Haiti - Teacher Seminar, VBS, and Youth Ministry: July 2015

July 26, 2015

Today we were able to worship with in the Haitian church at MPCA.  As songs, psalms and prayers in Creole resonated throughout the open air building, we were little more than spectators. Steve Bowlin admits he was amazed by the sincerity of the worship as we witnessed the young and old with closed eyes and raised hands, praising their heavenly Father. The Haitians frequently echoed Merci Seigneur!  Merci Seigneur! Merci Seigneur! (Thank you Lord!) While most of the thirteen team members know Spanish, none speak Creole, and only a few can recognize French. In fact, one of the concerns expressed in our first team meeting under the pavilion by the ocean here at the mission center was the ability to communicate. In that first meeting veteran team member Pastor Herb Codington mentioned that many try to serve from a posture of strength, but true service comes from a posture of weakness. In the worship service today, David Rath was able to expand on that idea of weakness by speaking on the story of Gideon and how God told Gideon, “You don’t need men, you need me.” Though we are not facing a battle this week, we are like Gideon’s men.  We have ten from our group who will be working with around 150 students each day.  They will be teaching how to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  Four of our group along with two Haitian teachers will be training approximately other 120 Haitian teachers. Given the language barrier, those odds are a bit worrisome. But with the promises of the Lord and the prayers of His people, the Lord will be victorious.

- Jeanette

 

After church and a delicious Haitian lunch, the team started getting ready for the week of
Church Camp at different churches in the community.

July 27, 2015

Today was a good day. I was able to lead a group of Haitian children in a few games. I had a plan for what games we would play but those didn't work out because the kids had traditional games they played. Tonight, we spent time with a group of kids at the service we had. It was tough to communicate what we were talking about with the language barrier and all. But, it was still a successful discussion. It has been great thus far.

-  Drake

 

Our first day of camp, in my opinion was very successful. We started by riding in a cattle truck to our first school, which was about 20 minutes away from our mission house. The scenery in the cattle truck was absolutely breathtaking with so many mountains and beautiful fruitful trees. We had about 107 St. Marc students for our soccer camp and VBS. The ages of the children were three to sixteen. Griffin, Nathan, Steven and I lead the soccer part of the camp. We had the children do shooting, passing and then played girls and boys. The girls were requesting to play against the boys and ran around and were screaming for about two minutes. They gathered and started to play, the girls not doing too well (5-0) requested that I play on their team. After scoring for the girls, they all went crazy. Seeing all the smiling and welcoming children who wanted to be held, hugged or learn more about God and English were the highlights of my day. This evening we did a Bible study with young adults from MP schools with the theme of “Your Identity in Christ”. They were very open with us and I loved hearing their dreams for their future and how they plan to serve God and their community and ultimately their country. Even with a language barrier, it is still amazing to be able to show love and Christ through our VBS and the beautiful game of soccer.
 

- Kayla

 

July 28, 2015

The teacher seminar is going great.  We have around 120 teachers attending and they are enjoying the learning and collaboration.  We have four American instructors and two Haitian instructors.  Each morning starts with devotions and worship.  We are all learning from each other and it has been amazing.

 

 

July 29, 2015

Today we made our first hike of the trip as we traveled up to Dupin. We did another day of VBS and ended up having approximately 160 kids show up! I was in the craft/evangelism group and led, with the help of a translator, the kids through the Gospel while making beaded bracelets. It’s always so fun hearing the kids scream out what each color means and to see the story of Jesus’ love make sense to them in a really simple way. On the way back down the mountain, Emilee and I each suddenly had a child that wanted to hold our hand and lead us down the path. The way they made sure that we walked on the part of the path that wasn’t as dangerous, and then went as far as to throw big rocks in the river for us to use as stepping stones, was a testament to the way that these kids love unconditionally.  They just genuinely enjoyed us taking time to be there with them, hold their hands, and love them. Love is a language that definitely doesn’t need to be translated! Later this afternoon, we held our third session for teenagers. It’s been really cool to break into small groups and to get to know the Haitians in our group better each day. They are starting to open up more and share the struggles that they face as Christians in their culture, but it’s been so fun to joke around with them, too. The best part of the event was the epic song/dance battle that happened between the Haitians and our group!

