gcagate adventures : Haiti in July

We have returned from Haiti and while I would love to say we are all rested up and ready for our next trip in November, the word rest doesn't seem to be part of our vocabulary!!
We had an awesome week in Haiti. This was the first time we were there for a summer week. And yes it is a little hotter than our spring and autumn trips but to be honest it is so hot there year round that what is another 5-10 degrees!!
As always we led a fantastic team. We accomplished much, and fell deeper in love with Haiti and the children that we encountered.
Each morning was spent with most of the team involved in Kids Club! Our leaders Meagan and Alexis did an awesome job organizing the whole thing! They had great assistants with Jaclyn heading up the crafts which were so cute and the kids loved them! Crystal was in charge of games, Alexis taught English and Gary of course led the music. The rest of the team helped with all of the above and the skits were awesome!!
At the last minute our team went through a major re-organization as our teammates from NC were unable to join us and one of our Pgh team members Alisa, was accepted into PA school so she had to drop out. Meagan's husband Josh was able to step in to the team and everything ran smoothly!
I also have to give a shout out to my Florida team that joined us on Tuesday. A great group of 4 college students and their Associate Pastor. Everyone blended so well and served with all their hearts!
And of course the 4 Team members from Nebraska and James from Georgia. I have a great appreciation for those Nebraska people :) and James was just as awesome!!
Each afternoon we held a Medical Clinic for the Community. We saw well over 500 patients as well as check ups on the 40 orphans that live on Campus and the orphans at Saut D'eau's
I am always so amazed and blessed when I work with a Medical team. What I love most is that it isn't just about medicine. It is about showing Christ's love. To watch these doctors/nurse practitioners/nurses pray with their patients and touch them and hold their kids and weep when the diagnosis is hard. Those are the moments you realize that we do not send medical teams in to just do medicine, we send them to love and give hope...hope that can only be found in Christ.
Of course getting to see and hang out with KenKen was one of the highlights of my trip! I was able to take clothes for him and his family. And I was able to give them directly to his grandpa. Who with emotion in his eyes told me that KenKen always talks about me and then he said that if I wanted to take KenKen home with me I could. Well, guess who could not stop crying! What love!!
I shared with our team our last evening in Haiti, that during my morning time of devotions I had prayed if the Lord was really calling us to Haiti as much as we are there. After all, we have this huge family at home that we love with all our heart, we are busy in Pitcairn with a group of High School boys that are like our own kids and I wonder at times are we doing what He wants us to do? Is this where He wants us to continue to serve? I don't want this to be about us, I want it to be about Him.
And then Friday morning at kids club happened:
There is one particularly difficult case with one of our little girls. Gary and I actually sponsor her. She has an inoperable heart defect. I have spent a lot of time with her since she has come to the Orphanage. On Friday morning the lesson and skit was about Christ's resurrection. After it was over we were singing and as I held her on my knee singing "Bless the Lord Oh My Soul" feeling her heart beat under my hands, I began to weep and honestly could not stop. I felt God telling me, "yes, this is where I want you to be" Here is a little girl who honestly I do not know how long she will live and yet, God in His providence placed her at the Amadeus Orphanage to be loved and cared for, to have teams come down and share Jesus with her, to be held and cherished. I am so thankful for Great Commission Alliance and everyone who has a part in her life. None of us know how long the Lord has ordained our days on this earth, but I thank Him that her days are being spent in a place filled with such love!!
I can't imagine my life without KenKen, Anthony, Ricardo, Lambert, Novak, Alex, Jerry, Doubi, and so many others. They are the reason we continue to travel to Haiti, and I can't tell you how thankful I am for all of those who join us in this adventure. Not just those of you who have joined us physically on the trips, but those who have supported our teams financially through checks, spaghetti dinners, and pancake breakfasts as well as those of you who have prayed for us. The Haitians know there are a lot of people back in the states helping to make all of the trips and ministry items a reality!!
And so I am now preparing for our next trip in November with New Life PCA. The trip is being led by Samantha which means I am off the hook for all the paperwork :). I am thankful for her capable hands and heart to handle the task!!
To God be the Glory!
Carol