This post was written by Cheryl Nikkel during her most return to Haiti. This was her fourth trip to Gonaives, Haiti. Cheryl and her husband, Rick, reside in Sully, Iowa.

Hello from Haiti!

What an amazing trip so far.  It has been six months since Rick and I have been here and the progress is amazing. Today Paula, Shelly, and I painted our second house of the trip.  What joy to experience the gratitude of the people! We would see them later in the day just sitting in chairs outside admiring the new paint.

Rick, Randy, and Terry have been putting a new room on the house of Silentor’s brother, Leboise. It is a challenge every carpenter should experience.

We were invited to join a cooking class this afternoon in a tiny kitchen. I think it was five hours long and we cut vegetables the whole time right by the charcoal stoves.  But when we ate the food at the end it was worth it.

Tomorrow we will get to a part of Ilene’s sewing class and spend time doing a hut to hut ministry (my favorite thing to do, we visit families who are really struggling, we bring food and most important the message of Jesus.)

Once again my heart has been broken, and it has been full of joy.  I know a lot of people feel that Haiti is hopeless, I challenge them to come and see and experience the graciousness of the people, the joy they have in spite of living conditions we cannot comprehend. Every time I come to Haiti I think about the words of Jim Elliot. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Goodnight from Haiti!