Our first steps on Haitian soil were filled with adrenaline and excitement. We had been up since 2:30 in the morning after only getting a couple hours of sleep. Our bodies must have been exhausted, though I don’t think any of us really felt it the first few hours after getting off the plane.
Our group was a mixture of short-term mission repeats and first timers, a few had been to Haiti before, but for most of us, this was our first experience in the country known as the poorest in the western hemisphere.
Haiti was like nothing I had ever seen or experienced before. The smells, the sites, the people, I wanted to take everything in and attempt to process it all later. Over a month later, I’m not really sure I’ll ever be able to fully process it all, and I certainly won’t be able to forget it.
The purpose of our trip was two-fold; half of us (the 7 men) were there to assemble and install the long-awaited for playground equipment for the Rhode area, the other half of the group, (5 women) were there to update the Student Sponsorship Program. Our goal was to make contact with the children and families on both the sponsored and unsponsored lists, to update profiles and give gifts that sponsors had sent to their students.
Once we arrived in Hinche, both groups were eager to get started, however, neither project started off the way we had planned. We knew upon our arrival that the playground equipment was stuck in customs, and that there was a strong possibility that we wouldn’t be able to get it out during our time in the country. As far as the student sponsorship program, we learned Wednesday evening (the night of our arrival) that school was out that week due to Mardi Gras and that our parties would have to wait until Monday & Tuesday of the following week.
The Lord had much for us to do while we waited.
The men kept themselves busy around the compound. They worked on the big truck (something to do with the exhaust thing), they tore down a concrete structure where Lavaud hopes to one-day build a baptismal for the church, and they started prep work on the playground. One of the biggest projects of the week turned out to be preparing the sand that was bought for the playground area. There was about 30 yards of “sand” but it was filled with large stones and sharp rocks, considering it was going to be used for children to play in and around (many of them barefoot), this was not ideal. So the men started the labor-intensive process of sifting the rocks out of the sand. Moving sand from pile to pile is not easy (or fulfilling) work, but I don’t think I heard even one of them complain.
The women ended up just rearranging our schedule a bit to accommodate the school schedule. So, Thursday and Friday we decided to visit the orphanage. We brought with us, 170 pillow case dresses that a group of about 20 women in Appleton, got together to sew for us to give to the girls at the orphanage and wherever the Lord directed. Underwear & t-shirts were also donated and sent with us to hand out to the boys. Toys and treats were handed out to all the children, and we had a great time playing with all of them.
Later, Lavaud told us that this was a huge answer to prayer. They originally had money budgeted to get the children new clothing, but due to some unexpected expenses they had to cut it from the budget for this year.
Throughout the first part of the trip, the group was able to make around 20 home visits. We visited some specific sponsored students who were sent gifts from their sponsors, as well as some more “random” homes around the Rhode school. At each home we brought a family-bag filled with treats and goodies including peanut butter, raisins, candy, crackers, a Bible, hygiene products, and more. We also gave each of the girls dresses and boys underwear and gave any women in the home reusable feminine products. Meeting and seeing the people of Hinche in a more intimate and private setting was eye opening and humbling.
The people were very hospitable. The homes are far too small to invite such a large group of people to come in to, however they would always offer us what they did have, if they had them, they usually offered us plastic chairs to sit in outside of their homes. Families were always grateful for our visits.
Sunday, brought a day of rest. We enjoyed a beautiful God-centered service at Lavaud’s church (located next to the compound). Tim preached on the Faithfulness of God. After church and lunch, Lavaud took our group out to see the waterfall. It was by far the most beautiful site in Haiti (as far as landscape goes) that we saw.
Monday morning, the men spent their time finishing up all of the prep work at the playground site. The holes were completed and the last of the sand was transported from the compound and piled up at the park.
The ladies had two separate sponsored student parties, one on Monday afternoon, the other on Tuesday afternoon. The parties were a lot of fun. Spending time with the children and their parents, sharing the gospel with them and having the ability to bless them in some small way was a privilege. Serving the people of Haiti was as much a blessing to us as it was to them, I think.
For the party, we put on a puppet show, sang “The B-I-B-L-E” in Creole, had the students make puppets, gospel bracelets, color pages for their sponsors, take updated photos, and fill out updated bio sheets…. Oh yeah and had snacks and lemonade of course!
We also held a smaller gathering for the unsponsored students where we also updated profiles and bios and handed out goodie bags, dresses and underwear for each of them.
