As I already mentioned in this blog, the children I was blessed to meet at Gift of God Orphanage (GOG) in Haiti are not up for adoption. The focus at GOG is providing great orphan care as those children are raised up to someday help their country. However, there are plenty of other children in Haiti and around the world who are available for adoption. I think this is a good time for that reminder being that November is National Adoption Month.
The short video below also goes along with adoption. It was made by a young woman who was on the All God's Children International team that ministered at GOG in August. I would like to dedicate this post to Kristin being that [LORD allowing] she will move to Haiti in March to serve as Director of Adoption Services and Missions at Hope Village, the orphanage currently being built by Global Orphan Hope. Kristin will play a part in helping Haitian orphans in being adopted so in supporting her through prayer and/or financially, YOU are playing a part in adoption as well!
Watch below to hear this awesome "God story" and click here to check out Kristin's blog.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
November 6th is Orphan Sunday
Orphan Sunday is a day designated to raise awareness of the global orphan crisis. What can you do?
-PRAY for the estimated 163 million orphans around the world
-GIVE a monthly or one-time donation to orphan care
-GO on a mission trip to serve orphans
-ADOPT a child or become a foster parent
If you would like to make a donation, but do not have the money, there are ways to be creative. One thing we did a couple weeks ago was had a garage/bake sale and the proceeds were donated to Gift of God Orphanage. A friend of mine who brought some of her things to be sold offered to give her profit from Saturday to the orphanage as well. How sweet?!?
Another idea would be looking into couponing. There are a ton of websites that educate on how to save money through couponing. Maybe whatever you save could be donated to orphan care. Every little bit helps!
Here is a picture of a little display we had at our sale:
-PRAY for the estimated 163 million orphans around the world
-GIVE a monthly or one-time donation to orphan care
-GO on a mission trip to serve orphans
-ADOPT a child or become a foster parent
If you would like to make a donation, but do not have the money, there are ways to be creative. One thing we did a couple weeks ago was had a garage/bake sale and the proceeds were donated to Gift of God Orphanage. A friend of mine who brought some of her things to be sold offered to give her profit from Saturday to the orphanage as well. How sweet?!?
Another idea would be looking into couponing. There are a ton of websites that educate on how to save money through couponing. Maybe whatever you save could be donated to orphan care. Every little bit helps!
Here is a picture of a little display we had at our sale:
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Needs in Haiti
Our team's mission did not end when we left Haiti. As Dan of Faith Missions International (FMI) told us, we are now responsible for what we know based on what we saw. That being said, part of my job is to let others know what is going on there and pray that God will provide the volunteers and finances to support all that He is doing in Haiti through these ministries.
Many of the children at Gift of God Orphanage (GOG) are still in need of sponsors. If you would like more information on child sponsorships, click here.
FMI is also in need of funds for projects at GOG and at the guesthouse. Those projects are:
1) Cubbies
2) Wall in the Girl’s wing
3) Bathroom repairs
4) Haitian Kitchen
a. Roof
b. Counters
c. Cabinets, Tile, etc
5) Refrigerator for the Guest House
Also, Global Orphan Hope (GOH) needs support in getting the new orphanage, Hope Village, up and running. The greatest need at this point is for volunteers to join the December and January mission teams slated to continue construction on the Hope Village home. As construction progresses with Hope Village, there will be more needs, such as cribs, bedding, etc.
Click here to read an article about GOH that recently appeared in a Lincoln, NE newspaper. Below is a picture of the lot where Hope Village is currently being built.
Any funds raised over the $4,500 needed to cover the five projects listed above will be used to purchase rice and beans for the children at GOG as well as any future needs at Hope Village.
Click here to make a donation online. Designate donation to: Haiti Relief
Or send a Check with “Haiti Relief” in the memo line to:
All God’s Children Intl.
3308 NE Peerless Place,
Portland, OR 97232
Short-term missions trips are also vital in blessing the orphans in Haiti. If you have never taken a trip, I highly recommend you consider doing it at least once in your life. Five-day trips to Haiti are available through FMI and AGCI. AGCI also offers trips to Africa, China and Bulgaria.
If you would like more information on any of these ministries, click on their links to the right under "Help Support Orphans." You can also go to AGCI's website to learn more about adoptions and orphan care around the world.
And don't forget to pray, pray, pray for the orphans in Haiti as well as the estimated 163 million orphans throughout the world!!!
