Haiti Day Four

Today was an excellent day…what a blessing to be a part of this!

This morning after feeding the children breakfast we were able to hand out the back packs that were made during VBS earlier this summer.  What a scene it was!  Our team of translators did an amazing job of getting the children to sit down and wait to be handed their bag.  We have seen a  couple of mob scenes during candy hand out so we were very cautious.  The process was smooth and the kids were HILARIOUS!  After all the bags were distributed, it looked like a market place!  Those kids were making deals…it was awesome.  After all the trading was done, we had a good hour of play time with all the new toys.  It was a great time…

This afternoon we split for the first time.  The Lavaca team returned to the orphanage and continued loving on the kids.  One thing we have witnessed on this trip is the authentic love Lavaca has for that orphanage.  The love they show those children is beyond description.  I cannot stress enough how important it is that you join them in prayer as they take on this huge mission.  Their hearts are so pure…praise God for the call on that church!

The North Park group went back to a few tent cities we had evangelized in June.  Our mission was to find Jean Ramone, the man we truly think is going to pastor a HUGE church here someday.  His heart for Jesus is amazing.  God has gifted him to share the Gospel in huge ways.  As a matter of fact, when we went looking for him, it turns out he is gone…ON A MISSION TRIP to north Haiti!  A true man of God, loving his Haitian people.

We proceeded through some other areas and prayed with several folks who we had shared the Gospel with in June.  It was a true joy to be able to see them again.

We were also given permission to see the inside of a local voodoo temple.  There is so much spiritual confusion there.  Please pray for the people of Haiti who are in bondage of the voodoo “church.”  They use just enough “Jesus” to rope people in and then they begin the damage.  We know that God wins this battle…let’s pray for the protection of the people until that victory is complete.

Tomorrow is our final day…keep up the prayer support.  To know that God is using First Lavaca and North Park together in such a huge way is so encouraging…glory to God!

Haiti Trip…Day Three

Today marks the third day of our journey back to Haiti and our second day of work.  Here are some of the high points of our trip thus far…

• Our travel was good overall.  We had a one and a half hour delay at Miami due to lightning but had no other issues.  The trip through customs and the Port-Au-Prince Airport was much easier than last time with no lost luggage.  Our trip from the airport to Leogane was much quicker and easier than in June.
• Saturday we made our first visit to the orphanage.  There were many familiarities and a few differences.  The distinct smell was the same.  The pure joy of the children in the orphanage to see “the machine” was the same (that’s what they call the rental vehicles we are driving).  The conditions are roughly the same.  The food situation seems to be getting better. The kids are eating two large meals per day, sometimes three.  The first visit there brought back many of the same emotions as the first trip ranging from complete sadness to anger to joy that God counted us worthy to visit these kids…see James 1:27.  Our interaction was completely informal…we just visited with the kids and played with them.  The highlight for the kids was getting to take rides in “the machine” and get a view outside of their four walls.  They were in silent awe as they rode in an air-conditioned SUV.  It was quite touching to see their faces.
• Today we took breakfast to them prior to their two and a half hour worship service…yes, you read that right (no more complaining…lol).  They got strawberry pop-tarts, a boiled egg, and a mandarine orange fruit cup.  They hit the jackpot with the pop tarts!  The ladies from First Lavaca spent a good portion of the morning cleaning the nasty sheets these children are sleeping on.  We also purchased insecticide to kill the fleas, roaches, bed bugs, and other bugs that were rampant in the dorm areas.  That was quite an experience.  I only thought I had seen large cockroaches…sheesh.  This afternoon consisted of day two of medicating the kids (props to Angela and Lynne for handling this so well) and play time.  We had a group try to go buy groceries but to no avail as the stores were closed.
• Tomorrow we buy groceries, hand out the sack packs that North Park kids made during VBS, and prepare for a very busy Tuesday that MAY include a trip to the beach with all 100+ kids and a movie/birthday party night with all of them under their large tent. Please be in prayer about Tuesday…that could be a day these kids will never forget.

I must say what a pleasure it has been to serve with the folks from First Lavaca.  We have three sisters and a mother here who have kept us all light-hearted with their constant laughter.   That church has a huge responsibility from God to open an orphanage down here.  But, if it’s God’s will, then He will see it through…pray for them.

Thank you North Park for making these trips happen.  I will post more details as the week progresses…God bless!