Alec and I arrived to the orphanage yesterday evening. It's such an amazing place that God clearly works. In irish culture, they believe there's some places on this planet you can go and be closer to heaven. You can feel closer to the Lord. They call these places, "the thin places"
This orphanage is certainly one of the Thin Places, where the vail between heaven and earth just feels thinner.
We woke up this morning to the roosters crow and the pitter patter of little feet. Such a great way to wake up. We got up and saw the sun rise over the africa country side, and once we pulled the cameras out, it didn't take long before we had 50+ kids surrounding us all wanting their pictures taken.
Alec and I are starting filming today, so pray for us. We also got huge news when we arrived... the king of Uganda is coming to the orphanage this Friday, so Alec and I get to meet the King. How cool is that!!!
- Ryan (Team leader)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
EastLake Uganda Team is on the Ground!
We are a group of 7 traveling from Seattle, Washington to Bulunga, Uganda to do God's work and show God's love to the orphans at Hope Child Care Program. This is our Blog! Please follow and pray for us before, during and after our adventure.
The Team
Leaders: Ryan Van Drunen and Marianne Sidwell
Members: Ashley Picone, Alicia Coleman, Julie Kink, Drew Bixby, Alec Cattarin
Our Project
Water Catchment Tanks are used to collect rain water. They rain will drain off the roofs through a gutter system and into the tank. The water will be used for agricultural needs as well as a backup water source in the event of a well failure.
Dear God, We thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for bringing each of us to this group to do your will in Bulunga and thank you for providing for us financially to make this happen. Please prepare our hearts for what we are about to experience and allow His love to shine through us in these weeks to come. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mother Theresa said, "At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by, "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.""
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
EastLake Team Headed to Nicaragua!
We're counting down the hours!
Last December Mike and I had dinner with Halle and Kathy August who, a little over a decade ago - quit their jobs, sold their Bothell home, took their three school-aged boys out of school and moved to Nicaragua as a family. They had gone on a mission trip over the summer, and had felt God calling them back to the community they had been serving. The started Alongside Ministries, and built a recreation center basically from the ground up. They now have a full size soccer and baseball field, basketball courts, a computer lab, one of only TWO libraries in Managua, a pre-school and a feeding program. The community knows they are Christian, but they don't have an on-site church. Their philosophy has been just to love on the community, and through that love - they have shown the true power and spirit of Christ.
When we met at Red Robin right before they were about to fly back down south - after our conversations and hearing their story, we pretty much knew right away we'd put together a mission group to go down and help in whatever way we could. Less than a year later we're now leading a group of 11 (including us) to serve their center and their community. God has BIG plans for us, and everyone is so excited!
We've been blessed with amazing, un-anticipated gifts of donated clothing and shoes, and we raised enough money to purchase 36 brand new books for their library. We are bringing 3 donated sewing machines and bolts of fabric to teach women how to make book bags, have games and prizes and activities for the kids, and even plan to give the gift of manicures for at least 20 women while we're there.
The majority of our group have never traveled this far away from home, and all but 3 have never been on a mission trip before. While Mike and I know a little bit of Espanol, the rest of the group does not. It's going to be so amazing to see how God works in and through all of us during this journey, and watch how all of the planning over the past 5 months comes together! If you're reading this, please pray for Jessica, Jenny, Claire, Evan, Chad, Jared, Jen, Michelle, Debbie, Mike, (and Julie.) We leave Thursday morning from Sea-tac - arriving at 6: (oh-dark) 30 AM, and will spend over 7.5 hours on two different flights along with a 3 hour layover in Houston. We'll be tired on arrival, but so excited to see what's next!
Cheers! Mike and Julie Metteer
When we met at Red Robin right before they were about to fly back down south - after our conversations and hearing their story, we pretty much knew right away we'd put together a mission group to go down and help in whatever way we could. Less than a year later we're now leading a group of 11 (including us) to serve their center and their community. God has BIG plans for us, and everyone is so excited!
We've been blessed with amazing, un-anticipated gifts of donated clothing and shoes, and we raised enough money to purchase 36 brand new books for their library. We are bringing 3 donated sewing machines and bolts of fabric to teach women how to make book bags, have games and prizes and activities for the kids, and even plan to give the gift of manicures for at least 20 women while we're there.
The majority of our group have never traveled this far away from home, and all but 3 have never been on a mission trip before. While Mike and I know a little bit of Espanol, the rest of the group does not. It's going to be so amazing to see how God works in and through all of us during this journey, and watch how all of the planning over the past 5 months comes together! If you're reading this, please pray for Jessica, Jenny, Claire, Evan, Chad, Jared, Jen, Michelle, Debbie, Mike, (and Julie.) We leave Thursday morning from Sea-tac - arriving at 6: (oh-dark) 30 AM, and will spend over 7.5 hours on two different flights along with a 3 hour layover in Houston. We'll be tired on arrival, but so excited to see what's next!
Cheers! Mike and Julie Metteer
Friday, September 16, 2011
Hungary Love
The EastLake Hungary team is off! Message from leader, Susan:
It’s funny. A few minutes before I started writing this, I came across a list I’d written on 2/13/09 entitled, “Things I’d do if I only had 30 Days Left to Live.” It was a homework assignment Pastor Ryan gave us back then. I was laying on the beach in Miami when I wrote it. The first thing on my list was 1. Go on a mission trip. Little did I know that only 2.5 months later, I’d be on my way to an orphanage in Thailand. And that 2.5 years later, I’d be leading a trip to Hungary…
This Sunday, September 18, 2011, my Mom & Dad, Mel, Abby, Kim and a Dutch pastor named Hessel will be on our way to northeastern Hungary to join a little church in Kisvarda in spreading love to their local Roma community (also referred to as "gypsies"). We’ve also got 4 gentlemen from here meeting us in Kisvarda to join my dad in the construction work.
We want to help this little Roma church build a safe place for their families to go, provide for those in need, teach English to those who want to learn, and reach out to their neighbors through a community event we're organizing at the end of the week. Dad’s going to assess the construction work that we can handle during the week we’re there, but our top priority is the daycare that the church is feeling led to build, specifically to feed and care for those Roma children whose parents can’t. Additionally, the yard needs work, so that the kids can play soccer and basketball. And the kitchen, bathroom, and outside steps are just a few of the other areas of concern. By building a safe place for the local Roma to come with their children, where they can experience the love of Jesus from their local community and learn how to build relationships and effectively integrate into society, we believe that we can positively impact the lives of this marginalized people. Our vision is for this trip to be the first of many, to build relationships, in the hopes to one day build a school for Roma children.
This trip is entirely grassroots…we’re not partnering with any organizations. We held a fundraiser last Friday to raise the money we’d need for the construction materials, paint, furniture, school supplies, food, and whatever else we need to help this little church help the local Roma. We even planned to hire local workers to get more of the work done AND bring work to the community (where 80% unemployment is the norm)! Amazing how God gave us JUST enough to meet our goal…not less, not more.
