Home is a relative thing.....

As I sit in my kitchen tonight and reflect over the last week in Haiti while looking over the pictures I remember the different types of "homes" we saw.  The first impression of Haiti was as Miguel was speeding and bumping down the roads of Port au Prince from the airport.  The first Haitian homes we saw were in the tent cities.

Tent city in Port au Prince

As we drove a little further we saw more tent cities but there were homes in those tent cities that were brought in from countries around the world in all shapes and sizes.

Tents in all shapes

Home from the People's Republic of China

Then there were the homes built on top of homes....

A tent put up on top of the rubble of their previous home.

As we drove towards the dwelling that we were to call "home" for a week we observed all kinds of people living in all kinds of homes and surprisingly enough the people didn't seem to be complaining or whining, they were just going about their lives. I was appalled by the living conditions but at the same time wondering why people seemed joyful and content. The Haitian people live in the 3rd poorest country in the world. They carry clean drinking water from the local "good" water well to their homes, sometimes a mile up into the mountains. They shop at the local street markets with the chickens, goats and dogs running between their legs. Their children walk home from school with freshly pressed uniforms on singing the song they learned that day at school. And they all go about living their lives. This is the life they know.

Some of the homes we saw were homes no longer. Grass and weeds have grown up around the rubble over the last year and they look like ancient ruins that we have seen in the history books.

This was such a common sight. Homes after home that was brought down and reduced to rubble in a matter of 30 seconds.

Then there was the homes that we helped to build in the mountains, villages and orphanages. These are 12' X 12' wood frame structures that in many cases brought the first shelter from the rains since the January 2010 earthquake. One young man told us that the first night in his new home had resulted in the first time his family didn't have to hang everything they owned out to dry after a rain.

These are the boys that moved into the above home at an orphanage within 2 days after we had it built.  The floor is rock and rubble, the beds are plywood and look how happy these boys are to have a house!

This is the inside of one as we were building it

And this is the inside of another one that had been built before we got there

Homes are being rebuilt in Haiti however 1.3 million people still live in tent cities, many of them in ramshackle, cobbled together shelters that most American's wouldn't think about living in. It was humbling to witness what someone can be content and even thrilled with when they have lost everything and they now have the opportunity to have a roof over their heads and beds to keep their children out of the rocks and rubble as they sleep.

The homeowner has to do some of the legwork in order to receive a new home and they do have to do some of the work. They are encouraged to help with the building crews and each home is prayed over and blessed as the family moves in.

Praying a dedication on this home with the homeowner.

I challenge each of you to look at your home. Are you content in it? Do you want a bigger, better house? Or are you downsizing because all of your children now have families of their own? Are your closets full of clothing and shoes that you maybe wear once or twice year? Are your cupboards full? Do you have fresh running water and a flush toilet? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are among some of the world's richest people. Thank your Heavenly Father today for what you have. For your children and for the comforts you have taken for granted today. Ask Him...how can I help those less fortunate? You don't have to travel to a Third World country to help. Look in your own communities and neighborhoods. Ask God where He wants you to serve. Maybe it is Haiti, maybe it's Maple Grove, Minnesota or maybe it's New Orleans. Listen to God. Obey His calling and you will be among the richest ever...riches and homes are relative things......

Will post more about our trip, the people we met and the children we fell in love with as we process our time in Haiti over the next week or so. Thank you to each and every one of you for praying for us. Continue to pray for the people of Haiti and for God's provision in their lives.

Blessings to you all!
Jackie on behalf of the Haiti, Feb. 2011 team (Scott, Rob, Paul, Andrea and Jackie)

The internet went down at the Haitian Queen.....

Haven't blogged since Tuesday night because we had no internet after Wednesday afternoon.  3rd World Countries and internet repair crews don't seem to mesh too well.  Will catch you all up maybe later tonight!
Thanks to everyone!
Rob, Jackie, Paul, Andrea and Scott

A day of firsts and accomplishments!