Many of the children at Gift of God Orphanage (GOG) are still in need of sponsors. If you would like more information on child sponsorships, click here.
FMI is also in need of funds for projects at GOG and at the guesthouse. Those projects are:
1) Cubbies
2) Wall in the Girl’s wing
3) Bathroom repairs
4) Haitian Kitchen
a. Roof
b. Counters
c. Cabinets, Tile, etc
5) Refrigerator for the Guest House
Also, Global Orphan Hope (GOH) needs support in getting the new orphanage, Hope Village, up and running. The greatest need at this point is for volunteers to join the December and January mission teams slated to continue construction on the Hope Village home. As construction progresses with Hope Village, there will be more needs, such as cribs, bedding, etc.
Click here to read an article about GOH that recently appeared in a Lincoln, NE newspaper. Below is a picture of the lot where Hope Village is currently being built.
Any funds raised over the $4,500 needed to cover the five projects listed above will be used to purchase rice and beans for the children at GOG as well as any future needs at Hope Village.
Click here to make a donation online. Designate donation to: Haiti Relief
Or send a Check with “Haiti Relief” in the memo line to:
All God’s Children Intl.
3308 NE Peerless Place,
Portland, OR 97232
Short-term missions trips are also vital in blessing the orphans in Haiti. If you have never taken a trip, I highly recommend you consider doing it at least once in your life. Five-day trips to Haiti are available through FMI and AGCI. AGCI also offers trips to Africa, China and Bulgaria.
If you would like more information on any of these ministries, click on their links to the right under "Help Support Orphans." You can also go to AGCI's website to learn more about adoptions and orphan care around the world.
And don't forget to pray, pray, pray for the orphans in Haiti as well as the estimated 163 million orphans throughout the world!!!
Gift of God Orphanage
Our main purpose in Haiti was to serve at the Gift of God Orphanage (GOG). The orphanage is run by directors Smith and Katia with the help of a house father and mother as well as another man and a few other women. The orphanage is supported by Faith Missions International (FMI), a ministry based out of Omaha, Nebraska. To learn more about FMI and the orphanage, click on the FMI link at the right of the blog under "Help Support Orphans."
The goal of GOG is to raise up these children to help Haiti when they are grown so therefore, they are not being adopted. However, the children are receiving amazing care. They all love Jesus and are learning to have a servant's heart for others. Along with that, they are receiving an education and are taught various trades like working in the on-site bakery, welding, sewing and pottery. They are also learning to speak English. While we were there, a handful of the older boys spoke a decent amount of English and all the children could sing a few songs in English.
Check out the photos of the orphanage below to see that even though these children are far better off than most in Haiti, their living conditions are still unacceptable by most Americans' standards. Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Below is a slideshow of the different activities we did with the children. We had planned activities some of the time and we just played with them other times. Every moment with them was so much fun! Two of my teammates commented on how happy they were playing with the children and that it was like a taste of heaven! Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
The goal of GOG is to raise up these children to help Haiti when they are grown so therefore, they are not being adopted. However, the children are receiving amazing care. They all love Jesus and are learning to have a servant's heart for others. Along with that, they are receiving an education and are taught various trades like working in the on-site bakery, welding, sewing and pottery. They are also learning to speak English. While we were there, a handful of the older boys spoke a decent amount of English and all the children could sing a few songs in English.
Check out the photos of the orphanage below to see that even though these children are far better off than most in Haiti, their living conditions are still unacceptable by most Americans' standards. Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Below is a slideshow of the different activities we did with the children. We had planned activities some of the time and we just played with them other times. Every moment with them was so much fun! Two of my teammates commented on how happy they were playing with the children and that it was like a taste of heaven! Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Friday, October 14, 2011
What I Learned in Haiti
Two of the biggest reminders that jumped out at me while in Haiti were that I need to trust God and not lose hope. The directors and children of Gift of God (GOG) are inspirational in these areas especially once you learn their history. They possess joy and peace despite all of the tragedy and trials they have endured.
GOG was first established in Gonaives, Haiti after many of the children lost one or both parents in the floods following Hurricane Jeanne in 2004. Construction was underway for the orphanage in September 2004, but all of that work was destroyed by flooding on September 18.
By November 2005, the orphanage was built and became home to 25 orphans. By late 2007, a second story was added. On September 1, 2008, Hurricane Hanna flooded Gonaives and the children were stuck on the second floor for 16 days with very little food or water. The children then became sick from drinking the contaminated flood water.
