Hello out there in Blogland !

June 1, 2016 Posted by HATS Visitors

(This blog coming a little late – it is from May 29/16)

First, it is Mothers’ Day in Haiti, so HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all Moms wherever you are in the country of Haiti

Our day started off with a BANG !! It may be Mother’s Day , but we still had some preparations to finish. Decorations were made but still had to be put up in the church. More loot bags had to be filled to be sure each person who attended church was equally treated. Pictures had to be taken of the children and Mama in their new clothes as well as with the Team members and Nicki and Mike.

Mama Karen with the children

Going to miss these two wonderful people

Our little princess

Sisters by choice

All this before heading out the door, tambourines and drums in hand, for church at 9:30. At church we enjoyed uplifting music, a message about Mothers by Mike, a group singing by the HATS children, a solo by a young man, and a group singing by the Springdale Team, and a singing by a young peoples group. What a wonderful Service. And did we say it was hot !

Group singing for us

Sleeping in Lacee’s arms

Alycia with sweet Flo

Sunday morning

After church we were served a delicious lunch by a special mom, our own Germaine. Fried chicken, brown mushroom rice with Creole/onion sauce. I really want to bring Germaine home with me! Today is not only Mother’s Day but two special birthdays as well!! Happy Birthday Karen and Todd!! What a fun day it was going to be! Lots of celebrating, fun with the children and cake of course.

On a sad note, Nicki and Mike who have been with HATS for the past three months will be leaving with our team on Tuesday. We are sure a piece of their heart will be left behind. Thank you both for giving so much to HATS during your stay. And what would a farewell be without a few practical jokes??? A frantic call was made to Mike and Nicki asking them to please come quickly because Karen was sick and they were needed. Little did they know that the troops had assembled and were preparing for battle. Mike comes running up the walkway, attempting to button his shirt with Nicki racing behind, only to be plastered with water balloons!!! Then we really started our battle. Whenever we are here we always have a water fight with the children and this time was no exception!! Our fun was to continue with a sports day but that quickly came to a halt as Mother Nature rained on our parade. It is Mothers Day after all!!! Thunder, lightening and sheets of rain are enjoyed so very much while sitting inside looking out.

Getting ready the fast way

Hit them Jenny

Fun with water

Go Lacee go

Look at the men go

It has been very nice to have a short lazy time to sit and reflect on our week thus far. We have accomplished most of the things we had come for as well as a few others and some things here still waiting to be done. Food has been measured out and some has been picked up by students and families. Sponsored students whose sponsors sent gifts along with us to show their love have been distributed to the students in question. All this done while some of the group was finishing their health assessments and others were spending recess time playing in the school yard with the students, trying to also answer their interesting questions.

School students coming to get a gift from their sponsors in NL brought down by the team

Don with a student who received a gift via the team from her sponsors in Springdale

Evening came with us gathering in the devotion room for a birthday celebration. The kids were so excited to be having cake and juice for Mama and Todd’s birthday! Soooooo many candles on the cake!! Dare we say the total was 117 years?? We then surprised the children with a new item of clothing, some of which was made by Springdale sewers as well as the Busy Bees. Thank you so much!! We wish you could personally see the joy on their faces!! Mama Karen’s joy was especially evident when she opened her gift to find NFLD items as well as a much wanted CD player. This compound will be rocking tonight with her favourite Christian tunes. Nicki and Mike were quick to pick up on the fact that she had been missing this pleasure. The evening wound down with us sitting together for a cup of tea. Then slipping off to bed with our heads filled with how much can be accomplished in the short length of time we have here.

We anxiously await our return and each year it seems to pass more quickly.

So Karen, are we booked for 2017 yet???

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 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
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
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
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
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
I am so thankful to God for allowing me the opportunity to be here and experience his splendor. This day will forever be in my heart and mind. The scripture that resonates with me today is “…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matt 25:40. I am so happy I decided to come to HATS, this experience will stay with me for my life time.

Crystal Young
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 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
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