Today was a day unlike any other day since we have been to Haiti. This Fourth of July in the Caribbean is one we will never forget. We celebrated Independence Day in style by taking all the children at New Life Orphanage to the beach! It was the perfect antidote to the Haitian heat. Most of the children could not sleep the night before because anticipation kept them awake with what the next day would bring. As we all rode the Tap Tap (Haitian taxi), the two hour ride felt like nothing as singing and playing games with a few of the older children made time fly. When we arrived at the beach, we were in awe of the beauty and peace hidden beneath all the trash, smoke, disaster, and poverty. What a sight to see: Palm trees and the majestic Haitian mountains overlooking the clear Caribbean Sea. Before we swam, we had a few good old American hot dogs, let them settle, and then hit the waves. So many smiles and laughs among children with such troubled pasts was a miracle in its self, let alone the pleasure of being there to experience it. Of course, there was more soccer on a field of spray painted concrete and 4 big rocks for goals. It was excellent playing conditions.    

Following is a reflective conversation between me and a fellow missionary.

Evan: So what’s been your favorite part about this year’s trip?

Pat: Being able to bond with the children on a greater level then on the previous trip.

E: And what do you think the children of New Life have appreciated most?

P:  Well, for those who play soccer, I believe having the opportunity to have similar soccer experiences as we have had by receiving top of the line soccer gear, playing in competitive tournaments against competitive teams, and receiving large trophies. The kids who do not play enjoyed the compassion from team members that they would normally never receive in many other ways through crafts and other games.

E: In which instances have you seen God at work or felt His presence?

P: God has been at work at all times during this trip but where it is most evident is within each of our fellow missionaries spreading God’s praise wherever we go. We have also seen God within every one of the children that we meet. Their smiles in such troubled times are testaments to God being able to overcome all obstacles.

E: When, if it all, have you seen or felt the devil’s presence?

P: Haiti is the Voodoo capital in the world. Symbols and signs are everywhere tell us that our presence is not welcomed, but through our actions of compassion we are able to tear down all barriers and find the good where people think is impossible.

E: I understand this is your second mission trip to Haiti. How have you changed in the past year?

P:  I am more appreciative about all the things that God has given me. I am more aware of the poverty and need for change in the world, not just Haiti.

E: Lastly, up until tonight we have had 4 themes in our nightly prayer and discussion devoted to God. Of the 4 themes (Love, Giving, Kindness, and Respect), choose a theme and a related moment that was most exemplified during this trip.

P:  Giving has been the most prominent throughout this entire trip as we have given out soccer balls, cleats, shin guards, goalie gloves, jerseys, shorts, etc... Even after all of the giving we have done with the donations you at home have collected for us, the joy given back by the children far exceed the sacrifice we have made.

Soccer on the Top of Mountain

Today, the main mission of the team was to visit Respire, the Restavec School, to share the game of soccer with the kids and donate soccer balls, jerseys, shorts, socks, and cleats that we brought with us to Haiti. We brought along another mission team staying with us at New Life, as well as twelve kids from New Life as our “all-star team” to play against Respire’s soccer team. The bus ride to Respire ended up being two hours each way.

Our bus ride to Respire took us through Port-au-Prince. We got to see the capital building again this year and the various tent cities, shops, fish markets, and schools along the way. Some progress has been made to clean up debris and the city from the aftermath of the earthquake in 2010. There were no garbage-filled dumpsters on fire and far less UN sightings compared to last year. After we passed through Port-au-Prince, the majority of our bus ride was on a road along the ocean, which was very beautiful even though it was lined with more tent cities and run-down buildings. Despite the shocking and somewhat depressing scenery, the all-star boys managed to keep the two hour bus ride entertaining. Some advertisements managed to make their way onto the bus and were quickly used to make paper airplanes and paper balls, which were then thrown between the New Life boys and mission team members throughout the duration of the trips to and from Respire. We also sang a variety of songs, ranging from Justin Bieber’s Tonight to native Haitian songs to keep a lighter mood.  

