S'mores and goodbyes...

Today was our final day working in Haiti and it was a great one. We started out continuing and finishing our projects for the week. The painting is fully finished and touch ups are done. We were able to get everything ready for our little boys and they will get to sleep in their new room tonight. The older boys are excited too, because they get their room and space back. We finished the coats in the depot and they will be able to store all of their supplies in there tonight as well. We finished our 3rd wall today! Our arms were sore and tired but it is complete. The men will do all of the finishing and get it ready to turn it into a kitchen and great room for the boys home and church. Part of the group got to go hiking through the village and place plaques on some homes and dedicate them and pray for the families there. The best part of the day was sharing a surprise with the boys. We made smores! In about 10 min they ate 4 boxes of graham crackers, 4 big bags of marshmallows and 48 chocolate bars. Needless to say they loved them and the marshmallow covered smiles on their faces proved it. After this we were able to share Christmas with the boys. We had a gift for each of them: a beanie, crayons, coloring books, matchbox cars, personalized pencils, and dum dums. They were all so appreciative and happy. Their genuine happiness reminded us and prepared our hearts for the true meaning if christmas. We got to hang out for a short while and just spend time with them. We then got to the hardest part, saying goodbye. Leaving is always the hardest part but knowing that they are there and being loved makes it easier. Now we are just packing up and getting ready for the journey home tomorrow. Please pray for our time of leaving and for our hearts to be ready to be back. Ask all of us about our trip, we have so many more stories to share than will fit on this blog and are eager to share them. Thanks or being a part of our trip.

S'mores and goodbyes...

Today was our final day working in Haiti and it was a great one. We started out continuing and finishing our projects for the week. The painting is fully finished and touch ups are done. We were able to get everything ready for our little boys and they will get to sleep in their new room tonight. The older boys are excited too, because they get their room and space back. We finished the coats in the depot and they will be able to store all of their supplies in there tonight as well. We finished our 3rd wall today! Our arms were sore and tired but it is complete. The men will do all of the finishing and get it ready to turn it into a kitchen and great room for the boys home and church. Part of the group got to go hiking through the village and place plaques on some homes and dedicate them and pray for the families there. The best part of the day was sharing a surprise with the boys. We made smores! In about 10 min they ate 4 boxes of graham crackers, 4 big bags of marshmallows and 48 chocolate bars. Needless to say they loved them and the marshmallow covered smiles on their faces proved it. After this we were able to share Christmas with the boys. We had a gift for each of them: a beanie, crayons, coloring books, matchbox cars, personalized pencils, and dum dums. They were all so appreciative and happy. Their genuine happiness reminded us and prepared our hearts for the true meaning if christmas. We got to hang out for a short while and just spend time with them. We then got to the hardest part, saying goodbye. Leaving is always the hardest part but knowing that they are there and being loved makes it easier. Now we are just packing up and getting ready for the journey home tomorrow. Please pray for our time of leaving and for our hearts to be ready to be back. Ask all of us about our trip, we have so many more stories to share than will fit on this blog and are eager to share them. Thanks or being a part of our trip.

Another Amazing Day!

Such an amazing day today. We have been blessed with some great stories.

We continued our work at the boys home. We split into two groups again today. One group worked on concrete while the other painted. The concrete grouped hauled rock and gravel and water for a major part of the day. We added up how much we have done this week and we are at around 1000 gallons of water pulled from the cistern, transported and used for concrete, and moved about 1.5 tons of gravel and sand, this may sound like an exaggeration but we have had several trucks drop off loads of gravel and sand. And we unloaded 150 bags of cement that were 100 lbs each. All of these supplies enabled us to finish 2 walls and start a 3rd today. We also poured 2 columns. As we were working today we learned that the Haitian men we are working with this week were in the exact room we are working on when the earthquake hit. They had not been back to work since then and we have been blessed to get to help them finish.

The other group worked really hard on painting the little boys room and the depot. They were able to FINISH the painting in the boys room and only have another coat or two in the depot. We were planning to help them move beds and get their room set up in the morning. The key is were...they got so excited to see the new room with clean and newly painted walls that they started moving their stuff. We moved in beds, mattresses, clothes and school stuff. We cleaned and mopped everything. We made their beds with newly cleaned sheets an set their room up. As we were finishing the room we realized that 3 of our boys have never slept in there. The boys have been sleeping in a different place but know that this is their room and their home. They may not sleep there tonight because of the fumes but their home is ready and they will soon be there for good.

It has been such a blessing to get to help serve the people of Haiti. Tomorrow we will have our last work day and will get to celebrate Christmas with them. We have a gift or each chid and brought stuff to make smores!

Pray for our team as we finish up our work here in Haiti. Pray for us as we say our goodbyes tomorrow. Pray that we would transition back to the US and to the Christmas season with ease and would not get frustrated.

Sabbath

When dusk first scraped the horizon and the cock had yet to crow, the team emerged triumphantly from their sleeping quarters ready for a new day. The sabbath is looked forward to on each trip because it offers the chance to worship with the locals and experience church in a new cultural context. What had become a routine ride to the village for work was transformed into a pastoral picture filled with beautiful families walking to their place of worship, adorned in their Sunday best. Upon arriving at the church in Guibert, we were greeted by the sound of praise coming from the sanctuary. The service began soon after and the experience is something that will not soon leave the forefront of our team's conscious. Whether it was worshipping through music, prayer, the Word, or fellowship; it was all done intentionally and with abandon. From the smallest of toddlers to the eldest of grandparents, we saw a body of Christ who understood worship. In a country with very little, we were taught that worship is not contingent upon situations or circumstances; it is truly a measure of your heart.

After church we came home and rested. The remainder of our evening was full of fun and shenanigans. From movie watching to singing to dancing; the team grew closer together socially as well as spiritually. As we now turn out attention to gaining a restful night of sleep we look forward to the hard work ahead of us tomorrow.

Another blessed Haiti day!

