Well, it's been a month since I've been in Haiti...that is crazy to me!
I am still in awe of how God has changed me in 30 days, and how He is still changing me.
These past few days I have been going through the pictures from my trip and re-reading my posts, and I cannot wait until the next opportunity comes for me to go back!
Haiti has been on my heart and mind pretty much 24/7 lately. Winter isn't my favorite time of year, for many personal reasons, not just the cold weather...so because of that, my mind wanders a lot. I am constantly thinking about what the kids are doing in Titanyen, how the 3 Chords women are doing, and how I can't seem to find my friends from Minotri on Facebook. I promised them a friend request as soon as I got home, and I cannot find them for the life of me! I've been praying for another chance to go, even just for a couple of days in the near future. Crazy me, I even looked up plane tickets the other day.
So now my goal is to get a job and start saving for next time. God is really teaching me how to be patient with all of this. When I get an idea, I usually don't let it go until I actually go through with it. Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." So now I am just relying on God to show me when I am supposed to make my next trip, and even though I am impatient, I am perfectly okay with that :)
This post really doesn't have a good "point" to it, but like the title says, these are just my random thoughts :)
While praying for another chance to go to Haiti, I've kept in touch with some of the people on the team that I went with. It's great having a way to be connected even though we come from all over the place.
Also, to everyone who supported me through my journey, you all have been on my mind lately. I am still in awe that God put you in my life in such a big way! It even makes me a little teary-eyed to think that you guys would be willing to support me either financially or through prayer. You all mean so much to me and have been such a HUGE blessing, in case you didn't already know :)
So, I think that's all I have to say for now....sorry for my random mess of thoughts!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thank You!
I made it back safely to Indy Thursday night, December 22nd.
Me and Journey only missed one flight, and we blame the long immigration/customs line.
But we were blessed enough to get the last two plane tickets until Christmas Eve, and it only put us in Indy two hours later than we were supposed to be. Not to mention, I got the best surprise ever in the airport when I got home. :)
Even a week later, I still can't believe that I was actually in Haiti. When I first got home, I wasn't totally sure how I felt about going back. I absolutely loved it, but I am a homebody at heart. I know I will probably go back eventually, it's just a lot to take in at the moment. It was a truly life-changing experience, and I thank God that I was able to go.
I also want to thank all of my supporters, whether you contributed money so I could go, or if you prayed for me. I couldn't have done any of this without you all! When I got home, I had so many e-mails, Facebook messages and wall posts flooding me with encouragement. I can not believe how much you all thought about me, and I can't tell you enough how thankful and blessed I am to know each and every one of you. I even had people I don't know praying for me. It just goes to show how far God's love can go.
Feel free to keep checking back...I will probably post more a few weeks down the road to see how much I've changed, and how I'm using my experiences in Haiti to make a difference :)
If you have any questions or want to know anything else about my experiences feel free to comment or e-mail me! Thank you all so much!
Colossians 3: 15-17
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Me and Journey only missed one flight, and we blame the long immigration/customs line.
But we were blessed enough to get the last two plane tickets until Christmas Eve, and it only put us in Indy two hours later than we were supposed to be. Not to mention, I got the best surprise ever in the airport when I got home. :)
Even a week later, I still can't believe that I was actually in Haiti. When I first got home, I wasn't totally sure how I felt about going back. I absolutely loved it, but I am a homebody at heart. I know I will probably go back eventually, it's just a lot to take in at the moment. It was a truly life-changing experience, and I thank God that I was able to go.
I also want to thank all of my supporters, whether you contributed money so I could go, or if you prayed for me. I couldn't have done any of this without you all! When I got home, I had so many e-mails, Facebook messages and wall posts flooding me with encouragement. I can not believe how much you all thought about me, and I can't tell you enough how thankful and blessed I am to know each and every one of you. I even had people I don't know praying for me. It just goes to show how far God's love can go.
Feel free to keep checking back...I will probably post more a few weeks down the road to see how much I've changed, and how I'm using my experiences in Haiti to make a difference :)
If you have any questions or want to know anything else about my experiences feel free to comment or e-mail me! Thank you all so much!
Colossians 3: 15-17
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
We Are Living to Make Your Name High!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 -- Last Day
It figures that the last day in Haiti, I would wake up at 5:15. The sunrise was beautiful though!
