof that the project is in the center of God's will is shown by the amazing success and growth they are experiencing. Last year the bakery/restaurant made nearly $200,000, which is a tremendous number in the Haitian economy.
~Mark Magnuson

Day 4: For His Glory Orphanage, Haiti Design Co., Dio's Special Needs Orphanage

For His Glory Orphanage

Hi! My name is Rylie and today our team went to a orphanage called For His Glory. As we got off the tap-tap and walked inside, the building was already filled with an immense amount of laughter and the sound of kids learning (loudly). The orphanage consisted of about 4 different rooms that held a good amount of kids of the same age in each room. Our mission today was to teach the kids about the importance of dental hygiene and show them love and attention that they may not always receive. The first group of kids that were brought out to get a cleaning and a fluoride treatment were the second youngest group containing mostly 2-4 year-olds. A little boy in a yellow Thailand shirt ran straight up to me with the biggest smile across his face and his arms up. I looked at him and I just knew, it was going to be hard to separate from him when it would be time to go. He knew how to brush his teeth, ON HIS OWN. His smile was beyond contagious and you could just tell how loved he was by not only our team, but by the staff as well. As more groups continued to go out and learn how to brush their teeth and get a fluoride treatment, you could see how happy and loved all the kids truly were. The experience I had at this orphanage was by far the best and it truly was heartbreaking to leave my little man. I was blown a few kisses and waved goodbye but my heart is still with that little boy and I'll be praying for him and the rest of the kids that reside in For His Glory.

~Rylie Unruh

Dana, applying flouride treatment 

Rylie and her "little man"

Haiti Design Co.

Next, we went to a place called Haiti Design Co. They employ 60+ Haitian artisans who create beautifully designed jewelry and bags made of various combinations of leather, beads, and fabric. While I had been there a few times before, I had not yet had the experience we had today.  When I was in Haiti last July and visited Haiti Design Co., I noticed a sign advertising an "experience," where you could choose to learn from the artisans how to create one of their items, such as a leather bracelet, a bracelet made out of leather beads, a sewing project, or even participate in a rooftop yoga experience.  You could also opt to have a meal with your experience. I was intrigued and was happy my team was excited to try it, too!  We had a really great time creating our own works of wearable art and are so excited to show them off at home and tell others about it.
~Michelle

Leather beaded bracelet making!

Half the group working on their leather beaded bracelets

Modeling our leather wrapped bracelets

Dio's Orphanage for Children with Special Needs

Bonswa! My name is Avery, and today we visited a special needs orphanage called "Dio's". There were about 25 or more kids there. This was one of the way nicer orphanages that we have seen. It was very big and the kids seemed to be very loved where they were. The instant we got off the Tap Tap one boy, who was about seven, came running and squealing towards us because he was SO excited. He continued running and hugging everyone throughout the visit. We brought play-doh for them to play with, danced and sang with them, and played soccer. There were a lot of things going on, but one thing I noticed was that almost every kid was very happy. One guy, maybe in his 20's, who had down syndrome, was just dancing the whole entire time (and he was GOOD at it, too!). At the beginning he was in the trunk of a truck just dancin' all by himself, and it was soo adorable. One thing that I also noticed was that all of the kids had one special thing or talent that stood out about them. There was the dancer boy, the happy boy that gave everybody hugs, and everyone just had very contagious smiles. Everyone seemed to have a great time, even Mark got to break out some of his dance moves. Usually it's very hard for me to leave orphanages, because I always feel like the kids didn't get all the love they needed. But the whole place had a very loving atmosphere, so I felt good knowing I was leaving them in good hands.  

This little guy was amazing at soccer!

Playdough fun :)

 

Time for a little "Tooty Ta!"