Amour

Hi All! Yesterday was a very busy day and we were not able to blog, so this portion of the blog is devoted to yesterday's activities. The day started by waking up very early and attending an awesome Haitian church service at sunrise. The service was an amazing experience as the Haitian way of worshiping is so much more animated and joyous than what we're used to in our churches.  In the Haitian churches it is very common for people to walk up and down the aisles with their hands lifted high as they praise God. Many people pace around and may be praying outloud or quietly as another person speaks to the congregation. The music was joyful and although we didn't understand many of the words, it was humbling to know that although our cultures are so different, we are worshiping the same powerful God. After the service we took a tap tap to the memorial site dedicated to the victims of the 2010 earthquake.  An estimated 200,000 victims of the earthquake are buried at this site, although the casualties from the catastrophe far exceeded that amount.  This was an emotional visit as our guide lost someone close to him. For us it was a great reminder of just how precious life is as it can be taken away at any moment. Many times throughout this day we were reminded that while the majority of Haitians don't have much and live in extreme poverty, their lives are not overshadowed by material possessions, which allows them to focus and rely on God in a powerful way.



The highlight of my day was visiting 4 of the elders sponsored by Healing Haiti. Because the life expectancy of Haitians is 52 years, some people outlive their children and don't have anyone to take care of them as they age. As part of the sponsorship program, each elder receives a hot meal every day and periodic visits from a nurse. As an act of service we took buckets, soap and water and washed the elder's feet and put lotion on them. Many Haitians have dirt floors where they live and it is a luxury to be able to wash with clean water.  I would have been happy to stand by and watch others do the washing, but as we approached the third house I really felt called to be the hands and feet of Jesus and show my love to the next elder. The person whose feet I washed was a man named Lindor. It was such a growth opportunity for me as I would never even think of washing someone who bathes regularly, much less someone who does not bathe very often and is a stranger. In the end it was a very loving experience and he was so sweet and appreciative.  It was very moving and peaceful to sing hymns and watch others step outside of their comfort zone in such a humbling act of service.

The day ended with a tour of Grace Village, which is the village created by Healing Haiti. It houses orphans, a clinic, and has a school for both residents and children from the town. The organization is so inspiring in its mission to help the people of Haiti, not only by providing meals, healthcare, and schooling, but also in its efforts to help the people of Haiti improve their own country.  Healing Haiti is working toward breaking the cycle of poverty and provide skills, education, and training to help the children to become successful adults that in turn improve the country.  It is a good reminder to us to invest in ourselves and future generations and to determine what our legacy will be.
-Carson Roland


Hello again readers! Today we did two water truck stops. Both were eye opening however the second one stood out the most. It was very close to the water so it was harder for them to get clean drinkable water. One thing that stood out to me was this boy who waited and waited to get his water and once he had it he gathered the little kids and rinsed them off before himself. He showed incredible kindness and it was precious.
After the water stops we went to General Hospital. It had a sad atmosphere but when we handed out care packages and it brought some joy. We prayed over children who were sick and visited with parents. We felt a bit out of place but overall it was a good experience. For dinner we went to Pizza Amour and enjoyed great American food after a long day. Today was memorable.
-Mo Beckman


Haiti.
By far one of my favorite places in the world. Despite the severe poverty and lack of physical necessities, I still feel that it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Today, as we did our serving in Cite Soleil, I had an eye opening experience, as so often happens to me in this place. One of our main ministries we partake in while we are here is the water truck. Delivering fresh water to the poorest slum in the Western Hemisphere is an amazing experience. Water is life in Haiti, so being able to literally deliver life to people is a tremendous blessing. As we poured out life to these beautiful people, I was designated to hold the hose, which is rather heavy. As I held the hose, I noticed some of the smallest children were standing underneath the truck, gathering the drippings from the hose fitting. I realized that one of the bigger kids was monopolizing all the water. As I sat and watched this happen, I felt pity for the smaller kids who were getting miniscule amounts of water. I grabbed the big boys bucket and gently moved him away and let some of the smaller children get a chance to get some water. Eventually they formed a line, and would get some water in their bucket, leave and wash themselves then come back and get in line. As I helped these kids in this small small way, I thought about the verse that says, "As you have helped the least of these, so you have helped me." As we left the water stop, one of the older boys came running up to me. He wasn't begging for anything, as these kids so often do, rather, he simply hugged me tight, and said "Thank you Nick." I was so moved by this simple statement, because I sometimes feel like I haven't done enough for these people, but I was reassured today by some very simple words from a very small, appreciative boy.
-Nick Beckman