I walked 2 hours for this camp…..

Another year done, 4 weeks camp and youth workshops..crazy to believe it is already over.  We are tired and beat, but God has been so good in the midst of the struggle of opposition this year.  Opposition has been harder and stronger than ever, but it has been beautiful to see how God has carried us through these four weeks.

Yesterday I was talking to one of my favorite kids at camp, yup, I know you are not supposed to have favorites, but I did..hahah.  I asked him where he lived.  His response was on the other side of the water.  In Haiti that can mean a lot o things, so I asked how far did you have to walk?  His response, 2 hour walk.  Blew my mind.  2 hours you walk for this camp.  Smiled, laughed, and heart hurt all at once.  Another moment that further affirmed what we do here…a mother thanked me yesterday for the development that we provide for the children and youth.  Was so neat to here that work development.  So glad we can employ youth worker, provide a camp of enrichment and display and teach God’s love….but it was also so neat to hear a mother see that it was about learning about God, providing opportunity in which children could develop skills and learn. 

Another neat moment, Meg has been teaching 5 boys each week how to play the violin.  I told her before we came here, I have no clue how the children will receive it.  I knew that they would want to learn, but I was trying to figure out in my human head how it would work.  God had a bigger plan as always.  The boys picked it up so quickly and they were playing twinkle, twinkly little star by the end of five days.  The last day Meg asked what they loved most about learning to play the violin.  One of the boys response was, “ I loved your teaching, it will forever stick with me.”  So neat to hear him say that to affirm learning the musical instrument, but to see, understand, and learn the power of strong teaching, guidance from both Megan and our youth worker Louvenet.

We have been blessed.  This summer might have been the hardest summer for me as for opposition, but we have been blessed.  About a week ago I was thinking about coming home early as there is a lot of stuff going on at home that hasn’t been good.  My mom, told me to stick for God’s work.  Struggled with it, but a couple days later work up with a peace about it.  So thankful that I did.  The last week was one of the neatest, most refreshing weeks of them all.  God’s light broke through in mighty ways on this trip…sometimes it is so hard to explain through a blog, through emails…but I believe the only reason we were able to complete these four weeks was by God’s power and providence.  We are thankful….and ready for home.  Please keep praying for us as we head out on Wednesday.  Pray for our bus ride, motorcycle ride at 4 in the morning, pray for our plane…we are tired and ready and I don’t think I can take any more hiccups in the road travels.  Love you all..thankful for you all and your blessing and support in this all. 

Another year...

Where to start for a blog that I have failed to upkeep.  The summer has been tough.  We have had opposition in ever direction.  It doesn’t seem to stop.  In Cite Soleil, the gunfire has increased near the zone we were working in.  We never saw it, but it has intensified in a way that it is affecting many peoples lives in the area that we had the camp.  Made our way up North for the 30.2 mile marathon to a village where water was limited for about a week.  We got water back for a day and then lost it again.  In it all we continued to smile, even though at moments we were loosing it inside.  For my personal life, my family has been going through heaviness for the last month, so much in a way that I thought about coming home early.  Mom said, “You stick it out.”  With a confirmation from mom and God, we held fast.  Then today got an email that one of the leading women in our ministry at home had passed away. 

Ryna and Meg have been solid rocks throughout it all.  Their energy, joy has at moments carried my heaviness.  Been so blessed to have them along.  Love how God orchestras moments, events, and people meeting.  Believe that God orchestrated us this summer.  We have had highs and lows….today I would love to share the highs with you. 

-We served about 224 children and youth with summer camp.

-We left Cite Soleil and set them up to lead 3 weeks of workshops with their children.  IT WORKED.  They were able to serve 180 youth with workshops, with us a phone call away.

-Provided work for 43  people for the summer in Cite Soleil.

-Crusied up to the North to serve 165 children/youth with camp.

-Employed 15 workers/youth workers.

-Megan rocked out violin lesson to 10 boys.  Those 10 boys played those violins like they were thinking about joining the symthony.  At the end of the week she let  borrow them for the night to practice.  They strapped those violins to their back with pride.  It was precious to see the ownership.

-We were able to employ a man in Cite Soleil who taught 10 children how to do tin art.  A hard skill to learn and teach, but it was so fun to watch them bang out the tin. 

-We were able to lead 5 workshops up in the North.

