March 2015

Wow.  I cannot believe it has been 3 years since I have updated this blog.  I have made at least 4 trips, maybe 5 during that time and yet was not inspired to share. People often ask me if I get immune to the culture and  conditions in Haiti because I visit so often.  My lack of blogging may indicate yes, but the truth is, each trip awakens something in me that keeps my heart soft for the work of God in Haiti. 

Over the last few years, I have begun to support a fulltime missionary family in Haiti and have had the privilege of partnering with them in Haiti several times with my church.  They are RTS Missions, which stands for Reaching, Teaching, Sending.  Their website is  http://www.rtsmissions.com/

It has been interesting watching their ministry unfold because Greg is what I call a doer.  He went to Haiti, saw a need to reach children with the message of Christ and help provide them a solid education. Greg just started working towards that goal with little or no resources.  Over the next few years, he began to bring a clear focus to the vision that God gave him, and along the way learned some valuable lessons about working in a developing country.  None of the setbacks kept him from moving forward or changing directions when needed, or modifying approach when God revealed next steps or barriers.

Today, Greg and his family, are working with a loose association of churches who are working towards equipping children and communities with God centered values, a head start on education and supporting each other in prayer and service.  Greg and the team of local Pastors are always thinking about how to improve what already exists and build for the future, whether that is the church or the schools they provide.

I write this because it is the work of people like Greg and the commitment his wife, Maria, make to be a serving partner with the people of Haiti that makes a difference.  My own experience in Kenya and Central America has shown me that "doing for" others only has short term benefits.  Serving with and helping them move forward with ownership of implementation and on going development, brings long term benefits.  It builds people up and allows them to take ownership of their own futures.

It is extremely humbling as a U.S. citizen, to know there are other ways to accomplish things, and yet still  yield to the local partners to know what will work for them.  At one point, my home church wanted to start a clothing ministry through a local church in Thomazeau.  I went to meet with the Pastor and explain how the women of my church wanted to help.  He just smiled and said that would be nice, but not really needed.  So, that led to the question, what do you really need to expand your work and support your community  His response surprised me.  He said the needed a new bass guitar.  Music is a universal language and good worship music draws the unchurched in, which draws new students into the school, which expands the horizons and world view of the children. And in the end, can only improve the economy and stability of Haiti.

Well, one bass guitar led to a new sound board, a keyboard, a generator and even new drum sticks.  This church rejoiced in the new equipment, shared their old with a new church start in another neighborhood.  Both churches have grown and the school has expanded.  God works when we listen and help meet real needs, not our idea of what is needed.

This last trip a few weeks ago, was a great inspiration to me.  We got to see progressive results from our previous visits, helped build a new education addition to an expanding church and did outreach with over 400 children in 3 different churches.  I still felt the joy of sharing the love of Christ in word and deed, and working along side Haitians who are invested in seeing their country improve without sacrificing their own culture and history. 

It is possible to be  immune to another human being's need.  It takes work to stay sensitive enough to see need and discernment to recognize your part in helping with the need.  It also can come by just practicing the craft of serving alongside others.  Staying sensitive to needs in an environment of self gratifications that is so prevalent in our American society does take effort.

Serving alongside those in need  can be practiced anywhere, not just Haiti.  Starting local is as easy as linking into your community's volunteer network.  In Davenport, Iowa that is as simple as going to  http://www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/department/index.php?structureid=38 or partnering in your local church's outreach in the community.  It is a good first step in helping to expand your own world vision.
 

August 2012

This trip had many twists and turns even before we left for Haiti.  A team member was hit by a car; another dropped out due to a long forgotten heart problem, a  team member critical to success almost dropped out, and it was the largest group we have ever taken to Haiti.  It was enough to make my head spin, and yet, God pushed me through and taught me (again) about practicing His presence in the midst of turmoil.

