The mission of Hope For The Hungry is to "Share the Bread of Life with a Starving World". God has called us to serve people who suffer from hunger that is both spiritual and physical. According to scriptural mandate, we offer food for the body and salvation for the spirit to those who do not know Jesus Christ and will suffer eternal death without Him.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Heading Home

After an extremely long day of travels we are back in the states. There are 3 more flights and a 45 min drive to get home and we are all ready to be there. This past week has been amazing. We have all been grown and stretched by  God. We were able to meet and share love with 33 boys in the orphanage, had 350+ kids attend VBS and hear all about God's promises, and we made countless connections and relationships on the community. We were able to pass out shoes and backpacks from UMHB's Sole to Soul program which was an amazing honor and blessing. It has been a great week and we were able to accomplish so much, but the need is still great. If you want to help this cause go to www.hopeforthehungry.org and see all the different ways you can help or even come and experience Haiti firsthand!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Saying Goodbye

Today was our last full day here in Haiti.  Today we went to the boys home and handed out their gifts and school supplies and said and our last goodbyes not knowing if we will ever see them again, however seeing their beautiful faces was encouraging and seeing their expressions when we gave them their backpacks and shoes was amazing. These kids have made such an impact in all of our life's it was an honor to be able to meet them. We hope to see them again soon. Pray for us as we leave and transition back into life in the US. Pray for the friends and relationships that we made this week. Pray for safe travels.

Saying Goodbye

Today was our last full day here in Haiti.  Today we went to the boys home and handed out their gifts and school supplies and said and our last goodbyes not knowing if we will ever see them again, however seeing their beautiful faces was encouraging and seeing their expressions when we gave them their backpacks and shoes was amazing. These kids have made such an impact in all of our life's it was an honor to be able to meet them. We hope to see them again soon. Pray for us as we leave and transition back into life in the US. Pray for the friends and relationships that we made this week. Pray for safe travels.

Saying Goodbye

Today was our last full day here in Haiti.  Today we went to the boys home and handed out their gifts and school supplies and said and our last goodbyes not knowing if we will ever see them again, however seeing their beautiful faces was encouraging and seeing their expressions when we gave them their backpacks and shoes was amazing. These kids have made such an impact in all of our life's it was an honor to be able to meet them. We hope to see them again soon. Pray for us as we leave and transition back into life in the US. Pray for the friends and relationships that we made this week. Pray for safe travels.

Saying Goodbye

Today was our last full day here in Haiti.  Today we went to the boys home and handed out their gifts and school supplies and said and our last goodbyes not knowing if we will ever see them again, however seeing their beautiful faces was encouraging and seeing their expressions when we gave them their backpacks and shoes was amazing. These kids have made such an impact in all of our life's it was an honor to be able to meet them. We hope to see them again soon. Pray for us as we leave and transition back into life in the US. Pray for the friends and relationships that we made this week. Pray for safe travels.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

True Hope

Last day of VBS... A remarkable week of blessings, laughter, tears, visiting old friends and making new ones!  You can be certain that God has been and will continue to bless the work of Pastor Jean-Alix Paul and Spirit-of-Truth Ministries as our team returns to our own homes and families.  Today was a celebration of all that our VBS kids have learned through the course of this exciting week! Over 300 kiddos filled the Church to share memory verses and songs and to once again bless our team with smiling faces and joyful noises!  And as we say goodbye, we are certain that the seeds of the Gospel of Christ have been planted in the hearts and minds of the young people of Guibert and that God has great things in store for them! Pray for the kids to know the truth of Christ. Pray for our boys tomorrow as they receive their backpacks and shoes from UMHB's Sole to Soul event. Pray for us as we say goodbye and prepare to leave.

True Hope

Last day of VBS... A remarkable week of blessings, laughter, tears, visiting old friends and making new ones!  You can be certain that God has been and will continue to bless the work of Pastor Jean-Alix Paul and Spirit-of-Truth Ministries as our team returns to our own homes and families.  Today was a celebration of all that our VBS kids have learned through the course of this exciting week! Over 300 kiddos filled the Church to share memory verses and songs and to once again bless our team with smiling faces and joyful noises!  And as we say goodbye, we are certain that the seeds of the Gospel of Christ have been planted in the hearts and minds of the young people of Guibert and that God has great things in store for them! Pray for the kids to know the truth of Christ. Pray for our boys tomorrow as they receive their backpacks and shoes from UMHB's Sole to Soul event. Pray for us as we say goodbye and prepare to leave.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

True Love

Today was the third day of VBS. It was great to see the kids all excited about today's story. It was also great to see the new faces in the classrooms. We taught aboutJesus' true love, His crucifixion and salvation.  As we work with the kids, they are so encouraging. Their smiles penetrate my heart. We pray they not only hear the stories we're teaching but truly understand the power of God.  So far,  after hearing their stories, We believe God is moving in a mighty way, in their lives.                                                                                                  Please continue to pray for our team as we work with all the children tomorrow...our last day of VBS. The mission trip is coming to an end, but God's word will continue to be here in Haiti.                                                               Father God, thank you for allowing us to  come to Gubiert. Thank you for  all the children who have embraced us and welcomed us in their lives. We pray for each one of them and their family. May their hearts be full of Your love and they continue to have the peace that only You can give.  May tomorrow be as encouraging (and more), just as the other days were. Thank you for Your wonderful works, in Jesus' name, amen.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

God's Promise: true riches

Another great day at vbs. The kids are amazing, they memorize all the verses and recite them like it's nothing. It really is phenomenal. They aren't afraid to get up and say the verses on their own either. The older boys kind of act like they're too cool, but I can definitely see a change in trust as they are starting to come around more.  Pray for us as we have reached the halfway point. Pray for our hearts and emotions. Pray as our VBS continue to grow. Tomorrow we will share the story of Jesus and the cross. Pray for the kids hearts and for us to truly communicate this blessing. Pray for us to continue to love and serve.