-- Rene
 

 

Today we went to Dupin.  It was the first time we had to hike to get to the school. The hike was not very long but it was hot and wet. Some of my favorite parts of the trip so far include: just being with this group of people.  I’m learning some new words in Creole.  I love doing VBS with the little kids in the morning.  I didn't think I was going to like it as much as I do.  My favorite school so far is Chardene.   Those kids were awesome.  I miss my family and air conditioning and my bed, but I wouldn't change anything about this trip. 

- Nathan

 

July 30, 2015

First of all I just want to say God is good! It’s amazing how much He has shown that He can use me in such a short amount of time here in Haiti. Not only that, but how much the Haitians have taught me about a simple faith and unconditional love. I came expecting to help them, and seeing how much they appreciate us gives me a change in heart. Our translators Carter, Tyson, and Jean have been with us everyday and each day I have asked many questions about Creole. They absolutely love when we ask questions about them and their language, so they always quiz me the next day and laugh at my pronunciations.  They always have a huge smile when I can have a conversation with them or the little kids.  The kids especially have so much fun when I show them the words I know, I count to 20 and say each color, then I teach them the English words for it. I think they are appreciative when we want to learn something from them. With that being said, today we hiked up to Degeance where there was very little space to play, but we improvised.  I walked up to a few little girls and asked them their name and age, told them their hair was pretty (Chave bel). The kids show us so much genuine love and they truly want to be loved, so being an example of God to them is such a wonderful opportunity. During the camp, I led games and I played guitar for each age group and we taught them the motions to “Lift Your Name on High” and at the end we all sang and danced to it together. As hot as it was, listening to them praise with us in their language gave me chills.  It has been a humbling experience and huge blessing to be here.
 

 -Erin

July 31, 2015

Sac passé!(What’s up) This week has been an awesome experience.  I have learned how giving and open those in the Haitian culture are.  When first arriving in Haiti, I saw how much more difficult the essentials for life are to come by and the way of life is much simpler.  Yesterday we played the high school and college age Haitians who have been coming to our evening meetings at soccer!  We had a great time playing against them even though we lost 3-6.  It was difficult playing on their field with all of the rocks and no grass.  I am looking forward to coming back to the U.S. for all of the amenities, but also at the same time I don't want this week to end.  I was playing with some of the little kids and would pick them up and spin them in a circle or throw them in the air and after I did that to the first kid I had a swarm of kids run over all hugging my legs and asking to spin them next.  After doing that to about thirty to forty kids, I was done but looking down and seeing how ecstatic their faces were, I couldn’t stop.  I’m so happy that God gave me this opportunity and thankful for it.  I couldn't ask for a better group of people to experience all of these things with.

~Steve

 

Bonjour! As someone who, before this week, had only been to the Dominican Republic, this week was an incredibly different experience. The two countries, while sharing an island, differ in many aspects of their culture and ways of life. Both of the countries share the island of Hispaniola and similar flora and fauna, however, their similarities stop fairly short after that. The most noticeable difference is the language. While the D.R. speaks the well-known Spanish language, Haiti has it’s own unique language of Creole, which is essentially a mix of French, Spanish, and English, making it very hard to learn and translate. The other distinct difference is the terrain. While the mountains of the Dominican are lush and rich with an infinite number of greens, Haiti’s have been stripped barren and are a solid dusty brown. Haiti also brings along the strange and mystical voo-doo religion that has just recently lost its grip on the country. If asked which country I liked more, I couldn’t give an answer. The two experiences are not at all the same so comparison is impossible. Haiti has given me a new perspective and opened my eyes to missions outside of the Dominican Republic.

 ~Griffin

   

Prayer together before the soccer game

We had a downpour after the soccer game and everyone enjoyed the cool rain

Haiti - Blufffon University - May 11-29, 2015

May 12, 2015

Yesterday we arrived at the mission center around 5 P.M. We had Haitian Spaghetti for dinner and then we spent time getting adjusted and did some group bonding.

