Leaving it All in Haiti

The last morning in Haiti is always so hard. The week always seems to fly by and before we realize it, it is time to pack and say our goodbyes. Saying goodbye to the children at Zanfan Lakay is the hardest. Many of these children call us family and we feel the same about them. It was with tears that we said our goodbyes last night and we are already looking forward to our next trip back.

When I titled this blog, "Leaving it All in Haiti", I meant it. In the 8 days we were there we poured all our heart, soul, physical, and emotional strength into everything. But as we head home exhausted, we also head home with hearts full of contentment. We know without a doubt that God used us. We asked that God would use us and not only did He use us to bless our brothers and sisters in Haiti, but He in turn also used them to bless us. It is impossible to go to Haiti and not be personally impacted by the poverty that exists all around. It really makes one realize how blessed we are to live in the United States. It is also hard to not be spiritually impacted when you go to Haiti. Haitians LOVE God and aren't afraid to show it. Worshipping with them is such an experience!

This trip opened our eyes to how much the children at Zanfan Lakay have grown in The Lord. We were able to have some one on one times to disciple some of the older boys. One of our team members was able to have time to walk through the new Bibles he brought for the older boys. It brought great joy to see them trying to find the verses He was wanting them to read. The children of the house also blessed us by performing songs that they wrote themselves. The songs unabashedly proclaimed God's love and the gospel message. We are excited that in the Fall the children who are able to attend school will be able to attend a Christian school and receive more biblical instruction. To top it all off, Grangou just hired Jimeson, the new house director, who will not only take care of the business of the house and the children, but he will also daily have devotions with them. I think God has great plans for Zanfan Lakay. I am so excited to be a part of all of it.

Yesterday was a beautiful day spent on the beach with the Zanfan children. The bus ride to the beach took us through lush countryside. We actually saw banana trees with banana bunches ripe for the picking. The Caribbean waters were amazing! Looking out over the water was like looking at a postcard. There were fishing boats right next to us that looked like they came straight out of biblical times! It was amazing to watch the fisherman cast their nets then draw them in. Of course there were also some not so nice things, like whatever was in the water that was biting all of us and causing us to itch. One of our translators told us it was a type of water mosquito but very few of us actually have any bumps or bite marks. We saw lots of jelly fish, and one boy even caught an eel! Thankfully the only true injury was a bee sting to one of the boys. That is saying a lot since the boys were shimmying up tall palm trees to drop coconuts down then using a large machete to hack them open so we could drink the juice inside! (It was super yummy!) It's days like that where we really get to hang out with the kids and realize that despite many of them growing up on the streets, or being rejected by parents, they are like every other child. They want to play. They want to be hugged. They want to know that they are significant. And they are!

This trip will always be one that stands out in my memory. I was blessed beyond all measure to see my daughter Tori serve with all her heart alongside me in Haiti this summer. I've always known Tori to be mature for her age, but as a parent I never personally got to see how strong this beautiful young woman of God is. At the tender age of 12, I saw her rise early, set up VBS, help with all aspects of VBS, serve food, clean, worship, sit alongside the children, go without lunch a few days, and have to wait for things we take for granted in the United States like having water and a restroom available. Like the rest of us, she returned to the hotel late each night only to have a late dinner, debrief with the team, prep supplies for the next day, then shower quickly and crawl into bed nightly around 10:30 or 11:00pm. And through it all, she is now asking, "Mom, can I come back with you at Christmas." Yep, she has been bit by the Haiti bug. I couldn't be more proud of her. I pray that God helps her sort out all that she saw and experienced in order to use it to serve Him even more. She definitely left it all in Haiti.

We are almost home. Our plane should land at LAX in just an hour. Then it's back to real life. I know that our prayers will be constant for our friends we left in Haiti, and we pray that God will use our experience to touch others with His love no matter where we are.

Along with leaving it all in Haiti, my voice has decided to remain in Haiti as well. It never fails that I lose my voice the last few days of the trip. My allergies never stand a chance against the poor air quality there. My prayer is that Tori and I stay healthy upon returning home and that after a few days of rest my voice will find its way back.

Until our return, a part of heart remains in Haiti.






