Today was going to be our last day out off the Mission and going places so naturally we chose to go visit another orphanage! The last one we visited was taken very good care of and the kids didn't seem to need as much attention as the others had at prior orphanages. This one we kind of sat and watched them play, as you can imagine by this point we were all pretty worn out and tired of the same games and songs. We still sang a few songs, but other than that, we just watched the children interact with each other. Some of the guys in our group noticed that a lot of the little boys were playing with a wooden plank and some cement blocks. Noticing the length of the board, our guys took it an created a teeter totter for the kids to enjoy. They thought it was the weirdest thing they had ever seen and we had to teach them how to use it. They LOVED it! I bet if I were to go visit them right this minute the boys would still be on it! After our orphanage visit, we went to the Mission and pretty much relaxed and had some down time.
Later on in the evening some of the village boys came to the porch to hang out with us. Marie and I had been sitting there and she told me about this fruit she had tried called a kanip. She was determined to find more and have me try some. Mackendy overheard us and took us on a kanip finding adventure! We eventually found a whole tree of them and made sure to take a whole branch back to the porch with us! They were so yummy and I wish I could've brought some home. While we were enjoying our hundreds of kanips there was a little boy sitting across from us. We decided it wouldn't kill us to share and offered him some, we talked for a while and quickly became friends. As we went through the motions (What is your name? How old are you?) we realized that this little boy was not that little. He looked to be about twelve, but instead surprised us with the fact that he was seventeen just like us! We literally talked with him about it for a good five minutes and finally believed him when another friend of ours from Lifeline said he had an ID to prove it. We were shocked!
For the rest of the night we hung out with the boy (whose name I don't even want to try and type out for you) and many of the other kids! We were really beginning to build friendships with them and it was fun to just hang out and talk with them. While we were hanging out one of the older boys came up to me, poked me on my shoulder, shouted "TING!" and quickly ran off. I was confused, but laughed anyways and then continued my conversation. A few minutes later the boy came back and did the same thing only this time he stood there laughing at me. I was so confused and asked what he was doing, but he wouldn't tell me. So I decided to go ask a Lifeline helper and here is what I learned. You know how in America if one of our friends does something to embarrass us and we jokingly say "I'm gonna kill you!" Well in Haiti they say that too, but have somehow come to the shortened version of "Ting." Apparently it catches on quickly because it is a game all of the boys play. After figuring this out I spent half of the night trying to "ting" people back. It was extremely funny!
After our childish game we decided to take some pictures and that was when it happened. The heart shattering moment that poisoned my mood for the rest of the trip. My precious camera was dropped and died instantly. I got a few pictures with the boys and as someone was handing me my camera back, I grabbed it, but the string was caught on the other person's hand and the camera was pulled down onto the tile. The lens was stuck out and once I did get the camera to turn on the focus did nothing. It was tragic and we passed around the camera to a few people to see if they could fix it but no one could. The Haitian boys definitely taught me a lesson that night, for as I was trying to turn the camera back on they quickly dug into their pockets telling me over and over again "Nina, my friend, we pay new one!" It was amazing that these kids, who had absolutely nothing, were offering to pay for something of mine because they felt bad. My heart went from shattered to in awe of what these guys were doing. I, of course, did not take their money and told them that it would be alright. But even as we were saying goodnight all of them gave me a hug and said "sorry about camera my friend." It's crazy how in one moment you can learn from a child in a third world country more than you've ever learned from seventeen years in America.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
TWO EXTREMES **The Haiti Diaries(THD) Day 5**
We started off our day knowing that later on we would soon be enjoying the sunshine and the breath taking views of the Caribbean, but before we left we had an orphanage to visit. Everyone got ready and we ventured through the village and down some pathways until we reached our destination. A small little orphanage that was falling apart bit by bit. Not only was it externally falling apart, but so were the children inside of it. One little boy had a broken arm, another child had a broken jaw and there was also a little girl with a broken cheek bone. No one knows how they were all injured, but only because no one would tell us. The kids were very skinny and the only real joy we saw from them was when we sang and played games with them. It was a very sad place to see, especially because there were a lot of young children there.
