Valerie and Peggy share their story

Peggy
Good morning my name is Peggy  and this is Valerie  and we had the privilege of going on the mission trip to Haiti.

We would like to introduce you to some special people we met in Haiti.  This is Emanuel, a Village Champion, who worked for the Mission of Hope, he took us to visit several homes in his Village of Titanyen.  One of the homes we visited was his 93 year old Grandmother who is the other person in the picture. 

The first thing we noticed was the special bond between Emanuel and his Grandmother. That bond was Jesus Christ.  Emanuel shared with us that his Grandmother was in constant prayer for him while he was growing up.  That when he came to visit her she would share the Bible with him.  As grandmothers ourselves, Valerie and I felt an immediate connection with her.

God provide us with the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Emanuel and his Grandmother because it started pouring and she insisted that we all come into her home to get out of the rain. 

Now Valerie will continue the story: 



During our morning village time, we would walk with our Village Champions and interpreter and try to engage in conversations with people outside their homes.   After each conversation with a villager, we asked them how we could pray for them.   But Grandma wanted to pray for us...and boy did she pray.  Of course we couldn’t understand any of it but her love for the Lord and us and the power in her prayer was such an encouragement to us.  We shared a time of singing hymns in English and Creole - and she was the one doing the dancing and clapping.  She also gave us a lesson on the nine points of a faithful Christian walk.  Grandma’s life is focused on encouraging everybody she meets to walk faithfully with the Lord through her fervent prayers, godly example and life lessons.  Her life has not been easy - physically she’s as poor as anybody we met.  She could easily have become bitter with God because of her living conditions.  Grandma lives in poverty but is a very wealthy woman spiritually.

During part of our devotions before we left for Haiti, we were encouraged to give up a meal, giving us a small but actual “feel” of what it is to live in poverty.  During that time all I could think about was what I couldn’t eat right then and what I would eat at my next meal.  We saw the evidence of malnutrition in the bloated tummies and orange tinged hair of the kids.  It would be so hard to be focused on a good and loving God when you don’t have enough to eat, have access to clean drinking water, a job to provide for your family or enough clothes to wear.  We have our physical needs met in a way the Haitians do not but still need to be encouraged to keep our focus on Christ because of the many distractions that we have in our lives.

Each Village Time afternoon we went to open fields and played with kids, Bruce told them a Bible story, and we handed out water and cookies.  Two of our days we painted homes in Titanyen.  This was an encouragement to these families who are active in their local churches and are having an impact on others for Christ.  When we asked them how we could pray for them, each one wanted us to pray that they remain strong in their faith and finish well.  We were told that the Christian men are incredible fathers in a society where intact families are rare.

Each time we go on a missions trip, I try to sift out the main things that I can bring home to apply to my life.  Our precious time with Grandma encouraged me to finish well, keep my focus on Christ no matter the distractions of life, and to realize the impact that a godly woman can have.

Another patient story

This story began the first medical day.  Drs. Steve and Kelly were to be the emergency team for the clinic at Mission of Hope.  We had come on a week when they had not planned a medical team.  Raquel the nurse was in her first week at the Mission and she is in charge of the mobile clinic that takes teams into villages where they see and treat whoever comes.(See Steve's story)  The MOH Clinic is run by Haitians and they were kind enough to use these two energetic doctors for two days.  The first day Gay and I spent time in the Mobile clinic supply room sorting the supplies that the teams had brought. It provided us with lots of helpful info that we used to assist the Doctors in the days to come. 

