Overnighting in the JFK, International Airport, NYC. The kids handled it like pros!
Getting in a cat nap on one of our layovers.
Hello Haiti!
All the familiar sights and sounds and smells..
Port au Prince from a rooftop.
Sunset.
City lights.
Visiting our old church in Port au Prince. We kind of forgot that if the service starts at 9:45 it doesn't actually start till much later with people wandering in all through the service. By the time the service was finished the place was full.
Getting reacquainted with old friends. (Some are scarier looking than others.)
A special family we served with in Haiti.
The next day we visited and spent time with Anoud and Denise and their children. It was very special as our kids grew up together and were very excited about getting reacquainted.
Of course our two oldest boys have the most memories and still consider each other best friends.
It was a very special time and new memories were made.
That afternoon we made the 3.5 hour drive to a village in the central plateau where good friends of ours (and our HFL partners) are located.
Haiti is rarely without some excitement and this time we suddenly came upon a crowd of people burning tires.
Apparently a police officer had gotten into an argument with a taxi driver. The argument escalated to the point where the police officer fired his gun at the taxi driver. The taxi driver ducked and one innocent bystander was killed and another seriously injured.
We were through it so quickly that we hardly had to time to comprehend the situation and only found out the reason later on. God did bring this verse to mind: When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Isaiah 43:2 What a comfort to know that "without the will of my heavenly father not a hair can fall from my head." (Heidelberg Catachism Q &A 1)
Nevertheless we were happy to see the welcoming gates of UCI and know that we had safely arrived.
It was exciting to see and hear how much they had grown and how God was guiding and blessing the work there.
That evening we were able to attend their belated Christmas program which was very special to see.
The boys quickly made friends and had a grand time.
Of course their favourite method of transportation was this..
Jason's parents had spent the last several years raising/earning money for various projects so that kept us adults busy in our time in the village.
My mother in law who had previously set up a sewing program now took the time to check up on the work of the sewers and encourage them in their work. We all were quite impressed with the young man pictured above who not only spoke English and translated all the sewing terms for my mother in law but had taken a Serger machine and transformed it into a treadle machine so it could be used without needing a power source.
We were also able to contribute and participate in various food programs for struggling families. It really reminded me again that it was more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Jayden also had the opportunity to sit in a Haitian classroom.
I think we take a lot for granted don't we?
One day in the village as the sun was sitting we visited some natural caves in the mountainside.
I actually occasionally struggle with claustrophobia but Jayden and several of his Haitian friends wanted to go deep into the cave and then climb up through a narrow chimney that would then allow you to emerge up higher on the mountain. Since I didn't want Jayden to go without an adult along and no one else volunteered I decided to go with them. It was very dark and narrow and the only light we had was from Jason's phone. Very quickly bats started swirling all around our heads and I had to fight down the panic. I turned to Jayden who was up ahead and was as calm as could be. "Don't worry Mom," he said. "Bats have echolocation so they won't fly into you." Instantly I felt much better and it struck me that knowledge was power. I could now carry on without fear because of something I knew. Wasn't that such a reminder of how we should "know the truth and the truth shall make you free"(John 8:32)
Once safely through the narrow opening, which was much harder to navigate then I had expected, we rested and examined the surface of the mountain.
It was quite interesting to discover all kinds of fossilized coral and shells and even beautiful crystals.
We then enjoyed a beautiful sunset.
Haiti is full of natural beauty if you know where to look for it and one afternoon we had the opportunity to take a small Haitian water taxi to a beautiful island.
It was absolutely beautiful!
The boys of course enjoyed the warm sunshine and tropical ocean..
There was much more to see and do..
We also started the preliminary work of getting a widow care program started in Haiti.
All in all it was a very special trip..
Jason hopes to return again in a few weeks and my next trip is planned for this summer God willing..
Some of the verses that I meditated on during my time there were these:
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the LORD and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Psalm 34:1-8
