Home, Again! Now what?

So, we are all home now.  We've been home for almost 3 days.  What's going on in our minds and in our hearts?  Well, I can't speak for the whole team, but I can speak for myself.  There is a tension in my mind and heart.  It is back to routine, as usual.  But, should it be?  I am enjoying spending time with my husband and children.  I am thankful for family.  It feels like some of my family is still in Haiti.  What difference can one week make?  I think it makes a lot of difference.  We wonder if we really could make a difference?  I believe it made a difference to us all. 

How do we go on with our lives of drinkable water, food aplenty, medical care, safe streets (relatively), hot showers and air conditioning?  How do we resolve such blessings in our lives when we have left behind 120 children who live day in and day out without such blessings?  We have family.  For many of the orphans in Haiti, belonging to a family is not an option. 

God called all 7 of us to Haiti for such a time as this.  We poured into their lives.  We gave them time, attention, and affection.  For the time we were there, we showed them family.  We are their family because of Christ Jesus.  Hopefully, they were affirmed in the Truth that they are not forgotten.  God knows their names.  And now, so do we.  "He has plans to prosper them and to give them a hope and a future."  (Jeremiah 29:11)  I believe our team was a part of that hope. 

I am grateful for my time in Haiti.  I am grateful for the 6 sisters in Christ who shared this experience with me.  I am grateful to the 120 children who showed me love and allowed me to share in their lives.  I am grateful for the blessing to feel love, compassion, mercy, grace, and goodness.  I am grateful for the prayer warriors who daily lifted us up and interceded on our behalf.  I am grateful to the Lord, our Creator and Savior who calls us all into relationship with Him so that we can glorify His name in all the earth.  I am grateful for the Holy Spirit within me that breaks my heart for what breaks the heart of God.  I pray for my heart to be opened up and broken each day.  I don't have to be in Haiti to make much of Jesus. 

In the meantime, we are called to be faithful, whether in Haiti, Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, or Texas.  We are called to seize everyday for His glory and His pleasure.  I pray I am found faithful...  There is tension in my heart and soul.  I know it is the Lord continuing the good work He has started within me.  Haiti is a stepping stone in that journey.  I am ready for the next step.

Following His lead, Melanie

OUR TOP 21 MOMENTS OF HAITI....

21.  Who's going to marry Jonas? (looks at Karli and Becca)

20.  Is it 8 o'clock yet?

19.  Just wave.

18.  Angela getting pooped on by doves.

17.  Haitian Salt Water...Bottle it. Sell it.

16.  Power's out again..."BARRY!"

15.  Karli getting peed on.

14.  Alisha: "Jonas, what does this say?"
       Jonas: "It's English."

13.  Run for your life! There are sea urchins in the water!

12.  Don't sit by Kelly! You'll throw up!

11.  What happened to my face???????????? Ughhhh!

10.  Will the let us back into the country looking like this?

9.    Oh look it's a parade...Oh wait, it's a funeral.

8.    Do we really want people to know that 5 of us are on our period this week?
      (American college guy right behind her)

7.    Haitian Man: "I am hungry."
       Becca: "No thank you."

6.    Crystal: "Help me! Somebody translate! She's gonna throw up!"

5.    Haitian Man: "How are you?"
       Alisha: "I don't speak Creole."

4.   What happened to my face?

3.   Are you pregnant?

2.   I don't want your Deet!  I want my skin.

1.   LET ME WHITE IT DOWN FOR YOU!

Beach Day!

Internet connection is very poor tonight, so I won't be trying to upload any photos... sorry.  But, I can give you an update on our day.  Guess what?  It was another adventure....

We loaded our big bus around 8:00 and drove to the orphanage.  Mission Ryan and 45 children were waiting to load the buses to travel to the beach.  Apparently word got out that some "blanches" were taking the kids to the beach because there were WAY more than 45 kids there ready to get on the bus (adults, too)!  Needless to say, we turned no children away but had to tell many adults no.  Each of us took 3 children with us on our bus.  So, our 25 passenger bus had our team of 7, 21 children, 1 orphanage staff worker, and 3 translators.  Off we went!

We drove 2 hours to the beach.  More than half of our children went to sleep.  You would too if you got up every morning at 4:00 am!!  They were so excited when we woke them up at the beach.  All of us Americans were anticipating sandy beaches.  And, they DO have those type of beaches in Haiti.  However, our beach was still beautiful but all rocks.  That didn't stop anybody.  Everybody went running into the water with huge smiles on their faces, until.............