While in the storeroom we could hear the cries of a baby and soon realized it was our docs generating the distress!  A Mom had brought in her baby boy with abscesses on his face.  Dr Kelly a surgeon was looking for a way to open the abscess when it began to spontaneously drain all over Dr Steve.  This was the beginning of the story of this dear family.  The baby was much relieved and the process of healing began.  The next day Dr Wilkerson asked Dr Steve to see a man whose hand he had previously treated.  By then Dr Steve had asked for HELP from me and I was grateful to be out seeing people.  We began by soaking the bandages off,  a horrifyingly painful process for the man.  Through the interpreter Daniel we began to hear his story.  The man owned a house and wanted to evict the man who was staying in the house.  The man would not leave so August was forced to bring in the police to evict the man.  In this process the man became angry and put a HEX on August.  During the cleaning of the home August had injured his hand and he believed the Voodoo hex that had been put on him caused the hand not to heal.  We had learned that even though many of the people of Haiti are Christian 95% of them also hold Voodoo beliefs.  Now we were hearing just what we had read about.  We also found out that the baby treated the day before was his baby--thus the source of infection.  After Dr Steve had the dressing off the hand and saw the extent of the injury/infection he realized Dr Kelly (an orthopedist) was much better equipped to see this and work on it.  They switched patients at that point.  Great teamwork as Steve then saw a man with a headache(more internal medicine).  This was a very extensive injury and Dr Kelly said usually caused by an untreated puncture injury.  He was treated and  Dr Kelly and Franz the interpreter also prayed with him.  I had been reading some Psalms 46 and 91 to expand my trust in God and shared these Psalms with the patient.  The patient August returned to the clinic on Friday.  Dr Steve was able to get some antibiotics for him as well as dial soap useful in  Staph infections.  He was excited to pray again with us and introduced his wife Naomi.  We look forward to seeing them again. 

Gay(Dr Kellys wife) was always a great encourager with patients

Linda in the mobile clinic supply room with all the new supplies.

The doctors and Franz and Daniel interpreters

One of the clinic rooms with nurse Raquel

When Dr Kelly shared this story in or presentation he was greatly moved as he told how much this young man had suffered. As he walked through the pain,  he(August) cried out for help from Jesus our true source of help. 

Dr Steve's favorite story

On Thursday the medical team went to an orphanage in a village called Sourcemalta.  We saw many children dressed in their school uniforms under a large white tent.

Raquel (MOH nurse) Dr Kelly, Gay Linda and Dr Steve

Steve, with Pastor and Franz

 

Some adults from the village came with their children--some by themselves.  Some were elderly--some middle aged.  I saw a middle aged man whose chief complaint was trouble sleeping.  I inquired about his medical health and found it unremarkable.he told me it was between him and the Lord.  All we had with us for sleep was some children's benadryl and I gave that to him.  I asked if I could pray with him.  He said ok.  My prayer for him was that the Holy Spirit would enable him to overcome whatever was causing his oppression.  After I prayed for him,he asked if he could pray for me.  I said sure.  His prayer was in Creole and Franz the interpreter interpreted. :)  His prayer was gentle and flowed out smoothly.  It was comforting even though I did not know the words.  He prayed that we would keep coming to Haiti and said how much it meant that we came to care for the Haitian people.  After we prayed we embraced--I was touched.  I was reminded of a book Linda and I had read recently.

David Platt in his book RADICAL asked the question--Would it make more sense to just send the money to needy missions rather than spend the money to travel to be with them for a week?  He wrestled with that question until he got to Sudan.  He was talking with a fellow from Sudan who had known war since he had been born.  He had faced persecution and suffering his entire life.  He told him about organizations that had brought in supplies.  But then he said to David"  Even in light of all these things that people have given us, do you want to know how you can tell who a true brother is?"  "A true brother comes to be with you in your time of need"  He then looked David in the eye and said"David you are a true brother!  Thank you for coming to be with us"

 

Monday-Monday

I did not journal on Monday.  We went on a very looong trip to a town in the mountains called Mirebalais.  There we visited and toured a fantastic hospital built by a NGO called Health First.  Health First was started by Paul Farmer a Harvard physician who very early on(80"s) had a heart for the people of Haiti.  He believes in liberation theology(empowering the poor).  The hospital is lovely and gives care to many people for about $1.50  (the price of the card to get care).  Many foundations from the U.S. contributed money to build this facility.  It is currently about 40% of full operation.  The plan is for the Haitians to take it over at some point.  We were pleased to see such a hospital to train Haitian doctors and give care.  It was a long trip in the van.  We had gone up a gravel road that crossed streams.  An unusual trip for us.  Along the way we enjoyed getting to know the interpreter Reubens and trying to avoid car sickness.  Reubens was a19yo from Port Au Prince and had been playing soccer(futbol) when the earthquake hit.  He went home to find his home in ruins.  He has a beautiful voice and had written a song for his Mom for Mothers Day that he sang to us.  He leads worship at his church.  We did not see him after this day.  After our tour we stopped to eat at a restaurant Gilbert (another interpreter) picked for us.  The lunch of the day was goat and we loved it.  Fun to try something new.  I had asked why all the goats running about.  Now I know.  Delicious!