We finally arrived at Megan’s house at the bottom of the mountain where Respire was perched. Pastor Bob was trying to be funny and said we had to make a 30 minute hike up the mountain to get to Respire. We quickly realized that this meant we would have to carry up the eight duffle bags filled with the soccer gear. These were not light bags!  Once were got off of the bus, we were informed that we did have to hike up to Respire, however Josh, one of Megan’s partners, was going to drive our duffle bags up to Respire in his pick-up truck.

Our warm up was the hike up the mountain. Some of the boys decided to race each other up to the top. The sight at the top of the mountain was breathtaking. On one side there was an amazing view of the ocean and on the other, you could see the mountains and various villages on the mountain side. After a couple team pictures, Megan and Josh took us on a tour of their 4 acres land. While on the tour, Megan and Josh described their stories and how they began Respire. You can find more information about Megan, Josh, and Respire at http://blessedwithaburden.wordpress.com/. At Respire there is a terrace garden where they grow vegetables that they use to feed tent cities and the restavec children. There was also a school building with four classrooms and then another building that was still under construction and of course, a soccer field. In one of the classrooms, we set up the jerseys and cleats for the Respire team to choose from. After outfitting the teams and sweeping the field for glass, large rocks, broken plastic, etc., we were ready to begin playing soccer.

New Life started the game slow going down 2-0. People lined the field so that when the ball was kicked out it would not roll down the mountain. At the end of the first half, New Life was still down. To start the second half, New Life made three changes. Will, Nick, and Austin played the entire second half while the New Life team would substitute for each other. Just like the tournament on Sunday, this game was highly entertaining and competitive. New Life managed to tie the game with a couple minutes left in the game and eventually send it into penalty kicks. Unfortunately, New Life lost in “pks” again but we all had a great time playing. While the Respire and New Life teams were playing, the mission team members interacted with various neighborhood kids that came to watch the match. After the game was over, we were fed rice, beans, and chicken by the cooks at Respire.  Then, goody-bags that we brought were given to the New Life boys to hand out to the Respire team. It was very noticeable that the kids from New Life loved to give to other kids due to the many items they have received in a similar fashion. The winning team, Respire, was also given medals. Both teams signed a soccer ball to give to the other in order to remember this game.

The bus ride back to New Life seemed as though it was going to be a long ride. Everyone was tired and some were on the verge of falling asleep. Some of the kids in the back, Fabien and Oallchrist, began to get restless and began singing. It was unbelievable that everyone had the energy they had after playing a game of soccer and standing in the heat all day. The New Life kids were leading both mission teams in worship songs and eventually songs by Beiber (again), Backstreet Boys, and Fun. (again).

As soon as we arrived back at New Life, we quickly ate dinner and rushed over to the kids’ nightly devotions. Following devotions, Jimmy kicked off a post-devotion dance party. I don’t think anyone imagined that we would have enough energy to travel 4 hours in a bus belting various songs, play an entire game of soccer, spend the day in the sun, and have a full blown dance party all in one day. The kids were having a blast learning new dance movies and singing along to the Haitian dance music. Finally it was time for our own team devotions and for the kids to go to bed.

The team had a great day today and we all cannot wait to take the kids to the beach tomorrow!
Emily and Austin

"Hey You" in Haiti

Today began with a slightly hectic hour after breakfast. We were preparing for our multiple stops at two tent cities which involved packing up a lot of gear and food. We barely had time for devotions so we ended up rescheduling that sacred time for the evening… but that’s life in Haiti. One of the hardest parts to get used to is the lack of a structured schedule, however,  that also  teaches us to be more accepting what God has planned for us. After a 15 minute trip on a big yellow school bus, we arrived at our first tent city. The moment got off the bus; we were swarmed by smiling children and never got a break. Surprisingly, the most popular request was to be picked up and held or have a picture taken. Chants of “Hey you!” echoed throughout the day, each child wanted their fair share of attention. Almost immediately a small sided game of soccer started on a small field made mostly of rocks. We tired quickly and eventually entered the small building known as their school. Each member of the team was called to the front of the classroom to partake in a song and dance that the children had been doing. After each dance was finished, the crowd of children applauded and began the chant again for the next participant.