From there, the decision was made to evacuate the children to Port-au-Prince being that the old site in Gonaives was vulnerable to future flooding. After one year of living in temporary housing in Port-au-Prince, they endured the earthquake on January 12, 2010. Thankfully, everyone at GOG was safe from the earthquake, but from there, the children slept in stuffy military tents for eight months. By September 2010, the current orphanage was built and is now home to 50+ children.
Imagine going through all that and only being 10-years-old? The amazing thing to me is how big those children can smile and how loving and sweet they are despite what they have endured. To me, that is a picture of hope and trusting God.
The Sunday we were there, Kemsleye, 13, preached on those topics based on when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He said that even though they might not have parents, God has a plan for their lives and that God can do anything. What a powerful message?!? Those of us who have been through far less should have the same hope and should trust God to bring it to pass.
Below is a picture of Kemsleye while he was preaching. If anyone is interested in seeing a video clip of Kemsleye's preaching in Haitian Creole, let me know and I can direct you to it. I couldn't post it on here the way I wanted to. Even if you don't speak the language, you can sense God's presence in his preaching. I would add that Kemsleye is not normally so serious. If you would have seen him any other time on the trip, he was a very playful and happy young man.
On perhaps a far less important note, I also learned about trusting God with the seemingly small details of life. When I first got my itinerary for my flights back home from Haiti, I was perturbed because even though we were leaving Haiti early in the morning, I wouldn't be home until after 10 p.m. and my children would be in bed. To make matters worse (or so I thought), I didn't understand why I was flying from Miami the whole way up north to Chicago before flying back down to Dallas.
I was quickly able to consider the possibility that being in Miami for most of the day wouldn't be so bad especially if I made some great friendships with my teammates and was able to hang out with them a little longer while we waited for our connecting flights...and I was right. I was not ready to say goodbye so I really appreciated that extra time with some of the other people on the team. Below is a picture of the seven I was blessed to have lunch with in Miami. Our last supper so to speak. :)
What I really did not see coming was how much of a blessing that flight to Chicago would be! It turned out that Trish, one of the women I roomed with in Haiti, was going to be on the same flight! We asked a gentleman to switch seats with her so we could sit together. It was so awesome to have a few more hours with her on that flight that had me so annoyed initially. :) Shame on me for grumbling when it was a blessing in disguise!
The fact that I was on that exact trip, at that exact time, with those specific people was a huge lesson for me that I need to trust God when I don't see the bigger picture. This lesson went even further once I realized the circumstances of how I was motivated to go on the trip.
One night in May, my minivan was packed up for my children and me to take a trip back East to visit family and friends who we hadn't seen in two years. The day we were going to leave, all of my children and I came down with some kind of sickness. Despite that, I was still planning to go on the 21-hour trek across the country. My plan was to leave around 3 a.m. until around 10 p.m., we had tornado warnings all around our immediate area and for the first time in the three years we have lived here, I heard the sirens for the tornado warnings. Then I saw there were going to be major tornado watches across Arkansas and Tennessee the rest of that week (and those two states are the bulk of the trip). Stubborn me finally said, "OK, I guess I'm not meant to take this trip right now."
I talked about going to Haiti last year, but then couldn't go due to circumstances. The disappointment about not going back East in May, along with my husband's encouragement, pushed me to seriously look into going to Haiti this year. I started inquiring online about short-term missions trips to Haiti two days after my trip back East was cancelled.
If I had gone back East in May, I would have been gone for a few weeks and would never have made the cutoff to go on the Haiti trip that I did, with the group I did. So...that was a HUGE lesson in that even though I suffered some major disappointment, I had an even bigger blessing in the end...one I couldn't have dreamed up on my own. THANK YOU LORD!!!
To add another little praise report: I also had the chance to visit my family and friends back East just prior to the trip to Haiti. :)
And last but definitely not least, I felt this trip was a perfect example of Romans 8:28 coming to pass in my life, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." The last few years have been extremely trying, but if it weren't for circumstances being what they are, I know that I would not have gone on that trip. The experiences I had in Haiti were such a blessing to me in so many ways and I would most definitely call them "good".
GOG was first established in Gonaives, Haiti after many of the children lost one or both parents in the floods following Hurricane Jeanne in 2004. Construction was underway for the orphanage in September 2004, but all of that work was destroyed by flooding on September 18.