God is soooo good.  On a day that anyone in Minnesota would have been sitting their air conditioned houses we put up 5 Samaritan's Purse homes and completed 3 of them...in 95+ degree heat.  I can't believe how much we got accomplished and still had time to sit down the the 57 children of today's orphanage and read Noah's Ark and color with the kids.

Rob teaching Andrea to pound a nail

Andrea learned how to pound a 3" nail into a board and after several attempts got a nail driven all the way in!  The look on her face was so precious!

Rob and Paul starting the tarp on a house

 Rob, Scott and Paul worked hard on roofing and squaring up the buildings.  The sweat was pouring off of their faces.  Obviously your prayers for Scott's ankle have worked because he was up and working on roofs and framing all day today!  Thank you to everyone for the prayers!

Squaring up a house and then roofing it.

Andrea nailing the tarp on

Jackie with the nail pouch on!

Then after lunch we had a time with the kids where we could play with them and hang out.  Rob colored with one boy while others just played with them.  Early in the day Rob had taught the kids how to hammer a nail and use a screw gun too.    All in all was and awesome day.

Rob coloring with Christopher

Please pray for each of the orphans we visited today.  Pray that homes can be found and that conditions at this orphanage, which was close to the epicenter of the earthquake and lost all of it's buildings, can improve for these kids.  Pray for food provisions to come in.  This orphanage lost no kids in the earthquake.  Only one staff person was lost.  This is a true blessing for these kids.  Pray for stamina and patience for our team as we work together in  super hot conditions and see so many kids in need.  Pray for tomorrow as we visit yet another orphanage in the mountains and finish up the homes we started today.  Pray that the heat isn't quite as bad today.  I understand it is below 0 in Minnesota without the windchill.  Sorry to be praying for the heat to subside.

God is at work here in the lives of those we are ministering too and the lives of our team.

Love to our family and friends
Paul, Andrea, Scott, Rob and Jackie

"I worked harder than you today!"

Today was spent at the orphanage we went to for a short time yesterday.  The guys were assigned several projects that needed to be done around the compound and the women did a VBS and spent time with the kids.  It's a tie for who did more more....Paul or Rob or Scott or Andrea or Jackie.....it was the standing joke of the day by how dirty our shirts got.  Scott won the dirtiest shirt contest so I guess he did more work.  Paul and Jackie had the cleanest shirts...at least on the outside!  It was in the 90's for most of the day.....

The guys list included repairing a roof with some tarps, digging out some trees that were in the way, drying out some huge tarps and tents and then folding them up and taking down a shower.  Everytime we walked by them they were busy at work with several children watching or "helping" them.  Rob and Paul were in their element doing construction work while Scott tore down the shower.  Scott and the little boys were in charge of folding up the tents and tarps.

Folding a tent

Rob Roofing

Paul pouring cold water into the kids mouths.

The electricity is not on city power anymore so I will have to finish this tomorrow.  Please pray for spiritual health for the team and for safety tomorrow as we put up 5 Samaritan's Purse shelters.  The heat begins to get to us after a little while.

This is the continuation of yesterday.  The women did a Noah's Ark VBS for the children.  We had them in groups of 2-5 as they were able to come.  Some kids were in school (school held right at the orphanage), some girls were getting their hair done, some were just playing, and the boys were playing with a fire and building a fort in another area.  Boys and girl are separated at t his orphanage for most of the day after a certain age.  The babies are all in one room along with some handicapped children and there were a few babies in the little boys room too.

Andrea read a book on the Noah's ark story.  It was mostly just a shortened version according to the age of the children.  And they all wanted to point out the names of the animals.  They taught us Creole and we taught them English, although many of these kids knew a good deal of English.  We then did a small craft project and talked to the kids. 

Andrea reading the Noah's Ark story

Noah crafts

This is quite the operation.  There are 43 kids here and each child is up for adoption.  Some of them have been adopted and are waiting for the paperwork to go through and some may have little hope of being adopted.  There are 3 severely handicapped children that are absolutely amazing.  Their stories are heartbreaking but the joy on all of these kid's faces is evident.  Jesus is taught to them all.  They walk around singing worship songs in English and you know that Jesus is protecting them and the Holy Spirit has filled this place.

