The Celebrate Team spends a final day in Haiti viewing the sites, worshiping, and distributing food to those in need. They’ve learned about joy, made many memories, and experienced the Holy Spirit moving in their lives. In all, the trip has truly been something to celebrate!
Hello from Haiti!
Today started very early here in Haiti. Several of the team members began their morning at 5 AM by climbing Mt. Pignon. This hike was difficult and took close to 2 hours to complete. The descent was very memorable; it had slippery rocks that sent climbers tumbling several times.
Hiking up the foggy mountain at 5 AM! What a sight!However, Tracy, several other team members, and I wouldn’t know anything about this since we chose to sleep in. We were blessed by spoiling ourselves with morning coffee, devotion, and fellowship. After breakfast we were able to help Claudin, the Many Hands for Haiti agronomist, by planting corn with his staff. He is an amazing man with great compassion to help the Haitians provide for themselves and their families. Claudin thought he was teaching us how this process works; little did he know we were from Iowa! However, he did teach us how farming may have been done in Iowa several decades ago. The guys tested out their digging skills by preparing the ground to plant around 20 rows of corn.
Loading up, and good to go!After lunch we split into two groups; one group stayed on campus and prepared for the afternoon worship service, while the second group delivered rice, beans, oil, spaghetti, and bouillon to five families.
The worship group shared their spiritual gifts of singing, and Jayme and Kayla delivered their first message to the congregation. They talked about language barriers as well as the universal language of love and music. We are hoping Michael, Kayla, Jayme, and Tracy will be able to share their Haitian version of “No longer a Slave” and “Lord I Need You” with all of you soon.
Group number two went to a neighboring community for food distribution.
Delivering rice to those in need
Delivering rice to a lady who gave up being close to voodoo 7 years ago!
These families were further away from Pignon and the Many Hands for Haiti campus. It seems that poverty and isolation are more prominent as the distance from campus increases. The families had larger properties, which allowed for larger gardens but less access to the market, water wells, and other necessities. All receiving families were extremely grateful for the food God provided through Many Hands for Haiti.
Stopping to chat with the Haitians and view the pack mule while delivering food Delivering food to a Haitian Great-Grandma and the children!
After the service and food distribution, a bunch of us (18 to be exact) piled in a pickup (a SMALL pickup) to go to the rum factory. It was an eye opening experience because the factories are much different than those in the states. There were no OSHA regulations posted, and I’m pretty sure there were no age limitations for the workers. Kely, a Many Hands employee, went with us and explained the process. After the explanation, several of us tasted the rum. We were told it was 40 proof, but the expression on people’s faces showed that it was stronger. It was a fun Haitian cultural experience. After the tour, we decided to walk to a suspension bridge that was “close.” I, Tracy made it down and back up the hill but NOT across the bridge.
Tonight is our last night in Haiti so we decided to do double devotions. We shared stories about ways the Holy Spirit has moved in our lives, what brought us to Haiti, and maintaining the joy we have experienced here after returning to the United States, specifically Iowa. We leave with heavy hearts, but we have all experienced God here in many different ways. This trip has changed our lives in ways we could never begin to explain. We are thankful for the hospitality and the love that we were shown here, and we praise God for the way He is working in Haiti through Many Hands for Haiti.
If you ever thought about going on a mission trip, we would highly recommend not waiting-if God has called you-GO!!!! He will bless you in many ways, and you will bless others!
-Jacque Moats and Tracy Douglas