TANZANIA!

Hi Eastlakers! 
Here we are, a group of us from Eastlake Bothell getting ready to depart Seattle and make our way to Tanzania, east Africa. We will be in Tanzania for two weeks serving and volunteering for a non-profit called Project Kesho. While we are there, we will be building playground equipment, conducting art workshops, painting classrooms, landscaping, and playing with the kids at three different primary schools. We are also bringing bags and bags of school supplies (some donated by Eastlake kids!), medical supplies, and shoes to pass out to all of the kids. We are very excited to begin this adventure! Please pray for our team that God would use us to our limits, that we would be able to share His love with the people that we encounter, and for safe travels. We will be sending a few updates as we go, so continue to check out the blog when you can. 
Thank you for your support!
- Amie (team leader)

Haiti - Sunday

Yesterday was fulfilling day we started off visiting a home in town for pumpkin soup (soup joumou) that was full of everything and I mean everything!!  After that we headed out to a village called La Pila to a church that was nothing more then four cinderblock walls, concrete/dirt floors and a tin roof and we could have listened to them all day long.  There singing was truly nothing we have ever heard before!  Keep your eyes out for a video.  


Then we took a 1.5-hour ride in to the town of Hinche and we went to the most beautiful waterfall we have ever seen, the waters were so blue it was indescribable.  We took a hike to the top and saw a really cool cave and banana trees.  If hiking in flip-flops wasn’t challenging enough we had children in swarms insisting on dragging us to the top.  After the hike we jumped in and swam to the other side where you could swim under the waterfall and majority of the crew were jumping off the rocks (no cholera it hits with in 12 hours). Then we came back and went to the local outdoor bar that, per Tim is whimsical and a place that dreams are made of. 

Haiti - Saturday update

Saturday was an experience we will never forget.  We went to the market yesterday morning and got to experience if full effect; pretty much organized chaos.  After a corn meal mush lunch with the best onion sauce ever, we headed out to the Haiti Home Of Hope (which is a local orphanage).  We were overwhelmed with emotion but once we saw how well they are taken care of and cared for, we left feeling much comforted and well assured.  The children here will always have a special place in our hearts.  We were all in agreement on the fact that the kids on the street seamed more deprived of attention then the children at the orphanage.  Which goes to show that universally how much of a difference unconditional love, nurturing and companionship can impact lives regardless of culture or beliefs. 

Again, thank you for your continued prayers. 

Written by Kyla and LaDonna

Haiti Update

Friday was a day of new experiences (wondrous and magical per Tim). We started off again with some amazing food, we have at least gained a few pounds if not more.  Friday morning we took a truck out to a well being built and got to help and interact with the community!  Kyle brought paper and we made paper airplanes with the children to help break the ice and they had an absolute blast!  Where verbal communication is limited to non-existent, it’s eye opening to realize how little we need to speak to have a conversation.  A smile and a handshake can go along way.  We took a walk into town and the children were intrigued and happy to join hands with the blans and follow us through town for miles.  Last night we went into town to the local disco and enjoyed each other’s company and interacted with the locals.  While there we met another team from Virginia Tech and they are building the foundation for a private school in town!  Thanks for your continued prayers.

(written by the whole team)

Haiti - Day 2

Day 2 was a very eventful day.  Tim and I went out for an early morning run through the Haitian countryside as the sun rose. It was an absolutely spectacular way to start the day. The food here is so good. Everything is fresh, home grown and full of flavor. Lets just say there won’t be any weight lost on this trip, at least by me.

After breakfast we all loaded up into the back of a pickup truck and held on for dear life as we drove to our well site. The main roads in the city are mostly paved, otherwise its all dirt roads that are incredibly rough. We pulled up to our completed well and started to get ready to paint. There were several people from the community watching us paint, pretty soon the community was there helping us paint their well. It was really cool to see how excited they were and willing to help out. Even the little kids were helping us paint. We ran out of paint just before lunch so we headed back and enjoyed another amazing meal.

After lunch we headed north about 45 min to see a well being drilled. Along the way we past the well site that Tim and I helped build on our last visit. It was cool to be able to share that with the team that’s down here now. We then arrived where Haiti Outreach had their largest hydraulic drill rig. They were drilled down to 150 feet when we got there and were testing the depth for water. They would blow air down the hole to force water out up to 2 feet into the air from the hole. It was a pretty sweet experience.

We then got to tour a massive Clarin factory, which is where they turn sugar cane juice into alcohol to be sold to make rum. We then went to a small sugar cane processing plant where they take freshly cut sugar cane and squeeze the juice from it. It is a very sticky process but we all got to sample the fresh squeezed juice, and it was delicious! Once we returned back to the guesthouse we enjoyed another meal then watched Égalité for All: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution a documentary about the Haitian revolt over France in the 1800s.

Well, that’s all for now, keep checking back for more updates!

A quick video message from Haiti :)

EastLake Team has Arrived in Haiti!

We have all made it safely to Pignon, Haiti. After 13 hrs of travel time, 3 plane rides, and a brief tour of the city, exhaustion has set in big time. We will be trying to update this nightly with stories and photos depending on our schedule for the day. Thanks for all the prayers!


- Eric (team leader)

Team Nicaragua - HOME!

Thanks to all who supported us throughout this mission.  Whether it
was helping us collect funds, medicine, soap, or your prayers for us, we
used it all wisely.  We all came back feeling blessed to have experienced
this trip together and knowing it was for the glory of God.

