Hey y'all!
I thank the Lord every day for the opportunity He has given myself and our entire team to be here in Haiti. It is such a privilege that God chose us to be born where we were born and to be invited by God Himself to see another place in which He dwells.
Today we had our last day of Vacation Bible School and it was awesome! We had 180 children come out from between the ages of under a year to 15 or 16. The joy in that place was tangible. We played many games and sang many fun songs. Everyday we do a skit to tell a bible story. Today's was David and Goliath. After the last line was said, and Goliath (Graham on top of Ben's shoulder's) had been defeated by a little boy (Trevor on his knees), the children cheered and hollered as if they too had won the battle. The children in Haiti have such pride in their nation and their people. We often play relay games between one of us and one of them, and whenever they win, which is almost always, they go wild. I wish there was the same passion in Canada. It is incredible to experience. We were also able to give every person in the building a filling meal and something to drink. Whenever we give people anything, I always picture it as if it is to Jesus, because it is. He says so himself, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink”. Everything for the glory of God.
We also went to an orphanage to play with the children that live there. We were able to have conversations with them, play soccer and jump-rope as well as basketball with human b-ball nets. At the end of our time there, the group of children sang us a farewell song, to which we sang a farewell song we knew in response. It then became a sing off and then a dance off of sorts. It was cool to be able to have that in common with them, that being the desire to have fun and be silly.
For myself, this trip has been heart wrenching and eye opening yet full of joy, hope, and especially love. We appreciate every word that is uttered in your prayers for us. We are also praying for you all back home.
Grace&Peace be yours in abundance,
Rachelle
(hey mum, I love you)
August 19th, 2011.
Hello everyone back home!
This trip has been a blessing and everything about it has been amazing, everyone in the group is getting along and bonding fantasticly. Today was the final day of the VBS (Vacation Bible School) with the local Haitian children near the church, and I loved everything about it. The children here are so welcoming and loving towards us, always wanting to climb and sit on our laps, and the little girls here are obbsesed with our hair, wanting to braid anyones hair who's long enough. At the VBS we did the usual singing with the kids in creol and english, then some group games of passing a balloon down the line in a under over fasion, which the kids love so much and get so enthusiastic when they win. We then followed with a Bible story/skit of the story of David and Goliath in which Trevor was David and Ben with Graham on his shoulders was Goliath, and as a stone was an egg to the face (Hilarious). Craft today was the Gospel bracelets with different colored meaningful beads, and that was crazy, the kids loved them, and as soon as they saw someone tie a bracelet they'd flock all of us to help them. So much fun. As today being the last day of the VBS we had a bit of celebration with an actual meal instead of just snack which was a simple, but delicious rice and bean stirfry dish. God's blessing and prayers to those children and there familys. Later today we went to visit a foster home about 15 minutes away to visit and play with the children there, and that was fantastic pretty similar to the VBS, but the children there were much closer to our age so we could try to have a decent conversation with them, as they try to teach us to count and say certain words.
Until I see when I get home and see everyone, Gods blessing and my prayers to everyone here and at home. (And love you momma!)
– Matthew
