Bonjou! I cannot count the times I uttered this word as I passed by the Haitian people; knowing very little Creole, this word along with a smile was about all I could do to communicate with them. I just want to say thank you for being a part of sending me to Titanyen, Haiti to work with Mission of Hope (MOH). The week I spent down there went so quickly, and was very eye opening.
After a very long day travelling, and grabbing a few hours of sleep in Miami, we made it to the Mission of Hope campus. We were very lucky because all of our luggage, supplies, and even the hula hoops made it to Port au Prince. The expansive campus includes a church, school, orphanage, medical clinic, prosthetics lab, staff and guest housing, and a large kitchen to feed all the groups that come. Our first two days in Haiti were relatively calm. Sunday morning we attended church, and as soon as getting close were surrounded by dozens of kids wanting to hold our hands and sit on our laps during church. Their desire for attention and love was heartbreaking. I only wish that would have been more of us there to love on them.
After we finished church and lunch we were able to take a drive out to the two new properties MOH has acquired lately. The first, Bersy, is right on the ocean and plans to build there include a school, an agriculture college, a pastor’s retreat center, and more. The second, Leveque, is the location of 500 new homes being built for the Haitian families whose homes were destroyed in the earthquake. We spent quite a bit of time at Leveque doing work on the grounds to prepare the homes for the dedication and giving away ceremony.
It was very cool to be part of such a monumental event in Haiti. Local, national and international governmental leaders were present at the ceremony giving away the first 100 homes.
Every morning we had Vacation Bible School. Talk about disorganized chaos. 400 – 450 kids every single day. The kids were so precious and just like the kids on Sunday, they wanted love. We each had our own jobs assisting with VBS. Danielle and I were part of the group doing crafts. Each day the kids made something new. Monday was bracelets, Tuesday – tie-dye shirts, Wednesday – picture frames, and Thursday – crowns. We were able to feed all the children lunch every day before sending them home. For some of these children, this was the only meal they had all day. It was so sad to see the kids that were malnourished, clearly visible with distended bellies, and their hair color changing.
Because the VBS had been running every week, all summer, it was to the point where it was completely Haitian run. It was really encouraging to see them running the camp, with us only needing to assist. It was challenging not being able to speak their language, but we had amazing translators. The shocking thing is that they were all teenagers. So great to see God moving in the lives of such young people! Many of these young men were interested in going to school for ministry, or going into the medical profession. They wanted to make a difference in the lives of their fellow Haitians.
Our afternoon activities varied quite a bit. Mostly we spent them at Leveque picking up trash, sweeping out homes, touching up the paint on the exteriors, or playing with the kids. On Wednesday however, we were able to stay on the MOH campus and the women on my team went down to the orphanage to play with the young kids, while the men went down to help build a warehouse. It was heartbreaking to hear the stories about how some of the children came to live there. One such story is about a little boy who is now 3. Pierre is handicapped both physically and mentally and was abandoned at the clinic by his parents over a year ago. He has since received medical treatment and I hear is much improved to where he was a year ago. While it isn’t certain how much he can actually comprehend, when you pick him up and smile at him, his face lights up. That was the face of an angel. His little smile would melt any heart, and did mine.
Haiti was a completely different world than anywhere I’ve been before. Seeing individuals living in cardboard boxes, or makeshift homes is a stark comparison to the comfortable life I have here in Iowa. I had never realized how easily we have it here, with access to clean water and food, showers, comfortable beds, and health care. The thing that stuck out the most to me was the heart of the Haitian people. While we could not communicate very easily verbally, you could feel the gratefulness they tried to express, and their warmth. They have so little, and therefore are so grateful for what we can provide and give to them. Even if it is only a warm smile or hug. They have such a hunger to learn more about Jesus and tell others about him.
To unwind from a physically and emotionally taxing trip, we spent our final day at a beach resort about 45 minutes from MOH. Wahoo Bay Beach Resort was absolutely beautiful. And if I hadn’t just driven through garbage filled towns with homes falling down, I never would have believed I was in Haiti. The white sand beaches met by crystal blue water were breathtaking, not to mention the mountains that loomed in the background.
After a perfect day swimming, snorkeling and playing in the surf, some of us were a little red, myself included. But it was a great day and the much needed relaxation was a perfect way to end our time in Haiti. It was my first experience snorkeling, and I had an amazing time. For only $5 we were rowed out to a large coral reef and swam for over an hour. It was amazing to see God’s handiwork in the dozens of different fish.
While I do not know if God will ever call me to return to Haiti, I am very thankful that I went. God used the time there, the frustrations, the heat, the heart of the people, to work in my own life. I came home with a greater appreciation for what I have in my life, which is truly blessed. I was also able to learn more about the areas I still need to pray about and seek His assistance in. Thank you again for being there for me both in prayer and financially. This trip would not have happened without your help. God bless!
