44 Hours

Three years ago this month I went on my first international mission trip. And it lasted 44 hours.

No, that wasn’t the plan. Our small team from Providence intended to spend five days in Haiti ministering to a group of orphaned children. Instead, I spent one day traveling to Haiti, one day with the children, and one day traveling home. You see, a member of our team became seriously ill on our second night in Haiti, and two of us had to accompany her back home.

As the drama of that event unfolded, it looked like I would be able to stay in Haiti to complete the trip. Then, only minutes before reaching the Port Au Prince airport, I learned I would be leaving too. My bag remained at the hotel; my goodbyes to teammates left unsaid; my hugs to the children not given. Luckily I had taken the sage advice of my husband and had my passport and identification in a pouch around my neck. I was homeward bound.

I confess the days immediately following the trip were filled with grief for what I had missed. For my all-too-brief time with the lovely, loving children. For my inability to “do more.” In time, however, God brought clarity and revealed how much he actually accomplished through that brief experience.

The first lesson I learned prior to leaving for Haiti. You see, I was battling anxiety as I thought about leaving my two young sons to go on such a trip. What if something happened to me? What would happen to them? Who could love them, affirm them, cherish them as I could? As I considered questions such as these, God asked, “Do you trust me?”

My immediate response was, “Yes, of course I trust you.” His reply struck me mute: “Do you trust your children to me? Am I enough for them?” I had to wrestle with that one. Did I trust that if something happened to me the boys would be okay? Did I believe God would care for them and nurture them? In the end, God helped break a stronghold of fear in the heart of this mother.

The second lesson was an insight regarding the qualifications for missioning. Henri Nouwen asks it best: “What is required of a man or a woman who is called to enter fully into the turmoil and agony of the times and speak a word of hope?” Recently I revisited my personal blog, where I found this post dated May 23, 2009:

“As children of God, believers in Jesus Christ, and His disciples on this earth, we often find ourselves asking this same question. I know I do. And the word God has kept bringing me back to over these past several weeks is COMPASSION.”

Brennan Manning defines compassion, “The etymology of the word compassion lies in two Latin words, cum and patior, meaning to suffer with, to endure with, to struggle with, and to partake of the hunger, nakedness, loneliness, pain, and broken dreams of our brothers and sisters in the human family.” Manning’s words affirmed my mission and my qualifications for the Haiti trip: “To live in the name of Jesus Christ is to bear the name Compassionate One.”

The final lesson is one I was recently reminded of as I read through the story of Ester. As Ester ponders her situation in the palace of King Ahasuerus and the choice before her, Mordecai says those familiar words, “Who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

For such a time as this. As we read the Scripture or examine history, we see people who God appoints for certain tasks: Moses, Ester, King David, Paul, Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, Hudson Taylor to name a few. When we think of these giants, we don’t feel adequate, do we? I learned through my trip to Haiti that God does appoint us for certain times and specific tasks, and it doesn’t take a giant to fulfill his charge. Just someone surrendered to his will and obedient to his call. He provides the power.

Looking back, I realize that it doesn’t take five days, five weeks, or even five years for God to accomplish his will. He operates outside of our notion of time. Most often it seems he operates like a farmer, cultivating crops that take time to mature. Yet, if he desires, he can bring forth a harvest in as little as 44 hours.

Restore and Remember

Last year as the celebration of my 40th birthday came to a close, I learned the tragic news of the earthquake that struck Haiti that very day. Everything froze in that moment, as we had no idea as to the fate of the orphans I had been so privileged to visit just two months prior in November of 2009. Thank God these 100+ children were safe and well and remain safe and well today. However, to say that Haiti is still devastated now...a year later...would be accurate.

One Vision, whom I traveled with and who cares for these orphans, has called for a day of prayer on January 12. Please read the following message from their Web site and join me in prayer on this day (and every day that God brings the country of Haiti and its people to your mind). Thank you!