"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad

Location:Haiti

The Definition of Love

As we near the end of our trip I find it hard to believe all that we have done in the short span of time we have been here. For many years now, we've said that our VBS trips weren't for wimps, but in my exhaustion today I am reminded of how true that really is. We are out of the Hotel by 7:30 each morning and don't return to the hotel until about 7:30 at night for dinner. Many days we don't eat lunch but rather snack on food that we purposely put into our backpacks. When we do get lunch it is often around 2pm. It is hot and humid when you are in a church with over 600 people for 4 or 5 hours. Often you encounter issues like a broken generator, and no water for the kids. Many times we have to extend VBS until the food is finished being prepared for the children, and of course, yes, many times we either barely have enough food for everyone or we run out of food. (Cooking and feeding for over 700 children over charcoal stoves is no small matter! I highly respect the ladies who selflessly make all the food. They have such beautiful hearts! Check out the photo below.)

Our second VBS has gone even smoother than the one we did earlier this week. Of course, by now we had already done the entire program once so it was much easier. The first VBS was incredible even with one morning starting off with a broken generator, no water, and not enough food. Yet in God's absolute perfect timing, it all worked. We were able to send someone out to fill a gas tank. (The gas station across the street was out of gas...go figure!) Our van driver was able to macgyver the generator to get it to start, and we received water in time to serve all the children a bag of it after games. (Yes, a bag. The most common way to buy water is in a single serving bag that you bite and drink. You can buy about 24 for $1 US money.)

Our first VBS was a little over 400 children, but our second VBS was closer to 650. It is absolutely amazing to hear that many children and their church leaders sing praises to Jesus. If you have Facebook, you'll have to check out one of my video posts. They would sing all day if we let them. For both VBSs, several children raised there hands that they had asked Jesus into their hearts at VBS. (No, we didn't get an exact count this year. Instead we had all the leaders get the contact information from all of their students so they could follow up with them and invite them to church.)

After each day of VBS we traveled to Zanfan Lakay to spend some time with our friends at the children's home. (We consider them our family and it is such a blessing to be able to play and visit.) Today our group leader from Tennessee, Eric, was able to talk to the boys about baptism. Our hopes are to baptize some of the kids at the beach tomorrow. A few other team members brought Bibles to give to the older boys, and our friend Doug, lead the boys in a small Bible study/devotion time to offer them some instruction and encouragement. The entire household continues to mourn the death of their beloved house mom, and our dear friend and sister, Kathia, who passed away in March. In just a few short weeks the boys will be moving into a new home and hopefully allow them to emotionally move on as well.

The last two days have also allowed us to do some early evening street feedings near the earthquake ruins of the old Catholic Cathedral in downtown Port au Prince. Feeding and visiting these people who truly are in a desperate situation touched all of us in a special way. We were able to pass out plates of food and bread. We were also blessed to see a disabled little girl who lives on the streets get her first wheelchair. It was no coincidence that the donated wheelchair brought by our team member, Kandis, was a perfect fit. Talk about divine appointments!

Tomorrow is a big day. Real tough. We are going to spend a long day at a beautiful Caribbean beach, with about 70 of our favorite friends from Zanfan Lakay! I can tell you feel very sorry for us. =)

Well, it is past 11pm Haiti time and I need to wash the paste of bug spray, sweat, and dirt that has accumulated from a fun day at VBS and the rousing soccer game we played in the little courtyard at Zanfan Lakay. Sweet dreams!




Cooking for 700 the Haitian way.






Karli making friends at the street feedings.




Our team, minus Carrie.




Our second VBS this week.




Tori making friends at VBS.


"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad

Location:Port Au Prince, Haiti

VaHAITIAN Bible School

Just found out that this failed to post correctly. (Internet in Haiti is not always predictable.) Here was our mid trip update:

The first three days of our trip have been a blur of activity but we feel so blessed to be here and to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Our first day in Haiti, started with our arrival into the PAP airport, now restored from the earthquake, complete with air conditioning. In the past we had to walk directly off the plane to the tarmac. Now it was straight from the plane, down an air conditioned hall, and directly to customs. The drive from the airport brought impressive new sights as well. Not only were the roads now smooth, but the sides of the road were the cleanest we had ever seen here in the city.

Day 2 began with our annual VBS children's ministry VBS training. In a church that was little more than an open air metal awning with a concrete floor, we were able to train 40 Haitian nationals to be the VBS leaders for their churches. It was beautiful to hear them sing all the VBS songs as our team member, Doug Harrison lead them in worship.

After VBS training it was straight to the boys home, to visit our Zanfan Lakay family. After hugs and grieving along side them at the loss of their house mom, Kathia, we were able to play a bit before beginiing a work project. The project for the day began with cleaning out their closets in preparation for the upcoming move. Back at the hotel we were able to take a quick swim and meet for a sweet time of worship and sharing. (Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of chicken pox at the house so not all of our team could visit. Those of us who had been infected with the virus before we're able be at Zanfan. Praying that none of us catch it when we get home!!!! Hopefully that refreshing swim in the hotel pool helped disinfect all those germs!)

