Love Is...

Judy and I both had very uneventful trips home on Tuesday…I know for certain the Haitian people have blessed me more than I can put into words. They taught me allot about Love and humanity!

Love is patient…our medical team witness truly sick patients (some with severe wounds) patiently wait up to 6 hours to see a Dr.

Love is kind…we showed up for church (in poorest city were most of the people don’t have clothing or shoes), they ran out of seats for us to sit down so the people went home (into their tin huts) and brought us more seats so we did not have to stand.

Love is not self-seeking…On several occasions during our trip we fed the hungry (most of which only get one meal a week) Almost every person we gave food too on the street’s shared it with those who did not get food

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth...many Haitians shared similar stories about the day after the earthquake. The Haitian President and thousands of people were in the streets PRAISING GOD! (NOT hating but Praising)

Love never fails!
I want to thank
· All the people in Haiti who welcomed us with open arms and treated us like royalty!
· All my team members for the great team effort,
· Judy and Amy for the wonderful Job you did coordinating and leading the teams!
· Pastor Rigual, the orphanage staff and the kids at the orphanage for your impeccable hospitality
o We found out on our last day some of the kids at the orphanage gave us there mattress’s to sleep on for the week and they slept on the concert and tile floor because they want us to be comfortable.
o We can all learn a lesson from them they have “nothing” in our standards but what “nothing” they have they are willing to give us to make us more comfortable!!! I can’t think of anything more loving then that!!!!

Last but not least I thank the Lord for this Divine appointment he had for us!

Suzie (back in Santa Monica, CA)

New Rules

So when the teams were here the rules for the toilet was if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down. And by flush they didn't mean apply slight pressure on a knob and it'll automatically do the rest, nope, it means lift a 5 gl bucket and carefully pour clean water into the hole until there's a pressure created and it sucks the stuff down. And since I'm the only one here now I've changed the rules. Now it's: if it's yellow let it mellow and if it's brown let it mellow too. At least until I have to brown again. Just doing my part to conserve.
*sorry no pics here.

-Dave born in Los Angeles, Ca

Mountain Trek

On Sat morning most of the initial team left. I was supposed to go to but I decided to extend my stay for another week. Suzie did too but just for a few extra days.

Friday, that really intense day, we stayed late and got really close to finishing the roof/floor but we had to get home before it got dark plus we were beat. But the rest of us decided to go back the next morning and finish. That we did. Closure in seeing the completion of something is such a good feeling.

After going back to the orphange to clean up we embarked on the planned
expedition to the Baptist mission in the mountains. The 12 of us crammed into the Toyota pick up. 5 in the cab, 7 in the back. With the pastor driving, he took us on an intentional detour so that we could see more of the city. As we entered downtown we saw the chaos of the market, tons of street vendors, selling everything from fruits to amps, set up against empty store front buildings. We passed a dead man lying on the sidewalk with police just starting to approach. Apparently people commonly do that because claiming a dead body would mean that person was responsible for the funeral costs. The pastor pointed out a 4 story pancaked (where the support columns gave out and the floors fell intact to top of each other) market building where he says there are still plenty of smashed bodies. Beyond the market we entered the greater civic center area, passing a major prison where the biggest gangsters were locked up, all 4000 escaped during the earthquake. Then we drove by the Presidental Palace which looked like it had the front facade completely ripped out. Champ Mays which was a huge park in the middle of downtown was now an immense tent city.

We continued up through Peytonville where the wealthy live, the main difference being there were actual stores as we know them versus just booths set up on the streets. Saw a cemetery turned rubble yard. Practicality trumps the sacred?

As the elevation got higher the air got noticeably cooler, rainforest like, in fact the greenry around got exponentially greener. And there were large houses built from this stone that gave it a rustic feel.

The mission had a great view. There were paint vendors just outside. I tried to haggle not noticing that the truck was about to leave me, which actually worked to my benefit because as I was rushing to get to the car the man said fine and gave it to me for the price to asked.

On the way back it started pouring. Too bad for the people in the back of the truck. It would've actually been really refreshing if it were down where we normally dwell.

Picked up 25 Dominoes pizzas, yes Peytonville has Dominoes, on the way back and had a pizza party with the kids.

-Dave from Oakland, CA

Sunday, May 23, 2010

We began our day at Bethlehem Evangelical Baptist Church with Pastor Rigaud, our team and the Haitian congregation. We were welcomed with amazing warmth and kindness. Rob Knechtle did a great job preaching while Pastor Rigaud interpreted. Who would have thought that going to church at 6:15am would be a highlight in the week, but it was. Throughout the week we have seen and heard many heartbreaking life stories. At church we were all the same, brothers and sisters celebrating the hope we have in Jesus and worshipping our God together.

In the afternoon we had the opportunity to go to La Saline to feed the children there. Some of the local women prepared rice and beans, chicken and vegetable broth, that was provided through a donation. It was our job to help serve the meal. When we pulled up in the trucks the kids were singing joyfully, it sounded like any other children’s service. It didn’t take long to see that many of the children were sick and malnourished. When Pastor Rigaud brought us to where the mud pies are made, that are fed to children, just to keep the hunger pains away, my heart was broken. Imagine feeding a child mud because there is nothing else. The depravity of their living conditions and lack of food was difficult to process.

Tomorrow, another part of the East Meets West Team is heading home. So what are we to make of our time in Haiti? How do we reconcile what we have seen with knowing that God is a loving God? For me, I will continue to have faith that our God, who conquered sin and death through allowing His “one and only son” to die on the cross, can also heal the Haitian people and give them a future. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”. Over the years I have asked God to use me as He sees fit. In “I Will Go” by Starfield, there is a line that I have adopted as a prayer, “break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause”. Well, my heart is broken, now what am I going to do about it? What are all of us that have seen going to do about it? Maryann

New Church Berkeley Division

"raise your hand if you are having fun!!!

Our last day was a tough one physically and emotionally. We all hung in there and were inspired by our little helpers who came to assist in the afternoon. We feel so lucky to have spent this time with our Haitian friends to be inspired. Several of us head home tomorrow. A couple CA team members (Dave and Suzie) have decided to stay longer and will continue to work hard and play hard with the kids. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and donations which have surely contributed to this experience and to our goal of helping the Haitian people.

Amy