From www.onevisionintl.com:

One year ago, January 12th became a day of utter tragedy for the people of Haiti. The earthquake devastated the country and claimed the lives of roughly 230,000citizens.

Despite massive humanitarian efforts by the international community, the country is still in disarray. The Cholera epidemic, already responsible for the death of thousands, and the controversial results of last month’s presidential elections have both played a significant role in the continued despair of the Haitian people. However, we hold firm to the belief that there is still hope this country.

We would like to invite you to participate on Wednesday, January 12th, in an area wide day of prayer for the country of Haiti and its people. The purpose of this event is to honor the memory of those who lost their lives that day and also to pray for the future of the nation.

As firm believers in the power of prayer, we want to encourage others to remember the events of that day and pray for progress in the recovery efforts of the country. Over the past year, so many people have sacrificed time, efforts and money to help the Haitian people. Let’s continue our support by praying for their continued safety and security.

Join us as we pray for Haiti. Please pray for:
• the cleanup and rebuilding efforts
• the Cholera epidemic
• the Presidential election
• violence against women living in tent cities
• prevalent child slavery
• the safety of aid workers
• the hope of Jesus to fill the country

Six Months Later

It's amazing that six months have passed since a devasting earthquake struck Haiti, destroying so much, killing so many, and leaving so many injured, homeless, and in despair. You'll remember that the children in the care of One Vision were unharmed; however, the quake left them homeless yet again.

Since the earthquake the children have been living in a temporary location closer to the property where the orphanage will eventually be built. And they are doing well. They are still receiving clean water to drink and food to eat from One Vision, thanks to the money their monthly sponsors faithfully give.

The children wearing their new One Vision t-shirts, with a Knoxville team who travelled to Haiti in June 2010.

The challenges One Vision face are plentiful: a great number of children were orphaned because of the quake. This means many more children are now in One Vision's care. The cost of providing water, food, and medicine for the children tripled as a result of the quake. And the children have been split into two groups [the older ones (teens and young adults) and the younger ones (elementary age)] and now live in two different locations.

At the end of this year, the older group will be released from One Vision's care. As someone who visited the entire group twice in 2009 and specifically worked with this older group in November, it's hard to think about this; however, I understand that this was a difficult decision that One Vision had to make. So, how can we help this group? Pray for them. Pray for their protection, their provision, and for opportunities for their future.

The younger group, which continues to grow, will eventually move onto the One Vision Hub, which will include the orphanage, a church, and a school. Construction is to begin later this year. Groups continue to travel to Haiti with One Vision, and these five-day trips are amazing opportunities to see the great need of this land, the inspiring smiles of these children, and the tremendous hope of the One Vision project firsthand.

To know more about One Vision, to learn how you can sponsor a child, and to inquire about upcoming trips, please visit www.onevisionintl.com.

Taylor's Tale

I love books, and I love it when friends share great reads with me. In the past two years, my friend Ellen has passed along some challenging and compelling books. Her most recent loan is Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, written by Taylor's son. The book is comprised largely of Hudson Taylor's own letters and those of his wives and closest friends.

In case you're not familiar (I wasn't) with his story, Englishman Hudson Taylor lived from 1832-1905 and was one of the first Christians to take the Gospel to China. In fact, at age 21, he sailed to China to begin what would be his life's work and the foundation of China Inland Mission in 1856 (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship).

It's tempting to share glimpses of his life story here, but instead I want to focus on two things that struck me most significantly. First is Hudson Taylor's dependence on God for all provision. He doesn't raise funds or secure donors before he sets off on his journey. He never asks people for financial support. No, instead he learns to give more, live on less, and pray with expectation. And the stories of God's timely provision are incredible.

Second, a chapter entitled "The Exchanged Life" addresses the time Hudson Taylor's spiritual life changes profoundly and permanently. Taylor realizes that all of his striving and longing for personal holiness would lead only to failure and disappointment; instead, God reveals the truth of our oneness with Jesus and that faith can only be strengthened by resting in Jesus.

