On our way home!

Contemplation by Ben

Tuesday

Today was our last day in Verrettes and Liancourt. We leave tomorrow morning for Port au Prince to work in Mother Theresa's Home For Malnourished Babies. We would like to thank everyone here for all their love and hospitality. We were welcomed with open arms wherever we went!!!

We were able to work in the tree nursery again this morning. Again, our Haitian friends taught us the gift of singing while you work. Our guys were also able to help Tom (FIAI's director) with towing and fixing the program's new truck. Hopefully it will be running soon!!

Giving out water filters and food packages in the mountain village of Veelo was also a highlight. We gave out some hats to the boys and hair ties to the girls also in this area. As always, it's such a joy to see the smiles on their faces.

One special part of today was going back to the home of Rosilyn where she and her daughter and neighbor made placemats and baskets for us. They were so incredibly happy to have some work to do. We bought all the ones they had made!! Rosilyn has 8 children to support and her neighbor has 6. It was like a party at her house from the excitement!!!

We had some joyous occasions but also some challenges today. Our friend, Echo's, prayer today stood our hair on end. This young man who has down syndrome was so in tune with his Creator and Father that you could literally feel the presence of the Holy Spirit all around us. It was a beautiful expression of love.

We saw God in the people all around us today. In the beautiful way Echo showed his care for our friend, in the smiles on the children's faces, in the eyes of the women who worked tirelessly to make our baskets and placemats, in Jean-Rony who cared for us, in Tom and his wife Fecilta as she lovingly passed out food in her village, in our friend, Obines, who selflessly helped us find our way, in Fr. Alexis and his staff who so joyfully cook and serve us with beautiful smiles. Oh, we could go on forever!!! We love everyone here and will miss our friends deeply. Au revoir beautiful faces of Haiti.

Ben in mountains

Monday, October 24

First, we apologize for a delay in this and the last post appearing on the blog. Unfortunately we have not had internet or cellular service in this part of Haiti because of the overcast skies.

Yesterday, we had the privilege of going to church with Fr. Alexis twice! We were just amazed at how universal praising and worshipping God is! You can adore Him in any language with people of any culture!

We also visited the health clinic in Liancourt that needs help with funding to finish the construction. The dedication and vision of Vania, the nurse who has given her life savings to this dream of hers to help her people is so incredibly inspiring! We felt blessed to be a part of it!

Our Sunday evening concluded with a very festive time playing games with our friends!

On Monday we awoke to children playing in the school yard. Such joy in these little faces so eager to touch our white skin. Their giggles and laughs would melt anyone's heart.

We then headed to Faith in Action's tree nursery to help with planting fruit trees. It was humbling working beside the Haitians. They were not affected by the heat as we were. We were grateful for their joyous singing to help our task go quickly. We are meeting so many friends and making so many relationships!

After lunch we headed up into the mountains to one of our favorite places - Te Rouge! Here we colored with the children and the adults! We were so surprised that so many of the older people wanted to color with us. The feeling up there was one of unity with each other. We were all joined in playing and singing. ALL of the people joined together. It was awesome to see the elderly women dancing and getting into the festivities.

What an amazing place!!! We were taken aback when one of the women didn't know who she was when shown the picture on the camera that we had just taken of her. But the joy in their simple lives touched us more than anything! Again we realize how much we have and how little they have. But who really has more?

God bless!

Te Rouge - in the mountains

Planting trees - Monday

We planted 300 pummelo trees (like grapefruit).  They figure that 1/3 will survive and will bring in about $140 worth of fruit per year.  This should bring in about $14,000 income annually from the trees we planted for the people in the mountains of Haiti.  It will take 5-7 years until full production.

Delay in posts

Good morning!  Just if you are wondering why there haven't been any posts, we have not had cell phone service for the last few days and very limited internet.

Working in tree nursery

Saturday.

Yes! The roosters took the night off from trying to keep us awake. We found out why as soon as we got to town. Today is "market day" in Verrettes. That means the the village market is packed with venders from all over, selling their goods. From fruit and vegetables to list of raw meat and fish to grains and breads to radios and sunglasses to clothes and shoes. Everything you can imagine including, yes - a whole street lined with live chickens and roosters for sale!  It was quite an experience!  We actually did find a few things to purchase. We then were able to meet with a group of men from the US that has a new way to provide clean water for impoverished countries. They gave us a lot of information to think about. While half of the group was on a mission to fix the truck we were having trouble with, the other half had the opportunity to visit a young man's home that is falling down. Sr. Judy from Verrettes told us of this boy's need for a home and food since his mother had deserted him and his brother and sister.  The only dream he has is to stay in school and become an engineer some day. We were very moved by his story of dedication and survival!! When it was time to return to Fr. Alexis' home, we took an exciting ride in our first tap-tap, public transportation in Haiti. We met many new friends on the truck and and many awesome conversations. In creole, of course! We ended our evening with an energetic game of Jenga with Fr. Alexis' staff. I don't know what was more fun - playing the game or watching their faces when the tower fell!! The memories we are making will no doubt last forever! Today we were very impressed to meet many people from the US that spend their lives helping people in Haiti. We felt like we could connect with them. We are also grateful that little Ryan, Tom's son, was running around and feeling better. He has been sick for awhile. There were 2 funerals that we witnessed these past two days and that made us think of our lives as gifts. That we wake up every morning and take life for granted sometimes. We remember to be grateful for the gift of life. When we were finished reflecting on our day, we defined our day by the fact that everyone is just as important as the next person is to our Heavenly Father. He loves the little naked boy in the corner of the field just as much as he loves anyone else on this earth and we think that is awesome! Good night and bless!! Team October

Saturday, Oct. 22

Our friend Echo!