Today we went to one of our mountain schools where we were able to watch the school nurse diagnose and treat some students. Two of our team members from Presbyterian College, Jackie and Jeremiah, got to help her diagnose and suggest some treatment options. After that, we got to play with the kids during their recess. We played soccer, Frisbee, and blew some bubbles and the kids loved it. Once their recess was over, they went back to class and we headed back to the mission center for lunch.

After lunch we hung out at the compound and relaxed for awhile before heading to another school that was closer. We observed the secondary grades in class, toured the clinic the nurse uses and saw the 30 acre farm they use to get fresh produce.

Once we got back to the mission center we had a traditional Haitian meal for dinner of rice & beans, chicken, fried plantains, and some salad. After dinner we relaxed by the ocean and played some games. Overall it was a pretty relaxing day.

May 13

Today we had grits with syrup and butter for breakfast.  We left the mission center around  8 A.M. and traveled around an hour to one of Mission Possible's schools in a rural area.  When we arrived we were greeted by  the children, who were on break.  We played Frisbee and soccer with kids, as well as blowing bubbles for them to pop.  After recess we ate tortilla pepperoni and cheese fillings and the children went back to class.  After lunch the students performed a program for us consisting of several Haitian chants, songs, and prayers.  We sang the hymn Sanctuary in response.  After the program, school ended and we walked with the kids through their village and we able to see the inside of one of the Haitian homes. Afterwards we were driven back to the mission center and relaxed by swimming, reading, and taking naps. We ate traditional Haitian food of chicken, rice, peppers, and beans for dinner.

May 14

Today we saw many things. We stared at the market with oh so many interesting sights, sounds, and smells. It was crowded and hot. We then went to MPCA school just in time for morning recess. We got out the jump ropes, soccer ball, Frisbees, and bubbles. The kids were crazy and very aggressive. They wanted to have the things we brought so it was tough keeping the items and actually trying to play with the kids. Trace and Brittany were able to see their sponsor children. Our nurse Anite opened her clinic and checked about 20 of the students with health problems. Many of them were dealing with eating or hydration issues. We then prepared for some presentations at the Teacher School later this week. After lunch, we were off to St Marc to see the Mission Possible school and church, the Catholic Church, and the hospital. We came back somber after seeing the need for better health care in Haiti. After supper, we sat and talked about the day trying to best process what we had seen and experienced. Pastor Herve shared with us about voodoo and how we can best respond to the needs in Haiti.

It was another hot day. The food was Haitian and good. We ended the day with laughter and games.

May 15

We had an amazing end to our week here! After an incredible pancake breakfast, the team went to our 4th Mission Possible school. To get to this mountain school, we traveled down a gravel road for a little while and then hiked up the edge of the mountain for the rest of the way. The view was gorgeous and as we approached we were greeted with the sound of the children singing. The schools were having a party today to celebrate National Flag Day on Monday, so we were able to observe the festivities that were occurring. We enjoyed getting to know the students while jump-roping and blowing bubbles. As the students ate lunch, we were able to walk through the village on our way back to the truck.

During the afternoon, we went to MPCA and were able to speak to and interact with the elementary teachers. The team began by giving the teachers different exercises and movements to do with the students before the day begins or whenever they need a break from class. Afterwards, we split into groups to talk to the teachers about math and biology. The math group took an in depth look at the concept of triangles and how to utilize different activities to implement it in the classroom. For biology, the muscular system was described and then joints and their functions were broken down. Working with a translator gave the team a new type of interaction with the Haitians. A good time was had by all!

After dinner we were able to visit another local family who is doing community leadership missions. It was great to talk with them and see what their vision is for the local community. We were also able to look at leadership training Mission Possible does with the administration of their schools.

We have learned a lot about the Haitian culture within the last four days and are excited to see what the weekend brings!

