What's next?

On Tuesday at school, I shared pictures with some of my students.  One of the girls in my advisory class quickly told me that she wants to go to Haiti.  She probably mentioned it two more times during the period, and I've been thinking about it a lot.  This young lady, who is approaching the end of high school and ready to face the next chapter of work and college, wants to add service to her list. 

I could write volumes on the experiences I've had in Haiti.  I could make you squirm with tales of bug bites, disease, and open infections.  I could tell you stories that would make you laugh and stories that would make you cry.  And despite any number of stories I could tell (and have told since I got home from that first trip last summer), there are people who are ready to pack a suitcase or two and travel to a place where God is doing amazing things.  A place where little boys and girls with no mommies or daddies are smiling and praising Jezi (that's Jesus in Creole).  A place where a hand-me-down skateboard, gummy bears, and a new tube of chapstick are a treat.  A place where despite the odds stacked against them, people are living a life of loving others. 

God continues to reveal Himself to me with each and every life experience.  And while it's too soon to tell what I will learn from this recent trip to Haiti, I have a feeling that I'm in for something that will change my world. 

As for my student, I am putting together some information for her in hopes that she too will be able to delight in the things that Child Hope and God are doing in Haiti.  And maybe, just maybe, I'll be traveling with her!

Lukenson

Kamala brought a recordable scrapbook and wanted to capture the kids' voices next to their pictures.  She asked each child to say his or her name and then sing.  Lukenson forgot the name part, but here's his singing.  He doesn't know all the words and does what I do when I don't know the words, improvise and make up new words that sound close enough to the real thing.

Daphne

Here's a short video of Daphne during school.  There are times when she is quite charming on camera, and this is not one of those times.  It will put a smile on your face either way.

Pictures from Haiti

Click on the picture above to see all the pictures from my trip.  Many pictures have captions, but there are several that do not.  The school is now educating many of the street kids and I don't know all their names.  The stars that they are holding are part of a larger project that will someday end up in my classroom, thanks to a great idea from one of my students.  

Last day in Haiti

Each morning after our school duties were complete, Kamala and I went over to the girls' home.  During the day the house serves as a day care for the little ones in the ministry and children of people who work for Child Hope.  This precious girl is Adnaika, and if the sunglasses are any indication, she's pretty cool.

This morning we started with chapel at the school, finished up some work for the school, played with the day care kids, helped with the feeding program, hung out with the kids, and enjoyed our last day in Haiti.  I even got to hear the kids at the feeding program sing my favorite Creole worship song, and if you've been here, you know which one I'm talking about. 

As I think about the past week, there are so many things that have warmed my heart.  I'll post videos and pictures when I get home.  Until then, pray for safe travels.

Next update from Miami.

Show and tell

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:18

The work we're doing in Haiti is visible.  There's a team building bunk beds at the Transition Program, there's a team renovating the old guest house in preparation for moving the girls' home, there's a team of medical professionals running a clinic and make-shift dentist's office.  And of course, there's the team that's working at the school in various capacities.  Today we prepared cum files, worked on a list of school goals, attempted translation to French (thanks Google), and communicated with the MdL School Advisory Board.

My role on this trip is much different than last summer where days were long and there was never enough time to get everything done.  Transfering one day's to-do list to the next was normal.  When I'm at home there is pressure to check everything off and have something to show for the day's work.

In Haiti, there seems to be more time for what Pastor John calls show and tell:  show God's love and tell others about it.  Today I listened to Lukenson sing a worship song, I watched Daphne play the bongo drums, I hugged Yvenal when he fell off his skateboard.  And while I have photographs of those memories, there's so much more to it.  There was no to-do list today and it worked. 

I need to spend less time thinking about (what I think) needs to be done and more time on the unseen.  Because at the end of the day, it won't matter if I have 25 unread emails and a pile of laundry to be sorted.  What will be important is how I practiced my show and tell skills.

WASC in Haiti?

I was back at school this morning meeting with Mr. Ivens, Mike, and Kamala, and strangely enough, we were discussing ESLO's, PLC's, and Marzano strategies.  If you're not in education, you might not find the humor in this, but I didn't imagine talking about WASC-stuff in a third world country! 

After my meeting, I worked with the kindergarden class as well as the 5th and 6th graders.  Two equally interesting groups.  The kinder kiddos are super cute and their behaviors can only be described as endearing.  The olders kids get it, for all intents and purposes, and we had some engaging conversations.  We worked on the same writing activity as yesterday, and then I taught them the chicken dance.  We had some extra time and that's about all my brain could come up with.  Cheep cheep cheep, flap flap flap, wiggle wiggle wiggle, clap clap clap.  You're singing the tune now, aren't you?