Thanks,
Crista

Leaving for Nicaragua

The time has finally arrived.  Our team leaves for Nicaragua early tomorrow morning.  We have prepared as much as we can.  We are packed, bringing needed medicines and toiletries to those who can't afford tylenol or soap to bathe with.  Our hearts are hopeful and our bodies are ready for this challenge.  We know God is on our side and we look forward to all this trip will bring.  Please pray for our safety and health this week, as well as for the Nicaraguans we will serve.  Next post coming in a few days from San Ramon, Nicaragua.


Thanks,
Crista (Team Leader)

EastLake Team in Guatemala!

There is an EastLake team serving in Guatemala this week with Medical Teams International.  Here's a brief note from team leader, Chris:

So we all went to bed early and got around 10 hours sleep last night.  I've come to realize that the only time I eat fresh fruit for breakfast is when I'm on a mission trip.  We left around 8:30 and made it up here to Cobán around 3pm.  It's a bit on the cool and damp side of things, so I hope everyone is warm enough. 

For the rest of the week, we'll be heading out to a different community to work.  They are saying it is about 90 minutes each way, so lots of commuting ahead of us.  We'll do an orientation tonight.  61 Families will be receiving wash basins from the project, but with the team we will be installing 22 basins with septic tanks.

Nicaragua!

What a beautiful sunny day to start our adventure!  Eastlake has a new group of missionaries headed to Northern Nicaraguan villages to provide medical and dental care.  We met this morning bright and early and packed up our donations for the trip.  Our team of 13 met up with the larger group from Corner of Love in Maple Valley; together there will be about 70 of us on a mission to serve God.  We combined all our donations, things like medicine, dental supplies, toiletries, clothing, shoes, and toys, then dispersed them into individual bags.  Each bag carries 50 pounds of these much needed supplies.  We will each take 2 bags, or 100 pounds!  Wait until you see how it will bless the Nicaraguans, AMAZING how the Lord uses us to serve others.  


We are all preparing our hearts now for what we will encounter, please keep us in your prayers, and keep checking back to see how we are doing.

Vegas!

Being a male and walking around at the AVN porn show in Las Vegas is not something you would call uncommon. It is quite the norm, in fact. However, feeling compassion and sensing pain in people's eyes and talking about God's love, no matter what you have done, or where you are currently at in life, is a whole other issue entirely. After standing in the booth for five days, and having conversations with people about why they were there, and explaining why I was there, I found that we all have a very transparent, and common theme: We all just want to be valued, sought after and loved. 

I got the opportunity to talk to a man who was thinking about getting into the industry. We talked about his addiction to sex, about how much he loves the feelings that go with it, the "grand" idea of being a porn star, and how much money he could potentially make. Then we discussed the other side of the spectrum: the drugs and addictions, a high chance of std's and aids, the depression, and the dreary idea of once you are in, you feel like you can never get out. We discussed his faith (or where he stood on it at least), and then about our website and the great resources that are available to him. We talked about the stories throughout the book of people who are in the industry currently, and those that were in and are now finally out. I wanted him to read it for himself, rather than me telling him. He happily took a bible and said he would check it out. We shook hands and I soon lost him in the sea of people, walking around trying to take in as much porn related booths as possible. But I know God sees him. Loud and clear. He is still in my prayers today. 

Vegas Entry

WOW!  The only word to sum up a very interesting day.  The crew and I pulled the first shift of the second day, still only industry individuals on the inside.  A few people I had met the previous day came back to talk a little more, some to get more info, and some just to say hi and see how we were doing.  I have been blown away by the pure receptiveness of people here.  It’s so new to me though, having girls walk up to me in thongs, barely wearing anything, and wanting to know about Jesus Loves Pornstars.  I feel it is so crucial to look at these girls in their eyes, differently then the hordes of followers and gawkers surrounding her with their cameras.  I see the pain and sadness in their eyes, the feeling of being lost…nothing to hope for, no one to let it all out to. But just a few words I have said, “Jesus loves you no matter what!”,  and I saw a particular girls eyes light up just a bit, before she was swept away.  


I’m happy God brought my wife and I here, with the other wonderful people who are involved.  Everyday were trusting that God will work through us, in His time, for His will, and for His purpose.  I may not see the immeadiate fruits of our labor, but I am very pleased God allowed me to plant a seed.

A Post From Vegas...

God has taken me on an amazing journey these past couple years.  5 years ago I would have come to the AVN Show for entirely different reasons.   It’s almost liberating for me to share my past experiences in the industry with the girls here and use it as a way to connect them to Jesus and His love and His grace.  


Today I had a breakdown after applying makeup on a beautiful 18-year-old Porn Star who just started in the industry a few months ago.  She was very excited to be at the convention and loved the energy and attention she was getting from the men at the show.  Currently she broadcasts live girl on girl sex shows through an Internet porn site company that a friend introduced her to after her hours were cut working as a camp counselor for the Boys and Girls Club.  She was hoping to hook up with other porn producers to expand her portfolio and dive deeper into the porn industry.  


As I was listening to her story my heart sunk deeper and deeper as images of old, tired, broken, worn out women (like the ones we’ve seen walking around in their thongs and pasties for the past three days) entered my mind.  How horrible would it be if this young, beautiful girl someday lost that energy, and that light in her eyes turned into an empty stare?  Equipped with false eyelashes, stickers, a T-Shirt, and a bible with the logo “Jesus Loves Porn Stars” we sent her back out amongst the wolves, and I ran to the bathroom to cry, and pray!  

EastLakers in Las Vegas!!

Thirteen people from Eastlake Community Church left home to share the love of Jesus with the people attending the Las Vegas Adult Entertainment expo.  They stepped out of their comfort zone to meet a group of people that would probably never feel comfortable walking into a church.  

Day one:  We set up the booth and start handing out bibles.  It’s an industry only day to day and we get to know some of the other exhibiters at the show before the fans are allowed in.