Monday, July 23, 2012

God's Promises- True Peace... 300 kids!

First day of Vacation Bible School...Haiti style!  Truly an amazing day learning, worshiping and praying with our Haitian friends of all ages!  These kids love to learn and it shows through their energy and enthusiasm!  Their overwhelming desire to be loved and to show love to others is an inspiration to our entire group.  We had well over 300 students and at least 40-50 adults and older students helping.  We learned songs, bible verses and shared stories in both French-Creole and English.  We sang, danced, laughed and had a blast.  As he so often does, God took every fear and anxiety each of us was feeling and transformed those human inadequacies into a profitable and glorious day and truly brought honor and glory to himself as he worked through each of us to share the love of Christ!   One if our team members "Granny" Strange announces the birth of a new Grandson named Silas Sila Strange.  He weighed in at an unbelievable 12 lbs. and measured 21 inches.  Both Mother and child are doing well!   Thank you for prayers already offered and for your ongoing intercession for the entire team!  Blessings to each if you! Continue to pray for our VBS. We are expecting our number to grow throughout the week. Pray for the children to comprehend the promises of god. Pray for our team to continue to grow closer as we serve together.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Amazing day of worship!

 We got to experience church in Haiti today! The worship was amazing. I had no idea what the people were singing because it was in Creole but it was still beautiful. All of the Hatians sang the songs at the top of their lungs and had their hands in the air. There was a man standing in front of me that put both of his hands up and just waved them around the whole time and even danced a couple of times. It was wonderful to see such pure worship from everyone in the building! God was definitely moving. The joy of praising with my Haitian brothers and sisters was overwhelming. PTL! And we have to say that Jeff did a great job on preaching today! And after church we meet with the leaders that are going to be helping us in the VBS this week and we prayed with them which was awesome  even though they prayed in Creole! God still understood! We also got to meet the boys living in the boys home and they were all precious and surely a gift from God. And now that church is over we get to do nothing all day and rest, and prepare ourselves for the following week! Pray for our VBS tomorrow. That we would be wise in sharing and that the 500 kids would be open. Pray for Guinsley, one of our older boys who is taking major exams this week that determine his college placement.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

We are here!

It's been a crazy and long day of travel, but we've finally made it to Haiti! Our time here has made all of the many lines, delayed flights, and running to our gates, well worth it. As we drove to our home for the week, we saw all kinds of new things. There were tons of people in the market and several beggars on the streets, but everyone had smiles on their faces, and everyone looked so happy. We are excited to see what all the Lord has planned for us this week. Here are some things to pray for: - Jeff is preaching tomorrow morning. Pray that the Lord reveals a specific Scripture that needs to be shared with the Guibert church.  - Tomorrow we will meet with all of our VBS helpers for training for the week. Pray that they will catch the vision and be excited about what the Lord is going to do this week. - Pray that we get some good rest tonight from our crazy day of travel and that the Lord would use the Sabbath to rejuvenate us for the week.

We are here!

It's been a crazy and long day of travel, but we've finally made it to Haiti! Our time here has made all of the many lines, delayed flights, and running to our gates, well worth it. As we drove to our home for the week, we saw all kinds of new things. There were tons of people in the market and several beggars on the streets, but everyone had smiles on their faces, and everyone looked so happy. We are excited to see what all the Lord has planned for us this week. Here are some things to pray for: - Jeff is preaching tomorrow morning. Pray that the Lord reveals a specific Scripture that needs to be shared with the Guibert church.  - Tomorrow we will meet with all of our VBS helpers for training for the week. Pray that they will catch the vision and be excited about what the Lord is going to do this week. - Pray that we get some good rest tonight from our crazy day of travel and that the Lord would use the Sabbath to rejuvenate us for the week.

We are here!

It's been a crazy and long day of travel, but we've finally made it to Haiti! Our time here has made all of the many lines, delayed flights, and running to our gates, well worth it. As we drove to our home for the week, we saw all kinds of new things. There were tons of people in the market and several beggars on the streets, but everyone had smiles on their faces, and everyone looked so happy. We are excited to see what all the Lord has planned for us this week. Here are some things to pray for: - Jeff is preaching tomorrow morning. Pray that the Lord reveals a specific Scripture that needs to be shared with the Guibert church.  - Tomorrow we will meet with all of our VBS helpers for training for the week. Pray that they will catch the vision and be excited about what the Lord is going to do this week. - Pray that we get some good rest tonight from our crazy day of travel and that the Lord would use the Sabbath to rejuvenate us for the week.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Our Final Day