-Had our youth workers perform a little play each day to act out the bible stories we were teaching the children.  Vision Leah wrapped up in a yellow table cloth with a lion mask, one youth worker dressed as a king, and Daniel being “thrown” into the lions den with Leah.  Yup, the children loved it. 

-Worshiping with the drums.  They play those drums like they were born to dance to the beat.  It is amazingly beautiful.

-Meg, came to Haiti for the first time and says that she is coming back.

My personal moments where this all made sense. 

-Watching the energy of children dance in sync.  Every day I make the children stand up together and they have to copy me.  I often act like a goof ball and make them make weird sounds and do different dances.  They laugh so hard at me, maybe at us..but the energy makes me want to keep going.  Love see all that JOY all at once.  Wonder if that happens often here?

-Playing the drums with them and just jumping and watching all of us pouring sweat, but the dance and drumming and singing only intensifies.

-Having 18 year olds ask if they can come to camp.  Haiti is hard, hard in so many different ways that is hard to explain, but as I hear 18 year olds try to come to a camp for 14 year old I can only take that as God’s confirmation that the energy, joy, of the camp is needed in this hard place.  In a place that often doesn’t make sense, this camp, these workshops, walking with Haitians in this work, MAKES SENSE.

Love you all, thank you so much for the support.  None of this could have happened without your prayers to back us up, your support to bring the camp to fruition, and your love and commitment so that we could bring the 6^th year of camp.  Love you all.  Thank you for another year completed.  

Zechariah 10 ALL DAY LONG

Today it rained.  That might be my only reason for writing.  IT rained.  It rained.  It is amazing how much of your spirit prays here.  At home when there is a problem with the pipes, you call the city.  You call a plumber, and he comes within an hour of two and water comes back.  Here there is a problem with the pipes, but no one seems to fix it and there is no way of calling a plumber, so we pray.  We pray.  Feel like my heart always finds the rawness of believing here.  The rawness of pleading for help because I don’t know what else to do.  Sometimes I know and I believe that we loose sight of God and his realness and rawness in the states as it is so easy to do it ourselves.  We have a problem, we know who to call.  If our heart hurts, we call a friend because the phone is easy.  If we can’t eat, we go to a food pantry.  If we have a health problem we go to urgent care or call an ambulance.  All those things do not exsist in the realness in the hardship of Haiti. 

All that seems to be more real and raw in Haiti.  On Monday our water completely stopped from the faucet and Ryan and I looked at each other like, “It is beginning.”  Our plan B was going to pay someone to fetch us water from another town, but in that we worry….so today we are thankful that God brought rain to fill bins for use.  We are thankful that the land has had a drink.  We are thankful that water pours from the faucet.  Continue to pray for the camp.  Week two is almost done.  A blessing! 

The 26.2 Marathon that Felt like 30.2 Mile

Yesterday might have been one of the most trying days I have ever had in Haiti.  We were working to get up North and we were under the immersion that we were going to get the bus at 9 and get up to the North by 4.  Nothing went like that.  Our bus started out to be an hour late and about an hour into the ride many of us hear and could see that the bus was not ok, it would slowly creep up the mountains.  It took us about 4 hours to cover 2 hours of driving.  We got to the half waypoint to be told that out bus was not ok for the rest of the trip, to which we sat for 5 hours for another bus to come find us.  During the morning Ryna said, “Just think of it as a marathon.”  To which I said, “Ok, we are on mile 17.”  She laughed and said, “Leah we are on mile 13.”  Hhahahaha, what a let down, but she was so right.  We were only at mile 13.  

The next bus arrived at 5 and we boarded up to find that at least in this bus there was airflow of air to keep us cool.  We were at mile 15 at this point…awesome!  In the first bus we had not airflow and the Haitians were convinced that leaving the windows closed was a great idea.  To this Ryna, myself, and Megan almost passed out.  Actually an older man on the bus did pass out and there was a moment in which many freaked out that we were not ok.  They got him awake, but that just gives you a piece of how hot and suffocating it felt on the bus. 

