Feburary 22, 2014

 

               It was another beautiful, sunny day to accomplish our work today.  Heather, Jeff, Dave, Reuben went to Chardene to paint chalkboards and attach chalk trays to the walls.  Heather taught a group of children to sing “God is So Good” in English.  She shared a video of them with us. It made the work much more fun for her!

               Most of the workers spent the day painting and waiting and repainting and waiting to repaint again. (Humidity is not good for drying!) Brittany and Bev painted a cabinet and its drawers.  Heather painted cupboard doors for Rachel’s Inn.  Carrie, Jean, Katie, and Ruth painted door frames.

Jean, Ruth, Pam, Katie, and Carrie took time from painting to assemble two grease boards for two of the schools. (A grease board is similar to a dry erase board.)

              Pam spent a large portion of her time organizing! The pharmacy area has never looked so good!  We have noticed that she is very talented in this area! 

               We were tired of hearing mangoes falling on the roof (and getting impatient waiting for them to fall) so we sent Jake up to throw them down.  We formed a mango assembly line with Jake rolling mangoes down the roof with Katie and Heather catching them in a trap. We enjoyed some tasty mangoes for dinner tonight.

               Jake and Mark fixed holes in the roof at the vocational school in MPCA.  It was a dirty, hot job, but someone had to do it.  We couldn’t find anyone better to do it.  Thanks, guys!  Steve and Dan put up chalkboard trays and moved and mounted cabinets there too.  They worked quietly because the nurses were taking tests close by.  

               Jeff took a nap after lunch.  He’s very talented.  He catches flies while sleeping.

Shout outs---

               Hey, Gordon, we really could have used the vacuum press today and your woodworking skills!

Miss Chelsea, love you and praying for you!

            OB girls! The mom with no fht is ok!  Praise the Lord! Our mothers with high blood pressure went to the clinic and are on medication.  They’re doing much better!

               The boy’s leg from Degeance looks great! There’s a reason for coming to Haiti!  Just in case you doubt it!

               

Feburary 21, 2014

Hello from Haiti again.  Today was another successful day.  Bev, Heather and Ruth hiked to Dupin with 50 pound backpacks loaded with hygiene kits.  I think we have a few sore necks and tired bodies.  It was such a blessing to have Ruth interpret for us with her medical background.

The guys kept busy today.  Jake managed to get a little sunburnt while repairing roof leaks with Mark.  (Yes Mom and Dad, he did wear sunscreen!)  Jake’s youth and strength has been handy to have this week.  Dave kept busy with woodworking and hanging doors.  Reuben and Jeff started shop inventory and prepared equipment for moving.  Dan and Steve hung a blackboard and a new storage cabinet at the vocational school.  Dan’s knee seems to be doing a little better after his mango tango!

Pam, Jean, and Carrie traveled to MPCA to instruct the nursing students.  We were blessed to have the school’s physician with us today.  We dissected a pig heart and the students were very eager to learn.  As they gathered around the heart, it was fun to see their enthusiasm.

Monita, our Haitian kitchen helper, did some special cooking at lunch today.  French fries, fried plantain, and peekleez (spicy onion and habanero) were some local foods on our menu. 

Liane had another sewing class today.  This has been a delightful group of ladies to work with.  There has been much bonding as we share laughter, devotional time, and of course lots of sewing!  The ladies are pretty excited to finish up their projects and graduate on Monday.  Katie and Brittany were a big help in class and the Haitian girls loved taking their pictures with them.

Thanks for all the support at home.  Please keep praying for our safety and that we all will finish strong. 

Shout outs from:

Katie – Hi mom.  Don’t forget to celebrate my half birthday tomorrow!

Pam- Tyler, you are my favorite child.

Liane – Lynn, Can we go out to eat when I get home?  Love you to the whole family!

Mary Jean – g. Love thee.  Chip and Dale, be ready to wag your tails soon.

Carrie – Love ya boys!  Doing great in Haiti.

Jake – Love you mom from your least favorite child.  Tell Cierra I said Hi.

Mark – Ready to be home with my grandboys.  Be home soon.

Heather and Jeff – Lisa and Megan.  Thanks for the birthday treats. 

Dan – Hello to Pat and all the kids.  Sorry Paul I missed your birthday.  Can’t wait to find the results of Allison’s ultrasound.

Bev – Love to my family and friends!  Teaching is going great!

                                                                                                                                                          

Feburary 20, 2014

Bonswa from Haiti. 

Last night we had a good rain. It was the first thunder storm of the month. The storm caused many mangos to fall and hit the metal roof all night long. But this wasn’t the only mango mishap of the evening. Dan was making a trip after dark, without a flashlight, and slipped on an open mango. The incident is now known as the Mango Tango. He’s okay but he’s walking a little slow today.  