In a letter to his sister, Taylor wrote, "I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I'll strive no more. For has not He promised to abide with me - never to leave me, never to fail me?...The sweetest part...is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize this; for He, I know, is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest position He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult His grace is sufficient."

The book goes on to say that Hudson Taylor was never the same after this experience...that he had discovered "the secret of soul-rest."

I confess that this book was a timely read for me for many reason. His story is inspiring, his life's work amazing, and his faith is challenging. If I could pass books along to you via this blog, then this is one I would send your way. Thank you, Ellen, for sending it mine.

Special Guests

March started with a real treat - Dr. Francisco Noel and his wife, Cecile, visited Knoxville. Dr. Noel is the Haitian director of One Vision, and they provide the hands-on care for the orphans I visited twice in 2009. Dr. Noel's visit was a busy one, as he spoke to several groups, including the students at CAK (the boys' school).

This year the children have been supporting the orphanage with their chapel gifts, Christmas shoebox gifts, and the donation of medical supplies following the earthquake. It was wonderful for them to meet Dr. Noel in person and to hear him speak about the quake, the orphans, and their needs.

That same week One Vision held a dinner to honor Dr. Noel and to share an update of the work in Haiti. Dr. Noel spoke so movingly about experiencing the earthquake firsthand, its effect on the orphanage, and its impact on the expense to care for the orphans.

On Saturday several ladies hosted a baby shower for Cecile. She is pregnant with their first child, and, as you know, they lost everything - including their house - in the January quake. It was such fun to watch her open the gifts and smile with such delight.

(left to right: Lisa, Ellen, myself, Cecile, and Deena. The ladies are teammates from my November 2009 trip to Haiti.)

Finally, on Sunday evening our church hosted a benefit concert to raise awareness and funds to support One Vision's work in Haiti. Dr. Noel and Cecile attended this event as well and spoke again about the project, the children, and their great need. Each time he spoke, Dr. Noel stressed that the amount of money it takes to care for these children on a monthly basis has tripled since the earthquake.

While their visit was certainly not a restful one, I am certain that those who had the opportunity to meet Dr. Noel and Cecile were blessed and the orphanage in Haiti became even more real to those who have never traveled there. It was a great joy for me to introduce Tim, Seth, and Reed to them, and it made me look forward to the day when they can visit the orphanage themselves.

Haiti Update

Pictured above, the children in One Vision's care now situated in their new temporary shelter.

It's incredible that it was just over a month ago that a devastating earthquake struck Haiti. John Miller, with One Vision, has traveled to the country several times since the quake, and below is his most recent update on the children. Thank you for your continued prayers for the Haitian people and specifically for this group of orphans. To follow One Vision's work in Haiti more closely, visit their Web site at www.onevisionintl.org. Here is John's latest report:

I have decided to split the group of orphans up into two groups. I will be moving the older children to a place that is more suitable for their needs. It will still need a bit of light construction work, but we are well on our way. The 77 younger children, ages 13 and under, have been moved to a different location where we have purchased brand new mattresses, a freezer, a refrigerator, and an oven. We’ve built bathrooms, showers, installed electricity, and even put in a television. The kids are all doing incredibly well!

We have also been working on every child’s official papers, and we are up to 29 birth certificates!

Since I arrived in Haiti 3 days ago, I can’t tell you how many people are stopping us on the road to say how much they appreciate our work (and even ask for jobs). It seems that proper humanitarian aid still has not reached this area. People are still in desperate need of medical attention, as well as food and clean water.

Unfortunately, prices have gone up drastically and our monthly budget, along with our work, has more than tripled. I would like to ask that everyone pray for God’s provision in these times of need. He truly has His hand on us right now and has given us the responsibility of making His name known here. Together, I know we can reshape the future of Haiti.

