Haiti Days 4, 5, 6

I figured I better knock this update out or it will be months down the road and I'll have never done it!
Day 4 was Sunday and proved to be what was dubbed a "Spirit-filled" day.  We went to Good Shepherd Delmas 75 for morning service and although we were not able to understand the French service, it was still amazingly powerful.  I could listen to French for days.  I love it.  The music is always my favorite part as the Haitians have such a soul and beat to their worship.

Josie was there with several of the children from the orphanage and they had choir practice after church.  We were able to stay and listen for awhile.  Hand motions and swaying were all part of the songs and I loved every bit of it.
Our afternoon was spent down in the palace area, which is no longer standing.  We all found a few or a lot of things at the market and most people felt like they had honed their haggling skills.  Some liked it more then others! 
We then headed to Leonard's house for pizza! 

Nadine, George and Theo were there!  It was so good to see Nadine again.  We had spent our whole last trip with her and Theo.  George let several of us call home which was an unexpected treat!  After pizza, the piñata came out for Theo.  Hilarity ensued as Theo, then Uncle Jeffrey and then Grandpa Leonard all took a turn at it.  Finally, Leonard it off the string and smashed it on the ground.  That was one tough monkey piñata!

Soon after people started to gather in Leonard's driveway.  And more came, and more came and more came.  Every available chair was pulled from every crevice of the house.  We had a translator for this service, which was great and I was thoroughly impressed as he translated at lightening speed the message.

  As more people came for the service, Leonard would appear on the roof of his house to pass 2 more benches down for people to it.  
It was so wonderful to see Leonard excited about church and his community.  He is truly in his element when he is helping and serving.  A heart like his is rare and precious.

Back to Gertrude's for bed!

Day 5 was spent at Leogane again and what a day!! 
I was able to sit with Josie the whole way out and back from Leogane and not only got to know her better, but we were able to talk more about the children, which is obviously my favorite topic!
Many from the congregation in Port Au Prince came out for the day.  The youth from the congregations had a youth conference going on under the trees, the ladies were cooking for us ALL (150) with kettles on rocks and charcoal, and many were there to work on the building or dig the well. 

The well diggers blew me away.  Imagine digging into the ground with a shovel to make a 4-5 ft. wide hole.  Now imagine digging that hole 30, 40, 50+ ft. down.  By hand.  With a shovel, a bucket and a rope.  And still not hitting water.  These 2 guys were working on Friday and were again at it on Monday with still no water.  They thought the water would be there.  I hope they are right.

I spent a good part of the day chatting with 2 young Haitian men.

  Mathou, and Roby knew English well enough to have a great conversation.  They were very interested to know about my family and life and were quick to help me with my Creole.  I learned much about them, as well.  They all go to the school at Good Shepherd Lutheran and have aspirations to go on to college.  I asked them what they thought of these groups coming to help in Haiti.  I was still struggling with the idea that we were even helping at all and wondering if we were not really being a part of a solution.
They were quick to say that they are so grateful and appreciate connecting with their Christian family in the states.  It was reassuring to hear them say that.  I feel like my friendships there are developing and it's more then a selfish opportunity to "experience" Haiti.  I am invested in these people's lives and livelihoods. 
We were all very tired when we got back from Leogane and spent the evening at Gertrude's relaxing, playing UNO with Rosie, Gertrude's daughter. 

Day 6 was filled with highs and lows.  We first went to the school at Good Shepherd and Pastor Thomas gave us a tour.  Over 270 children attend the school, K-12. 

 They recently opened a computer lab for technology classes.  The classes are cramped and the space is limited, but the appreciation for education is so great here. 

There is also a medical clinic on site with nurses/doctors coming in 3 times a week.  The clinic is a storage container and is sparsely stocked.  Thomas said that they administer whatever it is they have to who needs it, but it, of course, is not sufficient to provide what they desire.

We then went to The Home for the Dying.  We were not required to go in, but most did.  The women headed up to the women's floor to massage and paint nails, while the men went to the men's floor to massage.  Kim S. and I painted nails and it was something that I will never forget.  A room full of cots, 20+ with women ranging in age and health.  As I sat down by the first woman I was immediately thankful that Mathou and Roby had taught me how to say "What is your name?" and "My name is...".  As each woman picked out their nail color and I painted, I was able to pray for each one by name.  I had no idea what ailment had brought them there or if they would be leaving soon.  It was truly a gift to be able to sit with each woman and hopefully provide just a little color to their day.

We then headed up to Lookout Point, a place high above the city.  My very first initial impression of Haiti was that it's so beautiful from the top and Lookout Point shows that.

  What I have come to realize and appreciate is that Haiti is just as beautiful from the bottom.  On the streets, in the homes, in the hospitals, in the smiles of this country, is real, authentic beauty.  I loved the view from Lookout Point, but I crave the view from the streets. 
It's the same here at home, too.  We, so often, skim the surface of a person only seeing the view from above, with out getting down into the streets with them, where it's messy and dirty and hard.
I'm as guilty as anyone in doing that.  Haiti has yet again given me a hyper-awareness of how valuable it is to meet people in the hard places.  I so badly want to be available to people on a street level, not a Lookout level.
 The next stop was the Children's Hospital.  I'm not sure words can sufficiently describe this place, but I will try.  3 rooms, 25+ cribs in each. All full.  With babies.  2-3 nurses per room.
We spent about an hour and a half there and it will never be enough.  Some picked up one baby and held he or she the whole time.  Matt, a first timer in Haiti, held a baby for the first time ever.  Read that again.  The first baby this young man had ever held, was a crying, tiny, sick baby in a hospital in Haiti.  Soothing it's cries, whispering in it's ear and rocking it to sleep. 
The overwhelming number of babies was heartbreaking.  I couldn't hold enough of them.  I moved from crib to crib, holding some a little longer then others and not getting to them all.  I didn't have time to hold them all.  Some were clearly malnourished.  Some were feverish and lethargic.  Some were bubbly and joyful.  All of them cried when you laid them back down.  Ages ranged from just a few months to 3 years in the baby rooms.  There was also a toddler area that I never even got to.  I was so thankful that Leonard had taught me how to say I love you in Creole.  I whispered to each one, "Mwen remen ou."
A part of me shut down as we prepared to leave that I'm not sure I want to open yet..  How do you leave a place like that? 
We headed back to Gertrude's for the final evening before heading home.  It was spent packing, organizing, chatting, and playing with the kids one last time.  It's always so surreal to leave.
Devotions that night were a wonderful way to close out the trip.  We all went around and talked about our high and our low.  My high was this...

And this...

And this...

 

It was so good to hear each person's perspective on what we all did. 
My low will always be that first flight out of Haiti.

I am so thankful I got to spend this time with these two.  Deep cords were tied around our hearts for each other and this place.  I imagine we'll be back together in Haiti soon.

Until next time...