Hope in Haiti

August… in Seattle and in Haiti

Dixie — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:56:31 +0000

I hope you’re summer has been a little less hectic than mine. I have been busy with my own kids this summer as they come home from college to visit, to work, to move back in again and to marry. My daughter Grace was married on July 17^th and will return as Dean of Women to New Tribes Bible College with her husband soon. She has been very involved in HOPE in Haiti and has gone on most of the trips. Now hopefully, we will be joined by her husband Brandon who has already been on one team.

I watched Grace prepare for the wedding weeks ahead of the actual occasion. She made cd’s of their favorite music to give out. She made slide shows of their growing up years. With help from friends, they made and bought food for the guests. We worked for hours on decorations for the tables. She bought buckets of flowers at the farmer’s market to be arranged. Getting the family together for the photographer and trying to think through every detail was difficult but necessary. And then the day arrived and what a celebration it was! As I watched my little girl being escorted down the isle on her older brother’s arm I was deeply moved. He gave her away in place of her father who died four years ago. She was beautiful inside and out. I listened to another brother sing a song that he had written for them. I saw another daughter as a bride’s maid standing next to me and other numerous siblings involved in her wedding. This unity, this common goal had brought us together once again as we celebrated someone we love. As I watched each one doing his/her part, I thought of how grateful I am for each of them. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to invest my life, myself in my children.

What does this have to do with Haiti? I think the same is true for each person involved in HOPE in Haiti. Whether one is a part of a team that goes to Haiti and serves or is one who is giving time, energy, or money here making it possible for children to attend school, have a hot lunch, learn of God, and go to camp. We have a common goal to invest in these children and their families. The churches/schools that we have built are being used constantly for school, church, meetings, and camp this summer. Here in the United States we might go to church twice a week, but in Nan Wo, they meet every evening for study and prayer and that’s after the building has been filled with children during the day for school. We have built a well which the outlying community uses, producing clean water. August 9-14 will be the third annual camp for about two hundred children and this year they will be able to use their own building, saving money by not renting another large building. Once again, I am so grateful for each one of you and the part that you play in this. What could be more important than investing in these children’s lives? This generation may not see a great change, but it will come, I have no doubt. As these children learn about the love God has for them it will change their perspective of life, and eventually their country. Please continue to invest with me. We have great HOPE in Haiti because of Jesus Christ.

