Leaving Haiti - 11/24/15

Monday, 11/24/15
At 4am the alarm went off. No memories of the delicious dinner and desserts last night, the warm showers, or the beach water will make us want to delay our departure. We are ready to go. Our bags must be at the bus by 4:30a. There is an extra truck for our luggage and the hour long trip to the airport had a smooth road with the exception of several speed bumps that brought us to a crawl, the driver sped us on to the airport.

We have passed security and the flight is rechecking the baggage count because of the rigorous precautions that must be taken in light of the global terrorists alert. All bags were opened and patted through. We made it through and boarded the plane. As I type this we are in the air headed for the US. We are sleepy, exhausted, a bit hungry, but we have completed the task that was set before us and we are grateful to God for his protection.

Whoever remembers getting breakfast on a flight that was more than 2 hours, should just keep that as a memory. The attendants' jobs may have been made easier for cleanup but many passengers miss the meals, at least I do. Then again it was in a class all by itself as "airline food". So whatever the offering, it is a perfect time to give thanks for it all.
We are scattered around the plane and some of us are clustered together. One of my roomies from the beginning of the trip is sitting across the aisle from me. It's a reminder of God's love that has been spread abroad in us through the Person of Jesus Christ. He has sovereignly put us all together for this amazing adventure. The are thirteen (13) churches represented in this group of 26. Only God can pull together something so spectacular. Every ministry need was met by God's Holy Spirit moving in us to take our places in service; from pouring rice into smaller bags, pulling luggage from the truck, offering an arm for the rocky walks through villages, filling buckets of water for bathroom duty, singing, leading the worship, playing instruments, sharing testimonies, teaching, praying, holding children on our laps and showing them their pictures from a "selfie" shot; ... and the list goes on.

Returning to the US was smooth and easy. The newest technology allowed for easy passage through customs. The connecting flight was on time. There was enough time in the layover to have lunch and board the flight. That is unless you get lost in the terminal. Every minute counts and of course the gate is at the end of the terminal. No bags needed checking and the plane is in flight. The last leg of the trip is in motion.

The last report: everyone landed safely! Our God is indeed awesome!

Last Day in Haiti

Mon 11/23/16

Our original plan was to leave the Humanity facility at 6am to spend the last day in Haiti at a beach. Initially this was an optional activity because we were going to be coming back to the Humanity home. However in light of the "manifestation" expectations (term for the civil unrest) our plans changed; we would be leaving at 8:30. After breakfast we learned that our route to travel was affected by the ""manifestations" and by now it's 9 o'clock and the truck to take our luggage has not arrived.

While we are waiting, we begin to share about our time together in Haiti. Amazing things happen on a mission trip with people you have never met or served with before, come together for the express purpose of serving others in a foreign country. We wept, sang and praised God. It was the necessary prelude to the rest of the day. Our endurance was tested. We rode for more than three hours to a different location than what was originally planned. Our decision to stay away from the city and closer to the airport was for safety reasons.

We are in a secured place for the night and will leave for the airport tomorrow morning by 4am. The travel to the airport at such an early hour reminds me of the Exodus when the people were told to to be dressed and ready for flight in the wee hours.
We have enjoyed fresh fruits and vegetables and food very similar to American cuisine. It's time for tipping my toes in the blue waters of the country.

Sunday in Haiti

Late Saturday evening, the plans were being set for our participation in two services. We had a choir rehearsal (everyone on the trip participated - great voices and excellent musicians including recording artists), and then we got ready for bed. 

As alarm clocks went off and sleep was wiped away from our eyes; breakfast was almost an afterthought as we scrambled for portable food and mounted the bus. We needed to be on the road by 6 to avoid what was expected to be a day of protesting.  Even at that early hour, although we avoided any protesters, the streets were filled with local vendors with fruits and vegetables to sell. 

We entered the first church in Bon-Repos and joined the 7am service of worship and praise. We had learned a few songs in Creole/French and the church learned and joined in singing. The service was a marvelous testimony of God's saving grace. The ministry of the word was shared by the pastors and leaders on the team. The second service was a half hour away in Cabaret. The amazing power of the gift of music God has given brought us together in harmony and worship and praise to him in both places.

