Never a Dull Moment at HATS

November 1, 2010 Posted by Karen Huxter

The workteam, under the direction of Gerry Rhyno, left here on Tuesday and arrived safely at their homes on Wednesday. We were scheduled to leave the mission at 6:00 a.m. The trip to Port au Prince actually started with the big van sitting on the mission compound needing a tire change before we could proceed. We were still off by 6:30 a.m. A good start to a long day.

Good start to six am departure for airport

A lot was accomplished in the week they were with us for which I am extremely thankful. They worked hard in the hot sun and high humidity but they also enjoyed time with my kids and, of course, my kids enjoyed attention and fun with the group. They took advantage of a very necessary break from the sun and heat at noon time to regain their strength as you will see from the photo of the four sleeping beauties. Judel joined them one day he decided he needed to get his rest too. Sofa or chair he did not need. Thank you to each and every one of the team members. God bless you all.

Noon break. Sleeping beauties

Judel. Who needs a bed to be comfortable

The Haitian workers are continuing with the work on the enclosure for our land located behind our school. As of yesterday there was a small section left to complete that job. Then on to another project.

Working on last section of enclosure

Yesterday Martha delivered two sacks of rice to me on her horse. The kids loved seeing a horse on the compound. Ti Luc was not feeling well, but Martha took him outside and allowed him to sit on the horse. Wow, he loved it and kept telling it to go, go. I don’t think he needs a big stroller anymore when we have our walks along the canal. He just needs his own horse.

Ti Luc saying – Let’s go

Today has been just another nice quiet normal Sunday at HATS. Ti Luc was not well Friday night, yesterday, and was worse last night. He was coughing a lot and having breathing problems again. He was with me all night so I could give him ventalin as needed. I was more tired when we got up this morning than when we lay on the bed last night. Antoinette left 6:30 a.m. for the service at her church and planned to be back here for our service at 9:00 a.m. Due to the cholera and to the fact one my kids has measles, and looks like others might be starting, I had decided to have Antoinette do the service at the school, and I would help her. Magalie would do a service here with my kids only. The best laid plans of mice and men…

Antoinette took a moto taxi to her church and paid him in advance to pick her back up at 8:50. Antoinette arrived home to find her husband ill, with fever and vomiting and she needed to look after him. Since the moto did not return for her she could not come back for an hour for church and then return to her husband. I was so very drained and tired from being awake with Ti Luc all night, and Ti Luc was still ill, so I did not even dress for church. I could hear kids at the school for church and I could hear Magalie and my kids worshipping here onsite. What to do now? So, I interupted their little service here and sent Magalie to the school to look after that service. I put Vladimy in charge of the service here. And I looked after Ti Luc. All is well.Yeah, right! Moise left that service and came in to tell me Josie and Ismyis were jumping up and down on the benches and not listening to Vladimy. I put in a quick appearance, which I knew would settle the mischievous kids down, but grabbed my camera on the way out. Glad I did. Josie and Ismyis saw me standing in the door and they quickly became the quietest and best behaved of my children. And I was able to take a photo of them all sitting and behaving nicely with Karena peeking out of JJ’s arms and laughing.

Vladimy leading ti servis on site

All was okay on the surface there so I decided to get back to Ti Luc but Karena chased me crying to come with me. She was happy to join Ti Luc inside and he loves to have her around.

Cute or what

Antoinette had to take the whole day to help her hubby and Magalie survived but not without several ‘dezod’ occasions by the children that I helped her deal with. At 1:00 p.m. I was informed we were out of water. Okay, no problem. I will turn on the pump. No water came. Needs to be primed. With Vladimy and the wrench and 5 gal of water off to the pump itself we went. We finally got the pump to pull the water, but before we could get one drop in the tanks the water pressure separated the pipe where it was joined and all the water went into the air and over me, with none in the tank. Nothing I did could fix it. No problem. We only have thirteen kids desperately in need of a shower, two sweaty adults, toilets to flush and dishes to wash with no water. Because the canal is contaminated we could not bring that in to flush toilets as we could in the past. Fun and games. Called the only person I trust here to touch this plumbing system, Luckner, but did not reach him. Eventually we did connect and by 6:30 the pipe was fixed and the tanks are now being filled.