So we’re here, safe and sound -- Mom, Dad, Abby, Kim and I. Mel should be arriving in an hour or two… We’re meeting Jozsef, the pastor of the Roma church that I’ve been coordinating with tomorrow morning. And we’ve already met one of the 4 guys meeting us in Kisvarda on Sunday, Isti. He’s flying out to LA next week to get married, but not before doing a little mission work first. What a wonderful servant he is.
Stoked for tomorrow’s meeting and for the delivery of our 9 person minbus that I’ll be driving to Kisvarda in just two days (rad facebook profile picture to come)… Please pray that Mel arrives safely, for health, protection, and safe travels for our team, and that God continues to prepare the hearts of the people we’ll be serving in Kisvarda. Thanks so much for your love and support – miss you guys already!
Suzy
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Dance Party
First off, apologies for the long gap in posts. When Dan went to be with his daughter in the Naroibi hospital, we lost our laptop and connectivity. Btw, good news on Erica. She was able to fly to London a couple of days ago and is on her way home tonight. Her numbers are still up and down so please do continue to pray for her complete recovery.
The remainder of our trip went well. In Kitale, we played with kids at the Oasis drop-in center for street kids and held babies and the Mercy-Rescue center for orphaned babies. One of the coolest moments of the entire trip was at Mercy-Rescue. As we pulled in, some of the kids we had met earlier at the Oasis drop-in center recognized our vans and sprinted down the street, then climbed the fence to hang out with us again. It was great to have them there as we also played with the babies. At one point, one of the workers at Mercy-Rescue started playing some music and before you knew it, all the workers (with babies in arms), the street kids and our gang were dancing together in their nursery room. It lasted several songs and got crazy hot in there, but to see the joy on all of the faces (faces from such different circumstances) as we truly enjoyed each other was priceless.
Speaking of priceless, our Kenyan trip ended with a day and a half safari in the Masai Mara game preserve. It was an out of this world experience to see so many "exotic" animals just hanging out in their natural environment. We also got to visit a Masai village and see how they still live. These are the guys that are famous for how high they can jump, and their fierce/fearless hunting skills (which come in handy when you're surrounded by lions, leopards and other animals that are happy to put us human beings below them on the food chain). The last thing they did was show us how they slaughter a goat and then drink it's blood directly from the still beating heart. They kindly offered each of us a drink from the cup of blood they collected - there were no takers...
Finally, the day of our departure arrived and after 40 straight hours of travel we are having a different kind of dance party - grateful to all be home safe and sound. It was an amazing experience in so many ways, and we each have so much to process when it comes to all that we experienced. One last time, thank you so much for you support and prayers!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Flexibility
They say flexibility is key in Africa. They are right.
Our trip leader who heads the organization we're working with had to go back to Nairobi with his daughter who experienced acute kidney failure. It was pretty dicey for a while, but she is starting to recover (very miraculously), they are hoping to leave for London tomorrow. We are so grateful for her recovery. Of course we really miss them, but we are still in good hands. Our drivers are incredible, the lead driver is a Masai warrior who has killed a lion with only a spear and a club so I think that should cover any situation we face. Our interpreter was once the king of the street kids in Katale and is now an amazing partner in the ministry to street kids. And when you think of what amazing means to you he is more than that.
We have continued on with our original itinerary which has included working with widows in a rural area to teach them more sustainable farming. They truly have nothing but hope and they are doing amazing things. We've also visited an orphanage and and a hospital that serves the poorest of the poor run by lady that is the closest thing to Mother Theresa that I think I'll ever meet. All along the way, we have been playing with tons of kids, precious kids! Tomorrow we we will be working in a drop in center for street kids in the morning and an orphanage in the afternoon.
It is always challenging, the needs are so overwhelming every where we go. The culture is very dependent on outside giving, and it's always so tempting to just throw money at the problem, but we're learning how important it is to teach a man to fish instead of just giving him a fish.
As always, we are so grateful for you continued prayers for the remainder of our trip.
- Dave
Our trip leader who heads the organization we're working with had to go back to Nairobi with his daughter who experienced acute kidney failure. It was pretty dicey for a while, but she is starting to recover (very miraculously), they are hoping to leave for London tomorrow. We are so grateful for her recovery. Of course we really miss them, but we are still in good hands. Our drivers are incredible, the lead driver is a Masai warrior who has killed a lion with only a spear and a club so I think that should cover any situation we face. Our interpreter was once the king of the street kids in Katale and is now an amazing partner in the ministry to street kids. And when you think of what amazing means to you he is more than that.
We have continued on with our original itinerary which has included working with widows in a rural area to teach them more sustainable farming. They truly have nothing but hope and they are doing amazing things. We've also visited an orphanage and and a hospital that serves the poorest of the poor run by lady that is the closest thing to Mother Theresa that I think I'll ever meet. All along the way, we have been playing with tons of kids, precious kids! Tomorrow we we will be working in a drop in center for street kids in the morning and an orphanage in the afternoon.
It is always challenging, the needs are so overwhelming every where we go. The culture is very dependent on outside giving, and it's always so tempting to just throw money at the problem, but we're learning how important it is to teach a man to fish instead of just giving him a fish.
As always, we are so grateful for you continued prayers for the remainder of our trip.
- Dave
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
George Washington and the Young Presidents - KENYA
Wow… So much is happening it is impossible to capture it all but I will try to hit some highlights. We attended Church at the “ghetto church” – one of the few churches that is willing to welcome street kids, probably because they are also so poor. We played with their children for quite a while afterwards, they covered in dirt, but are so precious and fun to be with. We played and talked with street kids at Agape – an organization that takes street kids in, giving them a safe place to live and eat while teaching them with the eventual goal to integrate them back into society. The kids are AMAZING. They are so incredibly clever and gifted in many way. The invited Zack into their soccer game and though almost all of them were barefoot, they were way better than Zack (don’t tell him I said that). However, he scored a pretty sweet goal and they all celebrated. All of our kids are doing such a great job of playing with the kids – they have a very natural way with them and all of us parents are so proud of them.
