Greetings from Unbearably Hot and Humid Haiti

August 25, 2010 Posted by Karen Huxter

These days has become too horrendous to handle. Honestly!

By 6:00 a.m. it is hot. By 8:00 I am very much in need of the second shower of the day. By 9:00 it does not matter if I showered or not because I sure don’t look like it or feel like it, but neither does anyone else. So who cares. I do. And in two days I get to leave this horrible heat for a short time. Thank you, God, I say. I am going to the most wonderful area of the world – Nova Scotia and then Newfoundland. Does not get much better than than in my book!! I will visit with family and friends but I will also be working for HATS. I will be sharing my heart on Haiti and the HATS mission on many occasions.

I will not be blogging as often but I do plan to do the promised blog on my girls while away. And I just might blog on some other interesting things. So stay tuned folks. You just never know!

I recently took photos of the outside of the HATS Mission for Mr Wonderful Dickie so decided I should share one with you folks. Actually I think it looks quite nice.

HATS Mission – Both Compounds

I knew we were going to get the foundation for the new Kid’s Home, Kay Timbrmart, started early on Monday so Sunday after church I had Vladimy, JJ and Moise start moving some of the rebar pillars already prepared to another area of the compound. They were quite willing to do so in anticipation of the new house getting underway.

Willing helpers

The digging for the foundation did get started Monday morning and today Tuesday they were already mixing and pouring cement to hold some of the rebar.

Foundation for Kid’s Home is started

Digging out for the foundation

Cement mixing for rebar in foundation

Rebar being cemented in already

School. It is almost that time again and I am so very thankful to God that I am getting away to eastern Canada before school reopens, in October, this year. Due to all the schools lost in the earthquake, etc the government has announced that schools will reopen in October. Without getting away I might not be able to face the opening of our school again. School opening means tons of preparation work. For the past two years I have said that I cannot face another reopening of school without having support missionaries here with me. Well, guess what. That is not yet a reality but I have the preparation work well underway. I have pulled in Martha, Antoinette and Vladimy to help me. It is 10:30 p.m. as I write this and Antoinette and Vladimy are still here helping cut, fold and sort the three different kinds of fabric to give parents of sponsored students tomorrow morning. I am not looking forward to tomorrow at all, but God will see me through it once again.

Huge task – Uniforms for sponsored students

I will be set up at the school to receive all parents. All textbooks from last year must be returned tomorrow before I give fabric and sewing funds for the uniforms for this year. Recording all names and grades and keeping it straight and organized is a huge job and especially for me with the spelling of the names, etc. Besides, some of the students go by a couple of different names. O fun and games tomorrow. Anyone want to come and give me a hand?

Great news today about our HATS School. The results came out today on the government exams for grades six and nine. All schools, including HATS, were prepared for other than stellar results due to the earthquake and how that affected all teachers and students. I am thrilled to report that our school did extremely well again this year. We had only one student in grade six who did not pass and five in our grade nine class. Our results again are better than other schools in our area. We are pleased and we are very thankful.

Thank you to all who have sent in your sponsorship funds. The fees are being put to use for your students. We have already spent a lot of money on uniform fabric and are preparing to purchase textbooks.

All the HATS children continue to do well. I had told you that our littlest one was to be named Tayanna Mariah. We have decided to change her name to Karena Mariah. Luckner will be working on a birth certificate for her while I am away. On Sunday I spent some time with the kids and took some photos of them to share with you. In the photo of the girls there are two missing – Ti Fi and Ismyis. In the photo of the boys there is one missing – Vladimy. Hopefully next time I do groups I will have them all with me. They decided to have me sit down with Karena while they took photos of the two of us. I told them the best photo of Karena and I would go on the blog and here it is. It was taken by JJ.

Five of my six handsome boys

Five of my seven beautiful girls

Mama Karena & Karena Mariah

Too, we have a new girl added to our family. Karma is five and another student for our prescolaire class. This year I have six in prescolaire. Almost enough for our own class. Anyone interested in sponsoring Karma please let me know.

Our newest one – Karma

Again, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for all the love and support that comes to HATS. Thank you to those who have come and are returning, and to all who plan to come for the first time. Thank you for your encouraging words that keep me going. I can’t do any of this without you. HATS would not be HATS without all of you. Together we are a great team! Jesus is our leader and our defender and we all play equally as team members. Haiti needs our team. Let’s keep playing together to help as many children as possible. Let’s help make a change where needed.