Our return trip had a pizza stop for lunch and then the group split up. The musicians went to a 3pm service with the youth of the church in Bon-Repos. The rest of the group headed back to Fermate/Fermathe (Creo spelling). We visited the orphanage on the grounds where we were staying (Harvest for Humanity), took pictures, saw the grounds from the highest point of the location and toured the greenhouse where or fresh veggies and fruit came from every day we were here.

We will be leaving in the morning for our last location here in Haiti. We board the bus at 8:30. Since this is our last night with the girls from the orphanage who have served us, we are leaving toiletries and treats for them. It will be another sad time as we leave another group of smiling faces and treasured moments. Our prayers have been answered for one more day of safety and service to others and Him. Your prayers have helped. We ask for God's continued blessing of safety for our last day in Haiti.

Saturday in Haiti

Saturday in Haiti

The morning began with the challenges of very low water pressure which was quite low. This is because we are so high in the mountains. This did not affect our after breakfast time of worship. Our prayer time for the day set the tone for praise and worship in our hearts. We left encouraged and ready for ministering to a church with workshops and teachings.

We were in a large church with enough space to divide into groups comfortably. The women are gathered on the mezzanine; the men are on the first floor; the teens are on the balcony level; and the kids were just below in a basement.  All the groups were in hearing distance from each other, so the challenge is on. When the loud singing of the children stopped because we thought they were finished singing, but they came upstairs to the church's main level on their way outside because it was expedient.

The women's session was an amazing testimony to the power of God and the leading and following of his Spirit. There was concentrated prayer for the women after testimonies were shared and the women were encouraged.

The Leadership team reported that their sessions were more enriching than they could have ever expected it to be. They were taught the necessity of a heart for God in order to lead worship and there were eye-opening truths shared.

An eye-glass clinic followed and the reading glasses were distributed as needed. The church was going to be able to bless the others in their congregation as the need arises for reading glasses.

The day ended and we returned to the facility. After a short break we went to the highest mountain in Port Au Prince, had "the best sweet potato bread in Haiti" according to our host Pastor Bob. We enjoyed it and patronized the vendors on that mountain. At the end of the experience we prayed over the City of Porte Au Prince and came back to our "home away from home" for the evening.

There was a choir rehearsal (everyone attending will be singing together) and the presentations of preaching was worked out for the two services that we will be leading tomorrow. We have had a meeting about our last day in Haiti in light of the civil unrest they are having because of the political climate. Our ministry opportunities have been adjusted to be able to travel safely and still reach our destinations without incident. This is the effects of your prayers for our team and the leading of the Holy Spirit as each opportunity is presented.

We will be leaving at 6am tomorrow morning for church.

Friday in Haiti

Today we left the Ryan Epps Children's Home, orphanage at 8:00. The original time was 7:45 however, there were pictures to be taken, hugs to be given and tears to be shed. We have been traveling in a bus for most of our time to get to places to minister. "We'll go back to our smug little worlds and have a little part of our hearts scarred" according to my roommate, Theresa. 

We climbed into a different bus (it was noted that the tires on the first bus were fairly worn) so another bus was provided. It was air-conditioned and seated all 26 of us. The difference was the size. We went from the "American cheese bus" to a smaller coach with much less space. We folded ourselves into spaces we did not think we could fit. We held on as the bus bumped along the unpaved roads to our first stop which was another orphanage. This one was near Porte Au Prince. It's a school with a place for the children to sleep. The pastor pf the orphanage spoke to us about the difficulty in feeding and supplying the children with necessary tools for education. While there, we bagged rice into smaller bags as we did in the Mirbalais community and prepared them for another distribution in a distant community. We were introduced to some of the students there and took an offering to leave them better than we came. The pastor was encouraged. 

We took off for our next stop. We drove for about 40 minutes and turned off the road to a deserted place of thorns, so we thought. The bus bounced along until some small thatch huts were recognized along the water's edge. There are no words for a description. The location is called Kanez. We walked down rocky steps to deliver rice to the several huts along the shore. We sang songs and prayed for the village and the people. We're told that the people there live off the land. They do not pay taxes and they primarily eat the fish they catch. Since there is no drinking water, everything must be brought to them from outside the Village of Kanez. People have gathered around for the singing in the outdoor church and we learned to sing the verses to "Hallelujah" in French.

