A posting by Kevin Graf:
Our mission experience is starting to wind down with today
being our last day to serve. Today was a
day in which we were able to decide on what area of serving we wanted to repeat.
The team decided to split for the
morning into two groups. One group to the Wound Clinic, which consisted of Jeff,
Margie, Mykell and Tom K. The second
group, which consisted of myself, Martin, Mike, Rick, Ryan, and Tom S. went back
to Cite Soleil to deliver water.
We only had time for two water runs and both of the sites we
went to were different than those we visited on Tuesday (Healing Haiti delivers
water six days a week to a rotating group of over 20 neighborhoods). To no surprise
these sites weren’t any different. There
was the same level of excitement as the water truck & Tap Tap pulled into
position. A line of people carrying
anything that could possibly hold water began to form behind the water truck. We all took turns holding the water hose, lining
up the buckets, carrying water back to homes and playing with the children. Much as before there was orderly chaos as
everyone lined up and a few trying to squeeze ahead into the front of the line.
The younger children were eager once we
stepped off the Tap Tap to grab at us to be held. It was very obvious they were starved for love
& attention. Many of the older kids
were more interested in asking our names to become our “friend” before asking
us for our sandals or if we had any money. As tempting as it might be to honor their
wishes, we purposely carry no money or other valuables & we weren’t willing
to give our sandals at this point.
After our first water run, we headed back to the major well
head that can fill four tanker trucks at a time to get refilled. While parked and waiting, we observed several
women on the road into the station sorting through garbage that had been dumped
in the middle of the road. They were
looking for recycleables that they could exchange for money in the newly enacted
Haitian recycling program. Once they were finished they would spread the garbage
out evenly for the trucks to crush as they left the station. We also observed a man with a torch welding
the exhaust pipe back to the side of his water truck while children were
playing both inside & outside the truck.
Next we were off for our second & final trip to deliver
water. The neighborhood was the same
bleak environment as all the rest; however, this time there were to key
additions that I will never forget. One was brought to my attention by one of
my fellow teammates - the number of funeral homes that appear every few blocks.
This really hit home given the average
life expectancy for Haitians is age 51…I’m thinking this average is far less in
Cite Soleil. My own observation was a
pool of water that took up nearly the entire intersection where we had turned
& parked to deliver water. This cesspool of 6+ inches of water seemed to have
every possible filth imaginable resulting a greenish yellow color that reminded
me of radiator anti-freeze. This muck had nowhere to drain & any wasn’t
going to evaporate anytime soon.
After meeting back at the Guest House, the entire team went
back to the Hospital for Sick and Dying Children. We again were able to help with the feeding
of a few children but spent most of our time holding the smaller children &
playing with the older kids who were on the mend. Some of these children were
recently admitted & obviously didn’t feel well at all given they were
running high fevers. Even though they didn’t have much energy, most were
willing to be held with many of them falling asleep in our arms. The 1 ½ hours
we were able to spend with these children again went all too quickly. It was
very obvious by the quiet spirit that everyone had on the ride home that we
were coming to the end of our week of ministry – to serve God’s children in
Haiti.
What a blessing it has been for me to serve along with my
nine teammates…this experience has been life changing & one I will never
forgot….our God is an awesome God!
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