Day 4 - Titanyen

Day 4 - 

Today was a more relaxed day, but nonetheless, was a blessing for everyone. We started the day with a delicious French toast breakfast. After that, we headed out to the city of Titanyen to visit Grace Village. Grace village is both a home and school for children of all ages. We saw how much progress it had made from the year before! There were many more students then last year, and they also had started a new garden for growing crops. 

 Next, we visited the elders. We brought them a meal and juice, washed their feet, and sung with them. Unaware, while washing the first group of elder’s feet, we applied “wash and shampoo” instead of the lotion we were supposed to be using. (We did find the lotion.)  The elders loved it nonetheless.

After that we went to the Grace Village bakery, which smelled amazing. It was called “Fleri.” And it happened to have perhaps the best cookies we had ever eaten. Their staple product was called the “lengue de boeuf,” or “cow tongue.” It earned this name due to the rough texture of the sugar on top. The cookie consisted of layers of fluffy, crispy pastry, and was topped with *just* enough sweet sugar to add flavor. They were VERY good. We also learned that we were to go there for dinner the next day to eat pizza, and we are all stoked for that.

Lastly, on the way back to the guesthouse, we visited the mass grave site of the 2010 earthquake. One of our drivers told his short story of where he was when the earthquake happened. We walked around and looked at everything, including the little lizards that ran around in the rocks. The monument was a reminder of the terrible events that happened here seven years ago.

And even though we enjoyed nice cookies and nice company, the most important part was how God worked in everyone’s life today. We all agreed that God’s blessing towards others was very apparent today. In Grace Village, hundreds of children receive a home, an education, and daily food, which is more than most Haitian kids get. The elders received much attention and care, and are continually provided for through sponsorship and other Healing Haiti teams visiting them. The bakery provides jobs for Haitians in the community. These things spoke to our hearts, and showed us that God loves us, no matter what physical conditions we are in.

It was a good day, But we still are pretty tired. We thank you for all of your prayers, and we ask that you would continue to pray, that we can glorify God most through our work, and that what we do tomorrow on our Friday water truck day helps as many people as possible.

-Iain and Karsten Anderson

Day 3

Day 3 -
Today we had pancakes for breakfast. They were delicious. Then we went to Dari’s, an orphanage for the disabled, while some people went to The Home for Sick and Dying Children. At Dari’s we had fun playing with children who had disabilities. We pushed them in wheelchairs and gave them toys to play with. The people who went to The Home for Sick and Dying Children played with the kids, held them, and fed them lunch. Our whole group met up and went back to the guest house to relax for a bit. Soon after, we went to Laphere, another orphanage, and played soccer, and jump roped with the kids. Once back at the guest house, we went to the nearby pool. At the pool, we swam and relaxed. We watched Barcelona comeback and score 6 goals after a four goal deficit against PSG(soccer). It will go down in history as one of the greatest soccer comebacks. Later that night, we had tacos for supper that were very delectable. Some kids had the opportunity to go play soccer with the neighborhood kids. The kids were very good at soccer. We came back, and now we are here writing this.

Sincerely,

Levi A. Button and Ben H. Horn 

Day 2: Water Truck Day - Siena & Abi

               Today was day two; we started off with good breakfast and a typical morning to a very non-typical day. The first thing we did was go to the water truck station, once we got there they told us the water truck was broken and in typical Haiti fashion, our plans changed. We headed off to hope church and school and learned a little bit about its history; so far, they provide kindergarten and an adult schooling program and are changing the environment day by day. After that we finally headed off to our first water truck station. As we drove we noticed our surroundings getting worse and worse. Once we had arrived in a very poor spot, we got out and were immediately surrounded by children who were longing to be loved. As others helped pour and carry the water we held as many children as we could. The joy on their faces when we picked them up and gave them attention was indescribably impactful. The more children we picked up the more others wanted to be and it seemed like they were never ending. We experienced the same type of thing at the other two stops. The more time we spent growing attached to the children the harder it was to say goodbye. However, being able to make them happy, just for a small portion of their day, was a beautiful thing. We left exhausted and heartbroken that we could not stay with them, but joyful that we could be a source of love and compassion in their difficult situations. Today was a day that we will never forget; a day that not only humbled us, but truly changed us.

