Lapè Avèk Ou

Practically Speaking...

2009-01-14T21:48:00.001-08:00

The last several weeks have afforded me the opportunity to take a break from textbooks and catch up on other books that I have otherwise been putting aside. Tonight I finished Tracy Kidder's Mountains Beyond Mountains, a book about Paul Farmer and his work in Haiti and all over the world (and so much more). This book challenged and reassured me, made me sad and also encouraged me. In the midst of the obvious themes of service, the ideal of equity, and the human nation (the only nation, according to Farmer), the idea of practical versus impractical really woke me up. Kidder demonstrates that Farmer's methods in treating disease and dealing with poverty have faced unending criticism for being risky, impractical, inefficient...on and on. Interestingly enough, Farmer consistently receives hundreds of emails each day and has be consulted by prominent health professionals and international organizations.

The light bulb that illuminated in my head from reading about Farmer's work is that what is impractical and in inefficient by our standards and knowledge is, in God's truth, the practical way, and in fact, the only way. In a world in which technology aids us in the never-ending pursuit of becoming more efficient, poverty and disease are spreading, and our machines and gadgets don't know how to fix this. Farmer's (in)efficienct and (im)practical method looks like:
-Hiking 7 hours to make house calls to 2 families
-flying around the world to attend a 2 hour meeting
-encouraging a private helicopter lift costing $20,000 for a patient whose chances of surviving are unclear

To say that driving through the streets of Port-au-Prince and thinking about the mountains of work and restoration that Haiti is overwhelming is a gross understatement. This feeling can easily lead to discouragement. But when we take a step back and look at other hopeless situations like the general condition of humanity, we can find joy in the knowledge that it's not all up to us. Thank the Lord! As vessels of the Holy Spirit in this world, the most practical way of addressing problems is one person at a time. This fits perfectly with the sending words at the end of worship at Abiding Hope: "Each one. Reach one."

My prayer for everyone in the beginning of this year is that we learn to live more impractically and continue to climb mountains, even when we know there are more beyond.

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations"
Isaiah 42.1

Lauren

It's been a while, but I'm still thinking!

2008-11-19T20:39:00.000-08:00

This blog really hasn't been consistent or updated in a while, but I'm still considering all the time how I can continue to represent HTF and Abiding Hope, and right now, I feel the best way is to keep up with the blog.

As I tutor, learn, communicate, interact, worship, observe-basically as I live- the lessons I learned from Haiti and our family there are always present. The word "Haiti" is penciled in the margins of my textbooks and my Bible. I think that my experiences there are so relevant to my daily life because ultimately, they came from God-and he is definitely present in everything and everyone. It's hard for me to really get my point across. I'm asking myself, "What's so different about Haiti? Or what's so familiar about it? Why is so much of what I experience in my life related back to this place and people?" Then I realize that is a really big question.

I don't think I've sorted anything out in the words above, but what pushed me to blog this time was the sermon from this past weekend at the church I attend here in Columbia, Missouri. The current sermon series is focused on Jonah. The fundamental question of last Sunday's sermon was: "Who are you living for?" This can be revealed when we look at what we are worshipping. Do you worship the created or the Creator? This idea of the created versus the Creator is what really triggered the Haiti connection for me in church this Sunday. While the incredible poverty of Haiti as a country is not something to be celebrated, what I have experienced there ( in Haiti) in worship and relationships is that the people I have met are much better at worshipping the Creator, because they are separated from all the created things that call for us (in the U.S.) to worship them. I certainly notice this in my life right now. Especially during this last stretch of the semester when things get a little tougher but all I can think about is going home... and especially in this university setting in the midst of 30,000 people all trying to find explanations and direction... and especially when the news gives no encouragement for taking risks or much hope for a stable future...I find it much too easy to let myself give in to anxiety and worry about my current position and my future. Ultimately, this is my failure to trust God-to trust that he has a plan and purpose for my life and person. My trust is disproportionately placed in things that are created, rather than the Creator. My friends who have nothing by American standards put me to shame in their trust and hope.

My prayer for myself and for everyone is that we may somehow be separated from the created or realize the failure of the created to fulfill so that we may rest and also go boldly in the knowledge that only God the Creator has the power to give us all that we need.