Well as our Haiti trip comes to an end so does the miserable feeling of knowing we leave in the morning. This friday sure has been a great one to end on though. Starting the day off we took a trip to Cap Haitian to go check out the souvenir shops they have there. It's amazing  how fast today becomes a "half price day". After a long trip back from Cap Haitian we had lunch as usual. Except today we then got the news that one of our translators wanted to accept Jesus. What amazing things Ferrier has brought this week for everyone around. Once the girls came back from school, we all loaded up and took a trip to fort liberty in route to the beach! It only cost $0.25 per person for an absolutely beautiful beach. The water was so clear that you could see your feet even in deep water. The girls had such a blast and loved every second of it. We had fun too and it was a good break from the hot Haitian days and nights. After beach time we came back and had dinner. After dinner we got to be a part of something really special. We got to pass out the backpacks and shoes that came as a result from UMHB's Sole to Soul event. The smiles on the kids faces were priceless and they all loved their shoes and school supplies. After presenting them with gifts and praying over them we spent the rest of the night hanging out. We built a fire, had smores, and even busted out glow sticks! We have all had an amazing time and god has really moved. It will be hard to say our final goodbyes tomorrow, but we know god has used us this week.  Pray for our translator who accosted Christ. Pray for safe travels back.  Pray for our hearts as we say goodbye. Pray for us to be prepared for the change of US culture and the busy schedules we are going back to. Pray for how we should respond to the way god has moved! Thank you all for the prayers and support. Ask us how our trip was, we really want to share! We love You all!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

True Hope: Final Day of VBS

Today was our final day of VBS. Todays promise was true hope and that God is with us on our journey. We started the morning at our assembly. We taught the kids a new song except today a translator taught them a creole song. It was so sweet being able to sit back and hear the kids worship in their own language. Jeff shared the great commission with the kids and the importance of telling everyone about God. We returned to our rooms for the final time. We made necklaces and Gods eyes with the kids. We told the story of Paul and Silas in prison from Acts 16. As VBS came to a close we said our goodbyes to the children who would not be joining us at the night service. When we returned to the house we ate lunch and just relaxed with the kids all day. We had the sweet opportunity to worship and sing songs with some of the older girls in both English and creole. It was such an encouragement to see the girls and the strong faith that they have and what great examples they are for the younger girls. At 6 we went to the night service. We had around 150 people show up which was a great turnout. We went over our verses for each day and sang a song from each day. It was awesome getting to see the parents worship with their children. Jeff gave a short sermon retouching all of the promises we taught the kids this week. In closing, all of the children came up to the front and we sang our theme verse for the week with the parents. This was such an encouragement because the kids will forever know Heb 10:23 and how true Gods promises are. The families thanked us for teaching their children about God's love for them. Continue to pray for the children and their families that they would know the Lord and for revival in Ferrier. Pray for us as we have our final day in Haiti tomorrow. Pray for us to finish strong and prepare to come home.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

True Love

It has crazy how beautiful Haiti is. Not just the landscape but the people. We have been amazed at how loving and serving they can be. They are up before us serving, cleaning and getting ready for the day, and they are up later than us cleaning and preparing for the next day. Their servant love has really opened our eyes to how we are supposed to love others. It was our third day of VBS and they have been going great. Today we talked about how god promises us true love in Jesus Christ. We were able to share this important truth with the kids, teachers, and translators. And we sent them home with a way to continue to share this with their family. Pray that the kids share this and that many will come to know the true Christ. It is surreal to think that this week is over half way over. Tomorrow is our last day of VBS, and we have really built some  great relationships. We are having a family night tomorrow night when the families of our stud ts will come and we will share with them all that the kids have learned. Pray for the families to have open hearts and for truth to be heard. Thank you all for the prayers and support. Continue to pray for our team. Pray for our hearts as we prepare to leave. Pray for the relationships we have built. Pray for God to continue to move in and through us, to grow us and to break our hearts.

Another great day

Good evening readers. Tuning in live with Rebekah! Today was day 2 of VBS. The theme today was True riches: God provides all our needs. After the children raised the roof with the sound of their sweet Haitian voices they learned today's memory verse Philipians 4:19. It was such an encouragement because all the kids were able to recite yesterday's verse! It was truly a sign of God! With the sound of the recited verse still lingering in the air Jeff began to tell the story of Jesus feeding 5,000. He began with an engaging activity that revealed Haitian children love fish as much as they love chocolate! In the end Jeff captivated the hearts of the children and Jen excused the crowd with a prayer. With the dismissal the children rushed to their classrooms eagerly anticipating the days lesson. God provided wonderfully godly church leaders who took over some of the teaching. Thank you Lord for the blessings. The children (and adults) made paper bag fish to represent the day's story. After a quick recess the children returned to eat a spaghetti lunch.  It warmed the team's hearts to see such thankful children. VBS ended with the children singing and reciting a prayer. The spirit was fully at work today! Without a bump or hiccup the day ran smoothly. God is so good. The team ended the day building deeper relationships with the girls and bonding within the team. Though the heat and the mosquito's have been a struggle for our team, God has immensely blessed us! 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Wow! What a day! The first day of VBS could not have gone any better. The morning started at 5:45 with breakfast served at 6:30. We had  breakfast casserole, toast, and bananas. It was delicious as always! After, we brushed our teeth and headed to start the day! First stop was meeting our teacher, class, and church helpers. The kids  were so excited to see us! It didn't take long for us to hear "blanc, blanc" ringing through the school. Blanc is the creole word for white, so that automatically becomes all of our names. VBS was kicked off by an assembly with all of the grades. Jen introduced the theme of the week and the reason we came all this way to see them. After that, Kristen, Chloe, and Josh taught the kids the song "My God is so big" It was so fun to see them leaning English. They are so eager to get better with their English. Once song was over, Bekah and Taylor taught the theme verse for the week. It is Hebrew 10:23. The verse was followed by Jeff's teaching. He taught the story of Jesus calming the storm. It was important to know that if you trust God, he will provide. The rest of the day was spent in the classrooms. More Bible lessons were taught, crafts were done, songs were sung, and games were played. It was one full but rewarding day! Once the day was through, the team headed back to the home and played with the girls, helped cook, and prepared for the next day. We could not be more excited to see how God provides tomorrow! 