Later on as we walked back to the Mission we found out that the owner there was not a good one. Mission Lifeline has sent them countless containers of food, sheets, clothing and many other things for the children. Instead of showing up for a visit and seeing these things Lifeline finds that they're nowhere to be seen. The owner, instead of giving these things to the kids, is selling it for money. I will be the first to openly say that the money is not going towards the orphanage what so ever. My heart broke for the children at that orphanage as I imagined them staying in a place like that. Where every waking moment someone is taking advantage of your loneliness for their own personal image.
On the way back a team member of mine became extremely dehydrated and had to sit down. Her first reaction was to fall asleep and we tried as hard as we could to keep her awake but nothing seemed to work. Soon one of the Haitian boys, who we all knew as Daniel, offered to carry her the rest of the way. Here was this boy who barely knew any of us and he carried my friend all the way back to the Mission on his back. He walked faster than any of us because he knew she needed to get out of the sun. He took her inside, put her on the couch and tried countless times to get her to drink some water. Fortunately we arrived soon after and our amazing leaders were able to get her awake and taken care of. Daniel really showed sacrifice that day and was a true friend, someone that we all learned to trust throughout the rest of the trip.
After returning to the mission we quickly got ready and set out for a resort named Wahoo Bay. We spent the remainder of the day there swimming in the ocean and relaxing after a rough morning. It was kind of surreal at first. Not only was the resort full of post card worthy beauty but it was also one of the nicest places I had seen in Haiti. I will admit that for the first hour or so I could not fully enjoy myself. No matter how beautiful it was or how relaxed I felt I couldn't take my mind off that orphanage. Here I was enjoying myself on a beach while there were kids who were being treated poorly. It really affected my outlook and reminded me of how blessed I truly am.
Later that night it began to storm and as we sat on the porch at Lifeline relaxing after our amazing day at the beach we stared in awe at the beauty of the storm. I'm not sure why but the thunder was so powerful and the lightning was so bright that it literally amazed each and every one of us. Shortly after the storm had ended me and my friend Marie decided to once again go tarantula hunting. We were probably quite a sight as we set out across the compound towards the warehouse, Marie holding a flashlight and me clutching my machete. It was quite an adventure and a great way to end the day!
Later on as we walked back to the Mission we found out that the owner there was not a good one. Mission Lifeline has sent them countless containers of food, sheets, clothing and many other things for the children. Instead of showing up for a visit and seeing these things Lifeline finds that they're nowhere to be seen. The owner, instead of giving these things to the kids, is selling it for money. I will be the first to openly say that the money is not going towards the orphanage what so ever. My heart broke for the children at that orphanage as I imagined them staying in a place like that. Where every waking moment someone is taking advantage of your loneliness for their own personal image.
On the way back a team member of mine became extremely dehydrated and had to sit down. Her first reaction was to fall asleep and we tried as hard as we could to keep her awake but nothing seemed to work. Soon one of the Haitian boys, who we all knew as Daniel, offered to carry her the rest of the way. Here was this boy who barely knew any of us and he carried my friend all the way back to the Mission on his back. He walked faster than any of us because he knew she needed to get out of the sun. He took her inside, put her on the couch and tried countless times to get her to drink some water. Fortunately we arrived soon after and our amazing leaders were able to get her awake and taken care of. Daniel really showed sacrifice that day and was a true friend, someone that we all learned to trust throughout the rest of the trip.
After returning to the mission we quickly got ready and set out for a resort named Wahoo Bay. We spent the remainder of the day there swimming in the ocean and relaxing after a rough morning. It was kind of surreal at first. Not only was the resort full of post card worthy beauty but it was also one of the nicest places I had seen in Haiti. I will admit that for the first hour or so I could not fully enjoy myself. No matter how beautiful it was or how relaxed I felt I couldn't take my mind off that orphanage. Here I was enjoying myself on a beach while there were kids who were being treated poorly. It really affected my outlook and reminded me of how blessed I truly am.
Later that night it began to storm and as we sat on the porch at Lifeline relaxing after our amazing day at the beach we stared in awe at the beauty of the storm. I'm not sure why but the thunder was so powerful and the lightning was so bright that it literally amazed each and every one of us. Shortly after the storm had ended me and my friend Marie decided to once again go tarantula hunting. We were probably quite a sight as we set out across the compound towards the warehouse, Marie holding a flashlight and me clutching my machete. It was quite an adventure and a great way to end the day!