Lauren

Not by our own power

2008-07-24T23:44:00.000-07:00

I've been home for less than one week, yet I already find myself getting caught up in worry. My worries are typical; money, work, school, schedule, time, etc. One minute these concerns seem completely warranted and the next they seem ridiculous. This is the struggle between what I have learned and what I have learned. What I mean by that, is, the culture that I have grown up in has taught me to try and be and do everything all the time and that worry is just part of it all. What I have learned in the past few weeks, however, is that this is the world's way. The world's way is trying to get the best of me, but I have the Lord and his guidance to pull me back. So I look at the devotions, especially the ones about worry, that we shared the last few weeks, and I try and remember. I try and remember the words of Matthew 6:33-34. Today my eyes are on the Kingdom and I will pray for assistance in keeping them focused.

Lauren

Back in Colorado!

2008-07-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

Lauren, Pastor Merlyn and I landed at DIA around 11:30ish last night, safe and sound, after an entire day of travel! Jacquelynn and Meredith are still in Haiti until the 27th (I believe...) and will be traveling to Jacmel as well as spending more time at Wings and St. Joseph's with a group of about 15 from Abiding Hope that just landed in Port-au-Prince this morning.

Now that we are back, we can't wait to tell you more in person about our fantastic adventures. Lauren and I would just like to thank you for reading our ramblings and please continue to keep Jacquelynn and Meredith in your prayers!

Job Training

2008-07-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today was the last full day for Veronica and I here at Wings of Hope and we are not at all ready to come home to hot showers (showers at all, for that matter), flushing toilets, or ratless nights. It's probably best for our health that we do come home, as we've acquired the habit of eating cinnamon rolls daily and throwing in a piece of chocolate cake or two (So much for your images of eating bad/little food in Haiti!) But in all seriousness, running water and swollen bug bites are small sacrifices in the shadows of all that we have been given while we've been here. It is impossible to describe what we have been given and all that we hope to share. The real work begins when we hit home soil. We've dealt with sloppy feeding, we've let wet laps sit on ours, and we've entertained children with seemingly tireless spirits, but all of this is just the training and the inspiration for the plan that God is still laying out before us.

Our "Holy Spirit Tanks" were filled this morning as we watched children dance wildly and wave their arms toward heaven without any shame. The Pastor blessed us at worship and best wishes were again sent our way during a birthday celebration for KC! Both of us are anxious to return home, curious about how this transition will compare to that from our first trip. Please be patient with us when we struggle to be patient with our way of life. Please pray that we may channel the passion and transparence that these people have shown us. We will be happy to share our experiences with any who are curious and welcome encouragement to struggle as ambassadors for our family here in Haiti.

Lauren

Joy

2008-07-18T19:26:00.002-07:00

I would first like to apologize for the lack of updates yesterday...we're still trying to figure out this internet thing down here.

I'd like to share just a brief moment I witnessed here at the house yesterday. It was after dinner and everyone was slowly working their way back to their beds. I was finishing up feeding Esther when Vivianne came into the room pushing Josephine to her bed. To give you an idea of these two girls: Josephine is an absolutely precious, intelligent girl of 8 years old or so who is confined to a wheelchair but has been working on gaining strength in her legs. She has an infectious laugh and when you enter the room, she screams with delight. Vivianne, though deaf, is an extremely friendly and also incredibly intelligent young woman who communicates through gestures and her own invented language.

As I sat and watched, Vivianne lifted Josephine out of her chair and into the bed. Instead of just laying her down to sleep, Vivianne held Jo up as she stood on the mattress. To see the scene out of context and without having gotten to know these two girls over the past two weeks, it probably would have looked ridiculous. Both girls would have looked ridiculous. Instead I saw Vivianne gently supporting Jo as she screamed and screamed--a high-pitched squeal that, if it weren't for the extreme elation that it expressed, would probably be a little irritating. I listened to Jo screaming and Vivianne babbling in her own language, obviously words of congratulations.

I can't explain how much joy it brought me to watch this interaction; they were just SO happy. That is one part of this place that I'll miss the most: the uninhibited happiness that these kids express. Whether they do it by grabbing your hand as you walk past or by screaming their lungs out when they catch a ball, the kids here have no problem sharing their love and thrill of life, something I truly respect.

Veronica

(insert witty title)

2008-07-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

Brian is our new best friend. He is the plumber here at Wings of Hope but more importantly he is known as the "Rat Hunter"! He arrived this afternoon will plenty of ammo for our little furry pals that invade our personal space and disrupt our sleep. "Buying in bulk" was giving a whole new meaning when Brian explained to us at dinner how he bought a pack of 13 rat traps to catch the rest of Dude's posse. But he only set 12. What happened to the 13th you ask? Well he gave it to Pastor Merlyn who inevitably set it off on himself. In Brians words: "Some people are meant to be Rat Killers and some are just meant to be Pastors."

