Yesterday we spent the day at a tent city across the street. It seemed like any other day in Port au Prince, hot sun, a cold coke, and pasta for lunch. After returning from the tent city a second time I took my bi-daily shower and brushed out my hair. Not more then 15 minutes later some team members were going to an orphanage to play soccer and wanted me to join them. Since feeling clean is a rare thing I had no intention of sitting on the back of a truck again that day, but for some reason I was talked into it soon after sitting on a container of dried peaches in the truck on my way to this new orphanage. Eight of us sat in the truck as we were stuck in traffic and the sun was setting. It had been a good day so far, and I was enjoying going back out again. We slowly pulled up to a large gate with a giant children's painting on the front. There inside were 3 dogs to greet us as we washed our hands and walked in. It was a huge courtyard with 4 buildings around it. Sitting under a tree, were 12 or 13 special needs children anywhere from ages 12months to 14 years. We walked straight to them, holding hands and saying hello. One girl, probably 14 laying in a crib, smiled as I told her in english how beautiful her eyes were. My heart ached for these children, and I felt nothing but God's love for them. Minutes later after meeting each one, we rolled them in their wheelchairs into one building. Young children and workers helped direct us where to bring them. We came to a room at the end of the hall where the other special needs children were sitting watching a fuzzy television. We left them there, and continued to another room with some toddlers all watching another television. This orphanage was different, so much different then any other one in Haiti. They had large cement fish tanks, bunnies, kittens, goats, and even had a farm and two parrots. The man and wife who run it seemed to have a genuine love for the kids, as they told us there are 99 children living with them. I scooped up a toddler and caught up with the other girls, we walked under mango tree's and sat under a small gazebo. Although the mosquito's would not let up, I couldn't help but smile as I saw the children playing and heard the worship music in the back round. As it got darker I went back into the first building, I tried to set down the girl I was carrying but she wouldn't have it, she started to cry and curl up on the floor. I knew she didn't have parents, I knew with 99 children in one place she wouldn't have anyone to just sit and hold her. So that's what I did. I walked back and forth through the faded pink and green watermelon walls to the room on the end. I walked in and a lady asked me to sit in creole and I responded "wi". I sat with on the edge of a bed, in the room with the children and fuzzy tv. The little girl, smelling of baby powder rested her head on my chest and fell asleep. I silently prayed for each child and the one on my lap as they watched the tv or stared at me. Often in Haiti I can't help but wonder what am I doing here. But not yesterday. Yesterday was the type of day that makes me realize that everything I do and work hard for is worth it. Just to hold a baby who doesn't have a family, or pray in my thought's, is all I can do. Hearing her cry as I walked out only made my heart break more. We left the orphanage that night in the back of our truck as always, but it was different. I was reminded yesterday why I do what I do. And why Haiti has so much potential. Why people are worth more than anything in the world. Although my heart is a little more broken, my life is that much more full.
Love, Haiti, Love
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A little piece of Haiti HEART.
You may be wondering what outreach is, well let me tell you.
Its a mixture of not showering, walking to get water, and hand washing your clothes.
add some beans and rice, rice and beans and beans and rice.
now, slowly realize that being on time, is a western idea, and simply irrelevant
and yes, your sweat pant shorts and t-shirts are a fashion statement
so force yourself out of your comfort zone
and prepare to be broken, and broken, and broken again
share everything and anything from toothbrushes, to drinks, to snacks, to thoughts and emotions
you'll understand the concept that personal space is a luxury
don't pet the animals
don't pet the animals
okay fine you can pet the cute ones
appreciate everything about where you are not and where you are
don't forget entertaining yourselves with old music, home made nature shows, dancing and a little game we like to call: If we were in Kona right now..
now just roll with it; sitting on cars, hiking up mountains, and eating large amounts of bread
if you expected to look good and clean all the time, just don't even bother with the mirror
starting to get the picture?
well, at least you'll be able to say things like ;
these are the times that we look back on and say, honestly what were we thinking?
and
yes we did just birth a baby
so pack up and move, and move again
learn to be flexible and take many naps
why not sew your own skirt
and just spend the extra money on that not so good american burger
learn to love the things you never thought you would
there are reasons why we are here, and not at our jobs and homes
or possibly
we are crazy to do this.
oh well
lets do it again.
