Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Nothing like starting a day competing with the locals for a tap tap. They certainly have an edge on me. I wish I had a video of me trying to pretend like I know what I’m doing. But hey guess what, I got where I needed to be and that’s all that matters.
Once I got to the meeting place to meet Harry we headed to the school. I had a very busy schedule ahead of me. First off I had a meeting with two very good friends from another area. We spoke of problems in a certain village that we have no control over and how we might be able to overcome and move past the garbage. Ultimately we just let God have it and we know that He will make all cool.
We also had a very good meeting with Madam Fani and spent several hours with her. I really love this lady and I think all her motives for Croshie (a village that I talk about often) are right, she to is fighting the heart of man. We all face things things we must put aside at times and look at the greater picture. The cool thing is that her house is finally finished and she can at least turn the page on that part of her life.
From there we moved to the school and meetings with the teachers. It is so cool to see the school operating on its own. Praise God we are not so arrogant to try and implement American ways on a non American country. What we can offer are teaching strategies that may help propel their students to a new level of development. We meet with the teachers and they seemed to be in a place where our vision and their vision were the same. They are such a sweet eager group. I know it will take much time to make the thinking process of education change but I am willing to fight the good fight. One thing I wanted the teachers to understand is that we feel what they know and how they are teaching is great. We just feel that we might have a strategy in place to ignite these children into a learning fireball.
From there we got the stove to the FAVILEK ladies. OMG they were so stoked . I am not sure I have been around a more excited group of women than these. What a blessing it was to be able to help this group of ladies. I am so thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet Brent and to be introduced to the need. Man I just thank God that He has let us go down a little less traveled traditional “missionary” path. I am just glad that Jesus showed us what we are to really be. So when we screw things up we only have to blame ourselves (Phillipians 2:5-8). He laid it all out for us what we do with it is up to us.
Feb 20-22
Haiti Mission Trip Jan 20-22, 2012
My last few days in Haiti were filled with cyber cafes and wrapping up strategy meetings with Harry. We spoke about our continued vision of salvation through education. As I prepared to leave the guest house on the 21st Harry and I had one more powwow about our possibilities of becoming and official organization in Haiti. I packed myself into the guest house van that drove us to the airport and once again had to deal with the hassle of having people trying to help me with what little luggage I had so they could make a buck or two. I finally got through the circus and got checked in.
I saw Chuck in the airport and we had the same flight all the way back home. Once again I was going home the same way I came to Haiti, via NYC. I will be staying this time with my good friend Deborah Ottenheimer and her family. Once we touched down I was greeted with 3-6 inches of snow and 24 degree air temp. I left Haiti in doggers (surf trunks) but had the smarts to throw a pair of long pants and a jacket in my back pack. I hailed down a taxi and gave him the directions to Deborah’s house. It was about a forty five minute drive to Brooklyn from JFK where her family lives. I had my first warm shower in 8 days and she had prepared me a nice grilled steak. Awesome, totally. Got a great night’s sleep and got to play in the snow for a little while before Deborah and her 5 year old son Ben took me to the airport for my journey back to my home and family. It was another successful Haiti trip full of communication, relationship building, learning, giving and growing. I am already anticipating the next Haitian journey. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Kenny
GMSM