Mission Haiti 2015
Day 1, Tuesday
On February 24, 2015, fifteen team members embarked on a trip of a lifetime. For the next eight days we would encounter a culture that would prove to be vastly different, and yet very much the same. as the one we had been used to. Our destination was Hinche, Haiti. Our mission, to share the love of Jesus with the people we came into contact with. What follows details is my account on this life-changing experience.
Arriving quite late on Tuesday evening, after encountering flight delays, we encountered a bit of chaos as we made our way through the airport at Port Au Prince. Once all the bags were claimed we proceeded through customs where we had to pay $10 just to enter the country. Once we had cleared, we made our way out of the parking lot where Pastor Lavaud was waiting for us with a rental van and a truck for our luggage. Once we finally had everything packed and we were loaded up, we commenced on the two hour drive to Hinche, our home for the week. We had a minor accident along the way when Jerusha’s guitar sailed off the truck! Thankfully the sturdy case protected the guitar and she was able to use it during the week. With the late hour and being very dark, our first impressions of Haiti would have to wait until the morning. The weary travelers made their way to their beds complete with mosquito netting to help protect us during our stay.
Day 2, Wednesday
Wednesday morning greeted us with a delicious breakfast prepared by our wonderful cooks! Eggs, fruit, bread, all very delicious and a welcome beginning to our day! After packing up backpacks to share with our sponsored children’s families, we loaded up a truck to travel the two miles or so to the Rhode School. When I say “loaded” that is exactly what I meant, for except for the few older team members, such as myself, the rest of the team rode in the bed of the truck standing up! An unusual experience for those of us used to “buckling up” before our vehicles move! Driving through the streets of Hinche, we saw many shops and street vendors. We were very glad for the local driver, as the streets were full of donkeys, ox carts, as well as cars, trucks and motorcycles! We were very glad for his skill, as there appeared to be few laws enforced in this country, as it seemed drivers just honk the horn and hope for the best! Universal driving laws don’t seem to apply as one drives on whatever side of the road has the fewer pot holes or rocks! Many times I rode silently as I closed my eyes, not sure that we would make it to the school and back! Of note, in Haiti a vehicle is not truly “full” until there is no place for a passenger foot or hand-hold! I’ve never seen so many people occupying vehicles before! Besides upwards of 30 people in the back of a delivery truck, I’ve seen a mother, father and three children on a motorcycle at once! Certainly gives a new meaning to “sharing the ride!”
Our ride took us through the winding streets of Hinche and on a very large bridge over a river. This river is where the locals bathe and wash their clothes. Every day, whether traveling to or from the school, we would see bathers and women doing laundry. Just beyond the bridge is the “goat market” and just beyond that is the village where Rhode School sits. Lavaud was proud to show us the well, at the entrance to the village, which he drilled for the people there. It serves all the people in the village area, who pump water from sun up to sun down every day. A very short way into the village was the school.
This was not a school as a westerner would define school. One building was a concrete block structure with a stone floor and tarps for a roof. That was the “good” building! The other school building was wooden poles with tarps over it and for the walls. Not really much of a structure, at all. Inside were some very crudely built benches with a board “desk” in front of them. There were no colorful charts or decorations in the classroom, just concrete block walls. No books, no computers, no equipment of any kind! Most teaching in Haiti is done by rote memorization. Very different from our way of learning, yet the students are bright and appear to be very well educated! We made our way in to the school and found hundreds of children engaged in their lessons. The smaller, primary children were housed in the concrete structure and the older children in the tarp one. Each child was dressed in his school uniform. For the smallest girls it was a one piece orange dress. For the older girls an orange colored skirt and yellow blouse. The boys wore orange shorts with yellow shirts. The girls had beautifully braided hair with orange barrettes on the end of each braid! The children were all very neat and clean in their formal attire. After our arrival it became a bit chaotic in the school, as the children know when white visitors arrive they always have candy, so anticipation was high!
Very soon after arriving I was able to meet my sponsored child, Franceska. A little bitty thing, she had the most beautiful brown eyes and seemed a bit shy, at first. We were able to get a picture together and then several team members, Franceska and I walked the short way to her home. It appeared to be a small home, probably one or two rooms, though we did not go inside. Her mother was home and we visited with her for a bit with the help of our translator, Fednel. I learned that Franceska was one of four girls and one boy belonging to this family, along with mom and dad! Imagine a family of seven fitting in a one room house! I was able to give her the gifts I brought from home. They received a duffel bag filled with peanut butter, toiletries, small toys for the children, crayons, coloring books, lotion, soap, towels, work gloves and socks. She seemed very happy to have the gifts. After inquiring about Franceska and how the student sponsorship program had benefited her, we walked her back to the school and found another sponsored child to visit with in his home. The visits were very enlightening!