Today was a busy day here.  A group traveled to MPCA to drywall and paint in the new classroom built last week.  There we discovered unsafe steps leading to the roof.  Mark and Jake were careful climbing up and down to inspect leaks in the roof.  Tomorrow’s project will be repairing the stairs and then fixing leaks in the roof of the school.

Carrie taught a cardiac class at the nursing school today. There were 35 students. Tomorrow they plan to dissect goat and cow hearts.

Bev, Pam, Brittany and Ruth traveled to Chardene this morning. Bev taught 158 girls about their menstrual cycle and hygiene. Ruth translated the message and at the end of the class the girls were each given a hygiene kit. God knew what we needed.  We had exactly enough kits for the girls who attended the class. We also delivered 6 soccer balls donated by the Ebenezer team.

Bev and Pam were able to meet up with their sponsored children.  Brittany was fortunate to bond with a cutie pie and several other children.

Jean finished her masonry project at the Rachel’s Inn.  She is such a hard worker.

We had an extra friend re-join our crew this morning. Heather was lucky enough to catch a rat on a sticky trap last night. But this morning, when Steve attempted to drown it, it escaped.

Looking forward to tomorrow.  

February 19, 2014

We said good-bye to a wonderful group of 27 workers today.  They were such a blessing!  Everyone worked well together and accomplished so much! There were group pictures, a few songs, and a lot of hugs! Today we are also wishing a very happy birthday to our team member, Heather!

So much was accomplished during this week.  The new roof in Chardene looks awesome and the children moved into the classrooms immediately! Cabinets were made, walls were built, doors were painted and hung, soccer balls were distributed to the schools, and more improvements were made to Rachel’s Inn.  The medical team administered to close to one thousand people. There were many infections, wounds that needed attention, a few pregnancies, and other concerns. They had plenty of help, caring interpreters, and prayers for everyone!  What a blessing!  God is so Good!

Today ends week three and week four begins.  Six new volunteers with servant hearts arrived safely today. They got acquainted to their new environment and had a delicious meal.  They will rest from their journey tonight and be put to work tomorrow! 

Along with our blessings to the Haitian people, we were also very blessed by the things God showed us through them. We pray that we each grow in our faith during this experience and take part of Haiti back to America with us!  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!  May God bless you richly!   

February 16, 2014

Hey all! This morning for church we traveled to St. Marc where the St. Marc church is located. This is the local church led by Pastor Herve. Needless to say we stuck out like sore thumbs but Herve had some of the church members pluck us out of where we were sitting to sit with them and I’m sure everyone from our team would agree that it was a pretty neat idea. We all felt more unified as brothers and sisters in Christ and less like visitors. I can’t help but talk about the worship we experienced this morning. 

I think it is safe to say that we were all pretty moved by the Creole language and Haitian voices booming out over the mountain side, loud enough for the entire town to hear praise to our Father. A few of us were brought to tears, myself included. I am not sure whether it was the setting, looking in front of me to see mountains in the distance and the sunshine beaming through the windows onto us, or if I was just overtaken by the compassion and love that I know the Lord has for the people of Haiti. It was truly an indescribable experience. It is such a wonderful thing to see God moving in Haiti.

After church the medical team and a few volunteers stayed to set up a clinic at the church. We all agreed it went very smooth and we were able to give care to about 130 people, church members and community members alike. We had three translators with us today and several nursing students and English students that were there to witness their teachers in action translating for us. It is such a great thing, they want to learn our language as much as I’m sure a lot of us would like to know theirs. We had a lot of the same complaints we’ve been seeing as we’ve given care over the past few days but I can say we are running like a well-oiled machine now that we are 5 days in! Turns out you can turn any room into a full functioning clinic J

While the medical team ran the clinic, the hard laborers of the construction team took a much needed Sabbath rest. It was a gorgeous, sunny, 85 degree weather day so everyone took advantage of the ocean and the hammocks today. All in all it was a solid day of worship, rest, and fellowship today. Below are some more shout outs to our loved ones back in frigid Ohio…

- Kathryn Bash

Thanks for all your prayers.  I have been doing finish carpentry for the first time in my life.  From chalk board trays up to and including the kitchen sink!

P.S. Larry, you can shut off my heat now.                                                                                          -David H.

Thanks for everyone’s support and prayers.  I’m feeling great. I’ve helped the medical and construction teams and also helped cook a few meals! Dad, I hope you’re being nice to Patrick!:) 

Alissa G.

Thanks for all your prayers while I have been in Haiti!  I have been doing construction almost every day and loving it.  Miss my Jackie, all my kids and grandkids!

Bob L. (BOZ)

Thanks for all your support at home. Been welding for three days and the roof is almost done. Hello to all my family, I miss you.