By November 2005, the orphanage was built and became home to 25 orphans. By late 2007, a second story was added. On September 1, 2008, Hurricane Hanna flooded Gonaives and the children were stuck on the second floor for 16 days with very little food or water. The children then became sick from drinking the contaminated flood water.
From there, the decision was made to evacuate the children to Port-au-Prince being that the old site in Gonaives was vulnerable to future flooding. After one year of living in temporary housing in Port-au-Prince, they endured the earthquake on January 12, 2010. Thankfully, everyone at GOG was safe from the earthquake, but from there, the children slept in stuffy military tents for eight months. By September 2010, the current orphanage was built and is now home to 50+ children.
Imagine going through all that and only being 10-years-old? The amazing thing to me is how big those children can smile and how loving and sweet they are despite what they have endured. To me, that is a picture of hope and trusting God.
The Sunday we were there, Kemsleye, 13, preached on those topics based on when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He said that even though they might not have parents, God has a plan for their lives and that God can do anything. What a powerful message?!? Those of us who have been through far less should have the same hope and should trust God to bring it to pass.
Below is a picture of Kemsleye while he was preaching. If anyone is interested in seeing a video clip of Kemsleye's preaching in Haitian Creole, let me know and I can direct you to it. I couldn't post it on here the way I wanted to. Even if you don't speak the language, you can sense God's presence in his preaching. I would add that Kemsleye is not normally so serious. If you would have seen him any other time on the trip, he was a very playful and happy young man.
On perhaps a far less important note, I also learned about trusting God with the seemingly small details of life. When I first got my itinerary for my flights back home from Haiti, I was perturbed because even though we were leaving Haiti early in the morning, I wouldn't be home until after 10 p.m. and my children would be in bed. To make matters worse (or so I thought), I didn't understand why I was flying from Miami the whole way up north to Chicago before flying back down to Dallas.
I was quickly able to consider the possibility that being in Miami for most of the day wouldn't be so bad especially if I made some great friendships with my teammates and was able to hang out with them a little longer while we waited for our connecting flights...and I was right. I was not ready to say goodbye so I really appreciated that extra time with some of the other people on the team. Below is a picture of the seven I was blessed to have lunch with in Miami. Our last supper so to speak. :)
What I really did not see coming was how much of a blessing that flight to Chicago would be! It turned out that Trish, one of the women I roomed with in Haiti, was going to be on the same flight! We asked a gentleman to switch seats with her so we could sit together. It was so awesome to have a few more hours with her on that flight that had me so annoyed initially. :) Shame on me for grumbling when it was a blessing in disguise!
The fact that I was on that exact trip, at that exact time, with those specific people was a huge lesson for me that I need to trust God when I don't see the bigger picture. This lesson went even further once I realized the circumstances of how I was motivated to go on the trip.
One night in May, my minivan was packed up for my children and me to take a trip back East to visit family and friends who we hadn't seen in two years. The day we were going to leave, all of my children and I came down with some kind of sickness. Despite that, I was still planning to go on the 21-hour trek across the country. My plan was to leave around 3 a.m. until around 10 p.m., we had tornado warnings all around our immediate area and for the first time in the three years we have lived here, I heard the sirens for the tornado warnings. Then I saw there were going to be major tornado watches across Arkansas and Tennessee the rest of that week (and those two states are the bulk of the trip). Stubborn me finally said, "OK, I guess I'm not meant to take this trip right now."
I talked about going to Haiti last year, but then couldn't go due to circumstances. The disappointment about not going back East in May, along with my husband's encouragement, pushed me to seriously look into going to Haiti this year. I started inquiring online about short-term missions trips to Haiti two days after my trip back East was cancelled.
If I had gone back East in May, I would have been gone for a few weeks and would never have made the cutoff to go on the Haiti trip that I did, with the group I did. So...that was a HUGE lesson in that even though I suffered some major disappointment, I had an even bigger blessing in the end...one I couldn't have dreamed up on my own. THANK YOU LORD!!!
To add another little praise report: I also had the chance to visit my family and friends back East just prior to the trip to Haiti. :)
And last but definitely not least, I felt this trip was a perfect example of Romans 8:28 coming to pass in my life, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." The last few years have been extremely trying, but if it weren't for circumstances being what they are, I know that I would not have gone on that trip. The experiences I had in Haiti were such a blessing to me in so many ways and I would most definitely call them "good".