Quake Update

Only twenty days ago a massive earthquake struck Haiti, but the story is already dropping off the news. John Miller, of One Vision International, just returned from his first trip the country since the devastating quake, and posted his first-hand account at www.onevisionintl.org. It's a brutal reminder that the suffering is ongoing for the Haitian people and the affects of the earthquake still very, very present. Please take a moment to visit the One Vision Web site to read this account. Below is his update specifically concerning the orphans in One Vision's care:

Many of you have anxiously been waiting word on the One Vision kids. To be honest, when we first arrived at the orphanage, I was floored at the sight in front of me. The temporary location where the 124 children used to live, eat, and go to church was basically flat on the ground. Total destruction. Nearby, you see our precious children waiting patiently for us on the salvaged benches under blue and white tarps. As I was led through the destruction, Dr. Noel showed me where one of our girls was trapped as the blocks fell in and around her. One of the men from the house next door, came over and risked his life as he crawled under the broken blocks to save Katlyn.

After learning this, I couldn’t help but remember that this is the second time in two years these particular orphans have almost lost their lives to a devastating disaster. First, in September of 2008, when their home was flooded and they had to flee to the mountains to escape drowning. Now, January 2010, to a 7.0 earthquake.

On the second day of our trip, we went directly to the orphanage first thing in the morning. All of the kids had prepared a very special ceremony for One Vision for in their words, “saving our lives.” Even though we had many patients waiting on us in the next town, we were stayed for three hours of the children thanking us through prayers, songs, food and even dancing. It was very humbling.

We were able to get about 15-20 Coleman tents for the children to live in for the time being. Right now they are all safe and as healthy as can be expected under the conditions and circumstances. Food and shelter are the main concerns at this moment. This Tuesday afternoon, they will be moved to a much better location about 45 mins away. It was not damaged by the earthquake, and the children will thrive there.

We are working on food now. Because food is more scarce, it is also more expensive. We are praying that the proper help comes soon. In addition, while the doctors were checking out the kids, they found one boy with malaria, and another girl who has malaria and typhoid. Please pray for these two as we are in the process of treating them both right now.

As we are working on moving the kids to another temporary place, we really need get to work on building the final orphanage. We will be re-examining the building plans we have now and make a decision very soon. I hope to be able to break ground late in February because the need is ever more urgent. We are going to be posting updates online. Right now, financial help is the biggest need.

We plan on totally changing the lives of these children, and continue to take medical teams to the area. I know many of you have personally given generously, and I pray that you continue to do so.

–John Miller

From Dr. Noel

I've written in previous posts about Dr. Francisco Noel, One Vision's hands and feet in Haiti. Below is a letter written by him to provide an update on the status of the orphanage and children. His native languages are Creole and French, so his English is a bit rough, but I am sure you can understand what he's trying to communicate. Also, when he writes about "our kids," he is referring to the orphans:

"A disastrous earthquake has left many dead, or injured and homeless, including us and our kids (became homeless again, one of the kids was injured). For now all our family and the kids are safe, however the damages are important for a poor country like Haiti. The reconstruction will be problematic and will of course require a lot of technical human resources in all aspects.

The school and the church has been damaged specifically for the school which has been flattened. The specialist said there's another possibilities to receive another shock like this which will complicate the situation finally. The location where they are now is no more safe.

For now brother it will take us some money to relocate the kids and rebuild some infrastructures, and we think it would be the right time to start our building project. In the same brother we would like to thank all the US families from Tennessee who supported the One Vision International Project in Haiti, which help feeding the kids and prepare the base for the long term part of the Program. We would like for them to continue pray for us because God hear them and actually we're safe because of their Prayers.

Dear brother, tell to everyone who help us and the other that God calls to join us that the kids and other families in the community where the property is need them now more than ever. The first needs are for the moment food, water, and medical care to improve and also relocate the kids. Actually every kids sleep outside on a tarp. Please brother try to help us. We are in serious need.

