Well, the missionaries all got home safely, after a week long of working hard, sweating, loving kids and serving the Lord in Haiti.
As a family member, I am so proud of my husband and all the people that went along and feel so blessed to be a part of this journey.
I know how grateful the orphanage and school are for Parkway and I can only imagine the impact that the kids have felt from all the time and love spent on them. As an adoptive parent myself, I know how important it is for the kids to feel special and loved while they are living at the orphanage, before going home to their families. The nannies that take care of them do the best they can, but they can never replace the love of a family and only have so much to give each child since there are so few of them and so many kids. So, when people are there, paying attention to them, loving them, playing with them, I know they are feeling the love of Jesus. And I think it's something they'll take with them forever.
So, this is the end of this mission trip, but I know there will be many many more. These people need our help and we are so thankful that God brought us to them. We are excited to see where this will lead in the future.
Thank you for all your prayers and support.
We will be posting some pictures in the next few days, as Eric gets settled.
Love,
Michele
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Last Day
Today was the last day and most people were sad that we had to leave. Once you get to Haiti ,you can't help but have it in your heart forever. The people of Haiti are great and they need so much help.
Everyone is doing great, the kids that came on the mission have been amazing in stepping up to not only help with the kids, but also in doing projects. Lexi (Cassie's daughter) said something very profound. She was asked if she was sad that the kids cried when she put them down, and she said "No, I am fine with it because it means I did something right," I thought that was so cool for a 12 yr old kid to look so deeply into things and understand on such a simple level.
Today Mckenzie and Courtney took a lot of time with the kids; feeding and just holding. Kevin and Damen from Indiana fit in great, Kevin is amazing, both with the kids and also doing work. Damen is the camera man, he takes video constantly, and I can't wait to see it all. I was surprised in a good way yesterday when, at Mother Theresa's when I looked and saw Damen feeding a baby. It was cool to see, since he wasn't allowed to be behind a camera, he was actually able to interact with the dying children. Also, I think Kevin broke the record for having the most kids on him at one time.
It is always sad on the last day, knowing that you will not be able to wake up tomorrow and go visit your favorite kid or wake up and do some "real" work. Something that matters! What we do here matters, it will not go away. It will withstand time, and although it is a very small piece of the world and Haiti, we made a difference. Not just a difference for us, so we feel good about ourselves, but a difference because God has hard wired us to do good and to have hope that what we do will make a difference.
Cassie finished the bunk beds and they looked great and the kids loved them all! We all played with the kids outside pretty much all day which was a lot of fun because I/we normally don't get to do that due to the work load.We will see you all tomorrow!!!
Eric
Everyone is doing great, the kids that came on the mission have been amazing in stepping up to not only help with the kids, but also in doing projects. Lexi (Cassie's daughter) said something very profound. She was asked if she was sad that the kids cried when she put them down, and she said "No, I am fine with it because it means I did something right," I thought that was so cool for a 12 yr old kid to look so deeply into things and understand on such a simple level.
Today Mckenzie and Courtney took a lot of time with the kids; feeding and just holding. Kevin and Damen from Indiana fit in great, Kevin is amazing, both with the kids and also doing work. Damen is the camera man, he takes video constantly, and I can't wait to see it all. I was surprised in a good way yesterday when, at Mother Theresa's when I looked and saw Damen feeding a baby. It was cool to see, since he wasn't allowed to be behind a camera, he was actually able to interact with the dying children. Also, I think Kevin broke the record for having the most kids on him at one time.
It is always sad on the last day, knowing that you will not be able to wake up tomorrow and go visit your favorite kid or wake up and do some "real" work. Something that matters! What we do here matters, it will not go away. It will withstand time, and although it is a very small piece of the world and Haiti, we made a difference. Not just a difference for us, so we feel good about ourselves, but a difference because God has hard wired us to do good and to have hope that what we do will make a difference.
Cassie finished the bunk beds and they looked great and the kids loved them all! We all played with the kids outside pretty much all day which was a lot of fun because I/we normally don't get to do that due to the work load.We will see you all tomorrow!!!