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Heavy Side of the Trip
As I already shared in an earlier post, there was a lot of joy and life on this trip, but I must also tell about the other side of the emotional coin.
Even just flying into Port-au-Prince, I was struck by the beauty of the country, but sad at the same time from looking down and seeing all the earthquake devastation that has yet to be repaired and the blue tarps and shacks that are homes for so many.
It was heart wrenching from the time we came out of the airport and saw young boys reaching through the fence calling out, "Mademoiselle!" asking for handouts. Then there was the boy who jumped on the back of our truck and said both his parents had died and was asking for money.
But the hardest day for me emotionally was Saturday, our third day there. Perhaps it took three days of all the emotions to build up in order for me to totally break down. That morning, we visited a second orphanage that had about 30 children. We had the chance to hear them sing, which was beautiful, and were also able to do some crafts and activities with them.
For some reason, I really broke down for the first time after we left those children and were on the truck. I don't even know what all got me started, but once the tears came, I couldn't stop them. One emotion was feeling sad about the uncertain future of the orphans we had just met. But the biggest feeling was one of helplessness as far as wanting to help all the orphans and the people of Haiti as a whole, but being unsure of what I can do, especially with all of my responsibilities at home.
The second time I broke down on that same day was when we visited the hospital. It was sad enough seeing such despondent looks on some of the parents' faces who were with their sick children. Then there was being in the room with malnourished children. However, what really got me was the room where we were told all the children were abandoned. At that point, I just teared up, but when we went into a second large room with abandoned children, I lost it and had to leave the room. I suppose it was being so close to abandoned children in the flesh, looking into their faces - it was almost too much to bear.
The man who gave us the tour of the hospital told the people from Global Orphan Hope (the Nebraska ministry that is building an orphanage in Port-au-Prince) that once the orphanage is finished, they can take as many of those abandoned children as they want. Wow. How much more important for that orphanage to be built as quickly as possible so those children have a home and can know they are loved?
We had a tour of Port-au-Prince on Sunday, which was also depressing as one can imagine because we saw the poverty up close. Just the thought of all those people living in those tent cities since the earthquake is a lot to absorb. Can you imagine living in a tent for almost two years with no end in sight? What about all of the crime and violent things happening in those tent cities because it is impossible for the police to monitor everything?
Dan also told us disturbing stories on our tour. After we saw one woman bathing naked in the mud in broad daylight, he shared that some people are demon possessed and women have been seen slithering on the ground like snakes. Voodoo is a major religion in Haiti which opens doors for all kinds of evil spirits. One of my teammates was advised to throw away some beads she had bought on the roadside because there could be voodoo curses placed on them.
Something else to add that is so frustrating about the cycle of poverty in Haiti is the fact that things are so expensive there due to most goods being imported. As I noted in an earlier post, we would pay about $5-6 for a container of JIF peanut butter that costs $10 in Haiti! So not only do the people make very little money there, but they have to pay almost double for things compared to the U.S. How sad?!?
There's much more to share on the heavy side, but for now, I recommend watching documentaries on Haiti for more information, including "The Quake" from PBS.
Below is a slideshow of pictures taken around the city. You will see some of the devastation from the 2010 earthquake, the poverty of the country as well as the beauty of it. Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Even just flying into Port-au-Prince, I was struck by the beauty of the country, but sad at the same time from looking down and seeing all the earthquake devastation that has yet to be repaired and the blue tarps and shacks that are homes for so many.
It was heart wrenching from the time we came out of the airport and saw young boys reaching through the fence calling out, "Mademoiselle!" asking for handouts. Then there was the boy who jumped on the back of our truck and said both his parents had died and was asking for money.
But the hardest day for me emotionally was Saturday, our third day there. Perhaps it took three days of all the emotions to build up in order for me to totally break down. That morning, we visited a second orphanage that had about 30 children. We had the chance to hear them sing, which was beautiful, and were also able to do some crafts and activities with them.
For some reason, I really broke down for the first time after we left those children and were on the truck. I don't even know what all got me started, but once the tears came, I couldn't stop them. One emotion was feeling sad about the uncertain future of the orphans we had just met. But the biggest feeling was one of helplessness as far as wanting to help all the orphans and the people of Haiti as a whole, but being unsure of what I can do, especially with all of my responsibilities at home.
