The time has come for us to leave our friends once again. As is always the case, I feel conflicted about leaving. This trip, more than any before, has bonded our friendships as lafanmi (family). We have painted the walls and windows of a church, helped 'Ma Pas' (Sydney's nickname, short for Madame Pastor) with the children's feeding program for the children at the tent city at Beaudoin, visited an orphanage, met with the church ladies, and given English tutoring to interested people in the church. (They also tried to teach us a bit of Creole...mostly we made them laugh.).  We also attended church services both on Sunday and Wednesday at the Lutheran church. Marky and Sydney Kessa are blessed in ways that cannot be numbered. With a grace that knows no bounds. With a faith that reaches out and actually winds its arms around your middle and holds you tight. They are also burdened serving a country that has so much broken you have to reorient everything you have come to know and value.

The enormous need in Haiti is hard to explain to someone that has not seen for themselves. After three trips here, as well as reading the book "When helping Hurts", I do not believe that it is the role of Americans to fix the problems here. It is up to the Haitian people.

But all is not well here.

They need a leg up. Why did we 'win' in the lottery of life, and why did they 'lose'? What makes you or I any better then any of them? Last year, we left with more questions than answers. This year we leave with a sense of alignment and purpose. We were sent to tell their story. To help spread the word: Haiti needs us. And I think, we need them too. To remind us not to take water pressure for granted, (Hey, just for instance....) or adequate pest control (ok, that WAS a stab at Pastor....). In truth - We need them to take us by the throat and force us to look poverty, hunger, and hopelessness in the eye, and join with them to do something about it.  This week I have observed that they instead choose to take us by the hand, as they are prone to do with each other, and share a little of their heart, a little of their hurt, and a little of their struggle.

 You know what I see?  From children who live in the dirt, I see people who need to know they have a friend, a hand to hold, a hand that will always be there.
They need to see that we are lafanmi in God's eyes, and together we can live and grow together in faith and love.

Visit Trinity Lutheran Church in Urbana on Facebook to learn about the opportunities to help support our family in Haiti....

On Monday evening we met with he ladies of the Lutheran Church of Jacmel. Not a one of us knew what to expect. Or whether any Haitian woman would even show up to meet with little 'ol us...  We were delighted to see 15 (or so) women arrive to sit quietly in the  church benches. Each of them had cleaned, even pressed looking, dresses. We had shown up in our shorts and Tshirts.  We discreetly ran back to the guesthouse to change. In a Herculean miracle, we were shined up with girly skirts in a few moments, and ran with abandon back to the church.  We sat in wooden chairs in a semi circle facing the pews, while more and more women trickled in.  Where do you begin this kind of thing??  We decided to begin by telling them one by one who we are and a brief bit about us. We had a translator, and she patiently translated line by line. This went fairly quickly with few questions. Next the women of Jacmel were up.  Interestingly, while we had gone in an orderly fashion down the row we sat in, the women of Jacmel stepped forward as they were ready, in no particular order, and told us their stories.  While we had done the usual; name, kids, job, etc.....  they told their stories and shared candidly: their struggles, heartbreaks, and joys. It occurred to me that we Americans often don't even share like this among trusted friend circles.  There was much laughter, teasing, and yes, even tears. We became friends on Monday March 18, 2013, and it will be so from this day on.

On Tuesday, ay we did so much! Shopping! Touring Jacmel to visit some of the women from the night before. Walking through the marketplace! the sights, the sounds, the smells! I was on sensory overload, and fascinated.... really, I expected to see a monkey doing tricks just around the next corner.....it was like stepping into an Indiana Jones movie!  We accompanied Sydney Kessa, (Pastor Marky Kessa's wife) to the afternoon feeding program that she runs next to the tent city of Beaudoin (the locations we built homes in 2011).  In excess of 70 children showed up. It is difficult to share feelings of this event. The children bring their own bowl, and pass forward to be filled. Rice, beans, vegetables and meat stewed together fill each bowl, and we passed them along hand to hand in a chain.  This is no orderly event mind you, this is chaos in the rawest order, and yet.....I felt it to be a golden privilege to hand these children, with the beautiful sparkling eyes, and glorious smiles.....food. Food that they sat down with and scooped up with their hand and ate, without dropping a single grain of rice. I noticed many stopped short of finishing their bowl, and shoved it into a waiting book bag, so they could take it home, most likely to share with others in their family...