Eric
Monday, July 14, 2008
Day 6
Today we went to Mother Teresa's Hospital for the Dying, and it was ,as usual, a very moving experience, especially when the parents had to leave. All of the kids started crying and screaming. I wound up in a room with Paul and 2 kids whose parents just left but when we picked them up, they both stopped crying, Most people were nervous to go but at the end no-one wanted to leave. Then we played 'keep away' with a few of the kids which might sound mean due to the fact they are sick, but they really had a good time. Afterwards we went to the house for lunch and back to the orphanage to finish up the projects.
More work tomorrow and then we come home on Wednesday!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Day 5
(sorry the pictures are always so small....it's the best i can do)
Today we went to Church in the morning and just like last year, it was GREAT! You can definitely feel the love for God in there. We sangs Tommy Walker songs ,which I miss.
After that we took a drive to the beach in Gressier but we had to go through Carrefour, which was one of the most desolate places we have ever seen . The rivers were actually overflowing with trash and it was one giant shanty town. The driver told me that most of the people there were homeless and just wandering around looking for a buck. The sad part, is that is the norm, for Haiti. Where we stay is one of the more affluent parts of Port-au-Prince, so we normally do not see this.
Then we went to the beach (well ,at least the ocean-there wasn't an actual beach). It was an "experience" ,but very fun. We swam and had coconut juice from a vendor in a boat who hacks the tops off of them with a machete . It was a Haitian beach and on one side was sort of a dump but in the midst of the trash were hundreds of conch shells.
So out out of the debris comes one of God's beautiful creations, it was amazing.
Tomorrow we are going to Mother Teresa's hospital and back to the orphanage.
After that we took a drive to the beach in Gressier but we had to go through Carrefour, which was one of the most desolate places we have ever seen . The rivers were actually overflowing with trash and it was one giant shanty town. The driver told me that most of the people there were homeless and just wandering around looking for a buck. The sad part, is that is the norm, for Haiti. Where we stay is one of the more affluent parts of Port-au-Prince, so we normally do not see this.
Then we went to the beach (well ,at least the ocean-there wasn't an actual beach). It was an "experience" ,but very fun. We swam and had coconut juice from a vendor in a boat who hacks the tops off of them with a machete . It was a Haitian beach and on one side was sort of a dump but in the midst of the trash were hundreds of conch shells.
So out out of the debris comes one of God's beautiful creations, it was amazing.
Tomorrow we are going to Mother Teresa's hospital and back to the orphanage.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Day 4
Today, there was a lot of painting done. The school was finished and they painted the bunk beds bright colors to make the rooms more cheery. They also painted different shapes and pictures underneath the top bunks so that when the kids lie down, they see something better than the bottom of a bed.
There were hooks hung in the schoolhouse, for the kids to hang their things and bags. They are halfway done with the tent for the school room.
VBS went really well again and all the kids love it.
Eric told me that it's really great to see some of the missionaries really feeling like they have a sense of their purpose for being there in Haiti. I think that everyone is really being touched by the kids, people and the work that's being done.
Tomorrow, they will start the day with a church service and then head to the beach in Gressier, Haiti. It IS the Caribbean, ya know!
Keep praying...
There were hooks hung in the schoolhouse, for the kids to hang their things and bags. They are halfway done with the tent for the school room.
VBS went really well again and all the kids love it.
Eric told me that it's really great to see some of the missionaries really feeling like they have a sense of their purpose for being there in Haiti. I think that everyone is really being touched by the kids, people and the work that's being done.
Tomorrow, they will start the day with a church service and then head to the beach in Gressier, Haiti. It IS the Caribbean, ya know!
Keep praying...
Friday, July 11, 2008
Day 3
Today was another painting day led by Wayne. He has about 5-6 helpers at any one time. They are McKenzie, Courtney, Lauren, Lexi, John and Wayne's wife Sue.They finished painting the outside of the school house and most of the inside too. They will be done tomorrow. Tomorrow we will also start building another school room. It will be more like a tent than an actual school room ,but they need it for pre-k .
VBS is going great and today they sang songs from the CD that Amanda made and they loved making the maracas from the paper plates. We also hung a new door on the school house and patched up a lot of the block wall that was starting to break away. We are finishing very fast.
They keep telling me how grateful they are for us!! That is very cool, I am so happy that we are able to make that much of an impact on all these kids. Without Three Angels, these kids would be out on the street begging just for a glass of water.
