Haiti: Day 1

Hey brothers and sisters!

SO....it was a LONG first day, but an amazing one! As some of you know, our journey began at 4 AM in the morning yesterday as we met at the church to go to the airport. We arrived safe and sound, after many locals tried to "help" us with our bags - we were heckled, but made it here safely ready to go!

The flooding here has been a force to reckon with, as half our team is sleeping in the church and half are in tents. Don't be fooled though, sleeping in the church is not like sleeping in a church back home in the US. The folks sleeping in the church are on concrete ground (think 4 concrete walls with a tin roof), while rats run about the rafters. Jesse and I screamed last night when we saw one the size of a cat scampering across the roof! Everyone thought this was hilarious, but it gave us the creeps! Ha!

Everyone has LOVED playing with the kids and meeting the children. Yesterday afternoon, we were all sitting around listening to a man from the Dominican Republic play worship music (he was from another team here), then Matt grabbed his guitar and joined in. They started playing the song "Mighty To Save" and then we looked around, and all the orphans in the compound were singing it too....in English! Praise God! There wasn't a dry eye under the gazebo as we played and sang the song for our Lord's glory! It was so sweet that the orphans came running to sit on our laps, many of them fell asleep because they had been playing with us all day. Such an incredibly sweet moment to have a precious Haitian orphan fall asleep in your arms while singing the song, "Mighty To Save", isn't it?!

Last night we had a devotional time with the kids, which was so fun, but also more serious at the same time. Justin shared his testimony with the kids, which was seriously awesome. So many of them think our lives are perfect, no problems. In their minds, we have food, we have parents, we have education, clean water, we know where we are going to wake up tomorrow - they do not have this luxury. So, Justin sharing his testimony about not having a father figure, and coming from an abusive home, REALLY connected with the kids. The older boys in the back of the room were glued to his story. It was awesome. The men on the team also did a skit on David and Goliath, which was SO funny! Kendall played an award winning role as a sheep, while Eric (aka "David"), tended to the sheep. Chris was "Goliath" and did a great job! The kids loved it! We also sang songs, and Jenifer Smith shared her testimony at the end. Amazing night!

It has been so heart warming to see a different side of everyone. Just rolling around and playing with orphans all day, it never gets old, not for one second. Nanette and Dana have also connected with many of the kids, carrying around orphans with cerebal palsy. As some of you may know, the majority of these kids have special needs. Dozens with hydrocephalaus, many with mental illnesses, at least 20 in wheelchairs. So when they get the opportunity to have fun, it warms their hearts for God - and let's them know, God has not forgotten them. Many of these kids are considered outcasts and were not wanted by their families because they "had issues" and could not be cared for, or their parents died. They are so hungry for love, and the need is huge.

One child, Wentzi, I was able to reconnect with after being here last time. He is doing great! He is smiling and playing! Wentzi was "5 weeks away from death" and had severe malnutrition and tuberculosis, no parents leaving him an orphan. He's a little shy, but has a huge heart! Watching him sing "Mighty To Save" was more than a blessing, it changes it my life. Isn't this what James 1:27 is all about?

Today we will be going into Port-Au-Prince to take a look at the devastation and some of the poorer areas of the city. To be honest, the shanties and the tent cities are actually considered "the nice areas" of the city. We'll be taking a look at the worse off places, then having lunch at the Haiti Baptist Mission on one of the mountain tops. Tonight we will be having devotional time with the kids and many of them are already claiming Kendall to play on their team! (he was busy arm wrestling the kids till late last night! Ha!) Bill, Ty, and Eric have also been in high demand for soccer!

Please continue to pray the kids open their hearts not just to us, but to Jesus Christ. Please pray that we make the most of every second we are here to impact this place for the kingdom of God. As we go about the city, for everyone to see Jesus - and not ourselves. Please pray for us to love with a selfless love, to leave sin at the foot of the cross (per Bill's devotional time with the team last night), and to love with the love of Christ. Please pray for God to break our hearts for with what breaks His. This is just a very small snippet of what God is doing here in Haiti - in the kids and in us - there will be SO much more to share upon return. I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and for being warriors for Him at home. You are here with us.

In His Love,
Kristina