Anyway, like I was saying the last post, we planned a skit of the Nativity Story. We had Mary and Joseph, the Inn-Keeper, baby Jesus, and all of the animals. So we took our wonderful theater skills and performed the skit to three different orphanages in the area. We had to change up some of the words so that the Haitians would understand. Instead of an inn, we had to say "Mary and Joseph went to stay at a friend's house, but there was no room", and instead of the typical animals, we had a chicken, donkey, horse, pig, and goat. I was honored to be the pig :) There was a narrator and a translator so there was no language barrier, which was nice. At the end of the skit, we all jumped up from the Nativity, and sang "Jesus Loves Me" with all of the kids. They loved it and laughed a few times. We stayed and played at each orphanage for a while after the play. It is amazing how much joy kids can bring to your life.
^ I made an excellent pig ;)
^ singing Jesus Loves Me
The third orphanage was my favorite. The kids were so well-behaved and fun. They were malnourished, which broke my heart. But I still had fun dancing with them and taking pictures. I took a picture of one little girl, and after that, she climbed up on my lap and would not get down. She loved getting her picture taken so we had a mini photo shoot.
^ Good Samaritan Orphanage
After the last orphanage, we loaded up in the cantor and went to the beach for a few hours. A couple of the MOH kids went with us, so that was fun. It was relaxing after the week we had, and it helped us bond more as a team. The water was so clear! A few of us swam, probably waist-deep, out to tiny docks. There were a couple guys on the shore that were catching crabs and lobsters closer than we were. They were the biggest crabs I had ever seen, it was so gross! We took some group photos, then headed back to the mission.
^ group photo: "awkward prom"
For our team meeting that night, we all went to the top of the guesthouse roof under the stars. It was a wonderful night of debriefing, and learning about how Haiti changed us. We talked about our most memorable moments. And even a week later, I'm not sure what mine is. I haven't had much time to slow down and really think about what my favorite part was. Every bit of it was life-changing and amazing! I am so thankful that the Lord brought me to Haiti. It was definitely a much-needed change of pace. It took me out of my comfort zone by throwing me into a completely new culture and way of life. But I knew God was leading me through the whole thing. I believe He worked through each and every team member during the week in an individual way.
^ last night in Haiti... beautiful sunset
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
It figures that the last day in Haiti, I would wake up at 5:15. The sunrise was beautiful though!
Anyway, like I was saying the last post, we planned a skit of the Nativity Story. We had Mary and Joseph, the Inn-Keeper, baby Jesus, and all of the animals. So we took our wonderful theater skills and performed the skit to three different orphanages in the area. We had to change up some of the words so that the Haitians would understand. Instead of an inn, we had to say "Mary and Joseph went to stay at a friend's house, but there was no room", and instead of the typical animals, we had a chicken, donkey, horse, pig, and goat. I was honored to be the pig :) There was a narrator and a translator so there was no language barrier, which was nice. At the end of the skit, we all jumped up from the Nativity, and sang "Jesus Loves Me" with all of the kids. They loved it and laughed a few times. We stayed and played at each orphanage for a while after the play. It is amazing how much joy kids can bring to your life.
The third orphanage was my favorite. The kids were so well-behaved and fun. They were malnourished, which broke my heart. But I still had fun dancing with them and taking pictures. I took a picture of one little girl, and after that, she climbed up on my lap and would not get down. She loved getting her picture taken so we had a mini photo shoot.
After the last orphanage, we loaded up in the cantor and went to the beach for a few hours. A couple of the MOH kids went with us, so that was fun. It was relaxing after the week we had, and it helped us bond more as a team. The water was so clear! A few of us swam, probably waist-deep, out to tiny docks. There were a couple guys on the shore that were catching crabs and lobsters closer than we were. They were the biggest crabs I had ever seen, it was so gross! We took some group photos, then headed back to the mission.
For our team meeting that night, we all went to the top of the guesthouse roof under the stars. It was a wonderful night of debriefing, and learning about how Haiti changed us. We talked about our most memorable moments. And even a week later, I'm not sure what mine is. I haven't had much time to slow down and really think about what my favorite part was. Every bit of it was life-changing and amazing! I am so thankful that the Lord brought me to Haiti. It was definitely a much-needed change of pace. It took me out of my comfort zone by throwing me into a completely new culture and way of life. But I knew God was leading me through the whole thing. I believe He worked through each and every team member during the week in an individual way.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Give Us Clean Hands
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Today was a long day, but it went by super fast.