May 17

The past few days have been interesting to say the least. Saturday morning began early as we had a 5-6 hour drive to Cap Haitien. The group was on our way to visit Haiti's famous Citadelle (it's a fort). The ride there was bumpy to say the least and Haitian driving is nothing like American driving! In Haiti, honking occurs several times per minute to alert oncoming cars that you're rounding a bend you can't see past or to let the driver of the car in front know that you're about to pass. We arrived at the overnight location to eat a brief lunch of peanut butter on rolled tortillas and cheesey chex mix, then it was off to the mountain that held the Citadelle. We drove the truck two thirds the way up the mountain before it was necessary to walk, but, for some, the sound of riding a horse to the top seemed more appealing. Now, in hindsight, a Haitian horse (which is about half the size of an American horse and much skinnier, not to mention that the saddles used were far less than comfortable especially after the 5-6 hour bumpy ride in the truck,) on an incline/decline sharper than 45 degrees seems pretty crazy, however, I was one of those brave souls determined to get the best experience I can while I'm in Haiti... I rode the horse. Two Haitian men guided each horse to the top. Once there, we were guided through the Citadelle by a lovely Haitian man, Didi, who explained the history and secrets hidden in the Citadelle walls. The journey back down the mountain atop a horse was just as exhilarating as the ride up as being able to see how far down it -really- is shows you just how intimidated you should -really- be, but everyone made it safely... to the parking lot at least! Being white in Haiti is like being a celebrity in America. The Haitians with something to sell swarm before your feet hit the ground because they are all racing for the opportunity to show you their merchandise first. This is the first time we were in any kind of tourist-based area and being bombarded by vendors was nothing we had ever experienced before. The vendors that approach you in the middle of the mall are nothing compared to these people. They are -everywhere-. Anyway, on the truck ride back down the mountain, a few Haitian boys took advantage of our truck and used the back to hitch a ride and we stopped at the bottom to briefly visit the palace, which Didi also guided us through. After this, a few of us bought paintings from a vendor who had offered us a decent deal and then drove back to the mission to verifying that our dinner reservations were made. We then drove to a very high-class Haitian restaurant where we were given the option of beef, chicken, fish, or... wait for it.. goat. Again, I was one of those brave that tried goat. Believe it or not, it's pretty good. The long day definitely took it's toll so, with our bellies full, we headed back to the mission compound for showers, prayers, and a -really- good night's rest. 
          
Then next morning, we arose rested and ready for Haitian church! We arrived at the church and, with some dismay, realized that the gate to enter was locked, but a little girl ran to get a guard who let us in with no problem and he even had a large spot cleared toward the back of the church so that we might all sit together and with little disruption. The service starts with singing. When Haitians sing, it is the most wonderful sound a person can hear. The songs might be the same we sing in the US, but their voices are filled with so much more fervor and I was filled with the Spirit and lifted so high, I bawled more than once! Then it was time for the dreaded ride back to the Mission Possible compound. Another 5-6 hours and a few stops later, we were back at last! Dinner was soon served (rice with bean paste and some sort of delicious vegetable mush with applesauce) with relaxing and casual fellowship to follow. Then (something we had all been waiting for) vendors came directly to the compound to haggle with us so that we could buy our loved ones souvenirs. Overall, the weekend was eventful and fun (save the bumpy ride) and an experience that I feel I couldn't have gotten anywhere but Haiti.

May 18

Day to rest so...

• Slept in
• Breakfast at 8:30
• It is warm
• PC Team left at 11:00 to head back home
• Reading
• Journaling
• Games - Multi-person Solitare
• Lunch
• It is hot
• Fly a kite on the beach (drew quite a Haitian audience)
• Threw and skipped rocks
• It is hotter
• Resting
• Walked to see our new friends Brian and Heather
• Games - Bananagram, Golf (card game)
• Blessed with clean clothes drying on the line
• Supper
• Saw our frizzard (cross between frog and lizard) friend Leon
• Reading
• Journaling
• It is cooling, a little
• Discussion of Luke 16:19-31
• Talking with each other
• Listening to the sound of the waves on the beach

Thank you God for this day.