Probably the most amazing thing that has happened so far was when some of our team members meet a group of street kids outside of a market. They ranged in age from around 6 – 12ish. They are easy to spot because they are covered in dirt, wear tattered clothes and have no shoes. A sad sight indeed. When we asked the oldest his name, he said “George Washington”, so we have taken to calling them George Washington and the young presidents. We told them to meet us in the same spot the next morning and we would take them back to the same church where they would be welcomed. We were so excited to see them there, and they piled into our van. The entire day was filled with many amazing memories as we discovered how incredibly talented and gifted these kids are. The most poignant example was when one who’s real name was Philip asked to play the piano. We expected him to just pound on the keys but he proceeded to play the most beautiful worship song, and the other children joined in with singing that was better than the the Church’s worship director. We were all in tears. It’s so sad that the vast majority of the people truly consider these children trash (when we were hanging out with them outside of the market, a passer by screamed “they’ll steal from you!”.) They are so wrong about these kids. They’re greatest joy was to take pictures with our digitial cameras throughout the day, all over the church (which is a tin building with a dirt floor) and all around the grounds outside. I have to admit that we were nervous we would not see our cameras again, but they were all faithful to bring them back. They are fiercely loyal to each other and share what little they have. At the end of the day, we took them to the park where we could pay to give them a shower, it’s what they wanted more than anything else.
Later than night, some of our team was trying to get some food to them and we found one of the boys walking alone – his clothes torn and he was crying. He and one of the other boys had been badly beaten. We cried with them, and told them how much we loved them and how valuable they are. We are trying to get them into the Agape house, but they won’t go until they are all willing to go. Many things are complicated here, at it’s not always easy to know how best to help, but we are believing that by being here and choosing to be with them in the midst of their pain we are indeed helping them.
We’ve also had the chance to visit a sustainable farming project in a more rural area that is incredible. There’s a local man who is teaching them how to grow sustainable crops so that they can feed their children so that they won’t have to go to the streets. We are going back tomorrow to play and hang out with their kids while they learn more practical skills.
So much more has happened and will happen. We look forward to telling you more in person and we are so grateful for your continued prayers and concern!
- Dave
Monday, July 11, 2011
A Message from Pastor Matt!
Hey guys! I’m stoked to head out tomorrow with charity: water and ICDI to Central African Republic. Pastor Ryan and I would appreciate your prayers for safe travels as we go and tour the first site where we attempted to hit water as part of last summer’s Drinks for Drinks campaign. This time we think it’s going to happen!
After trying once to hand dig a well to over 100 feet in depth and then drill with two different drilling machines through over one hundred feet of sand and spending literally thousands of dollars to get safe drinking water for these people in Moale… we are going back.
This time we are armed with geologists from V3 as well as a professional driller who has expertise in this area AND a mud pump which has never been used in the CAR. We believe that these people deserve as much as anyone in the world to have safe drinking water so we are going yet again to try to provide this for them.
This time we are armed with geologists from V3 as well as a professional driller who has expertise in this area AND a mud pump which has never been used in the CAR. We believe that these people deserve as much as anyone in the world to have safe drinking water so we are going yet again to try to provide this for them.
Thanks again for your prayers!
Matt
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Speed Bumps
We have safely arrived in Kisumu, Kenya - YEA!!!! It was quite a journey, with many speed bumps along the way - some metaphorical and some literal. Our journey was long, which of course we were expecting. There was 20 hours on airplanes, 9 hours spent in airports, and then we were blessed with an 8 hour van trip to go from Nairobi to Kisumu. I think my daughter said it best when she said that driving in Kenya is "funner". If by that, she means that it scares the poop out of you, then yes - it is funner... Rules of the road: the left is right, the right is suicide. Center lines are meant to be ignored. Passing is ALWAYS an option, usually done 3 wide on a 1 1/2 lane road. Swerving towards oncoming traffic is not only encouraged, it is required. At night, both parties are expected to flash their brights at each other, and then left one when actually passing so that everyone is equally blinded. Fun!!!!
Some speed bumps were harder than others. One team member from the ECC team had her laptop stolen in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Later the same day, another team member from Overlake had her backpack stolen from under her foot (literally), while eating parts is parts "chicken" from the Chicken Inn. Unfortunately, her backpack had her prescription medication and passport. Please pray that she would be able to get a new passport issued in time for her return.
After all of that, we started the drive which was originally estimated at 4 hours but took at least 8. A big part of that was cleverly disguised ninja speed bumps that sneak up on you and knock the teeth out of your head, as well as pop tires (we had two flats during the journey - who carries two spare tires in one van???? answer: Kenyan People!!!!) On the bright side, we saw 3 giraffes which is supposedly good luck (didn't work for us), a gang of baboons (or is that a pod), zebras and jackasses galore (the 4 legged kind). We were completely exausted when we finally reached our destination and hoping for a more quiet day which we were blessed with.
Today included the opportunity to speak with leaders of the largest Church in Kisumu to encourage them to take up the cause of the many orphaned street kids that are in their city, and a trip to city market. It's fun to be the one that sticks out in a crowd. The kids are very cute and very clever in their attempts to get your money, or at least buy them an ice cream.
We are going to bed, and are very much looking forward to attending Church here tomorrow morning, then helping out in the afternoon with an organization that has a great ministry for many of the street kids. Pray that we would trust God for the wisdom and direction we will need to clearly communicate the tremendous love God has for each and every one of them.
Lala sallama ("have a safe night" in Swahali).
- Dave, Laura and the Kenya Team
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
ECC Kenya Team!
From team leaders Dave & Laura Barnett, and the EastLake team visiting the community of Kisumu with www.untilthen.org
***
I can almost hear the clickity-clack beneath me – the familiar sound of the roller coaster lurching up that first big hill, about to crest the top and plunge into a wild and crazy ride. I’m nervous, yet excited – wondering where the ride will take us and how many ups and downs, twists and turns will be in our future.
Thanks so much to those of you who are praying for our trip. Pray that we would trust God no matter what; that we would know when it’s time to hold on, and when it’s time to throw our arms in the air and yell weeeeeeee!!!!!!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Closing Entry for Malawi...
We made it home, thank goodness! There was a moment in Washington DC where it felt like we were never going to reach Seattle :) I have never been happier to be at the North Satellite of Sea-Tac.
A few days have passed and I know the process of "coming home" takes way longer than that. As we all email back and forth, post inside jokes on facebook and look at pictures, something bigger is actually happening. Inside, we are all asking God - "what do I do now?"
That is the heart of missions - what is God asking of you? What is your next step? We know that everything we see and do is used by God to shape our character and that nothing is wasted. The hardest part is that character is shaped over longer periods of time, not in 5 days of processing or 2 weeks in Africa.
So we wait. And pray. And think. And hope. And wonder. Why did God have me go to Malawi? Why did I meet Henry...Dina...Gift...Stephen...Tadala...Thokozani...Clayton...Alan...the family in Mgwayi...that child in Chiwengo...? And what the heck do I do now that I'm at home, back to work, staring at my computer...?
And I have good news for you [inside joke :)] - we are not in control of what God is doing in our lives or how he teaches us. Our job is to pray, seek and be open to whatever He has for us...exactly what we were forced to do when we were in Malawi.
I believe that this mission trip was about WAY MORE than Malawi. God is moving and revealing himself to us, and as a team we were able to see a unique picture of that by taking ourselves out of everyday life, and going to Malawi.
