Day 3

Journal:
I'm writing by the ocean.  Some of the youth are talking to a naked guy on the shore.  He is standing behind a rowboat.  Filthy shore line.  I want to pick up some trash but it seems like a never ending job.  The weather the last two days has been such a blessing.  It's hot...but it's overcast.  I have however heard comments about it being short lived.  We just finished painting a home inside and out for a women, man, and their child.  She was pleased.  He couldn't stop smiling.  Everyone worked so hard.  Painting the bumpy texture is challenging.  Last night it stormed again.  Crazy CRAZY Crazy winds.  I didn't fall asleep until almost 3:00.  I think the energy tea I drank in the afternoon/evening contributed to my insomnia.  I prayed for extra energy today and my prayers were answered.  I had a little guy fall asleep on my shoulder today.  At home I would lay my sleeping toddler down in his bed.  I didn't know where to lay this little guy.  All I could find was a tire to lay this boy on,  I chose to keep holding him.  These kids just want to be loved!  More later...

We painted another home in the afternoon.  The smiles from both male homeowner today were priceless.  It was so good to see males in the homes.  Most women are raising their babies by themselves.  Our whole team worked so hard today.  These teens are impressing me more every second! 

Family#1:  Pray for his reduced vision and his stomach discomfort. 
Family #2:  Pray for the father to find employment so his children can go to school.  Also pray for the young boy with the porn on his phone.  
God is bigger than all of these things!!  

Day 3

For our work day we painted two homes.  They are a rough crumbly type of concrete.  The paint is necessary to glue it all together and preserve it long term.  You have to seriously cake the paint on and get it in all the holes.  The first house I did inside painting and the second house I did outside painting.  The second home was only something like a 10x10 square.  Part of the group (Those from Michigan) met a women next door and started to paint a store front for her.  I think it was her hair salon.  It was in bad shape and they made it pretty.  Although I was not part of that it was fun to look over and seeing them serving without being asked!

 

 Finished Product

 

After we helped move in their stuff

Here is a pic with the little guy sleeping on my shoulder.  

I didn't know until right before we left that he didn't even live in the house we were working on.  

Who was he??  I don't know.  He must have lived near?

As he was laying on my shoulder I was singing and humming over and over, 

"Jesus, Jesus, can I tell you how I feel? You have given me your spirit...I love you so." 

I guess that song gave him as much comfort as it brings me.

He slept for at least 30-45 min.

At the second house I made friends with another little boy.  I would guess he was about 8.  I was commenting on his dancing skills and he kept saying "Justin Bieber" in his Haitian accent.

He made me smile.  

He had a cell phone and he was flipping through pictures to show me a picture of Justin Bieber.  While he was flipping though I saw hard core porn pictures on his phone.  

I just kept saying....oh...no no...oh, no, no, no....  I didn't know what to do. 

After thinking about it...I went to another adult in our group and told her about the porn.  She then went to one of the translators.  This translator is such a awesome young man.  He has such a heart for the Lord and the people of Haiti.  He is 22 years old and he is a student.  Anyway....he went over and took the boy's phone.....deleted the pics....and gave it back to him.  He loves the kids of Haiti so much and it showed!  Praying for that boy!

Amos, the interpreter that helped me out!

I don't think I have mentioned yet that the people of Haiti are BEAUTIFUL!

Beautiful, beautiful skin.

At work on the second house.

 

Playing with the kids.

It was so fun to watch.

If there was not a brush for them they were out loving on the children!

We prayed with the family before we left. 

Food was okay.  I'm not craving Haitian food!  There was plenty of clean water supplied for us and we were encouraged to drink constantly.   We got so excited when it was cold.

Drinking constantly means peeing constantly.  (This was the first a time that I wished I was a man.)  But, I had a good system going and I was thankful that I wore a skirt.  Here was one of the better toilets I used. 

I was in the middle of my monthly cycle.  (I know...TMI) That was really tricky.  I was in one unfortunate position that there was just a cactus to cover me.  (This was the second time I wished I was a man.)

So, at the end of the day I was spent.  Two days without good sleep and I was toast!  Luckily, one of my fellow travelers had Motrin PM.  I took two and slept like a baby!

My heart and attitude:  My tank was so full.  I loved serving the Haitian people.  I loved working with Mission of Hope and I LOVED watching the teens serve.  Although I was pooped....I was still soooo good.  (I am adding in comments about my heart and my attitude b/c you will see a change in days to come.) At this point I was ready to send for my family and stay!!

More to come...