Thankfulness & So Many Updates

November 3, 2011 Posted by HATS Visitors

Jessie

So, even though it is only November 2nd and our Thanksgiving in United States isn’t until November 24th, I have been in a very thankful mindset lately. I am so thankful for God and the way he works. I am thankful that He chose Seth and I to fill this position and has been so faithful throughout the entire journey. I am thankful for how he has grown Seth and I’s marriage and helped us each individually learn much needed things and discover a more intimate relationship with Him. I am thankful that Karen has let us be a part of HATS and the children’s lives. We are so overjoyed to get to see these kids everyday. We are thankful for Karen and her service to this mission. Her faithfulness in carrying out God’s will for her life and her hard, hard, HARD work here. We are also thankful for Mariah and her sacrifice to be here with us and how she brings so much joy to Karen. In addition, we are extremely thankful for James, Ken and Betty, and Sara and Peter: all who have brought us such a source of community and friendship. God has been so good to us this past year and we are so thankful for a opportunity to grow more Christ-like while being part of this mission.

Things have picked up here around HATS. With school starting, Seth and I have been much more busy. Seth doing carpentry and me doing office work. These past several days, I have been trying to get the school sponsor list ready for when Liette comes down, so she can use it when organizing the school sponsorship photos and letters. I have really enjoyed my work here, especially that I don’t do any certain task for a long period of time. This work has been great, and I have been still trying to keep up with other small things I REALLY enjoy doing.

Mirlande and I still try to meet once a week and discuss a bible story focused on one of the Fruits of the Spirit. During our meeting the other day, we got on the topic of dreams. She told me that she would love to become the President of Haiti. However, that she would quickly get rid of the chofer and the door opener to her car because she would want to drive herself. I told her people would probably LOVE her for that. 🙂

I also have been trying to do a craft each week based off the Creation Story. I am doing a three week sermon spread out on the Creation story. To kick it off, we made animal masks to later use at our final Creation party at the end of the sermon series. I explained what we would be learning in church and how they would need the information they will learn in church to complete the creation party at the end. The kids were really excited. Since then, we have been doing a craft each week for each day of creation and recapping the lesson.

The kids with their animal masks

Within the last few weeks, we have had some really neat visitors. One group was a Canadian group who stopped by for a full day visit. They got to see the whole compound, the school, and time to play with the kids. It was a blast having them around and hearing all their stories. One very encouraging guy named, James, for Seth and I told us how him and his wife went to Africa on their honeymoon and stayed for two years to do mission work. His wife always says he owes her another honeymoon! 🙂 Now that is dedication to God’s calling! The other was a previous resident at HATS. Janine, who lived here for a total of 3 months in 2005, came to visit last Wednesday through Saturday. It was neat to hear her experiences with HATS and the other orphanages she worked with and her new passions in ministry.

Yesterday was October 31st, yes Halloween, but also Mariah’s adoption day. It is such a neat thing her family does. They chose a day between Josiah’s adoption date and her’s and they celebrate every year that God gave them to the family. So NEAT! We had a small party on the bank of the canal as the sun set.

Mariah’s adoption celebration

Today, a group from Borel stopped by to play with the kids. They brought mats to sit on for the truck ride there, but the kids soon turned them into toys. We had toboggan rides, house with sleeping bags, and crawling, hungary animals. The kids had a blast and can enjoy the simplest things.

The kids new toys

Mariah is still working over at the school and doing a fantastic job. She looks very professional as she heads over to the school every morning and always has various jobs to be doing. Last week, she hand drew two poster boards for separate classrooms of all the fruits and vegetables she could fit on it. They both turned out great!

Karen, well, I think if I listed everything she has been doing in the last few weeks we would be here for days reading! All I have to say is that lady is BUSY! She has been keeping track of the school, organizing and handing out school books, replacing and adding school students on the sponsor sheet, and everything else you can imagine. She is still go, go, go!!

Karen and her kids

~Jessie

Seth

Well, first I want to brag on my wife a bit. She talked about her crafts, but I want to tell you what I see as a helper and observer. The kids love Jess! They love the crafts that she puts together for them and they are constantly asking when she is going to do the next craft with them. Most importantly, they’re learning about God! Before she starts the craft she reviews the lesson from church with them and explains how it applies to the craft. A few weeks ago she asked the kids what were the fruits of the Spirit and what were some examples of good and bad fruit. They were full of good answers! To the extent that we could barely get them to speak one at a time! It’s the kind of disorder that brings a smile to your face because they were so excited to share what they’ve been learning!