We are grateful He chose us, and grateful that the Holy Spirit gave us the courage to accept the call and go.
And we are grateful for EastLake - a church that encourages us to seek God first and be on mission to share the good news that He has...for all of humanity, here in Seattle and around the world.
Signing off,
Kristen :)
A few days have passed and I know the process of "coming home" takes way longer than that. As we all email back and forth, post inside jokes on facebook and look at pictures, something bigger is actually happening. Inside, we are all asking God - "what do I do now?"
That is the heart of missions - what is God asking of you? What is your next step? We know that everything we see and do is used by God to shape our character and that nothing is wasted. The hardest part is that character is shaped over longer periods of time, not in 5 days of processing or 2 weeks in Africa.
So we wait. And pray. And think. And hope. And wonder. Why did God have me go to Malawi? Why did I meet Henry...Dina...Gift...Stephen...Tadala...Thokozani...Clayton...Alan...the family in Mgwayi...that child in Chiwengo...? And what the heck do I do now that I'm at home, back to work, staring at my computer...?
And I have good news for you [inside joke :)] - we are not in control of what God is doing in our lives or how he teaches us. Our job is to pray, seek and be open to whatever He has for us...exactly what we were forced to do when we were in Malawi.
I believe that this mission trip was about WAY MORE than Malawi. God is moving and revealing himself to us, and as a team we were able to see a unique picture of that by taking ourselves out of everyday life, and going to Malawi.
We are grateful He chose us, and grateful that the Holy Spirit gave us the courage to accept the call and go.
And we are grateful for EastLake - a church that encourages us to seek God first and be on mission to share the good news that He has...for all of humanity, here in Seattle and around the world.
Signing off,
Kristen :)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
And just like that...
Our trip is almost over.
Tonight is our last night in Malawi. It has been a crazy 2 weeks.
Our time in Chiwengo village was wonderful. Though the team was a bit shocked with the bucket showers and non flushing toilets, they were troopers and settled in just fine. COTN has their children's homes there, where the majority of the kids in full-time care reside. We truly enjoyed spending a few days with them. They are sweet, thoughtful, loving and joyful children. Our biggest highlight in Chiwengo was probably the surprise party thrown for Emily's birthday. We were moved and amazed at the celebration they pulled off for one of our team members. They were thrilled to be celebrating "another year of life"...Something they consider a huge accomplishment and blessing. It was a true celebration, one that I was definitely touched by.
The teaching at the school was another highlight. God for sure moved in that situation as we were able to (I think) effectively teach them about sexual purity and goal setting. You should be sure to ask any team member about the things we did. Although we were discouraged and heart-broken at some of the myths and craziness that they believed, we were so honored for the opportunity to tell them the truth.
Today was our last full day in Malawi - we spent it at the shores of Lake Malawi. It was a beautiful, fun and relaxing way to end the trip.
As a team we each took a turn tonight discussing our experience so far and a brief overview of what God is doing in our lives. I can say confidently that God is moving in this team of people - what a privilege it is to see Him at work in the lives of my friends...my Malawi family :)
I'm not able to summarize that part of it - how God has moved in each one of us. I hope you take the time to ask someone on the team about it.
Thanks for your prayers. We have felt protected, provided for and encouraged.
Kristen
Tonight is our last night in Malawi. It has been a crazy 2 weeks.
Our time in Chiwengo village was wonderful. Though the team was a bit shocked with the bucket showers and non flushing toilets, they were troopers and settled in just fine. COTN has their children's homes there, where the majority of the kids in full-time care reside. We truly enjoyed spending a few days with them. They are sweet, thoughtful, loving and joyful children. Our biggest highlight in Chiwengo was probably the surprise party thrown for Emily's birthday. We were moved and amazed at the celebration they pulled off for one of our team members. They were thrilled to be celebrating "another year of life"...Something they consider a huge accomplishment and blessing. It was a true celebration, one that I was definitely touched by.
The teaching at the school was another highlight. God for sure moved in that situation as we were able to (I think) effectively teach them about sexual purity and goal setting. You should be sure to ask any team member about the things we did. Although we were discouraged and heart-broken at some of the myths and craziness that they believed, we were so honored for the opportunity to tell them the truth.
Today was our last full day in Malawi - we spent it at the shores of Lake Malawi. It was a beautiful, fun and relaxing way to end the trip.
As a team we each took a turn tonight discussing our experience so far and a brief overview of what God is doing in our lives. I can say confidently that God is moving in this team of people - what a privilege it is to see Him at work in the lives of my friends...my Malawi family :)
I'm not able to summarize that part of it - how God has moved in each one of us. I hope you take the time to ask someone on the team about it.
Thanks for your prayers. We have felt protected, provided for and encouraged.
Kristen
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Days in Msilitza...
We have spent the last 3 days in Msilitza village. It is Children of the Nation's first village partnership program in Malawi and there are over 500 children who are part of the program.
We were so excited to be able to paint the preschool classroom - instead of dingy, dirty yellow, it is now red, green, blue and yellow...and also has letters, numbers and shapes on the wall. We also painted the widows' room and the kitchen as well (the kitchen is where COTN workers prepare 2 meals a day for those children.)
The other part of the team spent the days updating the sponsorship photos for the children. "Tsekalela!" was heard over and over and over ("smile!")
On Friday morning, we were the surprise guests at morning devotions for the high school students. We arrived to watch and join them, and found ourselves in the front row being asked to present the devotion. It was a good lesson for us that giving devotion to God verbally should never be a task or something we fear...it should probably come more easily to us than it actually does. We are going to practice!! Especially since the head master said, "Okay, well next week then" :)
Overall, we are just loving the kids here. We felt a little like celebrities driving through the village - the kids come running up to the bus, waving and yelling "Azungu BYE!" (Azungu is their word for white-person). All of the COTN kids just want to be near us - to hold our hands, teach us clapping games, get their picture taken. We had to remind ourselves that getting work done is NOT the point of being here. Letting these kids know they are loved and valued is.
Tomorrow we head to church in the morning and then travel 2 hours north to spend a few days in Chiwengo village where the COTN children live in the children's homes.
You can pray for us as we have the chance to present at a local school about motivation, goals, sexual purity, peer pressure, etc. on Monday and Tuesday. We are nervous but thrilled with that opportunity.
Thanks so much for thinking of and praying for us.
We were so excited to be able to paint the preschool classroom - instead of dingy, dirty yellow, it is now red, green, blue and yellow...and also has letters, numbers and shapes on the wall. We also painted the widows' room and the kitchen as well (the kitchen is where COTN workers prepare 2 meals a day for those children.)
The other part of the team spent the days updating the sponsorship photos for the children. "Tsekalela!" was heard over and over and over ("smile!")
