Day 4 Team 3 (M&M)

Thursday, July 26^th, otherwise known and never to be forgotten as “W­­ATER TRUCK DAY”!!!  So what’s the big deal about water truck day?  Ever since we showed up here in Haiti I’ve been hearing about it. Other teams have already gone before us, I’ve witnessed their grimy clothes and hair paired with exhausted steps and ….contented smiles?  Well not to be cliché but, you just had to be there to understand. First a little background to get you interested, we travel in style to City Solei down some smooth, honk-free streets.  There is no running water in this shanty town built on a land fill, it’s very near the bay and so even if they drill down through the mounds of trash salt water is all they find.  The only way the families get their water to cook, clean, wash clothes and yes drink is by large trucks filled at a filling station and then dispended in well-known corridors.  Seven days a week these trucks run back and forth, the only source of fresh, clean water for these wonderful people.  Tension mounts as the water truck backs into position, the lines already begun.  Crowds of young and old bring their plastic buckets, barrels, wash basins or whatever they have salvaged to hold and carry water.  People are crowding and shouting, children are excited and climbing our bodies as we try to help the smallest and the oldest to bring home that precious commodity.  Women grab my arm and “claim” me, dragging me down narrow treacherous alleys hoping I can find my way back.  Not to worry, the children always lead me back hugging me and kissing my cheek telling me “merci, merci”.   Several times I was allowed to glimpse behind the “door” into their tiny shanty homes, babies are brought out to be blessed, food is offered, some kind of starch that looked like an armadillo on one side?  I had to eat, although the thought of breathing seemed vitally more important, and I had to get back to see who else might just need help.  It’s a race, the truck is only there for a short time, and if you miss it or can’t fill all your jugs in time, you might just not get enough water for the day.

The Lord tends to use simple everyday things, water for instance, in order to perform wonderful miracles.  In the Old Testament the water of a flood “baptized” Noah and his family, same goes for Moses and the Israelites through the water of the Red Sea.  The New Testament reveals it even more clearly when Jesus tells us that we must be born of “Water and The Spirit”.  God knows that sometimes we need an outward sign of his love for us; outward, physical, tangible signs of an invisible reality.  That’s what “WATER TRUCK DAY” is, simply put; it’s a sign to the people of Haiti that God really and truly loves them.    

- Matt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 Team 3 (M&M)

Note About Today's Mission:  Pictures are not allowed in special circumstances; therefore we are only posting pictures from Papillion today.

Gertrude’s

Our first stop today was Gertrude’s, an orphanage for special needs children. I didn’t even finish the tour before I was led off to explore and play. There was a slight learning curve every time I played with a new child, but all it took was dedication and patience to make a smile. The question that continually pounded at the back of my head, even as raucous screams of joy pealed out during wheelchair races, was what happens next for these kids? The only thing we can say for sure is that we have no idea. My goal today was to forget myself and any reservations I had to make sure I could give these kids a taste of the joy they deserve, because no one knows for how long their happiness is guaranteed.

-Bob

Papillion

After Gertrude’s we stopped at a shop called Papillion. Papillion is the French word butterfly if you weren’t aware. Papillion offered handmade metal works, beaded bracelets and necklaces, stuffed animals, T-shirts, games, and much more. We received a tour of their production site where they showed us how they made the hand-rolled beads, assembled the wares, and then packaged them. Papillion was established by an American woman who came to Haiti to adopt a child. The mother of the child did not want to give up the kid but had no other option because she could not provide for the child. Papillion provides jobs for nearly 300 people in Haiti so that they may be able to support their families and keep them whole.

-Jack

Home for Sick and Dying Babies

Today we went to Home for Sick and Dying Babies. This was definitely an experience that I will never forget. The kids there were so sweet and I felt so vulnerable. My arms are tired from holding so many children, it feels like there just isn’t enough time in the day to hold and love all of the children there. Every time a child would be set down, they would cry and scream for more love and affection. There was definitely a need for lots of attention for these children; their faces always seemed to brighten whenever they were picked up or even just talked to. It was really a difficult but fun day and I’m so grateful that I got to experience it.

-          Kayla

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