Today was a great, but stressful day. Our team split up and spent most of the day painting two of the rooms while the other half mixed and poured concrete to finish repairing and reinforcing one of the rooms. The walls and columns didn't hold well at first and the men had to completely repair them, but at the end of the day, they were successful. Everyone came out with paint and concrete all over them. Sore and overwhelmed by the gratitude of the boys, the team has all had a wonderful day. We ended the workday with a trip to the Baptist mission, where we all were bombarded with merchants and people selling everything from paintings to beads. We ended the day with a wonderful meal of chicken and vegetables made by our amazing hosts.

Things to pray for:

A day of rest tomorrow

Reflections for the team

Jeff's sermon at the church in the morning

Another blessed Haiti day!

Today was a great, but stressful day. Our team split up and spent most of the day painting two of the rooms while the other half mixed and poured concrete to finish repairing and reinforcing one of the rooms. The walls and columns didn't hold well at first and the men had to completely repair them, but at the end of the day, they were successful. Everyone came out with paint and concrete all over them. Sore and overwhelmed by the gratitude of the boys, the team has all had a wonderful day. We ended the workday with a trip to the Baptist mission, where we all were bombarded with merchants and people selling everything from paintings to beads. We ended the day with a wonderful meal of chicken and vegetables made by our amazing hosts.

Things to pray for:

A day of rest tomorrow

Reflections for the team

Jeff's sermon at the church in the morning

Loving our time!

It's has been another great day here in Haiti. Our team has done an amazing job at serving in different ways. We went back to work and began the process of painting one of the boys rooms. This room is pretty big and has taken a lot of TLC to get it to the point of being ready. But, when we finish the room the boys will have a safe, clean, mold free, and newly painted room. Pray that this room would be a safe place and a room that is filled with love. We got to mix up all of the tasks that we did throughout the day. Someone got to drill holes in concrete for rebar and help tie some metal support columns. Some people got to carry 5 gallon buckets that they filled with gravel and sand and carried them down a set of stairs to a room where another group helped mix concrete and pour a new support wall for a room that was damaged in the earthquake. Other members of the team helped break away concrete blocks to make a place to hang new metal windows that will be hung tomorrow. Some of the ladies we're able to help wash a lot of dishes that were from a lunch of 150+ pastors/ church leaders. 4 of the guys got to unload a dump truck full of 100lbs bags of cement, it was really have and exhausting. The day ended with the best part, we got to spend time loving on the boys. We played games, sang songs, practiced English, and built some great memories. It has been a blessing to get to see progress In such a short time. We are being blessed beyond measure by our Haitian friends. They are spoiling us with amazing food, and sharing so much with us. May we continue to share the love of Christ and be his hands and heart to these people. May we be open to all that god is teaching us and look for other ways to serve.

Loving our time!

It's has been another great day here in Haiti. Our team has done an amazing job at serving in different ways. We went back to work and began the process of painting one of the boys rooms. This room is pretty big and has taken a lot of TLC to get it to the point of being ready. But, when we finish the room the boys will have a safe, clean, mold free, and newly painted room. Pray that this room would be a safe place and a room that is filled with love. We got to mix up all of the tasks that we did throughout the day. Someone got to drill holes in concrete for rebar and help tie some metal support columns. Some people got to carry 5 gallon buckets that they filled with gravel and sand and carried them down a set of stairs to a room where another group helped mix concrete and pour a new support wall for a room that was damaged in the earthquake. Other members of the team helped break away concrete blocks to make a place to hang new metal windows that will be hung tomorrow. Some of the ladies we're able to help wash a lot of dishes that were from a lunch of 150+ pastors/ church leaders. 4 of the guys got to unload a dump truck full of 100lbs bags of cement, it was really have and exhausting. The day ended with the best part, we got to spend time loving on the boys. We played games, sang songs, practiced English, and built some great memories. It has been a blessing to get to see progress In such a short time. We are being blessed beyond measure by our Haitian friends. They are spoiling us with amazing food, and sharing so much with us. May we continue to share the love of Christ and be his hands and heart to these people. May we be open to all that god is teaching us and look for other ways to serve.

Loving our

It's has been another great day here in Haiti. Our team has done an amazing job at serving in different ways. We went back to work and began the process of painting one of the boys rooms. This room is pretty big and has taken a lot of TLC to get it to the point of being ready. But, when we finish the room the boys will have a safe, clean, mold free, and newly painted room. Pray that this room would be a safe place and a room that is filled with love. We got to mix up all of the tasks that we did throughout the day. Someone got to drill holes in concrete for rebar and help tie some metal support columns. Some people got to carry 5 gallon buckets that they filled with gravel and sand and carried them down a set of stairs to a room where another group helped mix concrete and pour a new support wall for a room that was damaged in the earthquake. Other members of the team helped break away concrete blocks to make a place to hang new metal windows that will be hung tomorrow. Some of the ladies we're able to help wash a lot of dishes that were from a lunch of 150+ pastors/ church leaders. 4 of the guys got to unload a dump truck full of 100lbs bags of cement, it was really have and exhausting. The day ended with the best part, we got to spend time loving on the boys. We played games, sang songs, practiced English, and built some great memories. It has been a blessing to get to see progress In such a short time. We are being blessed beyond measure by our Haitian friends. They are spoiling us with amazing food, and sharing so much with us. May we continue to share the love of Christ and be his hands and heart to these people. May we be open to all that god is teaching us and look for other ways to serve.

Concrete and Cleaning

Today was our first full day in haiti and it was amazing. We had a busy day and are really tired, but we are good. It started off with breakfast and a beautiful drive to our boys home. When we got there we took a quick tour and saw all of the kids in school. There are a lot of jobs that we are going to try and accomplish this week so we split up into two teams and got to work. One team spent the morning cleaning out our depot (storage room) and getting it organized. They then cleaned out our youngest boys room, sanded the walls, bleached the walls and prepped everything for painting tomorrow. The other group helped pour a concrete floor in a new room that had been built, it is about 15 ft by 40 ft and we poured it by hand one bucket at a time. We also had to collect the water and supplies and carry it to the site. They were also able to help pour 4 new columns in a new addition to the building that we will get to put a roof on while we are here as well. The day has been full of new experiences, new foods, and new people. We have new faces that we will always remember and have been blessed to love on and laugh with. We are getting cleaned up and ready for dinner. Eager to see what tomorrow holds and how god is going to use and challenge us.