Brian isn't the only new thing around here! This morning we decided to mix it up a bit and do devotions in the morning! I know we are a wild bunch. As most know starting your day with a morning prayer can set the tone for your entire day, and our morning devotion did just that, it was a start to a great day filled with lunch at the baptist mission and some souvenir shopping on the street right outside our front door. So get excited for your gifts everyone! Overall today was pretty eventful, rat-wise and all. Oh and we did spend some time with the kids. We fed meals and played after dinner and even sat in on some of their classes. We are excited to see what comes with the last couple of days here in Ratville (aka Haiti =]).

Love you all and God's Peace-
Jacquelynn & Meredith

Ordinary People

2008-07-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today one of my realizations was that it doesn't take extraordinary people to do extraordinary things. While we've been here we've met so many people from many different places. This has been evidence to me that all it takes are people called to God's mission in this world to live and learn in love.

In another note, in our devotions there is always a Psalm fragment. After reading tonight's Psalm fragment, Psalm 10:17-18, which mentions the "orphan and the oppressed", Jacquelynn exclaimed, "The Psalm just agreed with us!" We all laughed at this, as I'm sure you can all see the irony. Jacquelynn's reaction illustrates how perfect and faith-affirming our nightly devotions have been for all of us. The biblical wisdom and the related questions have fallen into place. It's definitely a "God thing."

Thanks so much for walking with us! You're a huge part of why we're here.

Lauren

House of Blessings

2008-07-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

This morning we had the opportunity to go to House of Blessings because of a chance encounter with Lonnie Murphy at lunch on Sunday. We brought five of the kids from Wings with us to the day camp that the house is running for kids in the area. The camp, is set up so groups participate in a series of rotations, all classic camp activities: games, dancing, snacks, crafts etc. Quite lovely!

The most fascinating part of the morning, however, was a class on teeth. A man and a woman came in to teach the groups about their mouths: they learned about enamel and plaque, about the proper way to brush your teeth. Everyone was given a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush and all went out onto the porch and participated in a mass tooth-brushing/flouride-using extravaganza.

One part of the discussion that stuck with me was when one of the leaders mentioned the dentist and proceeded to explain what exactly a dentist is. As much poverty as we have seen here over the past week and a half, it is still just the surface of what it means to be this poor. Poverty here is so much more than not having STUFF. We too easily take for granted accessibility to things like dentists and doctors, and to be reminded that so many of these children need such an explanation is humbling.

Veronica

P.S. Dude is no more...apparently the trap was successful.

P.P.S. Dude may have been reincarnated as a rat with wings (or bat, either way) that just flew over our heads. I think it's seeking revenge.

Dude

2008-07-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

Dude is the name of the rat that has tormented our sleepy time for the past few nights. We gave him a name because that's what you do to diminish your fear, or something like that. I'm pretty sure you all know how it goes. At any rate, tonight, as we were all doing our laundry in front of our room, Veronica stepped inside for some reason or another and screamed back out exclaiming that she had seen the Dude. The subsequent reactions went something like this: Veronica leapt across onto a nearby stair railing, Meredith and I both jumped up on a ledge, and Jacquelynn stood at the door screaming at the rat, " GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT OF THERE!"

Pastor Merlyn emerged from his room to see what all the commotion was about and we immediately designated him the one to chase the Dude away. PM fearlessly strolled into the room, moved a few nightstands, and followed the rat out the door. Jacquelynn, Veronica and I screamed like crazy people and Meredith came upstairs with Andre (the director here), who she had retrieved to save us. Andre came prepared with a 20 ft. long board to attack the rat with, but it had already scurried under the stairs.

For now, our rat problem is over and we can all rest calmly. There are sheets and towels under our doors to keep the Dude and all his rat friends out. We'll let you know if we have anymore (unwelcome) visitors.

Lauren

*We apologize for the lack of spiritual depth in this post and the previous few, but we actually do laugh quite a bit here and we did our devotions tonight. So we're covered. Please keep reading. (That was supposed to be funny. (But seriously.))