Mile 17.  Second bus, we are on our way, the road gets worse, dirt road in which you feel like you are on a roll coaster.  At one point we hit a bump and pretty sure I got a foot of air…hahaha, O lord….it is a moment that always test your patience, stomach, and head.  We weave through the mountains, the valleys, it is beautiful.  The country is absolutely beautiful.  Breath taking at moments.  We were able to see the sunset and it might have been one of the neatest sunsets I have ever seen and maybe the most peaceful moment of the day.  Mile 20, we have arrived in Port-de-Paix…thank you Jesus.  We have all our bags, our stomachs still feel good.  Mile 21, we hire a car to take 5 people and 8 bags an hour into the mountains.  Mile 22, we get about 5 minutes into our drive, to which we stop in the middle of the street and our driver leaves to go find a part for his car.  Right about now, I am loosing it.  My patience has left and I am annoyed.  Megan, has such an amazing attitude….Lord, she has been a gift to Ryna and I.  Her joy and spirit has been refreshing in the midst of chaos and struggles.  She just smiles, love it every time.  Mile 23, our driver returns to fix car and we are off for a slow drive.  (The back windows do not role down and Leah and Ryna are suffocating once again)  Mile 26, Thank you Jesus we are five minutes from the house.  I can feel it, it is so refreshing that we are so close.  Mile 27, we round the corner to find that the gate is LOCKED.  Hahahhahahah, O that is icing on the cake.  There is no one to open it for us so we all unload to carry about 350 pounds of equipment by the moonlight and our headlamps.  Mile 26.2….we walk about .2 miles to the house to find the smile of Joanne a nurse that is staying there.  Mile 28….we chat and catch up to be told that the water is very limited and we need to be very careful and quick with showers, water to drink, and toilet flushing….hahahahhahahahahahahaha…O my WORD, are we serious.  The day was amazingly difficult; to this we all woke up and laughed.  Mile 30….we unpack and climb into bed.  Cram those earplugs in our ears so that the sound of roosters doesn’t wake us at 2 o’clock and we are asleep.  Hahahah, what a day….all in a day in Haiti. 

Yesterday at mile 15 I asked the ladies if there could have any three things what would it be?

Leah:

Ice coffee in a 5lb bucket

Ice cream

And sitting in a cold basin

Ryna:

Ice coffee

Her own car to drive us up North

Ice cream

Megan:

Her sister to entertain her

M & M ice cream

Hair dye so that she could be entertained

Day 4 in the Passe Cataboise…OOOO, if only our Future Husbands Could See us Now.

Some might wonder about the title of this particular blog…it has become the running joke with Ryna and I as we always end the day dirtier than the day before.  We often look at each other and think, “Man, if your future husband could see you now.”  Tonight we finished the day, covered in sweat, dirt, and decided to have a bonfire and burn all our garbage.  Pretty sure I have a couple layers of filth on myself.  O the Joys: ) 

Well, I have never been so happy in my life to see water come from a faucet.  Last night we went to bed and the water had stopped dripping.  The town is struggling to get water.  The hospital is currently without water.  The women have been walking further distance to find water.  It seems to be a problem with the system, but no one seems to be fixing it.  This is the third week that is has been this way.  We have been filling buckets of water, seems like we are waiting for a power outage.  You never know how precious water is until you might be without it.  Last night I got into the shower and nothing came out of the shower head.  I thought to myself, “Ahhh, its happening, the barrel on top of the house is out of water.”  Then a slow trickle came from the shower head.  THANK YOU JESUS.  We woke up this morning to water.  Lord, giveth.  Thank you GOD.  The other day my bible fell open to Zechariah 10.  I have never read the passage the way I read the passage yesterday.

Ask the Lord for RAIN in the spring, and he will give it.  It is the Lord who makes storms clouds that drop showers of rain so that every field becomes a LUSH PASTURE.  ~Zechariah 10

So neat to see that in a different context in the midst of hardship for the land.  The Lord will provide.  He has already and we pray that he continues to show himself. 

Camp has been amazing.  The children have been amazing joy.  Today we did the story Daniel and the Lions den.  I was the lion, Ryna and Meg were the servants of the king.  I had to pounce on them by the end of the story.  The children loved it.  I think they think we are crazy.  I will take it, if it makes them laugh, I am all in.  Chora, one of our youth workers broke out in singing with the children today.  It was the Holy Spirit.  The children broke out in dancing and singing.  So fun to watch it unfold.  Chora has a gift for music.  It was amazing.  Day 3 tomorrow of week 2.  Here we go.  Here are some pictures of joy from the day.  

