Today found us leaving
Port-au-Prince and traveling to the rural community of Titanyan to
visit Grace Village. With each mile, the noise and congestion of the city were
replaced with natural beauty, open spaces, and ocean coastline.
Grace Village sits on top of a mountain
with a view that is nothing short of amazing. Everything is clean and bright,
and exudes a spirit of hope and joy. Built by Healing Haiti in 2011, Grace
includes an orphanage, a school, a playground, family housing, a transitional
program for young adults, a medical clinic, an Aquaponic Tilapia Farm and a church.
The orphanage currently houses 5
children who were recently brought from another orphanage that was deemed
‘unfit’. (The government agency in Haiti that monitors orphanages rarely closes
orphanages so the conditions are assumed to have been deplorable (at best).
While they search for biological parents to explore reunification, Grace is
caring for them. The other 40 children at Grace live in family housing (as
opposed to traditional/institutional orphanage). They live in a home
environment with two house parents and ‘siblings’. While most of us take family
for granted, the impact on these orphans being blessed with a ‘family’ is HUGE!
Nearly 400 children arrive on foot from
all over the hillside communities to attend school at Grace Village. In Haiti,
an education is very valued and very important yet most kids cannot attend due
to availability and costs. Grace is also home to a year old community
medical/dental clinic and is based on “pay what you can” basis. They have
Haitian doctors and nurses on staff and the waiting room is usually full.
After unloading a dozen giant suitcases
stuffed with needed supplies- new underwear, play clothes, hair accessories, and
medicine – we went to find the kids. Since it was Saturday, school was not in
session but the kids who
live at Grace were all in one place – watching a professional soccer game on
TV. Soccer is a HUGE sport in Haiti so most
eyes were glued to the TV and the crowd went crazy for each big play. Some of
our team joining in the soccer cheering (followed by a game) and others did art
projects and played with punching balloons with the kids. From the youngest (about 2 yrs old) to
the oldest (about 14 yrs old), Grace kids are like most other kids around the
world – they love 1:1 attention from a caring adult and they like to
play. Some younger kids ran amok punching
balloons and giggling while some of the older kids focused on drawing and
coloring. It’s amazing to me how much laughter and joy a few simple toys and
games combined with can bring to these kids.
In the midst of all this fun, some very
touching moments happened. One little boy took advantage of a loving set of
arms to settle in for a sweet nap with Lisa (insert pic). I was able to
reconnect with Bondja, a special little boy I met on my first mission trip in
2013 and now sponsor*/correspond with. A staff member told me he is very shy so
I am feeling so blessed to have some quality time playing with and chatting with
him.
Next, our team headed into the hills of
Titanyan to visit 4 “orphan” elders who are sponsored/supported through Healing
Haiti ElderCare Program* - Charitable, Felice, Lindor, and Izna.
Each of these elders lives in a home
with a dirt floor, no electricity and no running water. The animals in the yards - goats,
chickens, pigs – often wander into their homes. The lucky ones have a dilapidated
mattress on the floor to sleep on and a roof that does not leak. Due to physical limitations, they
depend on neighbors and family for their basic needs. We delivered a hot meal to each elder
and sang and prayed with them. We washed/massaged the hands and feet
of each, sharing love through the gifts of touch and comfort and
prayer. I was so humbled to be able to kneel
before Izna - I could not even imagine the struggles and pain her weathered and
crippled hands and feet have experienced. At one point, I was so overcome with
emotion that I had to step away…. How could someone who has so very little and
lives in such dismal environment sing praise to God? How is it that I who want for nothing
so often fails to be grateful? I will never forget Lindor excitedly saying “I am
so happy, I am so happy” Felice saying “God Bless” in Creole over and
over.
At each elder visit, the neighborhood
kids would wander over to see us. Some joined us singing worship songs, some
held our hands and guided us over the rocky walk to each home and some just
watched through the cactus from afar. We shared loom bracelets with each - I
think it was the elders who loved their “bling” the most. I have no idea what
these kids thought of these white people in their neighborhood but I hope we
demonstrated how to honor and love each other just as Our Father taught us. And
I pray I carry this example with me long after returning home….
From the clean air at Grace to the
dirty feet of the elders, this was another God filled and amazing day. I felt
God loving each and every member of this team and am so humbled and blessed to
part of it.
If you want more info on how to sponsor
either a child at Grace or an Elder please visit www.healinghaiti.org
No comments:
Post a Comment