Assessment

2008-07-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

Moments ago the five of us were tested on the names of the 39 children here at wings. There was a picture of each child and a space beside to write a name. The results are as follows:

Lauren: 39/39
Jacquelynn: 35/39
Veronica: 28/39
Meredith: 26/39
Pastor Merlyn: 21/39

I think this says something about the quality of education from a school called Mizzou.

Pix and Rats.

2008-07-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

BONSWA!!!

Good news. We have figured out how to put up more pictures on the Facebook album (link on the right) and so we're (slowly) updating that. YAY! Between all of us, we probably have over 1000 pictures, so this is just a sliver of what we've been up to.

In other news, last night was quite eventful. Background: two days ago, I found a nice little hole chewed through my bag of powerbars, etc. Quite the mystery. So, last night (I'll say around three a.m.) we were roused from our slumber by a squealing Jacquelynn. "I just heard our animal!" We spent the next 45 minutes listening to the rustle of "our animal" and trying to figure out exactly what it could be. A mouse? A cougar? Our flashlights revealed nothing.

This morning at breakfast, Merlyn greeted us with some terrible news. "It was probably a rat. Duh." Now, if you haven't been to Haiti or Wings before, the rats here are often mistaken for dogs or small children. He also told us that he had seen a rat "right across the way" earlier yesterday evening. After a quick search of the room, I found two of the bars the terrible animal had stolen. So basically we're stuck in a room with a monster and are still in the process of figuring out a plan of attack for tonight; please keep us in your prayers!

Veronica

Sha la la la la la live for today

2008-07-13T18:43:00.001-07:00

Our devotion from last night began, "DO NOT WORRY!"

How simple are these words? And how difficult are they to follow? One of the many paradoxes here is that I find it easier to follow these words in Haiti than in one of the most affluent zip codes in the United States. Perhaps one of the paradoxes of my life and the lives of so many Americans is the direct relationship between opportunity and worry; the more opportunities we have before us, the more we seem to worry. The American concept of opportunity and success seems to be all about the future. So what do we do with today? (So many questions...)

The gifts of God are meant to be celebrated and enjoyed TODAY. The children here put us to shame in their example of trust. None of them worry about when they will eat, what they will eat, especially not whether they will eat at all. With God as our father we have every reason to surrender our doubts and allow ourselves to receive his daily blessings.

"But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do no worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:33-34

This verse is going on a sticky note in my dorm room :).

-Lauren

Sunday in Haiti

2008-07-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

Sundays are different here at Wings of Hope. This morning we were able to visit St. Joes where morning worship is giving a whole new meaning with song, dance, and praise to our King! The boys of St. Joes lead the worship in their native language, creole, but the effect and meaning of their words were just as powerfull. As it is written, "On the seventh day He rested." and we did just that! Lunch at a local resturaunt led to a chance encounter with Lonnie, the founder of House of Blessings. We ultimately made plans to go there and participate in a camp for some of the neighborhood children this Tuesday.

When we returned that afternoon we were greated by laughter and welcoming arms from all the children. We fed them dinner and played for most of the night!

Today we were again blessed to literally live in a cloud! We are so high up on a mountian that when it rains here the entire house is literally surronded by clouds. And when the clouds fade it reveals a beautiful sunset just over the mountian tops and it is the perfect ending to yet another day here in paradise!

We love you & Gods peace to you all-
Meredith and Jacquelynn

Needs and Wants

2008-07-12T19:08:00.001-07:00

Today started out as a usuall day of feeding the kids. Then we all wanted to get out for a while, so Jacquelynn and I led the group to Fort Jac where we all learned some of Haiti's history. While on the hike I was thinking of all the things in my life that I worry about. I worry about school, how I look, and what people think. Then tonight at devotions we were talking about don't worry about tomorrow because today brings enough trouble. I need to put my trust in God that He will take care of all my needs. Then Pastor Merlyn was talking that the kids here at Wings of Hope don't worry about looks and expectations. I think that is something I should try to live by and I'm trying to know the difference between needs and wants.

Meredith

Merlyn's Blessings

2008-07-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Renee gave us a prayer that she said that the staff is to pray each day. It is a very powerful prayer when prayed in this place with these beautiful people. The girls and used it last night at the end of our devotions.

God my Father

Teach me to love
Teach me to have an enlightened heart
Teach me to serve You as You deserve to be served
Teach me to give without counting the cost
Give me courage to enter the battle of life
With no fear of being beaten, with no fear of being injured
Give me courage to work until my strength fades away,
To give You my heart with all that I have without
Asking anything in return for myself
My reward is to feel I’m doing Your will, You are the Holy One,
You the only Master
Amen!