Highs of the day:

-Continuing to get a high five from the same little girl

-The water coming back on

-Calling the man we work with in Cite Soleil to hear that the workshops are running smoothly and hearing the kids say “Hello Miss Leah”

-Singing with the children today.  Pictures to come

Please continue to pray for the camp and time with the workers.  Also, pray that God would provide enough water for the day.  Pray for the rain to COME.  Pray for the camp that the children would continue to feel Gods JOY and LOVE.  

Highs and Lows

We have been giving highs and lows after each day.  It has been interesting to hear the highs and lows of each others days.  They are always different, but always a moment that we all get.  Some of the highs this week have been:

-Walking through Cite Soleil to go buy yarn for the crochet station.
-Listening to the youth singing along to the music as they work at their stations.
-Watch the youth learn how to do tin art with Patrick.
-Walking into camp one morning to find one of the children singing Micheal Jackson and dancing.
-Leah giving a piggy back ride to a grown man as he was complaining about something. 
-God healing sickness in our stomachs.
-A soda at 1:00 before workshops.
-A backscratch, it is the little things in life.
-Ryna joking with some of the workers. 
-Visit a house to find that it opens up into a a room of beautiful tin art in Cite Soleil.
-Watching the youth just work, enjoy, TOGETHER.
-Seeing Cite Soleil come together to serve their children

Just some moments this week.  It has been a great first week.  God has blessed us so much with more than enough, time, patience, supplies, people, and energy.  We head up North tomorrow for another 3 weeks of camp.  Get that energy ready.  We have a four hour bus ride, unload 5 (50 lb) bags and get them on motorcycles and drive 2 hours North.  All in a day...love you all and blessed to have all you support. 

End of the day, this little boy and I decided to start dancing.  The high of my day. 

Tye Die and crowns.

The signs say, "Camp" and "Who is MY God?"

Still dancing

Security.  Milo, one of the finest!

Ryna and I found Rick Ross in Cite Soleil.  Stopped for a photo.

Driving in Ayiti

Marsel working with the youth during art workshop.

We were visiting Patrick and the youth that are working to do tin art. 

Camp Hope...6th Year, First Week, DONE

Day 3 of the wonderful ayiti.  We made it here with grace.  The night before I decided that God was going to figure out a fifth bag for us.  Haiti only allows for each person to bring 2 bags, but decided that God could figure out a 5^th bag out….if the guy can part the Red Sea, a 5^th bag should be nothing, right?  We got there and I had a chance to upgrade to first class, which made it possible to get the bags on.  One for Jesus..woot woot!  Made it to Haiti with all our bags except Megan’s violin.  Left not having much faith that we would get it, but when you arrive in Haiti you learn to let it go.  No water, let it go, no electricity, let it go, no bag, let it go.  We have been blessed in so many ways thus far.  This morning we were able to rent a car, buy phones within a span of 40 minutes.  In Haiti, that is usually unheard of…another for Jesus.  On top of that we had a man search for our violin.  I was pretty sure that he wasn’t going to find it and preparing to tell Megan that we will pay for it.  Wilbur disappears for about 40 minutes and rounds the corner with a grin and a violin. Ha, wouldn’t you know…crazy.  This morning is unheard of in Haiti.  The day has been a blessing. 

Been a blessing to just embrace Haiti again, missed the people, missed the country, and missed the energy of the place.  Yesterday we went walking and Ryna’s sandal broke in the middle of the street.  We quickly made a spectacle of ourselves.  The “blancs” have a broken sandal.  Some offered help for money, which we were without.  In response, Ryna transformed into her sassy and said you are only going to help me for money?  They love the jokes.  They led us to a man that fixed that sandal like it was brand new..hahah, comical, we made jokes for a good 30 minutes and then on our way.  Love those moments where two worlds collide in the chaos of the street and it is just fun. 

Headed into Cite Soleil today, which was great to see everyone.  Had a meeting with the teachers that would be working with the youth in the afternoon.  Excited to see the local people pour into their children through arts and teaching a skill set.   Had about 20 people in the room talking about the youth, which was beautiful in itself.  Continued to be humble and thankful for the opportunity to be present in Haiti and working with the people to pour into their communities and children. 

We hired a teacher to teach 6 boys how to do tin art.  

This boy is learning the principal of it. 

Megan is getting some love from one of the kids.

Our story one day was Daniel and the Lions Den.  We made lion mask.  Kids LOVED

Tin art in the making.