Seeing this way of life really put things into perspective for me. What we see as problems here seem trivial when compared to the life and death struggle these families face. There is very little employment available to these people. There is virtually no industry. Most people make money by selling things. Some have small shops or stands in front of their homes where they sell items. One home we went to sold food items out of a shed in front of their home. We bought Coca Cola from them and enjoyed our drink under a tree in their yard. After completing the home visits that we could, we mounted up the truck again to journey back to our base for lunch.
A very lovely meal greeted us when we arrived. Food offerings were similar to things we would see at home, although I have to say the bread was much better than the commercially prepared stuff we get! We also enjoyed ice cold coca cola in glass bottles! After enjoying our lunch and a brief planning session it was time to load up the truck again and head back to the school.
Our purpose this time was to put on a Vacation Bible School for the orphan children. This undertaking seemed monumental on the first day as we endeavored to restrict the participants to the orphanage children only. The village children wanted to be in on it too, and we had to barricade the school with pressed board that they use as dividing walls in the school. Had we allowed all the children in we never would have accomplished the VBS, as there are hundreds of children that live in the village who would be there and it would have been too chaotic to try and tell stories, teach crafts and play games with that many children. The first day was difficult, but after additional planning we figured out a way to make it work the rest of the week. The VBS began with music, puppets and an introduction into the verse of the verse of the day. We taught them the “I Just Wanna Be a Sheep,” which turned out to be our theme song for the week. The kids loved it! The children were divided into four groups. There were four stations. The stations were: Storytelling, Memory Verses, Crafts and Games. I was the main story teller, with Amber and Margie as my helpers. Our theme was the “I Ams” of Christ and on day one we taught them about Jesus the good Shepherd. The children listened very attentively as we told the story of the 99 sheep and the one that was lost. Becky and Shaylana had worked with our Haitian students back home before the trip to learn the scripture verses in Haitian Creole. They taught the memory verses, which the children picked up very quickly. Pastor Derek then reinforced the memory verse with a short lesson using a translator. Tracy and Tina were in charge of crafts, with the help of Jerusha, Megan and Ellen. Each craft had something to do with the theme for the day. On this day they made sheep masks out of paper plates and cotton balls. The kids really enjoyed them! When crafts were completed each child was given a snack. The game time was led by Brian, Darrie, Jed and Courtney. They had a grand time running around with the kids! After completing the rotation of all four groups, VBS day 1 was over and we again mounted the truck for home.
Supper was always an interesting event. Chicken was often on the menu, along with spaghetti, made with a thin tomato sauce and ham bits. We also had Spam and even tried the local favorite, goat! Fried plantains were a hit and every meal had an abundance of locally grown fruit. We really enjoyed the meals and though we could not communicate with the lovely women who prepared them for us, we became friends with them through gestures and utilizing our translators. The women that worked in the home cooking and cleaning for us were paid by us using the money that we raised for our trip. This was given to Lavaud to arrange for food for us during our stay. The women seem to genuinely enjoy working in the kitchen, as demonstrated by their volunteering to help with baking that Ellen and Margie did to provide treats for VBS. This was not part of their “employment,” but they all anxiously awaited a turn to work with them and help make cookies, cupcakes and cakes! It’s amazing how well you can communicate without having a language in common! Food and baking seems to be a universal language!
The ladies had a wash station set up out on the patio. Since they have no hot water heaters the dishes are washed using four tubs. The first tub is a “soapy” tub that gets the initial food bits off the dishes. The second tub is another “soapy” tub that is the final scrub. Then the dishes go through two “bleach” tubs and then are dried in drain racks. Very different from our way of washing dishes, but they seemed clean, nonetheless. They also had some wash tubs set up behind the wash station where a couple of the ladies did laundry for the team. The laundry was washed by hand and hung on clothes lines to dry. It is amazing how hard these women work and what joy they take in it! For us we would consider hand washing a “bother” or a “trial” to endure until our washing machine was fixed. Again, here was another lesion in perspective.
After the meal and more planning for the next day, some of the young people spent time engaging with the youth that attend Lavaud’s church. Besides youth group meetings where there was singing and worship, they played games including volleyball, basketball and some table games. The young people made some real connections with the Haitian youth.
At the end of this very long and busy day many of us opted to relax and prepare for bed. Here is another of those lessons in perspective. I learned that a cold shower, after a very hot and dusty day, is a comfort and relief! That same cold shower, first thing in the morning after sleeping snug and warm does not have the same appeal!