On Friday morning, we were the surprise guests at morning devotions for the high school students. We arrived to watch and join them, and found ourselves in the front row being asked to present the devotion. It was a good lesson for us that giving devotion to God verbally should never be a task or something we fear...it should probably come more easily to us than it actually does. We are going to practice!! Especially since the head master said, "Okay, well next week then" :)
Overall, we are just loving the kids here. We felt a little like celebrities driving through the village - the kids come running up to the bus, waving and yelling "Azungu BYE!" (Azungu is their word for white-person). All of the COTN kids just want to be near us - to hold our hands, teach us clapping games, get their picture taken. We had to remind ourselves that getting work done is NOT the point of being here. Letting these kids know they are loved and valued is.
Tomorrow we head to church in the morning and then travel 2 hours north to spend a few days in Chiwengo village where the COTN children live in the children's homes.
You can pray for us as we have the chance to present at a local school about motivation, goals, sexual purity, peer pressure, etc. on Monday and Tuesday. We are nervous but thrilled with that opportunity.
Thanks so much for thinking of and praying for us.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Slaughtering Chickens
Well, hopefully that title got your attention.
After all is said and done, I think the one thing people on this team will tell you is that we had to slaughter chickens yesterday.
We spent our first full day in Malawi seeing what life is like for those Malawians who live in the villages nearby. In groups of 3 or 4, we met our host families and spent the morning doing chores with them like carrying water, spreading mud on the floors, sweeping with branches, shucking dried maize, etc. They got a huge kick out of us being so clumsy with their tasks.
After lunch we went to the local market on somewhat of a scavenger hunt to buy some grocery/gifts for our families that we would then help them cook. Chickens were on the list, unfortunately.
I actually didn't watch the sawing off of the head or blood draining in my group, I was consoling poor Emily who loves animals. Everyone else can tell you their stories when we get back. I'm just really glad we have brave guys on our team.
Today we began our painting project in another village along with taking sponsorship photos for Children of the Nations. We will spend the next 2 days continuing these projects. It's quite chaotic as the kids are so excited to see us, and we have trouble getting actual work done, but I am so proud of my team. They are hard-working, patient and up for anything.
We are loving our time here, and are thankful for the sunny weather. We are slowly but surely seeing God in new ways, and we are grateful for that as well.
Thank you!
Kristen
After all is said and done, I think the one thing people on this team will tell you is that we had to slaughter chickens yesterday.
We spent our first full day in Malawi seeing what life is like for those Malawians who live in the villages nearby. In groups of 3 or 4, we met our host families and spent the morning doing chores with them like carrying water, spreading mud on the floors, sweeping with branches, shucking dried maize, etc. They got a huge kick out of us being so clumsy with their tasks.
After lunch we went to the local market on somewhat of a scavenger hunt to buy some grocery/gifts for our families that we would then help them cook. Chickens were on the list, unfortunately.
I actually didn't watch the sawing off of the head or blood draining in my group, I was consoling poor Emily who loves animals. Everyone else can tell you their stories when we get back. I'm just really glad we have brave guys on our team.
Today we began our painting project in another village along with taking sponsorship photos for Children of the Nations. We will spend the next 2 days continuing these projects. It's quite chaotic as the kids are so excited to see us, and we have trouble getting actual work done, but I am so proud of my team. They are hard-working, patient and up for anything.
We are loving our time here, and are thankful for the sunny weather. We are slowly but surely seeing God in new ways, and we are grateful for that as well.
Thank you!
Kristen
Sunday, May 22, 2011
And we're off!
We leave tonight. That is crazy! This date seems to have been looming for a long time, and it's finally here. As a team, I can tell we're all feeling somewhere in the middle of a mess of anxiety, excitement, relief and fear.
So now all of the planning is over. No more preparation to be done.
I think our situation is best expressed in a few telling numbers:
** 7 months of meeting as a growth group.
** 26 50-pound bags about to be checked.
** 4 airplanes.
** 31 hours of travel.
** 14 people working together... and a whole lot more worrying about us :)
** Hundreds of kids waiting to be loved on.
** ONE God whom we love and want to follow.
We hope to update you through this blog whenever possible.
Thank you for your prayers!
So now all of the planning is over. No more preparation to be done.
I think our situation is best expressed in a few telling numbers:
** 7 months of meeting as a growth group.
** 26 50-pound bags about to be checked.
** 4 airplanes.
** 31 hours of travel.
** 14 people working together... and a whole lot more worrying about us :)
** Hundreds of kids waiting to be loved on.
** ONE God whom we love and want to follow.
We hope to update you through this blog whenever possible.
Thank you for your prayers!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Headed to Malawi!
This trip has been in the works for quite some time. Not only have we been meeting since the fall session of groups, but the idea of taking people to Malawi has been in my head for quite a bit longer than that.
I have led many mission teams before, but this is the first one where I honestly had no idea what we were going to do, I just knew that I wanted to go back to Malawi and I wanted to take people with me so they could see … see what God is doing, see how other people worship, see how other people live, see extreme poverty, see what Jesus meant when he said “religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”
As the leader, I prayed and prayed and prayed when the groups catalogue went online – that God would bring the right people for this team…and man, did he blow me away! Thirteen compassionate, willing, God-seeking and pretty-freakin-awesome people joined – I feel like the luckiest growth group leader in the history of EastLake.
So, we are going. Starting out with no plans at all, God heard our prayers and provided some ways for us to help, including painting one of the village community centers, pre-school classrooms and widows’ facility. We will be updating sponsorship information for the organization we are traveling with (Children of the Nations – www.cotni.org) and we will be teaching at a local high school to 240 teenagers about avoiding temptation and staying focused on their goals.
More importantly, we are going to see. Like Pastor Ryan said 2 weeks ago, my prayer is “God, open our eyes.” Open our eyes to see the kids that need affection and hope, the people who need prayer, the ways we think that are not inline with Yours, and most importantly, open our eyes so we can see how big You really are.
Thanks, EastLake, for your prayers. Here are the people on the team so you can be praying for us:
Tammy Anderson Carlye Fitzsimmons
Stephen and Jenn Branstetter Lindsay Heller
Andy Burchinal George & Danielle Mekhail
Kristen Bushnell Krislyn Millar
Krysten Campbell Brenda Pottish
Noel Christmas Emily Schaefer
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Last Haiti Blog...
CLOSING BLOG ENTRY – 2011 HAITI ORPHANAGE TEAM
We arrived home safely early Monday (May 9th) morning. I think we all had mixed feelings about having to come home because part of us wanted to stay in the hot, humid, dirty environment to keep lovin’ on the kids, and the other part of us missed our families & couldn’t wait to take a hot shower! ;-)
It’s very hard being back – I think the culture shock is harder coming home than it was going over. I can’t explain it in words because you just had to be there & experience what we experienced and see what we saw.