Friday, August 15, 2014
HEARTBREAKER **The Haiti Diaries(THD) Day 4**
Monday was a very busy day for us, and one I will not forget easily. We visited three orphanages that day. We went to some amazing ones and some that, well, needed a lot of work to say it the best way possible. To be rather honest I don't remember the last two as much as I remember the first one, and with that statement said I will tell it's story.
We had been on the bus for quite some time now. Even though we were hot and sweaty from the ride to the orphanage we were still full of energy and ready to play with some kids! As we stopped in front of the building I noticed that some of the walls were crumbling and that it looked old, but other than that it looked nice from the outside. I quickly learned that this entire orphanage was going to have that kind of effect the whole time I was there. We all began filing out of the bus and were immediately met by children coming to lead us into their "home." I gradually walked in with everyone else and began to look around. I noticed some torn up cushions on some chairs seated around the room, a small bench with so many holes in it that it hurt to sit on it and one very worn table. To the side were probably about ten bunk beds and some very dirty floors. At first the kids seemed really happy to see us, they sang some songs and held our hands but it wasn't to last. Shortly after we arrived their real feelings began to show. These precious little ones that seemed so happy on the outside were torn and everyone could tell. Their smiles turned into blank stares, their laughs turned into cries, their talking turned into silence and their smiles vanished. There were two children in particular who did nothing, absolutely no sound was heard from them, no smile was even close to laying on their lips. They were strictly just there. Holding you close and making sure you didn't let them go.
One little boy out of the two caught my attention as he sat on my friends lap. My child had run off to play games and so I sat next to the little boy and tried to make him laugh, only to notice that he was silently crying to him self. No sound escaped from his lips as he sat there looking at us, tears dripping down his precious face. I wiped them away and looked at him with sadness trying to figure out what was wrong. He clung to my friend so tightly, as if he was afraid he would fall. His eyes were glazed over as if he were in some distant land away from the orphanage. They held such emotion, the feelings of complete and utter betrayal, sadness, abandonment and heartbrokenness. I still catch myself tearing up as I revisit these memories. I had never in my life seen such sadness in a little one, it was so strongly present that it could not be ignored. We tried to help as best we could, we held him close, tickled him, played with his hands and fed him some crackers. Nothing seemed to work and we soon realized that his wall of brokenness would not be so easily knocked down.
I sat by him for the remainder of the time we were there and studied him, studied his eyes, his frown, his movements, his breathing. I didn't want to forget this boy, and I don't think I ever will. For not only was his sadness internal but was soon shown externally as we left him behind. But this time he was not alone, for as everyone returned inside to say goodbye and put there kids down screams could be heard everywhere. Not the kind of screams you hear when someone is scared, not the screams you hear when a child is excited about something. Screams of extreme sadness. Every child except for a select few began weeping. Holding on to us for dear life, begging us to stay, and that tiny little boy, who I had learned to love so dearly began to silently scream as well. I can still remember him hitting the wall, tears rolling down his face so quickly that his shirt was soaked and not making a sound. As we pulled out of the driveway you could still hear them screaming, it's a sound that echoes in my heart still. With every passing day I will never forget that sound, I've never heard anything like it before and I hope that you never have to hear it. My heart broke that day for those kids, and is still breaking into little pieces at a time every time I hear those sounds in my head.
The only joy out of that visit was that we were able to share Gods unending love with them. We were there to hold them as they cried. We showed them love for as long as we could and even though it hurt to say goodbye I hope to one day return and see them again. To once again hold them close and whisper "I love you" to them. To sing with them and share those first few minutes of smiles and laughs with them and to comfort them as they slowly crumble just like the brick walls. I ask that you pray for these kids and not just these ones, but the hundreds of thousands of children out in the world just like them. Many tears were shed that night as I tried to sleep but I knew deep in my heart that God would be there for them longer then I ever could and they would never have to be afraid of losing him just as they lost me.