After breakfast, I bought some things at the 3 Cords shop, then walked down to the bottom of the hill to the little market that Mission of Hope had. A family makes jewelry, paintings, and other souvenirs, and sells them. The only thing was that I had to barter to buy the items I wanted. It was tough because I had no problem paying the original price that they gave me for the item, but it is part of Haitian culture to barter down. It was hard because these people didn't have much to live off of, and I felt bad talking the price down.
After that, I hung out with some of the Hope House boys, who are the older kids at Mission of Hope. One of them had a guitar and played different songs, from Chris Tomlin to Justin Bieber. The song "Give Us Clean Hands" had been stuck in my head all week long, which was really weird because I had only heard the song once before at youth group when I was in middle school. For some reason, I could not get it out of my mind. Well, the first song that Jean-Marc played on his guitar was "Give Us Clean Hands". That gave me chills! The chorus goes: "Give us clean hands, Give us pure hearts, Let us not lift our souls to another". I feel like the Lord has been teaching me in the past month or so that I am no better than anyone else. I make mistakes just like everyone else, and I am not really spreading His message the way I should be. I should use my mistakes and lessons learned to bring people to Him, not away from Him or stay "neutral" to Him. And by this time, it was only 8:30 in the morning!
^ me and Jean-Marc
We went to Leveque for the day to paint houses! The houses were concrete and unfinished, so there was no roof on them yet. We broke up into three different groups and painted the inside of three houses. There was much sweat, dirty clothes, aching hands, and sunburn, but it was so much fun! Some of the kids who lived there helped us paint, and a girl in our group taught a twenty year old Haitian how to paint!
After awhile, me and Journey stopped painting and played with the kids. They loved getting their pictures taken and being held. I held a baby for the longest time, and I put her on the ground when we had to leave. She started screaming and chasing after us, so now the joke is that I make babies cry. Which, rest assured to those I babysit for, was NOT intentional :)
^ some of the kids at Leveque
When we got back to Titanyen, I walked around Mission of Hope and hung out with some of the kids. I held a little baby boy, who came to MOH the week before and had a twin brother. He was the cutest thing ever. I held him, and he eventually fell asleep.
We had Haitian food for dinner, then walked down to the church for their Tuesday night worship service. Although it was all in Creole, it was beautiful watching people worship Jesus. I also received the bracelets that the boys made me. They were so excited, as was I.
At our nightly meeting, we planned our skit for the Nativity Story. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll save the details for the next post!
I was starting to get homesick again at this point, but I couldn't believe how fast the week was flying by!
Psalm 24: 5-6 (The Message)
God is at their side; with God's help they make it. This, Jacob, is what happens to God-seekers, God-questers.
Today was a long day, but it went by super fast.
After breakfast, I bought some things at the 3 Cords shop, then walked down to the bottom of the hill to the little market that Mission of Hope had. A family makes jewelry, paintings, and other souvenirs, and sells them. The only thing was that I had to barter to buy the items I wanted. It was tough because I had no problem paying the original price that they gave me for the item, but it is part of Haitian culture to barter down. It was hard because these people didn't have much to live off of, and I felt bad talking the price down.
After that, I hung out with some of the Hope House boys, who are the older kids at Mission of Hope. One of them had a guitar and played different songs, from Chris Tomlin to Justin Bieber. The song "Give Us Clean Hands" had been stuck in my head all week long, which was really weird because I had only heard the song once before at youth group when I was in middle school. For some reason, I could not get it out of my mind. Well, the first song that Jean-Marc played on his guitar was "Give Us Clean Hands". That gave me chills! The chorus goes: "Give us clean hands, Give us pure hearts, Let us not lift our souls to another". I feel like the Lord has been teaching me in the past month or so that I am no better than anyone else. I make mistakes just like everyone else, and I am not really spreading His message the way I should be. I should use my mistakes and lessons learned to bring people to Him, not away from Him or stay "neutral" to Him. And by this time, it was only 8:30 in the morning!
We went to Leveque for the day to paint houses! The houses were concrete and unfinished, so there was no roof on them yet. We broke up into three different groups and painted the inside of three houses. There was much sweat, dirty clothes, aching hands, and sunburn, but it was so much fun! Some of the kids who lived there helped us paint, and a girl in our group taught a twenty year old Haitian how to paint!