“Remember one person’s life being changed is more important than all the material things the world has to offer.”

God’s richest blessings to you all.

~Karen

About Karen Huxter

Karen Huxter, the founder and Director of Hands Across the Sea, was born in Springdale, Newfoundland and is proud of her Newfie roots and heritage. She lived in various places across Canada such as Quebec, the Yukon, Ontario, Alberta and BC before moving to Haiti in 1995. In her professional career, Karen worked in teaching, banking and administration and did extensive volunteer work with community groups and charities. A mother of two grown daughters, one young adopted son and seven grandchildren, Karen is energetic and passionate about the work in Haiti. She loves each of the children and has a heart of compassion for children, women and families in the country of Haiti.

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Testimonials

I have learned much about Haiti in my short stay here, much about generational, entrenched poverty, and much about hope. We can only be part of the bringing of hope if we become one small actor on the huge stage that is poverty. Thank you, Lynn Clark, for inviting me to share this life changing experience with you, and thank-you, Karen Huxter, for investing so much of your life in a work designed to bring hope to those who need it more than any Canadian could ever imagine.

Linda
HATS Visitor
This week has been amazing – one of the best weeks of my life thus far, hands down. I can’t really think of any other experience in my life that can even come close to comparing to this. Though my visit here was short (too short), it has been incredibly eye-opening, and life changing. I will never forget the people I have met here, or the things I’ve gotten to experience! Most of all, I would like to say how remarkable it is to see first-hand the amazing work God is doing here. I am behind this ministry 100%, and will continue to support it. I am so, so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here, and I am REALLY not looking forward to saying goodbye to the children tonight. My heart sinks just thinking about it. There’s no doubt that they’ve had a bigger impact on my life than I’ve had on theirs. I will be leaving a big piece of my heart with these people and this country. God bless.

Jess Buckle
HATS Visitor
I am so thankful to Jesus for the opportunity to serve at HATS and to finally experience the great work that God is doing there. I look forward to seeing them all again when I visit next time.

Nancy Goodwin
HATS Visitor
I spent a week in Haiti at HATS in November 2017 and it was a wonderful experience. Karen is an amazing woman and is doing amazing work. She is dedicated to the children in her care and is changing lives. I would love the opportunity to visit again and help out where I can.

Sandy Eastly
HATS Visitor
The time has passed so quickly. We know what we’ve done this week is important and makes a difference here at Hands Across the Sea. But it’s easy in Haiti to feel that anything we do here is simply a drop in the ocean. So much need on so many different levels: political, organizational, educational, social, spiritual…But we remind ourselves that each individual life is of infinite value so changing the life of one child and one family is worth the effort.

Liette Wilson
HATS Visitor, Supporter & Board Member
It’s my hope that I manage to touch their hearts in some small way, the way that they have touched mine – in a major way.

Cherie MacDonald
HATS Visitor
It’s going to be impossible to put my thoughts into words about this experience, so I’d say this – if you can get here – do. I think most people probably think they’re coming to help others. To some extent, that’s true (at least this temporary blogger thought so). To a larger extent, you’ll leave Haiti a better person than when you arrived. Nelson Mandela once said something like “Everywhere I go, I wear you”. It means that none of us is our own person entirely. Rather, we’re the culmination of the people and experiences we have had. I leave Haiti wearing 16 HATS children, 10(ish) Haitian staff members, a Calgarian, 2 Winnipegian’s, and a Newfie. And I couldn’t be happier about it. Until we meet again my friends.

Rick
HATS Visitor
Such important work done with LOVE and commitment!

Dana Wight Kayal
HATS Supporter
I had anticipated that I would enjoy spending time getting to know the children and being a part of Karen’s daily life in Haiti but I had not anticipated that it would capture my heart like it did. I will miss spending time with the children and Karen but I am hopeful that I’ll be able to see them all again in the not too distant future.

Sara-May Cardy
HATS Visitor
This is my first trip to Haiti and I’m hoping that it will not be my last! I could start by telling you all about my experiences however I’ll start by saying that Haiti DOES hit you in your heart! Not a day goes by when I’m not fighting back tears. Hands Across the Sea is an amazing place! Our team has been assembled of different men that all who all felt God calling them to do his bidding. Since I have been here I was quick to realize that we are just helpers here. Karen and her team of workers are, what I believe to be, the real workers of God! Each child presents their own challenges and Karen and her staff make sure that all of the children, not one child, are seen to!

Bernie Melanson
HATS Visitor