Mixed Emotions 2-23-11

You have all heard, it was the best of times and the worst of times?  That about sums up yesterday.  Patty continued with the interview process for sponsorship while Joan and I spent one-on-one time with some of the handicap children and a woman, Sarah, which is currently here from the states for 6 months trying to advance their motor skills and challenge them more mentally.  Both Joan and I got to learn more about their disabilities and found they each have a personality all their own and speak fairly good English.  Before we knew it, we were fist bumping as they successfully found the right home for each puzzle piece.  Joan and I also had a chance to visit while school was in session and the children where testing on knowledge they had learned over the last few weeks.  We also had a chance to look at books they teach from, which are few.  Before we knew it the bell was ringing for lunch and school was out for the day.  Early afternoon was spent playing a challenging puzzle game with the boys and Joan getting to discuss with one of the school teachers reading levels of the children.  Joan brought down with her many short novels for all ages in French.  She will go home with the information she has collected to work on getting donations to bring more books on future visits.

At 1:30 our ride arrived to take us to the tent city to feed the children.  An organization called YWAM centered on Christian Youth graciously let us accompany them.  We traveled to the outskirts of Port-au-Prince where a tent city has sprung up lead by a Pastor.  It is located at the base of a mountain region with no water or food.  People who live there need to travel long distances to purchase food.  A water truck stops there twice per day for people to fill whatever type of container they have available.  We fed the children a stew of chicken, pasta, potatoes and carrots.  It smelled wonderful.  We were also able to play music and the young children and youth danced.  Joan got her popup book out and I blew up beach balls and made gliders.  Got a chance to hold a four month old baby while Mom fed her stew.  I was amazed at how much the baby could hold, as she must have been starving.  Patty spoke to the youth letting them know that Jesus loved them and we will continue to pray for them and not forget them.  We served about 600 meals there, with one dollar feeding three people.

We hadn’t quite finished serving all the stew, so next stop was a small orphanage of about twenty-two children that had sprung up as a result of a tent city nearby.  When we arrived, the children came running to the truck, as YWAM had stopped there before.  The conditions were deplorable.  There was one tarp being held up with sticks and before two weeks ago, all were sleeping on the mud floor every night.  YWAM recently donated three tents to this orphanage.  They had no food, no water and most of the children were running around, dust covered, in adult shirts down to their ankles.  We started handing out food and before we knew it, people from all over the tent city arrived.  Another 200 meals were handed out.  By the time we left it was dusk.

The journey home was frightening as just as many cars and people were roaming the streets as during the day.  No street lights, very few car lights and many potholes were the norm. As we arrived home safely, I told the man driving, God was watching over us!  When we did arrive at New Life 4 Kids, a warm dinner was waiting for us followed by a cold shower to wash down the dirt and grime from the day.  What a rewarding day to help so many people, but what a sad day to not be able to help that orphanage more.  We love you all and thank you for praying for the people of Haiti.

Renee