Posted by Scott Olson
Visionary Wednesday -
Our adventure began this morning with a stop at an ecole (school) that Healing Haiti has helped provide a great deal of support. This was where some of the school supplies that many of my 5th graders donated found a useful and grateful home. It was eye opening to witness how genuinely excited these children were to have the opportunity to learn. As we were driving to our next location, I began to notice more and more schools along the way. It gave me the feeling of hope for the future of Haiti through the power of education.
It was nearly lunchtime when we arrived at an orphanage for children with special needs. By the time their lunch was ready, I had latched onto a little fellow who would spin himself around while throwing back his head in a manner often associated with blind people. I would later discover that he was born with cataracts in both eyes, would soon be having surgery, and is expected to gain his vision. Hallelujah! I sat with him in my lap, and fed him a bowl of a white rice and bean concoction. Since I was his server, he was given the opportunity to become a member of the clean plate club. He readily accepted and proceeded to enjoy bite after bite until every spoonful was gone. The experience of spending time with so many of these abandoned children opened my eyes to how often these poor unfortunates are cast off as being ones that through no fault of their own make us feel uncomfortable. I grew deeper in my admiration for those individuals with the heart to provide care for these children on a daily basis.

May we all be filled with the spirit to make attempts at pushing our comfort zones in order to stretch the limits of what acts we are truly capable of performing.

Wonderful Wednesday

Our day started in the usual fashion when we piled in the tap tap around 9:00am to the call of "kennel up."  It was another interesting traffic day as we headed back to Cite Soleil.  We visited a school of about 650 children from the ages of 3 to 20 run by a wonderful, gracious man named Elder.  It was amazing to see the students in such poor circumstances thriving and excited about learning; from the youngest who were practicing their letters on the chalk board to the oldest who were learning Spanish, Chemistry and advanced Math.

Piling back into the tap tap, we headed downtown to visit San Fil home for the elderly.  Here we were divided by gender and gave the residents a "spa day."  We applied lotion to dried skin, hair oil & pomade to dry hair, and shared smiles and singing.  It was somewhat quiet and somber when we arrived, but with the help of our interpreter turned song leader, Brunet, the mood was considerably lightened when we left.  It was incredibly moving and peaceful to hear the mix of English and Creole languages singing "How Great Thou Art."

We ate the Healing Haiti version of trail lunch - Cliff bars, jerkey, trail mix, granola bars and Propel - while traveling back toward Cite Soleil to visit Gertrude's, an orphanage for special needs children.  Here we arrived just in time for the children's lunch. We were each given a plate of rice & beans and a spoon and started to feed someone.  After that, the real fun began!  We got almost everyone outside in the playground area that even had a swing for wheel chairs - although, we took them out of their chairs to swing because we could fit six kids at a time that way.  A little later, we went back inside and tried for some quiet time on the floor mat.  Some were more successful than others.

The last stop was a home for sick and dying children.  We spent time just holding children and sharing love.  Some were well enough for games of peek-a-boo, to give high fives, or even escape from the crib and follow us out when we tried to leave.  Some were too sick to be held.  It was heart-breaking to see so many little ones and not have enough time to hold each of them - and to hear them cry when you put them down.  We plan to return there on Friday to spread a little more love.

At each location we delivered donated supplies collected by our faithful supporters.  THANK YOU!  The school was so thankful for notebooks and pencils, much needed in the poorest slum on our side of the globe.  At San Fil they also run an education and food distribution program for mothers of infants and some of their supplies were handed out before we were all off the tap tap.  At Gertrudes, we changed several diapers, using new velcro diapers that we brought along.  All in all, it was a busy wonderful day.

Hands On!

Today was all about the power of the human touch!

 We visited a home for sick and dying adults, a home for disabled children, and a home for sick and dying babies.  At each location we saw how powerful and calming our touch can be.  At the home for sick and dying adults, we rubbed lotion on the ladies bodies and rubbed oils into their hair.  We would start with their arms and legs, but usually they would want lotion on their back and chest as well.  They really enjoyed the head rub as well. We used the oil or pomade for their hair and most of the ladies wanted to keep what was left in the can.  One elderly lady even took a scoop and tucked it away for later.  Their hair is much more coarse and dry and they use these products to soften it.