We also had a visitor tonight, his name was John Paul and he works for St. Vincent's Home for the Disabled. He had no arms or legs and is a painter. He paints with prosthetics that he got when he came to the United States. A lot of us bought some of his work, he is a very amazing man with a great gift that God has given to him.
That's all for now...more later.
VBS is going great and today they sang songs from the CD that Amanda made and they loved making the maracas from the paper plates. We also hung a new door on the school house and patched up a lot of the block wall that was starting to break away. We are finishing very fast.
They keep telling me how grateful they are for us!! That is very cool, I am so happy that we are able to make that much of an impact on all these kids. Without Three Angels, these kids would be out on the street begging just for a glass of water.
We also had a visitor tonight, his name was John Paul and he works for St. Vincent's Home for the Disabled. He had no arms or legs and is a painter. He paints with prosthetics that he got when he came to the United States. A lot of us bought some of his work, he is a very amazing man with a great gift that God has given to him.
That's all for now...more later.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Day 2
Today, the group got to the orphanage around 8am. There was a lot of work to be done and the majority of 
the day was spent moving rock to make room and a nicer surface for the kids to play on outside. It was very tiring work and they are all exhausted tonight.
They also painted the school rooms, fixed drawers in the kitchen and built some shelves in the Nanny's closets.
Katie Wiening led a wonderful VBS(Vacation Bible School) program for the kids that was created by Amanda from PCC, who was supposed to be there now, but couldn't go because of medical issues. I know that all her work is greatly appreciated and I heard that the kids had SO much fun and loved singing all the songs and doing the activities and crafts. There were 21 kids between the ages of 2-7 that live at the orphanage that participated in the VBS. Most of the women helped out with the program and had lots of fun.
The group left around 4pm and were driven to the local market where they shopped for snacks.
Then, back to the guest house for dinner, devotional and then relaxation.
There may be a storm tonight and the power keeps going out, so it's quite hot and the Internet has been down for a while.
The group brought a donation of a stander, chair and bath chair to a 4 yr old girl named Stephania who has Cerebal Palsy. Today, she was able to use the donations. She loved sitting in the chair and using the walker. Joey and Kelli helped her walk, which is something that she is just learning to do. She has been at the orphanage since she was a baby.
By the way, they were told today that Parkway is the largest financial contributor to Three Angels Orphanage and that they are one of only two churches who send missionaries there to help out. There are other medical missions that help out in the clinic, but nothing like they are doing now. So, they greatly appreciate Parkway and all the people who are willing to sacrifice their time and use their skills and talents for their benefit.
Way to Go Parkway!!!! (LOVE, learn and lead)
-Michele
the day was spent moving rock to make room and a nicer surface for the kids to play on outside. It was very tiring work and they are all exhausted tonight.They also painted the school rooms, fixed drawers in the kitchen and built some shelves in the Nanny's closets.
Katie Wiening led a wonderful VBS(Vacation Bible School) program for the kids that was created by Amanda from PCC, who was supposed to be there now, but couldn't go because of medical issues. I know that all her work is greatly appreciated and I heard that the kids had SO much fun and loved singing all the songs and doing the activities and crafts. There were 21 kids between the ages of 2-7 that live at the orphanage that participated in the VBS. Most of the women helped out with the program and had lots of fun.
The group left around 4pm and were driven to the local market where they shopped for snacks.
Then, back to the guest house for dinner, devotional and then relaxation.
There may be a storm tonight and the power keeps going out, so it's quite hot and the Internet has been down for a while.
The group brought a donation of a stander, chair and bath chair to a 4 yr old girl named Stephania who has Cerebal Palsy. Today, she was able to use the donations. She loved sitting in the chair and using the walker. Joey and Kelli helped her walk, which is something that she is just learning to do. She has been at the orphanage since she was a baby.
By the way, they were told today that Parkway is the largest financial contributor to Three Angels Orphanage and that they are one of only two churches who send missionaries there to help out. There are other medical missions that help out in the clinic, but nothing like they are doing now. So, they greatly appreciate Parkway and all the people who are willing to sacrifice their time and use their skills and talents for their benefit.
