Day 6

Allo,

Commen ou ye? Today was another busy day here in Ayiti. The Touch Global volunteers joined us again after breakfast, which was some pretty tasty oatmeal supplemented by some of our group with MRE PB and J sandwiches. Even though it was pretty hectic with so many people running around, I think it was ultimately good for the kids because some of the neediest ones got one-on-one attention and even some therapy.

 Brooke and I began our day with the toddlers and continued to entertain them, with some help from the other volunteers, throughout the day. Along with the new nannies, hopes for the toddlers to be on more of a strict schedule (as far as water breaks, potty training, etc.) and better consistency in discipline and efficiency also arrived today.

We really enjoy our time with those little guys, all nine were able to participate today in the activities because of the extra help that Brooke and I received. They are particularly adorable when they sing one of the favorite worship songs here (don’t worry we got it on tape). They are particularly difficult when they remind us that they too were born selfish and with a sin nature and we have to try to discipline them with the small amount of Creole that we have picked up supplemented by gestures and tone with our English words.

One good thing is, though, that one of the girls here who Greg and Jasmine have sort of adopted and who helps run the place is seventeen and speaks English fairly well so we have asked her about a few key phrases and she has generously allowed us to borrow a little booklet with lists of words and phrases in Creole and English, which is really helpful.

While Brooke and I were occupied the other ladies of the team (Sarah, Hannah, and Kate) selflessly offered to do the team’s laundry. They also conquered the task of a second coat of paint on the kitchen. I would like to say good job ladies; I think that counts as a productive day.

The men thought that they would have the opportunity to complete their massive dirt removal undertaking, but instead got drafted for some more pressing matters. OLTCH got a new female turkey today, and Jasmine was afraid that the other one would kill it so she asked David to build a small pen for it within the larger turkey enclosure.

The guys also spent a little while replenishing the stockpile of bottled water. They were then able to spend time with some of the babies and older children.

One thing that Brooke and I thought was odd and a little funny is the fact that most of the children are terrified of the puppies that they have here. Here at OLTCH there is a momma dog (looks like a large pug) and her three babies (two white, and one with the coloring of a shepherd, but still smaller than their momma), as well as a larger puppy (probably a shepherd St. Bernard mix from the looks of him), and most of the children are completely scared out of their minds’ by those dogs. The toddlers would scream bloody murder at the sight of them and practically climb up your body to get away.

Today’s lunch was not very appreciated by some of the team, who opted for MREs. However, dinner was quite a hit; it was rice, beans, corn, hotdogs/sausages, and spicy coleslaw for the brave (me and Nick). Brooke and I had dish duty today so we had to dispose of the scraps to the animals; the goats were quite grateful for the food (aren’t goats always?).

Some of the prayer requests for today included:

·         The new toddler nannies (who seemed quite bewildered, and there are only two for all nine)

·         The nursery/boy’s nannies (one went on vacation so there are only two for all the babies and all the boys old enough to be potty trained because they  are all in one building right now because there are not enough yet to have a separate nursery- they are trying to raise the money for that project right now)

·         General continued team health- a few bumps, bruises, sore muscles, and bug bites so far but nothing major

·         General continued team unity, strength, and patience with the kids

·         Peace, health, and strength for Greg and Jasmine

For Team Brute Strength,

                April

Day 5

Hey everyone!

Today was another beautiful day here in Leogone!  We started off our day with a breakfast once again of delicious bread along with something new-hard boiled eggs.  During breakfast, Jasmine asked for two of us to stick with some of the toddlers throughout the day.  New nannies are coming in for the toddlers so April and I hung out with the “rambunctious” ones so that while the nannies are in training tomorrow, the little ones will be used to us already and be comfortable staying with us again.  We had Jimsley, Evelyn, Emanuel, and Rolvenski and they were great!  Tomorrow should be a breeze. J   The rest of the girls tackled the project of painting the kitchen and it turned out very nice.  The guys were back to digging their enormous pit and then enjoyed trying to get out without a ladder haha. Lunch was special because today was one of the little girls Jessica birthday!  Some of the sweet ladies from Touch Global that are here during the day made cupcakes, blew up balloons, and then put on a CD of tunes like Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes and there was an awesome dance party!  The rest of the day was spent lovin on the kids.  Fried chicken and rice was for dinner and it was DELIOUS! 