We had been on the bus for quite some time now. Even though we were hot and sweaty from the ride to the orphanage we were still full of energy and ready to play with some kids! As we stopped in front of the building I noticed that some of the walls were crumbling and that it looked old, but other than that it looked nice from the outside. I quickly learned that this entire orphanage was going to have that kind of effect the whole time I was there. We all began filing out of the bus and were immediately met by children coming to lead us into their "home." I gradually walked in with everyone else and began to look around. I noticed some torn up cushions on some chairs seated around the room, a small bench with so many holes in it that it hurt to sit on it and one very worn table. To the side were probably about ten bunk beds and some very dirty floors. At first the kids seemed really happy to see us, they sang some songs and held our hands but it wasn't to last. Shortly after we arrived their real feelings began to show. These precious little ones that seemed so happy on the outside were torn and everyone could tell. Their smiles turned into blank stares, their laughs turned into cries, their talking turned into silence and their smiles vanished. There were two children in particular who did nothing, absolutely no sound was heard from them, no smile was even close to laying on their lips. They were strictly just there. Holding you close and making sure you didn't let them go.
One little boy out of the two caught my attention as he sat on my friends lap. My child had run off to play games and so I sat next to the little boy and tried to make him laugh, only to notice that he was silently crying to him self. No sound escaped from his lips as he sat there looking at us, tears dripping down his precious face. I wiped them away and looked at him with sadness trying to figure out what was wrong. He clung to my friend so tightly, as if he was afraid he would fall. His eyes were glazed over as if he were in some distant land away from the orphanage. They held such emotion, the feelings of complete and utter betrayal, sadness, abandonment and heartbrokenness. I still catch myself tearing up as I revisit these memories. I had never in my life seen such sadness in a little one, it was so strongly present that it could not be ignored. We tried to help as best we could, we held him close, tickled him, played with his hands and fed him some crackers. Nothing seemed to work and we soon realized that his wall of brokenness would not be so easily knocked down.
I sat by him for the remainder of the time we were there and studied him, studied his eyes, his frown, his movements, his breathing. I didn't want to forget this boy, and I don't think I ever will. For not only was his sadness internal but was soon shown externally as we left him behind. But this time he was not alone, for as everyone returned inside to say goodbye and put there kids down screams could be heard everywhere. Not the kind of screams you hear when someone is scared, not the screams you hear when a child is excited about something. Screams of extreme sadness. Every child except for a select few began weeping. Holding on to us for dear life, begging us to stay, and that tiny little boy, who I had learned to love so dearly began to silently scream as well. I can still remember him hitting the wall, tears rolling down his face so quickly that his shirt was soaked and not making a sound. As we pulled out of the driveway you could still hear them screaming, it's a sound that echoes in my heart still. With every passing day I will never forget that sound, I've never heard anything like it before and I hope that you never have to hear it. My heart broke that day for those kids, and is still breaking into little pieces at a time every time I hear those sounds in my head.
The only joy out of that visit was that we were able to share Gods unending love with them. We were there to hold them as they cried. We showed them love for as long as we could and even though it hurt to say goodbye I hope to one day return and see them again. To once again hold them close and whisper "I love you" to them. To sing with them and share those first few minutes of smiles and laughs with them and to comfort them as they slowly crumble just like the brick walls. I ask that you pray for these kids and not just these ones, but the hundreds of thousands of children out in the world just like them. Many tears were shed that night as I tried to sleep but I knew deep in my heart that God would be there for them longer then I ever could and they would never have to be afraid of losing him just as they lost me.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
DEDICATION **The Haiti Diaries(THD) Day 3**
Yet another day. We woke up and got ready for church, it was Sunday so we needed to wear nice skirts and look our best. We were all told to expect a long service so as you can imagine we cooled down as much as we could and filled our water bottles to the brim. I will admit that instead of going to church when it started we slipped into the service around 8:30 with everyone from Lifeline and took some seats in the back. As soon as we walked in a little girl walked past some of my friends and came up to me to hold my hand. She then proceeded to tell me to sit and she sat on my lap for the entire service. Every time we stood she had me pick her up and every time we sat down she quickly claimed my lap. Before long everyone was a sweaty mess including the little girl (when the Haitians are fanning themselves you know it must be hot!) She sweetly gave me a smile and squeezed my hand to reassure me that she was coming back and made her way towards the front of the church. She then walked up to her mother and pulled out a rag from her hand. The little girl quietly walked back to my seat, sat down on my lap and began wiping the sweat off of her head. Throughout the entire service she would look up at me, smile shyly and wipe her forehead. Soon after she returned to my lap she took off her shoes and before she proceeded to place her tiny little feet on my lap she wiped off her feet. It made me sit and think about how respectful that one small deed was. Here was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5, who had walked up to me wanting my attention and making sure that my skirt was not dirtied by her feet. It was such a small act yet such a big one.