The contrast between the trip up to the hospital and the people we saw carrying their produce to a market and the New Hospital.

Sunday

I tittled this page  "Hot in Haiti"  Yes indeed it was always hot and I was always glistening.  It seems a distant memory now and unimportant to all that went on...

Sunday AM we put on our skirts and walked to the Mission of Hope Church.  It is totally Haitian run now and we enjoyed worshiping in a beautiful way not seen at our quiet church in Colorado.  They included some worship songs in English...but beautiful to hear in Creole.  This church holds close to 700 people and was nearly full.  Lots of beautiful children.

Later---650 homes--built to replace those temporary homes built after the Earthquake by Samaritans Purse.  (You know the Samaritan Purse homes by their distinctive blue).  Many remain in use.  We visited the new village of Leveque

.  The mission just completed work on their school.  The kids are so excited about it.  Lots of kids follow us about begging to be carried.  The Moms look on from a distance.  No Dad in sight today?

Linda and Gay with some of the kids

Steve is one little girls horsey. 

Dick our team leader and Steve.

The poverty is overwhelming even 23/4 years after the earthquake many still live in these temp shelters. Some homes are being built across the "street". 

On the way back to the mission we eat at a restaurant...Big Daddy Chicken.  The hospitality exemplary.  All the village kids yell "HEY YOU"  to get some attention as they line the path going into the restaurant.  The meal is delicious.  A chicken drumstick,  plantain, rice/beans and coca-cola to drink in bottles.  All for $5. The restaurant gets dark and we can only see the food with lights from our I-phones.  This is a special meal set up just for our group by MOH.  I doubt they are open on Sunday except for us.  MOH gives the kitchen staff Sunday off.

Tonight back at the Mission Compound (70 acres)  we see a movie with intro by Brad and Vanessa Johnson the founders.  Wow God! what a visionary.  His goal is to stretch what he thinks can be done so the God will be seen in miraculous ways.  For example that school was built from August to October!  The kids were waiting:)  They are in the Haitian Schools with a Christian curriculum.  They are feeding 75K kids daily,  They are raising 65 orphans.  They serve 100 a day in their clinic and many more in their mobile clinics to villages when medical teams come.  They desire to work through the church to raise up Village Champions to articulate the needs of the Haitian people in their villages/towns.  They employ 300 Haitians and 15 North Americans. (It almost sounds to good to be true but before the week is finished, we see all of this with our own eyes).

My friend and teammate Teresa's writes

While I was working through the process of going to Haiti- my decision to go, our team meetings.  One thought kept coming to my mind, this is about God’s Glory.
Use Mission of hope devotional day 3:
John 13:5-7 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. 6. He came to Simon Peter, who said to  Him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7. Jesus replied, “ you do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”  
But Jesus had now made it very clear to them, both in His actions and His words that serving others in humility, not exerting power and authority over them, is truly the mark of greatness.  In Matthew 20: 26-28, Jesus said to His disciples: “Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”(NIV)  Jesus personally removed the barrier that would have made it difficult to serve, gathered the supplies needed to serve well and then proceeded to serve people with a physical need, but in the process met their true, deeper need.  Those “dirty feet’ showed what serving truly looked like!

Our team is going to talk about some of the people we came in contact with and I would like to share about how we saw God's Glory work through our team.

I watched God work through Tamera's youth- the pull she had with the children.  As she showed her love to the children of Haiti.

I watched God work through Peggy with her management skills at the start of trip with organization and flight prep.  I watched her heart soften towards pest y young salesman.

