Children's Saturday evening program and Micro-loans

-The micro loan idea is taking off, whether I want it to or not. :) Daphney is fully supported and has finished building her chicken house and currently has 500 chicks eating and growing. She not only is mentoring the Stephen family, but is providing work for 2 others. 

-We recently started selling peanutbutter to the American teams that come in. Daphney is teaching Madanm Stephen how to do this so that the family will actually be able to thrive and not just survive. 

-We are currently in the process of talking with Seinsein, Anachemie's mom, about starting a business selling girls clothing (this was her idea not mine:)). 

-Some of you responded to my last visit and I now have catheters for the elderly man we visited. I am currently searching for a nurse to help me put the catheter in. :) 

Do you remember the evening Saturday night program for children that we went to with Shane's cousins? They recently asked for small gifts to give the children's moms for Mother's Day (it is the last Sunday in Haiti). I told them I didn't have anything to give but if something came to me, I would share. One day later, a team leader called me and had an entire suitcase of sample shampoos and lotions. She asked if we could use them, to which I replied, "Yes! It will be perfect for the moms." So the other day I went and delivered them so that they would be ready to celebrate with the children and their mothers. 

I thought this program started with the children but as I was dropping the items off, I learned that is not the case. Their program is actually all about the moms. This Haitian couple, along with a single Haitian man, have partnered to put together their own micro-financing plan. They have 54 women from the Titanyen Baptist church that they have identified as needing assistance. They have met with these women to get their family history, what kind of business they would like to run, etc. After this, they have given out loans in the amount of $55. This loan is to be used to purchase items to sell at the market or other forms of small commerce. The women are then required to pay the loan back, a little at a time, each day. 

This is a beautiful system. Money management is not something that is part of the Haitian culture. Basically, there is not enough money or resources to go around so if you have extra, you are required to share. This results in people not knowing how to save, or how to plan ahead, because if they did this the community would consider them selfish or worse. This way of repaying allows them to live and work in their culture but also pay back the loans. 

The result has been amazing. They have been doing this for one year and every loan has been paid back in full. I think some of this is because all 54 women know each other. I also think that they are so incredibly grateful for the chance of advancement that they don't want to mess it up. 

After almost a year of mentoring these ladies, the organizers realized that they want to help more than just the moms. They want to influence the family (um...yes!!). So they began the children's program on Saturday afternoon. They talk about Jesus, about forgiveness, about love. They give a little piece of candy and sometimes they give a small meal to the children. The children's program started out with 65 children (approx) but last week had over 127. Children love it. The parents love it. God's Spirit is in it. 

They are looking for someone to partner with them so that they can give bigger loans. When I asked what these loans would look like they said about $106 American dollars. They said that this would allow the moms to really get ahead. Currrently they are able to make enough to pay for food, to put money aside to pay for the childrens' school, and to purchase clothing. A bigger loan for some of them would give them the chance to potentially get out of the program completely.  

How cool is this?! We have been feeling like micro-loans might be what God is calling us to and while this isn't a complete answer, it is a pretty great program. I really like the idea of working with families to show them that the gospel is real. God is real and He has heard their pleas. 

The micro-financing program decided to celebrate with the moms and their children for mother's day. They made food, had gifts prepared and cards that the kids could give to their moms. This a picture of Kaket as they prepare the plates...you can't even see half of them as there are 54 boxes for the moms and 127 plates for the kids. 

Then it started to rain... a lot. In Haiti it is hard to complain about the much needed rain but they ended up having to give the moms and children the food and canceling the party. The tarp wouldn't stay up and there was no place to stand or sit that was not covered in mud. 

Just a little example of what the clay looks like on sandals. :) 

The T12 organization stayed at Global for 5 days. When they had a little car trouble we visited people in our little Nissan Exterra...10 people. Who knew they would all fit?!

When  we were visiting an elderly woman, her grandson and his friend decided to take my picture, while I was standing there, without asking. It surprised me! It did lead to a very interesting conversation about why he wanted to take the picture and then into other things. I enjoy just being with the Haitian people and learning about their culture and thoughts. 

Shane working on a beautiful roof. It helps to have a tall guy around. 

Global has a wedding dress program. Women are able to rent wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses and mother of the (groom/bride) dresses for 1000 goudes, approximately $21 American dollars. If they return the dress clean, they are fully refunded. One of our short term mission groups helped us organize the trailer that hold them all. This dress...any of you have one like this???

There is a lot of serving as missionary kids and not a lot of 'fun' in the typical American society sense. But one thing we do have, the Caribbean. We visited a local resort and they were selling cotton candy. Landen said, "This is the best day of my life. Family time, swimming and cotton candy!" That kid. 

The boys playing legos. 

The girls practicing their dance moves while they 'babysit' the little brother. 