After awhile, me and Journey stopped painting and played with the kids. They loved getting their pictures taken and being held. I held a baby for the longest time, and I put her on the ground when we had to leave. She started screaming and chasing after us, so now the joke is that I make babies cry. Which, rest assured to those I babysit for, was NOT intentional :)
When we got back to Titanyen, I walked around Mission of Hope and hung out with some of the kids. I held a little baby boy, who came to MOH the week before and had a twin brother. He was the cutest thing ever. I held him, and he eventually fell asleep.
We had Haitian food for dinner, then walked down to the church for their Tuesday night worship service. Although it was all in Creole, it was beautiful watching people worship Jesus. I also received the bracelets that the boys made me. They were so excited, as was I.
At our nightly meeting, we planned our skit for the Nativity Story. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll save the details for the next post!
I was starting to get homesick again at this point, but I couldn't believe how fast the week was flying by!
Psalm 24: 5-6 (The Message)
God is at their side; with God's help they make it. This, Jacob, is what happens to God-seekers, God-questers.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
That's the Motion of Mercy
Monday, December 19, 2011
Today was probably one of the busiest days of the week. After the rooster woke us up again, we had breakfast. They served us oatmeal, with actual brown sugar. Not the "fake" kind that Kroger sells. It was delicious!
After breakfast, the team went to the Cabaret Market to buy our food for the week. At first, and I don't even know why I thought this, but I thought the market was similar to a grocery store. Haha, I got a big reality check! The Haitian market is little shacks set up all over the place, inches away from each other. Haitians try to sell their product, and to buy something, you have to barter. If you know me, I am very shy with things like this. So when it came to bartering, I let the translator take over and do all of the "dirty work". Clumps of people were everywhere, as were donkeys and trucks trying not to plow people over. It made me realize how hard it is for a Haitian to make a living. Most of them rely solely on the money they make that day. The market is only on Mondays and Thursdays. Someone from MOH told me that just to have a tent at the market costs $200. Not to mention the Haitians most likely buy the products from Port-au-Prince, which isn't cheap. So basically, they make little to no money.
^ the Cabaret Market
Then, we went to a nearby village for a riverwalk. We walked for awhile down a dirt path in the hot sunshine along the river. Some of the village kids would join us. The river was kind of shallow because it's not rainy season, but it was so refreshing. We sang songs with some of the kids. They sang "Hokey Pokey" and "Jesus Loves Me" in Creole! Their laughter was so precious!
^ some of the kids on the riverwalk
After lunch at MOH, the team, some Hope house kids, and a couple translators loaded back up in the cantor (our vehicle for the week), and went to the village of Minotri. Jeremy, our trip leader, has a Haitian friend, Patrick, who started a ministry in this village where he washes peoples' feet to spread the love of Jesus. Apparently if Haitians have dirty shoes, they don't go to church because they are embarrassed. So our team broke up into three different groups; one washed feet, one washed/braided handicapped ladies' hair, and one evangelized. For the first round, I washed and braided hair, and the second I evangelized. I became friends with a couple of the Haitian girls there, who were my age. They spoke English very well, and they asked me all about America. I asked them all about Haiti, and I heard all about their boyfriends, families, and their lives after the earthquake. I found out that it is taboo in Haiti to talk to anyone handicapped. So in a way, we were bringing joy to these women.
^ braiding a deaf woman's hair
^ my new friend :)
When we evangelized, everybody we talked to claimed to be a Christian. We still told them a little about Jesus just in case they didn't know fully what it meant. We told them it was never too late to give their life to Him. After talking to them a little bit, we prayed with them. Most wanted prayer for their families or to find a job to provide for their families. For me, this was extremely out of my comfort zone, but when I realized I was spreading the message of Jesus Christ, I kind of forgot about my worries. It truly was a wonderful, life-changing day.
Francesca Battistelli has a song called "Motion of Mercy". It goes: "That’s the motion of mercy: changing the way and the why we are. That’s the motion of mercy, moving my heart. Living for the lost, loving ‘til it hurts. No matter what the cost, like You loved me first. That’s the motion of mercy." God doesn't really care about our comfort zones. He continually pushes me out of mine, and I never regret it at the end of the day.
