Blankets Arrived at the Perfect Time!

December 9, 2011 Posted by HATS Visitors

HATS has been buzzing with busyness as always. Karen and Mariah have their hands full with school, the children are studying away, Seth and I are wrapping up our projects before we head home for Christmas, and the little ones, well, as always are causing just enough commotion not to get in trouble. As I mentioned, Seth and I will be heading home in 4 days. We are really, really excited to be with our families for Christmas. We are so thankful for all of you who have supported us over the last year and have allowed us to take time to be with our family over this special holiday. Thank you so much for your financial support, prayers, and encouragement. You guys are all such a blessing to us. We, of course, will miss Karen, Mariah, the staff here at HATS, and especially the kids, but we are excited for some family time!

I just wanted to catch you up on the happenings around here, before we take off. It was such a blast having Liette and Yvette around. They did such a fantastic and very efficient job with the school sponsorships. They knocked it out in no time. You can definitely tell Liette and Karen are from the same family with the way they get things done. Thank you both for your help. While they were here, they gave each of the kids a blanket and some photos. The next morning we put the photos the kids received up in their rooms; they couldn’t wait to put them on their walls! The blankets also came at the perfect time, as the weather has dropped down to an all-time low at night since Seth and I have been here…70! 🙂

Karma Putting Up Her Picture

We have been continuing the crafts and Children’s Church on the Creation story, as I had mentioned before, and we just wrapped it up this weekend. We went through all 7 days of the creation story and who God shows himself to be throughout the story. Then, this past Saturday, we had a Creation Party. We had Creation games, a scavenger hunt, we made a video of what we learned, we had a talk time about how God knows us each individually and made us each very special all for the purpose to serve, love, and to give Him glory. We then made pictures with our fingerprints (because it is a reminder of God making us special since no one else has the same one.) To finish off the night, we had a cookout and made a dessert out of creation candies. It was a blast and I was amazed at how much the kids remembered. God is so good!

Creation Party

The kids are doing fantastic. School is moving right along. Next week they will start their first set of exams. Actually Vladimy, in secondary school, started writing his exams this week. They have three sets every year. So, currently they are in the process of reviewing for exams. When they come home, they eat, then study, and finish off the afternoon with soccer, cards games, or playing house. The younger kids, (the three musketeers is what I call them) Anne, Jofky, and Karena, are as cute as ever. I used to always picture Karena and Jofky as an older, married couple by the way they would interact with each other, but Anne has slid right into the dynamic. They all play so well together and it is so interesting to watch them be creative and play without really even using any words. Sandra and Jonathan are still a bit too young to keep up with them, but Sandra is getting there. She has yet to learn how to crawl, but she sure can slide on her belly wherever she wants to go. Below are some random pictures of all the kids’ adventures:

Sauce Pwa (Bean Sauce) Episode 1

Sauce Pwa Episode 2

Anne’s Hair Filled With Shampoo

Leica grew hair overnight!

Sandra too

Judel’s Surfer Hairdo

Juice Mustache

As I mentioned, Mariah and Karen are busy at school. I am pretty sure every time I run into Mariah in the office she is working on activities for school. I hear she is doing a fantastic job with her students, even though her class is a tough one. Just imagine 15 3&4-year olds. YIKES! 🙂 This past week she has been filling out reports on each of the students. Karen is still doing what Karen does …EVERYTHING! She has been organizing Christmas decorations, doing financial reports for Canada, and keeping things running at the school, dealing with some staff problems on the main site, helping teach English at the Trade School. Speaking of Christmas decorations, Seth and I were in charge of putting up the Christmas lights, lets just say God had to give us a little more patience that day. Oh, what a crazy, tangled, blinking mess…

Seth’s Patience

Karen, Mariah, Seth and I aren’t the only busy ones around the compound, Look at Jacques beautiful find below. He put out rat poison one night and got 11 the next morning! Job well done, I must say!

Jacques’ Find

We have been continuing to do our walks by the canal whenever we get time. Recently, we had one gorgeous walk with the sun setting. We drank some juice and Ti-Luc walked the ENTIRE walk. We were all so proud! When we returned to the compound the children all stood just inside the main gate with Ti Luc for a group photo. At the same time someone called Papa Luckner on the telephone and all the kids yelled out to him the good news of Ti Luc’s long walk.

Gorgeous Sunset

Ti Luc’s Accomplishment

Before we head home, we are planning on doing one last thing as a whole family together. We are going to make Christmas cookies Friday with the kids! So, be looking forward to some awesome pictures!

Have a blessed Christmas everyone.

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 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
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
Personally, this is my first time here. I’ve never done a mission trip of any sort before and I’ve certainly never been anywhere this hot before. I keep seeing things that are different from what I’m used to, and hearing about things even more unfamiliar to me. One of the most surprising things to meis how quickly I’ve grown to love all the people here. Everyone here is great, and the team is wonderful too. Watching everyone support each other warms my heart almost as much as the sun warms my skin. I’ve learned a lot from this experience, and I know that this trip has already had a profound impact on my life.

Matthew Sketchley
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
A huge thank you to aunt Karen, who always seems to be doing something with her children and the HATS mission. The only time she takes for herself is long enough to spread some almond butter on a banana that she eats on the run. Thank you so much for all your hard work and unwavering dedication. Thank you for being an inspiration to me and so many others. We love you and our Haitian family very much. The longer I spend at HATS, the bigger piece of my heart remains. Take care of yourself and our kiddies until we see each other again.

Jocelyn Barnes
HATS Visitor
Such important work done with LOVE and commitment!

Dana Wight Kayal
HATS Supporter
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
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
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
I am going to try to explain why a trip to Haiti is life-changing. No-one can be thrown into a group of people who have the common purpose of doing something for someone less fortunate and not be changed in many ways. As with those I joined in each of the first four trips I made to HATS, my respect and affection for each of the team members grows daily. To those who wonder if your donations and prayers are actually making a difference, I will answer you in this way…there are about 300 children in front of me right now and some or many of them God will use in a great way to change the future face of Haiti and its people. YOU have helped make that possible — AND THAT, FOLKS — is a fact!

Brian En
HATS Visitor