The ride back into the town where the Ryan Epps Home is located (we had just left there) and it was without incident. However, our evening church service was canceled due to chaotic activity in that area. In addition our attempt to return to the Harvest for Humanity House for our evening meal, we took back streets to avoid the activity for safety and the ride challenged our ability to hold on to our seats. Upon arrival to the Harvest House, we unfolded our bodies and stretched out and lumbered to our rooms. Dinner was once again filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish. Fish is a major source of food for areas that are close to the water. Some of the places we visited were very far inland and high in the hills. 

Tomorrow we will be waiting to find out if the area we are to minister in will be safe. The plan was to have sessions for an attendance of 500 - 1000. We will trust God to lead us to where we are to be to encourage and comfort the people of God. If you are reading this before Saturday morning, please continue to pray for us for the best God can offer these people from our hands.

Thursday Evening in Haiti

It's Thursday evening and we've just come back from "street evangelism". That takes a new meaning in Haiti. There are no streets. They are roads. We were in the Mirebealais. The area are around our community was our street ministry. The bus took us about 15 minutes away from the Citadelle and parked. We looked like we were in a deserted place. The hosting pastor divided us into two groups and we went on opposite sides of the road to the houses that were on our side. The small shanties may have had one person or two sitting outside when we approached. The pastor began in French/Creole and would then let us know if there was a person who needed salvation, was a member of his church, or was involved in Voodoo or Satan worship. In these cases, we were in spiritual warfare and the team prayed fervently for deliverance. Every time, God intervened, souls were delivered, and lives were changed...ours especially.

Our bus is scheduled to leave the Global Vision Citadelle Site tomorrow at 7am. The plan is to visit three orphanages in the Port Au Prince area, a needy village and to end the day participating in the an evening service. From that service we will end at the Harvest for Humanity House where we originated our journey.

Thank you for your prayers for this specific mission. All victory reports have been by prayer. Continue.

Thursday in Haiti

Today we painted the buildings on the grounds of the Global Vision Citadelle. Right after a breakfast of pancakes, juice and coffee, we were going to visit the homes surrounding the Citadelle to deliver bags of rice. Nine 55 pound bags of rice were delivered to the Citadelle and were divided into two cup bags of rice and this afternoon, we will be taking those bags to neighboring homes.

The painting project went well and the building was transformed. Lunch was ordered and sandwiches were made. The project of painting was more fun than probably any paint job done. Every mission trip has an assembly of people who are good in some things and some of us certainly don't paint for a living.

We have been requested by one of our leaders, Pastor Derek Hawkins to complete our rice bagging. As soon as we had more of the smaller bags, we continued. One of the orphans have become quite popular with the group. He has learned that hugs and love is a good thing. While sitting outside with the orphans in the evening, and talking on the phone, I picked up Kevin and he sat in my lap as I continued to talk. When I did so, the other children huddled around and it was a great opportunity to speak and show love to them.

Wednesday in Haiti

Today we will be teaching in sessions all day. The breakfast was filled with fresh pineapple, eggs and juice.

We are staying in the same facility that is housing orphans from the 7.? earthquake in 2010. They greeted us last night when the bus finally made it to the location. They showed their appreciation by  taking our hands and walking us to the open air chapel and singing to us. Our tiredness left and we rejoiced with them. Then we were taken to dinner.

The ride to Hinche took an hour. Although in the daylight, the watching was still a bit tense. It's the gasping of breath and looking away as we plow through winding roads.

In an hour, we are parked next to a large building and people are singing and we approach getting out of the heat and waiting for instructions. The teachers are divided and sessions are started. We are sharing as the women are listening through translation. Amazing how the word of God encourages and meets everyone where they are. Even though the language is different, encouragement is needed in every culture. We shared and laughed together and after several encouraging words form different women, we are dismissed for lunch. Our team has provided for the several hundred attendees including the children and we will continue with session in the afternoon. How hungry they are for the word of God and how it enriches them to hear our stories of similarity as women.

We completed our teaching seminars which went well and headed back to the Global Vision Citadel. Tomorrow we will stay in the Citadelle and paint. The teachings went well and everyone is exhausted. Dinner is served.

