11 Visits to HATS and it’s still full of Delights!
Hello from Pont Deschapelles. Jim here. This is my 11th visit to HATS and I never get tired of the...
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.
Hello from Pont Deschapelles. Jim here. This is my 11th visit to HATS and I never get tired of the...
It has been a week already and I haven’t posted anything. That is mainly because the internet seldom works and...
Good morning Hands Across the Sea supporters, We will be making some changes to our website in the next few...
Warm greetings to all our sponsors of students at IMKH and prospective new sponsors for the next school year. Thank...
This is not an easy blog for me to write. I like working with children. I like helping children. I,...
It is getting late here (almost 7:30 pm) and everyone is too exhausted to write a blog, so I volunteered...
Our HATS children really enjoyed their Christmas festivities. They chose to do things according to their culture with the special...
Merry Christmas from Hands Across The Sea-Haiti. 2015 Christmas photo HATS kids Our Christmas party at the school on the...
The boss lady is back on the compound. Karen arrived home on the weekend from Canada and got a warm...
These kids didn’t get the memo that the clocks went back Saturday night. So we had an extra hour of praise...
Ti Luc is continuing to be amazed at Canada and having a blast. Tomorrow we are off to Calgary for...
Five years ago today, right at the mid-point of my first visit to HATS Mission, a two week work trip,...
Sunday is a favorite of many visiting teams to HATS, I know it is one of mine. It is a...
Starting from both coasts of Canada and the nation’s capital, we all arrived safe and sound in Deschapelles last night...
Hello Everyone! My friend in PAP sent me a good set of photos, that she found that accurately portrays life...
If you’ve ever considered sponsorship, now is the time to do it. Your donation truly does make a difference!
I am so thankful to Jesus for the opportunity to serve at HATS and to finally experience the great work that God is doing there. I look forward to seeing them all again when I visit next time.
It’s my hope that I manage to touch their hearts in some small way, the way that they have touched mine – in a major way.
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.
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.
It is our last day and there is always a certain amount of sadness and joy when we come to the end of a trip . We look forward to our homes and loved ones but there is a part of us that wants to stay and be near these dear dear children. They open their hearts and arms to you when you enter the front gate. They give you laughter and tears all week long and then they cry and hug you when they know you are going away. Being near that kind of unconditional love effects us all very deeply. So we leave part of our hearts here and promise to return.
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!
This morning, we woke up as the sun came up and as we all began to trickle downstairs; we were met with warm welcomes from the precious children. As the children arrived, we were deeply touched and came to the realization of how important the HATS organization is to this country. Many children who would not have had any opportunities are now well nourished, educated and have a loving home and a mother who loves them more than we could ever comprehend, Karen Huxter.
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.
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!
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.
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