Bonswa, from New Life Children’s Home in LaPlaine, Haiti. Courtney and I met the team at the gate in Miami and after a fast walk to our gate and some food for the team members arriving from Chicago we boarded the plane. Bob and Patrick had what could be called a passport malfunction. Bob misplaced his and Patrick’s was actually gate checked in his carry on. All is fine Bob found his in his other bag and Patrick had his gate checked bag returned in Haiti so he could travel through customs.
We arrived at the Prot Au Prince airport and made it out of baggage claim and to our bus with the help of several very energetic porters. Several of the porters actually recognized the Impact for Jesus shirts and asked about some of our frequent Haiti travelers.
We saw several tent cities and some of Port Au Prince on our short bus ride to the New Life Home.
We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and unpacked many of our bags. We are ready to start the soccer camp. Courtney, Will, Austin and Patrick put up a new net and already started to make friends on the futball pitch.
We took a short tour of the compound and then Bob and I walked around the area where the children live and saw some of the workers helping the handicapped children. Several of the team members are hanging with the kids watching Alvin & The Chipmunks “The Squeakwil”. I made my first friend his name is Jakeen and he has a beautiful smile that lit up his face as I held his hand and gave him a hug. The children were singing Praise Songs as we joined them before the music started and it warmed my heart and brought a tear to my eye.
We have only been here a few hours, but I could continue on about the things we have already seen and done. Please keep the team in your prayers as we begin the soccer camp. Some of us may actually join another team that is at New Life and go to work on a construction project.
As I close I will share something we saw as we pulled in the New Life Home. A man was sitting by the front gate with a child in his arms. The child and the man both looked to be ill. We were later told by the New Life staff that the child was near death and had to be taken to the hospital and the man had severe health problems as well.
We are thankful for your prayers for the team and the people of Haiti.
God Bless,
John (sharing for the New Life Team 2011) July 1, 2011
Posts
