Check out the following journal entries from the team’s time spent in Haiti at Mission of Hope and the Upper Room Orphanage and School. April 4th – 11th, 2018
DAY 1: Travel Day
The eagle has landed – that is the Trinity Mission Team to Haiti has arrived! The trip went well from Buffalo to Port au Prince. We departed Buffalo before the weather turned bad. We had about a three hour layover in Fort Lauderdale which gave us an opportunity to have a leisurely lunch and bond a little more as a team. When we arrived in Haiti we were able to breeze through customs quite smoothly. Mission of Hope was there with the big old school to take us back to the MOH campus. Praise the Lord the Day One travel day went very well.
As we made our way through the city of Port au Prince it was very obvious that we weren’t in West Seneca anymore. The poverty was readily evident along the sides of the bumpy road through the city. Imagine, no signs or traffic lights to manage the traffic. It felt like we were in New York City with all horns beeping. Imagine also, cows, goats and chickens freely roaming around the city. That’s the Haiti reality!
We were warmly welcomed when we arrived at the MOH. We had time to unpack our donations, haul our luggage up to our rooms and get settled in before a great spaghetti supper. As we finished eating, our two interns, Lauren and Hailey, gave us a brief orientation on the upcoming week. After dinner we had our team devotion for Day One based on the calling of Peter, Andrew, James and John along the shores of the sea of Galilee. In our reflection we discussed our calling to leave our lives back home – back home! We shared a desire embrace the mission before us and to trust and follow Jesus’ leading and agenda. Please keep our team in your prayers that we “drop our nets” and follow Jesus.
Tomorrow we are off to a Haitian village for Strategic Village Time (SVT). We will visit with a number of homes and share the love of the Lord with them through an interpreter. The hope and goal is to listen, learn, love and connect them with a church in their own community. We will be giving them water purification tablets as a token of our appreciation for being able to share the living water of life of Jesus with them. Please also pray for our SVT mission work tomorrow.
And Jesus said to the Galilean fishermen, “Follow Me, and I will make you ‘fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” Mark 1:17-18 We are called to follow our Lord as well and fish in West Seneca and Haiti. Let us pray for each other in responding to Jesus’ invitation. God bless!
DAY 2: Strategic Village Time
A hot and humid night turned rather cool in the early morning hours due to rain. The rain and clouds masked the morning sun in such a way that the roosters did not provide our anticipated alarm clock. A delicious cup of Haitian coffee offered a warm welcome to the day’s start. Interns from Mission of Hope guided a tour around campus highlighting the organization’s orphanage, school, medical clinic, and warehouse from which they are able to distribute 91,000 meals per day to children around Haiti. We learned of their goal to distribute 200,000 meals per day by 2020. The hope is to continue developing local Haitian farms to meet much of that need. Currently approximately 20% of the meals are sourced through Haitian farms.
After the tour we had the privilege to visit families in the village of Labodri, participating in what Mission of Hope calls “Strategic Village Time” (SVT). One goal of SVT is to obtain generalized information about families such as family size, housing, employment, schooling, available medical care, and water access among others- such that Mission of Hope can know how to best serve that particular community in the future. The other goal of SVT is simply to share the Gospel message. GPS coordinates of each home visited get registered so that eventually every home in the village will have heard God’s saving grace.
Walking through the village we were welcomed by smiling faces of children who wanted nothing more than for someone to hold their hand or lift them up. Not one of them asked for anything. How awesome it is to think that the children might ask their parents or neighbors “Who were those people?” and to hear that we are missionaries of God. As they grow older and see other missionaries with children, certainly they will think back to the love shared with them in years prior.
We met many wonderful families in Labodri,, but one commonality was their openness to share their story and a willingness to listen. One woman shared with us her former passion for going to church and singing in the choir. However, because of having a child out of wedlock she let guilt and shame overcome her. She felt unworthy of singing praises to God any longer and has not since returned to church. Though she stated these were her own feelings, our interpreters suspected she might have been told this by someone in the church. Thank God that we were able to reaffirm her of God’s forgiveness and grace! After confession, forgiveness, and prayer we left her with a glowing smile from ear to ear!