Blessings always,

Dixie

Entitlement in a 1st World Nation

tony — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:11:25 +0000

“Pigs don’t know pigs stink.” It is a saying I learned a few years back and will contiune to use if only to remind myself I can be, well to put it bluntly, a self centered American. Okay be offended if you need but beware of the insidious nature of entitlement, it can dig in and settle like smoke residue in a hotel room. You can’t see it, but it sure make its presence known. The other side of the goud reflects, in my twisted mind, a more positive light. The people of Haiti are at the bottom of the economic scale and yet life continues, when you scrape the bottom of the barrel you get sawdust. And if you are surrounded by others scraping the bottom of the barrel you don’t know any different. Now shake the barrel and disrupt everthing and you are left with, well, the bottom of a barrel; and the scraping continues around the mess. (Now as you may know my mind sees this world a little differently so please try to keep reading.) Abject poverty is not the inability to find decaf, freetrade, Sumatra and settle for instant. It is the sight, smell and sounds of people digging through garbage to find scraps to feed their family, it is an evnironment that can breed hopelessness, it is normal everyday existance on the island of Hispanola. And yet there is hope in the whitest of smiles, the movement of the Spirit and the service of “God’s Image”. Can you smell it, can you hear it, can you see it, can you touch the rough dry skin powderd in white dust crusted by dried sweat. We smell it and call 911 to complain about the neighbors burning garbage, we hear babies crying and look judgingly to seek out the neglecting parent, we see the ramshackled rusted tin roof structure and avoid that side of the street and we feel the rough skin and reach for the tub of cucumber/coconut/lime/mint butter nut lotion. (Remember conviction is from Him who loves you beyond comprehension and condemnation from the prowling enemy. I garantee you I will be held to the jot an tittle of my words before this week is over.) Our latest team to return from Haiti saw a country, a people, devastated by an earthquake that would have minimal damage elsewhere in the world. (Building codes prevent this kind of damage; look at Chile.) Their stories tell of standing buildings with devastated structures inbetween. They tell of building materials that would never be found at a “Box Store”. But this is all meaningless in the light of the people. The people continue to scrape the barrel around the rubble and devastation. They move from the cinderblocks to tarps. Life remains hard with an added mess. Yet after we throw money to organizations who function with overheads ranging into the high 20%, we focus on the separation of Tipper and Al and “Oh my what will Simon do now?” THEY STILL NEED US!!! Brush away the many piles of rock and debris, scrape it into the ocean and you sill have Haiti, the poor. “Whatever you do for the least of these……” Don’t stop praying, it is the offensive weapon we have, the Word of God reaches within to separate your muscle, bone and tissue and reaches without to bless the little girl in Port au Prince who lost both parents and to the man with one leg who continues to scrap for the “sawdust” to feed his family. They are there and we are here. We are here to serve those that are there. In the last few days our teams have spoken to kids at several local elementary schools who collected change, to 150 some-odd kids in a juvenile detention facility who washed cars in the rain to raise money to help and to sunday school children who raised several hundred dollars to help build school desks. It is happening. I spoke today to an young RN who served several hundered patients in an clinic in Dessalines. She will be heading back soon to do more. Her mind and heart hold the images of Gods children, children in need. She spoke of emotional suffering manifested in the aches and pains of fatigue. She shared the unexplainable reaching for the words to describe the undescribeable: the smiles of the hopefull, the thanksfullness of the destitute and the innocence of the children. I spoke to a father about the depth of serving people who speak a different language. He shared his experiences and stories and in his eye was the careing of a man who loves deeply. He has a tatoo on the inside of his forearm of a childs’ hand reaching for a fathers’ hand. That image is the meaning of why we serve, that image is us reaching for God and God extending His hand to us. I started with stinky pigs and now I am talking about a tatoo. There is a country song in there somewhere… Okay I am about to reach 900 words and you need to stop reading. The point is this: 1st, Jesus said the poor will always be with us and 2nd we are each on our own path. How is God stirring in you to connect those two truths. Truth is an will always be Gods’ version of reality.

Tony

Pictures from April Hope in Haiti trip…

Rachel — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:44:42 +0000

It was a whirlwind of a trip as always! The team celebrated Easter in Port-au-Prince and then traveled the four+ hours up north to Dessalines and then hiked the nine hours up the mountains to Kawo. They updated a few hundred of our school kids’ photos and information for HOPE in Haiti. They also helped build benches for the school as well and then raced back down the mountains in time to celebrate the finish of the church construction project in Nanwo with several baptisms (including one of our own team members!) and long, wonderful, church, celebration services. It was a fast, busy trip but sweet to see the work that God, in His grace and goodness, continues to carry on! Enjoy the pics!

Kawo Sponsors

Rachel — Sat, 29 May 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Kawo Sponsors! As you may have seen in the newsletters and blogs, we had a trip just return from Kawo and I am sorting through pictures of the school and your sponsor child as we speak. Be expecting an annual “fridge” card of your child in email and a hard copy sent by snail mail in the coming weeks.

I will also post lots of pictures from the trip so you can see the community, FINISHED! school and the impact YOUR sponsorship is making in the life of your sponsor child(ren) and their families. I would have all the updates down next week expect for my wonderful and very active 6 month old keeps me busy so nap-time will be dedicated to getting a few cards done everyday. I’m sure many of you can relate.

Thank you for your continued faithfullness and sponsorship and be looking for pics to be posted on this website and your child’s card soon! Love to you all and Happy Memorial Day! Yea for the start of summer!