Day 3, Thursday
We began the day very much like the previous with our egg, fruit and bread breakfast. More backpacks were filled for student sponsor visits and the truck was again loaded up for our trip to the Rhode School. I also learned another lesson in perspective on these visits. In Haiti, if someone tells you a home is a “short walk,” don’t believe them! When it’s 90+ degrees outside, with high humidity, and this walk is over hilly, very rocky terrain and goes on for about two miles, to me that is a long walk! We went to several student sponsored homes and were able to visit with the families. In each case we were able to share the Gospel bead bracelet with the woman of the house, and share what each color means, challenging the person to put their faith in Christ. We found many believers among the people of the village! For a village that had been nicknamed “the witch doctor village” due to the massive voodoo in practice, Lavaud’s witness and presence has definitely been felt there! Lavaud has even had the privilege of leading the witch doctor himself to Christ!
After several more home visits we returned home for lunch and preparations for day 2 of VBS. A compromise made allowed some of the village children minimal participation in the event. I opted to move “Storytelling” to the tarp and pole building. I allowed the village children to stay and hear the story, as long as they behaved and were quiet. We enlisted the four teenage girls who became our “bouncers.” Each stood at a corner of the building and removed rowdy, misbehaving children from the room. This way we were able to share the Gospel message with more village children and have some control over the behavior. Today’s lesson was about Jesus the Bread of Life and told the story of the boy with the fish and loaves of bread. Peanut butter sandwiches were the treat of the day, which were a big hit with the children! During the second day I began to notice my third group. I was made up of primarily boys between the ages of 8 and 11. These boys were especially attentive and I could see the Holy Spirit moving among the boys! I know that their hearts were touched and that decisions were made in that group! My translator, Fednel, was a huge asset to my class and was so helpful in making the children listen and behave.
Another session completed and we loaded up the truck and headed back to the mission compound. It is amazing how tired one gets in the intense heat and all the walking we did! A very good tired, indeed! Supper and showers followed with early turn in for bed. Of course the younger members of the team, as well as some of the young at heart, seemed to have a second wind kick in and they continued on for several hours engaging with the Haitian young people.
Day 4, Friday
On this day some of us older team members stayed home as there was baking and projects to do. The other members continued making the home visits to the sponsored children. Ellen and Margie baked cookies and cupcakes with the Haitian women. They really had a great time engaging with the women, and developed a wordless communication system that really worked! A great deal of baking was done, which the children would really enjoy later for VBS! I worked on making a poster for Amber of pictures of the previous mission trip. The pictures were of the orphan children, which I made into a poster, and was left as a gift for the orphanage. Overall it was a very productive day and the team was able to visit many sponsored children’s homes.
Today at VBS we learned about “Jesus, the Light of the World.” I believe that this was the day that one young man, Woodley, made a decision for Christ on this day! He was one of the boys in group three. Pastor Derek was able to pray with him (through the translator) and this boy was sobbing, as the Holy Spirit had so moved him! What a blessing to see the fruit of our labors! Please pray for Woodley, as he begins his new journey as a Christian young man! I know there were other decisions made, though they were not as dramatic as this one. In one session, after telling my story, a young adult man who had been listening near the door thanked me for my story and complimented me by saying, “you are surely a Pastor,” to which I replied, oh, no…I’m no Pastor, whatever went on here was the work of the Holy Spirit and I was just the tool He used! I was so glad to be used of God to bring His message to the children AND adults of Hinche! Sometimes I felt that we, the team, reaped a greater reward for our work than the children we served!
We enjoyed another evening back at the base. Supper was a delight and the young people enjoyed another evening of hanging out with the young people.
Day 5, Saturday
More visits were made to the sponsored children’s homes today. I had filled up my backpack with little shampoo, lotion and soap. As we walked through the village today handed out something to each mother I came in contact with. They seemed to appreciate the gift. I enjoyed engaging with the women. It was a small thing, but it was a way to show Christ’s love to the village. We really enjoyed walking through the village and meeting the people in their homes. These trips through the village really made me think about our affluence and how we complain about such trivial things. What we, here in America, consider poor is so far elevated above what poor is in Haiti. It is embarrassing to admit the things I have complained to God about when I see the way these families live. It sure made a profound change in me and I will never look at life the same way again. I had seen things on TV or in pictures, however, seeing it in person penetrated my soul and I sincerely hope it’s impact will never leave me.
Today was our last day of VBS. We spoke on “Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Again, I saw the Holy Spirit at work through the children! What a blessing to know that His Word is impacting lives! Puppets, songs, stories, crafts, games and verses all conveyed the Gospel message that Jesus loves us and makes the Way for us to be with the Father! I believe many of the children “got” that message this week! It will be exciting to come back next year and see how the Holy Spirit has impacted the children in the orphanage, as well as the street children who heard the message!
Another night with a delicious supper and off to early bedtime for some of us! The young people enjoyed a great evening of interaction with the Haitian teens.