This afternoon was feeding program and tonight was worship at the boys' house.  Somewhere in the middle was dinner, and throughout it all, there was prayer.  Lots and lots of prayer. 

It was a full day of activity and I'm ready for a shower and some sleep.  Bon nuit!

Raspberries and a really cute smile

This is Wilson, one of the new kids at the boys' home.  His precious smile was one of the highlights of today. 

I started this morning at the school and worked with the 1st through 4th graders.  We completed a short writing activity and then I gave them bracelets.  There's a story behind the bracelets.  One of my 12th grade students (at home) showed me her hemp bracelet one day and told me that she wanted to make them for all the kids.  All the kids!  The bracelet project became a team effort with the help of the CSF class, and the kids in Haiti love them!

Later in the day I watched the little boys riding skateboards and I shared some bubblegum.  They were perplexed when I blew a bubble, so I asked if they knew how.  Not so much.  I wasn't sure how to teach this skill and the language barrier didn't help.  So, the kids in Haiti still don't know how to blow bubbles, but they sure know how to enjoy strawberry Bubblelicious.

And then there was Daphne.  Yesterday she was her usual sassy self and I have quite the video (internet too slow to upload).  After school she showed me what she was working on for tutoring, she did some gymnastics flips off my torso, and went about the world in her own Daphne way.  As I was walking back to the guest house, I stopped to say hi to the girls and there was Daphne.  She climbed into my arms, sat on my lap, and then proceeded to give me a great big hug.  But there's always a catch with this darling diva.  She planted her lips on my shoulder and gave me a raspberry!  She did it over and over to the point I was in stitches.

What a great ending to the day!  Thank you God for reminding me why I am here.

At a loss for words

I went to the feeding program for the first time today.  Last summer I watched from the rooftop a few times, but fear kept me from really getting involved.  

Being in Haiti is already a heartbreaking experience. 

There's verse in a worship song (Hosanna by Hillsong United) that does a better job explaining how I'm feeling:

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause

How do you find words to desribe what it's like to feed the poor and hungry?  Their bright smiles showed nothing of their suffering, and I was the one fighting back tears as I served them beans and rice. 

I am still overwhelmed. 

Loving Others

About a week ago my best friend's three-year-old told me the scripture she had learned for church, and it's a familiar passage.  "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

This is something we're supposed to do. 

But, do we?

I have good days and bad days.  There are days where I share my love with abandon and there are days that I am a little more frugal.  There are also people who are easier to love than others.  But really, it's not supposed to be my decision who or when or how much.  If I really follow Jesus in this, it means letting go of my own stuff and showing kindness to everyone.  Every single person. 

This morning at church (that's Port-au-Prince Fellowship), Pastor John spoke on surrendering our lives, forgiveness, and living a life of loving others.  He likened the loving experience to the childhood practice of show and tell.  And it makes sense. 

And the fact that this message has been delivered to me twice lately is also something I've definitely taken notice of. 

This afternoon I went to the boys' house to deliver gummy bears that one of my students sent.  I asked them to sit down and close their eyes (that's the best way to receive a surprise), and then I pulled out the enormous bag of sugary goodness.  At first they thought I was giving them vitamins, and I quickly explained that it was candy.  Still some blank stares.  Candy?  Candy!  I watched them devour every last bear and bounce around the Ben's on a sugar high.  (I'll upload video when the internet speeds up.)

After the boys calmed down we laughed, we reminisced about funny things that happened last summer, and then one of them asked how things are back home.  And this morning's message hit me again.

Loving others.  Every single one. 

Safe Arrival

This is inside the cage on the way home from the airport.  The cage is a big cage (duh) around a truck that safely transported all 16 of us and our 28 pieces of luggage from the airport. 

And that's Kamala in the picture with me in case you were wondering.  We were co-principals last summer.

So far the first day has been pretty good.  We didn't have any travel glitches, and aside from not getting enough sleep, I think we're all adjusting quite well.  The weather is hotter than home, but not nearly as hot as last summer.  Right now there are storm clouds rolling in which will hopefully bring some rain. 

The new guest house is beautiful!  The old guest house provided very nice accomodations, and this facility is even nicer.  There's even a rumor that we have hot water.  I'll let you know what I find out.

We went for a walk this afternoon to see the kids, the school, and the transition program, and I was quickly reminded of the perpetual coat of sweat and dirt that become normal ... okay, tolerable. 

As for the kids, it was GREAT to see them!  Much, much more on this later.