This morning as I was doing my morning devotion, this was my first prayer. As I read this, the faces of these beautiful children passed before me. Those of you who know this family can probably see the same faces as you also read this prayer.

“They brought the children to Him and he blessed them”. As I greet - touch – hold – feed – talk with each one, I am blessed!

During music time yesterday there were many who could not sit or stand still. Some danced and clapped and sang and made other noises. One sat quietly on my lap – the only movement was when he had to adjust himself. I was blessed by Gesner!

I carried and fed beautiful Belinda. She is so tiny and so dependent. She blessed me.

I missed seeing Teddy yesterday, I learned that he had been feeling well yesterday but had the opportunity to feed him this morning. I also talked with him about his sponsor, Mary. He smiled his shy smile and put his head down. He filled my heart with another blessing.

Then there is Josephine! She screams with JOY whenever she sees us. She loves to be held up so she can move her legs that cannot support her, but she squeals when she “walks”. Josephine speaks English. The girls encourage her to call me Grandpa. Hearing that, is always a blessing to me!

Mamoune can be a tease. Sometimes she will look at you out of the corner of her eye. While feeding her, she made a grunting noise; I did it to her when I gave her the next bite. She smiled her big beautiful smile and we both laughed. Spoken words were not necessary, but another blessing was given to me.

I am quite sure that my own children know that they and their children – my grandchildren - have blessed me greatly.

I believe I am blessed with much more than 5 grandchildren.

These are just a few comments on Merlyn’s - Grandpa – PM’s blessings for today.

A different kind of worship

2008-07-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

Fridays are different here for the kids at Wings of Hope. After breakfast, instead of the morning prayer and splitting off to go to class and physical therapy, everyone gathers together in the large classroom downstairs. With the staff and some of the boys from St. Joseph's, so begins what is essentially a massive party, complete with dancing, singing and drumming. The kids go crazy for it; I can hardly put into words their joy. It is a worship experience of monumental proportions, the most passionate I have ever witnessed. After the dancing, everyone walks or wheels up the ramps to the kitchen for worship. Led by a local minister, the service was entirely in Creole. Despite understanding nothing more than a few words during the hour, it was absoutely incredible: I could see, feel and understand the energy in both the pastor and the children. (On a side note, it's been fabulous being able to use my French here, both because of the similarities to Haitian Creole and because most everyone here speaks French as well...I'm actually having conversations! Woo!)

There is something incredibly powerful about worship here in Haiti. I have, in all honesty, never experienced worship like this before. I couldn't translate the sermon for you, I couldn't even tell you exactly what book the Gospel was from. But I can tell you that here is the closest I have ever come to seeing God through worship.

Maybe because so often the words get in the way. Maybe because it is easier to reach God in the presence of these children who hold nothing back. I'm not really sure. All I know is that I can only strive to be this passionate, this faithful, this honest, and this uninhibited in my praise.

P.S. We're having issues with uploading pictures...still. It's really the mystery of the hour. In any case, keep checking the link because, cross our fingers, we'll have some more up soon. Patience is a virtue...Kathryn, I hope you are reading this!

2008-07-10T19:51:00.001-07:00

that last post was from me by the way!

-jacquelynn

lets compare...

2008-07-10T19:31:00.001-07:00

Ususally when i start blogging its right after we do our group devotions. after our day has finished, after dinner, its our time to reflect on our day and off eachother. Tonight our book cicrlced mostly around the little things, you know those things most of us hardly notice or even show thanks for. In Haiti these things become more apparent, and especially at a place like Wings of Hope; simple things like my health become something I obviously take advantage of on a daily basis. I am so lucky to wake up in the morning and go to school or even pour a bowl of cereal. Not everyone has these things that we think nothing of. Tommrow morning when you drive to work on a paved street or eat lunch at a local resturant remember there is a place that if handed all the things we are so lucky to have, would give thanks to our Lord. And know that you should do the same.

Small Things

2008-07-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

Since I've been in Haiti for five nights so far, I have begun to be thankful for the small things in life. At home everything comes so fast and so easy that I forget how most of the world lives. Here small things like showers, running toilets, and electircty is so rare. The small things are what life is about and that I need to thank God more. I thank God for the big things like getting me here but I forget to be thankful about everyday things. The small gifts from God have shaped my life to be a greatful and forgiving person I am today.