Day 6, Sunday
Sunday morning dawned and we were very excited to share the Lord’s day with Pastor Lavaud’s congregation. We opened the service by singing, “Bonjour Mes Amis” Good morning, Good Friends! The congregation seemed to really enjoy it! After the opening of the service and announcements our group got up and led worship. We picked several songs that we knew the congregation knew. They enjoyed hearing familiar tunes even though the words were not familiar. Three of the young ladies sang a special and then we had a quartet. We ended the music set by singing with the orphan children, “I Just Wanna Be a Sheep,” from our week long VBS. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy it! We also enjoyed singing with the Haitians as they sang their songs, several of which we recognized including, “I Surrender All.” Pastor Derek Nett preached the morning message as Pastor Lavaud translated. It was a wonderful message and time of worship! After the service many of the Haitian people came to us to great us, even though we were not able to understand their words, their smiles spoke volumes!
After lunch our preparations began for our special spaghetti dinner. We had each asked one special friend to join us for our dinner. I invited my translator, Fednel. He came and seemed to really enjoy the party. We served American style spaghetti and garlic bread. We thought we would have about 40 guests; however I believe the final tally was closer to 80! Thankfully we had plenty of food and enjoyed the party and conversation with our new friends! After clean up, the young members of our group again joined the Haitian youth of Pastor Lavaud’s church. They had a great evening with their new friends!
Day 7, Monday
This morning the final student sponsorship visits were finished. We went to the Rhode School and put on a puppet show for the school children and handed out candy. I was able to spend most of the morning with my sponsored child, Franceska! We were also able to witness the pouring of the concrete floors! It was so exciting to see a direct answer to prayer in action! The floor will be such a blessing to the school!
In the afternoon we took a drive to the most beautiful waterfall I had ever seen! The Bassin Zim Waterfall is truly a wonder! We spent an hour or so swimming and some hiked to the top of the waterfall. It was a fun afternoon and we really enjoyed ourselves! The drive, that took about 30 minutes, revealed very beautiful landscapes, mountainous areas, many different styles of huts, lots of children walking or playing near the road, beautiful, lush vegetation, a papaya nursery and farm and also the home of a witch doctor! Pastor Lavaud was a wonderful tour guide pointing out all the sites!
The evening was spent in clean up and packing as we prepared for our journey home.
Day 8, Tuesday
We left early for Port Au Prince, again with Pastor Lavaud being our tour guide. We went through many inhabited areas, as well as country side and enjoyed mountains and beautiful vegetation! We stopped at the hydroelectric power plant and went onto the top of the dam to take pictures. The lake made by damming up the river was beautiful! Once in Port Au Prince, Pastor Lavaud’s wife treated us to a lovely lunch before we made our way to the airport for our flight. Check in was relatively simple and before we knew it we were on our flight to Miami. After a brief layover we boarded our flight for Charlotte, NC. Unfortunately, after sitting on the plane for over an hour, we were asked to deplane, as there was a problem with the plane’s computer not communicating with the engine. When we finally got back on the plane and headed for NC it was evident we would miss our connecting flight. Once we arrived in NC we were booked on a flight for the next day and were given three hotel rooms for the night, which we shared with the 12 team members that were traveling together. After waiting for several shuttles we finally had our chance to get to the hotel. It was quite late and after finally getting checked in to our rooms we got maybe 3-4 hours of sleep before we had to take the shuttle back to the airport for our flight to Milwaukee.
Day 9, Wednesday
Our unexpected day of travel began quite early and soon we were on our final flight home, to Milwaukee. The flight itself was uneventful. We returned home to freezing temperatures and snow! It seemed extremely cold after having spent the last week in 90+ degree temperatures, but the weary travelers were very glad to be home! A couple hours in the van and we were happy be home with our loved ones!
Impressions
This is a trip that I believe every Christian should take at least once in their life. It really opened my eyes to what real poverty is and how affluent we, in America, really are. I found myself ashamed of the complaining I had done over things that I deemed important, that seem quite trivial now. Gratitude has taken on a new meaning for me as I examine my life and find that God has truly blessed me abundantly! I see the plight of our brothers and sisters here in Haiti, their lack of basic necessities, their lack of employment, unsure of where the next meal will come from and yet, I see profound joy! They celebrate the blessings they do enjoy, especially the joy of their salvation! As they worship, I could see their entire being was worshiping their Savior, Provider, and Friend! No wishy-washy Christians here! They were 100% surrendered to the Lord and it showed in their worship, their joy and the testimony of their lives! I have often heard that it is much easier to be a Christian in a place of suffering and I believe now this is probably quite true! We who have abundance and ease of life often forget that God is our source and we often neglect our relationship with Him due to the lack of need. Those who truly depend on God for their “daily bread” have little difficulty remember where the gifts come from and who to thank! Reflecting on the trip I am left to ponder the question, “Was the mission trip for the Haitians, or was it for me?” God has certainly changed me over the course of the trip and it is my hope and prayer that I never lose all that I have gained since traveling to Haiti.
