The first full day in Haiti is done, and it was not without some serious adventure. The playground build started with a few major hurdles, but through much prayer and extreme patience by the team - the playground is almost complete. It was a literal miracle! Please pray that as we finish the playground tomorrow, and that we will have all the parts necessary to finish the job.

Vacation Bible School was also an adventure as 400 children showed up. That is right. 400 children showed up to a completely unannounced Vacation Bible School. The bus pulled up with our team, and children kept coming out of nowhere.

We all ended the day feeling so blessed to be able to serve these beautiful people and share the love of Jesus with them. We are ready for the next adventure tomorrow.

For the Team in Haiti,

Monday was the start of a new week ,which as always brought new challenges. The first hurdle the team faced was no water. Because the campus is located roughly near the middle of nowhere, all the water comes from a well. Because of the risk of potential diseases, the water must be treated before anyone is able to use it. During the night a part of the water treatment system broke, making water on campus a precious commodity and reminding everyone that nothing, not even basics like water, can be taken for granted. The pump that circulates the water to all showers, faucets, toilets, etc.  still works occasionally and it became easy to tell when it was working by the mad dash to the shower and to fill empty water bottles. Luckily, the school house still contains the old showers, which at at current have running water.

This is Widline. Her mom brought her in to our IDP camp yesterday in Onaville. She is 4 months old,
febrile, and weighs maybe 4lbs. She is literally starving to death. We were able to start IV antibiotics
and fluids as well as give her a bottle and formula. She perked up but has a long road to recovery ahead.

by Shelli Elliott, NVM Missionary

Typical traffic on the roads

Driving behind a UN tank... a pretty common site around here

Belmart!

Painted advertisements in the parking lot

Some of our groceries

Our baggers

Loading our 5 carts full of groceries into the truck

by Cheryl & Jim Warner, GAiN USA

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 08:07 AM PDT

One of the greatest needs in developing third-world countries is the lack of clean water. Water-born diseases are the leading cause of death in many of these countries. With that in mind, let me tell you about a team that was on the Nehemiah Vision Ministries compound last week. It is one of the most impressive projects we have seen. Not simply because what they were doing but because of who they are and what they have accomplished. Let me tell you more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Farrar is the founding director of Fountains of Hope. This is an agency that is committed to installing water filtration systems around the world and teaching people how to maintain them. Bill has been partnering with Dots in Blue Water which is an effort springing out of South Adams Schools in Berne, Indiana.

Before I tell you about the mission, let me give you a little background. Michael Baer, working in conjunction with a number of other teachers and a group of students were introduced to the water filtration system being installed by Fountains of Hope and decided that they could improve on the design. Thus, a science project was born and the system was redesigned and improved. And now we come to their mission in Haiti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a unique opportunity for high school students to work on a project and then join a team traveling to another country to implement the project. This is indeed a full-cycle learning project! Along with Michael Baer, Dots in Blue Water brought to Haiti a group of teachers and students. Myron Schwartz and Josh Roby are fellow science teachers. Kristi Geimer is a third grade teacher, Ashley Koons is a junior high teacher, J.D. Keller is a K-6 computer teacher and Alissa McMillian is a recent graduate of Ball State and has just completed her student teaching.

These teachers brought with them a hand-selected group of students from the South Adams School System who worked on the water filter project. There were four 2011 graduates and four juniors. Before coming Haiti they raised the funds to purchase 4 purifier systems. Each system costs $3,500.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This team was in Haiti on the NVM compound for one week. During this week they installed a:

•   2-tank unit (400 gallon) for the NVM school
•   1-tank unit (500 gallon) in the Chambrun community
•   3-tank unit (650 gallon) for the Bouzie camp (helping turn the cholera outbreak and support a clinic)

And they left one extra unit for future distribution. And along with the water work, the team also did work on the compound. They painted, worked on a drainage trench and sorted aid in the warehouse. This was a great team and we thank them for their work!