Rob playing with one of the kids

Jackie and Andrea with two of the kids from the babies room. 

Please pray for this orphanage called Operation Love the Children of Haiti Incorporated. Pray for families to adopt these kids and pray for Jasmine and Greg who run this orphanage.


Blessings,
Rob, Jackie, Scott, Andrea and Paul

$1.25 a day......

This morning in church the pastor asked for each family to give 50 Gourdes ( Haitian money) to the church to help with some rebuilding things.  They lost almost every building in their compound including their schools and medical center.  They are operating out of tents and are in the process of rebuilding the high school right now.  I stupidly said..."that isn't much"...and got a weird look from the missionary I was talking to.  50 Gourdes is $1.25 in American Dollars....That $1.25 feeds a person in Haiti for an entire day.  That's less that what I pay for my diet pepsi each day at the convenience store.  The cost of one Caribou coffee feeds 3 kids for a day!  That Happy Meal with the toy feeds that same 3 kids for another day.  Life in Haiti is all relative.  The joy in that church this morning was unreal.  They don't know what Caribou Coffee is or even what a Happy Meal is...for them each meal is a happy meal because they were able to eat it that day.  And the joy for the Lord was so real.  We saw people so grateful to be worshiping our Lord and Savior and most of us were overcome with emotion.  What an amazing service.  The opening verse was from Psalm 46.  "God is our refuge and our strength, and ever present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains will fall into the heart of the sea, though it's waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, and she will not fall.  God will help her at break of day."   As we drive through the streets, walk down the road or through mountain path God is with us and the people of Haiti. They may have fear of another earthquake but they do not have fear that God will not protect them.  The people of this church believe that God is their refuge and strength.  When the earthquake hit, the cross fell from the front of this church,  however they have kept that cross in the church.  They know that earthquakes can make the cross fall from the wall but it could never take God away. 

The wall where the cross was hanging.

Where the cross is now.

We spent the day kind of relaxing until we got a phone call from an orphanage in the next town over, Leogane.  Their generator wasn't working so Rob and I went over to the orphanage with our hosts to see if there was anything that Wes and Rob could do to help.  The minute we walked through the gate Rob was swarmed by 3 little boys.  And the had taken him by the hand and were leading him off.  I went to the back of the complex, which consists of several tents and new wooden structures to the "babies room".  Oh my....  A brand new baby lay on the changing table.  She is 1 week old.  Next to that baby lay a child that was really not that much bigger than this newborn.  He watched my every move.  And when I looked into his face his face lit up like a Christmas tree!   This little guy appeared to be about 6-9 months old.  He has 4 teeth and is rail thin.  When you touch his limbs you can feel the bones.  BUT his smile was so unreal!  I asked Jasmine the "mom" of this 45 child orphanage how old he is...he is 15 months old!  He has been there a month and was brought in on the brink of death by starvation.  He is now a happy little boy that is still very thin but will make it because there was someone willing to take him when his parents couldn't afford to feed him anymore.  Please pray for this little guy.

Pray for Franski

Tomorrow we will all go to this orphanage if there are no protests.  Please pray that number one there are no protests here.  The old president was supposed to step down tomorrow and now it looks like he wont' step down until a new president is elected.  Also pray for our time at the orphanage.  We'll be doing a VBS on Jonah or Noah.  Pray for our hearts to be protected as we meet more of these kids and start to fall more in love with them.  Please pray for Scott's ankle and for Satin's attacks to be thwarted.

Signing off from another awesome day in Haiti!
Jackie....

Oh and the Packer's Super Bowl win was awesome too!

We've made it!

After almost a full day of travel we are here in Haiti!  Notice I didn't say here in Haiti, safe and sound....we are safe and mostly sound but we have already had our first accident...don't panic everyone...it's only a sprained ankle!  Scott stepped out of the van and right onto a piece of rubble and turned his ankle.  We thought it was broken but after locating a hospital with a working x-ray machine we found that it was only a sprain.  Scott's up and moving around and ready for ministry now!  Ace bandage and all.