After the service we were taken back to the compound and relaxed until around dinner. After dinner we enjoyed one of my favorite parts of the trip....soccer! If you know me, you know that I am not athletic what so ever. So I simply sat to the side and watched as the Haitians played. They are so amazingly good! Their competitive nature and their fancy footwork definitely made the game worth watching. At night when the soccer games go on many of the village kids are allowed into the compound to enjoy them as well, so as you can imagine I was once again surrounded by kids! This time though I learned some new things about being an American girl in Haiti.
Now before you worry, nothing bad happened. Everything was under control and it was an easy fix. Because of the culture sometimes women are not treated with that much respect, so as I was surrounded by little boys and some older boys just being myself and having fun I was constantly told by them "I love you baby" and "wait for me in America." Sometimes I just ignored them, other times I laughed it off and sometimes I would sternly say no and they would stop. I had many encounters with guys trying to hit on me, no matter what age they were, but you learn to not encourage them and to just say no.
That night after the soccer game I decided to walk some of the younger kids to the gate so they could walk home with their parents. As I was walking down the dirt driveway a girl put her arm around my waist. I then began laughing because she had found my tickle spot! Well of course the laugh was a dead giveaway and within a few seconds I had twenty kids surrounding me tickling me! I couldn't breathe and finally got one of the older boys to translate that they needed to let go because I was going to my house. At first they obeyed and let go, but half way up the driveway they ran after me and began again! Although it was annoying at the time I look back now and smile because I have never laughed so much in my life! In order to get away I literally had to sprint back to the house and up the steps! It was a joyous ending to a long day.
After the service we were taken back to the compound and relaxed until around dinner. After dinner we enjoyed one of my favorite parts of the trip....soccer! If you know me, you know that I am not athletic what so ever. So I simply sat to the side and watched as the Haitians played. They are so amazingly good! Their competitive nature and their fancy footwork definitely made the game worth watching. At night when the soccer games go on many of the village kids are allowed into the compound to enjoy them as well, so as you can imagine I was once again surrounded by kids! This time though I learned some new things about being an American girl in Haiti.
Now before you worry, nothing bad happened. Everything was under control and it was an easy fix. Because of the culture sometimes women are not treated with that much respect, so as I was surrounded by little boys and some older boys just being myself and having fun I was constantly told by them "I love you baby" and "wait for me in America." Sometimes I just ignored them, other times I laughed it off and sometimes I would sternly say no and they would stop. I had many encounters with guys trying to hit on me, no matter what age they were, but you learn to not encourage them and to just say no.
That night after the soccer game I decided to walk some of the younger kids to the gate so they could walk home with their parents. As I was walking down the dirt driveway a girl put her arm around my waist. I then began laughing because she had found my tickle spot! Well of course the laugh was a dead giveaway and within a few seconds I had twenty kids surrounding me tickling me! I couldn't breathe and finally got one of the older boys to translate that they needed to let go because I was going to my house. At first they obeyed and let go, but half way up the driveway they ran after me and began again! Although it was annoying at the time I look back now and smile because I have never laughed so much in my life! In order to get away I literally had to sprint back to the house and up the steps! It was a joyous ending to a long day.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
OUTSIDE THE BOX **The Haiti Diaries (THD) Day 2**
I woke up the next morning feeling brand new and I was ready for whatever the day had to bring me! Our first task of the day was to visit some orphanages. While at these orphanages we acted out some skits, sang lots and lots and lots and lots (you get the picture) of songs and played some games. In the midst of all of this we also made sure to hold the kids closely, give them kisses and show them that we cared. I will touch more on orphanages and some of our experiences in some of the upcoming posts!
After our visits we headed back to the Lifeline Mission and walked through the village. At first is was a normal walk and we looked around in amazement taking every little thing in. Soon children began running up to us seeking our attention. Before we knew it there were a ton of kids surrounding us as we walked to the dam. Once we arrived at the dam many of the kids went swimming and showed us how they jumped into the water. This is when I first encountered one of the biggest challenges....learning names. Not only do they ask your name, they tell you theirs, and you should expect them to ask you what their name is within the next ten minutes. This was a challenge for me, not only are their names much different from ours, but there are a lot of kids that want you to remember them! I decided that it would be quite impossible to remember all of their names and so I just remembered the short easy ones.