Family visiting Part 2

Our last elderly visit of the day was to visit a woman who's daughter had just died. I have been friends with the elderly woman's grand-daughter (hard to follow I know) since our first year in Haiti. Her grand daughter had visited me the day before to tell me her mom died and she didn't know what to do or how they were going to make it. To be honest, I didn't want to deal with it. She has been coming to me intermittenly asking for money, food, school help for the last year and a half and I felt drained by her constant needs. However, when Tikoy asked if I wanted to visit them, I knew that God wanted something from me. 

When we got to their house I noticed that it was a nicer home in Titanyen. The woman in our elderly porgram was sitting on a plastic chair outside while two of her four granddaughters were washing laundry. There were a few other people sitting with them. I don't know if it was family or if they were from the community coming to offer their condolances. 

As we sat with them, they explained that the death of her daughter was a big blow. There were no men in the household, she was the only money maker in the family. I believe she sold things at the market. With her gone, the family was realing with how to pay for the rent of their home, how to pay for the girls' school, and how to feed themselves. We listened, offered our condolences, and then prayed with them. As we prayed, I felt an overwhelming sense that we were supposed to help in some monetary way. As we were leaving Shane came up to me saying that we had to help which was even more affirmation. We had recently had a guesthouse group leave $200 for us to use. Both Shane and I knew that that money was supposed to go to this woman and her grand-daughters. Its not enough to fix their situation, but it is a little. And God seems to make a way by having everyone do the little that they can. 

We visited a Saturday evening program held by two of my friends. It is located in a Bar and Restaurant about the size of a one car garage stall. I'm not talking about the ones with extra room in the front or on the side. We arrived about 10 minutes late, however my friend informed me that most of the children had yet to come because they were on 'Peyi tann' (country time). We were given a seat on the side of the room in front of the children and the program began. As were were settilng I noticed a girl of about 10 or 11 years old struggling with a little one on her lap. The baby was probably 11 months old and was trying to sleep but the 11 year old didn't have the patience or the body to be able to support him while he slept. I took the little man and held him for the rest of the program. He settled right in and slept like a rock. It was over a 100 degrees in the room and the little man and I were covered in sweat by the end of it, but I watched the 11 year old engaged in the program with her arms free. It was worth it.

This was my first visit to the program so I don't know yet what the norm is. However on this day the first thing they did was have the children volunteer to sing for the other children. Then some of them were given the chance to teach the other children the song that they sang. The songs were about Jesus. Afterwards they began to talk about forgiveness. There were a few of the children in the program that were angry at each other so the leader had them stand in front as they talked about forgiveness and the importance of it. How anger can fester and never leave unless you let it go. Then my friend's husband got up and began to share about the access Jesus gives us to heaven and what that would be like. How there will be no more pain, no hunger, no sadness. His energy and excitement about the topic was contagious. The children were incredibly engaged. 

As I sat there watching, I felt a sense again that this program needs some support. I don't know if it is monetary, if it is helping with a set program that they can do, or if it is having them on the Global property for a fun day out. But I do know that I am supposed to follow up with more questions and see where they lead.  I was also not the only person that felt this leading. I have a feeling Shane's cousins will be joining us. There is nothing more beautiful than Christian Haitians leading Haitians.

I don't always get the sense that we are supposed to help. There was a woman that came to my attention recently that needed an operation. In the last year she had lost all of her weight, was unable to eat, and her abdomin was very swollen. We had helped her get to the dr to try and get diagnosed, however the drs were unable to tell her exactly what was wrong with her. I asked them to have some bloodwork, and with the suggestion of the nurse at Global, to check for AIDS however they chose not to do that. 

We did a follow up visit with her this last week. She is incredibly thin still, she was sitting on the ground outside, under a tarp shade. They said she was able to eat soups now but they needed money for food. We prayed with her and sat with her for a short time and then we left. I felt terrible, but I did not feel any nudging to help. As we were walking away I asked Jessi if she felt anyvprompting to help. I waas sort of hoping she did so I could follow her nudging. However, she looked at me and told me she didn't feel that we were supposed to help either. Yesterday I let her know that I will not be able to help with buying food for her, but will be praying for healing and God's provisions. 

I think it is harder to say no than it is to say yes. I know that she is dying. Without God's intervention she will, and probably soon. She is suffering. I know I can't help everyone, it isn't my job. I am only required to help the one in front of me. However in Haiti, there are too many in front of me. 

So we pray and lean on God's direction.  

Isaiah 41:17

"When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them."

Prayer requests:

-pray for continued guidance and ears to hear

-pray that Global Outreach Haiti can shine God's light brightly in the community

-pray for protection of the missionary children on this compound

We took my brother, Shane's cousin Jessi and her husband to a resort that is about 1 hour away. Haiti is beautiful. 

We visited a local orphanage. 

Digging ditches for the Sport Disciple program's sprinkler system.

My superhero!