We will keep you informed about the situation as it develops. This morning we will close and leave our house because it no safer. In the meantime we will stay with Mr. Isi and the kids as agreed as soon as we progress. God bless you brother and it is a blessing to have you in our life."

- Cecile & Francisco Noel

Worth a Thousand Words

The following are pictures that Dr. Noel, One Vision's director in Haiti, snapped with his camera. Below you can see the children and caregivers on Wednesday, the day following the earthquake. They are gathered under one tarp on the property of the orphanage. All of the buildings were structurally damaged by the quake, leaving no building safe for their shelter.

Dr. Noel stands surveying the damage to the orphanage. Here, he looks upon the former kitchen, which has completely collapsed.

This structure shown in the next photo holds the former school rooms, where the children both studied and ate their meals during the day. If the earthquake had struck any earlier, I would be writing a very different story. Praise God the children were not inside these rooms at the time of the quake.

As these children and caregivers know, better than any of us, life goes on. Here, the caregivers prepare a meal for the 120+ children.

Two days after the storm, you can see that the shelter is improved somewhat. It's amazing how the caregivers can manage such a large group of children with so few resources. In the following photo, you can see the children sitting neatly and enjoying one of their daily meals, provided by One Vision and the generosity of their sponsors.

It is amazing to consider what these young children have endured in their short life: hurricane, homelessness, grief, hunger, disease, and now an earthquake. As I look at these pictures, I can see their sweet faces, as if they are standing in front of me eager for their turn with my camera. They have bright eyes and wide smiles, and they are full of life and hope and longing.

I pray that God will continue to protect them and that someday we can know the affect that each of their lives has on Haiti. I believe that they will grow to know God, love Him, and change their world with their story.

Earthquake in Haiti

When I look back on 2009, two highlights of my year were my trips to Haiti with One Vision International. At the start of last year, I had no idea that I would travel there once, let alone twice. Both were amazing experiences, and I fell deeply in love with a group of boys and girls living with great loss, tremendous need, and little hope.

Most of these 120+ children lost their families and their homes as a result of the three hurricanes and one tropical storm that swept across Haiti in the Fall of 2008. Now, I sit and think of them in the aftermath of another destructive act. I can't imagine how their young hearts can take such events and how their young minds can process what they are experiencing.

As I watch the news and hear reports coming in about the earthquake, my heart isn't far from these boys and girls, and I anxiously await news of their safety. This afternoon I learned that orphanage was indeed impacted by the quake, with buildings collapsing, walls falling, and structural damage in what remains standing. Thank God none of the children were killed, and very few of them were injured.

The shelter that they've called home for only the past four months is now uninhabitable. They are once again homeless. They currently huddle under a tarp in the courtyard of the orphanage, well away from any buildings that might give way.

Dr. Francisco Noel, One Vision's hands and feet in Haiti, and his wife Cecile made their way to them today after a five hour drive (it usually only takes 1.5 hours). They brought food, water, and medicine to care for the children. Dr. Noel will now begin the difficult work of locating new shelter for them. (Dr. Noel and his wife, who live in Port au Prince, lost their home to the earthquake. They are now homeless too.)

One Vision owns 40 acres for the future orphanage and is in the process of raising funds to start its construction. Now, they desperately need financial resources for more immediate needs - medicine, food, water, and supplies for these 120+ children and their caregivers.

If you can help with a financial donation, please visit One Vision's Web site (http://www.onevisionintl.org/), where you can donate on-line, or mail a donation to One Vision International, P.O. Box 20608, Knoxville, TN 37940, marked "One Vision Haiti."

Thank you so much for your generosity, and most of all, thank you for remembering this special group of children in your prayers for the days, weeks, and months to come.

Jakob

One story of God's particular favor toward me on my recent Haiti trip came in regard to a baby named Jakob.

I spent Friday and Saturday at the orphanage holding this seven-month-old, who was abandoned at their gate just two weeks prior to our arrival. He weighed little more than my sons weighed at birth.