Sunday, May 27, 2012

The Sabbath

Today has been an amazing sabbath.  The morning started off really early, some of us were up as early as 5am... Morning starts when the sun comes up, and tat was right around 5am. We woke up and had breakfast at 7 and were off to church at 8. This was our first experience into Ferrier. We walked out of the girls home and saw the different families and homes that were surrounding us. After a short walk we reached the church and our school, both the location of our VBS. We then spent the next 4 hours worshipping with our Haitian brothers and sisters. It was Mothers day here in Haiti, so they did some special stuff to recognize the mothers. We were then serenaded by a choir and a solo singer. The way haitian people worship is so true and genuine. They just lay everything down and worship the king. Several of the older girls were in the choir and it was great to see them lead out in worship. Jeff had the opportunity to preach and he did an excellent job. He shared about the love of god and how Ephesians Tells us to be rooted and grounded in love. The Haitians really seemed to enjoy it and gave him several "amens." After church we got to spend the rest of the day in sabbath. We just got to hang out and rest. Some played games. Some played in our kammock, and turned it into a swing. But all had amazon conversations and really built relationships with the children here. Tonight we have prepared for VBS. our supplies are ready and we are prayed up, we just have to wait for our kids. Pray for flexablity with our kids and VBS. Pray for our communication and our translators. Pray for relationships to continue and grow.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

First night in Ferrier

It has been an amazing first day in Haiti. We are exhausted from our two days of traveling but are so happy to be here. When we landed I. Haiti we had to wait a little bit before our luggage arrived. As we waited we just took in our new surroundings. Once our luggage was all there we loaded into a van and started our journey to the girls Home and our new home for the week. As we drove an hour we were surrounded with new sights, smells and sounds. It was so much to take in but an amazing experience. As we approached The gate to our girls home we could see and hear the girls on the other side. As we came through the gate they welcomed us and made us feel like we were home. They hugged us and helped us with our bags. Once we got settled in to our rooms we got to spend the rest of the day hanging out. We played games, sang songs, and have spent the night dancing and singing in the dark. It is such a great sound to hear voices praising into the night. There are some things that will take getting used to, like the extremely dry heat. It is in the high 90s with little to no wind. No power and gravity fed water. It is do different here but the people are so full of love. Pray for us as we sleep our first night in Haiti. Pray for our worship experience as we get to go and worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters. pray for Jeff as he has the opportunity to preach tomorrow. We will also meet our teachers and partners for VBS, pray for clear communication and for god to move in a mighty way. We are having an amazing time and appreciate all of the love and prayers from back home. 

Friday, April 20, 2012

Beyond Guibert... Beautiful

Today Pastor Paul took on us a journey beyond the village of Guibert to experience a lot more of Haiti. Our journey began driving through the area now called Canaan. This place now houses hundreds of thousands of displaced families from the earthquake. It is a land of hope and promise for these families but they are starting out at ground level. We then stopped at the memorial honoring the lives of the victims from the 2010 disaster. Our goal was to reach the village of Drouin (pronounced Dwaa). This rice farming village where Pastor Paul first held a crusade 23 years ago. Back then there were 14 witch doctors and today there is one in the community, which we met... playing dominoes. Hope for the Hungry supported the building of the school in Drouin two years ago and today we were honored to see these children learning, smiling and singing. On our way back from Drouin we stopped off at the beach and lunch at a beautiful hotel resort. Our final stop was a mango factory who exports thousands of mangoes to the USA and Canada every year and employees hundreds of Haitians. Haiti is a really beautiful country and our lunch was a pleasant reminder of the beauty of Haiti overlooking the clear blue ocean water. As Americans, we often fail to see the beauty and progress made in Haiti. But over the last week, we have heard and seen that Christ is alive in Haiti and it is beautiful. Please continue to pray, support and join our efforts here in Haiti. Much has been done over the last 30 years, and there is still much to do over the next thirty years.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Courageous

Tonight the end of the day will be the beginning of this blog post. We watched the movie Courageous with the Paul family tonight. After spending a week with these men, there is no doubt they each possess and exercise the courage to walk bold in their faith to trust and seek God with everything. Additionally, after working on the wall today and spending some more time with boys we learned about the agricultural plans Jean Alix has for the families in Guibert. We have seen firsthand the courage Jean Alix walks with in his faith with Christ to lead his people. It is an honor to be a part of a team of men on this trip to join him to help transform the children and families of Haiti for Christ. Blessings.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Shoes