Another amazing story included a man and wife who lost their 4 month old daughter only 4 weeks ago. She was hospitalized but was still overcome with illness. He shared with us that he has a relationship Jesus and knows Him as his savior. Since the death of his daughter however, he and his wife have been struck with grief and no money because of hospital and funeral charges. He has since felt lost and distant. We were able to uplift him in love and prayer and encourage him to find refuge is God’s peace.
There were many other amazing stories from Labodri, each of us with our own favorite. Please be sure to ask us when we return! More importantly, please pray for the families who we met and shared the Gospel with so their Faith continues to grow!
DAY 3: Farm to Table
Matthew 25:35 “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat”
Our day began with the appreciation of God’s gift of heavy rain overnight and what it meant for our 1 hour cantor (open sided truck) ride to Turpin. On previous trips we experienced a ride only Pig Pen (Charlie Brown’s buddy) would enjoy. Not this time…Praise God! The rain didn’t do much to repair the stone and dirt road but it did allow us the opportunity to take in God’s marvelous creation, without being covered with a bed sheet, as we traveled over the mountains to the remote village for the start of our “Farm to Table” day.
In Turpin, after explaining to Pastor why he needs to look both ways when crossing the road, we met one of the local pastors and a couple of the village agricultural engineers. They explained how Mission of Hope partners with the local community by providing seed to 100 farmers in Turpin and 100 in a neighboring village for each their three yearly growing seasons. Tithing is taught by requesting that each of the farmers give back 10% of their crop to MOH and 10% to the local church for distribution. The balance provides the food necessary for each of these communities. Before leaving Turpin we had the opportunity to go out in the field and see the land that was being worked for the upcoming planting season. No power equipment- just men with picks and shovels. It was then back to the cantor for the bone jarring, yet beautiful ride back to MOH.
After another delicious PB&J lunch it was off to the distribution center for part two of the “Farm to Table” program…meal packaging. With proper instructions, hair nets and gloves provided by our Haitian leaders, we set up 2 assembly lines. We then portioned and sealed an 8×12 3 mil pouch with rice on one side and black beans on the other. Each pouch would feed a family of 4 and we were blessed with enough food for more than 1,600 meals. What a special time just knowing these meals would be feeding God’s children here in Haiti.
We then loaded up the cantor and it was back on the road to deliver some of these packages to a very needy orphanage in the nearby village of Caberet (part three of Farm to Table). We were greeted with open arms by the Pastor and his wife who care for the 40 children living in very tight quarters at the orphanage. They were so grateful. Before leaving we prayed with all of them asking God to help with their many needs.
It was then back to MOH for that necessary shower before dinner (yep…rice and beans). We ended the day filling Easter eggs and preparing for our first visit with the family at the Upper Room (EXCITED!!!), our nightly devotion, discussion and prayer.
What a great day and what an awesome God.
Please keeps the prayers coming…Love to all.
DAY 4: Upper Room Reunion
Our first step early this morning was to pick four plants from the nursery. We were given a papaya, mango, olive, and avocado saplings. We also loaded up the cantor (transportation vehicle) with the gifts our congregation donated along with Easter eggs we put together last night. The eggs contained items that would allow us to tell the children of the Upper Room Orphanage (URO) the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Another set of eggs contained small toys and candy.
Our ride to the URO lasted 20 minutes. We were greeted by Papa Josy in the town of Corail, and he led us to the URO. The children filed out to greet us with a very warm reception. It was rewarding to see how they missed members of our team they knew from previous visits. Ruth, Papa Josy’s sister from Atlanta, and Josy’s wife Kerline also came to meet us. It was an emotional reunion for the team, the children were absolutely ecstatic to see their old friends.
Papa Josy gave us a tour of their facilities. During that time we found out the URO increased in size from 25 to 33 children. They also finalized construction on the roofs of the dorm, and we observed the new mattresses we purchased were already in place. Papa Josy has also received help from another missionary who helped fund some of the additional construction work that had been completed.
After initial introductions we spent time playing with the children(soccer, football, frisbee, baseball) and loving on them. Next our team told the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The children were given 12 numbered eggs, each with a unique item that represented the Easter story. When completed the children went on an Easter egg hunt, which was a big hit with the group. They thoroughly enjoyed the toys and candy that were in each egg. Following the Easter egg hunt we helped the children dress up in funny costumes. Each and every child’s photograph was taken and their names included with each photo in an album. An extra photo was taken of each child for their own keeping. Even Papa Josy, Mama, and Ruth dressed up and had their photo taken. This was a very popular event enjoyed by all. The children continued to wear some of the outfits throughout the afternoon.
