Haiti download....

Here is my trip to Haiti, though this is the very, very short version. If you want more stories, you will just have to find out from me :o) ENJOY! It was defiantly a trip that I will never forget for many reasons. There are no words that could describe what I saw. I thought I seen all of it in Mexico, but I was beyond words when we drove through Port Au Prince. After getting through Customs (which I believe they ended up taking around $75,000 dollars worth of medical supplies-very sad) What was suppose to be a 3-4 hour bus ride to Jacmal, turned into a almost 6 hour drive. In our first 30 minutes I saw major poverty, guns everywhere and a truck taxi that turned to quick in front of our van and tipped over and crushed the people inside of (including children). We had to get out of there right away because it was very dangerous for us inside the city of Port Au Prince. We had to turn around and had to go completely outside the city which is why it took so long. Then we made the very difficult ride up/down the mountain. It was very dangerous with the turns, small streets and a guardrail that looked like it could barely handle a fly. It was scary, but it was gorgeous too. It was so crazy how some streets would be completely paved, and then all of a sudden it's rocks and holes in the next street. We made it. The Orphanage could not host us, and it was obvious why once we saw it. So we stayed at a hotel right down the street that was on the beach and then on the other side of the streets were the mountains. Pretty amazing. Though nothing went the way it was suppose to, God met all of us in different ways. There was a construction team, medical, orphanage. Construction team worked on building a girls house on the property. They are renting a building and it is not a good situation. Medical team was able to see over 810 people throughout the week (orphanage children/workers, people from the community and then they did 2 trips to villages in the mountains) It was amazing to see how the few medical supplies that we had (that were dispersed throughout our luggage) made it to the very last person. God was SOOO good to provide! The big orphanage team worked in the morning on clearing land to make a basketball court for them, painting rooms, organizing and preparing for the afternoon in playing with the kids. I had the opportunity to do crafts. Though out of 14 planned crafts only 5 got done, but it was fun to even be able to do those special things with them and now they have the opportunity to do more of them later. It was hard to surrender control and realized that He had it all planned out that I need not to worry about getting it all done. The cool part about all the crafts that except for a few minor things and Polaroid film everything, EVERYTHING was donated and I have some detailed, involved crafts. All the children even got to make there own t-shirts which were donated. Pretty awesome! So afternoons were spent playing with them, and then we would always end the day with songs, bible teaching. I will never be able to hear the songs "Give Thanks," "There is none like You," and "The glories of Calvary," again without crying. They truly had a heart to worship God. Some of those girls having nothing else but a relationship with Jesus. I realized how much of my day is filled with other things because I have so much and it made me realized how truly blessed I am. I am sad that it has taken me until I was 26 to figure that out. On Friday night I got REALLY sick (some stomach virus made it through our group-yuck) and I got up Saturday very weak. I just sat in the chair pretty much all day. Not able to do much (which is something I do NOT like to do if you know me. I have to be constantly moving, and hate not being in control....It was hard time). On Sunday I went to a church about 30 minutes away from where we were staying with 7 other people (everyone else went to the Orphanage). It was an amazing experience. Driving with the beach on one side, the mountains on the other. Going through lots of cities, seeing a parade of children (because it was National Children's day in Haiti), going through a market of some sort, through a river, a creek, down a mini-hill, seeing things I never want to see again :) and we were there. Though the church service was VERY different than any church I had been too, but I enjoyed worshipping with them. Then Sunday afternoon we took all the children from the Orphanage to the BEACH! Though if you are thinking white sand/blue water think again. It was pretty gross. There was lots of trash, people begging you to buy things from them, seeing stuff you don't want to see, and EXTREMELY salty water. But the memories of running around with squirt guns, splashing each other, having a mini beach ball fight and smiles that will be forever placed on my heart. A beautiful, beautiful trip it was. We ended our last night at the hotel sharing stories, thanking and blessing the people that took care of us, and then singing a song that has been evidence of God's grace and glory on this trip. "Not to us, but to your name, oh Lord, be all the glory, the glory, forever. For your faithfulness, and steadfast love, receive the glory, the glory, that belongs to you. " We woke up early Monday morning, to have a crazy day before us. Someone lost their passport (but it was found after much searching and prayer), the buses were an hour late. Then the bus that was carrying all the luggage and a few people decided twice to breakdown on the MOUNTAINSIDE....pretty scary. We fixed it, barely made it there only by God's grace to find out that our plane was delayed. To make it better instead of the almost 6 hour bus ride we made it in 4 despite all the problems we ran into. How good is He. This trip taught me how blessed I am, that I am not in control, that He is Sovereign and that I need to embrace my time of being single because I have the opportunity spend quality, daily time with Him, and to serve the families around me. I have recognized it, now it is putting it into practice. Though I might have been one of the older people on the team (a majority of them were 15-21) I was able to learn a lot from the younger people because of their attitudes, their desire to serve and how they glorified our Father. I can't believe it is over. I am sad. I miss the girls. I miss the friendships I made, but most of all I am thankful that God gave me this opportunity. GOD IS GOOD! Thanks for being apart of it, for your love, support and prayers. I will post more pictures as I am able too. Love you all!