Breaking news is that April got her whole head braided and it looks fabulous!!  She and Kate are really starting to fit in J

Alrighty, that’s all for now. Please pray for strength to stay focused in these last few days here and that we would continue to reflect Christ’s love in all we say and do.  Thank you all so much and we’ll see you soon!

Good night!

Love,

Brooke

Days 3 and 4

Greetings from Sunny Haiti!

It’s great to be back here at OLTCH – it really feels like a second home. The kids are as cute as ever. There are some new faces, and I am missing some old ones. (A few of the girls went back to their previous families. We’re not sure if this is a good situation or not…please pray for them: Geraldine, Shalin, and Nina.) It’s also fun hanging out with Jasmine’s 15-year-old son, Nick. (He was in the states last time we were here.)

Here’s what we’ve been up to the past couple days:

Yesterday the girls and I were able to make the new kitchen building feel a little homier by painting the inner plywood a pleasant cream color. That took up much of the day, and the other parts were filled with loving on babies and playing with kids. Meanwhile the fellows tore down an old barbed wire fence and dug a trench in its place to set up some piping for a kitchen sink (which was installed today). They also played basketball and football with the little boys.

Today we intended to paint the rest of the kitchen, but we were drafted to help prepare lunch instead. We have a newfound respect for the cook here – wow! We cleaned, peeled, and chopped enough vegetables to feed a small army, and it almost took us all morning. The other ladies who work here came and helped us toward the end, presumably because they saw how slow we inexperienced ladies were with peeling odd vegetables without a peeler, just a large-ish knife. We chopped potatoes, carrots, and onions without much difficulty, but there were a few vegetables we were unfamiliar with. I believe taro was one, and maybe some variety of monster radish? We’re still not quite sure, but the veggies were certainly yummy after the cook had her way with them!

After lunch, the girls joined the boys and Nick to dig an enormous hole for a septic system. I believe it is supposed to be something like 8 ft all the way around, and we got pretty far. We took turns shoveling and wheelbarrowing the dirt over to the other end of the orphanage to build up the rapidly eroding driveway. The little boys had fun helping us flatten the dirt as we spread it across the drive way (mini feet make light work!). I am quite impressed by the buffness in this crowd, particularly the ladies.  We also loved on some babies and played with the kids throughout the day. They’re so precious J.

Kate got her hair done in cornrows today! I admire her bravery – you’ve  gotta be tough to endure that kind of intensity. I’m not sure I could handle it!

Well, my friends, it is bed time. Thank you so much for your prayers and support! Please continue to pray for our health, safety, energy levels, and that God’s will would be done here in Haiti both during our time here and afterward. Please also pray for this odd bug bite I just got… kind of an itchy-stingy sensation. Thank you!!!

Love you all, and goodnight!

Sarah

Days 1 and 2

Hello from Haiti!

First of all, thank you all for your prayers, and please keep it up! :)

It feels great to be back in Haiti! Everything is so completely foreign, and yet somewhat familiar from being here before.  I just want to say really quick that our new team members, April, Brooke and Kate, are doing great and I am so proud of them! Haiti can be overwhelming at times, and they all seem to be handling it very well.

So, I'm going to try to give you a quick summary of our trip so far, before I fall asleep...

We flew from Ft. Lauderdale straight to Port-au-Prince.  Customs was quick and painless - much less crowded than last time. And we actually got all of our luggage! :)  Greg and Jasmine sent a bus to pick us up from the airport, which was really nice, since we each got our own row to stretch out on.  Driving down along the coast for most of the trip, we reached the orphanage with no problems and very little traffic.  Being in a bus really helped, since the biggest vehicle usually rules the road. 

Greg and Jasmine were elated to see us, and we were excited to see them too. It was also wonderful to see some familiar faces amoung the children and be able to hug them once again. 

We arrived just in time for dinner, and then we joined their evening worship time before having our own Bible study time.  Josh has put together some daily scripture readings and questions to think through, and they are all about the characteristics of godly love. Yesterday we looked at patience. 

Soon after that, we headed to our tents, got situated, journaled for a little while, and then went to sleep. 

Since today is Sunday, we had church this morning.  Most of us went and got babies to hold during the service.  I got to hold a precious little one named Josiah, and I am definitely in love.  He's almost 3 months old, but he's so tiny.  Jasmine said that they just got him a couple of weeks ago, so they have been trying to feed him enough that he puts on some weight. 