-Meredith

Something short and sweet.

2008-07-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a young girl here at Wings named Josephine received a picture of herself from one of the members of the group from Atonement Lutheran Church. Josephine was so excited that she screamed with delight and her smile couldn't have been any wider. Pastor Merlyn, looking down at us from a ramp asked me, "Are you that happy?" I replied, "I wish!" A few seconds later I changed my reply: "Actually, right now I am!" The joy of these kids is infectious and incredible considering their circumstances and all the strikes against them. It was one of the shortest, most powerful lessons I have learned yet on this trip. Happiness is a choice and we can find our greatest joy in God our Creator and Redeemer.

Lauren

From a trialogue...

2008-07-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23.

We started our devotions tonight with this verse. Oh Holy Spirit, the ways in which you work. Lauren and I spent a large portion of the evening after dinner talking about the people of Haiti and the differences in lifestyles and values here in comparison with the US. We applied it personally, discussing our struggles with goals and personal image and our conflict between societal expectations and our own faith journey. We are both still working out this whole college thing, especially figuring out majors etc., and one of the most difficult aspects of this choice is working out how to blend our values, the world's expectations, and God's purpose.

Our dinner discussion began with a comparison between the Haitian and American lifestyles. We both recognize that Haitians have an incredible work ethic, yet they don't demand or even expect recognition. Americans, on the other hand, seem largely motivated by image. GPA, Honor Roll, the Dean's List: these are all motivators for academic achievement. After reflection and group devotions, Lauren and I were reminded of where our greatest dedication and focus should lay: GOD! The Lord blesses us with our gifts and it is up to us to honor him by using these gifts to further his mission. This parallels our desire to honor all of you who are supporting us by joyfully doing the work we are here to do. (And again, THANK YOU ALL!)

Shameless plug for ABC: there was a segment on modern day slavery on Nightline last night (link/info on the right), focusing on Haiti and the prominence of something we all to often would like to forget, or at least push to the rear of our minds. Check it out, and while you're at it, the book "A Crime So Monstrous" by Benjamin Skinner which features Bill Nathan, the current Director of St. Joseph's Home for Boys. (Hey mom and dad, you should also check out the prices for it on amazon.com!!!)

P.S. We just wanted to mention, if you haven't seen it already, we have a link on the right-hand side of the page for pictures! The internet connection here is quite slow and we couldn't get more than one photo to load directly on this page but we're going to try our best and add a few pictures every day on the Facebook link so you can get a better picture (pun intended?) of what we're doing here, so keep checking!

Lauren and Veronica

Time

2008-07-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

One of the most challenging aspects about working here at Wings Of Hope is adjusting to their sense of time or lack thereof. In our devotions (we are using Dietrich Bonhoeffer's 40-day Journey) tonight we discussed how different our time spent here is from our time spent at home. Take just waking up and getting ready for your day for example. At home a typical day for me would consist of doing my hair then makeup all while picking out a cute outfit that i can go shopping in or even out to lunch with some friends. At Wings you wake up before the morning bell signaling breakfast for the kids here. I put on my staff shirt and head downstairs, not a glance in the mirror, no morning starbucks or a chat on the phone with some of your friends, its all about what needs to get done today and how you can do it. Now waiting three days to shower or to even brush your hair wouldn't be accetable in the United States but here there are more important things to worry about, and that was my lesson for today.
-jacquelynn

One of my biggest challanges while i'm here is to be patient. I have learned that all things will get done sonner or later. I am so used to getting 100 things done at one time that I often forget to slow down. In the US everything comes quick and at the push of a button. Things like fast food and even your internet connection comes faster than before you even know that you waited. Its hard to adjust to the way of living here but I am learning not to worry about certian things that usually take up my entire day. These things just don't matter here and that is something I am learning to adjust to pretty fast.
-meredith