Pat Huber
Amherst Bible Church
[email protected]
Day 1, Tuesday
On February 24, 2015, fifteen team members embarked on a trip of a lifetime. For the next eight days we would encounter a culture that would prove to be vastly different, and yet very much the same. as the one we had been used to. Our destination was Hinche, Haiti. Our mission, to share the love of Jesus with the people we came into contact with. What follows details is my account on this life-changing experience.
Arriving quite late on Tuesday evening, after encountering flight delays, we encountered a bit of chaos as we made our way through the airport at Port Au Prince. Once all the bags were claimed we proceeded through customs where we had to pay $10 just to enter the country. Once we had cleared, we made our way out of the parking lot where Pastor Lavaud was waiting for us with a rental van and a truck for our luggage. Once we finally had everything packed and we were loaded up, we commenced on the two hour drive to Hinche, our home for the week. We had a minor accident along the way when Jerusha’s guitar sailed off the truck! Thankfully the sturdy case protected the guitar and she was able to use it during the week. With the late hour and being very dark, our first impressions of Haiti would have to wait until the morning. The weary travelers made their way to their beds complete with mosquito netting to help protect us during our stay.
Day 2, Wednesday
Wednesday morning greeted us with a delicious breakfast prepared by our wonderful cooks! Eggs, fruit, bread, all very delicious and a welcome beginning to our day! After packing up backpacks to share with our sponsored children’s families, we loaded up a truck to travel the two miles or so to the Rhode School. When I say “loaded” that is exactly what I meant, for except for the few older team members, such as myself, the rest of the team rode in the bed of the truck standing up! An unusual experience for those of us used to “buckling up” before our vehicles move! Driving through the streets of Hinche, we saw many shops and street vendors. We were very glad for the local driver, as the streets were full of donkeys, ox carts, as well as cars, trucks and motorcycles! We were very glad for his skill, as there appeared to be few laws enforced in this country, as it seemed drivers just honk the horn and hope for the best! Universal driving laws don’t seem to apply as one drives on whatever side of the road has the fewer pot holes or rocks! Many times I rode silently as I closed my eyes, not sure that we would make it to the school and back! Of note, in Haiti a vehicle is not truly “full” until there is no place for a passenger foot or hand-hold! I’ve never seen so many people occupying vehicles before! Besides upwards of 30 people in the back of a delivery truck, I’ve seen a mother, father and three children on a motorcycle at once! Certainly gives a new meaning to “sharing the ride!”
Our ride took us through the winding streets of Hinche and on a very large bridge over a river. This river is where the locals bathe and wash their clothes. Every day, whether traveling to or from the school, we would see bathers and women doing laundry. Just beyond the bridge is the “goat market” and just beyond that is the village where Rhode School sits. Lavaud was proud to show us the well, at the entrance to the village, which he drilled for the people there. It serves all the people in the village area, who pump water from sun up to sun down every day. A very short way into the village was the school.
This was not a school as a westerner would define school. One building was a concrete block structure with a stone floor and tarps for a roof. That was the “good” building! The other school building was wooden poles with tarps over it and for the walls. Not really much of a structure, at all. Inside were some very crudely built benches with a board “desk” in front of them. There were no colorful charts or decorations in the classroom, just concrete block walls. No books, no computers, no equipment of any kind! Most teaching in Haiti is done by rote memorization. Very different from our way of learning, yet the students are bright and appear to be very well educated! We made our way in to the school and found hundreds of children engaged in their lessons. The smaller, primary children were housed in the concrete structure and the older children in the tarp one. Each child was dressed in his school uniform. For the smallest girls it was a one piece orange dress. For the older girls an orange colored skirt and yellow blouse. The boys wore orange shorts with yellow shirts. The girls had beautifully braided hair with orange barrettes on the end of each braid! The children were all very neat and clean in their formal attire. After our arrival it became a bit chaotic in the school, as the children know when white visitors arrive they always have candy, so anticipation was high!
Very soon after arriving I was able to meet my sponsored child, Franceska. A little bitty thing, she had the most beautiful brown eyes and seemed a bit shy, at first. We were able to get a picture together and then several team members, Franceska and I walked the short way to her home. It appeared to be a small home, probably one or two rooms, though we did not go inside. Her mother was home and we visited with her for a bit with the help of our translator, Fednel. I learned that Franceska was one of four girls and one boy belonging to this family, along with mom and dad! Imagine a family of seven fitting in a one room house! I was able to give her the gifts I brought from home. They received a duffel bag filled with peanut butter, toiletries, small toys for the children, crayons, coloring books, lotion, soap, towels, work gloves and socks. She seemed very happy to have the gifts. After inquiring about Franceska and how the student sponsorship program had benefited her, we walked her back to the school and found another sponsored child to visit with in his home. The visits were very enlightening!