Things to Pray for:
Rest and Strength as we are working great and long days
For Gods love to be seen in everything that we do.
For our eyes to be open to what god is showing us and for our ears to listen to his still small voice.

We are HERE!

We made it safely here last night and were exhausted so we crashed pretty hard. We are excited to get to experience Haiti today.

Today we will be going and starting some of the construction work. We will be pouring some concrete, all by hand, and prepping the work for the week. We will also get to see the boys!

Pray for safe travels to our boys home, safety while working, and for god to continue to open our hearts and teach us.

Day 6 - Winding Down

Today was our last full day on the construction site. The depot is coming along quickly and will be complete early next week. We have sifted an unbelievable amount of rock, moved lots of block, and carried several buckets of mortar. It has been enjoyable to serve alongside our Haitian brothers as we worked hard on the depot.

We had the opportunity to play hopscotch and soccer with some of the local children this afternoon. It was fun to see the joy on their faces and hear their laughter as we played.

Our time in Haiti is coming to a close. We are ready to see our families and friends, but we will miss the time we've had here.

Thank you all for your prayers. We are looking forward to sharing our stories with you soon. Pray for us as we wrap up our time and begin our journey home.

Day 5

Danny and I sifted more rock today. Preston got promoted to mason apprentice. The construction on the depot is coming along very well. It is such a blessing to see the kids at the school when they come out for recess. They are always happy and smiling. Played soccer with some of the boys. They are much better than us, but it was lots of fun.

- Nathan Evans

Day 4

We all woke up pretty sore from yesterday's work. But when we started back to work on the depot, the feelings of soreness quickly went away. We were able to sift a lot of dirt and move brick for the masons.

After work we walked down to the creek by the boys home. It was good to see some of the beautiful country of Haiti. Pictures don't give the mountains and countryside justice. It is God's creation that you just have to see for yourself.

Pray that we will continue to display Gods glory to the workers and children and for strength to work through the week.

- Preston Smedley

Day 3- Let it begin

Monday was a beautiful day! The weather was pleasant, the air was cool, and we even experienced an afternoon rain storm.

The work is challenging. We spent the entire day sifting rock & sand by hand. It is a tedious job, but it allowed us to talk and fellowship as we worked. We are working right next to the school in Guibert, so at various times of the day we had numerous school children gathering to watch us work.

It is such a blessing to see the impact that the ministry is having on the local community, especially the children. They are so full of joy and hope. God is at work in this place and it is evident on the faces of the people.

Thank you for your continued prayers. Please pray that God will renew our tired bodies and grant us energy for the tasks ahead.

Day 2 - A Day of Worship & Rest

"This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it!". We had a wonderful morning in worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters. Although most of the service was in Creole and we could not understand the words, the presence of The Lord was evident and God was glorified.

This afternoon has been a wonderful time of rest and preparation for the week. We have enjoyed tremendous fellowship with Pastor JeanAlix and his family. We are ready to begin construction on a new depot (storage shed) tomorrow. Once the depot is complete, all the food and construction items used at The Boy's home, school, and surrounding community will have a new "home". This will free up at least two rooms for future classroom expansion at the school.

We are excited about what the Lord has in store for us. Pray that God works beyond our language barrier. Pray that the construction goes well and that all the needed materials are readily available.

Day 1- Travel

We are resting comfortably after a wonderful meal with our friends here in Haiti. Our day of travel was long but good. We made it all the way with no issues or delays and found all of our luggage had arrived with us. While it is often easy to take those things for granted, tonight we thank the Lord for delivering us here safely.

We are looking forward to worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters I. The morning. Pray for Danny as he preaches God's Truth in the morning. Pray for a great week of ministry and that God is glorified in and through us.

Hello sweet friends!

So tomorrow is our last full day here in Haiti. It is so weird that VBS is over, but I know that God used us to plant seeds in the hearts of these sweet kids this week. Today was a really fun day because we reviewed everything we learned this week with the kids and then shared with them the great comission. It was such a precious way to spend our last day with these kiddos.

The rough draft of a plan for tomorrow is that we spend some time with the boys from the home and eating lunch with them. My favorite part of the day tomorrow will be when we give the boys their new shoes. More on that tomorrow...

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Today was the third day of our Haitian VBS. The two prior days built up to the story of Jesus and the plan of salvation. The team went into the day pumped up and prayed up; expectant for God to take our efforts and multiply them as only He can!

Each classroom experienced great success in communicating the story and at the end of the day close to 400 children left knowing that God loved them and Jesus died for their sins. Even the crafts reinforced the story and acted as reminders of a plan for salvation.

The team has continued to bond and grow as a family. We are both excited and saddened by our last day of VBS tomorrow. We hope to go out with a bang!

Today was our second day of VBS and I think we all hit our rhythm. Many children brought their friends, so the rooms were packed full. It was amazing to see children that had gone home and shared what they learned the day before. Even with a language barrier, the message is being received by the kids.

It's hard to believe that we are already halfway done with our trip, but we've only just begun to build relationships with the kids. Tomorrow at VBS we're sharing the story of Jesus!

First VBS

Today was s great first day at VBS! We all had amazing experiences sharing God with the children. Many beautiful children ready to sing, play, and learning about creation and the fall of man. We ended the day with a rainstorm...looking forward to tomorrow. Stay tuned!!!

A Haitian Sabbath

This morning we got to worship with the church in Guibert. We arrived as the boys from the home were still in Sunday school, but as they came out we were met with smiles, embraces, and even some happy yells as the returning members of our group reunited with old friends. As we participated in worship with our friends, we were separated by language but connected by our father. Songs like "we exalt thee" in Creole rang through the air, passing through lifted hands and dancing bodies.

We spent the rest of our Sabbath resting and preparing for the VBS in the morning. All our supplies are organized and ready for the day leading the students in lessons, games, songs and crafts.

It has been a beautiful day in Haiti. Tomorrow will be spent with the kids.