After dinner at Mission of Hope, Jay and Diana told their story. Jay and Diana moved to Haiti with Jeremy a few years ago. They were actually in Minotri when the earthquake happened. The way they were telling the story was absolutely amazing. They said they were literally bouncing on the ground when the earthquake started, and people were talking about how Port-au-Prince was completely destroyed. People who were trying to help after the quake were getting killed at the Haiti/Dominican Republic border. Thank God that things are being restored, even though some Haitians refuse to live in a house again.
Diana started a company called 3 Cords that makes braided headbands, purses, cards, and other souvenirs. She started the company to employ Haitian women who became handicapped after the earthquake. It is a paid job, and the women absolutely love it. Their items are beautiful!
^ the women of 3 Cords
Earlier that day, in Minotri, the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong was playing on someone's radio or CD player. The part in the song that goes "Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause. Show me how to love like You have loved me" has never been more relavent to my life before. It is incredible to see how many different ways you can show God's love. It can be as simple as a smile, a hug, a laugh, or a conversation, and as complex as actually evangelizing and praying with someone.
Follow God's plan for your life, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.
Genesis 12:1-4
"Now Yahweh had said to Abram, ‘Get out of your country, from your kindred, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. And I will make a great nation of you, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you. In you, all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ So Abram departed as Yahweh had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran."
Today was probably one of the busiest days of the week. After the rooster woke us up again, we had breakfast. They served us oatmeal, with actual brown sugar. Not the "fake" kind that Kroger sells. It was delicious!
After breakfast, the team went to the Cabaret Market to buy our food for the week. At first, and I don't even know why I thought this, but I thought the market was similar to a grocery store. Haha, I got a big reality check! The Haitian market is little shacks set up all over the place, inches away from each other. Haitians try to sell their product, and to buy something, you have to barter. If you know me, I am very shy with things like this. So when it came to bartering, I let the translator take over and do all of the "dirty work". Clumps of people were everywhere, as were donkeys and trucks trying not to plow people over. It made me realize how hard it is for a Haitian to make a living. Most of them rely solely on the money they make that day. The market is only on Mondays and Thursdays. Someone from MOH told me that just to have a tent at the market costs $200. Not to mention the Haitians most likely buy the products from Port-au-Prince, which isn't cheap. So basically, they make little to no money.
Then, we went to a nearby village for a riverwalk. We walked for awhile down a dirt path in the hot sunshine along the river. Some of the village kids would join us. The river was kind of shallow because it's not rainy season, but it was so refreshing. We sang songs with some of the kids. They sang "Hokey Pokey" and "Jesus Loves Me" in Creole! Their laughter was so precious!
After lunch at MOH, the team, some Hope house kids, and a couple translators loaded back up in the cantor (our vehicle for the week), and went to the village of Minotri. Jeremy, our trip leader, has a Haitian friend, Patrick, who started a ministry in this village where he washes peoples' feet to spread the love of Jesus. Apparently if Haitians have dirty shoes, they don't go to church because they are embarrassed. So our team broke up into three different groups; one washed feet, one washed/braided handicapped ladies' hair, and one evangelized. For the first round, I washed and braided hair, and the second I evangelized. I became friends with a couple of the Haitian girls there, who were my age. They spoke English very well, and they asked me all about America. I asked them all about Haiti, and I heard all about their boyfriends, families, and their lives after the earthquake. I found out that it is taboo in Haiti to talk to anyone handicapped. So in a way, we were bringing joy to these women.
When we evangelized, everybody we talked to claimed to be a Christian. We still told them a little about Jesus just in case they didn't know fully what it meant. We told them it was never too late to give their life to Him. After talking to them a little bit, we prayed with them. Most wanted prayer for their families or to find a job to provide for their families. For me, this was extremely out of my comfort zone, but when I realized I was spreading the message of Jesus Christ, I kind of forgot about my worries. It truly was a wonderful, life-changing day.
Francesca Battistelli has a song called "Motion of Mercy". It goes: "That’s the motion of mercy: changing the way and the why we are. That’s the motion of mercy, moving my heart. Living for the lost, loving ‘til it hurts. No matter what the cost, like You loved me first. That’s the motion of mercy." God doesn't really care about our comfort zones. He continually pushes me out of mine, and I never regret it at the end of the day.