This morning we had an early start to get to the VBS site for VBS number one. Our team was incredibly blessed to be a part of such a special day. With 450 children singing, playing and listening, it was impossible to not be touched by the Holy Spirit at work. The day went extremely smooth and it can only attributed to God's hand. The singing was amazing, game time was smooth, the translators were great, and our entire team left feeling like it was the most successful Haiti VBS we've put on!

As we wrap up dinner at the hotel restaurant, I'm reminded of the fact that each year we come to bless the people and children of Haiti, but it never fails that we are the ones that are blessed!

Well, it's time to wrap this entry up. We are off to make 600 peanut butter sandwiches to feed the kids a VBS snack for tomorrow! More pics and info to come!





Riding in the tap tap. The Haitian form of a taxi.



Playing outside at VBS game time.


Work projects at VBS. just when we thought we were done, we discovered another overflowing closet!


"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad

Location:Port Au Prince, Haiti

A Year is Too Long

It has been one year since being in Haiti and I am yearning to get back to my Haitian friends and family. Not being able to spend time with them at Christmas was hard enough, but not being able to travel there in March for the funeral of our dear friend Kathia, the house mom at Zanfan Lakay, broke my heart. So it is with excitement and anxiousness of heart that I begin my one week countdown till my return to Haiti.

This trip I have the special blessing of taking my 12 year old daughter Tori with me. What a life changing event for a child going into 7th grade. I'm praying that she will be a blessing to our Haitian friends and that she would be touched emotionally and spiritually by her experience there.

We welcome your prayers and well wishes. We will once again be reaching 1500 children with our VBS and we will also be once again moving the boys at Zanfan Lakay to a new home. Along with our teacher training, feeding projects, and all the other jobs we do while in Haiti, this will prove to be our most challenging trip physically. Prayers for health and strength are desired.

So...6 more days until we're off! I'll keep you updated!

"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad

Mission Impossible becomes Mission Accomplished

We are home! Well, almost. As we look back on our week and all the seemingly impossible obstacles to overcome, we are reminded of God's sovereignty. His ways are not our ways and His purposes are greater than ours.

Our last few days in Haiti were a whirlwind of activity. Friday was our last day of VBS and it was the smoothest day of the week as far as our other VBS days were concerned. We started the day on time with some great singing. Due to the craziness of the previous days' schedule, we moved the Bible lesson to the beginning so the children would get the most important part of VBS, GOD's WORD! Of course right as we started Bible, smoke began to work its way into the church building. (A nearby fire caused a huge amount of thick smoke to linger in the church.). To our amazement, 1600 people sat and listened to the gospel message. Yet the smoke lingered on, as if Satan was trying to thwart the VBS once again. We pushed through and did a fun craft, sang more songs, and somehow played some games with 1400 children and 200 leaders in a smoke filled room. But, "greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world"! We pressed on, sending most of our team upstairs where the open windows helped lighten the smoke while the main leaders kept singing and teaching. The day was a success! The moment VBS ended, the smoke cleared. By then the mission had been accomplished; 130+ children accepted Christ as their Savior! We serve a mighty God! VBS ended on time and we were able to take the extra beans and rice to feed those in need on the streets of downtown Port Au Prince at Zakat. We celebrated back at the hotel with ice cream (compliments of our Tennessee friends) and watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Saturday brought us back to Zanfan Lakay for work projects and then turned into a moving project to get all the stuff from the old Zanfan house to the new one. It was a long and hard day of work, but so much got accomplished. We left exhausted but satisfied.

Sunday began with a Church service at Zanfan Lakay, with Eric from Tennessee preaching about being a new creation in Christ and then several testimonies from the team. Once again, God's hand was at work and 17 children plus one worker came forward to accept Christ as their Savior. With full hearts, we then celebrated Jimmy & Kathia's first wedding anniversary. (They are the house parents of Zanfan Lakay.)

It was hard to say goodbye to our Haitian friends, and it was hard to part ways with the Tennessee half of our team once we arrived in Miami, but we all agree the the trip that threw so many impossible things our way became trip "Mission Possible"! And as we all go our separate ways and return to our normal routines we are tangibly reminded of how we each personally experienced our VBS theme first hand.
"Everything is possible with God!




(Notice the thick smoke?!!!)





"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad

Location:Miami, USA

Haiti Here We Are!

