We have completed a little over a week of our time in Haiti. A short memorable week packed with new friends, new experiences and new insights into the Haitian culture. Even though we have been here before on several mission trips, there is so much we need to learn and experience. There was a team here with us this first week from Des Moines and Pella. It was a great time for us to just be a part of their experience as we start to get settled in. We are getting to know the staff better each day and they are getting to know us better as well.
We have been involved with pouring a cement floor in the home for a local family. So many have dirt floors to live and sleep on. The cement floors are a huge benefit for health and sanitary reasons. The process in Haiti is quite labor intensive. The home was on a small hill. The cement is all mixed by hand. A pile of sand, some rocks thrown in and a few bags of cement. All mixed on the ground, adding water that was brought in by oxen and cart in 5 gallon jugs. The cement is prepared then shoveled into buckets and carried to the home bucket-brigade style. Cement floors is an ongoing project as most homes are just dirt floors.
We also were able to help a family by getting their soil ready to have a personal garden. Many Hands for Haiti has a Haitian agronomist on staff that is training the local residents on proper techniques and how to maintain a garden. This too is an ongoing project.
Church on Sunday was amazing! It always is in Haiti. So much singing, praising, worshiping. We understand very little of what is said, but it is easy to feel a part of what is going on as the Holy Spirit moves.
We have been to the market a few times, exchanged some dollars for Haitian goudes, and got a few supplies.
Our second day here, Zeke, the Haitian staff leader, drove in on a shiny red motorcycle and said, "This is for you Craig". So, I have been getting lots of practice in and am quite comfortable getting into town by myself or with Christi on the back. This is the rainy season in Haiti. So most afternoons it rains for awhile. This makes the roads quite muddy. A trip to Pignon (4 miles) takes about 25 minutes. There is a truck stuck in the mud most every trip. On the motorcycle it is a lot easier to maneuver around the road hazards. Still its an interesting ride that most motocross riders would really enjoy.
When preparing for this trip, I was going through some of my old cd's to decided which ones I wanted to make sure were on my ipad to have along. I listened to Rich Mullins song "Sometimes by Step". This is a revamp of the popular praise chorus "Step by Step" where Mr. Mullins added a few verses. Check the song out if you can. If not, I will close this post with the lyrics to the verses. This really hit me as its how I feel about our experience here in Haiti.
verse 1
Sometimes the night is beautiful,
Sometimes the sky looks so far away,
Sometimes it seems to stoop so close,
You could touch it but your heart would break.
Sometimes the morning comes too soon,
Sometimes the day can be so hot,
There was so much work left to do,
But so much You've already done
Chorus... Oh God you are my God....
Verse 2
Sometimes I think of Abraham,
how one star he saw had been lit for me.
He was a stranger in this land,
and I am that, no less than he.
And on this road to righteousness,
Sometimes the climb can be so steep,
I may falter in my steps,
but never beyond Your reach.
Chorus... Oh God you are my God...
Till next time!
We also were able to help a family by getting their soil ready to have a personal garden. Many Hands for Haiti has a Haitian agronomist on staff that is training the local residents on proper techniques and how to maintain a garden. This too is an ongoing project.
Church on Sunday was amazing! It always is in Haiti. So much singing, praising, worshiping. We understand very little of what is said, but it is easy to feel a part of what is going on as the Holy Spirit moves.
We have been to the market a few times, exchanged some dollars for Haitian goudes, and got a few supplies.
Our second day here, Zeke, the Haitian staff leader, drove in on a shiny red motorcycle and said, "This is for you Craig". So, I have been getting lots of practice in and am quite comfortable getting into town by myself or with Christi on the back. This is the rainy season in Haiti. So most afternoons it rains for awhile. This makes the roads quite muddy. A trip to Pignon (4 miles) takes about 25 minutes. There is a truck stuck in the mud most every trip. On the motorcycle it is a lot easier to maneuver around the road hazards. Still its an interesting ride that most motocross riders would really enjoy.
When preparing for this trip, I was going through some of my old cd's to decided which ones I wanted to make sure were on my ipad to have along. I listened to Rich Mullins song "Sometimes by Step". This is a revamp of the popular praise chorus "Step by Step" where Mr. Mullins added a few verses. Check the song out if you can. If not, I will close this post with the lyrics to the verses. This really hit me as its how I feel about our experience here in Haiti.
verse 1
Sometimes the night is beautiful,
Sometimes the sky looks so far away,
Sometimes it seems to stoop so close,
You could touch it but your heart would break.
Sometimes the morning comes too soon,
Sometimes the day can be so hot,
There was so much work left to do,
But so much You've already done
Chorus... Oh God you are my God....
Verse 2
Sometimes I think of Abraham,
how one star he saw had been lit for me.
He was a stranger in this land,
and I am that, no less than he.
And on this road to righteousness,
Sometimes the climb can be so steep,
I may falter in my steps,
but never beyond Your reach.
Chorus... Oh God you are my God...
Till next time!
I love that song! God is leading you, step by step in a life changing ministry not only for you but most importantly for those you serve. Thanks for the updates and I expect to see a photo posted of the two of you on that shiny red motorcycle!
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