Today the team continued to lay it all out on the line and serve. A little tired and a little sore the men worked to complete two sections of the wall to the mission center today. One of the special blessings about today came when we measured the shoe sizes of the boys in our children's homes. While they were a little nervous about placing their foot on top of a shiny object to measure their shoe size. They quickly realized it was painless. 31 boys were measured for shoes and are excited about receiving them during the July trip. It is simple and practical blessing for these children. Afterwards, the older boys came to work with us on the wall. They in turn became a blessing to us.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Movers and Shakers

This is a true team of movers and shakers: Joel, Mark, Randy, Robert, Danny and Jeff. They moved concrete buckets, blocks, rocks and shook everything they had within them to sift sand to make more concrete. It is great to see the team work so diligently, the wall is really coming along nicely. The roof is almost finished as well thanks to some high flying balancing act from Robert and Joel.

Overall, the team is very motivated and continues to find another gear to get the job done. Continue to pray for our team, and the completion of the mission center. As it will be a real blessing to help further the ministry here in Haiti. Pray also for our families back home as well.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Buckets of Fun!

Today we had buckets of fun... Concrete buckets. The team worked really hard alongside our Haitian brothers on the wall surrounding the mission center. This team of men really do have servants hearts. Since school was in session in Guibert today it was great to see and hear all the kids in their classrooms and on the playground. One of the workers on the wall, Fenen, has a young son at the school in pre-k. You could see the impact this school and the mission center is having on his family. His son will get a solid education for years to come and Fenen has a job working on the mission center. God is good and will supply. With the mission center coming together, we are starting to see just how this mission center will help make a greater impact for the next 30 years. The team is looking forward to a relaxing night without concrete buckets. Continue to pray for the team, our Haitian coworkers and the children.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Praise the Lord!

What a wonderful day of worship and rest! This morning was a beautiful day as we gathered to worship our Lord alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters. While we could not understand the language the moving of The Spirit was evident in the joy and adoration expressed. We did sing several songs that were familiar and joyful added our English versions alongside the Haitian Creole.

This afternoon we had the opportunity to rest and prepare for the week ahead. Praise the Lord for the work here in Haiti. Pray for our team as we begin our jobs in the morning. Pray for energy and strength for the task and open hearts for the blessings God wants to bestow.

We are here!

We arrived yesterday afternoon into the bustling chaos that is the Port-au-Prince airport. Most of the guys with us were amazed at how quickly some of the realities of poverty greet you just through the exit doors. However we were amazed to find the tent cities were gone and numerous other signs of significant progress were visible.

We are excited about the week ahead as we prepare to worship our Savior this morning. Pray that today is a wonderful day of rest for our team. Pray for Danny as he shares God's Word this morning.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Our final day

Today has been a bittersweet day. It was our final day of work in Haiti. We started out really slow this morning because it rained all night. When we woke up at 6am everything was silent so we slept in a little bit... Once we were up and on our way reality set in that this day would be filled with alot of lasts. Our prayer time this morning focused on god being glorified in all things, even the little stuff. As we drove up the mountain we prayed for god to move. When we got to the boys home more smiling faces were waiting for us, because there was no school. The boys were busy with chores, playing, doing laundry by hand and a variety of other things. We split into our paint group and rock group. The rock group slowly got to work. We were beyond exhausted and have been lifting rocks and boulders for the past 5 days, our muscles and bodies were wanting to give up, but we couldn't. We continued to carry rocks and cement, and then they told us they needed us to do something different. We moved to the back of the house, formed a line that was interspersed with Haitian hands and threw the rocks down the 20ft drop. The pile we were pulling from was the past 2 days of work, and by 11:30am a majority of the rocks were down and in place for the next portion of the wall. It was a great day of work. All in all this week we went through over 10,000lbs of cement, over 75 cubic feet of stones and boulders, countless buckets of mortar, a ton of memories, and 75% of the walls foundation complete. Plus the sore muscles to prove the work. GOD IS GOOD. We could not have done it without HIM. The paint team got to work right away. They were able to paint the entire room and we were able to move in the tables so the boys could have dinner in there. This room has been in the works since before the earthquake and now it is ready. The boys were so excited and couldn't wait to be in there. Part of the group was able to hike to some of the houses that have been built and pray for the families and dedicate their house. Our afternoon ended with hanging out with the boys. We made a little Easter bag of candy and had toys to play with. Bubbles and candy transfer any language barrier. We then had to say our goodbyes which was difficult. We have grown to love these boys and many others so much. God has blessed our time here tremendously. As we loaded into the van to leave we are sad that we have to go but know that god is going to continue the work here. And that these boys are loved and blessed. We then went to buy some souvenirs and got ready to go home.
Pray for us as we continue to say goodbye.
Pray for our hearts as we have been changed and challenged by god this week.
Pray that we would not forget what god has done.
Pray for our transition back into life in America. Many of us are going straight back to work, school, and tests...
And please ask us about our trip. There are so many more stories to tell that couldn't fit in the blog. Ask us we would love to share.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Rockin' and Rollin'


Today was our last full day of work and was one of the hardest because of tiredness and bodies being pushed for the past 4 days. It was by the grace of God that he gave us strength to keep going in all we did. We also started our day walking half way to the boys home for it rained last night making the roads a little hard to travel on. Today we split up into two teams: a rock carrying team and a paint team. On the side of the rock team we began our day with an assembly line moving rocks from the front of the house to the back. We also moved cement buckets but today we finished the portion behind the house and they started along the other side the house. Today while working after the kids got out of school 3-4 kids age range of 5-6 helped us pick up and move rocks while they were still in their school uniforms. It was precious to see the little girls to carry rocks that were bigger than them.