Travel Day

Today was full of airports and plane rides. Once we finally got to Haiti though, we were able see some sights on our drive to the Pastors house. The newcomers were surprised by the beauty of the land and the amazing Haitian gardens.

After getting to the house we had a wonderful dinner! Everyone was caught off guard by the delicious food. Even though it's not even 9 pm yet, we are all so exhausted and ready for bed.

Tomorrow we will attend Haitian church and enjoy the sabbath by preparing for our four day VBS! Be praying everything goes smoothly.

Our final day

Wow. What an incredible day. We started off the day as tourists. We got to drive around town and do some souvenir shopping. It was a lot of fun. We got some cool stuff, but it was exhausting. We came back to the girls home, and had a quick macaroni and cheese lunch. We prepped for vbs and headed out for our final day of vbs. The kids were so excited to see us. We had total of 2,100 kids in attendance. The rooms were packed. We had 3-5 people per desk... It was crazy, but glory was brought to god. We told them about how they need to go and tell the good news of Jesus. Some made crafts of megaphones and tambourines. After vbs ended we had a service that the children invited there families to. However, the rain clouds decided to flood Ferrier. It started raining and didn't stop until recently. The rain kept many people away, but some braved the weather. We sat in the tin roof church with no power as the rain pounded down. After a while we had a short service: a message, singing, and prayer. Then we ventured home. They planned something special for us for dinner. We all ate together. Yes, 50+ people ate in one room. It was amazing. Such a sweet moment, everyone mixed together for our last supper. We were then blessed with the opportunity to pray for them and then they prayed for us. The sound of English and creole crying out to god sent chills through my spine. It was an amazing experience. We have slowly started the process of saying goodbye. It is a sad process... Pray for us as we continue to say goodbye and transition back to life in the US. Pray for safe travel. Pray for our Haitian friends who will continue the work here.

Our God Is great!

Thank you Jesus for the rain! We woke up this morning to very wet ground with more rain falling from the sky. The crops in this area were close death, so we were praising along with the Haitians for the rain. Even though we were thankful for the rain and cool weather, we weren't able to continue painting outside. Instead we did chores around the home for the girls. We quickly became very grateful for their hospitality throughout the week. We washed all of the dishes (a lot of them), washed sheets, and cleaned windows. It was a long morning.

After that the fun stuff began, today was the salvation story at VBS. We were able to tell the story of Jesus' sacrifice to roughly 800 children! We had several kids accept Jesus as their Savior today and it was a beautiful sight to see. Also, watching the children worship in song was so sweet and heart warming. We came home to many happy and hyper girls! Our next two hours consisted of dancing, hair braiding, clapping, duck duck goose, and keep away games. We may have been dripping sweat by the time dinner came around, but it was more than worth it. We made so many fun memories during that time!

We have been so blessed to have these beautiful and sweet girls to share a home and play time with. As of now we are under the stars dancing our hearts out to Jesus music.

Please pray for us tomorrow, as we will be encouraging the kids to share Jesus with others and as it is our final full day in Haiti.

June 1st: An Amazing Day

Today we woke up for an early breakfast and went right to work. Half of the group continued painting the windows and while the other half sorted through crafts and decided how to redo the crafts to fit our huge number. After such a crazy day yesterday we readjusted our plans and split the children up by ages. This way worked extremely well. Today was all about how God cares for us. We told the story of the great Samaritan and made a craft that went along with the story. We sang great songs consisting of Hallelujah Praise the Lord and other simple songs explaining Gods care. So todays vbs was a huge success and God was definitely glorified. After vbs we returned to the compound and jeff taught the older girls several praise songs in English and they also learned in creole. Listening to the girls worship was such a beautiful sound. tomorrow we will be sharing the story of Christ to anywhere from 600 to 1500 children. Please pray that God would speak through each leader and translator and that his words would be extremely clear and well perceived. Pray for rosna (the church children's minister) as she follows up with the children who will make the biggest decisions of their lives tomorrow. I have high hopes that tomorrow will be even greater than today!

Day 1&3

Words cannot describe our experience up to this point. Our travel to Haiti was long. We left Sunday and made it to Miami where we had an overnight stay. We left Monday morning at 4am to board our 30 person flight to Cap Hatian. The flight was an experience for all of us. As the plane began the descent we caught our first glimpse of Haiti. It was beautiful. We landed and then waited 2 hours for our luggage to get there. We packed up the trucks and got on the road to Ferrier which will be our home for the next week. As we pulled through the gate we were greeted by smiling kids who just hugged and loved on us. The rest of the day was spent preparing for our vbs. We got to go on our tour and see the girls home, school and the church. We were able to spend some amazing time in prayer as a group. Our voices filled the church, it was amazing. We came back and had dinner and then crashed. We woke up this morning and painted some of the doors and windows at our girls home. It looks so nice. After lunch we got our Vbs supplies together and headed to the church. When we got there we had a huge crowd waiting for us. We had originally planned the vbs for 300 kids, last week that number was changed to 700. Well, today god had different plans. In the midst of rain, we had over 1500 kids attend. It was crazy. We were in no way prepared for this many, but flexibility was key. Everyone stepped up and served above and beyond. It was crazy and chaotic but we managed to get through. There was some discouragement, but we know that despite our desire for perfection glory was brought to god and that His will was done. We regrouped and headed back to the girls home where we had another amazing meal waiting for us. We ate dinner followed by team time and replanning our vbs. We are being stretched and god is doing some amazing things. Continue to pray for our group. Pray or us to know how to handle these large crowds. Pray for our communication. Pray for us to love harder. Pray for gods will to be done.

Btw today is Molly's 22nd birthday and she said spending it with 1500 kids and doing crafts is the best!

Magalie The M.D.

Magalie Surling

Magalie was one of the first eight children in our home in Guibert, Haiti. She came to us as a three-month old baby, malnourished and near death. She fought a courageous battle to survive and, with the help of God and a loving staff totally dedicated to Haiti's children, grew stronger and stronger with each passing day.