Tampicos (similar to Sunny D except better), bags of chips (similar to cheese puffs), and cheese sandwiches were passed out. Each child thankfully received their meal and they all seemed very grateful. Some of the children needed help opening their juices and a lot of them chose to save their drinks until later. I (Evan) even had to help one of the younger girls because she didn’t seem to know how to eat; I literally had to put the sandwich to her mouth and show her how to eat it. After presenting some students with soccer balls and toys, we spent another hour or so mingling with some of the older kids and playing with the children then we loaded back on the big yellow bus and headed to our next tent city. On the ride, we saw some graphic images such as a dead dog. Some of the smells of the city were also very intense; they seemed to have a certain level of density that made our faces cringe. For lunch, we had gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

We arrived at our final destination for the day. This next tent city was a little cleaner and seemed to have a bigger community. Of course we played soccer again but this field was easier to play on because it was just dirt. Sadly, there was no school at this tent city but there were still plenty of excited and joyous children. Even some of the teenagers joined in the soccer game! The hardest part about visiting the second tent city was trying to stay energized and hydrated under the cruel Haitian sun. There were no cheese sandwiches for this group but we did provide chilled water in bags and chips for them. What was amazing was that some of the kids didn’t drink all of their water, but they chose to play with it and get some of the missionaries and each other wet. I guess a little fun is as hard to come by as food. Each day here has been more and more life changing and not just for the Haitian children. We can’t wait to see how each of us grown by the end of the trip.

Sharing two great loves - Haiti & Soccer

We kicked off our day with a great devotional meeting and church service. During the devotional meeting, we talked about the importance of spreading love and understanding the different forms of “Greek” love that can be applied to broader aspects of our lives. For example, there is a difference between our love for a certain food or commodity and the love we share for our respective partner. We also prayed during devotions for God to give us the ears to hear and the eyes to see so that we could spread our love throughout the entire day to the Haitians.

The major focus of the day was soccer. We held a soccer tournament, which included TWO New Life Teams, and two teams from local orphanages. When the local orphanages arrived, we had their jerseys, shorts, socks, and cleats laid out for them to go through and select so that they would be able to play in the tournament. It was a remarkable experience seeing their eyes light up when they began to look through the cleats and all the jerseys. They were truly grateful for what we were doing for them. It was amazing to see the language barrier broken because we were able to communicate despite speaking different languages through hand gestures and gestures of appreciation such as handshakes and hugs. Once all the players were equipped, the games BEGAN!

The tournament consisted of four games, including two semi-final games and a third place game and the championship game. In the first game, the first New Life Team, the red squad, won their game 4 to 2 against the Blue Team and advanced into the finals. In the second game, the second New Life team, the white squad, tied their game in regulation 4 to 4 against the other red orphanage team. In penalty shoot-outs, unfortunately, the New Life Team lost 5 to 4. After these first two games, lunch was provided for all. We had the opportunity during this time to interact with everyone and to eat together. Many of us shared snacks together and enjoyed many laughs! After the break, it was time for the third place game between the second New Life team and the Blue Team. The second New Life Team won in a convincing manner, taking the third place trophy with a 3 to 2 win. In the championship game, the first New Life Team faced the other red team who was wearing red AJAX jerseys. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 3 to 3, and therefore penalty kicks were once again necessary. Unfortunately, the first New Life Team lost in penalty kicks 4 to 2 and the red orphanage team captured the first inaugural New Life Tournament Championship. Throughout every game, the entire community was infatuated with the whole spectacle. In this, we mean that everyone was cheering and playing drums and etc. to motivate the players. There was also an announcer who commentated the ENTIRE time which was amazing. The atmosphere was incredible. There was music being played in the background and everyone was focused on soccer. It was a remarkable get-away for all the players because everyone’s minds were lifted from the struggles of the world during these games.