During our initial walk through of the URO facilities, we noticed many of the bed frames needed repair. They were also short 3 bunk-bed assemblies and we decided to help purchased the necessary materials to build the new bunks and repair the existing ones. We took a trip to a local hardware store with Papa Josy, who helped acquire the material to be used for the bed frames. We also hired two local welders to begin work immediately. Our plan is to return Monday to help paint the bunk beds and attach name plates to the beds. We also have plans to buy sheets for all 33 beds using donations from Trinity members and friends.
After returning the supplies from the URO, we were treated to an amazing song the children sang to our mission team and Trinity for all we do for them. Before leaving each and every child gave us a thank you hug. This was an incredible and heartfelt experience for all involved. Tomorrow we will picking them all up to take them to church at the MOH facility.
DAY 5: Sunday Worship and Ice Cream!
God is Good… All the Time and All the Time… God is Good!
What an incredible day, being given the opportunity to again worship with the children of the Upper Room orphanage. We started off the day by loading our team up into the big yellow school bus but this time we were able to ride in luxury. Our bus contained seats with adequate cushioning, windows that functioned, and rooftop emergency exits. We were cruising in style while our rear ends smiled as we bounced down the dirt road on our way to the orphanage.
Upon our arrival many of the children came running to see us while others finished getting dressed in their Sunday best. We were happy to see that many of the children were wearing the sandals we had given them the previous day. Then it was off to church with all the kids loaded up into the bus and many sitting on our laps, we were on our way. While driving along we noticed some of the children clinging to the windows as they almost appeared mesmerized by what they saw as we drove down the road. At one point the children even bursted into song as they sang praises to God that brought smiles to their faces and even bigger smiles to ours.
Prior to entering the church we gathered all the children around to take a group photo. After multiple attempts we finally got a good one and we’re looking forward to updating the picture hanging in the Trinity narthex. We all filed into the MOH church and intermingled with the children as we sat down for worship. As one great big extended family we worshiped together and even though the service was in the native language we were still able to lift up His name and glorify our Lord. The sermon seemed a little lengthy which we’re used to (haha) but you could tell that many of the children were exhausted as they fell asleep on our laps. These moments will not be forgotten.
Following worship we got back on the bus for a short trip up the hill to the onsite MOH ice cream shop. I’m sure most of you can relate to the reaction of a child when they find out they’re going for ice cream. Now imagine 33 children patiently yet enthusiastically lining up to pick their flavor of choice. We were so blessed to have the MOH interns serving us because normally this shop was not open on Sunday’s over the spring. With their help we were able to serve all the children a single scoop and in case you were wondering, Strawberry was the most popular choice. While the children were enjoying their treat Brad shared a letter which Chris had written and wanted us to share, we would like to note that all the children cheered when they heard the news that Chris was now engaged. Brad made sure to give Josy a big hug from Kevin Kot, who also attended a previous mission trip to Haiti. Prior to the children leaving they again wanted to sing a couple songs to express their thanks and happiness for all the support provided by their Trinity family. This includes all of those reading this, without your contributions and prayers these children’s needs would be much greater. So on behalf of all the children, Thank You!
After letting them know that we would see them again tomorrow, we said our goodbyes. Papa Josy decided to head back with the children to keep an eye on them and oversea the repairs being performed on the bed frames. Mama Kerline and Ruth (Josy’s aunt) on the other hand were able to join us for lunch and the MOH bus tour. This was a great opportunity for us to spend some time with these two wonderful woman and show them around to see all the amazing things God has accomplished in their country with the help of MOH. The last stop on the tour was the newly constructed technical school buildings that will be fully operational in the near future. This was most interesting to us along with Mama Kerline because eventually these children will graduate high school and a higher education will be needed to not only survive but excel as they enter into adulthood.
We finished up our tour back at the the MOH dining hall at which time we spoke briefly and then said our goodbyes to Kerline and Ruth. Looking forward to seeing our Upper Room family again tomorrow and visiting with the children at the school. This will be our first time visiting the school while classes are in session so we’re not sure what God has in store for us but we can’t wait to find out.
Blessings to all and please keep the prayers coming!