At the home for the disabled children, they were short-staffed and we helped with serving lunch and playing with the children.  This location was a little harder for me as I was not as quick to interact with them.  One girl had just arrived a few days ago.  She was found alone in a pile of garbage and had been dropped off at Gertrudes by social services.  Up to today, she was not very responsive.  It was amazing the way that she responded to sitting on our laps and cuddling.  We played with a parachute and I was sitting underneath with her and another girl.  She started giggling as she watched those around her having fun and as she looked at all the pretty colors.

We were able to stay a long time at Gertrudes and had the opportunity to try to settle the kids down for a nap.  I was still holding the new girl and ended up sitting next to an older girl - she was probably around age 12.  She had the most beautiful smile.  As she noticed that I was holding the little girl, she got a little closer and I was able to hold her hand.  She grabbed on and would not let go and every once in a while she would turn to me and smile.  She wasn't able to move real well because of difficulties with moving her legs, but as soon as she saw that my lap was free, she moved closer-wanting to sit on my lap. I was able to rub her back and hold her hand and if I stopped she would shake my hand to tell me to keep going.


At the home for the sick and dying babies, it was amazing how quickly the babies settled down.  It was fun to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to them and they would quickly respond by snuggling in, almost sleeping in your arms.  As we tried to share our time with some of the other kids and put them back into their crib, they would cry for a long time.  Unfortunately, we were not at this location for very long, but we are able to go back later this week.

As I close this day, I need to remember how powerful touch is, that even something so simple as a pat on the back can be so impactful and be such a blessing.

Post from Scott Olson:


Majestic Monday!
For all concerned parties-yes, I have awakened from my slumber. Clearly I was exhausted from all the work involved with preparing a week of plans to keep my fabulous fifth graders engaged in new knowledge acquiring. Bonswa to all of you in room 209. I hope you got your week off to a splendid start.
Today found my amazing team and I delivering the essential necessity of water to those whose place in life leaves them without. We also had the opportunity to provide an equally critical element in the form of love. We nurtured an assortment of needy children seeking to be held and given attention. It was an incredibly moving experience. I can still feel the presence of one young boy as he nuzzled his head into my neck as I held his small warm body.

Tomorrow will give us new opportunities to provide joy, over comfort, and attempt to make this little corner of the world a happier place. But hey, we all do that on a daily basis wherever we happen to be. right?!
Until my next post, I send you warm feelings from Haiti.

Scott

Providing water in Cite Soleil, February 5, 2013

Today was our first day serving our Lord in Haiti.  After a long travel day yesterday, we were excited to get started.  Today we delivered water to those who do not have the luxury of running water from a tap.  We began our day at 8.00 am for breakfast and were on the road to meet the water truck at the water well heads by 9.00 am.  Each truck load carried 2500 gallons of water.

Our first stop after the truck was filled was in Cite Soleil, the poorest city in the Western Hemisphere.  For those of us who had never been to Haiti, it was overwhelming to see the number of kids that are reaching out for something as simple as affection as soon as we stepped off the Tap-Tap (our transportation in Haiti).  They were there waiting for us and jumped into our arms or grabbed our hands immediately.  Their faces showed such happiness and excitement to have us there.

While half of the group worked diligently to fill water containers and assist the Haitians with getting the water to there homes, the other half of the group was able to provide love and support to our young brothers and sisters in Christ.  It was very moving to see how the simple gift of water can make such a difference in someone's life.  Matthew 25: 35 is printed inside the Tap-Tap and what a fitting verse this was for our experience today "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in".  After this load of water ran dry we had the opportunity to walk with the kids down by the waterside to play and sing songs with them.  They loved it....almost as much as we did!

One girl had a big impact on us. Her name is Fuse (foo-say) and she is 11 years old. She should have been in school at this time of day. Unfortunately we think she is a Restavek, which is a child whose parents cannot afford to care for them and are sold as a slave to another home. These kids do not go to school, but clean and cook and are usually physically abused.  when they are 16, they are kicked out of the home.  They have no education and no skills to make a living and are on their own.  Knowing this might be her future was heartbreaking.