Today we also visited the orphanage run by Pastor Joseph. 20 or so children live and are schooled there. They sang us songs (in 3 languages) and smiled patiently for our pictures. I am more convinced than ever that angels live among us, as Pastor Joseph and his wife must bind their wings to hide them from view. Brave. Loving. Wow.

We finished this evening at a Lenten Service. When the music began at 6:15 there were only10 or so people in the church (other than us), but at the end when we all rose to join hands in one big circle, the church was barely enough to hold all of us! The singing in this church is the stuff of legend...take heart, at some point the good Pastor Marky will visit Urbana...and we should be ready to hold our end of the rope....

Oh, and the guys painted today.....remind me to tell you about that.... :-).  Stay tuned, there's more to come!

Love to you all -

Bonswa (Good Afternoon in Creole)!

We are in Jacmel for our third visit!  The drive from Port au Prince was lengthy, due to several accidents on the road, one of which involved a dump truck on its side, and an oxen cart with only half of the 4 animals alive.  Certainly something different than the usual route we travel each day!  This journey has been absolutely amazing in that we have met up with so many of the people we befriended on our last visits.  After arriving on Saturday we took a long walk to the building site we were at the first year.  We ran into Douge, a young man we met that first year, immediately.  From there word has spread that we are back, and we continue to receive visits from the various children we know, and are deleted to see how they have grown! Many of them seem to be in better schools and have some command of the English language, which was not the case before.

We ran a session of VBS yesterday, and expected around 50 kids. 108 showed up.  Despite significant communication problems we managed to communicate 'in song'.  We would first sing the song in English, and the kids would then sing the song in Creole.  Pastor Marky's wife Sydney, translated the story of Jesus walking on the water, and then we played several games, some of which got a little unruly and loud, all of which you will see in pictures.

Our Pastor did the preaching at yesterday's church service, and Pastor Marky translated. It was really something, the both of them working in tandem to deliver each phrase in rhythm. We were, as always, captivated by the music, singing, and especially the faces of the children. They also seem fascinated by our presence among them.

We visited two beginning churches today, to take pictures, talk with the Pastors, and get notes for someone to write a story of the church and the hurdles it faces.  We believe the role of messenger is one that we have been sent here to play.

• In a short while we will visit with the ladies of the church.....

Stay tuned!

Pictures preview of coming trip - March 16, 2013

On our upcoming trip to Jacmel, we are scheduled to visit an orphanage. Pictures here are of the children, around 20-25 in number who live there. Aren't they adorable? Beautiful faces and spirits. The second picture is of the 'kitchen' in the orphanage, where they prepare the food for these children. This brief study in contrasts gives you a sense of the place we will be visiting.  ...more to come!

Haiti 2013

TRIP RESCHEDULED MAR 15-23, 2013

UPDATE: flight costs were double previous years so trip has been rescheduled for spring break timeframe Mar 15-23, 2013. State department warnings out for American travelers to Haiti, robberies and kidnapping of Americans coming out of Port auPrince airport...keep fingers crossed that trip will happen!

January 13 and 14

.....and then I joined others, and got really sick...sorry for delay. Friday was our day to shop and visit the local beach. By this time, we are a weary looking group, having weathered a few mishaps and emotional lows. On the way to the beach, Jimi (our driver) hit the van brakes HARD. We all held our breaths. Then there was a dull thud. Our hearts cracked. There was a little girl, maybe 8 or so, lying on the side of the street. Jimi and Junior (our guide) jumped out. Pastor immediately called for a prayer. Miraculously, she was up standing in a few minutes. She was crying, but using arms and legs: a good sign. You have to understand, in haiti there are people walking everywhere. The spaces between vehicles and others things: people, buildings, other vehicles, is measured in millimeters instead of feet. At all times, chaos reigns. Jimi couldn't swerve: one way would be to hit many more people, another way would hit motorcycles, which also crowd the dirt paths that serve as road.

There was an enormous crowd gathering. Lots and lots of loud conversation which we could not understand.  We felt, for perhaps the first time there, intruders into their community. For if it wasn't for our little excursion, maybe she wouldn't have been hit. Here we have been trying so hard, to work for these people, to help in just some little way, and then this. Was God trying to tell us to slow down? focus differently? And this little girl, what did the Lord have in mind for her? For some reason, on friday, our paths crossed. It changed everything.