Seeing this way of life really put things into perspective for me. What we see as problems here seem trivial when compared to the life and death struggle these families face. There is very little employment available to these people. There is virtually no industry. Most people make money by selling things. Some have small shops or stands in front of their homes where they sell items. One home we went to sold food items out of a shed in front of their home. We bought Coca Cola from them and enjoyed our drink under a tree in their yard. After completing the home visits that we could, we mounted up the truck again to journey back to our base for lunch.
A very lovely meal greeted us when we arrived. Food offerings were similar to things we would see at home, although I have to say the bread was much better than the commercially prepared stuff we get! We also enjoyed ice cold coca cola in glass bottles! After enjoying our lunch and a brief planning session it was time to load up the truck again and head back to the school.
Our purpose this time was to put on a Vacation Bible School for the orphan children. This undertaking seemed monumental on the first day as we endeavored to restrict the participants to the orphanage children only. The village children wanted to be in on it too, and we had to barricade the school with pressed board that they use as dividing walls in the school. Had we allowed all the children in we never would have accomplished the VBS, as there are hundreds of children that live in the village who would be there and it would have been too chaotic to try and tell stories, teach crafts and play games with that many children. The first day was difficult, but after additional planning we figured out a way to make it work the rest of the week. The VBS began with music, puppets and an introduction into the verse of the verse of the day. We taught them the “I Just Wanna Be a Sheep,” which turned out to be our theme song for the week. The kids loved it! The children were divided into four groups. There were four stations. The stations were: Storytelling, Memory Verses, Crafts and Games. I was the main story teller, with Amber and Margie as my helpers. Our theme was the “I Ams” of Christ and on day one we taught them about Jesus the good Shepherd. The children listened very attentively as we told the story of the 99 sheep and the one that was lost. Becky and Shaylana had worked with our Haitian students back home before the trip to learn the scripture verses in Haitian Creole. They taught the memory verses, which the children picked up very quickly. Pastor Derek then reinforced the memory verse with a short lesson using a translator. Tracy and Tina were in charge of crafts, with the help of Jerusha, Megan and Ellen. Each craft had something to do with the theme for the day. On this day they made sheep masks out of paper plates and cotton balls. The kids really enjoyed them! When crafts were completed each child was given a snack. The game time was led by Brian, Darrie, Jed and Courtney. They had a grand time running around with the kids! After completing the rotation of all four groups, VBS day 1 was over and we again mounted the truck for home.
Supper was always an interesting event. Chicken was often on the menu, along with spaghetti, made with a thin tomato sauce and ham bits. We also had Spam and even tried the local favorite, goat! Fried plantains were a hit and every meal had an abundance of locally grown fruit. We really enjoyed the meals and though we could not communicate with the lovely women who prepared them for us, we became friends with them through gestures and utilizing our translators. The women that worked in the home cooking and cleaning for us were paid by us using the money that we raised for our trip. This was given to Lavaud to arrange for food for us during our stay. The women seem to genuinely enjoy working in the kitchen, as demonstrated by their volunteering to help with baking that Ellen and Margie did to provide treats for VBS. This was not part of their “employment,” but they all anxiously awaited a turn to work with them and help make cookies, cupcakes and cakes! It’s amazing how well you can communicate without having a language in common! Food and baking seems to be a universal language!
The ladies had a wash station set up out on the patio. Since they have no hot water heaters the dishes are washed using four tubs. The first tub is a “soapy” tub that gets the initial food bits off the dishes. The second tub is another “soapy” tub that is the final scrub. Then the dishes go through two “bleach” tubs and then are dried in drain racks. Very different from our way of washing dishes, but they seemed clean, nonetheless. They also had some wash tubs set up behind the wash station where a couple of the ladies did laundry for the team. The laundry was washed by hand and hung on clothes lines to dry. It is amazing how hard these women work and what joy they take in it! For us we would consider hand washing a “bother” or a “trial” to endure until our washing machine was fixed. Again, here was another lesion in perspective.
After the meal and more planning for the next day, some of the young people spent time engaging with the youth that attend Lavaud’s church. Besides youth group meetings where there was singing and worship, they played games including volleyball, basketball and some table games. The young people made some real connections with the Haitian youth.
At the end of this very long and busy day many of us opted to relax and prepare for bed. Here is another of those lessons in perspective. I learned that a cold shower, after a very hot and dusty day, is a comfort and relief! That same cold shower, first thing in the morning after sleeping snug and warm does not have the same appeal!