Rest of the First Full Day

Pastor  Bob LeFrock gave us a tentative schedule. We will be in Hinche tomorrow and our time of teaching will begin. We are working along with the police who have suggested that we not continue with our plans today bur begin again with full day tomorrow

First Full Day of Haiti

Well, we finally went to bed and it was after 1am for my room of ladies. I believe we were so "stressed" about the ride up the hill and laughing so hard because of our reactions to the hilly climb in a bus over 18 years old and its ability, although questionable, to the top of the mountain where we would stay. The cheese bus was escorted by the Chief of Police of Port Au Prince, and security guards for safety. Some of the turns were eye-closers, breath-holding, and white-knuckling. We clung to each seat and perspired and prayed. We made it. 

Dinner was wonderful. How wonderful to enjoy tropical fruit in the countries in which they were grown! The pineapple and watermelon were tastier than I'd ever had.

The next morning we were up for breakfast at 8. Since we were staying in an accommodations called Harvest for Humanity which houses missionaries all the time, we had a typical American breakfast available to us; oatmeal, scrambled and boiled eggs, assorted cereals, fruit juices, mango's, and all the amenities of a welcoming start to the week ahead.

We boarded the bus with three days of clothing because our next portion of the trip is in another part of the country. We will be bunking in the Citadel which is in Mirribellis (sp) and a two hour bumpy road ride with twists and turns and suddenly we are stopped. Our driver only knows French but he stops moving because there is fire in the street and a bicyclist is the target of a rock throwing. Traffic is backed up in the two lane street and there is no place to turn. The police have blocked off the street.. The bus backs into a street to turn around. Cars are making U-turns. We are still one hour away from our destination of ministry. A phone call is made and a Christian brother lives nearby. The bus makes one more seemingly impossible turn and if I didn't believe the prayers of people of God were working, I'm sure the bus would have tilted over...(shaking in our mission shoes)

We spend several hours in Eddie's house and then the roads are clear.  Just as we are about to get up, the call comes to say we have another hour before the unrest as a result of the voting has been put under control. We sing to our hosts, thanking God for the lunch provided in an air-conditioned home while devices are being charged. We thank God for his divine favor and protection. The day of ministry has come in a different way. More on our day later.

Day One in Haiti

The morning started off with a trip to LaGuardia and by 9:10 I was through security (thanks for the fast track of Pre TSA). The waiting in line reminds me of the times in which we live. The job of checking baggage to keep us safe is a job requiring lots of patience.
We were gathered at the Atlanta Airport and the group of 26 moved onto the last leg of the flight to arrive. Our passports were collected and a fee of $10 because they were American passports was charged each. Our host apologized that it was a new regulation since he had come back to live here in Haiti
For one hour, we rode up hills on pot-holed single lanes in a large bus. There were times when it appeared that the bus would tilt but  it landed us here safely. Dinner of lasagna and salad with wonderful; tropical fruits was served and then our first meeting was called.
We will leave in the morning at 10 to begin a two hour drive to a community where we will begin street evangelism by serving food and paining. Details of what we will do is still sketchy and we are told to take three days of clothing in our backpacks.
As we rode up the hills and loud gasping was made as tight corners were navigated, the best way to get through was often to close ones eyes. The children's book that came to mind was "The Little Engine That Could". The bus ride was memorable.
More tomorrow as the Time permits. We have made it this far because of your prayers. Please pray for the hearts and minds of the people we are here to serve and the people who have come to give of themselves.
He has given us angels to watch over us in all our ways. Ps. 34

Last Day in NYC – First Day in Haiti

It’ll be time to go to the airport and the journey will begin. Luggage is packed and the tickets in hand; lesson plans ready, and travel to the airport will be with the regular NYC morning drive with the traffic along with 2 million other cars and travelers heading out for work. My destination is to LaGuardia Airport for a noon flight. In light of the recent events, the time has been moved to three hours before departure. And so the journey begins. Thanks for praying for me.

Two Days Before Touchdown in Haiti

Two days left, just the rest of today and tomorrow will be spent traveling to Haiti! You may not get it that I’m excited. You can’t see the angst and the joy at the same time. Sometimes a bit of anxiety comes to mind about going to a land so far away and ministering for just a few days …wondering if you will make a difference; wondering if the bags will arrive together; wondering how it will change me… and  so it goes...

