by Wendy Liskey, MH4H trip participant
Dec. 30, 2013 Haiti update
What a busy, God-filled morning. The team awoke, eager to spend the morning with the Thrive for Five children who were set to start arriving around 9:00. Knowing that our afternoon would be spent with the BOOST kids, ages 6-16, we were planning on around 80 children in the morning; however, God had a different plan.
The team was very shocked as children and families continued to arrive, especially since the afternoon program children showed up in the morning instead. This meant we had about 200 children, some with parents joining us in the morning. Thank goodness the team knows how to improvise and quickly thought outside of the box. Part of the team left the shelter to engage the afternoon program children in games and crafts. The rest of the team witnessed a bit of a miracle while passing out the crayons and color sheets. We were positive that we did not have enough supplies and were concerned with what to do. However, we were very surprised to find out that we had just enough.
Later, the same feeling came while dishing out the meals for the families. Upon first looking at the bowl of food we thought, “There’s no way we are going to feed everyone.” However, God reminded us of when he was preaching on the mountain and fed thousands with two fish and five loaves of bread. Not only did food continue to come, but so did the spoons, plates, and love from the families. Serving the morning group was such a blessing to witness the power of God! The best part was that we were not done. We set the afternoon children up with a movie and a granola bar while we quickly ate our lunch. Then we fed the children, again wondering if we had enough plates, spoons, and food when we started. Why had we not learned? God provided again! Everyone was fed and happy!
Since our afternoon was freed up, we got the opportunity to go to town to visit the Many Hands for Haiti Sewing Hope program. The sewing program teaches the ladies in town how to sew so that they can provide for their families. One of their projects is sewing diapers for babies. Before we left Iowa, a few team members spent hours cutting t-shirts following a pattern that we knew would be made into a diaper for a baby that does not have one. During today’s visit to the sewing school, the ladies sewed up one of our diapers while we were there so we could see a finished product. How amazing to think an old t-shirt, that would have become a rag back home is now helping to keep a baby’s bare bottom off the ground and keep them healthy. (If you’d like to learn more or help with the Bundled Bottoms program, click here!)
We then got the opportunity to visit the hospital in town. What a great service for this community, but what a stark contrast from our hospital. We are thanking God tonight that we haven’t had to utilize the hospital while we are here.
The evening was spent first reflecting on how four short days ago we were awkward around each other at the airport, struggling to remember everyone’s name, and wondering how God chose us to spend the next nine days together. Now, we are a family and feel very connected to each other. Looking around the team, it is evident that we are a beautiful combination of disciples. Other’s strengths are beautifully paired with a struggle of another at just the right moment in time. The other part of the evening was spent learning to play poker. Yes it was a betting game; we used beads!
Thank you God for the many blessings from today and for reminding us to trust your plan. Thank you for the continued prayers and love being sent.
To read the team’s account from day 1, click here; for day 2, click here; and for day 3, click here.