Val, he used her leadership qualities and abilities to approach the people of Haiti, start conversation and show her concern and love.

Gay he used her kind heart to connect with our Village champions and Interpreters.  He also used Gay's ability's to persuade Kelly into using his numerous talents.

He used Linda with her organization and abilities to help Steve through the clinic. He used her personality to bring us laughter and joy.

God used me to plant a small seed in some young salesman that we were there to lift them up, build relationships and they could trust us.  As I was up on a ladder painting those same Haitian boys were asking about different places in the states.  They asked if I knew Hollywood- Yes I know Hollywood, (keep in mind there was a language barrier but I keep talking and they responded) well I am an artist !  Would you sing us a song and he started raping.

I was blessed to not only participate through the village but also I was given the opportunity to watch two very wonderful  Doctors at work.  I will always cherish that time

I watched at God used in Steve in deep caring for the Haitians but he also used Steve’s sternness with a Haitian boy that wouldn’t keep his hands off the sterile field and beautiful work of his hands in the medical clinic.

God using Kelly's compassion and his hands to clean wounds that needed God’s healing touch.

We went into a small orphanage and watched as God worked through Bruce with a Bible story of Saul.  With his and the interpreters animation they captured the attention
of 15 beautiful children.

God used Dick's quiet leadership to give our team security and strength.  There was a short period of time that we weren't sure Dick was going to be able to travel to Haiti.
I watched our group  move from insecure to feeling secure just with the good news that God had healed our leader and he would be able to travel and lead us to Haiti.

These are just a few of the ways God used us as his tools-  for his Glory.  The same way in used all of you to send all of us.

Saturday---

Arrived to a very busy Port Au Prince airport  with people fighting over carrying our 23 pieces of luggage because we are from North America.  Bobby, the Mission of Hope driver found us and loaded all luggage into a wire sided truck.  The frenzy felt like I was back in Ethiopia when I got to pick up my sweet grand girls December 2011.  After the luggage we were loaded into the truck.  Wow quite a welcome ride!  Made the overnight discomfort of Spirit airlines a distant memory.

We arrived at the Mission of Hope campus in Titanyen just about 1 hour north of the airport.  We began to unload all our donations which totaled approximately $4K worth of supplies to be used at the Medical Clinic,  the school,  the orphanage,  and in the kitchen to feed us and the other teams expected that day. Thank you Mountain View Church for all you gave to us to bring.  We also had gotten clothes from Journey Church left over from the flood distributions.

We had a brief orientation from Elizabeth, lunch and a brief settling in hour before we were loaded in a van for some Village time.  We went to Cabaret a town of 80K a bit to the north.  Our job was just to talk to people and love on them.  Each foursome was given an interpreter and we set out.  We felt like fish out of water but soon found some boys wanting to sell something.  We had already in our brief orientation been given some info.....#1 RULE..DO NOT GIVE MONEY or YOUR PERSONAL ITEMS no matter how cute or needy!  We then spotted two girls carrying water.  We did not know what they were doing so decided to talk to them.  They were shy but shared they were carrying a 5 gallon bucket of water to their home.  I volunteered Steve to help out:)  Steve said it was too heavy for an old man.  I was worried but joined him and thank the Lord there home was a short block away.  They shyly thanked us and we later spotted them getting another bucket full. That bucket weighed between 45-50 lbs!  We asked them if they liked school and they enthusiastically said "YES".  Evidence that it is a privilege in Haiti to be able to attend school.

We also talked at length to an older looking woman(oops 53).  She was a grandmother of 2.

Johnny our translator that day lives in Port Au Prince.  His English was much better than our french/creole but I wonder how much really was translated but not understood.  Johnny was driving during the earthquake with his brother.  His brother died and his Dad was seriously injured and died later. He continues to live with extended family.

One of the translators speaks 5 languages.  He directed his group to pray with those they met if they desired it.  The people were very warm and relational.  A beginning to know Haiti experience.  I wonder if we wandered the streets of Greeley if anyone would talk to us.