Mission Trip

Today I went on a hike with Enoch, Clark, Laura. We left at 6 a.m. We went to the mountain of Soufriere. This was the area Enoch was born in. The hike took us about 2 hours. The land was beautiful green and lush. We saw a lot of gardens. They were growing corn, rice, squash, pwa kongo and tayo. We saw yams growing cocoa and coffee beans. We hiked through many rivers. We had to get help crossing the rivers. We gave our friends a lot to laugh and giggle about. Clark who is Ms. Pat's husband, has studied the island of Haiti for over 40 years. He has found many artifacts over the years. This December he will be in the magazine "Smithonian". During our trip, we found colonial pillars that dated back to the 1700's. Clark was excited about this. This was his first trip to Soufriere. We took lots of pictures and actually had fun with the GPS Clark had. We all were surprised with the beauty of the country side. There has been lots of rain this month and we enjoyed avacado. October is the season for them. We passed many kids in school uniforms that had to walk for miles to go to school. Laura and I both agreed our kids probably wouldn't believe this. This has been my first trip here in October and have enjoyed this time here. It has still been very hot. We have not had power very much. Each trip I learn more about the Haitian Culture and the beautiful people that have to endure so much misery at times in this land. The hardships they go through each day can be very sad. But their smiles are beautiful and faith remarkable. We can learn a lot from our sisters and brothers here.

Today I went on a hike with Enoch, Clark, Laura. We left at 6 a.m. We went to the mountain of Soufriere. This was the area Enoch was born in. The hike took us about 2 hours. The land was beautiful green and lush. We saw alot of gardens. They were growing corn, rice, squash, pwa kongo and tayo. We saw yams growing cocoa and coffee beans. We hiked through many rivers. We had to get help crossing the rivers. We gave our friends alot to laugh and giggle about. Clark who is Ms. Pat's husband has studied the island of Haiti for over 40 years. He has found many artifacts over the years. This Decenber he will be in the magazine "Smithonian". During our trip, we found colonial pillars that dated back to the 1700's. Clark was excited about this. This was his first trip to Soufriere. We took lots of pictures and actually had fun with the GPS Clark had. We all were surprised with the beauty of the country side. There has been lots of rain this month. We have enjoyed avacado this month. October is the season for them. We passed many kids in school uniforms that had to walk for miles to go to school. Laura and I both agreed our kids probably wouldn't believe this. This has been my first trip here in October and have enjoyed this time here. It has still been very hot. We have not had power very much. Each trip I learn more about the Haitian Culture and the beautiful people that have to endure so much misery at times in this land. The hardships they go through each day is can be very sad. But there smiles are beautiful and there faith is remarkable. We can learn alot from our sisters and brothers here.

Today was a great day! We left the house at 6 a.m to go to the Mountain of Soufriere. Our friend Enoch was our guide. He was born in the area we went to visit. Clark who is Ms. Pat's husband went with us to do research. Clark has studied Haiti for over 40 years. He is going to be in the Smithonian magazine this December for all his archeology work.
The hike took us about two hours. It was beautiful. The land was very green and plush. We would see rice and corn growing. It was a nice surprise to see all this green land. We had to walk through many rivers. When we crossed the rivers many Haitians would help us cross. Lots of giggles and laughter. If nothing else we give our friends something to talk about. We would see the women washing their clothes in the river. At one point we saw many children that were getting out of school. They had their school uniforms on. We would pass them in the morning walking miles to school and then at the end of the day the kids walk back home. Laura and I decided most of our kids would never believe this. Remeber we are up in the mountains. No stores or clinics. We did see one school and a couple of churches.
A beautiful hike and a beautiful day indeed. Each trip I learn more about this beautiful country and the people who endure God kept us safe.

Today is Saturday, November 3rd.
We had a quiet day today. This morning we went to visit another missioaries compound. It has been good to see the other missionaries here. Some of the stories you here are amazing. It reminds me of the importance of praying for our missionaries. We went back to the hospital to visit the little boy that had a fractured femur. We took him water, food and prayed with him. He had the biggest smile when he saw us. We also met some of the group from Konbit Sante. They are out of Portland , Maine. This will be short and sweet we have a chance to go for a cheeseburger...YUM YUM Lots of Love sent your way.

November 1st. 2007

Today we went to visit Asile. It is a Catholic run home for handicap children and the elderly. It is operated by 14 Brothers. One of the wonderful young men we met was Brother Johnson from the Phillipines. He gave his life to Christ when he was 15 and joined the brotherhood a year later and went to Jamaica. He gave us a tour of this facility that is set up as a big dorm with only beds. Sixty elderly women and sixty elderly men. Then we continued to an area that held forty handicap children. It was set up as a dorm with cribs. We felt a peace there. There were very little extra's. It was apparent to us there was alot of love being taught and displayed. The brother explained to us that the down syndrome children/adults show love to one another by feeding, washing and helping the elderly to bed and they can be seen pushing them around in wheelchairs. Then he went on to say when the kids are given a piece of bread they will break it into peices to share with one another. We all agreed this place will leave a lasting impression on our hearts. One of the signs they had in one of the dorms said this " THE CALL TO SERVE THE POOR IS AN INVITATION TO TRUE HAPPINESS" I will go back for sure! He actually invited us to come back and help bathe the children. This is an answer to one of my prayers. For the last few years I have had the desire to bring a team down to an orphanage and spend a week holding children who are forgotten and cast away. Matt. 25:40 "The King shall answer and say to them, Verily I say unto you, in as much as you have done it unto the one of the least of these by brethren, you have done it unto Me.
We also went to visit Children of the Promise, another orphange run by missionaries. They had sixty one children. There are over thirty Haitian women who help with these children. It is so awesome to see God in action and to see the many missionaries being so loyal to the work they feel God has called them too. I have one more week left. Will return in February with a team and then again in June with a youth group that will be helping a dear friend of mine, Enoch Firmin, who works for Hope Seeds. We will be doing a BGS( bible garden school) and soccer clinic in a village where it is very poor. How exciting to do God's work! Thank you for your prayers.