One of our best friends in Haiti!!!

Friday, October 21

Our first full day in Haiti has come to an end. We are all bunked down for the night. We don't know how long we will be able to sleep before the routine of rooster crowing and dogs barking begins. Last night it was about 12:30 am and lasted until... Hopefully tonight will be a little quieter.

We had a very eye opening day today. After Mass at 6am and a wonderful breakfast by Maude, Fr. Alexis' cook, we arrived at Faith in Action's home base to meet up with our much loved Haitian friends. They were very excited to see us and to meet the new team members!

We ventured out to the tree nursery to help with maintenance on the plants and then to have a lesson in basket making. How skilled our instructor was and how clumsy we felt. We all decided not to quit our day jobs!!

After lunch and some singing and dancing with our friend Echo, we headed to the village of Doublet and the home of Rosalyn, Team June's house project. She welcomed us with open arms!! We had a great time there visiting and talking about the place mats she and her daughters are going to weave for us. Then we visited a garden that two families run. They were proud to show us all the work they had done and how they care for their plants. After a walk through the river, we headed back, refreshed but tired.

Even though today was still a bit overwhelming for a few of us, we were able to see God in the people and experiences around us. Many of us commented that we saw the face of God in the children we saw today. To look into their eyes was like looking into Love itself. Their longing and yearning to be loved was not at all frightening but beautiful. Our friend Echo showed us how to be so joyful and how to give love so freely! We also saw God in eachother, just being together in this group, sharing experiences together. We have the utmost admiration Tom, Faith in Action's faithful leader, and for his commitment to the people of Haiti. We were struck by how many material things we depend on and how little they depend on. We saw how excited they became just to have a simple task to complete and we pondered about our own lives. When we drove up a mountain we were in awe at the view of the village below and were amazed at how, even though we were very high above, we could hear so many sounds of the people below. This made us wonder... is this what God sees and hears when he looks down so lovingly upon His people? We are all "tucked under his arm" and love it!!!

Good night and God bless!

The boys

We are hanging out at the baptist mission house. The boys are not as interested in basket making. I don't know why?

Basket making

Learning how to make baskets!

Last night

Well we are all exhausted and tucked in for the night...well at least the women are. The guys are still up with Fr. Alexis. Jeff is reminiscing and Ben talking about life and religion and faith. It's hard to come to a place like this and not question your what your own life is all about.

Karen, being her first time here, had those overwhelming feelings that we all have whether it be our first or our fifth time witnessing poverty that far outshadows any we have ever seen before. Terri was as struck that so many people have nothing to do except exist as she was on her last visit. I'm excited that tomorrow they will have the opportunity to feel the joy that emanates from these simple people.

It's so wonderful that we have so many friends here to make our experience so special! Jean Rony and Fr. Alexis and his staff were so welcoming to us that we all quickly felt like we became part of their family.

Can't wait until tomorrow!!

Sent from my iPhone

Finally here!

Wow! It's hot!

At the airport

> Ben and Karen anxiously waiting to board the plane.
>

Today's the day!!!

Well, it's 12:18 am and we are leaving this morning.  Just finished checking us all in online.  We depart from Detroit at 7 am and arrive in Port au Prince at 12:30 Haitian time.  (1 hour behind Michigan right now.)  Then we have about a 3 hour drive up into the central plateau.  Jeff will be excited that the road is much improved from the last time he traveled it in 2001.  You had to have a strong stomach back then! and it took about another hour or so!  Well, we will check in as soon as we can.  Bon soir!

Friends

Can't wait to see our friends again!!

Team October leaving for Detroit tomorrow evening! Then we fly out at 7am Thursday morning!!! Please keep us in your prayers :)

"SPLASH DRIVE" final update

Haiti "SPLASH DRIVE" final update!!

WOW!! Thanks to all of your support we are taking

71 water filters

to the people in remote mountain villages in central Haiti next week!

Because of your generous hearts,

over 2100 people will now have "clean and safe" water!!

You guys did this in just 2 weeks!! - Amazing!!

May God's blessings shower down upon you!!!

PRAYER WARRIORS NEEDED!!!

As is our custom, we ask for people to pray for us while we are in Haiti.

Please respond back if you would honor us by being one of our "prayer warriors" and commit to pray for our "Team October" from Oct. 20-27.

Your first name will be listed here on our blog.

Thank you so much for your blessings!

SPLASH Drive Update!!!

Wah hoo!!

The "Splash" Drive is up to 55 water filters we will be bringing to Haiti next week!!!

Guys... that is CLEAN, SAFE water for over 275 Haitian families!!!!!

There is still time! Facebook "Hands for Haiti" by Wednesday and I'll count you in!

Then just pop a check in the mail to:

Hands for Haiti, 7421 W. Blue Rd., Lake City, MI 49651