Tag Archives: Haiti

Three things I learned in Haiti that forever change Christmas for me

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Merry Christmas to you all! I am in Tennessee, just south of Nashville, where my beautiful, expectant daughter-in-love is hosting Christmas in her new home this year. My Three Sons will be around the table, along with Rachel’s sweet mother and of course, The Sweetheart.

What’s on the menu? Rachel and her mother are fabulous cooks so we are excited!

Beef Burgundy
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Dressing
Asparagus
Homemade Rolls
Desserts!

For a moment I wanted to share a thought on this favorite day of the year.

I just returned from Haiti last week and Haiti was life changing. You are not surprised? Me either.

My friend Bonnie had warned me it would affect my heart. I thought I was prepared but how can you truly prepare yourself for the devastation that surrounds every day life in a third world (some call Haiti a fifth world) country?

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Before I go on, let me say there were plenty of beautiful things to see on the island country of Haiti! The mountains, the ocean, the views are just breathtaking.

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haiti church 52

We were able to visit a resort while we were there that was just gorgeous, but on the other side of the barbed wire-topped wall was just more poverty and sadness.

Your heart hurts because you feel so helpless, can do so little to make a difference and you want to take all of the orphans (and some of the adults!) home with you.

So, this Christmas, I have some takeaways from my Haiti trip that I feel will forever change Christmas for me.

3 things

  1. Family.  If you have one, you have everything. Almost all of the children at the orphanages we visited had lost their parents in the earthquake in 2010. If they were not affected by the earthquake then they were there because their family could not afford to feed them. The sad thing is that many days in the orphanage they only receive one meal. So when I gather with my family for the holidays I am one of the most blessed creatures on the planet.

  2. Stuff. I have too much of it. Everywhere. I downsized a few years ago when we moved to the country of Latvia for a year. It was originally to be for a longer stay so I sold almost all of my furniture and kept the bare minimum. But I live in a country of plenty and very little want. If we WANT it, we GET it. And so there is stuff that we do not need and do not use and others not so far away that cannot comprehend the “wealth” that we have. The things we easily throw away reminds me of those around the world that would love to be waiting to catch our Leftovers.

  3. Love. It is infectious. Watching the children throng anyone who came into their compound, into their world, was overwhelming. We were told to be prepared for the constant touching and hugging and literally hanging-on-for-dear-life grips they would surround us with. But I wasn’t prepared for the desperation in their eyes for the simplest touch. Just a hug, just to be able to hold our hand for a little while, sit on my lap (without a diaper or underwear) or lean their head on my shoulder was pure comfort. And it made me think of Jesus saying, “…Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

The thought is simple but it is sincere. We are blessed. So blessed. If we have our families, food on the table, roof over our head and all the things we take for granted every day, we are some of the wealthiest people on Planet Earth. Knowing there are people that do NOT have these things causes me to pause today and say, “Thank you, Lord.”

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Then it causes me to stop and remind myself, if I didn’t have all of these things would I still be thankful, would I still be happy and would I still serve Him?

Even if everything is taken away from us tomorrow, if tragedy strikes, if our world is turned upside down, Jesus will still be God and still in control. In that we take great comfort.

On this most wonderful day of the year, before we tear into our gifts, let’s pause and be thankful for a God that is with us every day, not just Christmas. That He came, He gave, He loved and He died so that we could have HOPE. And one day soon that HOPE will return for His Bride, the Church!

How, where and who is gathered around your table today? We would love to hear! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Nannette-Christmas

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What I’ve learned from Henry in Haiti

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“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusement, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our giving does not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say it is too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot because our commitment to giving excludes them.” ~ C.S. Lewis

What I’ve learned from Henry  in Haiti

My heart has been turned every which way but loose these last few days since we landed in Port au Prince, Haiti.

Just a couple of hours after we touched the ground we were visiting our first orphanage. You can read about that here!

We have hosted 135+ children at the missionary compound, what a day that was. So much fun and such a blessing to see them enjoy the day and get some much needed nourishment.

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Then, we went back to one of the group homes again last night right before dark. They have no electricity and it is so difficult to see where you are walking or which one you are hugging.

So, for the third time, Henry met me at the car, threw his arms around me and followed me like a puppy. Henry is 14. Henry wants me to take him out of the orphanage and, ultimately, out of Haiti.

Henry wants to go home with me.

what I've learned from Henry

(Henry is the one at the very bottom with the yellow t-shirt on. They were surrounding my son, Korey.)

Before I could get a big head about being chosen, those that know Henry said he has worked his magic on every Mom that comes to visit. And every Mom leaves here brokenhearted, knowing she cannot really take Henry home with her.

But yet, it tugs at your heart when, in his broken English, he says, “Nan-nette, I pray for you every day, so when you leave I can go with you, oui?”

To understand how we are all born with a different lot in life is impossible, at least to me. Why am I living in a free country, with a nice home, more food than I need, cars to drive and nice clothes to wear when someone such as Henry lives in complete poverty and despair?

Adoption isn’t easy in this country, or any other. Most of them only let those with physical disabilities and special needs be adopted out of the country, which is good and also not so good. Henry is neither one of those. So what is his lot in life? What is his hope?

I cannot explain it to me or to Henry. The only thing I can tell him is that he is loved by a Savior that knew his name before he was born. That His love is unconditional, never fails and never runs out.