This trip pushed us, emotionally and physically, perhaps more than we've been before. I've read that to grow, one must be uncomfortable. This trip was packed with opportunities for growth. We found strength in one another, and looked to each other for comfort and guidance. However, we come home with more questions than answers. Will we go back to Jacmel? Did we make a difference? Did we accomplish what we were 'supposed' to? To reconcile these questions, and so many others will take time, and together we will sort it out.

Our plane touched down in Chicago at 7p.m. on saturday, and we arrived home a short drive later. Hot showers, warm beds, hugs from family awaited. It is hard to express how much these things are valued (not necessarily in that order; however after a week of cold dribbling showers....ha) and how loved the families the Lord has given us, mean. Only when you leave the safety of this structure, can you fully appreciate what it means. Thanks also for reading. Will I pick this up in a year's time? Stay tuned....and answers will come in time.

Oh, and the little girl? As of the last report: she was in the hospital, with a headache, but nothing broken. A miracle for sure. Our prayers for her will continue.

January 12, 2012

The two year anniversary of the earthquake...
Haitian children are out of school, there are various observance services, and even a parade. We worked early, finishing the temporary shelter at the family tent site, while others carried large stones for the foundation of the church offices going up. I forgot to mention: Pastor Strom received money from donations during last year, which he gave Pastor Kessa, and is being used right before our eyes in the work on the church office foundation. I think this donation surprised Pastor Kessa, and answered the immediate need. A definite God moment...
I don't know what is was, but the night before the quake anniversary, a thick acrid smoke filled the town. We, of course, lay breathing it in all night. We got up feeling like our throats burned, and that we might return with an emphysema condition...just kidding. Kristin: Pastor said that he was going to apologize to you for what you've been though! Hopefully this stuff won't turn into anything of real substance, but we sound like  a sickly crew, hacking and coughing. The children came again yesterday, in droves. We sang, moved rocks, and played. Peggy entertained hoards of children who delighted in teasing and playing word games. Clarence helped our old friend (the man with no shoes) chop out a tree in the line of the foundation. Clarence used an ax, then the man would use a machete. Back and forth, they got that tree out of the way. After the end of the workday and dinner, some of us went to Barb and Dick Hammond at the Friends of the Children of Haiti clinic, which was where we stayed last year on our trip to Jacmel. Their clinic now runs 6 medical missions a year for the people here, the next one is scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Barb and Dick also run a sponsorship program for school children. Please visit their website: google the Friends of the Children of Haiti, you can read their story, see the clinic facility, and learn about their school sponsorship program. Barb told us of a particular need coming - a family out east who has sponsored 20 children is now coming to haiti themselves and working in a school. They will, in a year, begin to direct their resources to the school, and 20 of the sponsored children will need new funding. The resultant gaps in education that result when this happens can be devastating to the child. Please read about the program, and consider how you might help. $25 per month isn't too much of a burden. All costs go to the child and their family. As we sat with Dick and Barb last night, we were struck by how lovely their hearts are, and how much of a difference they have made. A story: when they were building the clinic, there was a boy who was coming around the worksite and acting as a gopher of sorts. One day Dick asked him why he was not in school. He replied that he didn't have any money. Dick told him "Well, as of today, you go to school!" That boy was their first sponsored child. He sat in the kitchen of the clinic just last week with Dick and Barb, now a senior in Engineering at a University in Port
au Prince, due to graduate the coming year. An amazing story, of how just one couple can, and has changed the world with their persistence and vision. They remain in our hearts and prayers every day.
The beauties, as I call them (the four young girls with us) are an inspiring sight to behold with the children at the worksites. They play tirelessly, as little brown hands seek theirs at every opportunity. They have made significant progress on their Creole, and they draw interested gazes from the young men. (No worries Judy, Maman Jan and DeeDee are on task!)ha. We are once again drawn to these people, their desperate situation, lovely souls and hearts. Tempered by the foul smoky air, the experience reminds how much abundance we have in our lives. Often taken for granted! We get to leave tomorrow. They stay here and make do in the very best way they can. We miss you all, and can't wait to see the snow in Illinois. Gotta go, the first roosters are calling. Love to you all -