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.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

VBS Day 4

Today was our final day of VBS and it went amazingly well. We all hit our stride and everything worked in the best way possible. We had over 400 kids in attendance today and it was so exciting.


In today's assembly we were able to share about how God  can use us even when we do wrong and we talked about the forgiveness that only comes through Jesus Christ. We were able to share the plan of salvation with these kids and we have already heard of 3 who accepted Christ for the first time!  We are continuing to pray for others as there are many who are being counseled by teachers and other Haitian leaders. 




The VBS went really well and we were so happy. We could not have made it without the help of the Lawson family and the team from Agape. We have formed some amazing relationships with these partners and will miss them greatly. 



The rest of our day was spent preparing to leave: we sorted and cleaned up everything from VBS, did a little souvenir shopping and then spent time with our friends. 


Tonight we had an "American" meal with the Pastor, his family, and the people who have been serving us this week. The Lawson's cooked pizza and made a cake and it was a lot of fun. 


All in all it has been an amazing trip and it is hard to believe we head home tomorrow. There are many stories to share... too much for the blog, so please ask us about our trip and the people we have grown to love this week.

Pray for the kids from the VBS who have heard truth this week and pray for them to come to know Jesus.
Pray for us as we have to say our final goodbyes tomorrow. 
Pray for safe travels and protection as we make our way home. 
And pray for each of us as our lives have been changed this week and we will have to transition back to life in the States.

Thank you for all of the prayers this week. We have felt them and appreciate them.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

VBS Day 3

Today was our 3rd day of VBS and it is going really well. We have each found what works for our classes and are really enjoying ourselves. It is such a joy to see these kids from 3 years old to adults just worship with their whole hearts and lay it all out there. It is so humbling to get to witness this and be a part of it. 



Today we focused on how David did what was right even when it was tough. The kids really listened to the lesson and we hope are taking in these truths. We are seeing more and more of the personalities of these kids come out as they are getting more and more comfortable with us being here. And they are participating in every aspect of the VBS. They've memorized 3 different scriptures, countless songs, and have crafts to display in their homes. 





At the end of VBS each day we help serve a meal to the kiddos, which is such a special moment for the kids, because for some of them it is the only hot meal they will have that day. Our first day turned into a little bit of chaos, but we have it down now. There was a little boy at the end who was scrapping any leftovers from his friends into a bag to take home and share with his family, and it broke our hearts to see this, but it drives home the reality of what so many of the kids live in. And although we cannot help every hungry person we were able to help 400 kids get a hot meal today, and some shared them with others. This moment reminded all of us of how important it is to pray over each plate we serve, to pray for these kiddos and to share their story, because everything we can do for these kids here helps. 



After VBS we got to take part in a special tradition. We brought backpacks, church shoes, school shoes, and some snacks for each of the boys in our home. We shared that these shoes came from friends back home who were praying for them. As we called each of their names and they came forward to receive their bags it was so cool to see the smile on their faces. And for Bervens, Sayini, Benjoumie, and Leonardo this is the first time that they have received this gift because they are our 4 newest boys to our home. So thank you to everyone who gave to this, because we got to accept the thank you'd and hugs in your behalf. 



Later this afternoon several of us went on a small adventure with our friends from Agape. We took a hike down to the river where we get to see a small part of haiti's countryside, which is beautiful, and we got to explore and play in the water a little bit. This was a fun trek that opened our eyes to the paths some of the kids travel just to attend school. The rest of the night will be spent preparing for VBS and spending time with our friends.


Pray for us as tomorrow is our final day of VBS and we start the process of saying goodbye. 
Pray for us as we have many new faces that will be in our minds and on our hearts. 
Pray for us as we are starting to miss home and family a little. 
And pray for us to finish strong.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

VBS Day 2

It has been an amazing day! Today we taught the kids about David and Goliath and how God can use us in big and small ways. We start each day with an assembly, and today's lasted almost 2 hours, because we were on a roll with singing and learning scripture. 




Our kinder class which has over 60 kids broke off and did their own thing today with Shelby and Ruth. They had a lot of singing and dancing and then split up into rotations through the different crafts and games. Our Haitian friends are really helping with this class and are pouring into these kiddos. 



The older kids worked through the same schedule as yesterday, starting with  assembly time then to their classes. Class time is shared with Haitian teachers and Americans rotating through. I wish I could put into words how great it is to see each of these kids and classes thriving and seeing our Haitian partners pour into the kids. They are the ones that will stay and continue the growth in these kiddos and it is so great to see them lead out. 



Our VBS had well over 300 kids today. 




After VBS we have been hanging out with our friends here. We are getting to know our friends from the Agape church in Petionville, and playing with all the boys from the home. 


