Last Day of Camp...PRICELESS

Just getting done making dinner. Bought a block of cheese in Port-au-Prince. One can’t get cheese out this way, so we keep it for “special” days. Today is special because I am tired and I want cheese..ha! But just dropped a good chunk of it on the floor, in the states I would pick it up off the floor and eat it, in HAITI, NO WAY. Cholera has put everyone in a scare. While cheese is so precious here, I am not going to eat it..ha! Been a good week.

First week of camp fini! Favorite moment today was watching the children watch our “theatre” play of Jesus raising Lararus from the dead. O did they laugh….we wrapped Wilfete in a sheet and carried him across the room and put him in a “cave.” They lost it in laughter. Precious. Great to engage them in a different way than they are used too. Another moment that made me laugh was watching the 6-8 year olds play a game of soccer, skins vs. shirts. Hilarious, they got a bit into it, but don’t blame them, soccer is more than a game here.

Continue to be so thankful for what the Lord has allowed and equipped us to do. The workers have been a blessing. Today we had a new attendance of a 3 year-old come to camp. Her older sister was babysitting her. The 3 yr old came all dressed up and with the cutest smile, didn’t have the heart to tell her she couldn’t come in. Sweetest moment was watching Wilfete help her color this morning. He almost took her under his wing and took care of her for the morning. He is so good with the children. Over the years working in Haiti I have not found too many 23 year olds that truly love working with children. Been neat to see that in Wilfete. They look up to him because he takes care of them. I could see Wilfete one day being a “father/caretaker” for our hopeful home. Neat to vision even more for the future.

This place is beautiful. If you look past the dirt, garbage, and poverty you see PURE BEAUTY. Hard to explain through a blog. But the energy of the people, their compassion, the culture, their ability to overcome and keep smiling, and their faith continue to captivate me and challenge me. Thankful that I get to be a part of Haiti’s story. Continue to ask you all for prayers. My father is coming in on Tuesday. Pray for his flight, people, meeting him, me getting to Port-de-Paix to pick him up, pray that he gets here safely. It is a bit exhausting to travel by yourself in Haiti and my father doesn’t know Creole, so pray for his travels and strength. Love you all! Until next time….

Another Day in Haiti

One of those days that goes down in the books. Camp was priceless, but more so a rainy afternoon in Passe Cataboise was nothing but fun in the mud. Brought the soccer ball down to the field to get in a good game with the kiddos. I arrived to find no one waiting to play ball. Within ten minutes we had two teams and it was a game. Within no time it started to rain, not a light rain, but a pour. When it rains here the mud is insane. Within minutes the ball had a couple layers of mud on it and my sneakers felt like high heels because there was so much mud on the bottoms of them. Thirty minutes later we are all soaked to the bone, laughing, covered in mud, and laughing that probably one of us will get cholera. I know we should not be laughing about that…but considering the way we looked, we were covered in MUD, head to toe. Please Jesus, no cholera!!!! Fun to just laugh with the children and forget about the problems in Haiti, United States, and just be people together.

Got a lot of rain tonight. In the states I would sit on the porch and love watching it fall. When it pours here you pray that it will stop. You think about the lost crops, the people that are on the street, people that live in huts without doors, and the cholera. Hoping it is done for the week.

Tomorrow is our last day of camp. We are having a party for Jesus. Meaning…just getting crazy for Jesus. The pastor tried to tell them to wear their best clothes, we said NO WAY we are getting dirty tomorrow.

Love this place more and more because of the people and children. The neatest moments this week have been enjoying conversation with the people. Makes me stop and think about how much fruitful conversation I miss at home as I get involved in my chaotic lifestyle of work. It has been a challenge this week. How am I making more time for relationships at home? Yesterday I was sitting on the soccer field and one of my favorite little girls came and plopped herself down in my lap. An hour later we were still sitting there and she was smiling away.

Week two starts next week. Here we go…continue to pray for the children, the team, our health, and Haiti. My dad comes next Tuesday. Pray for his travels, changing flights, and time in Haiti. Until next time….

No Sign of a Tropical Storm

We heard there was a tropical storm coming….all we feel so far is a bit of wind, no rain. Don’t know if it is other parts of Haiti that are being hit, but we are ok. But continue to pray for the other parts of Haiti because tropical storms and hurricanes here never bring anything good. Cholera is still present and with more rain brings more cholera. Just pray.