We were really hopeful that the playground equipment would be released from customs on Monday. The plan was to have a truck at customs first thing in the morning. The men realized that the big truck was not going to be able to make the trip through the mountains to Port-au-Prince and then back with the equipment safely (the tires were in terrible condition, and I think there was also an issue with the brakes). Lavaud ended up renting a driver and truck to transport the play set. After continued negotiations throughout the day on Monday, the play set was finally released Monday evening!!
The men met the truck at the playground sometime around midnight to unload it. Then they went back first thing in the morning on Tuesday (around 5:30) to get started. They had one full day to install as much as they could and they intended to make the most of it.
It was amazing to watch the progress throughout the day.
Little-by-little.
Piece-by-piece.
The playground emerged.
Everyone was filled with excitement! It was such a relief to have our prayers answered in this way. To watch the years of raising funds, the months of planning and praying all unfold the way that it did… it can only be attributed to God!
By Tuesday evening the playground was almost completely assembled, the bases were all in place and filled in with concrete. Now it was time to dry.
Wednesday morning, we had a little bit of time before we needed to leave for our flight, the men headed back to the area to complete all the finishing touches for the equipment (attaching the swings, unwrapping and attaching the comets, etc.) and spread the sand.
The entire group was there to see the playground get dedicated. Lavaud led the group of workers and children in singing “How Great Thou Art”, prayed, and then spoke to the group. The concrete was still drying but they did allow some of the children to try the equipment for about 10 minutes.
The kids were ecstatic.
The adults were smiling.
Our group was amazed, and honored by the response.
I’m sure every team member walked away with their own impressions and “lessons learned”. I walked away with so many, too many to include here.
The Lord blessed me immensely through our trip to Haiti. It wasn’t one thing we did, or even one person we met. It was the entire thing that has left me a different person. God blesses the efforts of those willing to answer the call of serving others, for both those being served and serving. This was certainly true on this trip.
I pray that all who are called to go on a short-term missions trip answer that call. But even more than that, I pray that we all, right where we are, learn to serve and love those around us well. Jesus has given us a command to go and make disciples, sometimes that may mean to simply “go” to our neighbor and sometimes that means to go half-way around the world. Whatever it means. Wherever he sends us. It’s our responsibility and our privilege to go.
To God be the glory!
Amber Schoessow
Our group was a mixture of short-term mission repeats and first timers, a few had been to Haiti before, but for most of us, this was our first experience in the country known as the poorest in the western hemisphere.
Haiti was like nothing I had ever seen or experienced before. The smells, the sites, the people, I wanted to take everything in and attempt to process it all later. Over a month later, I’m not really sure I’ll ever be able to fully process it all, and I certainly won’t be able to forget it.
The purpose of our trip was two-fold; half of us (the 7 men) were there to assemble and install the long-awaited for playground equipment for the Rhode area, the other half of the group, (5 women) were there to update the Student Sponsorship Program. Our goal was to make contact with the children and families on both the sponsored and unsponsored lists, to update profiles and give gifts that sponsors had sent to their students.
Once we arrived in Hinche, both groups were eager to get started, however, neither project started off the way we had planned. We knew upon our arrival that the playground equipment was stuck in customs, and that there was a strong possibility that we wouldn’t be able to get it out during our time in the country. As far as the student sponsorship program, we learned Wednesday evening (the night of our arrival) that school was out that week due to Mardi Gras and that our parties would have to wait until Monday & Tuesday of the following week.
The Lord had much for us to do while we waited.
The men kept themselves busy around the compound. They worked on the big truck (something to do with the exhaust thing), they tore down a concrete structure where Lavaud hopes to one-day build a baptismal for the church, and they started prep work on the playground. One of the biggest projects of the week turned out to be preparing the sand that was bought for the playground area. There was about 30 yards of “sand” but it was filled with large stones and sharp rocks, considering it was going to be used for children to play in and around (many of them barefoot), this was not ideal. So the men started the labor-intensive process of sifting the rocks out of the sand. Moving sand from pile to pile is not easy (or fulfilling) work, but I don’t think I heard even one of them complain.
The women ended up just rearranging our schedule a bit to accommodate the school schedule. So, Thursday and Friday we decided to visit the orphanage. We brought with us, 170 pillow case dresses that a group of about 20 women in Appleton, got together to sew for us to give to the girls at the orphanage and wherever the Lord directed. Underwear & t-shirts were also donated and sent with us to hand out to the boys. Toys and treats were handed out to all the children, and we had a great time playing with all of them.