We stayed with the Children of Hope Orphanage in Thomazeau, Haiti.  A long time partner in the work of God in Haiti.  With the project management team of Bobby Troussaint and Roger Hall, we built a new concrete block home for a man and his family we met on our very first trip to Haiti.  He actually worked with us on the first home we built and now, we were helping him build his own home.  Sweet.

We also have become friends with the leadership team of the Free Methodist Church in Thomazeau.  On a previous trip, we had asked what we could do for them and they asked for a new guitar and keyboard.  Never in  my wildest dreams did it occur to me, that their simple request would launch a chain of events (through the forward thinking of our own worship leader and the hand of God) that blessed not just the Free Methodist Church but a start up Baptist church right by the orphanage.  We ended up taking down an entire new sound system, mixer, guitar and keyboard.  We bought a new generator for them and they in turn donated their old equipment and generator to the start up church.

Culturally, no one in Haiti gets rid of anything on the outside chance it will be needed in the future.  So, for the Pastor to be so willing to send his old and broken equipment to another church was the hand of God.  Even more, God knew before  our church made the decision to take the new sound system with us that little church had a need as well.  Music is such an important part of daily culture and even more so in worship.  Two churches blessed by God that bring glory and honor to Him.  Cool, very cool.

I also learned my plan is not God's plan (again).  Thanks to Mike Utz for gently leading me to good decisions about what we took down and how we consecrated the instruments and equipment  in worship.  It was a wonderful time of rejoicing.  The church was packed, standing room only inside and out.  So much praise.

We had sickness and stress on this trip as well.  Everything from queasy stomachs, to rashes,   and general malaise.  With it came untold blessings and bonding together.  We spent time  with the children and people in the community.  For the first time, we really shopped in the local market.  It was amazing what people chose to buy as souvenirs.  Handmade metal cups, bags and watches on the cheap!  I think someone even bought handmade shoes or slippers for one of his kids.  We definitely boosted the economy that day.

Morning devotions and Circle time at the end of the day was very special on this trip.  After so many trips to Haiti, I get a little hardened to the sights and sounds of Haiti.  It is refreshing to see and hear anew through others. Also, God drew us together in love  and we were able to share painful and joyous lessons from our past.  Tears were abundant on several occasions.  Listening to what team members were learning about themselves and the world around them, touched my heart, mind and spirit.

One team member was inserted by God into a last trek for a dying woman trying to make it home to be with her family.  He carried her for part of the way to relieve her son for a short time on the journey up into the mountains.  Heart swelling for the kindness and compassion of Mike B, heartbreaking for the family about to lose a loved one. 

I am reminded of the generosity of our church family, family, friends and coworkers.  Their passion for the work in Haiti enabled us to have two completed projects and to leave behind a generous donation to help feed the children in the orphanage.  The work in Haiti is a community event.  Some go.  Some stay behind to pray.  Some give money or time or the sweat of their brow.  All are important for  the work of God in Haiti.

March 2012

I have taken a long time, almost a year, to begin to write about my experience in Haiti during our March 2012 trip.  It was an emotionally overwhelming experience and thought I better give myself some time to separate from the emotion before I shared the experience.  I never dreamed it would take almost a year to get myself back on track. 

We partnered with a wonderful nongoverment organization, Mission of Hope (MOH).  They are located north of Port Au Prince and were direct recipients of the injured, orphaned and homeless from the earthquake.  The continuing story of how God prepared and transformed this Christian based orphanage and school into a fully functioning resource center for victims of the quake can be followed directly at their homepage, www.mohhaiti.org .  God is blessing through this group.

Our group has never partnered with such a large organization.  The week we served, we were joined by several hundred volunteers from all over the US and Canada.  Our basic work was to paint homes, pray and share with earthquake victims who are living in temporary shelters and to rejoice and play with a new integrated (hearing and nonhearing) village being established just north of Mission of Hope. 