Day 1 - Travel Day

Today was a rather uneventful day for the most part. We arrived at the airport around 4 in the morning full of energy and ready to go! Not really, we were all pretty tired, but it was exciting to start our trip. This is the first time that we, Landon and Ryan, have gone to Haiti. The plane ride had a little turbulence, but overall it wasn’t too bad. When we were preparing to land at the Haitian airport, we looked down over the country and saw the beautiful mountains and the rolling ocean. Haiti seemed like a vacation spot from above. As soon as we landed, we saw just how wrong we were. The airport was nothing like the Atlanta airport. It was hot and steamy and the escalators were rickety. We loaded up onto the tap tap with some unwanted help from the locals. The tap tap itself was crazy and the roads had zero rhyme or reason to them. We arrived at the guest house eventually. We had a great dinner, enjoyed the view from the house and played games until night. We also met some friendly neighbor goats who were very entertaining. We are all running on an hour and a half of sleep and we will be early to bed tonight. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Ryan Grill
Landon Smith

Days 2 and 3 - Touch

My mom took leave from her job to spend the last weeks with her father before he died. She's told many stories of this time she spent with him, but the one the stands out the most is the story of rubbing his feet. At the time, I'm sure I thought this was a strange thing that my mother did - how she spent time washing and using lotion on his feet...cutting his toenails and while doing this, I'm sure having conversations while he was awake. Maybe they told stories of her childhood, maybe of his own, or maybe they just spent that time in silence together just knowing that this would be it in this lifetime together.

I cry as I type this because even six years ago I didn't understand the gift and honor my mother gave to her father before he died. The gift of touch.

For our team, this word - touch. This action - touch. This everything - touch...is what our days have been this week. It's the connection that we can all give to one another so freely - to put a hand on a shoulder to tell someone we are here, to give a hug, to kiss a forehead, to give a fist-bump - it's a universal and beautiful human experience. There is no language barrier to touch, and no special skills needed to make that easy connection.


Yesterday we traveled west to the Home for the Sick and Dying adults. I think we all wanted to believe that this home would be filled with the elderly - dying after fulfilling a long and beautiful life just like my own grandfather. But it wasn't. There were also teens, and young mothers and fathers who came to this place to be loved and cared for before they go to meet God or even for their own miracle of health to happen.  As a non-medical team, I think many wondered what our calling was to serve at here - but it became clear quickly - it was to spend time with them - rubbing their feet, their arms, their backs - holding their hands and just touching them with our love, our hearts, and our hands.

My mother taught me well with how she honored her father. How we can all learn to honor those who need us most in such simple yet profound ways.

This happened again today as we visited the elderly that Healing Haiti supports in the greater Titanyen community. They didn't ask for anything except our time, our love, our prayers, and our touch. We washed their feet, rubbed their hands, and lifted them in songs and love.

We visited an orphanage after leaving the elders. It was a place some of us visited last year - and it was a favorite because of the joy of the children. I told a story tonight about how I spoke to my mother last year after leaving these children that day - and she reminded me that someone else was right behind me giving them love and hugs. I held that close during this year apart - and she was right - they did have love all year, but yet - they remembered our group and the songs we sang! It was a wonder indeed and I know I will see and hug the beautiful children again someday.

I think we all need to remember that we don't need big gifts to make an impact - we just need to give a touch or a hug or some extra time with someone to let them know they are not alone ever in this big world. We need to let them know that for that moment, that minute, that hour - you are everything to them - and are in full service to them through our simple gift of just being human.

xoxo
Tracy

Mission to Haiti - Day 1: Devastation and Hope

This year, God touched my heart to take this trip with Healing Haiti, through a friend of mine with who I have attended weekend retreats. We will be here until next Monday, but I'll just chronicle a little bit of what I saw today on day 1, our first trip into Cite Soleil - one of the poorest cities in the Western Hemisphere.

It was heartbreaking.

In the morning, we left our compound to help deliver water into the city. Once we arrived, and the back of the bus opened, we were met with dozens of little kids, mostly aged between 1 year old and 10 years old. Just about all of them were malnourished - read: underfed. They came with buckets to fill with water for the entire week. I'd say that around 30% of them were half naked from the waist down. And the babies and toddlers typically walked around entirely naked. They also walked though mud, dirty water and sometimes piles of trash to get to us.

(If we take a step back and think about this for a minute, the amount of water that we individually take a shower with each morning is enough to fill several buckets. These kids had on average about 2 buckets to fill. For their entire family. For the entire week.)

We stayed there for about 2 hours, holding kids, helping to bring water to some of the faraway huts, talking with some of the locals on the ground, and visiting a Church that is being built in the midst of this devastating part of Haiti. More on that later.

Thereafter, we took a short break to recollect ourselves at a rest stop. Next up, we visited another site that was more urban than the first location. While the initial site was somewhat rural and highly impoverished, site #2 held both extreme poverty and very tight quarters.