Scott's first minutes at the Haitian Queen

God was working as soon as we hit the airport in Minneapolis.  We got to the ticket counter and had received notice that our first flight to Chicago was delayed.  However American Airlines had already changed our flights to an earlier flight so we could make our connection to Fort Lauderdale.  All of our flights were on time after that and we got here 10 minutes early!

Street in Port au Prince

The trip through Port au Prince was a little overwhelming.  There are people everywhere.  And the roads are filled with potholes and earthquake cracks so the ride was very bumpy.  Riding past homes that have been flatted and a ruined Presidential Palace was one thing but seeing the piles of trash in the river that leads straight out to the ocean was unreal.  There are also many, and I mean many, little roadside stands along the roads.  They sell everything from ice cold water to clothing.  And the vendors are not afraid to walk in the traffic selling their wares.

Walking up the mountain to see the new homes being built

Once we arrived at the house we got the tour, ate a few  granola bars for lunch and were off to see a crew putting roofs on Samaritan's purse houses (Scott was at the hospital). Rob and Paul quickly got to work and started to help the roofers.  And Andrea and Jackie played with the neighborhood kids.  They all wanted hugs and for us to hold them.  The unreal part of this is... these homes were in the mountains and the recipients have to carry everything to build their new homes up rock strewn paths and it took us 15 minutes in 95 degree heat to get up there!   They are used to this heat so I suppose it isn't as hard as it was for us to walk up.  They got 4 roofs done in the hour or so we were up there.

Paul standing with homeowner after his house was roofed today

Working on a house

The "Haitian Queen" is our new home away from home and it's really nice.  We have filtered drinking water, flush toilets and the food at our evening meal was homemade pizza made by the Haitian cook.  We have nice bunks with new bunk mattresses and our own mosquito nets.  Tonight we are going to sit back and relax, read books or play cards and just enjoy or time.  Tomorrow is church and Monday we go to our first orphanage.

Tomorrow is also Super Bowl Sunday!  Rob and Christine (missionary) are looking for a channel to watch it on on Satelite TV...we may not have an announcer but even if we can watch Green Bay win...it would be awesome.  If all else fails...we do feeds from the internet!  GO PACK GO!  Did you not think I would put a plug in for the Pack?

Please pray for Scott's ankle and for us to keep our stamina in this heat.  Pray that our hearts continue to be guarded and for us to do what God has called us to do for this country and these awesome, warm people.

Blessings,
Jackie, Rob, Scott, Paul and Andrea

We lay it all at the foot of the Cross

It's here.  Our trip to Haiti has arrived.  At 1:00 PM tomorrow, Friday, Feb 4, 2011 we leave Minneapolis and 3 feet of snow and our comfortable homes and beds and go to Port au Prince, Haiti where it will be 90 degrees and we will be living in bunk houses. 

The earth has stopped trembling but that doesn't mean the Haitian people have.  They live each day wondering if the next earthquake will hit.  Most will not go back into their home, even if they are left standing, for fear that it will come down on top of them.  For many a tent made of sheets or tarps is their home.  Our bunk house is looking pretty good right now isn't it?

We will be putting roofs on Samaritan's Purse temporary shelters and working with orphans in some of the orphanages in the area.  Loving on the people that will live in these shelters and on the many children left without parents will be such a joy for all of us. However we will have to lay ourselves down at the foot of the Cross more than once during our short 8 day visit to Haiti as we put our own feelings and comforts aside and be the hands and feet of Jesus to the Haitians.

Please be in prayer for our hearts to be protected.  For us to see God working not only in the Haitian people but in the lives of our team members.  Pray for open hearts and open minds.  Pray for health and safety for the team.  Pray for Wes and Christine our Touch Global missionary hosts at the mission house, lovingly called the Haitian Queen.  Pray for unity for our team and for us to do whatever it is that God asks us to do without complaint.

Thank you to each of your for partnering with us on this trip.  We couldn't do it without you!

Blessings,

Paul, Scott, Andrea, Rob and Jackie