Love is more important...

2 days since arrival…

Today’s word is: Prayer.

Scripture of the day: Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, fr this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. [1 Thessalonians 5:16-17]

Quote of the Day: Pray as thouh everything depended on god. Work as though everything depended on you. – St. Augustine

Consider this: Have you prayed about it as much as you’ve talked about it?

Today we seem to have set into a groove! We started off with breakfast then had our quick meeting. The devotion this morning was about doing mission work… I hope my heart is open the entire time I am here and I keep my mind here in Haiti rather than back home.

After breakfast we got on the bus and made the bumpy trip back to Delmas 89. We started the day in sanctuary, with songs and prayers from the Haitian children. We sang Father Abraham, and the children wanted to teach us a song. The song is in French/Creole, so one of the teachers is going to write out the lyrics for us to learn. The song is about the children of Haiti being hope and that now they play and do other things, but in the future they will be the future.

I spent some time in the activity room today where children (up to age 10) all enjoyed coloring for a good 30 minutes! COLORING! The kids were so grateful to have the ability to color with crayons and cut with scissors! Then we went down to the courtyard and spent a good amount of time playing with the children. All the kids wanted to see the photos I took of them, and so many wanted to take pictures or us! Two sisters, Brigeline and Vilene kept grabbing my hand and taking me to play with them doing one thing or another. They kept touching my skin to see what it felt like since it looked so different. We blew bubbles and played jump rope. It was such a treat to have a chance to just see the kids play in their own element.

We went to sing more songs and dismissed the children for the day. We had a chance to relax and eat lunch but then one of our contacts here, Wes had a group of students that wanted to talk with us and ask us some questions. The group is called “The Blues” and “Boys of Christ” is a part of “The Blues” We had a chance to find out what they thought about our country – It seems that they think we always have a political agenda behind anything that we do, and we only do anything for personal gain. Bill, one of my group members had a very good answer to this question… He told them that we have no personal gain. It costs us money to come here. It costs time off of work. And some of us had to even raise money to do this. Our purpose for being here is to do the work of God. 

We had a chance to learn about each other’s worlds. So few people here have the ability to go to school; One of the major issues with the culture here is that they undervalue the female population. Some of the best advice from Wes and our group is that Haiti needs to start functioning on all cylinders and treat the women as first class citizens. Boys are encouraged with creativity and ability to do what they please, but once girls reach a certain age, their education veers to a more practical education about chores, and cleaning. The strength of the nation resides in the population and their eagerness to help others.

One of the student’s asked… what can you tell us that will help us to develop ourselves as people? An idea that first stemmed from Pastor Justin has really called me to take action. I’d like it very much if BOC (Boys of Christ) came to Michigan to see how the United States works. There are about 8 members and their needs would be funding to travel (plane tickets) and possible passports. We’d need to send them a letter of invitation… We would need to provide them with food and housing while they are there. Pastor Justin wanted to bring them in for Mission Day (in Oct or Nov) but someone from Brazil may come instead. It is my goal to talk to PJ when I get back to see what we can do to make this happen. I will also need to take it to the mission board, the LWML, and even the small groups and congregation. Cost totals would probably be 8 or 10 thousand dollars. But BOC I believe is talking about doing their own fundraising.

We pushed the idea of creating a DVD or CD that we can use for fundraising opportunities, because if they could come and share their love of God with others, showing people that do not have the ability to come to Haiti how strong their faith is despite challenges and the whole country and world being against them! It will also give them the opportunity to see how things work in America, and bring the information with them back to Haiti. Then, they can continue to share what they learned with others when there is not a mission team available to them here. Rather than sending people to them for a week or so, it gives them the opportunity to make a difference themselves by equipping them with knowledge and information to move forward in the world and do good. I know it is going to be a challenge to convince Trinity that this is something that we need to do. I am probably going to get a lot of no's. But Wes also said something today when we were talking about books. He looked at the Stephen King book on the floor and said... Stephen King got rejected 49 times before someone agreed to publish his books, he was telling the Haitians that they need to expect to hear no, and keep persevering until they hear yes. There will be challenges, but the love that we can teach Les Blu so that they can take it back to Haiti with them is more important. To me it is the difference between buying someone a gallon of milk and buying someone a cow so they can have milk for years. We heard two more songs from BOC today and I cannot wait until Sunday night – there is a concert at Delmas 89 that I believe we are attending. 

After our time with the school, we made our way back to the hotel to drop off our belongings – then made our way back to the orphanage with more diapers today. The nuns were so grateful for the two full garbage bags of diapers that we had for them! When I got there I went straight for Jr’s crib. He was sitting up and reached right for me! I grabbed him right away and held him the entire time I was there. He just melts into your body when you hold him and he wraps his arms around you like he never wants you to let go - If I didn’t have to, I don’t think I ever would. He took his medicine, then I had the chance to feed him! At first he wouldn’t eat for me, I was so worried since he is still so skinny… So I kept trying and trying and trying… finally after 6 or 7 minutes of blatant resistance, sticking hands in food, spitting food out, and clamping mouths closed, he finally began eating! He was eating so well! We finished his food and I took the dish back inside – he started crying the second I went through the door thinking that I was going to put him down, but that would have been impossible.

Another boy was wandering around the nursery room and somehow made his way outside! He couldn’t have been older than 2… No one was watching him, so I ended up holding two babies at once for a while… I put the spare baby back in the nursery room and went to sit with Jr. for a while longer. His name is Jr. Silus Jean, he is 23 months old, and he came to the orphanage in February. I saw another baby today that someone else was holding and realized that her birthday was the same as my niece Katelyn’s!

When Stefanie said it was time to go, I again nearly cried, just thinking of having to put Jr. back in his crib. I tried so hard to get him to sit up and stand up on my lap, but he just cried and reached back for me, melting back into me the second I let him snuggle up against me. He was sweating because of the heat (even in the shade) but Love is more important than being hot.

Some of the mom’s come back to the orphanage to feed their children. Many Haitians do not believe in breast-feeding. The nuns do their best to try and convince these mothers (sometimes young teenagers) that it is the best action for the baby. Some babies at the orphanage have parents that were killed in the earthquake. Some have parents that can’t afford to take care of them and sign off on all rights to them. Some have parents that drop them off and do not sign off. And some have parents that come to feed them but cannot afford medical attention for the children. The children that are not signed-off, cannot be adopted.

I am starting to think that this is a trip of a lifetime that I never want to forget. I want to get a tattoo of a footprint on the opposite side from my current tattoo (about the same size) to remember the children that I met here that touched me so deeply. Not quite sure if I want to bring in Haiti, or Jr. or 2012. Or even a Haitian Creole phrase, but this is not a trip that I ever want to not be reminded about. Love is more important to me.

We came back to the hotel, went for a quick swim, got showered and went down for dinner. Team meeting had lots of prep for tomorrow – we are doing both Delmas89 and Caradeux! No orphanage for us tomorrow, but we will go Friday morning after Good Friday mass (9:15- 11:30am). Saturday we are doing Caradeux and possibly going to the beach. Sunday is Easter Church and then we are going to Market. First thing Monday morning, we depart for home!

It is hard to believe how fast this week has gone. I am loving every minute of it. Love is more important.

As always, please keep my team, their families, and the whole nation of Haiti including the children I will be teaching and helping all in your prayers.

I love you - from Haiti

  - Jen