Thursday, February 11

Our week in Haiti has come to an end. We have had a long day of finishing projects, packing up, and a last medical clinic at MPCA. We enjoyed fellowship with our Haitian brothers and sisters as they made us a delicious Haitian lunch and then the school board/local pastors joined us for our last dinner together. We are now tired and ready to return home to greet all our loved ones. We want to thank all of you for your prayers through this week. Look forward to seeing you soon!

One final shout-out for today:

Whitney Hogan: Hello family! I absolutely can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I am missing you all so much! Also, Happy Birthday to my sister Kelly and my sponsor child Wedgard!

Wednesday, February 10 

Today was a beautiful day here in Haiti. A four person construction crew went to Chardene to start the second playground, finishing quickly and making it back just in time for lunch. Mark, Ron, and Greg went to a site near Degeance to survey land for a possible future building project. They were accompanied by some goats that made the time there interesting. While the teams were out, some stayed behind to take inventory before heading home here in a couple days. Bev and Liane finished up another sewing class with the ladies of Lanzac. Because the crew at Chardene finished early they started working on some school desks. The team cut the desktops out, welded the frames, and finished it all off by staining the wood and painting the frames. 

Medical team drove a little over an hour up to LaHatte today to run another community clinic. John and Bud repaired desks and dug out water lines to the cistern while Josh ran the glasses department. The medical team saw many children today and had to chase some persistent chickens and their chicks out of the medical clinic. We continued to enjoy our evening here at Lanzac by eating food, listening to the ocean, playing Euchre, and celebrating Greg's 33rd birthday today. See you all in a couple days. Much love.

One special shoutout: Bud says Happy Birthday to his mom Rose!

The Birthday guy, Greg, is already hard at work in the early morning.

The medical team rides in style.

Just one of the many children that came today.

Jean at the beach....painting not sunbathing!

The women were so proud to get their certificates of completion for the sewing classes.

Tuesday, February 9

We had fun today with swimming in the ocean, napping in the hammock, and continuing the Euchre tournament. Oh, wait, first we worked--exhausting but rewarding work. The sewing team went to Degeance and celebrated all their accomplishments.  The ladies received certificates for completion of their work. They were delighted!  The construction team went to Chardene today for the first phase (digging lots of BIG holes) of the playground project there.  After the holes were dug, the posts were set in the cement.  Jodi and Bev stayed at the Mission Center and assembled teachers' desks. Hannah and Rachel organized all the donated school supplies. The medical team went to Dupin for the day. They were so excited to see the school after their sweat-drenching hike to get there. It was a busy day with many, many patients.

We don't know who is more excited--Liane or the sewing students.

Rich takes a break from construction to be an eye doctor for the day.

Barb has found a new career--lab technician.

Julie is always willing to lend a helping hand.

A precious moment from today--a visit with their sponsored children.

Bob bit Mark's thumb but they are still friends!

More Shout-outs:

Jeremy: Thanks for my family, Christina, Grace, and Micah. Missing you all lots but having an amazing time. Love you!

Barb:  Hello Family and friends! This trip has been awesome so far. I've been working with the medical team this week. Love and miss you!!

Greg:  Hello to Rebecca, G, A, M, and C! All is going very well. Love and miss you all!!!

Jean:  I love you, Gordon; I am counting the days. All has been very good here. Jeff L.--the snacks are great after a day's work.

Julie: Thank you family for letting me take this week away. I love and miss you!

Scott: Any more snow? Not a chance of it here, whew! Warm, humid, sweaty! Miss you all and so appreciate having the chance to help here. Thank you, Sheri, for your support and grace. Love you all very much. P.S. Carly, you are much missed here by many.

Monday, February 8

A new day dawned hot and sunny here in Haiti. With this new day came a lot of productivity. But, first, we neglected to write about yesterday's sewing project. After the inspiring church service and during the medical clinic, Liane, Jodi, Bev, and Julie helped the local women sew hot pads. Today, the sewing continued at the Mission Center with local women using looms to make more rugs with strips of t-shirt material. The construction crew had three projects today: more work on the playground as well as reinforcing some roof beams at MPACA, and varnishing table tops at the Mission Center.  The medical team went to Chardene. We had a good reminder of the easy access to medical care that we have in the US as we saw some difficult patient cases that need treatment (e.g. surgery) beyond what we could provide. Despite these cases, we were able to help many more people with medicine and treatments (including opening the suture kit).

Old t-shirts turning into a useful rug!

After a diligent search, no bats were found!

Jodi shows us that woman can do construction, too!

Monkeys finished the monkey bars!

Nursing assessment is the first stop at the clinic.

The providers (Scott, Belinda, and Andrea) hard at work

Bev loving on the children!

Today's shout-outs:

Jeremy: Miss you Ashley, Elijah and Callie.  Love you and see you soon!

Rachel:  Miss you all.  It's great here!

Marvin:  Miss you Kelli and Gabe.  Look forward to seeing you soon!

Hannah:  It is so beautiful here!  I appreciate everyone's prayers and can't wait to see you all.  Gabe, I'd say I miss you but I know you won't read this.

Ron: Really nice here, missing you, Shannon, as well as all the kids and grandkids (Cole, Kaylee, Elijah, and Callie).

Bud: Missing the boys, Chels, and unborn baby, Ezri?

Liane: Thanks for you cards! Love you...Texas is coming!

Austin: Mom and Dad, thank you for all of your prayers. They are felt and appreciated. Look forward  to seeing you soon. 

Stay tuned for more shout-outs tomorrow!

                

Sunday, February 7

Our day began with an amazing worship service at Degeance school--two languages but united as brothers and sisters in Christ. After worship, we held a medical clinic for the community. There were no construction projects on this day of rest but stay tuned for more construction updates.