On Saturday I spent the day trying desperately to get him to take a bottle of formula. He was lethargic and refused to eat. So, as I tried to interact with all of the other children starved for attention, I was working with this baby who was literally starving.

After seven hours at the orphanage, the bus came to take our team back to the hotel, and I had to leave Jakob behind. I was undone. As we drove away, up the muddy road, I was weeping. Suddenly, our bus became stuck in the mud. We had to get off and walk back to the orphanage, while our bus driver turned around.

As I plodded down the muddy road, I wondered, "How am I going to go in and see Jakob again and then have to leave him behind again?" When we arrived at the orphanage gate, the Haitian caregivers came out and took us by the hand. They led us inside to the courtyard where they had created a circle of chairs around a bucket filled with rainwater. They sat us down, propped our feet on cinderblocks, and washed our dirty feet.

It was a profound moment for each of us, for different reasons and used to minister to us in a unique way. For me, it was an act of tenderness, offering the comfort and consolation I needed for a broken heart.

That night I called Tim - my only call to him on the whole trip - and implored him to pray for my ability to leave Jakob the next day. We would be leaving the orphanage and driving to Port Au Prince, headed home. I had no idea how I was going to leave Jakob behind, with him still so sick and weak.

The next day, however, I found him alert, responsive, and eager to eat. I fed him a large bowl of porridge myself! And when time came to leave, I had a calm heart that was clearly God-given. I was able to spend some parting moments holding him before laying him in his bed and saying goodbye. Only God could have made our parting so peaceful on both of our ends.

Today another team is bound for Haiti, taking shoeboxes filled with goodies to each child at the orphanage and many in the community. This will be the first Christmas gift these children have probably ever received. And I am thrilled to imagine their faces as they receive their gifts. However, I know that what matters more to these children is the gift of time, touch, and tenderness they will receive from the members of the team.

I am so happy to know that little Jakob has some love coming his way. That someone will be holding him, feeding him, talking to him, and nurturing him. To know this is a precious gift for me today!

Reflections

I’ve just returned from my second trip to Haiti, and to be honest, it already seems like a dream. Barely a week has passed since we left for our trip, but here I am, back at home, back in the routine, and trying to remember all that has transpired.

Many of my teammates, including myself, got this response when we told people we were going on this five-day trip: “Five days? That’s not very long…” I guess it’s not in actual time, but in Haiti time five days feels like much longer. When you’re with the orphans, a single day in their world stretches on and on.

Why does it seem this way? Well, there’s the heat, with no escape from it. There’s the absence of creature comforts, like a clean toilet. There’s the utter lack of any distraction from your present circumstances. There’s the urgent need each of the 120+ children have for a personal touch, a moment of tenderness, and a fraction of your time and attention.

It’s a completely sensory experience where your brain and body don’t get a moment’s rest from the sight of their poverty, the smell of the living conditions, the sound of voices trying desperately to communicate, the touch of their hot, sweaty bodies and small, grasping hands, and the taste of the hot, humid air where the convergence of dust, sweat, garbage, and excrement is palpable.

You hazard to ask, “What time is it?” counting down the hours until the bus will take you back to your hotel where you can take a cold shower and fall into bed. And when you finally make it there, you lay in the dark and think of the children still there … Still in the heat and stench. Still in the dirt and grime. Sleeping on concrete floors and thin mattresses.

And you can’t wait for morning to come, so you can go back to them.

The Heart of Haiti

Journal Entry: Street Scenes

We're on the way to our final day at the orphanage. It's a beautiful day - paradise. The ocean before me makes me think of the vast hearts, the capacity for love, and the depth of need in the lives of these children. Indeed, in this country.

Women crouch over large bowls scrubbing clothes. Young men amble down gravel lanes or lean against trees. The workday has begun, but for them there is only the long stretch of day until night comes and darkness closes in on them once again.