Missionaries from around the world live here on this beautiful, yet impoverished, island and call it their home. They are here to make a difference as much as is possible. I have watched the missionaries we are staying with, Ronald and Terry Brian, LOVE BIG. That seems to be the answer to me. Yes, they give financially, very big. They give food, supplies and as much physical help as is possible. They are superintendents over a work of 600+ congregations, all over the island; it seems overwhelming to me that you cannot necessarily change the future of so many people, most who will always live this way.

BUT, if you take it one day at a time, if every day you get up, such as the Brian’s do, and make a little change for someone THAT DAY, hand out some extra rice and beans, grill some hot dogs for 135 kids, pass around extra water that they normally wouldn’t get, and most of all? Generously hug and love on adults and kids alike; they are starving for that affection at times even more than their natural food.

So, there is hope for Henry. Hope that if he stays connected to the Church here, the Body of Christ, that even though he may never leave his homeland for bright lights and big cities, God’s plan for him can still be huge. Henry can change lives too one day by sharing Christ with his friends, relatives and those even more less fortunate than himself.

I love you, Henry, and I pray for you every day that God will fill you with His spirit, full and overflowing with His love for others. That, as the Brian’s have loved you, and hundreds just like you, that you will now continue on and grow the Kingdom of God. Go, make a difference, Henry, for someone just like you.

May we not be so consumed with what we do not have that we cannot see the needs of others around us. But may we be so filled with the love of God that we will use what He has given us, whether it is natural things or spiritual things, and GO, DO, LOVE BIG.Kingdom2

 

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Welcome to Haiti, Jesus loves you

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We made it to Haiti and I have wifi!! Woo hoo! 

Thank you all so much for your prayers yesterday. We had a great trip, no travel issues. Except when the pilot came on the intercom in Miami, after a 20 minute wait, to tell us that he thought the mechanic thought the problem was fixed and he agreed so we were going to take off. Yes, I felt so much better. (smile)

We arrived in Port au Prince around noon and the resident missionaries, The Brian’s, took us to the nicest place for lunch. They wanted us to know on the way that this restaurant was not the norm and that was evident as we drove down the highway. But we were thankful for a nice meal, wonderful service and a beautiful outdoor venue complete with a pool and palm trees.

Then reality hit as we stopped by our first orphanage. As soon as Pastor Brian’s vehicle pulled up, children began pouring out of the complex. We couldn’t even get inside the gate due to the hugs and literal clinging to each one of us. My friend Bonnie Beecham, who were are blessed to get to do this trip with, just wanted to see her kids. And you could hear them all hollering her name, “Bonay! Bonay! Bonay!” It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.

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The children were fascinated with my youngest, Korey, who has let his hair grow, just a touch, over the last few months. Korey is not normally a touchy-feeling person but you get over that quick here.

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His heart was captured in the first few minutes as was my middle son, Kristopher. The children were fascinated that they were my sons. You? Mama? Him? Papa? Ha, ha, ha…so cute.

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At Felix’s orphanage, the children received new flip flops that Pastor David and Bonnie Beecham had brought with them from Tennessee. Hanging on to their shoes and to us, I tried to help them unwrap the cellophane to get to their new shoes but every one of them would shake their head negatively and smile and say something I didn’t understand. Finally, Pastor Brian’s wife, Terri, explained that they wanted to wash their feet first, before they put on new shoes. (tears!)

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Welcome to Haiti Jesus love you

Here they are singing, and playing with Korey’s hair.

From there we stopped by one other orphanage before reaching the missionary compound. By now it was dark, there was no electricity, we relied on our phones to even see our way inside. But, again, we could hardly get out of the car for the swarm of children yelling the Brian’s name and David and Bonnie (Bonay!)

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There were a couple of young teenage boys who could speak a little English and they wanted to know my name and then my age. When I said, “54”, they laughed and said that would be my name, just 54. Ha. Ha. Ha. Just how I wanted to be known.

One witty little boy, he was 12, when asked my name and I said, “Nannette” then said back, “Watch me whip, watch me Nan-nette!” Quoting the popular song, “Watch Me Nae Nae” (which I have never understood, ha). But he was quick on his feet!

Before we left, one of the young boys pulled on my arm and said, “Jesus Loves You” and I said, “Yes, He does and He loves you too!” We didn’t bring gifts to that orphanage right then (they are coming to the compound today for a field day of sorts) all we brought was ourselves and plenty of hugs to go around. They were starving for that attention, that touch, that personal affection.

That’s all I could think of the rest of the evening and in our sharing time with the missionaries we talked about how they have absolutely nothing here, nothing to look forward to for many, nothing to eat, sometimes no shoes to wear, but they are starving even more for love.

And they are not much different than the people you see every day that need love, attention, someone to just say they care. God’s love is unconditional, agape love and ours should be too. He doesn’t care what we look like, how much money we have or what we can give back to Him. He just loves us.

That’s all anyone needs today in this unsure world.

Jesus loves you. Would you tell somebody today? Would you reach out and touch the hand (if appropriate) of one that is suffering or hurting and let them know you care and that Jesus cares even more? Would you offer them agape love and share the Gospel, the Good News, of Jesus Christ? You will change a life and they won’t forget that touch.

Keep pus in your prayers today as we open up the missions compound here and 135 children descend upon us! There will be peanut butter sandwiches in the morning and hot dogs and all the trimmings this afternoon. Soccer, basketball, any other games they want to play. Korey and Kristopher will be exhausted for sure.

Pray that we can show them love, that they feel the presence of God, that they know they are safe. Even if for a little while.

(These last two pictures are of them surrounding the vehicle as we left. Knocking on my window and waving “Goodbye!” was just about more than I could take.)

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