Hit the ground running

Bonjour from Haiti!

Our team safely made it to Haiti yesterday, praise the Lord! We left Cincinnati Friday evening and had our first "adventure" dealing with the airline. Apparently if there is another flight to your destination between the time you leave and arrive at your destination they will not check your bags through to your final destination! So...with the 9 members of the team we had 12 large suitcases and 9 carry on bags, and we had to pick up ALL of the bags at baggage claim in Miami and drag them all to the hotel on the shuttle bus. Once we finally got there and into our rooms we ordered pizza. We ate around 12 midnight, which meant we got to begin celebrating Susan's birthday.

We were back up by 6 am Saturday morning and headed back to the airport with all of our luggage. After making it back through checking our bags, the line for security was really long and by the time we got to the gate we only had a few minutes until they began boarding. We were rushing trying to grab something to eat to take on the plane. Some of the team were about the last ones to get on the plane. By this point I had a feeling that God must have something big planned for this trip since we were being faced with some challenges that would normally irritate people.

We arrived in Haiti Saturday around noon and gathered our luggage and headed to the parking lot. We were met by Pastor Odvin and the driver for our bus. We arrived at the guest house and began emptying our luggage to sort out all of the supplies and materials we had brought. Once we did most of the sorting and organizing we took a ride on the bus through downtown Port Au Prince. The palace is totally gone now.

It was a good experience for the new members of the team to see the area. When we got back we had dinner (amazing as always) and worked on the rest of the supplies. We packed up gift bags for teachers, bags of toiletry items for two medical clinics, formula and supplies for orphanages, and a few other things. By that time it was cold showers, hanging mosquito nets, and getting some rest. The regular power was not working last night so we were not able to use any air conditioning. So it was a sweaty night.

This morning (Sunday) we started with breakfast and devotional. Abby led the devotion and did a great job. Very fitting to start our week here. She talked about Mark 9:33-37, which reads: "Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, 'What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?' But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.' Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him to His arms, He said to them, 'Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent me.'  Abby talked about the importance of lowering ourselves to serve others before ourselves.

Then we headed off for the day. After some interesting and lengthy communication challenges with the driver, we made it to Sherrie's about 9 am. We walked with some of the older kids from Sherrie's through the ravine to Pastor Lenny's church for morning service. It was a very nice service. Some of the verses that were part of the message were John 14:16, Matthew 18:20; Matthew 6:33; Ephesians 1:15-18. A focus of the message was that we should first seek the kingdom of God, not living for this world because living for this world keeps us from seeing God for who He really is.

After the morning service we headed back to Sherrie's and we spent some time there talking with her and some other missionaries. Then we discussed our schedule for the week. We will be doing crafts\VBS, sewing classes, pastor training, medical clinics, algebra teaching, and whatever else comes our way! When we were ready to leave for the afternoon, I told Sherrie that I wanted to talk to her this week about how to go about investigating options for a house we could rent\buy for the women's ministry, Hope for My Sister. She began talking to me about it and then told me about a house that is available about 1 block away from her school. Sherrie and Beverly went and got on the bus with us and we drove to the house. The woman who owns the property was home and we were able to go in and look around. What an amazing house! It is perfect for what we need to do with the women here. Sherrie talked to me about how several other mission groups could assist with some things and the location is perfect. It is on a corner in a good intersection and within an easy walk to several ministries. I am supposed to go back and talk with the lady who owns the house tomorrow to discuss rent and a contract. Just before we left the house, we formed a circle and prayed about the house, for direction and guidance on whether this is the right house and the right time. It is so easy to immediately worry about a thousand details, but we need to step back and let God drive this bus.

Prayer request: please keep this house in your prayers. This would be a major step in this ministry and would require a lot of resources - not just monetary but human! This is such a difficult decision and a major crossroads.

This evening we went to Black Mountain for church and Arnie preached. Tonight was a little different because there were very few adults but lots of children (about 50). So we had the children come down and sit in front (where they usually don't get to sit). Arnie told them about the story of Jonah and at the end of the service six (6) children received Christ! What an awesome night!

Well, time to get a shower and get some rest. We have an early day tomorrow. Good night and God bless!

Patricia