Later, Lavaud told us that this was a huge answer to prayer. They originally had money budgeted to get the children new clothing, but due to some unexpected expenses they had to cut it from the budget for this year.
Throughout the first part of the trip, the group was able to make around 20 home visits. We visited some specific sponsored students who were sent gifts from their sponsors, as well as some more “random” homes around the Rhode school. At each home we brought a family-bag filled with treats and goodies including peanut butter, raisins, candy, crackers, a Bible, hygiene products, and more. We also gave each of the girls dresses and boys underwear and gave any women in the home reusable feminine products. Meeting and seeing the people of Hinche in a more intimate and private setting was eye opening and humbling.
The people were very hospitable. The homes are far too small to invite such a large group of people to come in to, however they would always offer us what they did have, if they had them, they usually offered us plastic chairs to sit in outside of their homes. Families were always grateful for our visits.
Sunday, brought a day of rest. We enjoyed a beautiful God-centered service at Lavaud’s church (located next to the compound). Tim preached on the Faithfulness of God. After church and lunch, Lavaud took our group out to see the waterfall. It was by far the most beautiful site in Haiti (as far as landscape goes) that we saw.
Monday morning, the men spent their time finishing up all of the prep work at the playground site. The holes were completed and the last of the sand was transported from the compound and piled up at the park.
The ladies had two separate sponsored student parties, one on Monday afternoon, the other on Tuesday afternoon. The parties were a lot of fun. Spending time with the children and their parents, sharing the gospel with them and having the ability to bless them in some small way was a privilege. Serving the people of Haiti was as much a blessing to us as it was to them, I think.
For the party, we put on a puppet show, sang “The B-I-B-L-E” in Creole, had the students make puppets, gospel bracelets, color pages for their sponsors, take updated photos, and fill out updated bio sheets…. Oh yeah and had snacks and lemonade of course!
We also held a smaller gathering for the unsponsored students where we also updated profiles and bios and handed out goodie bags, dresses and underwear for each of them.
We were really hopeful that the playground equipment would be released from customs on Monday. The plan was to have a truck at customs first thing in the morning. The men realized that the big truck was not going to be able to make the trip through the mountains to Port-au-Prince and then back with the equipment safely (the tires were in terrible condition, and I think there was also an issue with the brakes). Lavaud ended up renting a driver and truck to transport the play set. After continued negotiations throughout the day on Monday, the play set was finally released Monday evening!!
The men met the truck at the playground sometime around midnight to unload it. Then they went back first thing in the morning on Tuesday (around 5:30) to get started. They had one full day to install as much as they could and they intended to make the most of it.
It was amazing to watch the progress throughout the day.
Little-by-little.
Piece-by-piece.
The playground emerged.
Everyone was filled with excitement! It was such a relief to have our prayers answered in this way. To watch the years of raising funds, the months of planning and praying all unfold the way that it did… it can only be attributed to God!
By Tuesday evening the playground was almost completely assembled, the bases were all in place and filled in with concrete. Now it was time to dry.
Wednesday morning, we had a little bit of time before we needed to leave for our flight, the men headed back to the area to complete all the finishing touches for the equipment (attaching the swings, unwrapping and attaching the comets, etc.) and spread the sand.
The entire group was there to see the playground get dedicated. Lavaud led the group of workers and children in singing “How Great Thou Art”, prayed, and then spoke to the group. The concrete was still drying but they did allow some of the children to try the equipment for about 10 minutes.
The kids were ecstatic.
The adults were smiling.
Our group was amazed, and honored by the response.
I’m sure every team member walked away with their own impressions and “lessons learned”. I walked away with so many, too many to include here.
The Lord blessed me immensely through our trip to Haiti. It wasn’t one thing we did, or even one person we met. It was the entire thing that has left me a different person. God blesses the efforts of those willing to answer the call of serving others, for both those being served and serving. This was certainly true on this trip.
I pray that all who are called to go on a short-term missions trip answer that call. But even more than that, I pray that we all, right where we are, learn to serve and love those around us well. Jesus has given us a command to go and make disciples, sometimes that may mean to simply “go” to our neighbor and sometimes that means to go half-way around the world. Whatever it means. Wherever he sends us. It’s our responsibility and our privilege to go.
To God be the glory!
Amber Schoessow
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