Off to church now and will post later… you can tell, I’m excited, yes? Yes!
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I went to church today to enjoy the people of God. My Sunday School class of godly women rehearsed in my mind the beauty of being refreshed by each other and the word of God… it was a sword sharpening sword activity.

Before church was dismissed, they prayed for me. Oh the comfort of the prayers of the Body of Christ!! I will certainly bask in the remembrance of them as the heat presses down on my body; or the rain drops to the ground creating humidity that may bring weariness. When I walk into communities and see faces I don’t know, with problems I may not understand, or problems I may never face, I will be thankful that I am being prayed for to have wisdom to share God’s love to them in practical ways.

The bags are packed tightly with as many gifts as possible. The team has been commissioned to bring 500 pairs of reading glasses to share at an eye clinic we will participate in. Included in the suitcase are clothes to paint in, and gloves to work on any ongoing project. It will be a good time to remember Col. 3:17. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Well, the hours are coming closer to take-off and zipping the luggage will be done in the morning.

Less Than Three Days to Haiti

 

Who knew it would be so full with so much joy! I spent the day at listening to my friend share her Unquenchable Faith in a setting of women who came to be encouraged and some met their time to come to faith in Jesus Christ.  

Finally, I closed my luggage and the tags are ready to be placed. The task of counting days of vitamins has been completed.

Four Days to Haiti

     In just a few days, I shall be writing from a different place. There are a few more things to pick up, like snacks.
     The day is bright and clear. The cool air (or the almost cold air) will be a distant memory on Monday evening. I've checked the weather and the heat wave of 105 degrees in Port Au Prince this week. They are expecting temps to be only in the 90's.
     In today's scripture reading, I read how Joshua was giving his last "sermon" to the Israelites (Jos 24) and I noted that he warned the people to put away the foreign gods that were in their midst (vs.23). They were promising to serve God who had dome so many things for them and yet, right among them were foreign gods.
     My prayer is that I not have a foreign god in the territory of my own heart; that I not take what God has done for me for granted. If I have raised up an idol that takes my focus away from God, may it be revealed and removed.
     Now to get back on gthe packing and removing excess. How does that always happen?

Five Days to Haiti...

In five days, I will be landing in Haiti by 7:35 (dinner time)…

The deadline for my outline for teaching made it just under the wire and again, your prayers have been answered.

The day has been filled with trying out the suitcases and juggling stuff to put and carry. It appears that everything is in order. As a matter of fact, I believe that something must be missing because I still have room in my luggage. Well, I am packing summer clothing and they don’t take up space like sweaters and heavy jackets.

The final addition to the luggage will be the snacks. We have to have portable snacks since we are going to be in the field during the day and it will easier to share nuts and fruit bars because lunch will be unavailable to us in the field. I wonder if beef jerky is an example of snack food. Oh, I don’t even like that. I shall default to nuts and Kind bars. Raisins are always a favorite together with walnuts. I think I found my snack of choice!

          Now to check back into the present; plans for the week of my absence must be completed.  If you haven’t guessed, the excitement is in full swing. With just a few more days left, and meetings to still to attend before take-off, I must make every effort to redeem my time wisely.

          Thank you for sharing my journey with me. “He has kept my heart in perfect peace because my mind is constantly on him.” (Isa. 26:3 my own paraphrase)

I want to serve him with joy.

Six Days to Haiti

Dear Reader,

 

There are six days left before I am jetted off to Haiti. The days seem shorter and the amount of preparation seems greater.

 

Your prayers have been answered; the eyeglasses have been secured and are packed neatly in bubble wrap and placed in a small paper bag to carry onto the plane. The last of the communications have arrived with what to carry. I’m thinking through the snacks we should take such as dried fruits, nuts, canned tuna, protein bars and so on. That’s not real easy to do when you aren’t hungry. But I shall follow directions because I will need to share and certainly someone will have something that I would rather eat…

I had help getting the glasses today. Kaila, a young friend selected them (as I have no fashion sense) and I put them in order of strengths. Her excellent job will make the receivers happy about receiving. I pray for the recipients of those glasses that they would use them for reading God’s word and learning to grow in godly character

 

Tomorrow I shall look for shower shoes or flip-flops since we were instructed to bring them as well. Sometimes I don’t remember that I will not be able to just jump in my own shower and wash until I’m finished – we will have a schedule… I’m breathing. I’m breathing

 

God has provided in every way for this trip. May you know his providing love and peace in every situation – even when you’re looking for the right luggage to take.

