Five Years ago Today

January 13, 2015 Posted by Jim Steer

Five years ago today, right at the mid-point of my first visit to HATS Mission, a two week work trip, Haiti shook with devastating results. The world news seemed to concentrate only on Haiti for the first while then their attention moved on to more current news. For the people of Haiti the memories are still fresh and the recovery continues. There is progress but never at the pace one would like to see. Please continue to pray for the country of Haiti and it’s people and continue to support those who are doing good work in creating a positive future for this country.

Last evening we enjoyed a time of singing and worship with the children and house moms in the girls home. Always an enjoyable time…Jim

Evening devotions at the children’s home

I now turn you over to Sandra for the rest of today’s news. A hot humid day and lots of hard work makes for sweaty and tired people, it does for me at least!

We took a lovely cool walk along the canal at 6:00 AM. Three of the bigger boys took their bikes and us old folk and three of the older girls walked. It is such a wonderful way to start our day. The girls jumped over holes, climbed trees and the boys rode as fast and far as they could. We met a lot of interesting people along the way as they are going to work or to look for work, to do laundry, to water their cows, tether their goats etc.

Sometimes we walk others we play

HATS three gorgeous monkeys in the tree

Sandra about to follow Josie

HATS biggest girl, Sandra, following the other big girls

After a lively time of devotions we each went our own ways. Karen and I with JJ and Moise headed to the school to clean the office and library before school starts again on Wednesday. Dickie and Jim headed to the kitchen at the school to fix water pipes. Then I started on the food distribution, Jim and Dickie fixed another door to the devotion room and then the boys painted it, they changed locks on doors and then started on Karen’s bathroom. Termites have been eating her cupboard for years and today was the day they disappeared. Dickie took a crowbar, saw and hammer and demolished it all and the boys helped carry it all out and away from the house.

Morning devotions

Cupboard in Karen’s bathroom looked okay, but she lived with the problem too long

David’s February team will be continuing with the work in Karen’s bathroom

Dickie removing termite eaten wood

Proof that Karen really was living with termites

The rat saga continues with Eugene and Vladimy preparing what will hopefully be the rats last meal. It was a delicious looking concoction that was prepared then distributed around the compound where the rats were known to frequent and the children weren’t.

Meal being prepared for rats, note the fine paring knife being used to slice ripe tomatoes

Marta helped me measure out 28 bags of 9 mamit of beans and 28 bags of 6 mamit of cornmeal. Tomorrow I will do 28 bags of 18 mamit of rice and then we will be ready to start distribution and I will making more as we go along. This is a blessing to the many hungry families around and is in response to the many generous people who donated to this as Christmas presents for them.

getting ready to bag all those mamit

Karen, Dickie (driver), Paulto ( inverter man), Richard (security) have gone to Saint Marc to look for a new inverter. HATS has been operating off a borrowed one for a couple of months now and today it had to be returned. While the boss is away Jim and I decided to play. He went to read a book on his iPad but as soon as the kids saw him they wanted to draw etc that he has been showing them to do and listening to his Creole Bible he has downloaded.

Jim enjoying his break

I decided to wash my hair and chased around to four sinks before I found one I could use and then washed my hair 3 times…not because it was that dirty BUT because without my glasses on I couldn’t tell what was shampoo and what was conditioner and got the shampoo 3 times before I got the conditioner! Then I checked Facebook and had a good laugh at what Jim had posted of us watching TV. The kids were treated to a video so all was quiet for a while.

The crew returned with the equipment needed and Paulto got everything connected by 6:45 and now we are going to enjoy our supper and a quiet evening.

Supper is now over and it has been raining hard for over an hour, so as I post this I must go and see if I can find a dry place to sleep tonight…

~Jim

About Jim Steer

I first visited Haiti in 1989 and felt God drawing me back there in 2009. After speaking with Karen I was added to a team for 2010 and have been returning regularly since. I felt I had something to offer the mission but soon discovered that I received much more than I could ever give. God has blessed me so much through all the people I have met there, especially the children. The country is beautiful, the people a delight and the time at the mission flies by.

Archive by Month

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
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
Such important work done with LOVE and commitment!

Dana Wight Kayal
HATS Supporter
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
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
After years of thinking about it and months of planning for it, it seems strange that our time in Haiti is over. We have been asked by a few if it was like we expected. Well, no. I’m not sure what we expected, but our minds could not have fathomed what we have experienced, and we can hardly believe that our 3 month stay has come to an end. HATS really became home away from home for us. We knew we would enjoy getting to know and spending time with the kids but we had no idea how difficult it would be to leave them. They sneak in and steal your heart without you even knowing it. We have left a piece of our hearts in Haiti and can’t wait for the day when we can return.

Mike & Nicki White
HATS Visitors
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
Culture shock for this Canadian team at first, but a ride through busy, vibrant streets proved terrifically interesting; busy markets, vendors selling exotic fruits, clothing and shoes, used tires and rusty metal… and then the gorgeous countryside: banana plants, mangoes, cows and goats and pigs and dogs, the Golfe de La Gonave by our side. Rice patties indicated we were close to our home for the next week. We were greeted by Magalie, a house mother, with hugs for all and, of course, the children themselves, so gorgeous and endearing. A beautiful meal was followed by a sharing of impressions: there is a lot of poverty but so much potential and hope. We are already in love with Haiti.

Team Canada
HATS Visitors
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