1/9/2015 - Most of the team gathered at Indian Run UMC for a 5am send-off from family and church friends. Due to a home emergency, Suzie was unable to join us today but will fly to Port-au-Prince tomorrow. Our flight to Port-au-Prince was with Delta via Atlanta. We arrived without incident and journeyed to the Petionville Methodist Guest House for orientation and overnight lodging.
1/10/2015 - Nine of us made it to Les Cayes this afternoon, after having a chance to
see the finished church in Mellier where we served in 2010 and 2011. We were graciously greeted by the pastor from Jeremie in Pastor Claude's absence. Suzie made it to Port-Au-Prince this afternoon and will spend the night in
Petionville before joining us tomorrow. We received the great news that Pastor Claude will return from Cuba on Thursday. His wife was doing much better.
1/11/2015 - Today was Harvest Sunday at the Les Cayes Methodist Church. 200 plus people gathered for worship with representatives from many of the churches in the district, including the lay pastor from Pelerin. Hymns were sung in French and Kreyol, and our team offered two songs in English. Chaplain Penny provided an inspiring message about each Christian being a light in the world with interpretation into Kreyol by Caz. After having a short visit with an old friend in Petionville, Suzie joined us in Les Cayes a little after 10am. We took an hour drive to Port Salut where we enjoyed the beautiful beach and a late lunch before returning to Les Cayes. Tomorrow our team ventures to Pelerin to assist with construction of their new church.
1/12/2015 - Today was the fifth anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Many churches held special services and school was not held. Our team had its first day in mission in Pelerin. The walls of the church are still under construction, so we straightened rebar, bent iron for rebar cages, cut wire for tying the cages, tied wire cages for the west and north wall bond beams, helped put up the forms for the west wall bond beams, and helped
pour rhe concrete for one corner column. We were also surrounded by about 30 children and a dozen or so moms. Meeting and playing with the children was great fun. Suzie especially enjoyed singing hymns with the women and even taught them to sing "He's got the whole world in His hands" in English. It was a blessing to be in service to Him!
1/13/2015 - Just when you think it cannot get any better, we had an incredible day
today. First thing in the morning we organized a bucket line for the concrete pour of the bond beam for the west wall. After that we helped the Haitian workers put up the forms for the north wall and did another bucket line for its pour. After lunch we put the rebar and triangle forms for the wire cage for the east wall. At 2pm the team split in half: one group tied
the wire for the east wall bond beam and the other held Bible School for the children. We were told to expect 40-60 childen, but we had 70 children plus about a dozen moms and older teens. Suzie led the children in singing "He's got the whole world in His hands". Michelle and Suzie told the story of Noah, and then the children were helped with doing a craft of Noah's ark filled with animals (animal crackers). It was a special blessing to see the huge smiles and joy of them all. ... Our evening devotion was an emotional time for everyone when our interpreter, Caz, shared his personal story about the earthquake, how it affected his family and what it was like to lose everything and live in a tent with his extended family. Seeing the videos and photos five years ago doesn't hold a candle to hearing a testimony from a friend.
1/14/2015 - Today we helped put up the forms for the east wall bond beam and ran a bucket line for its concrete pour. The forms for the front wall bond beam were up by the end of the day. At Bible School we had 76 children. Caz and Michelle led the singing. The children colored while they took turns getting their hands painted to put their prints on poster board to make a cross. Two posters were made and hung behind the altar. Each child was given a snack and a book to take home, before the gathering concluded with the children repeating Michelle's prayer in Kreyol.
1/15/2015 - We started the morning off with the concrete pour for the front bond beam. Later we carried all of the concrete blocks from the front of the church to strategic positions within the church so that the last five rows can be added above the bond beam, sifted river bed material to create a sand pile to make mortar to lay the blocks, and fashioned an extension to the community well system to make the water more accessible. In Bible School we sang songs, told the parable of the lost sheep and made sheep with construction paper and cotton balls. We gave them a snack at the end. Farewells were touching from the youngest child to the construction workers to the elders of the church. Tonight we enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant with all of the Les Cayes guesthouse staff who supported us this week. We finally got to meet Pastor Claude, and he presented each team member with a certificate.
1/16/2015 - We departed Les Cayes at 5am for the airport, because there were some concerns about political demonstrations in Petit Goave and Port-au-Prince. At that hour we ran into no problems whatsoever. It was sad to say goodbye to Caz and Dinah when we dropped them off in Carrefour, but they knew that our hearts and prayers remain with them. Bondje bon tout tan! (God is good all the time!)
Return to Mission Experiences list
reports