We had a big rainstorm hit this afternoon, which means wherever you were when it started is where you stay. So we were all spread out. Some were hanging out in the boys home, others in the dorm with the agape church, and one lucky one in the school kitchen helping wash dishes. We all loved it and it was great just to be in Haiti and to be with those we were with. 


Today marks the half way point of our trip. Time is flying by, but we don't want to miss out on anything. We are making the most of everything. Praying everywhere we go. And trying to share Jesus in any way possible, through serving, smiling, dancing, playing soccer, washing dishes, and anything else that comes our way. 

Tomorrow is a big day, as we will be passing out the shoes and backpacks we brought for the boys. It is such a fun time to get to celebrate and pray with them for this next year. 

Pray for our VBS and that it would continue to go well and the kids would understand the truths we are sharing. 
Pray for our boys who will receive their backpacks and shoes tomorrow, that they will know they are loved and prayed for by so many. 
Pray for us as we are loving our time here and connecting with so many people.

Monday, July 18, 2016

VBS Day 1: God can use you no matter what!

"God can use you no matter what!" This was the theme for day one of VBS and our focus for the day. Going into today we were all a little bit nervous, because a team of 5 of us was supposed to lead a VBS for up to 500 kids. If we were to try this on our own it would have been an utter failure, but we trusted God to work in and through us and to use us to bring him glory. And it happened in the coolest way. 



Our team was joined by the Lawson's, a family of four that works with Hope and is spending a big part of their summer here. We were also joined by the local teachers and church members serving in their own school and church. And finally we were joined by a team of trained Haitians who serve at Agape church in Petionville who are joining us for the week. So it is the coolest picture of the church working together. We all speak different languages, have different strengths and backgrounds, but are here for the same purpose to love and serve. 



We all broke up into teams and served in different capacities. We started out in an assembly time where Shelby led in music and Jeff taught a lesson. 


Then we split up into our classes and rotated through them for most of the morning. We taught crafts, sang songs, and memorized scriptures. It was a lot of fun. 




The VBS day ended with us serving lunch to all of the kids in attendance. It was the coolest and most humbling thing to get to serve a plate of food to each of these kids and pray that they not only are filled with this food to grow strong, but are taking in the truths that only come through Jesus.  




Our afternoon has been spent just hanging out with our new friends. We have played games, sat and talked, prepped for VBS and even helped do some laundry. 

All in all it has been a pretty great day. This type of trip and partnership is one we have been dreaming and praying about and it has been great to get to see it come to life. We are enjoying ourselves tremendously and love it here. We look forward to what each moment brings and the relationships that are forming.




Pray for us as we share the story of David and Goliath tomorrow. 
Pray for the kids, teachers and volunteers that we are coming in contact with. 

(Teachers prepping for tomorrow)

Pray for clear communication of the gospel. 
Pray for strength to continue through the long day.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Sabbath

Our sabbath in Haiti started off great. Our first night of sleep was really nice, and it helped that we were all really tired. We got to experience a Haitian tradition of pumpkin soup this morning for breakfast. It was really good and got us ready for the day. Before we left for church we were able to get some work done and prepped for the week. We unpacked the backpacks and shoes for all of our kids and were able to pray over them and stuff them with some extra goodies. We also started the prep process for all of our vbs supplies... It will take all day to get everything ready. 



After this we went to church and really got to experience life in Haiti. Although we didn't understand much we were able to worship alongside our brothers and sisters here in spirit and truth. It was truly an experience we will not soon forget. 



The rest of the afternoon has been spent hanging out as a team and getting things ready to go for the week. All of our supplies are sorted and organized and ready to go. 



We also had a cold front come through with a thunderstorm, so we enjoyed rain on the tin roof and temps in the high 70s, sorry not sorry. All in all it has been a great sabbath. We are eagerly waiting for VBS to start and continuing to make new relationships.

Pray for our VBS as it starts tomorrow. 
Pray for the kids, teachers, and helpers to come and understand the truths we are sharing. 
Pray for confidence as we all lead out tomorrow.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

We Made It!



After a long day of travel we are finally in Haiti and it is so great to be here. We dove right into the culture and community when we got here. On our way to the boys home we got to stop in Petionville and meet Jean Alix, the Haitian pastor we partner with, at one of his churches there. We got to see the facility and hear what the plans are for the week, all the while knowing that the key word to missions is Flexibility. 

After touring the church we headed to the boys home in Guibert which will be our home for the week. We were greeted with all kinds of smiles and hugs. It is going to be a good week and we are so excited to get to serve alongside these new friends.

Pray for us as we worship in Haiti tomorrow. 
Pray for our first night of sleep and transition into life here. 
Pray as we prepare for VBS and the 500 kids that could come and hear about the stories of David. 

It's gonna be a great week!