By the time Magalie began school, the effects of malnutrition and abuse began to be replaced by her devotion to Jesus and His miraculous provision of health and unconditional love, administered through our staff at the Spirit of Truth Home in Guibert. Magalie blossomed as she learned more and more about the uncoditional love of the Savior who made a commitment to those who would "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness...". Magalie decided that she wanted to become a doctor and give her life to the heling of bodies, just as her Messiah had done for her.

This weekend, she will be graduating from Universidad Technologica de Santiago (UTESA), a Medical School in the Dominican Republic. Upon the completion of her studies she will return to Haiti to be the only medical professional for about 60,000 people in the far Northeast region.

We are so proud and excited for Magalie and her accomplishment! Please be in prayer for this lovely young woman and her ministry as a doctor in Haiti. We look forward to see the people God will touch through her.

Last day in Haiti

Today was the team's last work day. The men continued to dig a hole and the women organized a storage room. We spent the afternoon playing with the kids and practicing our creole. It was so neat to see how joyful the kids were despite circumstances and how eager they were to teach us. It was bittersweet because we were bonding with the kids, but we also knew that it was our last day to be with them. It was hard for all of us to say goodbye, but we know that as brothers and sisters in Christ we will see each other again. We have all been challenged and changed this week and these memories will stay with us for a very long time.

A beautiful day in Haiti

The pace of things was a little different today in what we did. Our team split up into two groups again. One group stayed at the missions house and continued to work by digging a hole and moving rocks. As far as workload went, it was much slower, but still productive.

The other part of our group went on a hike to a nearby village to put more plaques up on new houses. It was cool to be in the midst of nature and see Haiti from a perspective that we (or at least I, Landra) haven't seen yet. As we walked I was reminded of how beautiful our God creates and how much he must love us to want us to enjoy such incredible sights. On our journey we put plaques up at five newly built homes. The gratitude that the people showed us because we had come and hung something up was amazing. It was truly humbling to be a part of such an awesome experience.

After lunch the team all went and played with the school kids at recess. We sang songs and fellowshipped with them. It makes you feel pretty good when there are kids just tugging on you wanting all of your attention because they are excited that you are there.

From there, the men on the team went down and worked for a while longer digging and moving rocks. The girls went up around the school and spent time with the kids as they got out of school for the day.

Today was amazing and it's so evident that God is at work here everyday. Please continue to pray for us as we wind up the week. It's going to be hard to say goodbye tomorrow to everyone (it's the last day we will be in Guibert). The love that fills this place is wonderful and it's encouraging to see the body all working together to glorify the Lord on a day to day basis. As we get ready to leave we know what true joy looks like now, if we didn't already, and for that we are thankful.

Finished foundation

Day after the cement....more like day after the battle of the buckets. We all woke up with questions. Questioning if we would be able to move our arms. Questioning if the blisters would prevent us from doing more work. Questioning if we would give 110% again. Arriving in Guibert wiped away any doubt from our minds. The foundation was complete. The Haitian's smiles were beautiful. And the scars on our hands were for all intents and purposes healed with the joy that welled-up once again unfailingly. We split into two groups again today. Jeff's group helped flatten out the land for the porch of the mission house. Jen's group hiked throughout the town of Guibert hanging plaques on the houses that we built through Hope and the Haitian church. The plaques read the verses from Acts and Revelation 3:20 and the faces on the families read hope. After a lunch of hot dogs, fried roots, and meat pies we got back to work. Teams Jeff and Jen reunited for passing bricks assembly line style. Once all the bricks were gone, the team got their first real afternoon to play with the boys. In my opinion "ou vle jewe" are the three most beautiful words in the creole language. They translate "do you want to play", but most importantly they orchestrate something that transcends all language barriers- basketball and soccer, Haitian's vs. Blancs(the name the Haitians give to white people). Both games ended in a tie. Once again, dinner was amazing and we spent the night playing games and sharing about our days.

Buckets and sore muscles

Oh how Americans take things for granted... Today was the day we poured the foundation on the mission house. However, Haitian foundation and American foundation are very different because in Haiti everything is done by hand. Some of the Haitian men mixed and shoveled concrete while a few of them and us created a long assembly line. All day long we passed heavy buckets to one another. We will never take another concrete truck for granted! Little did we know, buckets after buckets were tearing our hands, stomachs, legs, and forearms up. As we all settled down for lunch we inspected our wounds. Even though they were bad, they were easily forgotten when lunch arrived. We were treated to the best chicken wings imaginable, along with french fries, fried plantains, and a spicy onion, pepper mix. The second half of the day went smoothly. The boys did incredible, working like true Haitians while the girls mastered the art of bucket throwing. As the clock neared four, we finished our work with only a small corner of foundation left. Stepping back and looking at how much has been done, it was evident that we could not have done that without God. Even though we were hurting and tired, the smiles were stuck on our faces. The team got home and began the washing process. Quickly it became apparent that the cement, well, was cemented to us. The team was treated to another delicious meal, and a special treat because today was chloe's birthday! The night ended with team meeting and contagious laughter. It seems like we never cease to have fun together.

Rocks and roofs

Today was an incredible day for Jeff and his team of the "tall ones" (Amanda, Bret, Clay, Kristen, and Taylor). We had the opportunity to roof a house for a family! We started off with a great system... for the first five minutes. The pastor working with us said that a battery was dead for our drill. No problem though because we had 6. Well, they didn't work either. Jeff and Clay headed back to the boys home to try to find batteries. While they were gone a few of us had the opportunity to meet two ladies and their one year old baby. Through broken signs and a minimum English, it turned out the lady was pregnant during the earthquake and her roof collapsed. Luckily, it was their house we roofed. They were so excited to get out of the single shack house that five of them lived in. As Jeff and Clay approached the house it was apparent that they had no batteries. Instead, the girls learned how to use a hand drill and hand saw. Not fun... But shortly after lunch we finished the roof and had the opportunity to pray for the family in their own house. The smiles on their faces can not even be expressed in words. The group then packed up and hand carried the tools and 4 sheets of metal to the boys home. It was an awesome experience to give a family their own home, something none of us will ever forget.

