DAY 2
Today we started our day at San Fil the home for the dying and destitude adults. It's so peaceful there. With Junior and Brunet singing and we got to pray over people and rub lotion on them.
When you look at these women whose bodies are nothing but skin and bones and see the scars on them, you wonder what their lives have been like to end up where they are. They are so beautiful. A few of them had tears in their eyes as Jeff prayed over them. We were able to touch every woman there, some young, some old, and each of them touched us back in our hearts.

Next we visited Elder at his school. It was fun to see some of the same kids you see on the water truck. I'm happy to see that they are in school. The kids are all so well behaved and Elder does a wonderful job educating them.

Then we went to visit Dr. Sem at his clinic. He was so happy that we would come to see him. He proudly showed us what he does there.

It was a busy day. Next we went to the home for the sick & dying babies. When we got there the sister's said that they needed help at the wound clinic. That's not my favorite place. Two of our team members have never experienced the babies so Jeff and I said we would go to the wound clinic. My favorite part is the drive there.

Random things

We have a new addition to the Healing Haiti Family.
Princess had 3 babies last night.

This place is a magnet, once you've been here it always pulls you back.

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful staff down here taking care of us.
Each one of them are so loving, caring, and giving. I have to wear a neck brace and can't lift anything this time so I've been seeing things differenly this time. It's good to take a step back sometimes and just observe the things going on instead of being a part of them. The tenderness of the staff on the water truck is amazing.

God is at work in a big way with this team. We are a small team 4 people. Myself, Jeff, Ann & Joyce.
Ann & Joyce are Father Reiser's nieces. They have taken positions on the Reiser Relief board since their uncle and my dear friend Father Reiser passed away. Just watching them as they see the things that touched their uncle's heart years ago enough to set up a relief effort for Haiti breaks my heart.
Please keep us in your prayers as they continue on this journey here and make decisions on how to carry on the Reiser legacy.

We are off to San Fil, visit Elder, and the Home for the sick & dying babies today
God Bless Haiti

Saying Goodbye

Last day in Haiti is so bittersweet. It means one more day with the kids at Grace Village. But it also means the end is here and I must leave this country with its people I have grown to love deeply. Church service with Fanfan Larame is always a treat. He is a gifted man and so good with the kids. He is in the right place! Watching James surrounded by kids, including one who fell asleep on his lap... during the service is a tender memory I will always cherish. And watching him use his giftings of music all day and through out the week melts my heart. After church we went out to visit 4 of the elderly. This is always a special treat. They are so kind and gracious. We were able to ask them some questions about their health, concerns etc. The best part was giving them their Talking Bibles. They each lit up with joy with this gift even more than the gifts of food and medicines. We were able to lay hands on each and pray over them. They are so grateful for what Healing Haiti is doing for them. It is a rich ministry. 


We than ventured back to Grace Village and divided the kids into groups and taught on Good Touch/Bad Touch. It went well. I had the older group of girls and wasn't sure what to expect. When we opened it up for questions they had a lot. After about 15 minutes of good questions I suggested we all go out to play. They all unanimously said, "No! Let's talk more!" They were very open and vulnerable and asked questions that most 11-16 year olds ask. They are such good and sweet girls. I really feel that Shelley, Marci and I really established a deeper bond with them. They feel as though they are my own daughters. After being here 3 times I can honestly say all the kids feel like they are my own. It was so sweet. All day Ronaldo and several of the other kids kept saying over and over that they were my babies. Yep... they are. I didn't want to leave them. Yet at the same time I can't wait to get home and love on my 3 kids at home. Today as I smothered the kids with kisses and hugs, it was never enough, for them or for me, it gave me a glimpse into our heavenly Father's heart. We are adopted in to His family. He loves me as his own daughter. After experienceing the deep and passionate love I now have for these kids I have a measuring device as to how God feels about us. Its overwhelming really. The only thing that keeps me from having a break down about leaving tomorrow is knowing I will be back in June!

Leaving Haiti

Those who go stay, and those who stay go.

Reiser Heights by Bob and Geri

Blessings of this day began early - 6:00 A.M. Haitian morning service - 90 minutes of joy filled song, prayer and praise attended by most of our team. After a hearty breakfast we boarded the Healing Haiti "tap tap" for the two hour trip to Reiser Heights primary school, located high in the foothills south and east of Port a Prince. The ride was an adventure in itself - two hours of typical Haitian "daredevil" driving combined with traversing some of the rockiest, rutted roads on the face of the planet. Humor saved the day as the team regaled each other with stories, pranks and good natured jabs. Arriving at Reiser Heights in the middle of the school day the team immediately went to work distributing pencils, pencil sharpeners, tooth brushes, toothpaste and, of course, candy. The students were joyful, but well behaved recipients - some classrooms sang for their guests, while all smiled with the joy of innocent childhood. Medical supplies were delivered and plans for future needs were assessed. Our team leaders met with the headmaster of the school and the school nurse. The joyful smiles and exuberance of these beautiful children of God is always irrefutable evidence of His hand in our lives.

