Wednesday, July 31, 2013

photos

More photos- filling in the foundation, pumping water to mix cement and starting the cement floor of the depot (as well as Bible School).... busy day yesterday!











Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Prayer Walks

Being to Haiti three times before, this trip has been very different in so many good ways. I feel like being here has really given me a sense of what it would be like to actually live in Haiti. Something that I have really enjoyed is what Crystal calls prayer walks. We walk around and start conversation with people and than ask if we can pray for them. It has been so awesome to see how loving and accepting the Haitians are of people that they have never met before. They make you feel like you have known them for years. Today we went to the countryside. We helped level out the base of a depot that we are helping to build for a pastor. After that, we ran Vacation Bible School for the second time with these children. I taught my lesson on God changing us into new people, and we did a craft with the kids. I have really grown attached to some of the children that I have met so far, and it will be really hard to say goodbye. But it is also great to know that we are leaving behind a friendship that they will never forget. My time here has been amazing so far, and I am sure that these last few days will be just as great!

-Jenny

Photos- countryside

These are the photos of the countryside where we are going to help (today- Tues) to pour the foundation/floor of the depot we started with the June/July mission group.  It was a BIG change from the more urban ministry and the group had a great time just walking around with Pastor Martin getting to know some of his congregation.

Pastor Enoch's house being built in the valley- he will get married in December

A baby we met in June- getting SO BIG (very healthy)

We met a woman shelling beans and the team jumped in and helped her do it- so cool.  We laughed together and it was awesome that no matter what language we speak, laughter is the same!

Megan even showed her how we eat "snap peas".....

Cherries- they use these for juice.  SO GOOD!

This is the woman with the team- 

Kinep is in season so we all tried it.  Funny that the photo I have is of Megan cause she is the one who HATED it!  

This guy was so handsome

Me with Pastor Martin's wife (Guerlyn)....

Playing with the children (near where Pastor Martin is building the church)

Behind the existing church and school- overlooking the ocean.  

A house on the mountain - Megan wants to walk here....

Monday, July 29, 2013

Good Morning!!


Yesterday's church service was 3 hours long!!! It was awesome!!! A powerful English speaking Nigerian was in town and preached a great sermon. The church was right on the beach and we could see the ocean along with the northern cost of Haiti across the bay. We then went back to the orphanage that we have been going to daily. I taught my lesson on the process of becoming a christian as far as how Christ transforms us into new people. We then played with the kids for the last time on this trip. Leaving was very emotional as many of the kids and team members were crying. In just 4 days we had become a family. After that we came back to the house and relaxed. I got to play basketball in the evening for the 3rd time out on the street. Playing with an American must be rare because they go crazy any time I score (one guy even asked me to sign the ball after I scored on him). We then had to scramble back to the house because a huge storm came in and it rained so hard for a while. Last night James and I (one of our translators and the only other guy with us yesterday) slept very well. We woke up to an evangelist in the street who was most likely touched by yesterdays message and wanted to spread the word. The house has open windows so it is very easy to here everything that is going on around us. Today we are going to a new orphanage in the countryside which will be my first time seeing what the countryside is like in Haiti. So far this trip has been so much more than I imagined. Leaving is going to be very hard but for now we are having an awesome time! 

P.S. The way Haitians drive is awesome but completely insane. My little sister would be a very good driver here. People just walk in the street and the cars go around and cars go on the other side of the road more than their own side. It is easy to get used to and not so efficient but to them it is normal. 

---CORY

Wake up Call...

Woke up at 6:30 am with a Haitian man preaching the word on the street... Right in front of our place! Street evangelism at its earliest! Today we are leaving around 9 to go to the Countryside. I really got attached to the kids at Madame Esthers, but am very blessed for the time we got to bond with them. Fabine stole my heart! She wrote me letters and I hope to continue to write to her! Going to be praying for the orphanage and for what is to come in their future. Funny side note... Been five days so far with no cell phone and all the Haitians around here have at least two cellphones. Been kind of nice detoxing from the technology world. Until the next post, praying to see the works of God in action!