The second time I broke down on that same day was when we visited the hospital. It was sad enough seeing such despondent looks on some of the parents' faces who were with their sick children. Then there was being in the room with malnourished children. However, what really got me was the room where we were told all the children were abandoned. At that point, I just teared up, but when we went into a second large room with abandoned children, I lost it and had to leave the room. I suppose it was being so close to abandoned children in the flesh, looking into their faces - it was almost too much to bear.
The man who gave us the tour of the hospital told the people from Global Orphan Hope (the Nebraska ministry that is building an orphanage in Port-au-Prince) that once the orphanage is finished, they can take as many of those abandoned children as they want. Wow. How much more important for that orphanage to be built as quickly as possible so those children have a home and can know they are loved?
We had a tour of Port-au-Prince on Sunday, which was also depressing as one can imagine because we saw the poverty up close. Just the thought of all those people living in those tent cities since the earthquake is a lot to absorb. Can you imagine living in a tent for almost two years with no end in sight? What about all of the crime and violent things happening in those tent cities because it is impossible for the police to monitor everything?
Dan also told us disturbing stories on our tour. After we saw one woman bathing naked in the mud in broad daylight, he shared that some people are demon possessed and women have been seen slithering on the ground like snakes. Voodoo is a major religion in Haiti which opens doors for all kinds of evil spirits. One of my teammates was advised to throw away some beads she had bought on the roadside because there could be voodoo curses placed on them.
Something else to add that is so frustrating about the cycle of poverty in Haiti is the fact that things are so expensive there due to most goods being imported. As I noted in an earlier post, we would pay about $5-6 for a container of JIF peanut butter that costs $10 in Haiti! So not only do the people make very little money there, but they have to pay almost double for things compared to the U.S. How sad?!?
There's much more to share on the heavy side, but for now, I recommend watching documentaries on Haiti for more information, including "The Quake" from PBS.
Below is a slideshow of pictures taken around the city. You will see some of the devastation from the 2010 earthquake, the poverty of the country as well as the beauty of it. Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Thursday, October 6, 2011
My Teammates
Our team was led by Rebekah of All God's Children International - an organization that serves orphans around the world through adoptions, orphan care and short-term missions trips like ours.
It was really neat to see how God brought our team together from all over the United States to share this experience. I made some amazing friendships on the trip and I will be forever grateful to the LORD for that. I really believe that the promise Jesus gave in Mark 10:28-30 came true for me in meeting each of these special people:
"Then Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You.' So Jesus answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.'"
In a sense, I have had to forsake some of those relationships at different points in my life which is why I feel it applies to me. With this trip, I really do feel that I now have more fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and of course, children. :)
The fellowship on the trip was unforgettable. It was wonderful to start the day with a devotion and prayer together, eat all of our meals together, share our hearts, pray for each other and encourage one another. Rebekah commented at one point how what we experienced together was a sample of what is to come in God's Kingdom. What an exciting thought?!? Then each night at curfew was like a slumber party for us women upstairs - so fun!
It was such a privilege to be a small part of each of these people's lives and most exciting, to be along for part of the journey of what God is doing in each of their lives.
To read captions along with the pictures of my teammates, click on the slideshow below. There are some people I did not get pictures of from Global Orphan Hope - another organization from Nebraska that is building an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. They were each very special too!
It was really neat to see how God brought our team together from all over the United States to share this experience. I made some amazing friendships on the trip and I will be forever grateful to the LORD for that. I really believe that the promise Jesus gave in Mark 10:28-30 came true for me in meeting each of these special people:
"Then Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You.' So Jesus answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.'"
In a sense, I have had to forsake some of those relationships at different points in my life which is why I feel it applies to me. With this trip, I really do feel that I now have more fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and of course, children. :)
The fellowship on the trip was unforgettable. It was wonderful to start the day with a devotion and prayer together, eat all of our meals together, share our hearts, pray for each other and encourage one another. Rebekah commented at one point how what we experienced together was a sample of what is to come in God's Kingdom. What an exciting thought?!? Then each night at curfew was like a slumber party for us women upstairs - so fun!
It was such a privilege to be a small part of each of these people's lives and most exciting, to be along for part of the journey of what God is doing in each of their lives.
To read captions along with the pictures of my teammates, click on the slideshow below. There are some people I did not get pictures of from Global Orphan Hope - another organization from Nebraska that is building an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. They were each very special too!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Finding Joy In A Third World Country?