By Brian Bosma, Grace Community Church Team

Sunday services are long in Haiti, and guests are introduced and expected to sing (fortunately as a group) and sometimes address the crowd gathered to hear Pastor Pierre sing and preach.  As we started working our way to the “new” bigger church (the old dining hall) the crowd got pretty thick.  Kids just grab your hands and walk into the benches with you, sitting on your lap, laying on you or whatever.  Chris had village kids all over him, and he is well versed enough in Creole to have a pretty substantive discussion with them. I had a small group grab me as well, and can find out names and ages and introduce myself, and even let them know I am Chris’s “papa”.  He has obviously made a lot of friends here.

We sang a song the girls in our group taught us, and I had a brief chance to share a few words in Creole and a few more in English.  It is remarkable to sing songs with believers you have virtually nothing in common with, knowing that you all have the same faith and song in your heart, even if the words you sing are different.  It was as wonderful as it was last year.

After church I had the chance to renew acquaintances with several old friends, including my twelve year old buddy Reynaldo, who remembered my nickname was “Grand Bay” (Big B).  He grabbed my hand and we walked and talked for a while.  He seems pretty sad generally, but he was truly glad to see me.

After lunch the younger crowd issued a soccer challenge, and the game was on in near 100 degree heat.  The smarter ones of us watched from the shade and took pictures.  The game was interrupted for a few minutes while the resident turkeys crossed the field, but the game was otherwise uneventful.

Chris and I and the staff leader and my friend Ron drove a truck up the mountain side and looked over the beautiful valley where Chambrun sits.  From this vantage point, you would never realize the suffering, sickness and poverty that pervades this valley every day.

We closed the evening with a long team sharing meeting.  This is a great group of folks willing to sacrifice their time and treasure for those in another country that are suffering in conditions unimaginable in the U.S.  So much to be done here, and so few hands.

By Jim Warner, GAiN USA

One of the responsibilities that Cheryl has assumed is leading a class teaching a group of Haitian women learn how to make beaded necklaces.  These necklaces are then sold and part of the proceeds go back to the ladies.  This extra income is important to them making it possible for them to support their families.

The interesting thing about the beads on these necklaces is they are made out of old cut up cereal boxes and other cardboard boxes.  The compound generates ample raw materials for the ladies who cut the boxes into small long triangle, cover them with paste and roll them up.  After they are dry they are covered with shellac and put on the necklace.  The result are beautiful colored beads that look nothing like the boxes in their original form. It is a wonderful cottage industry providing badly needed income.

Saturday at the Nehemiah Vision Ministries campus began with the Grace team meeting together to discuss the day’s plans. As several of the team members have easily adapted to the easy-going Haitian time system, the 8 a.m. meeting actually began closer to 8:15. That day, the team would be split up to tackle different tasks for the day, including returning to continue the mobile clinic in Toukiema, organizing the warehouse on the Nehemiah campus and planning a celebration in honor of nurse Kacie Davis.

Kacie, decorated with a lovely pink tiara and lei, traveled to Chambrun with the rest of the team to spend time with the people of the village and celebrate with hundreds of hot dogs, chips, drinks and sweets. The party reflected the  love and trust that the community has for Kacie, and was a culmination of her year of incredible work and dedication to this ministry.

The day once again began early for a few of the team members, waking at 4:45 am to the sound of rooster and the smell of fresh coffee.  The morning was spent  unloading the 30+ bag full of meds and organizing them for the trip to an IDP camp that day. During the early morning task, the team experienced the first of many inside jokes. As team member, Matt Thompson, recounted: “That morning we were greeted with one of our team’s favorites moments, which we have dubbed the Lunesta fog. I will not name names, but our leader was asked, and I quote ‘Gary what are you thinking your thoughts are on…’ Needless to say we all slept well the night before but it took awhile for some to fully wake up in the morning!”

After organizing, then re-organizing, then organizing again, the team was ready to begin the journey to the mobile clinic…almost. As the team began to load up the campus’ bus, they had to first fight off a swarm of Haitian wasp in the bus. Once wasp-free and safe, the team completed the  packing and began the journey to the small town called Toukiema.

