Hand Picked Mangos for Breakfast
It’s always fun on Sundays to watch the kids arrive for service all cleaned up and dressed for church. Yesterday...
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.
It’s always fun on Sundays to watch the kids arrive for service all cleaned up and dressed for church. Yesterday...
And we are back! Yup, Joan and I arrived back at HATS last evening. What a wonderful Easter break we had...
Today was just another normal chaotic busy noisy day at HATS. The kids finished exams so they started their Easter...
I think today may have been our busiest Saturday ever in Haiti. We promised Karen we would have her bedroom...
It’s Friday again. It’s the last day of school for the week for the kids. Unfortunately for them tomorrow will...
Sunday dawned bright and warm. No one showed the effects of the time change. All the kids were well dressed...
Sunday was Birthday day. With 16 kids at HATS there is usually at least one birthday every month and Sunday...
ROAD TRIP We made a road trip to St. Marc yesterday. No demonstrations in sight, just the usual traffic chaos....
I have a new additional job responsibility. The water tanks, quantity, quality and leaks have now been assigned to me....
One of the things Karen stresses at HATS is preparing the kids for when they leave and are on their...
The weather this past week has been very variable. We had had some rain which is almost unheard of this...
“ELECTRICITY” – the HATS soap opera – The Sequel. Yes. We are back with the sequel and a whole new...
Last Saturday I was home in Montreal and snow-shoeing, this Saturday I was playing soccer in Haiti with Moise and...
I am pretty sure today is Monday, November 3rd but I have no idea what time it is. Saturday before...
Karen, Joan and I have been taking school pictures this week. We have Pre-School 1, 2 and 3 done as...
If you’ve ever considered sponsorship, now is the time to do it. Your donation truly does make a difference!
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!
I spent a week in Haiti at HATS in November 2017 and it was a wonderful experience. Karen is an amazing woman and is doing amazing work. She is dedicated to the children in her care and is changing lives. I would love the opportunity to visit again and help out where I can.
This week has been amazing – one of the best weeks of my life thus far, hands down. I can’t really think of any other experience in my life that can even come close to comparing to this. Though my visit here was short (too short), it has been incredibly eye-opening, and life changing. I will never forget the people I have met here, or the things I’ve gotten to experience! Most of all, I would like to say how remarkable it is to see first-hand the amazing work God is doing here. I am behind this ministry 100%, and will continue to support it. I am so, so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here, and I am REALLY not looking forward to saying goodbye to the children tonight. My heart sinks just thinking about it. There’s no doubt that they’ve had a bigger impact on my life than I’ve had on theirs. I will be leaving a big piece of my heart with these people and this country. God bless.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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