As I’m writing this, we’ve been back 4 days and I know most of us haven’t even felt like socializing because we need time to process everything. We are feeling the withdrawals from each other & from the kids; we formed such a bond with them & with each other – we became a family. This trip was truly about being the hands & feet of Jesus to those kids & malnutritioned babies. Jesus walked the streets always stopping to heal the sick, feed the hungry & help those in need. This particular outreach wasn’t about building anything or digging any wells for clean water, we just went to walk the streets & bring love, joy & hope to those kids and babies, and they loved every minute of it! They just want to be held & loved, to have someone pay attention to them & tell them they are beautiful & smart, and that they are important. This really gave us a “hands-on” experience & true meaning to God’s greatest commandment that we love one another; love – that’s what we are here to do.
Lastly, another key observation myself & others made while on this trip, is that the people of Haiti are so happy & content despite their circumstances. But the truth is, they don’t know any different – whereas, we were there comparing & thinking “how can they live like this!?” I noticed this immediately upon arriving & thought about it a lot during the trip because it fascinated me. In a way, I am envious of their world because they are living very simple, content lives, and they help each other out all the time. They are not corrupted by the “things” & distractions (i.e. material goods, media, celebrities etc) that we are, and by not having those “things”, they are able to be in the moment and be free from comparison. Pastor Ryan often says that “comparison is the thief of joy”…so maybe that’s why they are so happy…I don’t know – just something to think about. It makes me want to live my life more simply & more intentionally.
As the leader of this team, I feel so incredibly blessed by the group God gave me – they were the rockstar team! Everyone had such unique personalities, such amazing God-given gifts to contribute, and wonderful humor so that we were laughing non-stop even in the midst of such hard circumstances. ;-) I am so thankful for the special bond we formed & I know it will never be broken because we shared a life-changing experience together! At the end of our stay, one of the directors at the orphanage said this to us, “Don’t think about what seed you planted in Haiti & in these kids, but rather ask yourselves ‘what seed did Haiti & these kids plant in you?’” I know God is truly at work in the hearts & lives of everyone on this team, and I can’t wait to see what seeds this trip planted & how they grow in the next few months & years!
Thank you all for your prayers & support – God is good!
Heidi
Friday, May 6, 2011
Last Haiti Update
**********
Day 4 (Tues)
We spent the morning playing with the younger kids before they went to school. It's amazing how happy they are...we look at their circumstances (no parents/family) and surroundings (dirty, cramped living quarters, old/broken computers, limited food & clothing etc), and we feel sorry for them, but to them it's a luxury and they seem very content because it's better than being on the street and wondering when their next meal will be.
The older kids love spending time talking to us because it gives them a chance to practice their english. They are all very intelligent. It amazes me how much they study, even when they aren't in school they are walking around with their notebooks studying into the late hours of the night.
This afternoon the director of the orphanage (the guy who started the orphanage) took us on a tour of Hinche and then over to the future girls' campus. Right now the UN is renting the property from the orphanage, but when they leave the orphanage will convert the buildings into a cafeteria and a dorm. He also showed us the property across the street where they will be building a vocational technical school. It's pretty impressive to see how God has blessed them and provided for them over the years, and to see what their vision is for the future.
**************
Day 5 (Wed)
We left the orphanage around 11:00am this morning to make the long trek to the airport. It was a very emotional morning as we played our last games with kids and had our last conversations with them. A lot of them drew pictures and wrote us letters telling us how much they loved us & hoped we would come back someday. We have truly bonded with these kids. It's hard to imagine starting our mornings without these kids; their smiles and their laughter bring us such joy!
Brother Mike (one of the guys who helps run the orphanage) prayed and talked with us before we left. He challenged us with something I won't forget...he said "don't look at this experience as the seed you have planted in these kids, but rather to ask ourselves 'what seed has Haiti/these kids planted in us? How will our lives change from this experience?'"
For me (Heidi) personally, I almost think there will be more culture shock going back home. After seeing the lowest levels of poverty we've seen & experienced this past week, having totally forgotten about our lives at home, and completely putting our heart & souls into the lives of these kids, I just think it's going to be so hard to go back to the materialism, the hurried pace of life, our cushy jobs, technology etc.
As the leader, I feel so blessed to have had such an incredible & amazing team to have this experience with. Everyone has such heart for serving God and wanting to help others & to make a difference in this world. I can't wait to see what we are all doing months/years from now that will be a result of our trip to Haiti, and I know we all hope to go back many more times.
Thank you all for your prayers and support - we had a safe and healthy trip, and God did some great things in people's lives!
Day 4 (Tues)
We spent the morning playing with the younger kids before they went to school. It's amazing how happy they are...we look at their circumstances (no parents/family) and surroundings (dirty, cramped living quarters, old/broken computers, limited food & clothing etc), and we feel sorry for them, but to them it's a luxury and they seem very content because it's better than being on the street and wondering when their next meal will be.
The older kids love spending time talking to us because it gives them a chance to practice their english. They are all very intelligent. It amazes me how much they study, even when they aren't in school they are walking around with their notebooks studying into the late hours of the night.
This afternoon the director of the orphanage (the guy who started the orphanage) took us on a tour of Hinche and then over to the future girls' campus. Right now the UN is renting the property from the orphanage, but when they leave the orphanage will convert the buildings into a cafeteria and a dorm. He also showed us the property across the street where they will be building a vocational technical school. It's pretty impressive to see how God has blessed them and provided for them over the years, and to see what their vision is for the future.
**************
Day 5 (Wed)
We left the orphanage around 11:00am this morning to make the long trek to the airport. It was a very emotional morning as we played our last games with kids and had our last conversations with them. A lot of them drew pictures and wrote us letters telling us how much they loved us & hoped we would come back someday. We have truly bonded with these kids. It's hard to imagine starting our mornings without these kids; their smiles and their laughter bring us such joy!
Brother Mike (one of the guys who helps run the orphanage) prayed and talked with us before we left. He challenged us with something I won't forget...he said "don't look at this experience as the seed you have planted in these kids, but rather to ask ourselves 'what seed has Haiti/these kids planted in us? How will our lives change from this experience?'"
For me (Heidi) personally, I almost think there will be more culture shock going back home. After seeing the lowest levels of poverty we've seen & experienced this past week, having totally forgotten about our lives at home, and completely putting our heart & souls into the lives of these kids, I just think it's going to be so hard to go back to the materialism, the hurried pace of life, our cushy jobs, technology etc.
As the leader, I feel so blessed to have had such an incredible & amazing team to have this experience with. Everyone has such heart for serving God and wanting to help others & to make a difference in this world. I can't wait to see what we are all doing months/years from now that will be a result of our trip to Haiti, and I know we all hope to go back many more times.