We were scared and frightened by the huge spiders living in the new homes as well as touched, saddened and emptied emotionally by the ongoing suffering of those in the recovery process from the losses sustained in the earthquake.  Fear among the people in the temporary housing outside the Mission of Hope compound continued to be an ongoing concern.  Fear the earth will shake again, fear about losing what remains of their families, fear of not ever being able to work, laugh or engage in life again.  Tears were a normal part of our days. 

Our bus driver and interpreter shared their personal stories of loss and how God led them to reengage in living in Him and for Him through service to others.  I was struck that even the hopeless gained hope by sharing their lives with others and at the same time, helped themselves move forward.  Faith was their foundation and the knowledge that despite the horrors that overtook their lives, God was there in their suffering working to save them, literally and spiritually.

We laughed as well.  Jesse brought an American football with her and she and Brady had a great time teaching area children how to throw it and send it sailing back.  We played "keep the balloon in the air" with large groups of children.  Colleen read to children in small groups and had mothers leaning in to hear the stories.  Traci brought along a jump rope and it turned into a universal language with adults and kids.  So, with tears also came smiles, lots of them.

We attended a church on the Mission of Hope campus that has a congregation in excess of 2,000 people from the commutable area.  It was awesome!  They had a big screen, musicians, a great sound system and shouts of joy in worship.

Cassey, a very sports minded women, brought lots of sports equipment to donate and we ran a sports clinic one afternoon for the orphans living at MOH.  They were excited to have baseball gloves and new soccer balls.  Some of us, ended up playing card games with a few children when it became obvious that athletics was not in the "cards" for us.

MOH went out of their way to take us to a beach resort area on the north coast.  I was dreading the adventure because I felt it was wasted time when we could be working in the area camps with survivors.  They insisted we need to go.  I am glad I did for two reasons.  It helped me to see that little by little, the tourist trade is trying to revive in Haiti.  They need it to grow to improve their economy through job creation.  Secondly, it help me to detox from all the stories and tears of the previous days and enjoy the beauty of Haiti.

It is hard to face such devastation daily and not lose hope that the country of Haiti can and does have a future.  With good leadership, educated and skilled workers, investment in business and lots of prayer, Haiti can create a stable and healthy place for the children to grow and learn.  It will not happen overnight.  But it will happen.  God is good and I know He is working in Haiti.  I just need to pause and look around me to see the improvement from visit to visit.

Back to Back Trips February 25, 2012

I spent a few days in Haiti a week or so ago and will head back there on March 9th with a team of 10 people to work at Mission of Hope. My mind always knows that when traveling in a developing country, it is best not to get to attached to my own agenda and yet, when my agenda goes haywire, I get tilted off base. Such was my last trip. It took me a day or two to realize that God was working, even though my agenda was not falling into place. By the end of the trip, of all the tasks on my list, only one went undone and it was probably the least important.

I stayed at Children of Hope in Thomazeau and got to meet the new children who now live there and be happy for the 3 that are in the last stages of adoption. School was in session, so the children were busy most of the day. I was traveling with representatives from The Joseph School and we looked at two pieces of property. Each was so different. One piece of land was lush, fertile and nestled up in the mountains. The other was outside Thomazeau and had the look and feel of central Texas scrub land. Each had its benefits and its drawbacks. Be praying we make a good choice for the site of the school.

As I look forward to the trip in March, I am particularly excited about the team. Six of the ten are first-timers and the excitement is high. We will be going to an orphanage that has been established for many years. After the earthquake, they established a second campus further north into the mountains. It has many outreach programs into the surrounding communities. To learn more about Mission of Hope, go to http://www.mohhaiti.org/ or visit them on Facebook. What is really different on this trip is that we will be joining many other volunteers and integrating together to complete the work set before us.

Our team has so many skills that will be useful. Some can do plumbing, electrical and general construction. Others are teachers and evangelists. We will be able to each experience the work in Haiti within the context of our own skills and be open to having God use us in ways we cannot imagine.