The other half of the team spent the day shoveling and moving rocks. As the construction on the missionary apartment is getting ready to have the foundation poured, there was 2 large piles of rocks and dirt that needed to be moved away. Also, we needed to dig down about 4 feet around the front of the house that will be a porch for the apartment. As we began moving the rocks we only had our hands and 1 bucket. So, we got to work. After about 15 minutes Jean Alix Paul brought us 3 more shovels and about 6 buckets. Needless to say work went much quicker after that! We worked alongside a couple of other Haitian workers that put us to shame but, as a group we worked extremely hard. The work was monotonous and dirty but I know for me (Evan) that God really humbled me through the work that has absolutely no pay out for me. Every day we spend here, we become more and more respectful of the Haitian people and culture and enjoy spending time every minute we can with them!

Pray for us tomorrow as we will hand pour the foundation.

Pray that our sore muscles will be healed in the morning

Pray for continued relationships.

The sabbath

Today was a day of new experiences for a lot of us. Half the team started off their morning waiting for a plane in miami at 7:45am after daylight savings had occurred and the other half started off their morning getting ready for church and expecting to arrive back home to meet the rest of the team. We were all saddened by the fact that half our team would miss the only Haitian church service we would see. Oh how sweet it is to trust in Jesus, because the Lord proved his faithfulness once more! Haiti does not participate in daylight savings, so the time did not change for us. That means that the team leaving from Miami were actually leaving an hour early and were able to make it to Haiti for the church service! How awesome is the Lord? Woohoo!

The service was held in Creole, which is not the native tongue of anyone on the team. This gave many on the team to witness and experience the Spirit through seeing the actions of the Haitians worshipping and their unashamed love for Christ and service in the body. Our team was also able to see a housing dedication. Several families in the church had homes that were destroyed in the earthquake a year ago and through Hope's connection with the church, they were able to assist in building homes for them. It was neat to see the body of Christ come together and build homes for each other. We were also able to meet the boys in the orphanage and get to know them and learn Creole from them. It was a beautiful experience and many of us will keep the things we witnessed in this church with us for a long time.

Sunday as the Sabbath is taken seriously in Haiti, which means that it is a day of complete rest. It was different for some of us, because we aren't used to doing absolutely nothing for a whole day on a mission trip. It was a wonderful day as we had the opportunity to bond and rest and prepare for tomorrow. We anticipate a long day ahead, but we know that the Lord sustains and keeps us strong.

When we all get to Haiti...

Our trip has been an adventure so far! As of Saturday night, 9 of our team members are in Haiti! They flew into Port-au-Prince, picked up all of our bags, and got in the tap-tap for a bumpy trip up to Pastor Jean Alix’s house. They’ve spent their afternoon playing games and had an amazing supper with the Paul family.

A little further away, in Miami, are 5 of our team members… They weren’t able to get seat assignments on the horribly overbooked flight, so they’ve spent the day working out their next travel plans. They are now booked on the 7:45 flight in the morning and will soon be joining the rest of the team.

Tomorrow is going to be a wonderful day… it’s Sunday in Haiti! Haitian church is one of the most beautiful things to be a part of and tomorrow’s celebration is going to be extra special. We are having a house dedication service for 10 of the homes that we’ve helped rebuild. We will hand over the keys to the families and have a time of prayer for them. It will be a great opportunity to remind them of the reason that we do what we do!

Pray for our team to adjust well to Haiti. Pray that we embrace every part of our experiences and have great attitudes. Pray that the Lord would use us in great and mighty ways.

Please pray for our team members that are still in Miami. Pray that they will make the early flight and not have any more issues with getting bumped off of the flights.

Pray for the church service tomorrow. Pray that the Lord would be glorified in the house dedications and through our worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters.

Sunday in Haiti!

Our last day in Haiti has been bittersweet. We are so excited to see you guys and share with you the things the Lord has done this week, but we are also sad to leave our new friends.

We woke up and headed to worship with 350 of our closest Haitian friends. The church was filled with the Holy Spirit and it was sweet to worship with people so different from ourselves. It was humbling to see people who have nothing by the world's standards, worship with everything they have... After spending much time singing praises to the Lord, Danny got up and preached about faith. He encouraged the believers to live out their faith in a radical way. It was a very powerful message and was very well received. We ended the service in a time of prayer for people who came forward with a need.

The remainder of the day has been spent in rest and fellowship with our team and the Paul family. We had a great final team meeting, and have packed up all of our things to leave in the morning.

Please pray for us as we leave Haiti. Although we will be gone, we will leave a piece of our hearts here. Pray that we will have safe travels. We cant wait to see you guys. Thanks for your continued prayers.

Our last workday!

Our last workday was a huge success!

Our team travelled to house #6 and got to work. In a matter of hours, they finished a house for a family of four. They were also able to teach several young men how to put on metal roofs! When they finished, the Haitians sang a blessing over the house and we prayed for the family. It was an incredible sound!

Dan, Andy, and Jen went to visit Village Madam Bellizaire and Village Canes. They are neighboring villages in a very primitive area in Haiti. Combined, there are 180 families with an average 6 people each. There are only about 80 homes for all of these people. The Lord is preparing for great and mighty things in these villages...

Pray for us to know what our ministry's part in His work in these two villages is.

Pray for the church service tomorrow. Haitian worship services are always wonderful. Pray that we would be able to fully worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for Danny, who is preaching tomorrow, that he would boldly preach the word the Lord has given him.

Pray for our team as we say our goodbyes tomorrow to the people we have ministered to and alongside of this week. It will be difficult for us to say goodbye.

This has been a wonderful week. The Lord has done some amazing things and we cant wait to get home to share stories with you. Thank you for your prayers.

Another great day!

Today was another great day. We split up into two different teams, again: dental clinic and construction team.

When we arrived on the compound we heard beautiful singing coming from the church. Jean alix told us that it was all of the school children singing in their weekly Friday worship service. We were planning on going to each of the classrooms teaching about tooth brushing, which would have taken all morning. Instead, since all of the children were already together in one place, we were able to teach all of the children at once. It was really sweet! We were able to give each child a toothbrush and toothpaste or mouthwash. Since we finished our main task for the day, we were able to start seeing patients. We finished the cleanings on all our boys and began working on the school staff and church members.