Rachel

June Newsletter

Dixie — Sat, 29 May 2010 20:51:26 +0000

Greetings friends,

We’ve decided to continue with the monthly newsletters as I feel out of touch with many of you. Blogging just doesn’t take the place of the updates each month, plus how many of you have checked the HOPE in Haiti blog? So you will have to put up with me once again on a monthly basis.

We have been doing presentations for HOPE in Haiti in several different middle school classrooms, elementary assemblies, two college classrooms at Western, Echo Glenn Children’s Center and soon one at Cascade’s children’s classes. I’m not a speaker and honestly go through anxiety when asked to come and share, but with the help of those involved in HIH and confidence from the Lord, I feel so privileged to be apart of this work and hopefully can share what stirs my heart deeply. After each presentation, I am the one who is truly blessed. I come away with renewed hope and excitement for our work with the children and families in Haiti. I thank all the kids here who have given time, car washes, money, t-shirts, and school supplies. Giving makes one so rich!

This has been a difficult spring for me personally and I was not able to go on two of the team trips in February and April because of family related issues. Many of you know how difficult it was to send those teams off and not be a part of them. But they had fantastic trips and I am so proud of each person who went.

The April trip was fast and furious. The team of 8 arrived in Port au Prince, traveled up to Dessalines, then departed the next morning for Kawo. Some of you have experienced this 7 hour hike deep into the mountains of Haiti. It’s not for the faint of heart! They took pictures, updating information for 400ish children and helped build some school desks. Then quickly back down the mountain they came, participating at the end of a week long celebration at the church in Nan wo and a baptism that marched while singing through the town of Dessalines. One of the team members Nate was baptized along with many other Haitians in the spring called La Source (La Soos). Pastor Aaron Day helped Pastor Louinet with the baptisms. When I take teams (or send them) we want not only to help with projects, but to feed the poor, visit the widows and help the orphans. The biblical idea of serving is what we desire to accomplish.

I hope to take two trips down this fall with teams – one to Nan wo and one to Kawo again. Please pray and see if you are to become apart of one of these teams and contact us. I am so thankful for your continued support. So many lives are being touched by your love and faithfulness.

“Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?” Proverbs 20:6

Blessings,

Dixie

Team just back from Haiti…

Dixie — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:12:48 +0000

Friends,

Welcome back to the team that went to Kawo and Nan wo in Haiti for nine days in April. It was a wild trip climbing the mountains of Haiti, staying a few days and then coming back down to be in Nan wo for a couple more days. They found that some of the school children are afraid to come to school because of the earthquake that happened on January 12, 2010. They won”t go inside of a building, thinking it might collapse on them, so they don’t bother coming to school. Pastor Louinet is going to talk with the parents and encourage them to come. The team did get updated pictures, but it was difficult because of this fear that resides in the people. The team also helped build benches/desks for the school. Down in Nan wo (outside of Desslines) they participated in a large group baptism in the local spring called La Source. One of the team members was baptized along with the others. Pastor Aaron spoke at the church and John, my son was translator. It was a special time and I only wish that I could have been there.

I wish that I could convey to you the tragedy that this country has been through, and yet these people continue to hang on to hope in God. They continue to sing and worship and be baptized and life is good because of God’s faithfuless. They are a strong people making life work with what they have. They are generous and thankful. They reach out to us in hospitality. They pray for us. It’s all very humbling when we come, thinking that we are the ones giving. No, I think I have received much more than I’ve ever given. I am blessed by their love and concern for me, even in the midst of their problems. I am thankful for their love. Thank you for your love and prayers for them. Thank you for the teams that continue to go in the name of HOPE in Haiti.