After arriving at the town, the team set up the clinic, which consists of nothing more than a “circus” tent in the middle of a dirt field, but was more than capable of treating those in need.  There were a few memorable patients, but the most heart breaking moments were with two small children.

One children brought one of the doctors to tears. His mother said he was two, but he was the size of a 10-month-old. It was heartbreaking to see this beautiful child of God, so small and innocent, but suffering from simply nothing more than a lack of nutrition. Another child was young girl, around two or three years old. She was so sick that she had not been drinking or eating for a few days, and was very lethargic. She would not drink any fluids, so they had to start an IV. It took multiple attempts and a lot of screaming and  but they were finally able to start the IV and get her the fluids she needed. By the end of the time at the clinic, the little girl was more responsive and was clearly doing much better thanks to the incredible doctors and nurses and the grace of God.

More than just medicine, the team members brought the people of Toukiema love and smiles. Many of team members got the opportunity to spend the time with the children of the town. They played with crafts, soccer, and anything just to show the villages God’s love.

Another crazy moment occurred with the children. Trying to escape the heat of the sun, the village children decided playing under the bus would be fun. Suddenly there was a loud bang and the sound of pressurized air releasing fast. Somehow, a child had found super human strength to pull the air brake line out from it’s housing. Brian and the Haitian men from camp spent close to three hours attempting to fix the brake line. After some ingenuity and “McGyvering” they were able to fix the line and the team was able to drive home safely, albeit with the driver taking it VERY slowly!

The team plans on returning to the same village Saturday, for a few followups and to see a few more of those in need. Some of the other team members will remain on campus and spend the day organizing the warehouse.

Fixing the bus

God is working here, and we ask that you continue to pray, as we make ourselves into the hands of God.

Mobile clinic

The water was crystal clear, the sand white, and the view amazing. We could still see the mountains surrounding the beach and in the distance there was an island.  This was like a five star resort and only showed a little bit of Haiti’s potential.

“I love seeing teachers outside of school; it’s like watching a dog walk on its hind legs.” This is a quote from a movie I saw a long time ago but it was stuck in my head this entire week. I have absolutely loved being on this trip with the teachers. Before this trip I wouldn’t say I was close with any of them but after spending a week getting to know them, playing cards, and just spending every waking moment with them (literally) I would say we are a lot closer. I have been allowed to view them as peers and friends rather than my superiors who I cannot talk to. I have memories of them that I won’t ever forget and wouldn’t have been able to experience if this trip had not happened. Whether it was Roby acting like a child, Myron Schwartz and Kylie singing “War”, Mr. Baer telling stories about pigs and chickens that somehow end up tying into our day, the hilarious things Ashley Koons says, or just Jeff Lehman singing Justin Beiber and dancing with the kids from the village. Also not only have I gotten closer with the teachers but with the students too. I was good friends with a couple of them but not with everyone but now after working together on the purifier and playing “duck duck goose” with the kids I think we have all come to be good friends.

Communication barriers at first worried me because of being able to communicate with the kids and with the adults for the purifier. However I have learned more from these kids without being able to talk with them fluently than I would have if we could have had actual conversations. The children learn your name and never forget it. They come running just to hold your hand and give you a smile. We came here to help them but I believe they have helped us more. They love to point at objects and teach us the creole name for it. I am going to miss so much seeing these kids come running yelling our names. We did not need to speak this week and we formed a wonderful bond.  We had translators for when doing the purifiers but they caught on very quickly just by actions.

This week has been more about what we could not see or anticipate rather than what we could and did.  I have learned more than I ever imagined I could in one week and have experienced more than I thought was possible.  Haiti changes you and it is not just in a way of sadness and hurt. I feel inspired by these people and I think that anyone could learn a huge “life lesson” from them. Everyone here has been so kind and welcoming. This week has been a week of discovering “Undiscovered Beauties.”