What I Did in Haiti

Last week I had the opportunity to spend the week in Haiti. I traveled there with two others from Dunlap, Melissa Tibbs and Cana Smallwood.  We joined others from Minnesota, Texas, Florida, and Illinois, to see the some of the partners working with Feed My Starving Children.

We stayed in a very nice resort made especially for mission groups traveling to Port-au-Prince. We had nice rooms, good food, beautiful grounds and a swimming pool. We also had walls topped with barbed wire and armed guards.

Each day we visited a different organization.  On Sunday we went to church which was very lively and enjoyable.  They served all us visitors Haitian coffee (delicious) and bread (hot dog buns). They were very hospitable to us.

On Monday we visited an orphanage and clinic in the mountains. They were working with mothers to try to give them the means to keep their children because often they are giving them up because they have no way to provide for them.

Tuesday we went to School of Hope where we served lunch to around 500 students. As the dishes came back, every plate was completely cleaned up, every bite eaten. The children were fun to interact with.

Beno and Wowo
Beno wants to be a translator and just wanted someone to speak English with him.

The Haitian cook stirring the pot.

Me stirring the pot
(Totally a photo op)

On Tuesday afternoon we visited a very remote village where they have a malnutrition climic. We played with and held some very sick kids and some well on their way to recovery. The family who runs this clinic has been there for more than 20 years. I think one of the important things in our visit here was to let them know that we see their good work and encourage them.

The toughest place for me was a special needs orphanage we visited. But this is where Melissa shone. She latched on to a boy who had cerebral palsy and reminded her so much of her sister Debbie. It was very sweet.  About 25 children were cared for there and although they had food and shelter there was not a book or toy in the whole place.

Our guides we're two young Haitian men who were so kind and fun to be with. They both had great testimonies for the Lord. I enjoyed both of them very much. One thing they asked of us. They wanted us to come back and be ambassadors for all the good we saw in Haiti. And so I will say what wonderful people we met in all the places we visited.