Sea Urchins!  Many of the children stepped on them, leaving their spikes in their feet.  Can we say "ouch?"  We felt terrible for the kids who were the urchins' victims.  Dr. Cho from Mission Ryan said there was nothing to do for the stings.  However, they kids did implore their friends to urinate on them to remove the stinging.  It worked!  We changed locations to a relatively "urchin-free" part of the ocean.  I think we only had one more person get stuck after that.  Also, the kids kept their shoes on! 

In the meantime, the truck bringing all of their cooking supplies for the meal broke down.  It did not arrive until almost 1:00.  That meant the meal of bbq chicken, pasta salad, plantains, and french fries would not be ready until 3:30.  YIKES!  We were planning on leaving the beach around 3:00.  But, hey!  We're in Haiti!  We must expect the unexpected and be fluid, right?

The meal was served around 3:45.  They served us first.  (That means that the kids we were responsible for got 2 plates of food today!)  Our bus left around 5:00.  Not sure what time the Mission Ryan bus left the beach!! 

It was a great day, inspite of all the chaos.  It would feel weird to have a day without event.  Our bus of kids slept the whole way home, bellies full and plumb tuckered out.   (I am from Tennessee.  Those of you reading this not from the South may not get that expression.  It means really tired.)

I will refrain from any deep thoughts tonight.  I will also refrain from sharing with you my adventures with a true Haitian toilet.  I think the story above is enough for today....

By the way, my belly is full and I am plumb tuckered out, too!
Melanie

Thursday

Our team spent time at Children's Household For Tomorrow Orphanage today. Everything about the day was different compared to our experience the first 3 days. Probably the most memorable part of the day for several of us was that we assisted another organization (Mission Ryan) in dental extractions. Yes...extractions! These poor kiddos were all in great need of getting rid of some bad teeth. So our job was to hold them, try to calm them, apply the numbing cream, and help the dentist as he gave the numbing shot and then pulled the tooth. Definitely an experience none of us will forget. It was hard to see, but the kids were so brave and really did a great job.

But for me the highlight of the day was Fransos. When we walked in the gate, he came up, asked me my name, and then we started tossing the ball back and forth. For the rest of the day, we walked around holding hands while he said, "Kelly, Kelly, Kelly" over and over. We played ball some more and then wrote our names for each other. The heartbreaker was when he wrote "Mamma" by my name. Oh how I hope and pray he felt a mother's love for those few hours!

I know I'm going to have a lot to process when I get home. But my prayer from the beginning has been for a heart broken and hurting for what hurts the Lord. I know that Fransos is just one of so many that will help me never to forget.

~ Mamma Kelly

God is Good!

        The Lord has been doing so many wonderful things here! Mostly I see Him in the orphans, especially the children of Well Being Orphanage. I deeply miss them already!!! There were several children that just stayed attached to my body for days. They had to be touching me always, holding my hand, playing with me, having me hold them/ pick them up constantly....  and I LOVED it! However the goodbye yesterday I did not... it was so hard. I couldn't sleep at all last night (the heat may have had a little to do with it) But mostly I couldn't stop thinking about and praying for the children of Well Being. I love them. I really do. I felt an instant connection with them-- they are special. I was blessed to be chosen by the Mama of the orphanage yesterday to say a closing prayer. It was awesome to pray over them. These children are truly the least of these and yet their thankfulness to God abounds. They have all taught me and changed me for good. I will never forget them. Much love, Alisha
       

Our Well Being Children

Let me white this down for you (LOL)

This experience has been such a wonderful and blessed experience.  Something one could never begin to prepare for.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful team of ladies to share this experience with.  God has brought us all together for a particular purpose to help serve his kingdom.  We have definitely bonded together over the past four days, laughing, crying and sharing so many amazing stories. Crystal keeps us all on our toes.  (She even talked me into getting corn rolls on my head).  And we could not ask for a better leader...thank you Melanie!

For the past three days we have been at the Well Being Orphanage; all of these children had major impact on me. However; two little boys Moses and Claudey  hold a dear piece of my heart.  Both of these little boys (2 &3 years old) have special needs.  Unfortunately, none of the children at this orphanage are able to be adopted because this orphanage is not registered through the Haitian government (trust me otherwise I would be coming home with one of them).
  One of my favorite moments happened today when we had to say good-bye to the children...I was crying and one of the little boys came up and put his arm around me and started singing "My Jesus I love you"!  How does this not break your heart. God is truly doing amazing things here.  Please continue to pray for our team and the rest of our journey.
In Christ, Angela