After dinner at Mission of Hope, Jay and Diana told their story. Jay and Diana moved to Haiti with Jeremy a few years ago. They were actually in Minotri when the earthquake happened. The way they were telling the story was absolutely amazing. They said they were literally bouncing on the ground when the earthquake started, and people were talking about how Port-au-Prince was completely destroyed. People who were trying to help after the quake were getting killed at the Haiti/Dominican Republic border. Thank God that things are being restored, even though some Haitians refuse to live in a house again.
Diana started a company called 3 Cords that makes braided headbands, purses, cards, and other souvenirs. She started the company to employ Haitian women who became handicapped after the earthquake. It is a paid job, and the women absolutely love it. Their items are beautiful!
Earlier that day, in Minotri, the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong was playing on someone's radio or CD player. The part in the song that goes "Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause. Show me how to love like You have loved me" has never been more relavent to my life before. It is incredible to see how many different ways you can show God's love. It can be as simple as a smile, a hug, a laugh, or a conversation, and as complex as actually evangelizing and praying with someone.
Follow God's plan for your life, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.
Genesis 12:1-4
"Now Yahweh had said to Abram, ‘Get out of your country, from your kindred, and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. And I will make a great nation of you, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you will be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you. In you, all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ So Abram departed as Yahweh had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran."
Monday, December 26, 2011
Travel Day
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Breakfast was served at 7am every day. As if that wasn't early enough, the roosters at MOH decided to wake us up around 6 every morning. I couldn't complain much though because the sun was already risen and shining. Each day was pretty hot, but it cooled down at night. The food at Mission of Hope was wonderful! Which if you know me, that's something that barely comes out of my mouth. We had PB&J sometimes, but with a few exceptions, we were mostly served American food.
Before church, the group took a tour of the main MOH campus. Just to name a few buildings, there is an orphanage (Hope house), a clinic, a school, and a church.
Church started at 9:30. It was a completely different experience than I am used to, as I expected. It was breathtaking watching every Haitian there worshipping. They got really into it, giving the Lord everything they had in them. The service was a few hours long. Especially after that experience, I really wanted to learn Creole, which is the native language. The worship leaders sang many songs, a few in English. Each pastor and worship song showed so much passion and enthusiasm for the Lord, and it was refreshing. People came to church from different villages in the area. Some of the kids sat with me. They tried to sell us handmade bracelets with our names on them. I bought a few, and they turned out really good!
^ This was the church at MOH
After lunch, we went to the other two campuses the Mission of Hope has. The first is in Bercy. There is an orphanage, primary school where there are about 300 kids. They are working on building a trade school and homes all the way to the water. While we were there, we played with the orphans and walked some of them to the tiny beach that was there. The kids would attach to you and be your friend for the entire time. Many kids there had clothes that were too small, but at least they were clothed. It was fun watching them smile and laugh while we hung out with them.
^ This was in Bercy. I am in the orange skirt.
From Bercy, we went to Leveque. Here, 500 houses will be built for the earthquake victims. 50 of the homes will be for the victims or victims among families who are deaf. We walked through the village, and got to see the inside of a house. There is a main room, and two "bedrooms". With all of the rooms combined together, each house is probably smaller than my family room at home. We met with more village kids, but didn't have much time to really play with them.
^ Leveque
We went to dinner at a restaurant called Gwo Papa Paouls. We were served chicken, rice and beans, and plantains. It was much different than any restaurant in the United States. There was no electricity, so we ate in the dark...not to mention we had to climb stairs in pitch black.
^ This was my meal at GPP.
We went back to Titanyen, and had some debriefing time as a team at Mission of Hope. This definitely helped us get to know each other, and after that night it was a lot less awkward between all of us. We shared our stories of how and why we came to Haiti, and what we thought of the country so far.
While we were sharing, someone brought up the fact that we are all equal in God's eyes. There were tent villages a minute away from where we were staying, and God loves those people just as much as He loves me. It definitely humbled my attitude a lot. It convicted me, and made me realize how much I feel like I'm better than those less fortunate without even realizing I think that way. I came to Haiti thinking I could help other people, and bring joy to orphans' lives. When in reality, I did help some, but they changed my life more than anything. Haitians don't need me, or any other person for that matter. Just because they live in poverty doesn't mean they want to change. And at the same time, it made me realize how much my attitude at home should change. Like I said before, some of these Haitians have absolutely nothing, and yet they still lean on God for everything, in a way I have never seen before. And God loves them the EXACT same way that He loves me. Mind-blowing!
After that, me and the team went to the roof and star-gazed. The stars there were AMAZING. None of it even felt real.