The construction team helped out at the mission hose. They spent hours moving handmade blocks from the truck, to the ground to the masons stack for the walls. The masons were very appreciative of their help and willingness to work hard.

Tomorrow is our last workday. One team is going to build house #6, while some will stay behind and inventory all of the supplies. Please pray for all of us tomorrow to finish our tasks strong. We will also get a little time in the afternoon to play with our boys. Pray that we would use our playtime wisely and encourage our kids to love the lord with all of their hearts.

Thank you so much for the prayers!

Day 4

Today was another wonderful day. We woke up early, and started our day with pancakes and coffee. Once we got to our ministry complex, we again split ways. One of our teams returned to the two homes that were framed yesterday and added the tin roof. They were able to pray with the families after their homes were finished. Another team went to LaGrenei and framed and roofed house #5. The others continued on in the dental clinic. They finished up the last of the boys with more significant needs and started on some of the church members. Pray for the team tomorrow as they decide what to do for the next few days. The homes that the building team was planning on working on aren't ready for roofs, yet. Pray that we would be intentional in everything we do, with everyone we meet. Pray that the Lord would use us to show His love to those who have never experienced it before.

Day 4

Today was another wonderful day. We woke up early, and started our day with pancakes and coffee. Once we got to our ministry complex, we again split ways. One of our teams returned to the two homes that were framed yesterday and added the tin roof. They were able to pray with the families after their homes were finished. Another team went to LaGrenei and framed and roofed house #5. The others continued on in the dental clinic. They finished up the last of the boys with more significant needs and started on some of the church members. Pray for the team tomorrow as they decide what to do for the next few days. The homes that the building team was planning on working on aren't ready for roofs, yet. Pray that we would be intentional in everything we do, with everyone we meet. Pray that the Lord would use us to show His love to those who have never experienced it before.

Day 3

Today was a great day. We were able to accomplish so much! We split up into two groups: roofing houses and dental clinic. So far, the construction team has completely roofed two houses and have another two framed, ready to be finished tomorrow. The dental team saw several more of the boys from the home. They have almost completed all of the more serious work that needed to be done, and will finish it up tomorrow and move on to school children and staff.

The Lord has provided for our team in many ways. The dental team was able to find medicine they needed for some of the infections they have seen. The construction team continues to build relationships with home owners and volunteer workers. The Lord is working... It's amazing to see!

Please continue to pray for us. Pray for strength and endurance as we begin to feel overworked. Pray that the Lord would give us the desire to serve Him and those around us, even when we don't feel like it. Pray for each of our teams. Pray that the construction team will have all of the tools and supplies they need to finish the roofs. Pray for wisdom for the dental team to know what direction to go after they finish with the boys home children.

Thank you guys so much for your prayers.

Roofs, Rocks, and Removing Teeth

Today was our first workday and it was wonderful! We headed to the boys home complex at 730, and came up with a game plan. We divided our group into 3 teams: home building, mission house crew, and a dental clinic.

Our home builders were able to frame two houses today, alongside of the new home owners. They were able to not only help build their home, but also share the love of Christ with the owners and builders.

The mission house crew was working to clear rocks out of the way so that the foundation can be poured. They then started laying rebar so that tomorrow they will be able to pour the foundation.

Our dental team was able to assess the dental needs of all of the boys in our home. Then, all of the boys were given a hygiene class, with their new toothbrush and toothpaste. We were able to work on five of the kids who had the most significant needs and will continue on to the rest tomorrow.

Please pray for each of our teams. Pray for safety and wisdom for our construction teams. Pray for wisdom for our dental team to know how to best help the children of Guibert. Pray for all of us to stay focused on the most important task, showing the Love of Christ.

Day one- 2-21-11

Today has been a long travel day. We left the Hope office this morning at 3:30 and finally arrived at Jean Alix's home around6:30. Weary and hungry, we sat down to our first of many amazing meals with the Paul family.
Tomorrow we are breaking up into three ministry teams. One will be putting roofs on 7 houses, one will work on the mission house, and one will be doing a dental clinic for the children in our boys home and our 370 school kids.
Pray for us as we start our first work day. Pray for the leaders of each of our teams. Pray for safety for each of us and patience as we learn how to work together and alongside of those who speak a different language. Pray that our hearts would be sensitive to the needs of those around us and that we would be intentional in sharing Christ's love in everything we do!

Remembering Haiti

Friends of Haiti,

As you know, we have reached the one year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Jan 12^th, 2010. Jean Alix called this morning and asked that we pray for the people of Haiti. He said that today is going to be an extremely hard day for the entire nation…. Please continue to pray for our Haitian brothers and sisters. Pray that this day would not be one of mourning, but of restoration in the Lord: in a God of HOPE. Pray for the many Haitian churches that are reaching out to the lost and broken, that they would be able to share the Love and Hope that can only come from Him. Pray that the “God of refuge and strength” will lift up the broken hearted. Pray that the Lord will, “turn their mourning into gladness, and give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow” (Jeremiah 31:13b).

On the news, all that is being shared is the message of defeat and brokenness in Post-earthquake Haiti. I wanted to remind you, in the midst of such negativity, of the joyous amount of HOPE that I’ve experienced. I was in Haiti over New Year’s and have several encouraging stories to share.

1.) Dec 31^st marked the end of the “40 Days of Prayer” event that the Guibert church had been participating in. Because of that, and New Year’s Eve, we had a HUGE celebration that lasted from 6pm on Dec 31^st to 5:00am on New Year’s Day. This celebration was the most amazing thing I have ever been a part of… and it was just that: a CELEBRATION of what the Lord had done 2010. We literally danced in the New Year, before the Lord, with 300 of our closest Haitian friends! For the first 45 minutes of the year, we spent time in prayer, thanking the Lord for the past year and praying with anticipation for what he has in store for 2011. It was beautiful to watch these people, who had experienced such a traumatic year, worshipping and on their faces before the Lord, thanking Him in the midst of their pain and suffering.