Team leaving on Easter…

Rachel — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 05:17:05 +0000

We’re getting another team ready to leave for Haiti. They will fly out late on Easter Sunday. There will be five men from Seattle area and my daughter Grace and her finance Brandon from Wisconsin. When they arrive in Port au Prince, they will pick up my son John and Nick Hvattum, who have been helping in Port au Prince with children, feeding groups, and helping doctors and nurses with simple medical things. They will spend one night in Port, then head out to Dessalines, which is about 100 miles north. Spending one night there at an orphanage, they then will head out early while it is still cool for the mountains beyond. This is where we have the school in Kawo with 400 children. It is an exhausting hike, but I know they are all ready for this! Take lots of water, guys! This is our yearly updating of photos and information for the children. The team is also going to build school benches with desks, as the children have no desks. Material has been purchased and carried on foot up into the mountains. Bring your hammers and saws and have at it.

John, my son, called me yesterday to ask for a recipe for tortillas. They were going to feed about 30 people, could find no tortillas in Port, so decided to make them. Good idea, John! I hope they turned out, but it’s sure funny to hear that John and several others are cooking for 30 some people each evening. I had no idea John could really cook! Each evening the mission house is filled with all the volunteers and missionaries that have come to help. I wish I could be there to hear all their stories.

Please be aware that this team is leaving soon and be in prayer for them. My heart goes with them. We will keep you updated with pictures etc as we hear from them.

Dixie

Spring Update from Dixie

Rachel — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:15:01 +0000

Dearest Friends,

As you can see, we are changing the website www.hopeinhaiti.com and hopefully it will be even easier to view things. We have added a blog and will try to keep it updated frequently. So please, visit this site to learn more.

Our last team that went down in February was fabulous. They stayed in tents next to the church/school in Nan Wo and were fed Haitian food twice a day. A flushing toilet (when water is poured in the back tank) was installed the day the team arrived for their use. They worked incredibly hard preparing the ground, putting in re-bar, and pouring cement for the floor of the church/school. I hear it is absolutely beautiful. The local people have continued to float the walls of the cement block interior and exterior. It is almost ready for painting. This dream, then the foundation all began in 2006. Four years later, it is nearing completion, although a second room is being put on top for teams to stay in and groups to meet in.

We also had two nurses on this team and they set up our first medical clinic, seeing about 200 people in 3 days. Fantastic! I thank each of you who have contributed to this building. It is in constant use, even now, and will serve the community well. Most of our team returned home tired but inspired. I am so blessed by these folks.

John Montgomery (alias Jackie Chan – a story in itself) and Nick Hvattum (alias St. Nick) stayed behind when the team left with Heartline Ministries in Port au Prince.

The next team will be leaving the evening of Easter Sunday. They will be hiking up into the mountains to take new photos of 400 children and updating their information. This is a huge task, so please be praying for them. Also, the children have no desks in this very rural school. We have sent some money ahead to buy materials and have them taken into the mountains. This team will attempt to begin building desks. These desks are narrow benches about 4 feet long with a table narrow table-like structure attached. Four children will sit at one desk. These will also be used for their church services, meetings, etc. The team will be camping, filtering water, and eating Haitian food….. and it’s a long, hard hike in. Please be in much prayer for their health, unity and ability to accomplish much in the heat and primitive conditions.

Again, I encourage you to visit this site often and keep updated with what is happening. Thank for everything you have given toward earthquake relief. I thank the Girl Scouts for collecting food, the schools with their coin drives, and all the individuals for their generous, generous gifts. May you be so blessed knowing that you have helped those in need.

