2020 Haiti Mission update

It has been a while since I have updated you on the mission so this may be a little lengthy. By the way, when there is a grouping of pictures in my blog you should be able to click on the pictures and get a larger view.

They don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving here in Haiti. Knowing this I had planned to chill out that day and think on God’s goodness in my life. Around midday I received a call to come to the mission where I discovered they had planned a “Day of Thanks” very similar to our traditional Thanksgiving in the States. As I looked around during the celebration, I found many reasons to “give thanks”: the elderly lady getting her hair braided is terminally ill and she is lovingly cared for. Despite her age and infirmities she always greets me with a praise on her lips for God’s goodness…I am thankful she calls the Mission of Grace her home; Guivenson (in the green shirt) is a happy kid with a thousand-watt smile which he readily flashes often…I am thankful for his light; Jobez’ (in the orange shirt) legs are under developed, he can not walk and is confined to a wheelchair. However he gets so excited to see me because he knows WE will go for a walk when I am around…I am thankful for his miracle; although you can not see her face, Gabriella (yellow top) truly lives the words on her tee shirt in her personality…I am thankful for her joy; I love Marie Claude’s (in pink) passion and playfulness. I can see her maturity in God and I love the intensity in her prayers.

 

School ended for the Christmas recess on Friday December 18th so on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the week of December 21st the kids came over to the guest house to hang out with me and swim “in the ocean”. We had such a good time!

On December 23rd the children decorated Gingerbread houses. Things seemed to be going along pretty well considering there were almost 100  houses in various stages of “construction”. Much to my surprise most of the kids started eating their Gingerbread houses before they even finished building them. I guess I was the only one who did not know this was the plan all along.

We celebrated Christmas at the orphanage with the young people on December 24th. Mission of Grace is blessed to partner with a church in California which provides gifts for everyone. As I watched the kids unwrap their gifts I was struck by the care and thoughtfulness which went into each one. Madna, in the red dress below asked me to read the card in her gift and I was moved to tears by the words expressed. The kids were so very excited. Oh, her twin, Madna is in the white top and turquoise skirt.

On Christmas Day we spent time at the Elderly Home. Again the church in California provided personal and thoughtful gifts for each person. We had a brief program, the residents opened their gifts, and then we all enjoyed a tasty meal together.

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Finally, let me share with you a few of the people in my life here in Haiti:

I believe Marie France, pictured below is one of the reasons God didn’t bless me with a daughter. Two years ago she captured my heart while applying pink and green finger nail polish. I sometimes use the Haitian word “gaté”  when we talk. In English it means “spoiled”. Judging by our expressions in the second photo below I most likely said something to that affect to her. Isn’t she gorgeous?

Ms. Julie and I got off to a rough start when I first came to serve here in 2015. I thought she was mean-spirited and a bully. On top of that she would not give me the time of day even if she was wearing a watch on both wrists. However, now we are as thick as thieves. She is often the first child to greet me when I come to the orphanage by wrapping her arms around my neck. Recently she asked me to comb her hair. While I have had a little bit of practice with my grandson Quentin’s hair, I really didn’t think I was up to the task however, Julie insisted. When I finished she thanked me and then told me she loved me. What more could a guy ask for.

Farouna is a loving child who has some “challenges”. Many mornings at school during the assembly she and I will stand off to the side while the other students are lined up. This not only keeps her from being disruptive, it also provides her with some one-on-one attention. A few weeks ago I drove Farouna to school which, I believe, was the very first time she had ever been in a car. She was so giddy and laughed so hard she literally snorted a couple of times. When we arrived at school she refused to get out of the car until all of the other kids saw her. You could tell she felt very special. My mom taught me that giving just a little love can pay huge dividends. And I try to love on Farouna every chance I can.

Samara came to the orphanage with her twin sister Selah a little over two years ago when they were infants. Their mother died not long after giving birth. Since I have been serving this year neither of them would give me the time of day and often ran from me. Selah finally allowed me to hold her but Samara, pictured here, held out until recently. She sat long enough for me to take this picture and then decided she had enough of me for the day. Although I am still not the first person she will come to, at least she no longer runs away screaming (she still runs away occasionally).

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!