Like Jess said, things have picked up quite a bit from August. While things were slow, I helped Jacques harvest the corn from the garden behind Karen’s house. Lately I’ve been working on building 2 desks and 3 cabinets for the offices at the school. I also built a swimming pool (That’s what I told the kids). Actually, it was a very large tool box (6 1/2 X 3 X 3) for the work teams that come down so that they will ALWAYS have tools to work with here (I’m pretty sure there’s a Haitian tool troll that’s constantly stealing our tools!). Soon, I will be building a roof for the small office at the school, as well as helping with painting the offices.

The Boys Repairing the Backboard

I’ve also been playing a lot of soccer with the boys and lately teaching JJ and Moise how to throw the football and run routes. I have to tell a story about Moise. A few weeks ago Moise and I went over to the field next to HATS to play (JJ and Vladimy were busy). We played a few games. The older boys are always trying to kick the small boys off of the field so in the second game I told a smaller boy who didn’t get to play the first game to play in my place. I made sure, though, that Moise didn’t get kicked off. I went and stood on the sidelines and as I started to watch the game I realized Moise wasn’t playing. I realized he was standing next to me, so I asked him, “why aren’t you playing.” I was getting ready to stop the game because I figured the older boys had kicked him off the field. Instead he pointed at a kid and responded, “I let him play in my place.” Then he stood and cheered joyfully for his team! What a great kid! I was so proud of him!

We’ve started a nursery for church (we may have already said that in a blog). Sandra, Ann, Jofky, and Karena tend to take to much of the other kids attention, so we thought it would be best to have a nursery. The adults take turns at it, but I do it the most because when Jess isn’t speaking, I’m the one that gets the least out of a sermon because I don’t understand it all yet. So why not watch the little ones!

Nursery

Tuesday and Wednesday were a holiday here in Haiti- The Day of the Dead. To counteract some of the ‘other’ stuff that goes on during this holiday here, Luckner held a time of prayer and fasting at Radio Creole. Jess and I got to join Karen and Mariah to pray and worship with our brothers and sisters at the station. It was an encouraging time of worship together!

Also, remember Mariah in your prayers. She’s feeling better today because school was out the past two days and she took that time to get a lot of rest, but she could still use your prayers for a full recovery. Thanks

A beautiful picture from a walk

Thanks again for all of your support of us here at HATS. God bless you!

~Seth

About HATS Visitors

HATS – Haiti encourages individuals and work teams to travel to Haiti to be a part of the work we are doing. Those who come to Haiti are given the opportunity to join in construction projects, visit in the local community, spend time with the children, and minister in church. You can help us in our work for the most needy and most vulnerable members of Haiti’s population. Come be transformed by seeing the need and being a part of meeting that need. Be part of the story

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Testimonials

I’m not sure what we’re doing here, just showing up for a week – it’s not like it’s sustainable. And I don’t want to become depressed by some of the harsh realities that Karen has to deal with every day. You know it’s ONE thing to start an orphanage and school (Yes, Karen has done things that are beeeeyond me), but it’s ANOTHER thing to raise the 20 babies that become YOUR kids!!! Not only are they a big family, but they are a big family containing individual stories that got them all to where they are in the orphanage. I don’t even know how to describe it…I have never seen a woman her age with this much energy…fun loving energy that is. She so inspired me today and really is a wonderful mother to all these children.

Barbara
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
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
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
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
Amazing organization! Had the pleasure of visiting twice, and can’t wait to go back again someday. God is doing some wonderful things at HATS!

Jess MacDonald
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
We’ve made a difference, I believe. Big stuff, little stuff; it all contributed to the greater good and that big picture: keeping HATS a surviving and thriving, safe haven for the children of Deschapelles, Haiti. And oh my, what children they are. As expected, it was tough to leave. There were tears, whispers, hugs and I’ll miss you’s. I learned that it gets easier (only a bit) for those who’ve done this a few times. As Bob says “I’m part of the furniture now. I don’t say ‘goodbye’, I say ‘see you later’.” Maybe that’s how you cope with leaving…you return. Once, five times, 10 times. However many. Guaranteed you’ll leave a different person than when you came in.

Aimee Feaver
HATS Visitor
One thing that has impacted me on this trip is seeing the children and all the dedication in this orphanage. There is so much going on behind the scenes to keep the HATS orphanage and school running.

Donna Wheeler
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