Despite the hopelessness and sadness in much of Haiti, I honestly have never felt so much joy and abundant life. The trip was emotionally exhausting in many ways, but I also felt so much warmth exuding from Smith, Katia, Dan of FMI (picture at the left), the children and from the sweet fellowship with my teammates. I can't even begin to describe what special people I had the privilege of meeting on the trip.
Smith and Katia have been through much hardship and yet are two of the most jovial and calm people I have ever met! I am unsure of what all I can share of the horrible things they have endured, but trust me when I say you would be surprised at their sweet demeanor despite it all! The love and peace of Jesus just overflowed out of them.
The picture below shows just one of many moments of fun and joy shared among our team. I was not up early enough to catch a sunrise so I confess I did not take this amazing picture, but it just captures the overall mood of many moments on the trip for me. Many tears were shed, but I also had some hearty laughs and smiled more than I have in a long time.
I had often heard stories about how you think you go on a trip like this to bless others, but in reality, you are blessed. I have now experienced that phenomenon in a major way. Those children brought us so much happiness and made me feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with them. Before we left, many of the children gave us special gifts they had made or some even gave us their own special things. It was so touching to see them give us what little bit they had! I think best of all were their smiles and hugs! See some of their beautiful smiles below - Click on the slideshow to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Accommodations While in Haiti
I did not expect such luxury while in Haiti. We stayed in a large and beautiful guesthouse with beds to sleep in, air conditioning and running water. Our showers were just a trickle of cold water, but it felt nice after being so hot all day. We were unable to brush our teeth with the running water and had to be careful not to swallow any water in the shower due to parasites. However, we were provided clean drinking water the entire time there.
I also felt completely safe while there. The guesthouse was in a compound, surrounded by high concrete walls with razor wire at the top. You could only enter through a large gate that was always locked. At night, three guard dogs were released on the grounds of the compound for added protection.
Smith and Katia (the directors of the orphanage) prepared all our meals and they were delicious. We ate a really yummy chicken and rice dish, goat, spaghetti, and a stew with dumplings in it. Katia is a great cook and so hospitable. She did a fantastic job cooking for all of us!
Click on the slideshow below to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
I also felt completely safe while there. The guesthouse was in a compound, surrounded by high concrete walls with razor wire at the top. You could only enter through a large gate that was always locked. At night, three guard dogs were released on the grounds of the compound for added protection.
Smith and Katia (the directors of the orphanage) prepared all our meals and they were delicious. We ate a really yummy chicken and rice dish, goat, spaghetti, and a stew with dumplings in it. Katia is a great cook and so hospitable. She did a fantastic job cooking for all of us!
Click on the slideshow below to see a larger version of the pictures with captions (a new window will open).
Saturday, October 1, 2011
When The Seed Was Planted
An obvious question to ask is: why Haiti? When one chooses to go on a mission trip, how does he/she decide where to go? In my case, the seed to have a desire to go to Haiti was planted in 2007. At the time, I was a nursing mother of my then little Moriah. Being such, I was especially sad to read in the news about a nursing Haitian mother having to eat dirt cookies for her sustenance. The cookies have absolutely no nutritional value and they do very little to satisfy hunger, but for some Haitians, that is all there is. And for some, selling the dirt cookies helps provide somewhat of an income - a very meager one.
I often read heart wrenching news stories, but that particular story about Haiti, on that particular day, never left my heart and I began to think and pray for Haiti and its people on a regular basis. This even trickled down to two of our children who were old enough to pray at the time. When we would ask them to pray, they would often sweetly pray for "the people in Haiti."
I knew I had a desire to go to Haiti at some point in my life, but figured it would not be until the children were grown. However, various trials along with my husband's encouragement pushed me in the direction to take a short-term trip at this point in my life and I'm so glad I had the opportunity!
I often read heart wrenching news stories, but that particular story about Haiti, on that particular day, never left my heart and I began to think and pray for Haiti and its people on a regular basis. This even trickled down to two of our children who were old enough to pray at the time. When we would ask them to pray, they would often sweetly pray for "the people in Haiti."
I knew I had a desire to go to Haiti at some point in my life, but figured it would not be until the children were grown. However, various trials along with my husband's encouragement pushed me in the direction to take a short-term trip at this point in my life and I'm so glad I had the opportunity!
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