Camp was good today. Favorite part was showing the children a National Geographic film. One could hear a pin drop. The only sound that was heard was their sweet laughter. So fun to watch them engage with the movie. They laughed so hard when the giraffe came on. We continued to feel blessed with the youth workers and the people in the town that support the camp, the children, and us. Ryna my side kick is amazing. Been so blessed to have her along. Her Creole, love for the children and Haiti radiates each day. She has been a blessing to have. Tomorrow we are having a party for Jesus, which means more fun crafts, a piñata, singing for Jesus, and some games. We like to go out with a boom!

Continue to pray for the Ryna and I, for strength.
Pray for the youth workers, Wilfete, LinLin, Lou, Ami, Chora, and Michelda.
Pray that in all the fun that the children continue to see Jesus.
Pray for the hospital patients. Cholera is still coming in, pray for the doctors and the patients.

It is so HOT here

Day three of camp done! So fun to watch the children engage. Today we made little bowls with air dry clay..who would have thought that would have been a hit. Put some gems in the bowl and ever child left with a smile. Great day at camp. Neatest moment was watching my Haitian brother take control and lead an activity that I usually lead. Usually we take children outside to engage them with the parachute. Today I asked Wilfete if he would be ok to do it without my help. “Wi Leah.” It was so fun to step back and see his leadership over the children. To watch him actively engage with the children, take leadership, and teach them. Felt like we saw our mission today. To equip and empower leaders. In the last week Wilfete has shown more and more of that mission. Thankful for the few that God has given us. Neat to walk alongside them and share life, ministry, and friendship with our workers.

Story and theater of the day was Jesus healing the man with leprosy. We wrapped Chore up in cloth, Wilfete was Jesus, and the rest of us rocked the crazy crowd that was amazed by Jesus. Half the time the children are laughing at how ridiculous we are and the other half of the time they are learning. We got out hands on Creole worship music and I had purchased some loud speakers before we got to Haiti. Been so fun to blare it during camp. The children jam along and it is loud. So fun! Another level of worship, yeah yeah!

We are doing well. Holding up in the heat. We have a thermometer on our clock in our room. Last night at 10:00 our room was 87 degrees. Woke up in the middle of the night and my mini battery operated fan (also now my stuff animal because I cuddle it) had died. Sad day. Tonight will be a rough night. We are still healthy, but washing my hands before I eat, ALWAYS.

Got to hit the “soccer field” yesterday. I am getting old, can’t quiet keep up like I used to. They were calling me old and tired, but I love it. So fun to be out in the community, chatting Creole, and laughing at how ridiculous the children are.

Day four tomorrow, almost one week done. Been averaging three cups of coffee a day..hahah. Thank you all for your support, prayers, and involvement with Haiti, Making Roots, and Camp Hope. I will post more pictures when I have a better connection..until then THANK YOU!

Quote of the day, “I sweat in places I didn’t know I could.”

First day of camp today and it was but 15 minutes into camp and I was sweating from my arms, my legs, and everywhere on my face. The quote of the day became, “I sweat in places I didn’t know I could.” It is so hot here. So hot. We are doing camp in an old school room with a tin roof. During camp you could feel the heat radiating off the tin. I think one could fry an egg on the tin if she/he left it there for the day.

40 children filed in. Great day with the children. Arts and crafts, a bit of sports, drums, and a story acted out by the workers added up to be a good first day. Neat to see the team of workers mesh more and more. Today we had the same workers from the last three years and it was so encouraging to watch them work together as a team, laugh together, understand how to teach the children and not do it for the children. Two of our workers didn’t know each other three years ago and today I got to watch them interact like brothers. Laughing and being ridiculous together. Neat to see relationships that have cultivated over time.

Got to take a stroll through the market, which is always interesting. Love to embrace the culture, see the people out and about, learn the language more and more, and just embrace Haiti. It is in those moments that I am so thankful for the whole experience of Haiti. Favorite moment of today was running around in a circle with the children while the adults played the drums and we yelled, “Jericho, Jericho.” I think I am 28 years old...maybe not this week!

