MERCY FOOD MINISTRY
Joan Wight. You may be aware that Haiti is going through another crisis which has been much in the news...
Joan and Keith Wight have been involved with HATS since 2011. Keith is a retired airline pilot and previously volunteered with missions in Belize, Zimbabwe, Panama and Honduras in various capacities. Joan is a retired music teacher and uses her abilities to assist with the office work and tutor the children at HATS. Since retiring they have committed to 4 months per year in Haiti. They live in Montreal and have 3 daughters, 2 son-in-laws and 2 grandsons and 2 grand-daughters.
Joan Wight. You may be aware that Haiti is going through another crisis which has been much in the news...
Joan WightWe are three weeks into our stay here at HATS, Hands Across The Sea, and we have settled back...
There are many hats I wear when I come to HATS (Hands Across the Sea), no pun intended! So far...
I’m here in hot and humid Deschapelles, Haiti. If you are looking on a map, the closest you can get...
It is Carnival time here in Haiti, a time to celebrate everything Haitian. Although the official holiday does not begin...
Hi, Joan here. It is good to be back with Karen and the kids. It’s Saturday here on the compound...
I think that the younger boys want to be Ninja’s when they grow up. Jonathan asked me if I have...
Although Hurricane Matthew is now history and the next hurricane has been and gone, there are still many who are...
October 29th – 2016 Anyone know the song, ? “School days, school days, Good old fashioned rule days. Reading and...
It is always fun to have an opportunity to give the kids here at HATS something that is just theirs,...
Even though there are always chores to be done and homework to be studied, I think Saturday is the day...
This was a great weekend! We had a play in church and TiFI came home. All was well with the...
Valentines is not a familiar tradition here in Haiti, but was quickly embraced by our kids. Thanks to a good...
Every year Haiti celebrates Carnival about this time in February. It’s a holiday from work and from school for most...
For any one that has kids or has looked after kids you know there is that one time every day...
If you’ve ever considered sponsorship, now is the time to do it. Your donation truly does make a difference!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Such important work done with LOVE and commitment!
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