Hello From The Oven ?
Not only hot oven but wet as well. Hot and humid it is!! With rain and flooding too. I am...
Not only hot oven but wet as well. Hot and humid it is!! With rain and flooding too. I am...
Update on Haiti Haiti continues pretty much as it has been the last few months. Here is some info that...
We are wondering if this year we might get a short (week or two) break from the rain, as happens...
Just a note to let you know that Ti Luc is better and Brazil is still winning – in case...
My days are all hectically full and so I try to blog in the evening just before bed. On the...
Hello everyone. Not a good time to need something urgent done. Very difficult to keep workers on the job. A...
Hello to all followers of the HATS blog, thanks for doing so, and for your comments on the blog and/or...
Haitians call soccer football. They really love the sport. They are basically for one of two teams – Brazil or...
Not much news. I just want to get in touch. All kids love to play and mine are certainly no...
I promised on today’s blog to post photos of the moving of the four 1000 gallon water tanks from the...
That, most likely, will be the story of HATS for the next 4-5 months. Along with that we have construction...
Heat, High Humidity, Heavy Rain. Day after day. Don’t you want to come down?? Our construction project – the water...
Hello Everyone! My friend in PAP sent me a good set of photos, that she found that accurately portrays life...
Rainy season is here. If not raining I start my night in my mosquito tent on the grass. Most nights...
Here is some information on Haiti at present. Most of this is from my friend in PAP and the info is...
If you’ve ever considered sponsorship, now is the time to do it. Your donation truly does make a difference!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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 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.
I had anticipated that I would enjoy spending time getting to know the children and being a part of Karen’s daily life in Haiti but I had not anticipated that it would capture my heart like it did. I will miss spending time with the children and Karen but I am hopeful that I’ll be able to see them all again in the not too distant future.
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.
Such important work done with LOVE and commitment!
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!
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