Day 3, Thursday
We began the day very much like the previous with our egg, fruit and bread breakfast. More backpacks were filled for student sponsor visits and the truck was again loaded up for our trip to the Rhode School. I also learned another lesson in perspective on these visits. In Haiti, if someone tells you a home is a “short walk,” don’t believe them! When it’s 90+ degrees outside, with high humidity, and this walk is over hilly, very rocky terrain and goes on for about two miles, to me that is a long walk! We went to several student sponsored homes and were able to visit with the families. In each case we were able to share the Gospel bead bracelet with the woman of the house, and share what each color means, challenging the person to put their faith in Christ. We found many believers among the people of the village! For a village that had been nicknamed “the witch doctor village” due to the massive voodoo in practice, Lavaud’s witness and presence has definitely been felt there! Lavaud has even had the privilege of leading the witch doctor himself to Christ!
After several more home visits we returned home for lunch and preparations for day 2 of VBS. A compromise made allowed some of the village children minimal participation in the event. I opted to move “Storytelling” to the tarp and pole building. I allowed the village children to stay and hear the story, as long as they behaved and were quiet. We enlisted the four teenage girls who became our “bouncers.” Each stood at a corner of the building and removed rowdy, misbehaving children from the room. This way we were able to share the Gospel message with more village children and have some control over the behavior. Today’s lesson was about Jesus the Bread of Life and told the story of the boy with the fish and loaves of bread. Peanut butter sandwiches were the treat of the day, which were a big hit with the children! During the second day I began to notice my third group. I was made up of primarily boys between the ages of 8 and 11. These boys were especially attentive and I could see the Holy Spirit moving among the boys! I know that their hearts were touched and that decisions were made in that group! My translator, Fednel, was a huge asset to my class and was so helpful in making the children listen and behave.
Another session completed and we loaded up the truck and headed back to the mission compound. It is amazing how tired one gets in the intense heat and all the walking we did! A very good tired, indeed! Supper and showers followed with early turn in for bed. Of course the younger members of the team, as well as some of the young at heart, seemed to have a second wind kick in and they continued on for several hours engaging with the Haitian young people.
Day 4, Friday
On this day some of us older team members stayed home as there was baking and projects to do. The other members continued making the home visits to the sponsored children. Ellen and Margie baked cookies and cupcakes with the Haitian women. They really had a great time engaging with the women, and developed a wordless communication system that really worked! A great deal of baking was done, which the children would really enjoy later for VBS! I worked on making a poster for Amber of pictures of the previous mission trip. The pictures were of the orphan children, which I made into a poster, and was left as a gift for the orphanage. Overall it was a very productive day and the team was able to visit many sponsored children’s homes.
Today at VBS we learned about “Jesus, the Light of the World.” I believe that this was the day that one young man, Woodley, made a decision for Christ on this day! He was one of the boys in group three. Pastor Derek was able to pray with him (through the translator) and this boy was sobbing, as the Holy Spirit had so moved him! What a blessing to see the fruit of our labors! Please pray for Woodley, as he begins his new journey as a Christian young man! I know there were other decisions made, though they were not as dramatic as this one. In one session, after telling my story, a young adult man who had been listening near the door thanked me for my story and complimented me by saying, “you are surely a Pastor,” to which I replied, oh, no…I’m no Pastor, whatever went on here was the work of the Holy Spirit and I was just the tool He used! I was so glad to be used of God to bring His message to the children AND adults of Hinche! Sometimes I felt that we, the team, reaped a greater reward for our work than the children we served!
We enjoyed another evening back at the base. Supper was a delight and the young people enjoyed another evening of hanging out with the young people.
Day 5, Saturday
More visits were made to the sponsored children’s homes today. I had filled up my backpack with little shampoo, lotion and soap. As we walked through the village today handed out something to each mother I came in contact with. They seemed to appreciate the gift. I enjoyed engaging with the women. It was a small thing, but it was a way to show Christ’s love to the village. We really enjoyed walking through the village and meeting the people in their homes. These trips through the village really made me think about our affluence and how we complain about such trivial things. What we, here in America, consider poor is so far elevated above what poor is in Haiti. It is embarrassing to admit the things I have complained to God about when I see the way these families live. It sure made a profound change in me and I will never look at life the same way again. I had seen things on TV or in pictures, however, seeing it in person penetrated my soul and I sincerely hope it’s impact will never leave me.
Today was our last day of VBS. We spoke on “Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Again, I saw the Holy Spirit at work through the children! What a blessing to know that His Word is impacting lives! Puppets, songs, stories, crafts, games and verses all conveyed the Gospel message that Jesus loves us and makes the Way for us to be with the Father! I believe many of the children “got” that message this week! It will be exciting to come back next year and see how the Holy Spirit has impacted the children in the orphanage, as well as the street children who heard the message!
Another night with a delicious supper and off to early bedtime for some of us! The young people enjoyed a great evening of interaction with the Haitian teens.
