Pella Christian Winterim 2016 – Day 2

By Cara Theune and Mitchell Eekhoff

Day 2 has come and gone and we are pleased to say we have all settled into our new home. We started the day with a delicious breakfast prepared by our wonderful cooks then headed on out to Sylvain to help with Thrive for 5 (or in this case Thrive for 3, as the oldest kids are still 3!). Heidi was welcomed back with open arms and it was amazing watching her work in the ways and place God has gifted her.

Pella Christian team introducing themselves at Thrive

We enjoyed working along side Heidi, Woody, and the other Thrive for 5 staff. Seeing all the kids brought smiles to our faces. We started the day greeting each kid and the mom (or other family member) who brought them by giving them a rubber band bracelet made by Keith’s daughter Karlie.

Paula holds one of the kids who received a rubber band bracelet

After that, we joined in praise and worship singing in Creole. We also assisted in telling the kids the story of David and Goliath, acting out the skit as if we were on Broadway! We also helped hand out toothbrushes (provided by the Montgomery family and their church) to each child and taught them how to brush their teeth. We ended Thrive by serving meals to each child and cleaning up.

Serving lunch at Thrive for 5. Haitian cooks are amazing!

We headed back home for another meal – spam. After lunch we headed back out to Sylvain. Being it is the dry season, we helped water the banana trees, by hand. Others helped harvest sugar cane. Each tree received one 5 gallon bucket of water. We finished about 2/3 the field and called it a day. I think it was safe to say by the end we were more soaked than the plants.

Getting ready to work! Starting a bucket brigade to water the plantains Many hands make joyful work Feeding the residents of ‘Goatland’, our aptly named goat pen

We ended the work day by driving out to visit a suspension bridge. Some of us enjoyed it more than others but we all crossed the bridge and came back. We clamored down to the river side and enjoyed watching the donkeys cross the river and motorcycles cross the bridge above us.

Down in the river. photobombed by a donkey!

We returned home to another fantastic meal prepared by our excellent cooks (we truely can’t brag about our cooks enough!) and after a time of singing we enjoyed celebrating Maria’s birthday.

It truly has been another eye-opening day and we are continued to be blessed with good health. As we relax for the night, we look forward to another day acting as God’s hands and feet in this beautiful country.

Sunset in Pignon after a long and fulfilling day