A powerful week in Haiti
Haiti Trip June 2012
Whew! What a week in Haiti. We had 14 of the most amazing teens and their moms with us last week.
Our Kay Anj Orphanage kids LOVED having the teens to play basketball, soccer, paint nails, sing, dance, and simply talk and spend time with. In our morning devotionals we talked about how we really don’t need to speak each others language…love and touch speak so much more than words. Our teens shined the light of Jesus the entire week.
Linsey is happy to be back “home” in Cap Haitien. Justin Shetterly joined her in April. Justin plans to stay for a year unless we talk him into to staying longer! Haiti is a tough place to live. We had a week of extreme highs and some lows too. We know that it’s all Gods plan and He will prevail. We prayed as a group continually. It was powerful to listen to our teens praying together. Bondye Bon. (God is good).
We visited La Cou, Linsey’s street boy program. Linsey (with the help of Park Valley Church) is in the process of starting a church for the boys. They do not have appropriate clothes, shoes, to attend church in the city. These boys want go to church to love God and feel His love for them. Most will tell you that they “renmen Jezi “ (love Jesus!). They are given a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and juice while they listen to our friend Isaac (a Baptist pastor) preach. On Sunday Isaac had a death in the family and could not preach so guess who preached?! Archibal! We were shocked. He was amazing with the boys. Leila and Ashley helped with wound care for the boys.
Thank you EVERYONE who sent/gave donations and letters for our kids. We put new sheets on every bed…the kids acted like it was Christmas! Seven of our “medium” girls all got new bras..adorable!
We had a sleepover at the orphanage. It was sooo hot many of our teens weren’t able to sleep but they laughed and played with our Kay Anj kids into the wee hours of the morning.
We visited a church that Linsey calls “the Landfill Church”. It’s truly in the middle of a landfill. I’ve never seen anything like it.
The children were malnourished, half clothed but sang to us with everything they had! We definitely felt Gods presence there. “Doctor Ashley” again treated a few kids who had open wounds.
We visited Children of the Promise and learned about their 60 preemie, malnourished, abandoned (some) children. They were precious and doing so well thanks to COTP. We also spent time with Haiti Hospital Appeals handicapped children. They are a gift. They laugh constantly!
Our last day was spent at our friend Andy’s Northcoast Farm where it was over 120 degrees! (the thermometer only goes to 120!) We met our new baby goat, Gouda. We now have a mom, dad and baby goat that we will move to our new land in Limonade soon. Speaking of Limonade, we visited our future neighbors and played “duck, duck, chicken” with them for a while. Even the adults played!
Thank you all for your prayers, financial support, donations, letters, photos and mostly your love for our kids.
We believe that building long lasting relationships with our kids, mama’s, staff in Haiti is critical to their future. When they know they’re loved, they know they matter. They can then be the next generation that changes their beautiful country.
I can tell you that they definitely know they’re loved!
Mesi Anpil,
Debbie and HHA team
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Thank you for this wonderful update, written so very positively. You are all angels of mercy, and I am grateful for compassionate friends like you. Thank you for helping me do just a tiny speck of giving these children what is needed in their lives. May God richly bless you.
you are so nice to comment Barbara! Did you know that Emily went to our orphanage?! I’m trying to get Laura there too!