I promised the children a video this afernoon. One way to give Magalie a chance to get something done I thought. So, turn on the generator first right. Can’t. No oil. Did anyone tell me we were out of oil. Of course not! Called someone outside the compound to purchase oil for me as I did not feel well enough to go. Eventually a gallon of diesel oil arrived. Okay. On with the generator and turn on TV and DVD player and in with the disc. Problem. The image was so dark the kids could hardly see anything. Couldn’t figure out the problem as I could find nothing in English. Had to rush back home to check on my sick boy who was here by himself. Judel, Dieunel, and Ismyis were cying when I left as I did not give them the promised video. I was a mean mama! Back down to the Kid’s Home again and this time I unplugged and replugged everything I could find. Okay. It worked. All the kids jumped up and down and hugged and kissed me because I had just made their day. I was the wonderful mama!

We all have days like that, where nothing seems to go right and we wonder how we manage to get through it all. And the days often come when we are overtired or ill. I know that I get through quieter days like today, or the days that are much more challenging, because I am learning to stay calm and ask God to take care of it. I am his. My kids are his. This work is his and he cares about it all. I am still learning and working on keeping Karen out of the way and asking him to take control of the various situations that constantly arise. For 15 1/2 years I have been saying “Never a dull moment at HATS”. For 15 1/2 years I have been asking for some ‘dull’ moments. I would still like to have some. Please continue to pray for the “right missionary couple” to join me and help me with the load. Just maybe the day will come when there will be a couple of ‘dull’ moments here. O Happy Day!!

Whether there comes a quiet and dull time or not, it has been, it is, and it always will be
“All About The Children”.

Blessings everyone.

~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

Thank you Karen for everything you do, all the hard work and dedication that you put into this place, all of the work behind the scenes. Thank you for putting up with all the craziness that we bring when we come to your house for the week, just thank you times a million and one for everything Karen. I can write about my week until I am blue in the face (maybe not write that long but if you know me I can definitely talk for that long), and can sing about kit kat bars until my voice gives out, but I cannot even begin to try and articulate in song, dance, or other random art forms how thankful and blessed I am to have been given this experience not only once but twice! Thank you – thank you – thank you – thank you!!!!!!!

Kathleen
HATS Visitor
I have absolutely loved the Haitian people and Haiti the three times I have been there. I go to bless them, only to be blessed myself!

Yvette Calderwood
HATS Visitor
This is my first time traveling outside of Canada and I am proud to say it was for a mission trip. I have always wanted to go on one and see what it like in other parts of the world and do what I can to help out. Haiti is a terminus life change for me and how I look at things. Seeing these kids and how they have such a passion for each other and for us is truly inspiring. I look back to what I was like at that age and I don’t think I was half as kind or generous as they are. This morning we did devotions and as I was speaking about what an impact they had on me only in one day I started to tear up…it was very emotional to talk about.

Isaiah Henderson
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
They call Karen “the helicopter ” and after spending three days by her side I know why. She propels through life!!! If you want to get on the ride you better start running. It is an amazing work that the Lord is doing here through so many many dedicated workers…literally hundreds of children impacted every day with the love of Christ…but the task to do so is enormous. The dedication of staff is invaluable…they NEED US ALL!!

Barbara & Louis
HATS Visitors
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
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
It is our last day and there is always a certain amount of sadness and joy when we come to the end of a trip . We look forward to our homes and loved ones but there is a part of us that wants to stay and be near these dear dear children. They open their hearts and arms to you when you enter the front gate. They give you laughter and tears all week long and then they cry and hug you when they know you are going away. Being near that kind of unconditional love effects us all very deeply. So we leave part of our hearts here and promise to return.

Gerry Rhyno
HATS Visitor
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
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