All the while we were moving rocks there was half of our team painting the walls of the new great room and kitchen. We had good conversational time with a few of the younger boys and a chance to get things done with less strenuous work. We are looking forward to the rooms being used in the very near future.

Pray for our hearts as we prepare to leave.
Pray for our bodies and muscles as they are very sore.
Pray for the relationships and conversations to continue and for local pastors to continue the ministry.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Another beautiful day in Haiti- and Happy Birthday Chloe

Today, day 7of our trip, our 4th day to work at the boys home. Probably the longest exhausting day yet. God gave us some much needed rest, which was greatly appreciated, but honestly couldn't have got through the day with out starting it out in the word. Waking up 6:30 for our daily quiet times (Todays devo: calling on the the name of God throughout the day , He finds Joy when we call on Him throughout our day) " come near to God and he will come near to you" James 4:8 Then had some amazingly delicious breakfast fuel: mango, banana, eggs, bacon, bread& cinnamon rolls. Had team prayer for our day followed by our daily 30 min. drive to the boys home. Arriving and seeing all the progress in the short time we've been here working was simply amazing on one hand and on the other hand seeing more of the same stuff was waiting to be done is a different story. New loads of rock waiting to be moved, workers already working with cement ready to be passed to the mortars. Not wasting much time we quickly found our routine "places people places" -Jeff , got assembly
line going passing rocks/cement one-by-one down the side of future missionary compound building. As work was being done we have encourage teammates to pray silently for those we come in contact with while working whether it boys or church members or even the paid workers. Some were seen praying outloud with fellow church members, others building conversations with teammates(getting know eachother better/their"story"), and some learning creole and teaching english with the workers. Had lunch spaghetti , meatball sandwiches and granola cookies. After, kids were at recess running around with so much joy, we were able to play with them for a little bit and just share God's Love with them. Before returning back to work we had a team prayer admitting to the Lord that we can't do this alone we are tired, give us strength, to shine His light in every rock we pass every conversation we have. Continuing on we went back to work doing everything we could to motivate and encourage. Whether it was random songs or talking. Finishing work on the wall, we headed up to the orphanage where we got to see some of the boys we hadn't seen today. Some teammates were able to meet the kids they had investing time in prayer for. Some goof around, watch the boy be boys, wrestle, and take pictures of them. Headed home to Pastor Jean Alix Paul's House to clean up, relax, nap, play cards, journal, snack, play with Jean Alix's kids, and most of all avoid Darryl (their BIG Rot Wieler Dog). We had pork chops, broccoli, potatoes, spaghetti, and rolls for dinner. Following the boys were forced to do dishes, then we had our usual team time where we talk about snapshots of how each of our day went.

Some snapshot from today were:

The idea that the masons have to shape and chip away the rock to fit in the wall they want it to, in the same way the Lord shapes and molds us to the person he wants us to be. (Image of Christ)

Two younger boys from the community just jumped and started helping pick up rocks and pass them, one barefoot both with no gloves. Just seeing the Joy coming from them to be able to help us. We were tired and here they are wanting to step in and give a hand.

One of the workers mixing concrete gave his lunch to his son who was at recess. Just seeing him working harder than any one there give up what he had to his son. (being provider,and loving father)

Pray for our team as we prepare for our final days.
Pray for strength and rest.
Pray for patience and endurance.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Jesus is our ROCK!

God is really changing hearts here in Haiti! Our morning began in a hump because we were all pretty tired and really in need of the Lord's strength. Our first task was passing the rocks that were dropped off previously to continue our wall and carrying buckets full of cement to fill in the holes. Once all the rocks were all passed our faces began to perk to see all of the work that we have been able to do. After a delicious lunch prepared for us we made an assembly line to pass down buckets of cement. The best part of our day when the boys joined in to help. We were able to pray with them, hear what they are learning, and hear how God brought them to the school. Time with the boys has been rare other than recess therefore getting to serve together couldn't have brought more joy to our hearts. It's incredible to have the opportunity to serve as brothers and sisters in Christ despite the location of our homes. We couldn't thank God more for the opportunity that he has providing for us to share His love and bring a smile to these young boys faces.
Pray for us as we become more tired that we would depend on God to be our strength. Pray that we would continue to work together and break through to the boys.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

We will ROCK you!