Its a mixture of not showering, walking to get water, and hand washing your clothes.
add some beans and rice, rice and beans and beans and rice.
now, slowly realize that being on time, is a western idea, and simply irrelevant
and yes, your sweat pant shorts and t-shirts are a fashion statement
so force yourself out of your comfort zone
and prepare to be broken, and broken, and broken again
share everything and anything from toothbrushes, to drinks, to snacks, to thoughts and emotions
you'll understand the concept that personal space is a luxury
don't pet the animals
don't pet the animals
okay fine you can pet the cute ones
appreciate everything about where you are not and where you are
don't forget entertaining yourselves with old music, home made nature shows, dancing and a little game we like to call: If we were in Kona right now..
now just roll with it; sitting on cars, hiking up mountains, and eating large amounts of bread
if you expected to look good and clean all the time, just don't even bother with the mirror
starting to get the picture?
well, at least you'll be able to say things like ;
these are the times that we look back on and say, honestly what were we thinking?
and
yes we did just birth a baby
so pack up and move, and move again
learn to be flexible and take many naps
why not sew your own skirt
and just spend the extra money on that not so good american burger
learn to love the things you never thought you would
there are reasons why we are here, and not at our jobs and homes
or possibly
we are crazy to do this.
oh well
lets do it again.
Up until now, and we are all caught up.
We started the new year with a dance party and cheetos. And spent the next two weeks at our house in Mountriouse. Over that time we started going to another orphanage, and speaking at a mini dts, for our local haitian friends. We all shared testimony's and messages. We spent an entire day trekking up the mountain behind our house to a village and natural spring. Haiti is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, but no one knows it. Because of the disasters and poverty, it's easily overlooked. But when you take the time to admire the surroundings, thats when you start to see Haiti with the potential it has. After the long and exhausting day, we thought it was to much work to carry the water from the well up to our bathroom, so a few of us just showered in our bathing suits right at the well. Sure you get a few strange looks, but there isn't anything more refreshing. After finishing half of the mini dts, we get some information on saturday that surprises us. Apparently we were supposed to move out of our house, and we had one day to pack. Our Pastor, as awesome as he is, forgot to mention that detail weeks prior.. so we spent saturday packing and sunday driving to port au prince. We are now at the YWAM base, enjoying our electricity and water, and not to mention internet. We started some tent city ministry and food distribution yesterday, while half the team went back to Mountriose to finish up the mini dts. On top of that, we are pretty sure we are moving to a different house here in port au prince. Monday marks our half way point, and if there is one thing we have learned in Haiti, it's be flexible.
December 26-29 Tent City.
Poorest Slum in the Western Hemisphere. Port au Prince Haiti.
Came in from a 2 hour long truck ride, under us is the side of a cut up semi truck placed over the top of another truck, along with a drum set and other items. Tired and sunburnt we unload our things and walk to an old Unicef tent thats been converted to a church. Intense would be an understatement. Surrounded by children, clothed or otherwise, begging to have our attention we try to sit and have a conversation. Still sick from the previous weeks, and completely culture shocked, it was a surprise to find out where we were sleeping; 13 people in an 8-10 man tent. On top of the lack of personal space and boundaries, the children kept fighting and terrorizing each other, never taking there eyes off us. On the last day, we picked up garbage or in other words, kept kids from fighting over garbage bags and gloves. All of these things, I had to admit were too much for me. The next morning we were scheduled to leave at 2:00pm, Haitian time that means.. give or take a day. Early in the afternoon, our Pastors wife started to have some labour pains, so we decided to have her walk around, and take her to the hospital a bit later, making the extra night in the city a blessing. 5 or 6 rolls around and we start to make some sleeping arrangements, one of the married couples decided to make a bed outside the tent, and set up a board and mosquito net. All of this underneath another Unicef tent by our tent. Gradually we set up more lights and tarps. Not even five minutes later Pastors wife is wobbling over with girls holding her up, towards the tent. Basically she was in labour and needed a place to lie down before it was time to go to the hospital. Now it was 7, and in haiti you make appointments to have a baby, and her appointment was at 9, so we had some time to kill. We propped her up with sleeping bags and backpacks, as her contractions got closer and closer. After about 30 minutes most of the girls were inside the make-shift maternity ward, sanitizing and finding cloth and sheets. We thought, its better to be safe then sorry, and although it wasn't ideal, we got prepared. When her contractions became 30 seconds long, and a minute apart we decided to get a second opinion. Collectively we had roughly an hour of first aid knowledge, plus two haitian ladies who don't understand english. We called anyone we would think of who might know if we are birthing a baby, or going to the hospital, but we just figured we would wait it out. It was around 7:55 and God had some unexpected plans. As the guys sat in the tent beside, drinking coffee and laughing that we were overreacting... we realized that the baby was crowning! Without much time to consider our next move we called the Pastor, and with a whole lot of silent prayers one of our girls delivered a beautiful little baby at 8:05. We thank God everything went smoothly as we gathered around. We tied the umbilical cord with dental floss and cut it will craft scissors. Things I never thought I would see, happened right in front of my eyes, inches away from me. I can definitely say that it truly is the miracle of birth.