Seven Days to Haiti

It’s Tuesday and buying reading eyeglasses are on today’s agenda. It will be a chance to walk several miles to several stores making sure I get a variety of strengths and styles for men and women. The rain promised may hinder this walking effort but the job is scheduled for today.

In reading Hebrews 4:9-10, I’m reminded of the importance of rest. Rest is an amazing gift from God. As I rush about gathering things to make the journey a blessing to others, I have asked God for his peace in the busyness of a full schedule. So true to his word, God has assured me and given me peace. Today as I travel, I pray that my heart will be sensitive to the eternal home that awaits every believer and my activities will encourage others to rest in Him. May my time with each person I encounter be filled with peace and not the anxiety I so often feel when there is much to do. Today I accept the rest that God has given and I choose to not be anxious about eyeglasses, schedules, weather, lesson planning, meals to leave and a myriad of other opportunities that comes with the daily-ness of life. My heart shall not be at rest as I enjoy God’s peace.

Seven days to take-off …

Eight Days to Haiti

In Exodus 3, Moses was unaware that this particular bush-burning was his calling.  God was in the ordinary bush-burning even before Moses noted that it was this particular bush that was for his calling. He had to turn aside from his ordinary task.

In eight (8) days, I will turn aside from my day-to-day tasks and see the wonder of God’s call to me in Haiti for just a few days. It won’t be a huge mission as Moses had – to lead the people back to the mountain to worship God (Ex. 3:12); however, for the time there, I will serve in any capacity building up the Body of Christ and ministering to the orphans and church communities God has already planned as the team leader has coordinated with the leaders in Haiti.

Sometimes we don’t realize until the obvious things around us are speaking louder than usual and it’s our call to a specific task. Today I will be listening to the voice of reason for packing and preparing. It is a little difficult to think of summer clothing when you just took off your winter coat. Okay, seasoned travelers everywhere should stop laughing.

Thanks for praying for me as I gather the right things for the journey.

Nine Days to Haiti

Today I got the final instructions from the leader of the group going to Haiti (my amazing brother Nate). Between lesson-planning to leave behind for my teachers, gathering everything I need for the journey there, and thinking about what’s being done for those left behind… I still very excited. Okay, you probably got that part, right. I’m excited.

 

Since you have come to this BlogSpot, you have been invited to pray and you have participated in this event. Today, (Sun, Nov 8), I need prayer as I pack and get ready for the trip ahead. The week will be filled with last minute requirements and purchases I must make on behalf of our group. Your prayers matter! Even when this day is finished, I will be feeling the prayers you are sending for the people there.

 

Father, I thank you for those who are reading and praying for me today and every time I ask for prayer. The amazing gift of prayer is that it is so timeless! When we cry out to you, you not only hear, but you are able to answer our prayers. The need to be anxious leaves and the peace that we are walking in the path you have ordained is comforting. The comfort of your word is the gift treasured in my heart. Ps. 119:11

Ten Days to Haiti

It’s Saturday, November the 6^th and in ten days I will be flying out to Haiti. A phone conference will be made and we’ll get to process more about what we’ll be doing. I spoke to the leader and he suggested that I take and wear clothes that I could leave behind for some of the people there. What a terrific idea. He further suggested that we not take valuables. Even though that’s a “duh!” moment for me, too often I don’t think of how much I take my Western City life for granted. I’ll be processing and thinking about what to pack. Thinking minimally can be a challenge for me… even though I can pack a pretty tight suitcase (previous knowledge).

 As I head out the door to the women’s prayer meeting, I will be praying for the people we will meet and how we will be able to help them. I pray that my heart is tender and compassionate to the ones I will meet in Haiti and to the ones I see every day. Thank you for standing with me in prayer.