Now back to church... It was held in one half of the classroom building.  (There is a building for pretty much everything now, except for us, of course.  We get the cool tents again. :) I like tents. Can you tell?)  One of the ladies who work here led the worship time and Jasmine did the teaching. 

After chuch, Sarah and I spent some time with the toddlers.  They are an energetic bunch, and so cute.  Some of the other girls went over to spend more time with the babies, and the guys worked on trying to move some new beds into the girls' building.

Then we had lunch, and afterwards the guys got to work on digging a trench to put in a drainage pipe.  We girls brought some of the little girls into the dining room to do some coloring.  When they had finished, we went and took showers.  We worked on our Bible study and rested for a little bit until dinner.  April, Kate, and Brooke went and helped the ladies in the baby room, bravely facing the prospect of changing lots of diapers, all for the sake of love. :)

Dinner was great: lots of rice with some veggie sauce to put over it. Somebody had told Jasmine that today was my birthday, so the kids sang happy birthday to me while we were all in the dining room. And Jasmine, whose kindness and generousity continues to amaze me, gave me a very sweet gift.  Evening worship time was right after that.  Later this evening, we gave Greg and Jasmine the supplies we brought for them and then we had our discussion time.

That brings us up until the present time, and now I think I'll head off to bed.

Here are some things you can be praying for:

• Deep, restful sleep for all of us - most of us came into this trip feeling exhausted from midterms
• Rest for Jasmine, who has been feeling completely worn out today
• General strength, endurance, focus, patience, joy, and a godly love for our teammates, the Martinsons, and the kids

Thank you all for all of your prayers! It is a great encouragement to us to know that you all are standing behind us and going before us in prayer. 

For the Haiti team,
Hannah



p.s.  To my family: thank you for all of the cards! :) I love you guys so much!!!  And, Bekah, your comic card was absolutely hilarious, and I had to share it with the team! :)

Haiti 2011

Dear friends and family,

The time is almost here! In just a few hours, we will be on the ground in Haiti. We are very excited to begin this adventure and can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

This members of this year's team are as follows:

Donnie Durm
David Farrell
Josh Harris
April Mullery
Sarah Reichel
Hannah Rigel
Kate Walter
Brooke Wonderly

We are not sure exactly what we will be doing at the orphanage this trip, but we do know there will be no shortage of things to be done. Our goal is simply to encourage and assist Greg, Jasmine, and the children in whatever ways we can.

The dates of our trip are March 5th - March 12th. Please remember to pray for us during our time in Haiti. It is a very dark country spiritually and is still in a very chaotic state in the wake of the devastating earthquake last year as well as the recent cholera outbreak. Prayer is the most powerful support you can give us!

We will try to post an update or two, but due to a very slow and unreliable internet connection at the orphanage, we may or may not be able to post anything while in Haiti.

Thank you for your prayers, and we look forward to sharing with you when we return!

For the team,

David Farrell

Day 8 (August 17th) - Knips!

Today...or close to this day...

The girls worked on painting Jasmine and Greg's house.  Courtney spent time with the babies.  A few guys from local mission groups came and helped Jasmine and Greg, along with the guys on the team, to begin building a house for the boys to stay in.  The 11 boys there have been living in a tent since the earthquake.  Regina ran around with a video camera that morning and started doing some interviews.

The house-building began with laying cinderblocks and making a frame for the floorboards.  Then frames for the walls, covered with plywood sheets.  Holes were cut out for the windows.  The building was finished the next day, with a tin roof and completing the sides.  The girls carried the bunk beds over from the boys tent and put them in the building.  Girls also covered the windows in with screen.  The house was completed in 2 days. (Tuesday to Wednesday).  We used blocks of wood and plywood sheets to make one big shutter outside the window.  We run around in the rain to close the shutters...unless you can close them beforehand.  The workers were shocked that the building was completed so fast, because it usually takes a week.  But there were many hands involved.. =)

The evening group meeting was wrapped up with a video Jasmine wanted us to watch called Indescribable by Louie Giglio.   It's about how big the universe is (how big God is) and how small we are!  Jasmine has been reading a book he wrote called "I am not but I Know I AM" which really encouraged her here in Haiti.  The title really says it all!