May 19

After spending the last week visiting Mission Possible schools and churches, we are switching things up this week and taking a look at the other mission organizations that are at work throughout Haiti. Today we toured the area with Project Help Haiti. We started at their facility that is right down the road from the Mission Possible mission center. We went to their school, but it was not in session.Yesterday was Flag Day in Haiti, so everyone had the day off work and school to celebrate. Today is the day after Flag Day, so everyone gets the day off of work and school to recover from all of the celebration. We took a look around the dorms that they house mission teams in, and then went to take a look at the clinic. Edgar, the assistant director and our tour guide for the day, told us that to get a consultation from one of the doctors at the clinic it costs 50 gourdes (Haitian currency), which works out to be close to a dollar in American money. They had several consultation rooms in the clinic that each had their own doctor. Right across the street was the actual hospital. We also got to walk through this hospital and go through the different rooms. We saw the room where they sterilize all of the equipment, and even got to go into an operating room. This hospital was so much cleaner and well organized than the government hospital that we saw last week. It was amazing to see the difference even in the atmosphere of the two hospitals. The government hospital had an overbearing feel of doom and discomfort, while this hospital today gave off a feel of hope and compassion. We also got to see the center that has been made for children with Type 2 diabetes. Haitians had previously not thought that children could get diabetes, and that children who showed the symptoms had been cursed by some sort of voodoo. We learned about how the children in the program have progressed since starting treatment, and also about the research being done on the number of children with diabetes in different areas of the country. We visited the nursing school that Project Help Haiti runs and looked through the classrooms and at the new construction being done. We then drove to Project Help Haiti's main campus in Borel. Here they have many different things. This is where their main school is, along with dorms where teams stay, as well as for when they hold large conferences. We also got to see The Water Project and how the filters are built. This is a project to provide safe water in Haiti. The filters put the water through layers of sand and stone to filter out anything bad in the water. We also saw the welding shop where students get hands on experience with fixing and building things. We then went to see the large soccer field and basketball court that have been constructed for the community to use. The group played hangman together while we waited on our ride back to the compound. Upon returning "home" most of us took advantage of our last opportunity to swim in the ocean while we are here. Afterwards we had a nice Haitian dinner of beans and rice, plantains, picklies, and chicken. The rest of the evening was spent playing card games and packing all of our things. Tonight is the last night that we will spend at the mission center as we move on to other parts of the country tomorrow.

May 21

We've had a great time at HIS Home for Children the past couple days! The team has been able to interact with the 1-6 year olds pretty regularly and we were able to visit the three homes which are part of the orphanage (girls home, boys home, and home for special needs children). The experiences we have had with these children and the first-hand situations we have heard about demonstrate how loved by God these children are. Another activity we have been able to do with the students is to help them complete a coloring page for the HIS Home 300. This is a 300 mile bike ride that serves as a major fundraiser to support the children at the orphanage. We are so grateful to our hosts for providing us this experience the past couple days. The experience has formed some great memories that will stick with us for a long time! We're all safe and healthy and look forward to the experiences we will have over the next few days!

May 23

We had another really good day in Haiti.  Today we traveled to Deyemon which is about 7-8 hours west of Port-Au-Prince.  We arrived with only a few wrong turns along the way, but we are all doing well.  The kids were playing soccer as we arrived and seemed excited to see us.  The weather is cooler since Deyemon is up in the mountains.  We are getting situated and will be getting ready to eat dinner soon.

May 25

Sunday we had a great day at Deyemon.  We went to two church services in the morning and the evening where we heard messages on Nehemiah.  These services were both several hours long and included music and a lot of energy.  The message in the evening was on repairing relationships. There were several people that agreed they needed to work on or repair relationships.  Many of these people came up and requested prayer.  Also on Sunday we spent a lot of the day relaxing and had some down time to play soccer and jump rope with the kids.  

Today (Monday) in the morning we did special seminars in the school on hand washing and hygiene.  First with the preschool to 3^rd grade students in the morning where they asked a lot of good questions.  In the afternoon we did the same presentation for the  4th through 6^th graders. The older kids will get a more interactive presentation since they’ve probably heard most of the info before.

