Busy week. Fun week. Beautiful memories made.

December 4, 2017 Posted by Jocelyn Pitman

We have had a lot of people coming and going over the last little bit and the thought of going from four core people, with four extra people here to help, to two core people, Karen and I, was a bit stressful but it has been a great week! We have had no major issues and have had lots of laughs. Keith and Joan had to leave on Sunday, and the team left early Monday morning. Karen and I started off the week with a plugged sink but nothing that we couldn’t handle.

Karen or Keith have always been the ones to drive when we go anywhere so with Keith gone it was difficult with only one driver. Last Sunday Karen wanted us to drive Luckner’s kids back home after church. Karen only had a million things to do, so I volunteered to drive them home and mama said yes!! I must say it is a huge privilege and honor to get behind the wheel of that truck. Driving in Haiti is not a safe or easy feat either. You must watch out for tap taps, motos, large trucks, bicycles, goats, chickens, and vendors coming at you from all sides. You’ve got to know how to use that horn and blow it often, as blinkers and brake lights are used as a decoration more than anything around here. It felt so good to be able to drive, I took JJ along with me for security, and we headed off. We dropped the kids off with no incidences and made it back to the compound safely!

Driving in Haiti

I have taken over the task of homeschooling Luc and we have had a successful first week. He is doing so well and has come so far. I enjoy spending my mornings with him and getting to play a small part in his education.

Teacher and with a student who looks puzzled

There has been the usual office work, daily chores, and little hiccups here and there. There were a few school sponsorship photos and letters that still needed to be completed so Karen and I headed over to the school and with Roselore’s help, rounded up most of the kids on my list. A few were out of school, or hadn’t come to school at all after they had registered. One little boy in preschool was not very happy with us; he wouldn’t talk to us, and absolutely would not smile! We kept trying to amuse him but all he would do was scrunch his nose up, it was too cute.

Our adorable preschooler

Creole lessons are going great! Actually English lessons with a little bit of Creole I should say! JJ has been a great helper with teaching me Creole and I have been able to help him with his English. It has been a lot of fun with a lot of laughs as we try to help each other out!

Creole lesson happening for Jocelyn, also English for JJ

There’s always someone with a cut or bump, or headache, or fever, or some sort of ailment around here so I have been the designated nurse. Some of the kids get abbesses that need to be squeezed so they’ll come up after supper for me to fix them up with some cream, a band aid, and a kiss. Band aids fix everything around here I went through our pharmacy this week to take inventory of what we have, we’ve got just about every kind of med to cure just about anything! When we run low on something we add it to the list of supplies we would like visitors to bring.

Christmas decorating is happening!!! The kids are so excited! Moise and JJ hauled the Christmas tree down from the depot (it was still decorated from last year, just wrapped in plastic) and brought it in the main house. (Karen wants Sandra and Shondi to know that it worked. You ladies helped wrap it and put it up there. Too bad you were not here to help take it back down and help bring it in again this Christmas. Karen is glad she had it put away that way last year. )We brought down the bin of Christmas lights and checked to see if they still worked. We ran around scrounging up every extension cord we could possibly find on the compound. Lights are up on the girl’s home, the boy’s home, and a few on the main house. Hoping to have the rest of them up early next week! The kids have been making Christmas decorations for weeks now and will decorate the inside of their houses. We have a few more boxes of decorations to unpack and then we will be all set!

Now to move it inside

Dickieson and Dieunel helping

Kids admiring the lit tree

The back depots got cleaned through this week! We have an order of school food set to arrive soon and we needed to clean out a place in the right depot to put it all . We had an abundance of donations in the left depot that needed to be gone through and sorted out, some for the HATS children and some the children in the community. We did some rearranging in the left depot and moved the drum set over there. Pallets were laid down in the right depot and some bags of rice moved out into another room.

Luc enjoying drumming

The rice had to be gone through so the next day Magalie laid it out on a tarp in the sun. Then later that day the kids helped put it in sacks to haul it inside while she sifted through it. It was a lot of work, but everybody pulls together and does it. The rice was put into a shallow basket and thrown in the air to get rid of the dust and to get any tiny rocks or bugs that might have gotten into the bags. The kids helped put it back into sacks after it had been sifted, and back into storage it went.

Helpers putting rice into bags

Children pouring and Magalie cleaning

Wednesday night Karen, I, and the older kids brought some mattresses up to the roof and star gazed for a few hours. We had some great conversations and enjoyed the beautiful evening. It was chilly though! Next time we need to bring blankets up with us too!

Star gazing for all besides Moise. He slept through it all.

Star gazing photo

Every weekday morning, we go to staff devotions but Thursday morning, Karen, Luc and I went over to the school to observe school devotions and the raising of the flag. I love watching the kids sing and take part in worship, they’re joyful and loud and it is awesome! Close to 500 students attend that school and it is making such an impact in the kids lives, I love to see the work that is happening in that school!

school morning devotions

Friday night we decided instead of just star gazing, we would sleep under the stars. We hauled tents and mattresses and sheets and blankets upstairs and got it all set up. The moon was bright, and the stars were shining. We saw several shooting stars and even though it was cold, it was a lot of fun. We didn’t go for our usual Saturday morning walk, we ended up just relaxing in bed and talking until 8:30 this morning, staying in bed that late never happens around here!!

Time to get up everybody

It’s been a great week here, we’ve made lots of memories!

Jocelyn

About Jocelyn Pitman

Jocelyn Pitman was born in a small town on the East Coast of Canada. She always had a desire to serve people and enjoyed helping in her church and at home with her family but never really looked beyond the small town of Yarmouth. In April of 2015, she traveled to HATS for the first time and fell in love with the country and people. After returning in December 2016, it was clear that God wanted her there longer than a week. After much prayer and guidance, Jocelyn returned in October 2017 to begin a six-month term. When home in Yarmouth, Jocelyn is actively involved in her church, serving on the mission’s board, and doing fundraisers for HATS.

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Testimonials

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 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
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
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
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
We have so enjoyed our time here. The work we have done has been fulfilling, the fellowship has been memorable and our hearts are forever impacted by the sweet, sweet children. A piece of HATS will always stay with each of us and who knows, maybe a few will return!

Ashley Withrow, Nicki White & Deborah Gilbert
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 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
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
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