Next came a quite significant event. Two of our team members, Gerri and Marie, had felt God move in their hearts to provide a gift of life to some of the nearby residents. They set about to enlist the support of fellow parishioners at Epiphany Catholic Church in Coon Rapids and managed to raise enough funds to purchase two pigs and eight goats. The presentation was made by Marie and Gerri to ten women selected by the headmaster of the school. It was a brief ceremony and the women took their leave. As we watched them disappear down the rocky trail we knew that God had provided these women with the lifegiving gift of sustainable providence for their families. It was as if we had taught them to fish rather than giving them a fish. May God be held high in praise for this gift and may Gerri and Marie be recognized for answering God's call to "feed the least of My brethren".

The ride back to the guest house included a lunch and shopping stop at the Baptist Mission, an unscheduled stop to check out a flat tire, a second shopping stop along the road, a photo opportunity at the collapsed presidential palace and continued joy and humor shared by the team. Shortly after arriving at the guest house a few of the team joined some local neighborhood children in a spirited game of street soccer. A delicious spaghetti dinner was followed by our "word of the day" reflections - clue (nail in Creole), frustration, fish, doing-it-right, goat, in-awe, English, futbol, humor, excellent and humbling-honor. We also christened Gerri and Marie as the "goat sisters" for their role in the gift of goats and pigs. At the end of this day we have given little and received much. We have been enormously blessed by the enduring spirit of the people of this troubled island, who, while they may be incredibly poor in many ways they are incredibly rich in the Spirit of God.

Compassion by Debbie Peterson

I started this morning at the Children's Home for the Sick & Dying. It's the place that holds some of my most vivid and haunting memories from the June trip. I was very unsure of how it would go. But immediately upon walking in, I was hugged and clung to by little Kendy, a sweet & cuddly 3 year old boy. The next 2 hours were spent rocking him, tickling him, singing to him, and praying over him. Not too long into the morning, I was joined by 8 year old Berlina, who really liked the "Cut the pickle .. tickle! tickle! tickle!" game. Soon it was me, Kendy, and Berlina cuddling on the bench. Kendy fell asleep and was soon DRENCHED with sweat. Berlina tenderly wiped the sweat from his forehead during his entire nap (using my shorts to help with her efforts :) The love and compassion in her touch was refreshing. So simple. So sweet. This afternoon I ventured to the wound clinic with Laura and Bob. Even watching the countless hours of "Trauma: Life in the ER" that I have, could not have prepared me for it. I started dressing one elderly man's wound - a nasty gash in his lower leg (doesn't begin to describe it). As I was finishing putting the new dressing on, one of the ladies that works there came out and asked me to help her inside the clinic. The remainder of the time I helped her drain pus, clean, and bandage absysses on women with advanced breast cancer. Again, I was struck by the tenderness & compassion of Angelique (the lady I was assisting). A gentle touch. Caring words. I know that I spent this afternoon working alongside a true angel.

Courage

My word for today is courage. Attending the 6:00 AM Haitian worship and prayer service was moving and centering. It was a perfect way to get my heart in line with the Lord's. I left filled with a peace that passes all understanding and ready to serve in anyway the Lord would call for today. Our group spent the morning at a Children's Home for the Sick and Dying Children. Walking through the rooms and seeing all the rows of cribs of babies and the nuns scurrying busily around cleaning, cooking, changing diapers, scolding an errant child and then smiling affectionately at them, patting a baby as they walk by, singing with one, tickling another, changing an IV, encouraging a mother, sweating, always serving, always loving. The courage they have to commit their lives to this kind of service is very humbling. It was a blessing to watch a little boy "choose" my Uncle Al and refuse to be put down the entire time we were there. And to watch my husband play the guitar and sing for the children and than allow them to strum with him which gave them much pleasure. In the afternoon Debbie, Bob and I went to the Wound Clinic. I wasn't sure what to expect. If my stomach could handle what we would encounter. The wounds were indeed grotesque beyond description. A nun quickly trained us in and we immediately were given patients. Praise God, He gave me the courage to do something I wasn't sure I could do. Unwrapping an oozing, gaping, deep leg wound. Scrubbing it with saline solution and putting penicilian powder on it and gauzing and wrapping it again. Bob was next to me and had a man with an abcessed knee the size of a baseball. There were holes on each side of the knee which were oozing infection. The previous doctor had pack the inside of the wound with absorbant gauze and Bob had to pull it out inch by excruciating inch. The man was writhing in pain. Bob was gentle and confident. My patient almost fainted watching and had to leave the room. I went to comfort the man. He squeezed my hand to the point that I thought 3 of my fingers would fall off. I prayed over him and rubbed his back. His brother supported him on the other side and looked between Bob and I with grateful eyes. How the man managed to stay conscious is a mystery to me. Bob and I ended our evening with an elderly woman with a huge abcess in her armpit. While it was lanced and the puss squeezed from it Bob and I supported and comforted her. Her cries pierced my heart. She was shaking and near fainting. We finally layed her on the floor with her head in my lap as I supported her arm in the air and stroked her face. Bob held her other hand offering comfort. The courage these people have to overcome the pain they have to endure each day is unfathomable. The courage they have to let us touch their wounds is beyond my own capacity. They were so grateful for our inexperienced help. It was truly a fullfilling evening. Bob shared tonight that he actually has a very weak stomach and was praying the whole way their trusting Jesus to give him the strenght to deal with what he may face. God is an awesome Father. Not only did he give Bob a steal stomach for this evening but he gave him the worst patient to prove to Bob and the rest of us that HE IS ABLE! He meets our needs. He gives us what we need for each day. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Isn't our God good?!