Day two tomorrow…here we go.

Quote of the day, “If We Don’t Get Cholera that would be…Awesome.”

Today was a relaxing day. Got to enjoy catching up with people. Great to see smiles, embrace hugs, and catch up. Had a hard conversation with one of my Haitian brothers. I want to share the story with you in hopes to reveal a bit of the spiritual warfare and realness of voodoo that still works in this country. Today we talked about how many people in the town give him a bit of trouble. To spare a bit of details, a particular family has been giving him so many troubles to the place that they have begun to threaten him with saying they would go to the voodoo doctor and put a curse on him so he can’t move. At first it seems to crazy to believe or understand, but then it became so dark and real in a matter of seconds as he described more and more details of the conversation. The nurses have told me stories of patients that come in and can’t move their legs or arms and there is no explanation, but voodoo. As my Haitian brother and I continued to talk I asked him if her was scared. He said he is not scared because he knows God is stronger, AMEN brother. But I still ask that you pray for my brother Wilfete in the days and months to come. I know God is using him as a leader, example, and disciple in this community and in that I know that Satan will work even harder to conquer him. He is an amazing young man, with a great heart, beautiful character, loves working with children, and has a heart to serve and love Jesus. Pray for his strength and that his heart would continue to adore Jesus. Pray that no weapon formed against him should prosper.

Quote of the day has become, “If we don’t get cholera that would be awesome.” There are a couple of people in the hospital that have cholera right now and two of the foreigners here just had it. So fingers crossed, prayers going up, hands washed, praying that cholera does not affect us. There are only two of us here this time. Two on our team that is. If one of us gets it, well….we told each other we will still come to camp and work..hahah. Might not be a pretty sight. Pray for us. Last minute I had two people that could not come over to Haiti with us. Our strength is in two this year. Pray for our health and unity. Camp tomorrow..here we go.

Pray for Wilfete. Pray for the camp. Pray for the strength of the team. Pray for Haiti.

God Paved the Way on a Moto

I am well at my final destination, but getting here was a process. Woke up and got on stand by this morning, first blessing. After flying for 45 minutes north had me a nice rocky landing on a dirt tarmac, but was greeted by faces that made me smile. My Haitian brothers had come to pick me up at the airport. Little did I know that we were NOT taking a tap-tap(a hired truck), but we were going to take motos. We had 245lbs of equipment equaling 4 large duffel bags and a total of 5 people. My first question to all of you is….do we think motos is the right machine for this job? I tried to ask that question over and over, but everyone, but me was in agreement that it was the only way. Tap-taps were not passing the river because it was too high. I lost it laughing, “Seriously….wait…seriously…if you guys drop these bags into the river there goes our camp.”

Off we went….one moto with two bags on the back and two people. Then there was my moto. Let me paint a good picture for you. The driver almost sitting up where the handles were, ME, then my Haitian brother, Lou behind me. I was holding a bag, Lou was holding a bag and then one of our duffel bags was buggy corded to the back. Sound like a good plan? Nope. We arrive at the river….here is the tricky part. Getting our bags and motos and us all onto a rowboat that will be pushed across the river. I am still laughing outloud while the men are pushing us. We all crawl out of the “boat” and reload the bikes. By now I am so tired, but also know that we have an hour and half ride ahead of us. Not a smooth, easy ride at that. It is almost too hard to explain. The road is so bumpy, so uneven that one usually descends the bike with a rip-roaring headache. About an hour into the ride I was ready to loose it, but then I looked around at the others to find them all smiling and laughing at the situation. Heck, if they can do it, so can I…about mile 8 we rode through the biggest puddle that smelled of cow dung…..and because I was crammed between the two people I could not lift my feet….a foot bathing of some nasty smelling water. By now I have let go….and am laughing uncontrollably. Got to love the essence of traveling in Haiti. We made it…laughing, with all my bags, and safely. I could not have asked for more. Everything went perfectly great today and that is never the case. Usually I don’t get my bags, the tap-tap breaks down, or someone forgets you…but today God paved the way on a moto. Safe and sound…happy…loving being home and with the people.

First day of camp on Monday. Children are excited…getting excited through their joy and expectations. Here we go….pray for us and the