DAY 6: UR Projects and School
We started the day with a trip to the Upper Room School to observe the flag raising ceremony. Each morning at 8:00, all of Haiti stops everything they are doing- even driving- for the flag raising ceremony. Imagine nearly 400 students (yes, the school has grown that much!) aligned in rows side by side dressed in adorable uniforms. After the school bell stopped ringing the children began singing the country’s national anthem. They concluded with praying in unison, then filed quietly into their classrooms.
Seven North Americans were distraction enough during the flag ceremony, so we utilized the time that the children were in class to make a “quick” trip into Port Au Prince and Bon Repo to purchase new bed sheets for the kids, paint for the new/repaired beds, and three mature trees to plant on the orphanage property. Back home a trip like this would be an hour or two at the most. In Haiti however, crowded streets and broken down vehicles create for traffic which turned our errands into a 5 hour excursion. But God is good and provided everything we needed to finish our projects at the orphanage for the week. When we finally arrived back to the orphanage we were surprised with a special Haitian meal provided for us by Mama and Papa. It sure was delicious!
A special project we had in mind to personalize the children’s newly renovated beds was to hang colorful license plates on each bed with the child’s name written on it. It was a fun interactive project that the children were able to do themselves. Due to time constraints we could not finish painting the bed frames but God opened another door to be able to bless Alex, our translator for the week with additional income he will use to complete his post high school education. We were able to successfully plant our purchased trees – Cherry, Mango, and Genip. The orphanage property is very barren and the trees will provide beauty, shade, and produce fruit for them to eat.
Today’s evening devotion spoke about humility. Humility is not celebrated in the world, but it is the very thing that will change the world. Our experiences interacting with the people of Haiti this week has offered an amazing sense of hope that Haiti will truly be changed through the power of God. The humility we see in the staff of Mission of Hope, and more importantly in the Haitians who love Jesus is contagious and in time will fulfill that hope we have for Haiti.
DAY 7: Last Day
As we set out for Day 7 of our Haiti Mission Trip we do so with a heavy heart because we know we’ll be saying farewell to our Upper Room family.
Our day began with a presentation from the ViaBella staff (Justine and Wicky) and the products they make and market. They make a variety of jewelry items that are crafted by Haitian artisans, which enables them to employ many local individuals.
We also had an opportunity to see another group associated with ViaBella called Three Cords. Three Cords is a company that was originally started by MOH as a way to employ amputee victims after the Earthquake in 2010. They make a variety of items including purses, bags, clutches, and other items out of fabric. Each of the team members had the privilege of braiding a headband to take home with us. Their operation is housed on the Mission of Hope campus.
At about 10:00 a.m. we hopped in our bus to head back over to the Upper Room Orphanage to pick up Papa Josy and Mama Kerlin. Unfortunately Kerlin was unable to leave the orphanage because the assistant director for the school was unable to make it in to work. After picking up Josy we then headed over to his aunt Ruth’s home and went to a local restaurant to enjoy lunch together and discuss the current status of the orphanage and school. Josy shared his vision for the future as well as some of their current needs. Josy and Kerlin have made tremendous progress over the last three years! We actually enjoyed some great pizza including a buffalo chicken wing pizza. Who’d have thought that could be found in Haiti.
After a great lunch and conversation we headed back to the Upper Room for one last visit and to say our farewells. We only had about an hour and a half but managed to put together a spirited game of wiffle-ball. The children had a great time, as did we. The heat and humidity were a challenge for us but we had a great time playing and watching the laughter of the children.
Sadly however, we had to bid farewell to our Upper Room family. The children treated us to a remarkable marching and dancing demonstration. It truly was an amazing performance. We then gathered around one of the new trees we planted the day before to pray together and say good-bye. Every child gave every team member a hug and a smile good-bye. As you can imagine tears were flowing in our team member’s eyes and some of the children.
Our day ended with a Mission of Hope praise service in their church. Even though we couldn’t understand the message or prayers, the music was outstanding and projected on the screen in Haitian Creole and English.
Tomorrow we head out to fly back home. We need to have our luggage down to the bus by 5:30 a.m. If that weren’t enough we will have to shower, dress, and pack in the dark because Mission of Hope shuts their generators down at 3:00 a.m. to conserve energy. Oh well, that’s life in Haiti!
God has blessed us with an incredible week that we look forward to sharing with you, and our Trinity family. See you soon, and God bless!