We were all in shock that night as we cleaned up the new mom and baby girl, Sherlyssa. Three of us being 18 never imagined seeing such things so up close and personal. Needless to say, God had every detail planned out before hand. From staying another night, to fixing a bed outside and setting up lights. It was a divine intervention.
Week two in Haiti was an insane adventure, and we are only getting started.
Came in from a 2 hour long truck ride, under us is the side of a cut up semi truck placed over the top of another truck, along with a drum set and other items. Tired and sunburnt we unload our things and walk to an old Unicef tent thats been converted to a church. Intense would be an understatement. Surrounded by children, clothed or otherwise, begging to have our attention we try to sit and have a conversation. Still sick from the previous weeks, and completely culture shocked, it was a surprise to find out where we were sleeping; 13 people in an 8-10 man tent. On top of the lack of personal space and boundaries, the children kept fighting and terrorizing each other, never taking there eyes off us. On the last day, we picked up garbage or in other words, kept kids from fighting over garbage bags and gloves. All of these things, I had to admit were too much for me. The next morning we were scheduled to leave at 2:00pm, Haitian time that means.. give or take a day. Early in the afternoon, our Pastors wife started to have some labour pains, so we decided to have her walk around, and take her to the hospital a bit later, making the extra night in the city a blessing. 5 or 6 rolls around and we start to make some sleeping arrangements, one of the married couples decided to make a bed outside the tent, and set up a board and mosquito net. All of this underneath another Unicef tent by our tent. Gradually we set up more lights and tarps. Not even five minutes later Pastors wife is wobbling over with girls holding her up, towards the tent. Basically she was in labour and needed a place to lie down before it was time to go to the hospital. Now it was 7, and in haiti you make appointments to have a baby, and her appointment was at 9, so we had some time to kill. We propped her up with sleeping bags and backpacks, as her contractions got closer and closer. After about 30 minutes most of the girls were inside the make-shift maternity ward, sanitizing and finding cloth and sheets. We thought, its better to be safe then sorry, and although it wasn't ideal, we got prepared. When her contractions became 30 seconds long, and a minute apart we decided to get a second opinion. Collectively we had roughly an hour of first aid knowledge, plus two haitian ladies who don't understand english. We called anyone we would think of who might know if we are birthing a baby, or going to the hospital, but we just figured we would wait it out. It was around 7:55 and God had some unexpected plans. As the guys sat in the tent beside, drinking coffee and laughing that we were overreacting... we realized that the baby was crowning! Without much time to consider our next move we called the Pastor, and with a whole lot of silent prayers one of our girls delivered a beautiful little baby at 8:05. We thank God everything went smoothly as we gathered around. We tied the umbilical cord with dental floss and cut it will craft scissors. Things I never thought I would see, happened right in front of my eyes, inches away from me. I can definitely say that it truly is the miracle of birth.
We were all in shock that night as we cleaned up the new mom and baby girl, Sherlyssa. Three of us being 18 never imagined seeing such things so up close and personal. Needless to say, God had every detail planned out before hand. From staying another night, to fixing a bed outside and setting up lights. It was a divine intervention.
Week two in Haiti was an insane adventure, and we are only getting started.
December ( I'm behind, way behind on the blogs)
Re-cap
Haiti on outreach, after some stop overs we arrived safe and sound in port au prince on the 16th. Along with the news that none of our 20 pieces of luggage arrived with us. We slept over at a YWAM base and went to Mountroise and got settled in our house, without electricity or water. We went to St. Marc the next day, and it was extremely busy and intense (still haven't showered; day 3) Day 4 we get to shower and change our clothes ( those of us who brought some in our carry-on) Finally after a week without luggage it arrived, and we were all super excited. We did some local orphanage ministry, and had a christmas party with the kids, which was a huge hit, they loved it. We let them make cards, gave them all hot chocolate and presents, awesome to see. Our team built a pump for their well and they were very thankful for that. We spent the first month there really building relationships with the local haitians and attending the local church.
Haiti on outreach, after some stop overs we arrived safe and sound in port au prince on the 16th. Along with the news that none of our 20 pieces of luggage arrived with us. We slept over at a YWAM base and went to Mountroise and got settled in our house, without electricity or water. We went to St. Marc the next day, and it was extremely busy and intense (still haven't showered; day 3) Day 4 we get to shower and change our clothes ( those of us who brought some in our carry-on) Finally after a week without luggage it arrived, and we were all super excited. We did some local orphanage ministry, and had a christmas party with the kids, which was a huge hit, they loved it. We let them make cards, gave them all hot chocolate and presents, awesome to see. Our team built a pump for their well and they were very thankful for that. We spent the first month there really building relationships with the local haitians and attending the local church.
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