2.) In previous years, my experiences of Haiti have mainly been with our boys and girls in our homes, some of our school children and a few church members. But because of the earthquake, we have been able to get outside of our “typical” ministry sites, and go into the community and create relationships there. As of today, we have helped build 34 homes in our villages! That means we now know of 34 families (ranging in size of 2-25), with whom we have worked side-by-side, building them homes. During the New Year service, I began to notice how many faces I recognized… began to put faces with names and houses… began to match the school children with their parents. And these were people who were LEADING in the service: leading the group prayer, singing solos, reading scripture! The Lord encouraged my heart with this visual of how much of an impact our ministry is having on the community as a whole. We have been able to serve the leaders in the church, and walk alongside them in their ministry, encouraging them as we go!

3.) Ronald is a 10 year old boy who was abused and forced to beg on the streets of Petionville. The Lord brought Ronald to our boys’ home on Jan 11^th, 2010. On the next day, the streets where Ronald roamed, were shaken and covered in the debris from all of the buildings that collapsed that day. If Ronald hadn’t been lovingly taken off of these streets, the day before, he would have been crushed by the rubble. When I met Ronald, 10 days later, he was a broken little boy, with no hope or joy in his eyes. He had never been to school, had never been loved. Over this past year, I have seen him develop into a beautiful child. He is no longer the broken shell of a boy I met at the beginning of the year… he now has the hope and joy of the Lord in his heart! When he was sitting by me at the New Year’s celebration, a few weeks ago, he took the pen out of my journal and wrote his name in cursive on his hand, so proud to show me how well he is doing in school. He wrote out all of his numbers, 1-120, in my journal, along with many other words. In that moment, I was overwhelmed with the Lord’s protection and Divine plan for his life! He has come so far in just one year, and I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for him in the future!

I wanted to share these stories of HOPE with you, to let you know that the Lord is doing amazing things in our midst. He has used you this year to go, pray, and give to the work that He is continually doing. We would not be able to have our ministry without people like you who give, so that others can see the love of Christ in action. You have been responsible for sharing Christ with hundreds of people this year, who have been devastated by tragedy. Most importantly, each one of the people we’ve assisted knows the help comes from Christians, who love the Lord.

Thank you for sacrificially giving to our ministry. Please continue to pray for the people of this beautiful nation.

Jen Sutton

Day 7

Haiti Day 7- 1-2-11

Today was our last full day in Haiti. We woke up and went to church with our Haitian friends. It is so good to get to worship with them and see what it is like to worship in spirit and truth. They asked us to sing a song on very short notice. It was alot of fun. After church we got to hang out with the boys for one last time. All of them were wearing the sunglasses they got for christmas. We began the hard process of saying goodbye. It was hard because in such a short time god has really impacted our lives and theirs. After goodbyes and hugs were shared we went back to the house where we had a birthday party for Stephen Sarah and Ryan. They had decorated the house with balloons and streamers and we had purchased a cake. We shared a great meal together and enjoyed the cake. After dinner we hung out for a while, played football and sang songs. We were able to pray for the pastor and his family which was a really sweet moment. We had our last team time and processed what all had happened this week. Our eyes were opened to new things and our hearts are broken. But god is good and is teaching each of us new things. We ended the night with encouragement and prepared to leave. Tomorrow we leave...

Pray for our transition back to life in America and for our hearts.

Day 6

Haiti Day 6- 1-1-11

Wow. Words cannot describe our experience. Last night we took part in a Haitian celebration of the new year and the end of 40 days of prayer. We had worked a long day, but it was far from over. We left the house before 8pm and arrived at the church and orphanage. The program had already begun, but our boys were in their rooms so we went and saw them. They greeted us so warmly. Our necks were hugged and checks were kissed. We then went in and joined the service. The only way to describe the service was true and genuine worship. They sang with their whole hearts, danced around the room, let out cries of praise, and read scriptures. It was do great to be apart of this. They took a short break and passed out coffee and tea at 11pm, and then started back up. There were many people who sang solos and group numbers. Our group got to perform as well...it was awesome! The night ended at 4:00am when they served pumpkin soup. Not necessarily what we wanted. We then waited for our ride to show up. We eventually got home at 5:25am where we crashed. We slept til noon then went to the boys home. We got to hang out, play sports and practice english. We brought 2 special treats for them. The first was s'mores. They loved them and had marhmallows all over them and us. The second was a Christmas present. Each of the boys got a bag of goodies which included a bible, sunglasses, a toy car and more. They loved them and it was a blessing to get to give it to them. We are now back at the house for dinner and some team time before bed. We get to go to church tomorrow and spend a little more time with the boys.

Pray for us to finish strong. Pray for our hearts to be prepared to leave Haiti and come back to Texas. Pray for knowledge and wisdom of what to do with the experiences we have had here.

Day 5

Haiti Day 5-12-31-10

It is really weird to think we are spending new years eve in Haiti. However it has been a great day. We went back to Marotierre at 745 this morning and finalized our painting with as much paint as we had and cleaned the school. We ran out of the wall color and were not able to get as many coats as we would have liked, but it looks a ton better. As we left Marotierre we rejoiced because we had finished our task and cleaned the school, but were sad because we would not return. On our walk back up the mountain, we passed out dum dums to everyone that we passed. It brought smiles to everyones faces, and made us pretty popular people. After Marotierre we went to a restaurant where we ate lunch and went shopping out in the market. We allgot some good stuff. After this we took a nap, because we have a long night ahead...

Day 4

Haiti day 4- 12-30-10

Today was a great day. It has been a lot of fun and we are very tired. We worked extremely hard at the school and almost finished. But we have a few touch ups and a lot of cleaning to do. Our team worked very well together and we have had a lot of fun getting to know each other. Our Haitian friends taught us some songs in creole. All in all a good day.

Pray for us to complete the work on th school tomorrow. Pray as we attend and participate in a new years eve celebration service that starts at 6pm and goes til 4am...pray for our hearts as we will have to begin preparations to leave and come back to Texas.