Blessings,

Dixie

From Lexi Anderson… just returned from Haiti

Rachel — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:51:47 +0000

Got home March 1^st, but am really just beginning to process this trip. What it meant. What it means… the processing continues, but here’s what I was able to write down first: written Sunday, March 8, 2010 “Friday night I watched the Hope for Haiti … See Moretelethon… yes, the one that aired January 22nd, but we had it recorded and hadn’t watched it yet. I cried the whole time I was watching. Of course my emotions were running high having just spent 10 days in the country, but it was good for my heart to watch it. The images that were shown and stories told were so very sad, but I cried also because it was beautiful. The Haitian people are beautiful, their spirit’s unbreakable. And if you know me well at all, you know that music speaks to core of my emotions, so watching these artists share their gifts to help a word in need… well, that was beautiful too. This paradox of emotion is a consistent reality in Haiti. The entire time I was there, the phrase that God kept bringing to my mind was “beauty for ashes” -often beauty and ashes. It’s a wonderful description of the country… far preceding the earthquake and even truer now. Haiti is a nation full of poverty, destruction, and tragedy and yet so much beauty, laughter, singing, and love. I have so many pictures that capture this image for me… they were some of my favorite to take. One of the many things that I love about the Haitian people is their smiles. Seriously, they have the BEST smiles and the kids laugh in a way that is infectious. I love it. They hold back that beautiful smile at first, though. In most cases, all it takes is a simple “bon jou”… suddenly an incredible tooth filled smile spreads the width of their face and they sing a lovely “bon jou” back in your direction. Beauty – it’s a fantastic thing to experience… well at least it is for me. The first night in Haiti, a church service was held at the home that we were staying in. They sang “God of this City” and that song has never had so much meaning. Devastation has rocked the city of Port au Prince and the nation of Haiti, but God is God and greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done there. There is hope and it is strong because Jesus reigns and He is in control! So that song and the phrase “beauty for ashes” became my anthems for the week. My reminders from God, my praises to God – that he is here, he is in Haiti… intertwined in the simplest of things. His hand is working and his plan is being carried out, even though I cannot make sense of it. But I got to witness little bits and for that am so grateful.” more to come I’m sure… thanks!”

Lexi

Serving in Haiti Now…

Rachel — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:45:45 +0000

Hmmm… Tiredness is setting in, but today was a great day. Perhaps in part, because yesterday was really tough.

Yesterday was the third day of scraping, wire-brushing and applying oil paint via brush and roller onto two buildings. But that wasn’t the tough part. It was the naked, humid heat on top of the work. Oh… and the fact that I was swollen from being eaten alive by mosquitoes the night before. Yes, I was actually swollen. At least my left hand/wrist and my right shoulder were. I’ve never been so miserable by mosquito bites.

After I finally took a shower, and I made my way over to Heartline’s makeshift hospital. They gave me some benadryl and chloroquine, and I took some ibuprofen for good measure when I got home.

But a word on the hospital. Heartline took one of its buildings that had formerly been used as a babies’ home and then for women’s programs, and they set up rooms for triage, treatment/surgery, and administration/pharmacy. Outside, they hung and draped tarps to make a recovery area. The nurses take 12 hour shifts. I’m not sure how the doctors are scheduled. Heartline’s hospital share/trade patients with 3 other hospitals depending on patient needs. Also, 3 days a week, EMT’s, PA’s and paramedics go out on “The Truck” to different neighborhoods/slums to pick up the injured and sick. They also to take patients who are recovered enough back home.

It’s impressive work with equally impressive and fun people. The community is an odd assortment of people from across the States who have come together to serve. I was sad to see my original team head back home leaving Nick and I, but this new group of servants have been a blessing to work with. Part of our crew’s responsibilities is hosting/making dinner for everyone, so breaking bread at night is a hoot.

But back to today. It was great. Rainy season is starting so last night’s rain helped cool the heat-drenched city. Then the cloud cover kept the temperature nice and balmy. This morning was spent doing various chores/projects because we had run out of paint… short sightedness on my part, but it turned into a well-needed change of pace. After lunch and the paint’s arrival, we scraped and wire-brushed some more and got back to painting. We got a good deal done and wrapped up the day with a good bit of joy all around.

And a word on the “we.” We, as far as my work goes, is mainly a group of bible college kids from Cannon Beach school called Ecola. They’re a great bunch of “kids” who have servant attitudes and good work ethics. My rotating group of gals have never complained about the inglorious work of painting, finishing two buildings and we are now working on part of the hospital. We’ll finish the section of the hospital and start second coat tomorrow.

Well this is plenty long. Thanks again for your love and prayers. Grace and shalom.

John