Way to Go Parkway!!!! (LOVE, learn and lead)
-Michele
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Day 1
Today was a very tiring day. We got in late to Miami last night and most didn't sleep but an hour or so. We are all very tired but we pressed on and made it to the guest house in time for lunch. After a little rest we went to the Orphanage. I would say that for the new people it was very eye opening to see what the conditions are here both in the orphanage and the overall country. We did not do much today but plan for tomorrow to actually start working. We will be painting the school inside and out, painting the bunk beds, building shelving, building another school room plus many other projects that I will let you know about later.
Back to Haiti!
Well, it's time again for another trip to Haiti. This time, there are 23 people going, with most of them from Parkway Christian Church and some from Christ's Church of the Valley.
We arrived at the church, where they were to be picked up by a bus that would drive them to the airport. We got there at 10am, expecting them to leave within 30min or so. Well, that didn't happen.
As usually happens on mission trips, there was a slight bump in the road. When the bus arrived, the driver noticed that it was leaking gasoline!
So, a new bus was called, but didn't arrive until more than an hour later. We were starting to think we might have to load up misc. cars with people and luggage and drive them ourselves! But, just in time, God provided another bus and they were on their way at about 11:30.
They were a little concerned that they would miss the 1:30pm flight, but after some running and a little stress, they made it to their first of 3 flights.
They left Phoenix and arrived in Dallas, where they had to sit on the plane because of rain. Then, they flew to Miami where they had to spend the next few hours trying to get a little rest before the last flight to Haiti early the next morning. I think that about half of them slept in the chairs at the gate, while the others toughed it out and stayed up all night.
They left early this morning for Port Au Prince and although I haven't heard from them yet, assume that they arrived safely and are now at the orphanage.
I will get more info tonight so check back again for updates.
I will also try to post some pics, but I'm having issues with trying to download them, so wish me luck!
Until later....
Michele
We arrived at the church, where they were to be picked up by a bus that would drive them to the airport. We got there at 10am, expecting them to leave within 30min or so. Well, that didn't happen.
As usually happens on mission trips, there was a slight bump in the road. When the bus arrived, the driver noticed that it was leaking gasoline!
So, a new bus was called, but didn't arrive until more than an hour later. We were starting to think we might have to load up misc. cars with people and luggage and drive them ourselves! But, just in time, God provided another bus and they were on their way at about 11:30.
They were a little concerned that they would miss the 1:30pm flight, but after some running and a little stress, they made it to their first of 3 flights.
They left Phoenix and arrived in Dallas, where they had to sit on the plane because of rain. Then, they flew to Miami where they had to spend the next few hours trying to get a little rest before the last flight to Haiti early the next morning. I think that about half of them slept in the chairs at the gate, while the others toughed it out and stayed up all night.
They left early this morning for Port Au Prince and although I haven't heard from them yet, assume that they arrived safely and are now at the orphanage.
I will get more info tonight so check back again for updates.
I will also try to post some pics, but I'm having issues with trying to download them, so wish me luck!
Until later....
Michele
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Going Back!!!!!
Sunday February 10th we had our first Haiti missions meeting for 2008 and it was GREAT! Last year we had 13 people go from PCC and CCV this year we have 23 with the potential for 28! I am always in awe of what God can do. I know what He can do, but when you really see it first hand it is amazing!!!!!
We have 7 people returning from last year and the rest are all new. I am so excited to be able to bring new people to Haiti and to Three Angels. I can't wait to get back there and see all the kids. plus get to work. I think once you go to Haiti you are touched by the country and people so much it pulls you constantly to come back. Talking with the members of last year's trip they all feel the same way.
The group has started sending out their sponsor letters and I know we currently have over a thousand already in the fund. Last year we raised enough money so that no-one had to pay out of pocket, I know that God will provide again this year.
I will start keeping this blog up to date with any new information about our upcoming trip, so check back to see how things are going.
We have 7 people returning from last year and the rest are all new. I am so excited to be able to bring new people to Haiti and to Three Angels. I can't wait to get back there and see all the kids. plus get to work. I think once you go to Haiti you are touched by the country and people so much it pulls you constantly to come back. Talking with the members of last year's trip they all feel the same way.
The group has started sending out their sponsor letters and I know we currently have over a thousand already in the fund. Last year we raised enough money so that no-one had to pay out of pocket, I know that God will provide again this year.
I will start keeping this blog up to date with any new information about our upcoming trip, so check back to see how things are going.
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