After watching many of the kids play in the water the team decided to walk up the river and check it out. I slowly made my way over to find that our little friends were going to follow us there as well. Everyone on the team had at least one child by there side and as I walked towards them I could feel all of their eyes on me. Here I came walking up to everyone with not one, not two, not three, but six children at my side. All of them holding my hand or an article of my clothing and each one smiling, laughing, and trying to talk to me. Lets just say that by the time I actually met up with the team they had already decided to head back to the dam. If there is one thing I learned that day at the dam it's that kids seem to love me as much as I love them. Holding their hands gives them a sense of love and me a sense of comfort. Showing them love comes naturally to me and I think that is why they tend to gravitate towards me a lot. It can be overwhelming at times but in the end their smiles make it all worth it!
To conclude my day I decided to make some interesting decisions. Number one, tonight was the night I was going to face one of my fears and number two, I was going to purchase a machete. Number two was not that difficult for me and you can see a photo of it below. I will let you know that it is for display only and is not able to be reached by my siblings. Number one, on the other hand, was a big step for me. I was going Tarantula hunting. (For those of you with a fear of spiders I recommend that you skip down to the next paragraph!) Now most of you know, spiders are not liked in my family. I don't like them, my sisters don't like them and my mom doesn't like them. So deciding to go tarantula hunting was a pretty big thing for me. I'm sorry to say that I did not get any pictures but these things were bigger than my camera. We saw about three that night and after getting up close to them I realized that they aren't that bad!
My first full day in Haiti was a success and I realized that I loved kids more than I originally thought!! My body was starting to get used to the heat and my heart was at peace knowing I was living my dream once again!
After our visits we headed back to the Lifeline Mission and walked through the village. At first is was a normal walk and we looked around in amazement taking every little thing in. Soon children began running up to us seeking our attention. Before we knew it there were a ton of kids surrounding us as we walked to the dam. Once we arrived at the dam many of the kids went swimming and showed us how they jumped into the water. This is when I first encountered one of the biggest challenges....learning names. Not only do they ask your name, they tell you theirs, and you should expect them to ask you what their name is within the next ten minutes. This was a challenge for me, not only are their names much different from ours, but there are a lot of kids that want you to remember them! I decided that it would be quite impossible to remember all of their names and so I just remembered the short easy ones.
After watching many of the kids play in the water the team decided to walk up the river and check it out. I slowly made my way over to find that our little friends were going to follow us there as well. Everyone on the team had at least one child by there side and as I walked towards them I could feel all of their eyes on me. Here I came walking up to everyone with not one, not two, not three, but six children at my side. All of them holding my hand or an article of my clothing and each one smiling, laughing, and trying to talk to me. Lets just say that by the time I actually met up with the team they had already decided to head back to the dam. If there is one thing I learned that day at the dam it's that kids seem to love me as much as I love them. Holding their hands gives them a sense of love and me a sense of comfort. Showing them love comes naturally to me and I think that is why they tend to gravitate towards me a lot. It can be overwhelming at times but in the end their smiles make it all worth it!
To conclude my day I decided to make some interesting decisions. Number one, tonight was the night I was going to face one of my fears and number two, I was going to purchase a machete. Number two was not that difficult for me and you can see a photo of it below. I will let you know that it is for display only and is not able to be reached by my siblings. Number one, on the other hand, was a big step for me. I was going Tarantula hunting. (For those of you with a fear of spiders I recommend that you skip down to the next paragraph!) Now most of you know, spiders are not liked in my family. I don't like them, my sisters don't like them and my mom doesn't like them. So deciding to go tarantula hunting was a pretty big thing for me. I'm sorry to say that I did not get any pictures but these things were bigger than my camera. We saw about three that night and after getting up close to them I realized that they aren't that bad!
My first full day in Haiti was a success and I realized that I loved kids more than I originally thought!! My body was starting to get used to the heat and my heart was at peace knowing I was living my dream once again!