Thank you all for your prayers and support - we had a safe and healthy trip, and God did some great things in people's lives!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Haiti Update
Day 3 (Monday):
We wake up around 5:30am everyday to be ready for coffee and oatmeal at 6:30am. For all of our meals we gather on the upstairs patio area under the mango tree - it's such a great way to start and end each day. This morning we watched all of the younger kids get their uniforms on & get ready for school. And we brought our devices and showed them the internet & play music videos, and within seconds you'd have 15 kids climbing all over you because they wanted to see - it was so cute!! The rest of the day consisted of splitting the team up in half (morning and afternoon shifts) to go visit another orphanage in town. The orphanage takes in malnourished babies, toddlers, and sick women & men. We spent a couple of hours just holding & feeding the babies, and then playing with some of the toddlers. They reach up and reach out so that you will pick them up; they are so starved for human touch & affection - it just breaks your heart. Leaving was the hardest part because the minute they sensed us leaving & separating from them, the entire room started crying/screaming. So that made us realize what a calming effect our presence had on them the entire time we were there.
When we returned to our orphanage, the girls on our team took a bunch of gifts (e.g. Hair clips, ribbons, bracelets, bubbles etc) over to the girls side of the orphanage and it was like Santa Clause arrived in Haiti - holy cow! We must have had 50 little girls clammoring and screaming at us! It put huge smiles on their faces, and it put huge smiles on our hearts. :-)
The other part of our day that really affected a lot of us was the walk into and around the town of Hinche. A few of us have been to other poor countries, but we have never seen anything close to what we saw today...it's almost hard to put into words. It was so surreal, and some of us commented that we felt like we must be on a movie set (because it didn't seem real) & that we felt like we had stepped back in time. People were sewing on machines that looked like they were 50 yrs old, people pulling wooden carts with wooden wheels, women balancing stuff on their heads. It was hot & humid and the air around us stunk, everything was so muddy & dirty, and the people are sitting on the ground or in their stalls trying to sell you stuff.
At the end of they day we are hot, sweaty, tired, and we don't have much electricity or water supply here, so we don't really get to get cleaned up much. But the team doesn't seem to mind because our days are so rewarding and so fulfilling, and we're enjoying adapting to the Haitian culture.
Praise God for this amazing experience!!
We wake up around 5:30am everyday to be ready for coffee and oatmeal at 6:30am. For all of our meals we gather on the upstairs patio area under the mango tree - it's such a great way to start and end each day. This morning we watched all of the younger kids get their uniforms on & get ready for school. And we brought our devices and showed them the internet & play music videos, and within seconds you'd have 15 kids climbing all over you because they wanted to see - it was so cute!! The rest of the day consisted of splitting the team up in half (morning and afternoon shifts) to go visit another orphanage in town. The orphanage takes in malnourished babies, toddlers, and sick women & men. We spent a couple of hours just holding & feeding the babies, and then playing with some of the toddlers. They reach up and reach out so that you will pick them up; they are so starved for human touch & affection - it just breaks your heart. Leaving was the hardest part because the minute they sensed us leaving & separating from them, the entire room started crying/screaming. So that made us realize what a calming effect our presence had on them the entire time we were there.
When we returned to our orphanage, the girls on our team took a bunch of gifts (e.g. Hair clips, ribbons, bracelets, bubbles etc) over to the girls side of the orphanage and it was like Santa Clause arrived in Haiti - holy cow! We must have had 50 little girls clammoring and screaming at us! It put huge smiles on their faces, and it put huge smiles on our hearts. :-)
The other part of our day that really affected a lot of us was the walk into and around the town of Hinche. A few of us have been to other poor countries, but we have never seen anything close to what we saw today...it's almost hard to put into words. It was so surreal, and some of us commented that we felt like we must be on a movie set (because it didn't seem real) & that we felt like we had stepped back in time. People were sewing on machines that looked like they were 50 yrs old, people pulling wooden carts with wooden wheels, women balancing stuff on their heads. It was hot & humid and the air around us stunk, everything was so muddy & dirty, and the people are sitting on the ground or in their stalls trying to sell you stuff.
At the end of they day we are hot, sweaty, tired, and we don't have much electricity or water supply here, so we don't really get to get cleaned up much. But the team doesn't seem to mind because our days are so rewarding and so fulfilling, and we're enjoying adapting to the Haitian culture.
Praise God for this amazing experience!!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Haiti Update
Day 1 - Saturday
we arrived today after a long red-eye flight. 95 degrees and 14 of us crammed like sardines into a van for a 3 hour drive to the town of Hinche (where the orphanage is located). Driving through Port-au-Prince was immediate culture shock. Seeing the poverty and earthquake destruction was so much more intense than seeing it on TV...it left us speechless. The city is very dirty and very chaotic - everything from the infrastructure, to the the driving, to the streets, to the shack homes. In fact everything here seems/feels chaotic; I can't imagine my entire world/life being so dirty, out of order, and noisy.
But once we hit the countryside, it was beautiful and peaceful. We noticed the majority of the locals would just be sitting around in groups or sitting outside their homes & didn't seem to be doing much & we commented "I wonder what they do all day?". And then it hit us, their day is spent just trying to exist, to find food or water etc.
There are about 250 kids at the orphanage and a bunch of them came running out to greet us as we arrived. We got settled and a little orientation with some of the staff, had dinner, and then went to bed shortly after because we were so exhausted.
Day 2 - Sunday
************
Woke up early for breakfast (oatmeal) and coffee under the mango tree. Then one of the older boys from the orphanage took us to visit his church in town. Walking the 15 min walk through town gave a real up close personal experience with how the locals live in Hinche. Town was quiet because most everyone is at church. We went to a Baptist service and there was about 200 people there and of course everyone was staring at us white people - it was funny. Service lasted 3 hrs 20 min (spoken in french creole), and I'm pretty sure the prayer alone lasted as long as an entire ECC service :-). It was the most amazing, once in a lifetime experience!
Came back and had lunch under the mango tree (thank God for the mango tree because it's the shade that gives us relief from the hot 95 degree sun)! Then we went over to the girls side of the orphanage and painted their nails and blew bubbles with them...holy cow, we were an instant hit with the nail polish! It was so fun to make them feel so beautiful. And they all LOVE to have their pictures taken...they constantly poke at you & pull on you and say "photo, photo?" It's so cute! They just want you to play with them and show them love & affection.
The boys side of the orphanage is fun too - the boys like to play soccer and basketball a lot. A lot of them are in school (they attend school at the orphanage) and they love to talk about what they are studying and learning.
Thank you all for your prayers - the team is well & doing great!
we arrived today after a long red-eye flight. 95 degrees and 14 of us crammed like sardines into a van for a 3 hour drive to the town of Hinche (where the orphanage is located). Driving through Port-au-Prince was immediate culture shock. Seeing the poverty and earthquake destruction was so much more intense than seeing it on TV...it left us speechless. The city is very dirty and very chaotic - everything from the infrastructure, to the the driving, to the streets, to the shack homes. In fact everything here seems/feels chaotic; I can't imagine my entire world/life being so dirty, out of order, and noisy.