The riverbed is dry. Last night the island was washed in a downpour, but today it is parched.

What are you thinking as you stand there?

From time to time we pass women carrying large baskets of bread or fruit on their heads. How do you bear the weight and walk with such grace? We pass a yard filled with intricately carved furniture, and the artist is at work. He looks like all of the aimless others, yet he is not sitting idle. Who will buy your creations?

School children in their uniforms walk down the street - the girls' heads boasting ribbons and cheerful bows. So neat and pretty and proud. If we speak the words "God has a plan for you," do you believe us?

Barbed wire curls atop block walls where broken glass stands and glitters. The sight is surprisingly beautiful in this brown world of dirt and rock and grime, yet it reminds us that this is a place of desolation and desperation. They need more than help ... they need HOPE.

Journal Entry: Final Night

The same stars that light the sky over our hotel light the sky over the orphanage. The same crickets chirp and dogs bark. Not five miles away a city sleeps in squalor. Families cram into rooms smaller than some of our closets.

Rain from today's downpour drips through the tin roofs of shanties piled beside the river, where thousands of people collapse in sleep before waking to another hopeless day. UN officials and businessmen chatter below at the pool and the bar. They talk and laugh as strains of music fill the air with romance, drowning out the sound of poverty and death.

Tomorrow the sun will rise, we will go home, and life will go on. The children will wake to the same sky we fly home through, huddle on their dirt floors, and live with the memory, maybe fleeting, of eight American women who came for a few days, held their hands, cradled their bodies, and told them about the love of a man named Jesus, who is everything they need.

May they remember. May they believe.

Haiti Trip - Days 1/2

On Friday, November 6, our team of eight ladies and John Miller of One Vision International got a very early start on our journey. Setting out at 5:30 a.m., we flew from Knoxville to Charlotte to Miami to Port Au Prince, Haiti.

From there, we traveled by bus north to Caberet. We arrived too late to visit the children on Friday, so we went on to the hotel. The next morning we woke to see the beautiful countryside of Haiti that had escaped our notice in the darkness of the prior night.

Here's our lovely team: Deena, Lisa H., Mia, Susan S., Rachel, me, Lisa B., and Ellen. Oh, and don't forget our brave leader, John Miller.

Since it was a Saturday, all of the children were present - little ones and teenagers too. We were blessed to have translators David and Cecile. Cecile is married to Dr. Noel, who works closely with One Vision and John in the care of these children and on the plans for their future home. Deena and Rachel told the children Bible stories each day and led them in games and activities.

Lisa and I spent some time with the teenage girls. I had a short Bible study with them, and then Lisa spent some time talking with them about purity. Dr. Noel and Cecile had a desire that we begin abstinence education with the teenagers at the orphanage, and Lisa did a wonderful job. They listened intently and asked questions when Lisa gave them the opportunity.

The children were eager to be held, so I was perfectly content to oblige. It's not uncommon to have a tired little one fall asleep in your arms.

Since my prior trip last May, the children have been moved to this new location. If you remember, they were previously living in an abandoned nightclub. Most of them were sleeping on the former dance floor under a thatched roof and sharing two commodes. The new location is situated beside a river and offers much more space and protection from the elements. Enclosed within its walls is a small church, several structures, and eight commodes. The structures are used for school rooms, a kitchen, and housing. Below you can see the church (I'm perched in the doorway catching a breeze), the kitchen, and the river.

As you saw above, our team worked alongside the caregivers to prepare lunch for the children. They actually did all of the cooking (after all, how would we know how to cook rice for 120+ children in a pot over a fire?), while we helped with dishing out the food and serving the children.

The following picture of Mia expresses how we were all feeling by this point in the day ... and it was just our first day. It's impossible to paint an accurate picture with words or images of what it's truly like to be there: it's so hot, so humid, there are so many children, there is so much need, there is a language barrier, the bathrooms are indescribible, and yet you yearn to offer more, help more, hold more...