After the tournament, Pastor Coach Bob conducted an award ceremony, where the champions were crowned. The fourth place blue team received medals, the third place New Life Team received a world cup-like trophy, the second place New Life Team also received a world cup-like trophy, just slightly larger, and finally, the first place red team received the largest trophy. For all teams, it was like they had all just won the World Cup, one of the biggest accomplishments possible in terms of athletics. It is incredible the impact soccer had on all of us today. There was pure joy in everyone’s eyes. Being able to hold a trophy together for each team was truly a gratifying moment. For us, the tournament today was an incredible experience because we were able to participate in and witness first hand, the insurmountable power of soccer to unite and release. In this, we mean that all struggles, all hardships, all cultural barriers, all distinctions, everything, was thrown away because of the unifying abilities of soccer.

The next portion of the day was spent coloring with the handicap children! We were able to interact with them and color bags for them that we gave them. This was truly gratifying because knowing we made a major impact in a small way felt good. This event was also very humbling because the kids were all so happy even though they have been dealt a tough hand in life. It truly makes you appreciate everything you were blessed with in life. It also makes you feel slightly ashamed for the small things we complain about in our everyday lives. Thus far, this has definitely been an eye opening experience for us all, even if this was not our first trip.

Finally, we concluded the night with dinner. We were blessed with yet another meal and we are optimistic for another incredible day tomorrow during our feedings.

God bless

Nick and Will

Our “Haitian Vacation” Has Finally Begun

This post is being written by Lauren and Colleen, two first-time Haitian travelers. Although our planned three hour layover ended up lasting 20 hours, we have finally arrived in Haiti! Of course though, we couldn’t leave Miami without one last bump in the road. Nine people did not show for the flight resulting in all of the bags being taken back off of the plane, sorted through, and reloaded. Our “scheduled” 6 AM take off didn’t happen until 7:30, but was accompanied by cheers from the passengers and crew alike.

We arrived in Haiti just before 10 AM where we were greeted by Jauno, our own personal porter.  Thanks goodness for all of his help, because he saved a potentially stressful first experience of Haiti from being too overwhelming. After he led the search for all 21 checked bags as well as the few carry-ons that got thrown in as well, he helped us push through the crowded airport to our waiting bus. There has to be some sort of irony in that the first time we didn’t have to wait was after we landed in Haiti! As we boarded the rainbow colored, half-semi truck type bus the intense emotion of the reality here in Haiti started to set in for both of us. To witness the poverty that this country has been struck with was overwhelmingly moving and humbling. During the 20 minute drive for the airport to New Life Children’s House us “newbies” sat closest to the back of the bus gazing out over Port-au-Prince. From the loud, constant car horns, to the farthest thing from organized traffic, to roadside makeshift stands selling tires, boom boxes, clothes, and raw meat we were left speechless. As we pulled into New Life we realized we were very lucky blessed with staying in such a nice facility.

Our time here started right off the bat with a rundown of the rules and moving all 21+ bags up to our rooms. We were lucky enough to get help from some of the boys here, never thought we would see teenage boys carrying 50 lb bags with nothing but huge smiles on their faces. After we began to sort through all of our bags of donations and pumped up some soccer balls, we took a break for a while to eat our first Haitian meal, sloppy joes, salad, rice and beans. It wasn’t long until we couldn’t resist seeing the kids any longer.

Emily and Courtney led the way as we timidly followed behind. It wasn’t until a little girl ran up and grabbed my (Lauren) hand that we began to relax and play with the kids. We were passing around rocks, playing on swings, learning names, and, of course, kicking around the soccer ball. After a while, we decided it was time to set up a real game. The cones were put down, us and the boys were split up into two teams, and then the whistle was blown. The boys were determined to show us that they have been practicing and they won’t go down easy. After many arguments with the referee, Pastor Coach Bob, the close game ended 6-7.

For me (Colleen) today has been one of the most emotional days I’ve experienced. Until after our tour, which happened after our dinner tonight I was unable to talk without crying. I couldn’t even explain what I was feeling all day except for saying that I was overwhelmed. At this point in the day, I am still just speechless on how to explain what I am feeling today. Maybe the simplest way is that it hit me hard how many small things I complain about in my life, when there are people who don’t have much, but have nothing to complain about. It has been a really humbling day.