Ron

Earlene, I love you and the finger is still attached.

Steve

Hello to Madeline and Lincoln from Haiti! Happy 30th Birthday Nichole!

Kristen, Steven, Kathryn

See you soon Doneta, Brittany, and Amanda!

From sweaty Dad

All is going well! I miss you Will, Nathan, and Alison!

Charlie

Love and miss you all! Jack, pencil me in one of your time slots so I can tell you all about it when I get home.

Jean

Can’t wait to tell you all about everything I’ve seen and experienced so far! I miss you, Tara!

Thomas              

February 15, 2014

Yesterday (Friday) the medical staff saw 195 patients at Dupin. It was a bit crazy at times but we accomplished a lot. Today (Saturday) 100 patients were seen at Lanzac before lunch and then the medical staff enjoyed a free relaxing afternoon.

Yesterday the construction crew made good progress on the roof of the school in Chardene and should finish today. They showed their strength by manually placing the steel trusses in place with Haitian help.  Construction of a new schoolroom continued at MPCA with good progress made.

Pastors Jim & Dick, along with Pastor Herve, are leading a seminar with local pastors today, and will be preaching tomorrow (Sunday) both morning and evening.

We had three special visitors today. Sam, Daniel, and Winsor took a tour of the Mission Center. They were very pleased to see the progress as Sam was one of the original builders who built some of the Mission Possible schools. He embedded a stone cross in each of the schools and churches.

Shout outs:

Jeff - “Hi to Leah, Ben, Marco & Jack. Miss and love you a lot. Everything is going great here. Hope all is well back home. See you soon.”

Bev – “Love to family and friends. Thanks for all your prayers!”

Jeremy - “Hi and I miss you” to Ashley and Elijah.

Sarah - “I love you” to Jared, Jacob & Eli.

Dave & Kathy - “Thanks for praying, and we’re all doing well.”

Pam – “I miss my five grandsons!!”

Mary Jean – “Thanks to family and friends. I am benefiting from all the prayers. I am praying for you too! Blessed.

Liane – “Love to you, Lynn, and kids, and a special thanks to Laura for the quilt fabric!”

Heather – “Hi Hailey, Ashley, Jackson, Josie & James – miss you all!”

Katie – “Thanks for the Valentine’s Day gift, Mom. Andrew, you would love the medical clinics down here. Jenn, I miss you to the moon and back!”

Chuck & Saun – “Hi Jen & Tim, Alisha, Chris & Jen, Josh & Addie, Payton, Logan, Vera, Luke & Liv! See you soon.”

Dick & Cheryl – “Prayer Partners, we appreciate your prayers!! Family, we are experiencing life here like we did in the Philippines. Love you!”

Kathryn – “Mom, Dad, Ally, Cherilyn, I miss you all and hope all is well in chilly Ohio. I love you all and cannot with to share this experience with you!”

Lisa – “Hi Nick, Courtney, Emma, Brittany, Ashley & Elijah – miss you all! Thanks to all my prayer partners. God is faithful! I’m doing good! Keep on praying! Love you all!”

Mikaela – “Thank you all for your prayers and support! I have gotten a bruise and a tan. Mom and Chad, you guys should have come. (Mom, lots of people agree.)”

Diane – “Happy birthday, Mark! Missing all of you. Take care, and I will be home soon! Love to you all, and thanks for praying.”

Jim-Hi Pat and Family, all is well, having a blast.

February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine’s Day from Mission Possible in Lanzac, Haiti. We mention Valentine’s Day because everyone, I mean everyone, is wanting us to wish their family at home loving, endearing, and heartfelt wishes. We are, of course, obliging; however, Train and Reigie owe Dave their dessert for the rest of the week. So if you reading this and are a wife, husband, sweetheart, brother, sister, child, parent, grandparent, or pet, Happy Valentine’s Day!!

In the medical emergency area, while working with sheet steel, young Thomas Fett suffered what initially was reported as a gaping wound to his calf which required immediate medical attention.  The medical crew, however, reported treatment involving a Snoopy band-aid.  Although he is not known for it, Caleb Elsea demonstrated impressive song and dance skills after backing into some live electrical wires.  “Sparky” as he is now affectionately known, is doing fine.  I can assure you that the team is taking every precaution to be careful.  However, these young guys including Ben Moser are somewhat preoccupied with their Valentine sweethearts (for whom they forgot to get gifts.)

Believe it or not, we did get some work done on Thursday:

·       The medical team connected with 140 children and adults.

·       One construction team built and painted metal trusses and installed steel roofing.

·       Another team built cabinets.

·       Another group painted doors, cabinets, and jambs.

·       Still another group installed new doors on the mission center.

·       And others performed various maintenance tasks.

Dave & Kathy Brauen