Serving the Lord - a week in Haiti

I have been back from PR now for a week and it's been about a week and a half since I left Haiti, but the impressions from the time there have not left me.  It is hard to put to words so many impressions about the time there.  I will try to answer the most common questions and share some things that touched me very closely.  We were a very small team ... 5 from CC Puerto Rico, 2 that joined us from CC Fort Lauderdale and myself. 

 What did I do there?

For me, it was mainly children's ministry. The picture to the left was at a school orphanage. These two boys wouldn't let go!  After a while, my arms were going to fall off, but I wouldn't have had it any other way!!!  The one in blue even fell asleep on me ... so I was able to put him down.  In that same place, there was a group of older kids, maybe 8-10 years old (the school seemed to have a large age range together).  One of them tried to tell me something that I couldn't understand. After the translator finally understood what he was saying, he said that I should take one of them home (pointing to himself and his friends)!!! It was heartbreaking and there was really nothing to say...



Calvary Chapel Haiti Initiative Property and Big Tent



There was also construction work that the men did at the Calvary Chapel Haiti Initiative property, and we all helped sort mattresses, boxes of clothing, shoes and hygiene products from donations that would later be distributed to churches for people and families in need.  We also got pretty muddy when it rained and the photo doesn't do it justice!  This was one of those crazy shots when we got on the tap-tap, but I just love it (especially with the verse)!  Sorry I didn't get you in here, Josephine.  Do you want to crucify me?  We called the truck "tap-tap" because you tap it on the sides to get the driver to stop :D  
 

 I also helped out with some computer work one afternoon, but primarily it was about the kids.  For the children's ministry, we would visit schools and orphanages and Sam (one of the long term missionaries from CC Fort Lauderdale that knows Creole) would lead the kids in worship and share a story from the Bible (Paul and Silas & the philippian jailer) while we acted it out.  Then we would color and draw with the kids images relating to the story, or anything that they wanted us to draw ... I did a lot of cars and flowers! :)  I also learned to say and write on their pictures "Jezzi Remen Ou!" (Jesus Loves You!).  The kids just loved to have their picture taken and see themselves, thanks to modern technology ... disposable cameras didn't quite have the same effect :) ... sorry Sandra, God knows my heart!  I have so many pictures of kids!



How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:7



I got to hang out with the kids and even hold the baby!!! :) 

This was at a school and the baby belonged to one of the teachers.

 The worst of days was a day we went to an orphanage with babies (from infant to what would appear to be 1 year old, but they were probably older due to malnutrition) where we were not allowed to take pictures.  The best of the babies were in rooms lined with steel cribs dying to get picked up, while others would not even have eye contact with us and just stare into space.  Some of these kids may be orphans, others have parents that dropped them off.  I was holding a little girl that I thought was about 18 months and she had a sister who was about 1-2 months old.  It was so hard to see these little babies that were desperate to receive the physical touch they didn't regularly get.  It was also hard to see even bigger kids that also were in another room lined with cribs that didn't even fit in the cribs.  They would go to school in the morning and come back to lay in the cribs the rest of the day.  So many kids and adoption being so hard to impossible!!!  There were so many heartbreaking impressions here ... how much can one person really do?  All I can say is please pray for these kids.

That afternoon, we joined Eric (a long term missionary from California) on a soccer outreach.  We played soccer with the kids from the community and then shared the gospel with them. We felt so beat down from the morning and so unqualified because most of the men were doing construction ... what could 4 girls do to help out at a soccer outreach with not quite enough men???  Well, the Lord chooses the weak and the foolish ... At least 8 kids accepted the Lord!  Eric said that girls normally don't join the games and there were quite a few that came and were playing with us, even if we looked more foolish than athletic in a culture where all of them are great at soccer!  We met a boy whose parents had died in the earthquake and he also accepted the Lord when one of the girls shared the gospel with him!!!  We also met Pierre.  He is the man in the yellow shirt.  He came with a strut and beer in his hand, showing off and kicking around the ball.  After raising his hand, praying and becoming very broken in tears, he left with a gentle walk and a Bible in his hand!  It was a glorious afternoon on the worst of days and best of days!  Please pray that the fruit remains.

Eric (on the right) sharing the gospel, while Brisso (in green) translates to Creole.

Was there still a lot of destruction from the earthquake?

There was a lot of poverty and broken buildings ... but it was hard for me to identify what was poverty vs. earthquake impact.  There are many still living in tents and the contrast of nice buildings, poverty, tents and garbage is very marked.  I have many  pictures available at the link below.

What did the Lord show me on the trip?

There were many things the Lord was speaking to my heart and changes that I don't even understand ...



The Ladies! United from many places :)



When I left for Puerto Rico to begin this trip, I knew only one person (Jason - the assistant pastor from CC PR) and two of the girls I had met on facebook shortly before the trip.  By the end of the trip, I had many brothers and sisters that were close and I now love and miss.  They love me, they really love me!!! ;)  Some of them are missionaries long term in Haiti, others are local Haitians involved in the ministry and others are short term missionaries and have left as I have (some even going back soon).  The Lord has a way to bring a unity in the Spirit that in the flesh would not be possible.  I am learning that wherever the Lord takes me, He will establish the friendships and comradery that I will need and that will be essential to accomplish His will.

Jason shared a story when our trip was drawing to an end.  I hope I quote it close enough...

A boy is walking along the beach and it is covered in starfish that are dying. Moved with compassion, he grabs a starfish and throws it back into the sea, then another, then another.  A man that walks up asks the boy: "There are so many starfish that are dying. What makes you think that you are making a difference?  How many can you really save?".  The boy reached down, picked up another starfish and as he threw it in, he said: "There's one".  He picked up another one and as he threw it in, he said: "There's another one".

Do I think I made a huge impact with this trip?  No, I know it was not much at all ... and that is a statement of the obvious, if ever I've heard one! ... but ...

One by one, we can make a difference.  Let's pay no attention to sheer volume of need, as we would become discouraged.  Let's keep our eyes on Jesus, go out and obey the Lord with the one by one He has for us to impact!

If you haven't already seen them, please check out more pictures of the trip (they are the same as on facebook). I have descriptions to help understand what was going on:

Updated link:

https://picasaweb.google.com/principlepassion/CCPRTripToHaiti2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCICIroO_rrOhigE&feat=directlink

For additional information on the ministry, see:

http://www.calvarychapelhaitiinitiative.org/