The Pharmacists are ready to serve the drugs!

Many patients were examined and treated today!

Reading eyeglasses were very popular!

Very patient patients as they wait in a long line for the clinic.

Day two of medical clinic completed!

Here are a few shout-outs: 

Belinda: I miss you, Charlie, Alli, and Sam. I can't wait to see you and I love you so much!

Roger: This place is very cool and interesting. Even so, I miss you and home. This will be a great week but will be glad to get back.

Rich: Hello family back home! I miss you guys even though the weather is AMAZING. I can see why this place is on your bucket list. Hanne, I miss you, too. :)

Josh: I miss you Heidi, Wilson, Abram, and Annie. Love you and I can't wait to see you.

Bev: Thinking about all of you. Thanks for your prayers!

Mark and Pam: We are having a good time! We have had GREAT TEAMS. We miss Ayden, Truett, Ellis, Eliza, Wyatt, Bo, Nash, and Lena. See you soon!

Andrea: I miss you, Eric, Noah and Anna. Hope the Super Bowl party was fun! I love you and look forward to seeing you soon.

More shout-outs tomorrow--stay tuned!

Saturday February 6th

Today the construction team worked on a playground for the Lanzac school. The team broke up into teams each working on sections of the project. They built swings, monkey bars, and teeter totters. The children came for moral support and enjoyed the job of testing out the equipment. The squeals of joy coming from the children made the day worth all the tireless work of gathering supplies, making plans, and doing the construction. Everything is much more difficult here and nothing is taken for granted. The Lord loves these Haitian children and these children see it in the way Mission Possible sacrificially serves their needs which includes their physical, spiritual,educational and even their need to play. Happy children are well loved. And the team enjoyed joining the work of love.

We will be adding more medical pictures tomorrow. The Medical team went to the rice fields north of St. Marc. We were in awe of the sun glistening off the bright green blades of the rice plants. We came to a small village where there was a church. The medical team came in, moved benches and made a waiting room, in take room, examining room, a lab, a pharmacy, and outside the church we had an eye clinic. Of course the medical team had to be resourceful. The people were beautiful. We heard the most beautiful worship coming from voices of thankful Haitian people as the welcomed us with a song. We we were beyond moved. We saw around 168 patients in 7 hours. The Hygiene kits were so needed.  I wish all those hands who put those kits together, could see the depth of gratitude witnessed in these women's eyes.  

Week 3 team arrival

Hello from Haiti!!!!  For those of you wondering if your loved ones for week 3 have arrived, wonder no more, they have joined the 5 that remained and we all just enjoyed our first meal together.

While waiting for the week 3 team Mark, Pam, Liane, Bob and Jean took care of some loose ends and minor repairs. Also they caught up on some needed rest.

We appreciate all your prayers!!!!   By the end of our stay the construction team hopes to see the children at two schools playing on their new playgrounds.  The medical team will be holding clinics in a different community each day

Another good day in Haiti. Medical started out at Lanzac and proceeded to Lahatte for the remainder of the day. Construction was at MPCA and at the Mission Center doing many different chores. Sewing went to Degeance for the morning. God is good all the time....

A quick potpourri of Week 1 & 2;

Week 1 Mugshot.....

Tell me when it hurts.....

Jon roughing it...

The construction team started a new company...

St Marc-they prayed over us at church Sunday...

Liane's proud group of quilters at Degeance......

More and more blessings each day. Thank you for your prayers.

For His Glory!

Who Let the Bats Out?

Week 2, Day 4

To find out who let the bats out, see the Shout Outs at the end! 

Today, the team separated into three groups: the first group did construction at Lanzac and MPCA, the second group built and painted tables on the compound, and the third group did student physicals at MPCA (Mission Possible Christian Academy).

The team in the back of the the Mission Possible truck, on the way to one of the schools:

But Christian prefers to ride a Haitian Harley and feel the wind blowing through his hair...

After mixing cement for several days in a row, Ty figured out a new use for his shovel...

Steve is looking for something to haul in his wheelbarrow. 

Party at the end of the day! Is that a lampshade on Tammy's head?

Shout Outs

First, who let the bats out? 

Jeff and Hachemy did! 

While driving from Port-au-Prince back to Lanzac after a long hot day, Jeff and Hachemy were sleepy and dozey. Jeff was rudely awakened when something hit him square on the forehead! They didn't know what it was - but the truck window was open, so it could have been anything from a coconut to a flying flip flop.

Jeff and Hachemy settled back down, preparing to doze the rest of the way to Lanzac. Twenty minutes later they were sound asleep when Hachmey felt something wiggling and squirming between his back and the seat. He groped around behind him and found the culprit. 

As soon as Hachmey saw what it was - a black bat the size of a cat!!! - he threw it onto Jeff's lap. Both he and Jeff started "screaming like little girls" while Jeff scrambled to get the bat off his lap and out the window. Stat!

That's who let the bat out. Jeff! With Hachmey's help. 


Now for the Real Shout Outs

• Tam Diller - love you, see you in three days!!!

• Heather, saw Mardochee today! He misses you!

• Mom, Dad, Gwen, Dave, Kaige, Josh and all - I was on construction duty today - a tin roof at a playground. Played with many kids. A few live at an orphanage and speak great English. Missing you - this really has been a wonderful experience! God is at work here. Can't wait to see you. Looking at my phone at photos of you all. Love you - Gayle.

• Bruce, remember our bat on Bowen Island? I think this one was three times as big...or so say our Haitian and American friends... I miss you all and woof you and will see you in a week xoxoxo  

Wish you were here! See you soon :-)