House of Prayer

March 10
Today we went back to Titanyen to the Grace Village land to check on the well drilling and to spend some time just visiting with the community. As always we attracted a crowd of kids wherever we went.



We met one of our new neighbors. She is a woman who just moved to Titanyen after losing her husband and daughter in the hurricane last September. She said they were swept away in the water and only herself and her son survived. She invited us into her home made of sticks, tin and tarps and told us it was a "house of prayer". In the video you will see the benches, fabric hanging with bible verses, a simple pulpit and mats that her and her son sleep on. It continues to amaze us how much despair and suffering we are exposed to while at the same time, through these same people, we're exposed to such great faith. While we hurt inside hearing about the tragic consequences of being born in Haiti, we are also very inspired by their faith and the openness that we are received. What a real blessing to us.



While we were at her house, a little neighborhood girl who had been following us asked me to braid her hair. Our new neighbor offered me a chair to sit and communicated to me that she used to braid her daughters hair. I felt so sad for her. But it is her faith that gives her hope, and peace and I was so glad for that. How could she even go on without it?



I think I did a great job on the little girls hair do...look at the before and after shots....







We then took these 4 kids that were just hanging on us to get them shoes. Adrenoi knew them and told us that 2 of the kids needed shoes for school. So we got 2 of them sandals and two of them sneakers. Part of the Haitian culture is that you must wear nice clothes to church and a uniform and good shoes to school (no sandals).





We then visited a new small school that has 35 students in a small church. It is so fun to see how anxious these kids are to learn and how they get by with just the bare essentials. The text on the chalk board reads "God the Creator".



Next we went to the Maranatha orphanage and met with the 2 directors about budget. A small boy from the neighborhood just came up to me and sat in my lap. It looks like he just needed a rest. Life in Haiti is hard.



We ended the day at Global Outreach,who is a mission close by and who is drilling the well at Grace Village. We met David's wife Judy. They have been living in Haiti for 26 years. It was such a treat... not only to have homemade chocolate chip cookies and 7 Up, but to tour the buildings and hear about their mission. I asked Judy to be my mentor and inspiration. I just felt so comfortable with her and thought she would be a great teacher for me. As David said...we need the prayers and you need the practice:).

So after looking through the photos for today, I told Jeff I couldn't believe he let me leave the room this morning with that top on...I'm sticking to the smock top from now on....