What an awesome day! We woke up sore and tired from a hard day yesterday but God gave us the strength we needed throughout the day! We moved three truckloads of rock before going down hill to haul more rock up the mountain! Jeff, Clay, and B (aka Braxton) were at the bottom of a rock wall lifting rocks over their heads to Alex who sent them up the line where we placed them for the men who were constructing the wall. Several of us were also running cement up and down the mountain to fill in between the rocks! We talked a lot about the wall we are building today. We talked about how the wall is made of rocks of different sizes and shapes but they fit together to create something needed and useful. In the same way, the Body of Christ is made of all different kinds of people that God uses to do his work and spread his love! Also, we are building the foundation out of bigger rocks and in the same way we build out faith on Jesus, our firm foundation. The wall will offer protection from evil just like putting on the armor of our faith can protect us from evils and temptation. Playing with the kids at school today was a blast as usual! Jen was able to witness one of the boys reading out loud! Just last summer he was struggling and needing to repeat his grade. It is so neat to see those who have been before interact with the kids and be called by name! At one point we were working and the kids were watching and singing VBS songs from last summer! By the way, they love to sing and dance when you ask them! It was so cool to sing songs that we all new and could sing together! We also sang the worship song that we learned in creole, with some of the older boys. Jean Alix, Mylene, and their children have been so much fun to hang out with when we are at the house and the ladies who cook for us are always smiling! All in all, another great day! We continue to see evidence of God's work in our hearts and in the lives of those around us! Today is the halfway mark on our trip but pray with us that the end of our trip will not also be an end to this chapter of loving and learning in our lives! Go is not finished with us and the work in Haiti will continue! Praise God for his faithfulness and blessings!

Monday, March 12, 2012

We ROCKED today!

Today our main task was moving rocks and cement to help build a wall around the mission home. We had about 5 dump truck loads of stones ranging from 5lbs to 100+lbs that we moved. As well as clearing the area around the house, which took most of the morning.It was a good day of physical work and truly being the hands and feet of God. It's was good to see our team bonding as we worked together and moments of bonding with the Haitian workers. This is the work that we will continue to help with throughout the rest of the week. Today we accomplished 30 ft of wall that is about 3ft tall. Doesn't sound like a lot but it is looking great. Be prepared for some amazing before and after pictures.

It was incredible to be back and play with the boys and seeing all the faces of little ones running around and playing with such joy in their smiles! It was also good for some to see those boys from the trip 3 months ago and them being remembered. We look forward to get to bond with them more in these upcoming days and continuing to build relationships. Our hope is that they see the love and service of Christ in our work. We are all pretty tired but reusing the strength of Christ to get us through.
Pray for rest of sore muscles.
Pray for strength and clear minds for our work.
Pray for continued team unity and bonding.
Pray for safety.
Pray for Jesus to be glorified.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Worship in Haiti

Hello from Haiti! Or shall I say "bon nwi!". It is about 9:00pm here and we have celebrated a wonderful Sabbath with our Haitian brothers and sisters! We awoke around 6am, had coffee and quiet times and then had a glorious breakfast! The ladies who cook for us are amazing! We have eaten awesome food at every meal so far! After breakfast we loaded up in the van and headed to church. When we arrived Pastor Jean Alix informed us that Haiti decided to Spring forward this year so we were late! But the funny thing is he didn't know either so we were all late together! Worship in Haiti is like nothing I've never experienced before. Even though we couldn't understand most of what was being said we understood God's Spirit and felt Him moving! We were able to pray, and read scripture as we listened and some of us sang along even when we didn't know the words! Some of the beautiful things that we witnessed and experienced today were shared at our group time today. Jeff and Jen got to pray over the newborn baby of their friends Sinclair and Berline in front of the church. It was similar to a baby dedication. It was so sweet to see this family rejoice in the blessing of their first child! There was a time of prayer where some of the boys from the orphanage helped lead and we broke out into a concert prayer where we all prayed at once, Hatians and Americans alike! It was so beautiful! Seeing the way God brings people together and connects us over great distances is awesome! It truly makes a difference to see the work that is being done in His name!
After church we were able to tour the boys home and see the work that has been done since the last visit. Even though this is my first time to Haiti, it was exciting to see and hear the reactions of those who have been before!
After church we came back to the house for a restful afternoon. The Haitians truly honor the Sabbath by resting. It is a great feeling to just be at peace and prepare for the work that is ahead of us with restful quiet time.
After talking out our experiences from the day, our team member Clay, led us in a time of worship at the house. It was a great way to end the day! I am excited about what is ahead of us and ready to work hard and serve the Haitian people who have already blessed me so much in the short time we have been here! "Monsieur ben ou!" God bless you!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Welcome to Haiti

Haiti Day 1-
It has been a long 2 days of travel and we are finally in HAITI! As our plane landed in Port-au-Prince reality set in that we are finally in Haiti. For some of this it is returning to a place and people that we know and love, but for others this is their first time to experience Haiti. As we went through customs, immigration and baggage claim it was one step closer to being out and in the culture. We were greeted at the airport by Shalmie (our driver) and some of the older boys from the orphanage (Guinsley, Asten, and Wilberson). We loaded our bags into the back of a dump truck and loaded ourselves into a van and were on our way. As we drove to pastor Jean Alix's house we noticed all kinda of new things: smoother and paved roads, pedestrian bridges, new buildings, but the most shocking of all was the absence of the tents and tent cities. Jen and Jeff were here in December and there were still 2 large tent cities, one by the airport and the other in Petionville. But today they are gone. There is the return of parks, grass, playgrounds, and that center part of the community that has been gone for so long. It Is strange not to have that part o the culture and scenery, but it is amazing to know that Haiti is being rebuilt. When we got to the pastors we spent the day here resting and hanging out with the family. We are sitting down to an amazing dinner right now an are looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow we get to worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters.
Pray for rest.
Pray for team unity.
Pray for our worship.
Pray for god to teach, use and mold us.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Two Years Ago in Haiti