When we got off of the truck at this site, we found that the kids (out of necessity) were quite organized. In contrast to site #1, the buckets were lined up nearly in advance of our arrival. I soon found out why.

On the long city road upon which our small team delivered countless buckets, we found that just about every hut in which 5-7 people lived was just that - a dirt floor, rusty aluminum walls pieced together from garbage, heat over 90 degrees within...and flies. I don't mean to shock you, but it's the only way to give you the clearest picture of what is going on here. Remember that there were still these toddlers and young children running around with little to no clothing on, and living every day in these huts.

At this site we stayed for about another hour. Many individuals had much larger buckets this time, and there was much competition and jockeying for position, to collect the water for their families that they would need for the rest of the week - to drink, to bathe, to clean, to survive.

The closest thing that I can use to relate you to the experience thus far is parts of the movie Slumdog Millionaire. But even that movie can't do justice to it, because you have to be there to smell the garbage, to see and hold the people, and to serve as best as you can when the opportunity exists.

You probably have a better, and likely very depressing image of what the poorest of the poor in Haiti deal with on a daily basis. But despite all that they endure, there are some signs of hope; seeds that may take a very long time to bloom, but they are there.

The most beautiful part of this experience is that even though these kids were there to receive water from Healing Haiti, the first thing that many, many of these kids did was ask to be picked up, held and hugged. I can't tell you how many kids we picked up at each site and held in our arms. They were so starving for love and attention. It was so much more important to them than the water.

I remember one small child at site 2 that I held for a few minutes. I'd like to think that for the time we spent together, we were comforted by getting to take a moment and forget about the difficulties of life. And so many of these children greet us with a warm smile that can only be described as joy.

Something else to note is that although a large amount of the population lives in extreme poverty, there are some that stand out and look to excel themselves. One teenage kid, a little more well groomed, came up to me and started telling me that he is learning English in school. I was very impressed with his ability to communicate with me. Then he proceeded to ask me if he could take my shoes.

I say the above slightly in jest, but for a minute I considered it. And even though I didn't give this young man my shoes, perhaps some day his education will provide him the ability to convince others to conduct their actions in a manner that will benefit those around him.

In a more formal sense, there are pockets of education near Cite Soleil. On occasion we would see children walking to or from school, in very clean, pastel color uniforms. A member of our team visited another school in the area yesterday to configure many Google Chromebooks - which were donated to the facility by a benefactor.

We also visited a soccer field, where many children were playing in uniforms which were donated by a local power company. The field was made out of dirt and gravel, but these kids played their hearts out, dove for soccer balls coming their way, and were looking to improve their skills.

There will be other facilities we visit this week, such as orphanages, hospitals and even local people with startup businesses (think kiosks at your local mall, but with painted wooden structures - it works!), and there are many organizations that are pitching in to help. Recall that in 2010 there was a terrible earthquake which claimed the lives of several hundred thousand people. Thereafter, a greater focus on recovery was established by international organizations, and Charitable organizations such as Healing Haiti.

On the bus between sites 1 and 2, I noticed a car with the words "Never Give Up" on it. It reminded me of the same slogan in my colleague's office of a moving company that has been in business for 50 years. In my opinion, everything is relative, and if a company can struggle for many years to achieve ongoing success, why cannot the poorest of the poor, over the course of time, pull themselves out of poverty?

Aside from the emotional time we spent with the kids, I think the most amazing part of the experience is the Church that we saw. Despite the impoverished conditions, existence of gangs and violence, and the temptation to steal valuable equipment, it is reported at the moment that not one item has been taken from the construction site of the Church.

It would seem that the people are here, collectively waiting for something. Maybe in a way, we all are. But in these people we see a hope that - in my opinion - can only come from God. Just the mere fact that most have endured or negotiated through their day to day reality is testimonial to a Spiritual Shield that may be there to protect the population from further devastation. Or, in another sense, one can say "how much worse can it get?"

Either way, after being on the ground for just one day, I do now very clearly understand the responsibility that we in the more developed parts of the world have to help those in need. I hope you do as well. As I write this blog it weighs heavily on my heart that every one of those kids we picked up, held, hugged and helped today, are still living in a small hut, waiting for something.

If you have made it to the end of this article and find it in your heart to help out Healing Haiti in their efforts to help this area of the world, please click here.

Thank you and God Bless you.

Tom Ossa is the guest blogger for this article. He is a web developer, residing in Rockland County, NY.

Travel Day

We made it! Our first day in Haiti. Our team met in Miami from Minnesota, Georgia, and New York. We shared a meal and settled in to our new home for the next week. We are ready to do whatever God has in store for us.