Haiti 2010

Back in July, I led my 4th mission trip into Haiti. Once again, it was an amazing experience! It was such a thrill to be able to have Leanne (her 2nd trip), and Jessica (her 1st trip) along with me this year.

We had a total of 18 from our church participate. Our youngest was 11 and our oldest was 70. Most of them had been to Haiti before but 8 of them were first-timers. Here are just a few pictures and comments concerning our experience.

We spent the first night at the main mission campus.
But the first day we traveled to another campus site
called "The Bay." The full name of the town is
The Bay of Mosquitoes. While we were there we
led a VBS for the local kids. We spent the night on the
roof of the mission and the next day we purchased some goats
to be given to different Haitian families.

VBS at the Bay

This is the mountain top church where we distributed
some of the goats we purchased. The Haitian minister chose
the families to give a pair of goats to. He encouraged them
to pass the gift along and give away some of the offspring
of the goats. He told us that this was not a little thing but
a big thing we had done. What we gave each family was
equivalent to 6 months of wages.

Local transportation in Haiti is by "Tap Tap."
Basically you load up into the back of a small pickup truck.
This was our Tap Tap after we dropped off the goats.
We had about 10 people in the back of the truck and
it hit a rut in the road and got stuck.
Tap Tap rides are always fun!

At the orphanage we led our VBS program. We also had
to go two days without running water or bathroom
facilities. The group that came in as we were leaving
had ice. You would have thought they were nuggets of
gold the way we reacted to it. Thankfully they shared!

We went to Ansefelour (sp?) as well.
It is a beautiful drive along the coast.

Ansefelour is the voodoo capital of Haiti.
We led our VBS there for 200 kids.
Then we hiked up the mountain to a voodoo monument.
It used to be a cross that was placed by the Catholics
However, when lightning struck the cross and knocked
off its arms and a portion of the top the local Haitians
believed Satan was claiming the site. So now those
that practice voodoo will hike to the monument,
perform sacrifices, and pray. We gathered around
the monument and had a much different time of prayer.

Then we went inside the voodoo temple in town and prayed
in the same room as a group of people who were praying
to a porcelain baby doll that they believe fell from the sky
undamaged at the same time as the lightning strike.

It was sad to see the hopelessness of their belief.
It was a bit eerie to see the blood stained pole
where they performed their sacrifices and to see
a murky watered pool where they believe
they can receive forgiveness.



Back a the mission campus we chose to host our VBS
with the Gran Moun (the elderly). They always
enjoy singing and they liked our craft as well.



We helped paint some huts at the baby orphanage.

On Sunday I was able to preach at a Haitian church.
We had a short drive and then a 35 minute hike to
the church. I have never been so hot in all my life.
My interpreter was even sweating like crazy.
Right before we left I took my tie off and gave it
to the preacher at the church. I knew he could use
a new tie and I was too hot to wear it any longer!

Of course Leanne and Jessica loved being with the kids.

I really like this picture.

Back At It

Okay, once again I am going to attempt to blog on a more regular basis. I've updated the layout and my current book and music widgets. Tomorrow maybe I'll update the family pictures and then add a recent post.

From Jessica: a few random things

Okay so here are a few random things that have happened since the last post. *i would post more but for some reason it isn't letting me post pics any more*



We went to go see the Graber family and we got to go eat lunch with Griffin. Here is a pic of him with some of his friends. We also helped them unload baby turkeys but i don't have any pics of that.
This is Nana's 90th birthday party. We love you Nana!!
This is Me and my friend Jessica. We were nuns in the high school play "The Sound of Music" *we are trying very hard not to laugh because i think these pics were taken on the day we did the show 3 times in a row and we were tired of being nuns.*
This is Kyle on his 11th birthday, opening his presents at home.
Well since it won't let me add any more pics i guess this is the end of the post, sooooooo
THE END!!!!!!!

From Jessica: Its been a while

Okay I know Dad hasn't updated in like forever, so I convinced him to take me to the church and update from there. So here goes. The reason dad had to take me to the church to update is because we moved houses and we don't get internet where we live now. But I still like the house. PROS AND CONS ABOUT THE NEW HOUSE CON: we don't get cable out there PRO: not having cable means we have to have to get dish which has like a million more channels. CON: the road is a mud road in the winter and a dirt road in the spring. PRO: we get to live on a gravel road in the summer. CON: there are woods behind our house which means leaves in the fall. PRO: its fun to explore those woods. CON: Kyle didn't get a bedroom that is bigger than his old bedroom. PRO: I got a HUGE bedroom. Anyway I don't have a picture so you'll just have to come see it for yourselves.

CHRISTMAS I have to update about that. on Christmas it was raining :( but we still had fun :)

This is a picture of Kyle ...... on Christmas......... with a football........ go figure!

This is me on Christmas sitting in my awesome zebra striped chair
that i didn't know i was getting

After Christmas at home we went to Gramma and Papa's house to celebrate with dad's side of the family
This is my little cuz, Alex. He was born the day after Christmas a couple years ago

and this is his lil' bro Max (above)

This is Kaylyn. She is my dad's cousin's baby so I don't know if that makes her my 2nd or 3rd cousin but whatever. Every one says she likes dad so much because he has the same haircut as her This is Alex eating his birthday cake. BTW, this is the face he made when I told him to "smile for the camera."

This is Alex eating his birthday treat btw this is the face he made when i told him to "smile for the camera"


Other stuff that happened that I don't have pictures of ....
Kyle turned 11.
I was a nun in the sound of music and Kate played "Brigita"
We went to Susie's house over spring break and helped them with their 15,00 baby turkeys
Susie, Megan, Natalie, Griffin, Cassie came to our house over their spring break
Me, Kyle, Megan, Natalie, Kate, and Andrew played basketball girls vs boys
(there were no fouls so it was fun to watch Andrew get "beat-up" by Megan and Natalie. He says he wouldn't hit back but it is still fun to give him a hard time about it)
We got a new 47 inch flat screen T.V.
Mom and Dad got old (they both turned 39 in March)
We had an Easter egg hunt at Gramma and Papa's
I lost my phone at that Easter egg hunt but Keith found it (thank you Keith)

Camp, Baseball, Swimming, Diving

Neither Leanne nor I are very good about taking pictures or videos so we end up with a lot of memories without the evidence (I guess that may be a good thing). Anyway the kids were involved with a lot of things that we don't have any pictures from. For example . . .

Kyle played baseball. This was his first year in the Majors and it took a big adjustment for him. He went from playing 3 years in infield positions (catcher, 1st base, pitching) to playing outfield and sitting out part of the game (ouch!). We kept encouraging him and letting him know that it was only because he was the youngest on the team and next year will be different. None-the-less he still had a blast and a good season. He had a couple good catches in the outfield and it took a bit but his batting by mid-season was doing really well also. No home-runs this year though. That was another bummer for Kyle.

Jessica was on a summer swim team. She had a lot of fun with that and her times were certainly improving. She placed well in many events and some of the relays she was in took first. Individually I think she placed 2nd a couple of times.

Kyle took Diving lessons this summer. Of course he loved it. He's pretty good at back-diving now.

Both the kids also went to camp this summer. Kyle was at the regular (dorms) camp while I led the Jr. High Wilderness camp. Jessica (since she is now in Jr. High) was at camp with Leanne and I. Camp is always great! We had 33 Jr. High students roughing it in the wilderness without electricity or water. It was an awesome week and I really believe that the students had the opportunity to grow in their faith. It was really cool having Jessica with us this year to.