My Hatii "Catch up" Entry

Ok, so I've been chastised by at least one of my readers for not blogging while I was in Haiti.  To be honest, I have no good reason except that I was too busy living the experience to stop and reflect on it.  In fact, as I look back I'm still overwhelmed by all that we experienced and struggling to process it.  However, I was given the privilege of leading the last night's group sharing time, and during that time I tried to summarize what we did on that trip.  I thought maybe I could share those comments with you to give you a little taste of my most recent Haiti experience.
Here are the highlights of what our group did:

• We got to watch Gerald Trottman in action, writing a new song with Lumiere du Christ, the singing group comprised of 12 of the older kids there.  We also got to see them practice and hear them record 2 new songs--amazing stuff!
• We spent between 35-40 hours at the orphanage with the kids.  In 4 trips, that is by far the most time I've ever got to spend with the kids--what a blessing!  Thanks to Tyler and Andrea Hirth for pushing us hard to be there so much!
• We painted the cafeteria--some bright colors fitting of such a happy place
• We got to hear Brazil St. Germain preach--Pastor Dony and Pastor Luis' father.  It was not only a treat to hear such a godly man with over 35 year's of ministry experience in Haiti, his message was God-sent and a perfect message for our team as we shared in it's application during group time that evening. 
• We got to attend 3 different worship services in Haiti--and hear a great message by our teammate Troy West on Wednesday night.
• We got to see the beginning of the new church site in Bon Bon--a beautiful site on a hill overlooking the ocean.  After we prayed over the site, we got to meet some of the local children there and invite them back to attend VBS with us in July when some of us return.  They were excited about that.
• We got to hear Pastor Dony share the exciting progress of ESMI. (See Kim Power's blog entry in the "lovealotblog.com" site.)
• We got to hear Dou Dou share with us and challenge us and see the power of what God can do with a rescued orphan
• We got to watch "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" with the kids--I'll never watch that movie the same way again.  (See the video I posted to facebook showing their reactions at key points--goosebumps)
• We showed the kids a slideshow of many of the pictures of them we took during the week--they really loved seeing themselves with us!
• We got to witness (and some even participated) the Lundy downhill sledding--riding dinner bowls or trash cans down the slope at the orphanage.(also on facebook video postings)
• We got to hear Eliciene name her enemies (During a prayer time at Bible School when Robyn Collins was asking the kids to pray for their enemies--Eliciene decided to call hers out "Louna and Feline!" she shouted while standing in her pew, shattering the silence and the moment for the team members as we couldn't stop laughing.) 
• One of our team members learned that the orphans are very caring and helpful, even to the extent of fixing wedgies if you happen to have one.
• Another team member learned the importance of checking to be sure little boys are wearing pants under their over-sized shirts before you let them sit on your lap.
• Another team member learned that the panties she had donated on a previous trip were indeed being used as she saw them hanging on the line to dry one day.  

As I shared all this with the team on the last night, I was reminded that was 'what' we did and experienced.  But if it's one thing Haiti has taught me, life is about the "WHO", not the "WHAT".  

For me the sweetest parts of the trip were spending time with those kids, getting to know them better and love them more.  We also made 2 trips to the Andris family home, the home of Kesnel, Sondi, Winla, Osmela and Jennica--the kids by the guesthouse fence.  We dropped off some food and flashlights and prayed over them.  But my favorite memory of the trip was something I wish I'd done 3 trips ago--on the last day of the trip I gathered my little flock around me and pulled out my Creole New Testament.  I picked out some verses from that morning's journal and had one of my older girls read them aloud for us.  Even the little ones in my group grew quiet and listened.  Then I put my arms around as many of the little circle of 7-8 kids as I could reach and I prayed over them, in my broken, 'cave-man Creole' I prayed that God would bless them and teach them more about Him.  I prayed that they would love others and love Him more every day.  I prayed that God would protect them and provide for them.  And after I prayed, there was a peace and sweetness with them that I've never experienced before.  If I got to experience nothing else but that moment of the trip, it was worth it.  I know now that I will never miss the chance to pray over them again--that is the single greatest thing we can do on the trip--a "what" that focuses on the one and only "WHO".