Day 6, Sunday
Sunday morning dawned and we were very excited to share the Lord’s day with Pastor Lavaud’s congregation. We opened the service by singing, “Bonjour Mes Amis” Good morning, Good Friends! The congregation seemed to really enjoy it! After the opening of the service and announcements our group got up and led worship. We picked several songs that we knew the congregation knew. They enjoyed hearing familiar tunes even though the words were not familiar. Three of the young ladies sang a special and then we had a quartet. We ended the music set by singing with the orphan children, “I Just Wanna Be a Sheep,” from our week long VBS. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy it! We also enjoyed singing with the Haitians as they sang their songs, several of which we recognized including, “I Surrender All.” Pastor Derek Nett preached the morning message as Pastor Lavaud translated. It was a wonderful message and time of worship! After the service many of the Haitian people came to us to great us, even though we were not able to understand their words, their smiles spoke volumes!
After lunch our preparations began for our special spaghetti dinner. We had each asked one special friend to join us for our dinner. I invited my translator, Fednel. He came and seemed to really enjoy the party. We served American style spaghetti and garlic bread. We thought we would have about 40 guests; however I believe the final tally was closer to 80! Thankfully we had plenty of food and enjoyed the party and conversation with our new friends! After clean up, the young members of our group again joined the Haitian youth of Pastor Lavaud’s church. They had a great evening with their new friends!
Day 7, Monday
This morning the final student sponsorship visits were finished. We went to the Rhode School and put on a puppet show for the school children and handed out candy. I was able to spend most of the morning with my sponsored child, Franceska! We were also able to witness the pouring of the concrete floors! It was so exciting to see a direct answer to prayer in action! The floor will be such a blessing to the school!
In the afternoon we took a drive to the most beautiful waterfall I had ever seen! The Bassin Zim Waterfall is truly a wonder! We spent an hour or so swimming and some hiked to the top of the waterfall. It was a fun afternoon and we really enjoyed ourselves! The drive, that took about 30 minutes, revealed very beautiful landscapes, mountainous areas, many different styles of huts, lots of children walking or playing near the road, beautiful, lush vegetation, a papaya nursery and farm and also the home of a witch doctor! Pastor Lavaud was a wonderful tour guide pointing out all the sites!
The evening was spent in clean up and packing as we prepared for our journey home.
Day 8, Tuesday
We left early for Port Au Prince, again with Pastor Lavaud being our tour guide. We went through many inhabited areas, as well as country side and enjoyed mountains and beautiful vegetation! We stopped at the hydroelectric power plant and went onto the top of the dam to take pictures. The lake made by damming up the river was beautiful! Once in Port Au Prince, Pastor Lavaud’s wife treated us to a lovely lunch before we made our way to the airport for our flight. Check in was relatively simple and before we knew it we were on our flight to Miami. After a brief layover we boarded our flight for Charlotte, NC. Unfortunately, after sitting on the plane for over an hour, we were asked to deplane, as there was a problem with the plane’s computer not communicating with the engine. When we finally got back on the plane and headed for NC it was evident we would miss our connecting flight. Once we arrived in NC we were booked on a flight for the next day and were given three hotel rooms for the night, which we shared with the 12 team members that were traveling together. After waiting for several shuttles we finally had our chance to get to the hotel. It was quite late and after finally getting checked in to our rooms we got maybe 3-4 hours of sleep before we had to take the shuttle back to the airport for our flight to Milwaukee.
Day 9, Wednesday
Our unexpected day of travel began quite early and soon we were on our final flight home, to Milwaukee. The flight itself was uneventful. We returned home to freezing temperatures and snow! It seemed extremely cold after having spent the last week in 90+ degree temperatures, but the weary travelers were very glad to be home! A couple hours in the van and we were happy be home with our loved ones!
Impressions
This is a trip that I believe every Christian should take at least once in their life. It really opened my eyes to what real poverty is and how affluent we, in America, really are. I found myself ashamed of the complaining I had done over things that I deemed important, that seem quite trivial now. Gratitude has taken on a new meaning for me as I examine my life and find that God has truly blessed me abundantly! I see the plight of our brothers and sisters here in Haiti, their lack of basic necessities, their lack of employment, unsure of where the next meal will come from and yet, I see profound joy! They celebrate the blessings they do enjoy, especially the joy of their salvation! As they worship, I could see their entire being was worshiping their Savior, Provider, and Friend! No wishy-washy Christians here! They were 100% surrendered to the Lord and it showed in their worship, their joy and the testimony of their lives! I have often heard that it is much easier to be a Christian in a place of suffering and I believe now this is probably quite true! We who have abundance and ease of life often forget that God is our source and we often neglect our relationship with Him due to the lack of need. Those who truly depend on God for their “daily bread” have little difficulty remember where the gifts come from and who to thank! Reflecting on the trip I am left to ponder the question, “Was the mission trip for the Haitians, or was it for me?” God has certainly changed me over the course of the trip and it is my hope and prayer that I never lose all that I have gained since traveling to Haiti.
Pat Huber
Amherst Bible Church
[email protected]
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