Our next two loads of fresh water were also delivered to different areas of Cite Soleil.  Even though we were blocks away from previous stops it was common to see some of the same kids running to find us at our additional delivery points.  Some locations were easy to manage and individuals waited in line to get their bucket filled, while at other times there was chaos as Haitians were worried they would not get enough water.

What a humbling experience this was today.  It was very rewarding to provide physical and emotional support, as well as compassion and love to those who have been through so much and have so little.  In the book of Isaiah, as Israel was being restored, the Lord states "They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water."

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to serve you today by providing water for those who are thirsty.  Thank You for your provided safety over our group today and please continue to guide us on our mission to serve you.

Posted by: Mike and Cara Herrmann

At long last - We've Arrived!!

Our first day together is always long and started at 3:45am in the airport this morning after we plowed through several inches of fresh snow and below zero temps to begin the hurry up and wait process that is international travel!  I'm glad I wore socks with my sandals to the airport since my feet were just a little cold in the snow drifts in my driveway.

Thanks to all the family members who got us up and ready on time and to those who drove us to the airport when they should have been in bed like "normal" people!

Our travel was largely uneventful (which is a good thing).  We did get delayed on the ground in Miami for several hours which brought us into Port-au-Prince just as it was getting dark.  That just added to the mysteriousness of coming into a strange land where things are nothing like we normally experience.  However, in a tribute to the Super Bowl, we did have a temporary power failure in the new airport baggage claim area. 

We've already greeted old friends from prior trips who work here on the staff and made new friends with some of the folks who've been hired more recently.  What a great staff - looking out for us as we serve others, translating for us, driving us around, cooking for us, keeping us safe and making us laugh when we feel overwhelmed with all of it.

It's now 10:30pm and some have gone to bed and others are busily preparing for our tomorrow activities.  We are blessed to have a group with a wide set of skills and temperments and experiences (all right, ages).  They are eager to serve and ready to see what God has in store for them as we begin in earnest tomorrow on the water truck making deliveries to the poorest people in our hemisphere.

Submitted by Tom Solberg

One Body, Many Parts

As I sit here looking out at the snowy landscape of Minnesota, I am anxious and excited to be heading down to Haiti with the St. Michael's team Monday!  The 14 of us have been preparing our hearts and minds for this trip these past 4 months and now our checked luggage bags are packed and we're in the final days of preparations. 

I am so excited how many people both through the church and family/friends have come alongside us with support...be that it is in prayer, donations, or finances.  We are going down with over 25 bags filled to the maximum weight allowance of items in need!  Also, the students and families of Crosswalk Sunday School have raised funding for T-shirts that will be used and distributed through the church pastoral staff up at Grace Village and their mission efforts...150 with focus on community evangelism, prison ministry, and hospital ministry.  What a blessing to be able to bring those down with us as well.

Last night our group was prayed over at the HUB (church mid-week programming) and then a few of our team members joined the "Prayer in Action" group who have a heart for prayer.  There are 2 mission teams from St. Michael's church leaving this weekend...ourselves and a team of 8 going to Guinea, West Africa to serve the Maninke prople in medical and healing ministry.  What a powerful session sharing from both of our teams  to this group our itineraries and prayer needs.  I was moved to tears in sharing a story of how I had witnessed the children of Grace Village being the hands and feet of Christ with their new brothers and sisters who had joined Grace Village last summer...as we were there to teach these children serving; their witnessing humbly brought us down to our knees in learning grace and obedience to our Lord. 

I am excited to be praying for our Guinea team as well during these next few weeks, and am humbled again by the fervent prayers in action for our teams as we're serving in these countries.  Thank you Lord for continuing to show me how each one of us has a special place in the the body of Christ, and how powerful it is when we use the gifts we have been given and encourage others with their gifts as well.  Thus, in turn, we have an overriding oneness in YOU LORD...All Glory to God!
1 Corinthians 12:12-31