Galatians 2:6
"As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—"
Breakfast was served at 7am every day. As if that wasn't early enough, the roosters at MOH decided to wake us up around 6 every morning. I couldn't complain much though because the sun was already risen and shining. Each day was pretty hot, but it cooled down at night. The food at Mission of Hope was wonderful! Which if you know me, that's something that barely comes out of my mouth. We had PB&J sometimes, but with a few exceptions, we were mostly served American food.
Before church, the group took a tour of the main MOH campus. Just to name a few buildings, there is an orphanage (Hope house), a clinic, a school, and a church.
Church started at 9:30. It was a completely different experience than I am used to, as I expected. It was breathtaking watching every Haitian there worshipping. They got really into it, giving the Lord everything they had in them. The service was a few hours long. Especially after that experience, I really wanted to learn Creole, which is the native language. The worship leaders sang many songs, a few in English. Each pastor and worship song showed so much passion and enthusiasm for the Lord, and it was refreshing. People came to church from different villages in the area. Some of the kids sat with me. They tried to sell us handmade bracelets with our names on them. I bought a few, and they turned out really good!
After lunch, we went to the other two campuses the Mission of Hope has. The first is in Bercy. There is an orphanage, primary school where there are about 300 kids. They are working on building a trade school and homes all the way to the water. While we were there, we played with the orphans and walked some of them to the tiny beach that was there. The kids would attach to you and be your friend for the entire time. Many kids there had clothes that were too small, but at least they were clothed. It was fun watching them smile and laugh while we hung out with them.
From Bercy, we went to Leveque. Here, 500 houses will be built for the earthquake victims. 50 of the homes will be for the victims or victims among families who are deaf. We walked through the village, and got to see the inside of a house. There is a main room, and two "bedrooms". With all of the rooms combined together, each house is probably smaller than my family room at home. We met with more village kids, but didn't have much time to really play with them.
We went to dinner at a restaurant called Gwo Papa Paouls. We were served chicken, rice and beans, and plantains. It was much different than any restaurant in the United States. There was no electricity, so we ate in the dark...not to mention we had to climb stairs in pitch black.
We went back to Titanyen, and had some debriefing time as a team at Mission of Hope. This definitely helped us get to know each other, and after that night it was a lot less awkward between all of us. We shared our stories of how and why we came to Haiti, and what we thought of the country so far.
While we were sharing, someone brought up the fact that we are all equal in God's eyes. There were tent villages a minute away from where we were staying, and God loves those people just as much as He loves me. It definitely humbled my attitude a lot. It convicted me, and made me realize how much I feel like I'm better than those less fortunate without even realizing I think that way. I came to Haiti thinking I could help other people, and bring joy to orphans' lives. When in reality, I did help some, but they changed my life more than anything. Haitians don't need me, or any other person for that matter. Just because they live in poverty doesn't mean they want to change. And at the same time, it made me realize how much my attitude at home should change. Like I said before, some of these Haitians have absolutely nothing, and yet they still lean on God for everything, in a way I have never seen before. And God loves them the EXACT same way that He loves me. Mind-blowing!
After that, me and the team went to the roof and star-gazed. The stars there were AMAZING. None of it even felt real.
Galatians 2:6
"As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—"
Flying In
December 17, 2011
We left my house for the airport around 3:15am. My friend, Journey, spent the night at my house the night before since we were flying together...except we didn't get much sleep. We left for the airport after sleeping about 10-15 minutes, but we were awake and ready to go! Our flight to Chicago left at 5:30, and we got to the ticket counter around 4. Well, the airline check-in people told us the wrong line three different times. So even though we got there an hour and a half before our flight, we still barely made it on.
We got to Chicago on time, and had about an hour layover. We left Chicago in the snow, and made it to Fort Lauderdale on time, thankfully. Ft. Lauderdale airport was packed... but we made our final goodbye calls to our family and close friends. Then we boarded the plane to Port-au-Prince!
The flight to Port-au-Prince wasn't as long as I thought it was going to be, which was definitely nice. It made me nervous flying over the ocean, but I just tried not to think about it. We flew over Nassau, Bahamas, and other Caribbean islands. We saw mountains as we flew over the Dominican Republican and Haiti. I had no idea there were mountains there! It was definitely a welcoming surprise. While we were waiting for the rest of our team outside, the president of Haiti drove by. People there went crazy! It was fun to watch.