The thrill and fear of the unknown always seem to run parallel for me. I have fear, but at the same time I am excited about the opportunity to serve and the adventure of reaching out to others in the name of Jesus.

So, look for more entries in the next few weeks to see how God works in our lives and in Haiti during the March trip.

Wrap Up at Church

Saturday and Sunday, the team spoke about their experiences at our church services. It was moving to listen to their stories, share their emotion and see Haiti and ourselves with new eyes. I love these people! No way I can tell you what they said, so you will just have to listen. Here is the link.

http://www.acityonahill.com

Click on sermons and then Mission to Haiti

Day Seven, Going Home

It was so hard this morning to get up and pack and know we were heading towards the final good-byes. We got up at 4:30AM and were across the street to catch the bus by 5:30 AM. Lots of tears. I managed to hold it together until the older children lined up and sang "I Am Not Forgotten, God Knows My Name."

There is no way anyone could listen to the song and see their faces and not cry. It was even hard watching the young people say goodbye to the kids. Marisa could hardly let go and get on the bus. I think Betty cried all the way to Port Au Prince. So many hugs. Enough to last me until I get home and hug my own grandchildren.

Travel home was without incident except for Davi's devotion in the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Nothing could have been more meaningful to me personally than to know how deeply God touched her on this trip. On all the mission trips I have taken over the years, her's and Roger's personal stories have touched me the most. It confirms for me that God uses mission work to grow us as much as to help others.

So many people, both in our church, and in our personal networks, supported us and the work in Haiti. Each shares in this journey and I pray God blesses them with this knowledge. I am thankful to God for my family and their willingness to let me go and grow. I know they worry for my safety yet they send me off with smiles and hugs.

I feel like this adventure is not really over and now just wait for what God has next for me in Haiti.

Day Three, June 13, 2011

God sure was working today! All the walls are up in the house and VBS went off well. Even Davi's running accident is on the mend.

Mike, Davi and I went to see where Mama Sophie is currently living. It is a small 6x 8 room (at best it is that large) made from mud and sticks. The bottom is eroded away and they have put up a couple of lean-tos to provide more space. I had all I could do not to cry when I met Mama Sophie's daughter and granddaughter at their current home. The baby is so small, just months old, and is at risk in this home. We take so much for granted in the U.S.

The two groups have merged well and Marisa did her parents proud when she lead our devotion this morning. She is a brave young woman, just 15. She came to Haiti, lead a devotion to a group of adults and keeps on going despite bug bites, heat and lack of running water.

Bobbie and Lovee shared their personal story with us tonight. It was too wonderful. They could have slid through life carrying on with the family business, but chose to risk it all for God to start an orphange.

I enjoyed teaching in VBS today and the lessons are speaking to my heart probably more than they are to the children. I thank God for Lucia and his interpretation skills. He mimicks my intonation, hand motions and every once in a while gets caught up in the Spirit and starts to preach to the children himself!

I saw a Haitian pig today. It is a cross between the indiginous species and the American pig.

Not sure if I am just in Haitian overload or too tired from lack of sleep or what, but I can barely journal this evening. I am not getting any solid sleep, too much noise in the neighborhood and about the time it stops, a couple of hours later, the roosters start crowing. I get overwhelmed with sadness when I view the conditions most people have to live in this town. So much poverty and unsanitary conditions. I saw some outdoor toilets today that are nothing more than an hole in the ground, no vents, no door or sides to speak of, and no privacy. The public bathing area outside the house I am staying in is nothing more than an irrigation ditch/sewer. They are prevalent in all parts of this country for open bathing, washing of clothes and dumping of dirty water.

A joy experienced early this morning before VBS was catching the boys working on the puzzles. On Sunday, Roger and Davi were showing the kids how to work puzzles. They kept stealing pieces and hiding them. It was frustrating. And yet this morning, they were sharing their pieces and working at putting the puzzles together. What a God thing!