I love sticky notes. I love sticky notes because I love to-do lists. To-do lists help me to organize my day, remind me of deadlines and tasks, and allow me to check off "to-dos" and rename them accomplishments. Here in Haiti I don't have any sticky notes and I don't have any to-do lists. Does this mean I haven't accomplished anything? I'm not sure. Here at Wings of Hope I have been forced to reevaluate my definition of accomplishment. A wise young pastor also challenged me several months ago to define excellence. I'm still working on that. The two days that we have been here have generally followed the same routine. We spend hours with the kids, playing with noisemakers and legos, colored balls and vocabulary tools. From what I can tell, this is how they learn and excercise their minds. From what I can tell, this is also what they do everyday. I can't tell if they are advancing or what their potential is. Already, after two days, I am feeling anxious about my impact or whether I am having one. And this is where the reevaluation comes. Perhaps accomplishment, at least in my current definition, is irrelevant in Haiti, especially at Wings of Hope. Though I came here aware of the necessity of forgetting the "I", I am realizing that the need to check something of a virtual sticky note is all about ME. So tomorrow I will pray that I forget about myself and focus on simply living and loving with these beautiful children who have offered me their unconditional love. This college girl has a lot to learn from giggling children.

-Lauren

2008-07-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

Bonjou from Haiti!

I hope Colorado is treating everyone well and we appreciate you checking up on us! Today is our first full day at Wings and we have been busy since 7:30 this morning and the breakfast bell. After a wonderful night's sleep on real beds, we woke up to a fantastic breakfast of fresh pineapple, papaya and watermelon with criossants. Delicious! After our breakfast, we went straight to help with breakfast with all the kids downstairs. We will be helping with all three meals in feeding the kids every day.

After breakfast, the kids break up for school and physical therapy. Wings has a therapist that comes here and works with the kids in addition to the boys from St. Joseph's that help out, too. None of the children are diagnosed with any particular disorder and they vary widely in ability. Though it seems sort of strange not to assign names to their disorders (for us, ar at least for me, that is the first logical step), it really is quite revolutionary: because of it, everyone is on the same level, no one is given any more or less attention because they "deserve" or need it more.

We spent a large portion of the day just being with the kids, playing and talking and working and smiling with them. As it is our first day, we are spending it trying to get a feel for the inner workings of Wings, from schedules to techniques for everything from washing our hands (we don't have running water, only buckets and cups) to feeding some of the more feisty kids. Though we have all been here before, we have so much to learn!

We are loving reading the comments, and if you have any questions about what we're doing or anything else you're curious about, don't hesitate to ask! Love you and miss you all!

Veronica

PICTURES! (in progress...)

2008-07-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

Meredith and Delmas:

one long day

2008-07-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

So it was Grandpa Merlyn that thought sleeping in Miami International Airport for 7 hours was a good idea. It wasnt. And though he has apologized and admitted to his wrong doings my back still hurts and I am still a little bitter. We were blessed to attend sunday worship at St. Joes this morning and although none of us received more that a 5 minute nap it was still uplifting as ever! We arrived at Wings, settled into our rooms and my first mission was Delome. I went downstairs to find him and ended up spending the day with him feeding him lunch and such. It was amazing! So aside from a few stomach aches and only recieving about 2 hours of sleep total in the past day and night it was a wonderful first day here in Haiti. =]
I want to say hello and i love you to all my friends and family! We are doing grreat here in this beautiful place, keep us in your prayers and we will see you soon!

Gods peace,
Jacquelynn

2008-07-06T17:51:00.001-07:00

This has been a long 48 hours since we left for Haiti. We all slept at the Miami airport. No one got more than three hours the whole night! Once we arrived in Haiti we went to St. Joseph's and were greated with ice cole water. Some of the boys led us in worship. Then we left for Wings of Hope. We helped feed the kids lunch and dinner. Dinner was a really good soup and filled us all up. I can't weight untill tommorow to see what we are going to do.

God bless,
Meredith

2008-07-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

This morning we left Miami early in the morning and were able to make it for worship at St. Joseph's. Though I've visited Haiti before and traveled the same roads, I was still overwhelmed with so many questions. Some of these questions I can articulate, but others I cannot. When we arrived at St. Joe's we were greeted, as always, with cups of cold water. Such a simple gesture and yet such a prfound one as well. (Please excuse the lack of journalistic discipline throughout the next few weeks:) ).

Worship at St. Joseph's was immediately inspiring. The passionate devotion of Michael and a few young men from St. Joseph's made me feel embarrassed about ever feeling bashful about my faith and about hesistating to share the love and gifts that God freely gives everyone. Though most of the worship was in Creole, no translation was needed, for God's message and his Spirit were loud and clear. Michael and the St. Joseph community gave us a hearty blessing for the rest of our trip and we headed up the hill to Wings of Hope.

Dinner Bell!
More Later.
Lauren

2008-06-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

A week from tomorrow, we will be on our way!!!!