When we finally got our passports stamped, got our bags in the chaos of the airport, found our driver and met some of our other team members, we got in a van and headed to Titanyen. They said the drive to Mission of Hope takes 30 min to an hour. The driving in Haiti is absolutely insane! A two-way street was easily turned into a five-way. The lines were ignored on the roads, and cars were weaving in and out of each other. Motorcycles were trying to pass busses and trucks, and people were trying to cross the road in the huge mess. And there was no slow driving...all speeding and for the most part, no stopping. I held my breath pretty much the whole time. My trip leader compared it to Frogger. But it was an interesting experience for sure!
As soon as we left the airport property, I saw tent after tent, people out in the street, and in a nutshell, poverty everywhere. It was also dark outside, so I didn't get the full affect. It really wasn't that smelly like people told me it would be. Every so often there would be a sewage smell, but other than that it wasn't bad.
We finally arrive at Mission of Hope, and meet our whole team. Me and Journey are the only two from Indiana. Everyone else is from the South. At first it was kind of awkward because no one knew each other, but by the end of the week, we all became close. God really blessed us with a great team of people.
After we all met each other and went over ground rules for the week, Journey and I watched the Smurfs movie with the Hope house kids, who are the orphans at Mission of Hope. It was a great first impression; the kids laughed and laughed and some were talkative.
That night, we went to bed around 9:30. It felt so much later than that though haha. We only had electricity from 6p - 6a. That's because the sun rose around 5:45 every morning, so there really was no need for it. When I went to bed that night, I started getting a little homesick. But I knew God had big plans for me that week.
John 14:1-3
"Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
We left my house for the airport around 3:15am. My friend, Journey, spent the night at my house the night before since we were flying together...except we didn't get much sleep. We left for the airport after sleeping about 10-15 minutes, but we were awake and ready to go! Our flight to Chicago left at 5:30, and we got to the ticket counter around 4. Well, the airline check-in people told us the wrong line three different times. So even though we got there an hour and a half before our flight, we still barely made it on.
We got to Chicago on time, and had about an hour layover. We left Chicago in the snow, and made it to Fort Lauderdale on time, thankfully. Ft. Lauderdale airport was packed... but we made our final goodbye calls to our family and close friends. Then we boarded the plane to Port-au-Prince!
The flight to Port-au-Prince wasn't as long as I thought it was going to be, which was definitely nice. It made me nervous flying over the ocean, but I just tried not to think about it. We flew over Nassau, Bahamas, and other Caribbean islands. We saw mountains as we flew over the Dominican Republican and Haiti. I had no idea there were mountains there! It was definitely a welcoming surprise. While we were waiting for the rest of our team outside, the president of Haiti drove by. People there went crazy! It was fun to watch.
When we finally got our passports stamped, got our bags in the chaos of the airport, found our driver and met some of our other team members, we got in a van and headed to Titanyen. They said the drive to Mission of Hope takes 30 min to an hour. The driving in Haiti is absolutely insane! A two-way street was easily turned into a five-way. The lines were ignored on the roads, and cars were weaving in and out of each other. Motorcycles were trying to pass busses and trucks, and people were trying to cross the road in the huge mess. And there was no slow driving...all speeding and for the most part, no stopping. I held my breath pretty much the whole time. My trip leader compared it to Frogger. But it was an interesting experience for sure!
As soon as we left the airport property, I saw tent after tent, people out in the street, and in a nutshell, poverty everywhere. It was also dark outside, so I didn't get the full affect. It really wasn't that smelly like people told me it would be. Every so often there would be a sewage smell, but other than that it wasn't bad.
We finally arrive at Mission of Hope, and meet our whole team. Me and Journey are the only two from Indiana. Everyone else is from the South. At first it was kind of awkward because no one knew each other, but by the end of the week, we all became close. God really blessed us with a great team of people.
After we all met each other and went over ground rules for the week, Journey and I watched the Smurfs movie with the Hope house kids, who are the orphans at Mission of Hope. It was a great first impression; the kids laughed and laughed and some were talkative.
That night, we went to bed around 9:30. It felt so much later than that though haha. We only had electricity from 6p - 6a. That's because the sun rose around 5:45 every morning, so there really was no need for it. When I went to bed that night, I started getting a little homesick. But I knew God had big plans for me that week.
John 14:1-3
"Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
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