God Bless,

Katie

Photos...

More photos- from church, from ministry (our last day at the orphanage with the children), etc.  STILL no photos of Cory playing basketball with the Haitians (a nightly ritual).  Last night we had a BIG storm so we all stayed inside instead of sleeping on the roof but it was welcomed cause we could go to sleep early and we got power a lot of the night to make the fans run so it wasn't so hot.  :)

Not something you see every day in church in the USA- goats on the wall.

The Nigerian pastor spoke - it was nice because it was in English and translated for the congregation (so we understood).... MISS YOU DONALD!

Haitian worship is the best!

Translating letters to the children at the orphanage for them.

This is the current water source- We will put a pipe and spigot on it.  :)

The whole group at the beach after church (church is right on the beach but there is much trash in the water so you can not swim there)

Hanging out with the children ONE LAST DAY!  So hard to leave- relationships were built for sure!  Jenny and Kenzie with a bunch of their friends!  

Katie and Fabine

Megan and Frendzy

Cory and a million buddies!  LOL

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Photos...

Here are a few more photos- yesterday was a "chill day" where we just went to the orphanage in the morning (same thing- lesson/playing with the children, etc) and then we came back to base to rest a bit- the heat is making us all tired- it finally hit some of the team!  After doing a bunch of "chores" around the house we took Redgi home because he has a wedding to attend Sunday afternoon.  We stopped by the construction site from December so Megan could visit with the people, see the progress that's been made and I could give out some cards from Naomi (who was on the trip in December).  I didn't take my camera, but Megan did so maybe she will share some photos for you to see, but it was a great time of fellowship with "old friends".  We were also blessed to be able to buy two large packs of spaghetti (about 10 # each), a large bag of rice, oil, juice, etc. for the orphanage where we have been working and also give them a cash donation for fresh vegtables/fruit and spices to cook the food.  We are also working toward fixing some plumbing issues so the children there can have better access to the water when it is flowing.  It has been a blessed trip so far for sure!  (I realized when just editing the photos that I am missing quite a few that must have been erased - one in particular showed a little boy drinking water from the hose they currently use)

Samantha- one of the orphans.  

Another orphan- name is escaping me right now!  (lack of sleep will do that- lol)


Katie showing a photo she took

Megan showing photos from her phone to the children

Saturday, July 27, 2013

A Trip To Remember

This being my first time in Haiti has been amazing. The people, the sights, the sounds, and the adventures I have already experienced are indescribable. Going to the orphanage every morning has been so fun to just hang out with the children and see how excited they get over the simple things of life. Playing games with them, doing lessons and crafts give us an opportunity to show God to these children. Yesterday, we went to an English class. We broke up into small groups and got to help the students practice conversational English. They asked a lot of questions about America and even more about my faith in God. It was really cool to share things about my life with them. It was also very impressing to see how determined they are to learn English. I'm so blessed to be here and I can't wait to see what God has for us this next week.

-Kenzie

Photo blog

Here are more photos - these are from "Day 2" (though I don't have photos of everything)....  We did the following things:
-Bible lesson/craft/games at the local orphanage
-Cleaned/organized the donation room (still work to be done here, but it's MUCH better) and cut Crystal's hair during our "free time" in the afternoon.
-Helped teach an English class on the mountain (and just practice English with the students)
-Cory played basketball for the second night with the Haitians
(also- Redgi picked up the Montero.  I will try to get a few photos of the damage to the body of it)

playing with the parachute- a HUGE hit.  THANKS Drew!  :)  (and Drew's mommy)


In Christ you are a new Creation- like a butterfly!  

All the girls got their hair done



This is the basketball trip for Cory!



In the afternoon during our "free time" the girls each took a stab at cutting my hair - It was getting really long and looks MUCH better now (though it is a little like a "mullet")

Teaching English- showing where on the map of the USA we are from.



Gary (the guy in the tan shirt in the front/center) is the one teaching the class.  He is from New York/New Jersey and is in Haiti right now helping out others.