Here are the children devouring their midday meal. It's always a heaping plate of rice with some type of meat and gravy. Even though the plates are piled high, the children eat every single bite.

An afternoon shower brought this lovely gift to the skies:

After we left the children, we visited the property that One Vision has purchased for the future site of the orphanage. We walked through the neighboring community, where we were greeted by hundreds of people. The residents of this modest home invited us inside to pray for their family of seven, including a three-week-old newborn who was sleeping on the one bed.

One Vision has purchased 40 acres for the future home of the orphanage. The plans include a dormitory with an adequate kitchen and bathroom facilities; a school (which the community children can attend too); a church; and a farm. It will change the lives of not only the 120+ children currently in One Vision's care, but it will change the lives of this community as well.

They need to raise about $100,000 to build the orphanage and are hopeful to reach that goal very soon. If you would like to make a donation, please mail it to One Vision International, P.O. Box 20608, Knoxville, TN 37940. Mark your check's memo "One Vision Haiti." Thank you!

Haiti Trip - Day 3

Sunday morning our team got an early start, but not as early as these fishermen already casting their nets. We attended church with the orphans, caregivers, and community members. Worship was like their own brand of jazz, with Madame Lucien moving from song to prayer while randomly accompanied by an eletronic keyboard, electric guitar, and drums. The children sang special music for us. After two hours we slipped out of the service to help prepare lunch for the children.

While the children ate their lunch, part of our team left with eleven of the caregivers to return to the hotel. One of our goals for this trip was to build relationships with these women, so we pampered them with a "spa" day - facials, manicures, and pedicures; lunch; and a Bible study. The rest of us stayed behind to help with the children. During lunchtime, we held the babies and visited with Dr. Noel. Pictured below, Lisa holds Jakob, a seven-month-old who was left on the orphanage's doorstep two weeks ago. He was very malnourished, so we worked all day trying to get him to drink a bottle of formula.

After lunch we shared Bible stories with the little ones and played. Here Deena goofs off with them, but most didn't know what to think of her red nose and false teeth. They'd obviously never seen a clown before.

Here's baby Jakob in the pack-n-play we brought with us holding onto a stuffed dolphin. He was a dedicated thumb sucker.

In the afternoon Lisa spent some more time with the teenage girls talking to them about abstinence. The girls were very engaged and asked thoughtful questions. David, to Lisa's left, was our wonderful interpreter. After this, Lisa braved a conversation with the teenage boys about abstinence. She did an amazing job, and the boys were equally respectful and thoughtful.

While Lisa spoke with the older girls, Mia spoke to each child, taking down their names, ages, and Christmas wish. The children were very patient, waiting for their turn to talk with her. Later that afternoon the teenage girls discovered that our team member Rachel spoke fluent French. They were extremely interested in her life and her family, and they were happy to be able to converse with her.

We borrowed this parachute from the boys' school, and it was a definite hit with the children. They squealed with delight and ran underneath as we flapped it up and down.

By midafternoon, we were happy to sit and rest with these babies. It had been a very long, very hot day, so we found the little breeze coming through a door to the church and enjoyed a moment of peace.

After leaving the orphanage on Sunday afternoon, our bus made it only about 1/4 mile on the road before it got stuck in the mud. Despite his best attempts, our driver had to turn it around. Because we didn't know how long this would take, we walked back to the orphanage to wait. Little did we know the huge blessing that was waiting for us down the muddy road...

Madame Lucien and the other caregivers led us by hand into the courtyard, where they had circled chairs around a tub of clean rainwater. They knelt before us and washed each of our feet while another women cleaned our muddy shoes. It was tender and beautiful, and we were humbled by their love and kindness toward us.

God saw our weariness and our sadness, and He used these Haitian women to minister to us in a beautiful way. We ended our evening at the hotel with a delicious meal, a celebration of Cecile's birthday, and a special time of devotion and prayer.