Monday, August 11, 2014
LIVING AND LEARNING **The Haiti Diaries (THD) Day 1**
There I was again, standing in an airport, my bags in my hands and my heart ready to leave America. I had stressed all week about this trip, what was going to happen, who I was going to meet, what I was going to do the usual things that I stress about before each trip. This time it was different though, I didn't feel as prepared as usual and I was thinking more about myself than I was the actual trip. I soon realized that God had this under control and I could stress less.
As I stepped off the plane in Port-au-Prince, Haiti I breathed out a sigh of relief as I was once again embarking on a journey to do something I loved. The heat, the people and the sunshine reminded me of Africa and I soon became comfortable with my surroundings. We didn't arrive in Haiti until around dinner time so it was much cooler, but yet the hour and forty-five minute drive to Arcahaie showed us no mercy with its intense heat. By the time we arrived at the Lifeline compound we were tired, sweaty, sticky and hungry. We quickly got settled in and then sat to eat before we started some work. We ate and then walked over to the warehouse. The warehouse holds many donated things as well as thousands of pounds of rice and beans. Each day the Lifeline canteens (one located at the mission and the other located in a local village) feeds hundreds of children rice and beans and so they store the shipments once they have arrived. We were to help unload each box and bag and stack them up with the others. All of us proceeded to make a line leading to the stacking area and after being prompted by some of the Haitian boys to go faster we quickly stacked some boxes of rice. That's when it hit me. The agonizing pain in my stomach that told me my dinner would not stay down much longer. I quickly went to the side and sat down with another team member of mine who had a splitting headache. After resting and drinking some water the pain eased a little bit but was still there. After talking with one of the adults we decided it would be best if my friend and I went back to the house and rested.
Laying on my new bed with a fan blowing in my face I began to think as I drifted off to sleep. I thought about how many kids we were unloading food for, I thought about Africa and compared some things, I thought about home but mostly I thought about resting in Him. I was yet again in another country, where poverty reigns supreme and the devil pays visits often. A place where people are broken, unhappy and lacking hope. A place where my heart felt content, a place where I wanted to be. A midst the brokenness and the sadness I was there for God's purpose. I was reminded of all of those things, but mostly that the people did not show those things openly. They were a group of people stronger than anything and full of joy and love for the Lord. This is where I belonged for the week and with that last thought I breathed a sigh of comfort and drifted into a sound sleep full of healing and joy.
As I stepped off the plane in Port-au-Prince, Haiti I breathed out a sigh of relief as I was once again embarking on a journey to do something I loved. The heat, the people and the sunshine reminded me of Africa and I soon became comfortable with my surroundings. We didn't arrive in Haiti until around dinner time so it was much cooler, but yet the hour and forty-five minute drive to Arcahaie showed us no mercy with its intense heat. By the time we arrived at the Lifeline compound we were tired, sweaty, sticky and hungry. We quickly got settled in and then sat to eat before we started some work. We ate and then walked over to the warehouse. The warehouse holds many donated things as well as thousands of pounds of rice and beans. Each day the Lifeline canteens (one located at the mission and the other located in a local village) feeds hundreds of children rice and beans and so they store the shipments once they have arrived. We were to help unload each box and bag and stack them up with the others. All of us proceeded to make a line leading to the stacking area and after being prompted by some of the Haitian boys to go faster we quickly stacked some boxes of rice. That's when it hit me. The agonizing pain in my stomach that told me my dinner would not stay down much longer. I quickly went to the side and sat down with another team member of mine who had a splitting headache. After resting and drinking some water the pain eased a little bit but was still there. After talking with one of the adults we decided it would be best if my friend and I went back to the house and rested.
Laying on my new bed with a fan blowing in my face I began to think as I drifted off to sleep. I thought about how many kids we were unloading food for, I thought about Africa and compared some things, I thought about home but mostly I thought about resting in Him. I was yet again in another country, where poverty reigns supreme and the devil pays visits often. A place where people are broken, unhappy and lacking hope. A place where my heart felt content, a place where I wanted to be. A midst the brokenness and the sadness I was there for God's purpose. I was reminded of all of those things, but mostly that the people did not show those things openly. They were a group of people stronger than anything and full of joy and love for the Lord. This is where I belonged for the week and with that last thought I breathed a sigh of comfort and drifted into a sound sleep full of healing and joy.
" But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:33-34
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