Since 1983, Hope for the Hungry has served in Haiti alongside many volunteers and nationals to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of children and their families. Hope for the Hungry also believes in breaking the cycle of poverty by offering these little ones a Christ centered education. Two years ago today marked a day which claimed the lives of over 210,000 men, women and children from the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Hope for the Hungry has worked to continue our efforts to educate, feed and disciple children as well as help their families. 1,100 children in four schools and two children’s homes in Haiti are fed, loved and educated daily plus the provision of other basic needs. Additionally, Hope for the Hungry has help rebuild or replace 37 homes since the earthquake.

Today, while our ministry extends far beyond Haiti, we are still determined to serve the children and families of Haiti and have 5 open trips scheduled this year. We are also committed to the construction of a new Mission & Training Center to help us more effectively serve in this region. The kids in our schools are excelling in education and growing in Christ. While the rebuilding and restoring process is a long way from finished, progress is being made in this nation and God is being glorified in Haiti.

Remember Haiti today and join with us in prayer or join us on a trip to Haiti this year. You can also donate to Hope for the Hungry and we can use your donation where it is needed most. Thank you for your contribution (prayer, volunteer and donation) in helping to restore lives, rebuild this nation and offer them a fresh start in Christ.


Remember Haiti: Two years ago on Jan. 12, 2010 the earthquake that devastated Haiti and took over 200,000 lives. Here is one man's story of Hope.

Joseph Masillon took out a loan in October 2009 to pay for a roof for his house. It was to be a typical Haitian roof: a solid two feet of concrete with little rebar in it to hold it together, costing approximately $9,000.
On January 12th, 2010, an earthquake destroyed 80% of the homes in Joseph’s village of Guibert (“Gee-bear”). Joseph’s home was one of those destroyed. Joseph was inside the home at 4:53pm when the ground started to shake. As his home began to crumble on all sides of him, he was able to escape, unharmed. His brand new roof came crashing down, but no one was hurt. What a miracle! However, Joseph and his family didn’t have a place to live AND still had to pay off the loan for the roof, which was now in pieces and worth nothing to the family.
By late February, Hope for the Hungry decided it was time to move from emergency relief, where we handed out tents to those whose homes were destroyed, to begin rebuilding Guibert. Temporary shelters, such as tents, last for only a year. Permanent homes are important for everyone for both safety and security. We are currently working with the local church to assist in building homes (38 are completed now) because it gives us the opportunity to share Jesus with the home owners and teach them ways to walk with Him daily.
The Haitian church leaders determine which families qualify for a new home and Joseph was on the list! In May 2010, Joseph and his family of 12 were able to move into their brand new home!
To remind the community of the focus of our efforts, we have a dedication service for each of the home owners when the construction is complete. Each service includes a prayer of dedication, a reminder that Jesus is our true and ultimate Shelter, the installation of two scripture plaques, and the giving of keys to the home. So, now at the front door of Joseph’s brand new home is a plaque that reads, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20, NIV). Inside his home is one that reads, “They replied ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved- you and your household.” (Acts 16:31, NIV). Joseph may still be paying off his loan, but he and his family are now able to begin putting their lives back together in their new home, encouraged that Jesus, our true Shelter from the storm, is always faithful.

Ronald


Remember Haiti: A story of Hope of a rejected and abused boy named Ronald (“Whoa-nal”).

Ronald’s mother died a few years ago. His father got remarried to a woman who hated Ronald and would not allow him to live with them. His father sent him to live with an Aunt who was very abusive and made him beg on the streets of Petionville for money and food. Our Haitian pastor saw him on the streets an
d went to his father and asked him to let Ronald come and live in our boys’ home. If he were to come, he would receive not only food, clothing, shelter and an education, but love and daily teaching about the Lover of our Souls, Jesus. His father agreed and Ronald came to live in our home on Jan 11th, 2010. The very next day, Petionville was completely destroyed in the earthquake. The streets where Ronald roamed were completely covered in rubble. If the Lord would not have lovingly placed Ronald in our home, the day before the earthquake, he surely would have died.

When I met Ronald (10 years old) for the first time in January 2010, he was a broken little boy with no life in his eyes. He had seen no love and had obviously been abused. He cried all of the time and was shunned because of the horrible skin condition that he picked up from the streets. He had never been to school, and didn’t even know the alphabet.

At the New Year’s Eve celebration this year, only a few minutes after I had seen Ronald during this trip, he immediately took my pen out of my journal and quickly wrote his name in cursive on his hand. When he raised it up to show me, there was such joy and excitement in his eyes. He was so proud of himself and was beaming! He knew how big of an accomplishment this was and couldn’t wait to show off his new skill!

I’ve been able to watch Ronald transform before my eyes over the past year. He is no longer the empty shell of a boy that he once was, but has a beautiful new soul. He has the Love of Christ in his heart and it’s evident in his eyes!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)