2000 photos…2000 memories.

Karen asked me to write a blog for the website, and the first thing I did was to look at all of my photos. Many hours later and thousands of photos later, I’m still at a quandary as to what I should write about. I have so many memories from my 8 visits to HATS. Going through my photos brought wonderful memories that warmed my heart, made me chuckle out loud, and brought tears to my eyes.

So, if I may, perhaps I can write a series of shorter blogs. You see, when teams visit HATS, there often isn’t a moment to sit down and really reflect on what we’ve experienced. Typically during a visit, the team members take turns writing a little something for a blog, while the others are working around the compound, or are over at the school, or are playing and working with the children, or helping out in the office. I think I will start my little series of “memoir blogs” with my first visit back in July 2010.

The earthquake in January 2010 shook not only Haiti, but the entire world, as we watched the tragedy unfold. I needed to help out…but how? No one just gets on a plane and lands in Haiti without connections. So, I put the word out that I wanted to get to Haiti to help in some way, shape or form. One thing led to another, and soon I was in contact with “this woman” from “this organization” called Hands Across the Sea. Karen Huxter had no idea who “this woman named BEATE” was either. And I can only say that it was God who put her and I together! We’ve been a great team ever since, and I treasure our wonderful friendship, and consider myself blessed to be a part of her many, many beloved friends and family.

So in super hot July of 2010, I arrived in Port Au Prince and was met by  Luckner and Karen….Mariah, Karen’s granddaughter and I had met up in Miami, and I treasure the friendship we developed during those 10 days.

I experienced so many wonderful things, and immediately fell in love with the kids…just look at how young they are here!

What an honour to meet “Papa Luckner, “ and to know that to this day, this man of great integrity, is in charge of the Mission during these unprecedented times in Haiti.

On one of our adventures, Karen took me to the nearby Albert Schweitzer Hospital. What a thrill it was to see the beautiful newborns. I remember asking the young mother if I could take a photo of her baby. She agreed, and was thrilled to see the picture on my camera screen. You see, she would not ever have a real photo of her baby. I wish I had had the ability to print one off for her.

We packed so much into the short time I was there. Karen even planned a day at the river for the children and us. We packed 18 kids, 4 house mothers, huge pots of rice and beans, and yummy fried chicken into 2 trucks…that was both scary and thrilling for me. Now, when I go there, I look forward to riding in the open back of a truck…you know…just like we used to way back when. I think that is Karena sitting on my lap!!!!

Of course a trip to HATS is not complete without an early evening stroll down the canal. The kids get to have races, climb the huge mango trees, and we meet goats, cows, horses, a few “Adams” swimming in the river!

I’ll end this blog with this last photo. For me, it perfectly represents Hands Across the Sea and Karen’s dream-come-true of providing helping hands for the children and community in Deschapelles. Oh how I long to get back.