Yes! Our team is finally together here in Haiti. Carrie, Luke, and I finally were able to make our wake to Haiti and joined them just in time to watch them faithful and successfully present the VBS leader training for 150 Haitian volunteers on Tuesday.

Our interesting arrival to Haiti included a 2 propeller, 19 seater plane where the navigation system looked like one of those portable ones you put in your car! We arrived travel weary and without luggage but ready to do what God had called us to do.

Day 1 of VBS was a bit different than expected. Okay, a lot different than expected. Our song leader/finale leader, Doug, was sick and not able to attend. We also arrived to the church to discover that we had no classrooms or courtyards available for use due to government testing and the church was preparing to send out their own mission team so their supplies filled the entry way to the church. So the 1400 VBS attendees and our team were confined to one room! Let's just say nothing went as planned. Our team really had to walk the talk as we taught the kids to trust God!

After a good time of worship back at the hotel and a helpful debrief we were ready to try plan B for day 2 of VBS. But the day found us once again walking the talk as we had to trust God since a wedding was taking place in the church and lasted until 11AM! So we switched things up and implemented a plan C, or was it D?...K?...P?!!! Let's just call it Plan Y! Of course that wasn't it because after feeding 1400 children with an early lunch and officially starting VBS at 12:30, we received news at 1:50 that we had to be done in 10 minutes so a 2:00 wedding could begin. Once again we were reminded to Trust GOD.

So now, as we sit here in the hotel enjoying wonderful fellowship, we are reminded of all the positives that God has shown us:
-We have had great visits with the boys and girl's at Zanfan Lakay.
-The VBS children have loved the VBS and sang their hearts out.
-ALL the children at VBS know their Bible point for day 1 & 2.
-Our team is learning patience and flexibility!
-God's plans are bigger than ours!

Until tomorrow,
Monica

















"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad

Location:Port Au Prince, Haiti

Unexpected Detour

DAY 1 of Detour:

It would be no small coincidence that the VBS theme for Haiti this year is, "Everything is Possible with God" or that the daily point during VBS is "Trust God". The irony in all this is that our entire team is having to live this today as our two group leaders, Carrie and myself, are stuck in the middle of the Caribbean while the rest of our team is in Haiti, awaiting word from us.

It all started with our team having to take separate flights from LAX to Miami where we were all suppose to meet back up together for the last leg of the trip to Port Au Prince, Haiti. The first bump in the road began with Carrie, Luke, and my flight out of LAX to Tennessee running 15 minutes behind. (We only had a 65 minute scheduled layover in Tennessee so we knew it would already be tight.). But in God's faithfulness, we arrived with 30 minutes to go and hopped right on the next flight from TN. Then of course the road block began. Due to maintenance issues on the plane we were stuck on the tarmac for 1 hour which resulted I. Us getting on that connecting flight in Miami with the rest of our team. The rebooking desk informed us that they could get us out on the next available flight on Friday. Yep...FRIDAY!!!

Of course since our VBS is scheduled to start tomorrow with training, Friday wasn't going to cut it. So we did what we could and waited 2 hours for standby on the next flight out, but to no avail. All seats were booked. (Actually all the flights out to Port Au Prince for this week are over-booked.) By that point and time, the situation was beyond frustrating and we could only laugh at the adventure we knew God was leading us on.

After using our food voucher, which by the way was the only helpful thing our airline did to help us, we began to think out of the box. That is why I am now writing this from Puerto Rico as we try to make our way to the Dominican Republic.

Day 2 of Detour:

Last night, after flying on a 30 passenger plane to the Domonican, we arrived in Beautiful Santo Domingo at 7:30 in the evening. Finally someone actually helped us track where our luggage was and arranged to have it delivered to Port Au Prince, Haiti. We got to a hotel and were pleasantly surprised how nice everything was. We were still without internet access and reliable phones so we were happy to see a computer station open for hotel guests.. After a google search we were able to purchase one ticket and two standbys for a flight to Haiti. A hot shower and a bed were a welcome respite from the airplane seats we had spent the day in.

So here wrist now in La Isabella Airport, santo Domingo, waiting. Our hopes are to all three get on the plane, but do to a lack of being able to communicate effectively, we are in limbo until check-in time. (big thank you to my parents and friends from the Imperial Valley. It has been over 20 years since I used my Soanish but at least I could get us the basics!). Hopefully more updates to come!

Resting in God's hands and thankful for safety and provision in the midst of all this confusion.

God bless,
Monica
"Everything is possible with God!"
Posted from Monica's iPad