But once we hit the countryside, it was beautiful and peaceful. We noticed the majority of the locals would just be sitting around in groups or sitting outside their homes & didn't seem to be doing much & we commented "I wonder what they do all day?". And then it hit us, their day is spent just trying to exist, to find food or water etc.
There are about 250 kids at the orphanage and a bunch of them came running out to greet us as we arrived. We got settled and a little orientation with some of the staff, had dinner, and then went to bed shortly after because we were so exhausted.
Day 2 - Sunday
************
Woke up early for breakfast (oatmeal) and coffee under the mango tree. Then one of the older boys from the orphanage took us to visit his church in town. Walking the 15 min walk through town gave a real up close personal experience with how the locals live in Hinche. Town was quiet because most everyone is at church. We went to a Baptist service and there was about 200 people there and of course everyone was staring at us white people - it was funny. Service lasted 3 hrs 20 min (spoken in french creole), and I'm pretty sure the prayer alone lasted as long as an entire ECC service :-). It was the most amazing, once in a lifetime experience!
Came back and had lunch under the mango tree (thank God for the mango tree because it's the shade that gives us relief from the hot 95 degree sun)! Then we went over to the girls side of the orphanage and painted their nails and blew bubbles with them...holy cow, we were an instant hit with the nail polish! It was so fun to make them feel so beautiful. And they all LOVE to have their pictures taken...they constantly poke at you & pull on you and say "photo, photo?" It's so cute! They just want you to play with them and show them love & affection.
The boys side of the orphanage is fun too - the boys like to play soccer and basketball a lot. A lot of them are in school (they attend school at the orphanage) and they love to talk about what they are studying and learning.
Thank you all for your prayers - the team is well & doing great!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Haiti Team Prayer Requests
HAITI TEAM PRAYER REQUESTS – April 2011
General requests:
1. Health of the team - especially protection against cholera & malaria, but that if anything does happen, pray that we will be able to get medical help immediately
2. Safety of the team
3. That the team will bond in an even deeper way; unity & communication
4. Adjustment to the culture & that we will be culturally sensitive
5. That our hearts would be with compassion & not pity
6. That our time would be maximized & utilized to the fullest
7. That we will be able to forget our duties/stresses/distraction etc here at home and be able to BE IN THE MOMENT & take in this experience, and to be fully in-tune with our purpose for this mission
Heidi & Cam (leaders):
1. For wisdom, patience & discernment with the team & any situations that may arise
2. That we will be empowered & equipped by the Holy Spirit to be the leaders He has called us to be
3. That all of the supplies & luggage we are taking over will make it there safely & make it through customs
4. Being open to how God wants to use this experience to change & shape our lives, and that it will deepen our relationship with Jesus
Samar:
1. Opportunities to serve & love on the children at the orphanage
2. Focus – that we will keep our eyes off of ourselves & on Jesus & what He wants to do in us
Shellie:
1. My daughter (Mikayla) is always anxious when I am away, so pray that she can feel safe without me & reach out to her sister if she needs someone.
2. That I will be able to leave my burdens behind & truly experience this trip; that I will find new strength & be able to move forward in my life
Carly:
1. Recovering from a cold, so pray that I am healthy before we leave & stay healthy while in Haiti
2. Safety & assurance for me, my husband, and the rest of my family
3. Calm nerves
Brandy:
1. That I will be able to be mentally, spiritually, & emotionally present while on this trip
2. That I will be open to God altering something inside of me & changing me for the better
3. That we will bond & connect with the children & people of Haiti; I want them to smile & feel loved!
Cassie:
1. That God will be able to work through me, so that the kids will experience God’s love & compassion through me
2. That my relationship with Jesus will grow deeper, and that it will help me learn to be more in –tune with His voice & purpose for my life
3. That my family’s heart & worries will be put at rest – especially my mother’s
4. Any last minute anxiousness or worries that may try to deter me from being wholly focused on Jesus
Brad:
1. To make kingdom advancing connections with churches, pastors, organizations, groups & local people for the opportunity to continue future trips to Haiti in doing whatever God may lead
2. I will be staying Haiti after the rest of the team departs, so please pray for safety as I venture out in an unfamiliar country.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Team Haiti
On April 29, 2011 a team of 12 from ECC will be heading over to the town of Hinche in Haiti.
During our 4 day visit, we will be staying/helping out at the Maison Fortune Orphanage (www.maisonfortune.org), which is home to approx. 250 children of all ages. We will be interacting with the kids daily doing such things as: playing sports & games with them, doing arts & crafts, and giving them lots of love! We will also be helping out with various projects around the orphanage, as needed. There are a few items that are hard to find or cannot be purchased in Haiti, so we are bringing over supplies that include: personal hygiene items, arts & crafts, educational supplies, and clothing.
No one on this team has been on a mission trip like this one before, so I love that we are going with no expectations, except that we expect God to show up in amazing ways & make this a life-changing experience for all of us! This group is so diverse & has such a heart for God, and we know that a changed world requires change agents, so we are going to be just THAT! We are excited to be the hands & feet of Jesus to these kids & show them God's love!
God simply calls us to be faithful to the opportunities He gives us. He doesn't require us to be superstars, just faithful, obedient, loving, serving, giving & caring - doing the small things with great love.
Please be praying for us, the country of Haiti, and for the children we will be serving. We can't wait to come back & share our stories & the exciting things that we know God is going to do in many lives!
Heidi
During our 4 day visit, we will be staying/helping out at the Maison Fortune Orphanage (www.maisonfortune.org), which is home to approx. 250 children of all ages. We will be interacting with the kids daily doing such things as: playing sports & games with them, doing arts & crafts, and giving them lots of love! We will also be helping out with various projects around the orphanage, as needed. There are a few items that are hard to find or cannot be purchased in Haiti, so we are bringing over supplies that include: personal hygiene items, arts & crafts, educational supplies, and clothing.
No one on this team has been on a mission trip like this one before, so I love that we are going with no expectations, except that we expect God to show up in amazing ways & make this a life-changing experience for all of us! This group is so diverse & has such a heart for God, and we know that a changed world requires change agents, so we are going to be just THAT! We are excited to be the hands & feet of Jesus to these kids & show them God's love!
God simply calls us to be faithful to the opportunities He gives us. He doesn't require us to be superstars, just faithful, obedient, loving, serving, giving & caring - doing the small things with great love.
Please be praying for us, the country of Haiti, and for the children we will be serving. We can't wait to come back & share our stories & the exciting things that we know God is going to do in many lives!
Heidi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)