by Kathy Roozeboom, trip partipant with MH4H 

God has been so good to us already. We had very good and safe travel to Haiti, and as always, we were warmly welcomed by the Haitians.

We arrived Thursday noon to find our cooks already had a delicious meal ready for us. We unpacked and toured some sights of Pignon first, and we immediately developed a train of Haitian followers. Our leaders Tim and Lucia Van Maanen are so well known in Haiti, so many hugs were exchanged. We went back to the Minnesota guest house for another delicious meal that evening, and then we talked about some highlights or God sightings and devotions.

After a refreshing night of rest, we were eager to visit Pella Christian in Pignon, where we acted out a Bible story, did two crafts, and gave each student a toothbrush. Team members that sponsor a child got to meet their child, and then those students rode in the back of the truck to their home with us so the group could meet their families. What a blessed, blessed experience that was for them and for us. This was probably the first time these families had guests like us, and they treated us with much royalty. A couple of the children lived in the side hills of the mountains where we couldn’t travel by vehicle, so our walking shoes were well used. Steve said this was much different than walking across his farm yard. We thank God for giving us this great opportunity, all in His timing.

We went back to the house for some lunch and processing of our experiences. Next, we visited the new grounds of MH4H where the new dorms are in the final completion stage. The men built shelves, and the ladies went into the community and played games, polished nails, took pictures, and sang. It is so fun to interact with the children and see so much joy and laughter. The song, “So fill it up, let overflow” comes to my head, as our cups were filled to overflowing with these heartwarming experiences.

We drove home in the dark, which is an experience in itself here. The country is very dark, because there are no lights from any of the homes. We ate another great meal, and then everyone showered before we did our group devotions and discussed more God sightings from the day. I’ve thought of the song, “They will know we are Christians by our love” often on this trip. As we are walking the streets, many tell us how they love God and ask God to bless us. The love of God is so real here. I challenge each one of you reading this to tell someone that God loves them today.

We again thank God for the wonderful care that He has given to our team. Everyone’s health is great, and we are beginning to really bond as a team. We pray for each of the families that we left behind. We think of you often, and we thank God for allowing us to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Haiti with your support. Thank you for all your prayers on our behalf, and may God bless each one of you.

M;alee, na we pi ta!  (Goodbye, I will see you later!)