Fun foods:  Towards the end of the trip, we had some fish from Haiti, which only a few people ate (it was bony, but yum!).  We also had true fruit, a big round fruit, kind of pale yellow inside.   It was tasty fried and boiled.  We also had something called knips.  ("k - nips").  It comes on a stalk with a bunch of green fruit balls attached.  You break it open the shell with your teeth, put it in your mouth, and suck on sweet redish inside, then spit out a big seed.  Yum and fun!

Regina

Day 5 (August 14th) - Not Just Working...Walking

The day, for me (Shane Burgett), started off amazingly!  Not only was it the first night I slept in CLEAN cloths do to the fact we had just gotten our luggage the day before, but I woke up early that morning to simply have some “slow” time.  Once a typical day got started there was always something that could be done.  Sure, there were times throughout the day that we sat down and took a much needed break, but it seemed our breaks consisted of water, shade, and thinking about all that still needed to get done.  I wanted to have some time, where I did not have to think about what was coming next.

I woke up before the day had.  Most everyone was still asleep and there was literally nothing else to do, except take it slow and appreciate the present.  I went into the school and had some awesome time alone with my Savior.

At one point of enjoying my solitude, David walked in. The cool thing is that what was “my” solitude turned into “our” solitude.  We both sat there, bodies present, but our minds where beyond this world.  After a while, conversation struck and we started talking about what God has been doing in our hearts since this trip began.  What a blessing it was to sit there, and simply be the Body of Christ. I walked away from that time charged and excited to tackle that day’s challenges!

After breakfast, our morning basically consisted of spending time with the children.  This group seemed fluent in these kids’ universal language…playtime!  The girls played jump rope, blew bubbles, and colored, while the guys just did what guys do best…goof off!

Attempting to master the art of jumping rope.

I spent a good amount of the morning filming these different things.  At one point I was filming Josh playing with some kids.  I remember thinking about the time, earlier in the trip, Josh had mentioned how he missed playing with his son James.  As I was filming him, it hit me that he was loving these kids just like if they where James.  He honestly was loving these kids like if they where his own.  That made an impression on me.  At times I’m rather awkward with kids (might be due to my towering height) but I could see that Josh was simply showing them love and they understood.  God really showed me there that it was not about what I did with the kids, it was the heart I did it with.  These kids really did not care what you did with them. They just wanted love.  I knew I needed to get over this “awkwardness” and just love… and God would use me, like he was using Josh with those few boys.

Well, after lunch we gave the missionaries, Greg and Jasmine, the supplies we had packed into our luggage.  Prior to coming on this trip, we had found out that Kimberly Felix from Circle had actually been to this orphanage before!  She was able to fill us in with what the orphanage was really in need of and we made it a point to get as many supplies as we could.  Greg and Jasmine where quite surprised and blessed!  It’s amazing how so little can go so far when it’s truly needed.

Around 3pm we started hitting up the manual labor!  It’s funny, but everyday at 3pm the sky would fill up with clouds and we would have several hours of protection from the merciless sun.  The days prior we would work under the shining sun, and found our productivity to be quite disappointing due to the amount of heat and excess sun.  These few hours where very valuable because we could typically do at least four times the amount of work.  The guys hit up digging trenches and the girls started organizing the food tent.

Digging trenches as the afternoon clouds roll in.

During this trench digging, we guys ended up talking most of the time about chess.  You see, chess was the “thing” down there for most of the guys.  Due to it being ridiculously hot, we had no desire for playing any kind of sports, thus we still needed an outlet for our competitive natures.  We needed some sort of competition.  Well, now I understand why chess is considered a “sport”.  It can sure become a pretty intense sport!  It was just a fun time, because I remember being as a child, listening to Donnie share strategies, incites, and stories about chess.  You see, Donnie had really taken it seriously before Haiti, and had been part of clubs and even read a book on it.  Why that stands out, I’m not sure, but it was a blast and trench digging seemed to go much faster that day!

Donnie and Rigan locked in an intense game of chess.

The day wrapped up with dinner, worship, then Bible studying.  After Bible study the guys and girls started preparing for Sunday morning.  Both the guys and girls were going to do a skit or lesson for the children.  Besides that, nothing crazy really happened that day, which was actually a first!  It was nice to have a more predictable day, but yet it really wasn’t that predictable for me spiritually.  With God having been on my heart and mind before the day began, I remember actually feeling His presence throughout the day.  It was really the first day I felt like I was “walking” with Him and not just “working” for Him.  Throw that into any day, and it’s bound to be good!  So I think I can say with confidence, day five was a good day!