Day 4: Practice and Fun

2015 Teacher Training Conference is complete.  We had a great day today as the teachers had a chance to practice with some new learning activities.  They had a blast!

They made rainbows to teach color.  

They built Catapults to teach math, science, and engineering.

They had the opportunity to practice using a magnifying glass and microscope.

They acted out the story of the 3 little pigs as a reading theater.

And they worked on shapes and  tesselations in math.

It was all so much fun and great to see the Haitian teachers enjoy the learning activities that they can use to directly impact their students.

Tomorrow is an "off" day.  Thank you for your prayers.  This has been a blessed week for everyone.

Day 3: Excitement and Growth

Our final day of training finished very well.  The Haitian teachers really jumped in to everything we shared today.  The laughter, joy, cooperation, and questions signaled their enjoyment and engagement in today's material.

The kindergarten teachers laughed as they practiced leading learning games outside.  The 1st & 2nd grade teachers were enraptured by the story of the 3 little pigs.  The 3rd & 4th grade teachers diligently worked on basic geometry techniques.  And the 5th & 6th grade teachers were in awe of the science experiments. Mike even lead a special training on using microscopes.

The best part of the day was our final large group session.  We asked the teachers to gather according to their schools and, one-by-one, pray for each other.  There is no describing the blessing of hearing dozens of people crying out for each other before the Lord.  Along with out American teachers, they prayed for ech other, for their principal, for their students, and for their school.

Tomorrow is our learning lab.  Be in prayer as the teachers "test" their new knowledge and skills.

Begin to pray for these teachers as they travel home.  Pray for them as they review what they have learned and prepare for the new school year.  So much of what they are learning is new and challenging.  Pray for them to continue to gain confidence.  Pray for their administrators (who also received training this week) as they lead and support the teachers.

Improvement and growth can and will happen, but it will take more hard work and more diligence and more courage.  But our God can and will provide everything they need as they trust Him in all things.

Day 2: Making progress...

Day 2 was a wonderful day.  All our translators did so well, keep praying for them.  The Haitian teachers had so much fun and we're really engaged today.

After lunch we had a building competition between the four schools.  Each group was given straws, paper, and a bag of marshmallows and asked to design and build a structure. Working as a team and using the straws and masmellows the largest structure in the time limit would win.  The teachers had so much fun and really put some creativity in their structures.  In the end, the group from Guibert was victorious.  The biggest joy was seeing everyone working toward a goal in unity.

Tomorrow is our final day of training.  Pray for our Haitian and American teachers as they finish well.  Pray for good rest tonight and energy for tomorrow.  

On Thursday, we will host a learning lab to give the teachers a chance to practice some of what they learned this week.  Begin praying for the knowledge and confidence the Haitian teachers will need to try some new ideas.

We are excited that the teachers seem to really be buying in to the training.  Our prayer and desire is that as the teachers improve, the quality of education will improve, which develops a stronger future for the children of Haiti.

And we're off...

Teacher Training Day 1 is complete.  We had a good first day.  Professional training in cross-cultural settings is always bumpy at the start.  The teachers here in Haiti are unfamiliar with professional training and culturally a little hesitant to fully engage.  However, by this afternoon, they were talking and asking great questions.  Our team of American teachers did such a fantastic job.  They are patient and encouraging as they work to bring new ideas and tools to the Haitian teacher's skill sets.

Pray for our translators.  They are working hard but the vocabulary of education has brought a new challenge for each of them.

Pray for the Haitian teachers. Pray they will be open and receptive to new information and challenges.  Pray for God's blessing on them and their families as they spend this week with us.  These teachers LOVE teaching and want to learn and grow in their profession.  Pray that God will increase their knowledge and confidence this week as well.

Glorious Sunday

What a wonderful day! The opportunity to worship in another country and different culture is such a joy.  It is a reminder of how big a God we serve.

Today was, as always, a wonderful day of rest and preparation.  Please continue to pray for our team as the teacher conference starts in the morning.  We are excited for what the Lord has in store.

A Much Needed Sabbath

We had a great last day in Haiti! There was nothing on the agenda for us so we were able to take it easy today. So easy, in fact, that we headed to the beach. Not any beach... But the most beautiful beach in Haiti. If our internet connection was better, I'd add pictures to this post just to show you, but we're in the middle of nowhere and will take what we can get.

We had a blast at the beach. We fit 3 Americans and 33 Haitians into a TapTap and the rest of the Americans (7) into a pickup truck. Both vehicles had their own challenges on the two hour drive, but when we saw the beach, it was well worth the drive.

It was so great to see the kids being kids. They were as joyful as I've ever seen them. The were excited to get to work on their swimming skills and loved every minute (of the four hours) of splashing around. It was a brand new experience for the five new girls. They were pretty unsure at the beginning but warmed up to the idea of sand and water. 

It was a great end to a wonderful trip.  Pray that we have safe travels tomorrow and that we arrive home when we are supposed to with no delayed or cancelled flights. 

You have been an integral part of our team and we are very grateful for each prayer offered up. Please continue to pray for us in the days ahead as we continue to process all the Lord has done this week and discern how we should respond. 

Thank you for joining us on this journey. If you'd like to hear more of the story, take us to coffee or lunch soon! 

God is bigger than what's possible: Joshua

Today was our final day of VBS. We have had a great week with the kids. Our teachers, church helpers, and translators worked hard to tell the children about God's love for them. I am so pleased by how well the VBS was received. I know that the church will use what they've learned this week to teach the children in the weeks to come. 

Today was all about how God is bigger than what's possible. We did a recap of everything we've learned this week and made today about the life of Joshua.  We taught about the Wall of Jericho and crossing the Jordan River. During craft time, the class got to pick out a rock and write something they learned on it to remember this week. Most of them wrote "songs and verses". Good to know they were listening!

I can't believe the week is already over. It seems as though as soon as we get in the swing of things it's time to leave. Saying goodbye to the kids was bittersweet but we are happy to have taught them about Gods love this week.

After the VBS we were able to hand out backpacks and shoes to each of the children at the home. Everyone was so excited to receive their things. Our five new girls were over the moon when they received something that was just theirs for the first time. It's always such a blessing to see their faces as they receive something so simple that brings so much joy. 

After we passed out backpacks, we played soccer, danced, and relaxed a bit before heading to bed.

Tomorrow will be a fun day. We are taking all of the kids to the beach! It should be a great time and for some of the new girls, it will be the first time they swim!

Pray for us as our time here wraps up. We are tired of the heat and sweat but will be sad to leave our new friends.