Everyone is doing really well though and the weather up in the mountains is much more pleasant. It's still warm, but not as hot as Port-Au-Prince.  We are having a good trip though and everyone is chipping in to help.  We are looking forward to a good week, but we miss everyone back at home.

May 27

Tuesday we had different sessions in the classes at the school.  We reviewed the information about germs and hand-washing. We also taught a bible lesson from Matthew 18 (and Luke 15) about parable the 100 sheep and if one wanders, Jesus cares about the one. The lesson highlighted that each one is important in God’s eyes. Pastor Wilfred encouraged a response, an invitation, and several wanted to reunify with God.  There are about 8-9 students that Pastor Wilfred will follow up with based on the responses.

Last night, some kids came to the area and the team played soccer and Frisbee with them.  Today, Wednesday, we will be doing some teacher training since the Deyemon teachers are not able to attend the teacher training in Montrouis. Brittany, Megan and Kristen will be leading. They will cover different teaching techniques and lesson prep ideas.  The other students will be interacting with the kids during recess time. 

Tonight we planned to go on some prayer visits with Pastor Wilfred, but the rain cancelled our plans. Tomorrow we return to Port-Au-Prince and Friday we will fly home.  The weather has been good and we have seen God at work every day. Thank you for your continued prayers!

May 28

Today we traveled back to Port-Au-Prince to stay at the OMS facility.  We left early from Deyemon and arrived around 12:30pm in Port-Au-Prince.  The rest of the day we will spend reflecting and getting a little rest at the OMS facility before we make the long trip back to Ohio.  Everyone really enjoyed the trip while being very flexible.  We will miss Haiti, but are looking forward to travelling back to the states to see our families and friends.  Please keep us in your prayers as we journey home and make the transition.

Haiti, Feb 27-March 8, 2015

Saturday and Sunday (teams 3 and 4 cross over days)

Teams from week 3 and 4 came together to work at the school in Dupin on Saturday.
After a hike up the mountain, we installed some new teacher and
student desk along with some new classroom cabinets.

One of our Haitian helpers carried the desk all the way up the mountain
all by himself and on his head.

A huge boys versus girls soccer game using two stones as the goal post.

 Megan and Becca taught some kids to play Duck, Duck , Goose
after a few failed attempts.

Rene (and Scott who is not shown) both were baptized Saturday
by Pastor Herve in the ocean to put a great end to the night.

Sunday, we went to a beautiful Haitian church service where we had special music not only by the Haitians but also our own team. The message was translated for us by Pastor Herve so both the Haitians and the Mission Possible groups could enjoy the service.

After church, we sadly had to say good-bye to the team from week 3.

Tuesday

Pam's sponsored child brought her fruit.  It was such a special gift.   

Today the teachers and cooks trained us regarding Hygiene. 

We are starting to learn how difficult their lives are.

Wednesday

The hike to Degeance brought us to this child and his family. 

Here is a picture of Tonya with her patient.

And the family in Degeance was so hospitable, they gave us each a coconut!

Mark fixes a door in MPCA.

Several paint the kitchen roof at the school in Degeance.

Thursday

Ross spending time working with some Haitian workers. 

Nick helping with repairs to the fence surrounding the Mission Center.

Carly helping to hand out prescription glasses at our Clinic.

Shari and Amanda teaching about OB and the hygiene kits. 

A view of the clinic. 

Neil making friends with a little girl who visited our clinic. 

Saturday

Shari helped not only with sewing, but everything 

we asked her from construction to medical. 

Hutson learning how to clean out ears at the clinic. 

Pastor Herve and the School Board thanking the whole team for helping 

with the Mission Possible program this past month. 

It has been an incredible journey and we are all going to miss 

our Haitian brothers and sisters, but we are ready to come 

home to be with our families again. 

Haiti, Feb 22-March 1, 2015

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Construction Team: After a backlog, the staining and painting team finally caught up on all the staining and painting of desktops, backs, seats, and teacher storage cabinets.....for now! The painting and staining team also learned a little Creole in the process. The remaining members of the construction team showed Haitian men how to weld with the help of an interpreter.

Sewing Team:   The sewing team traveled to the Mission Possible school in LaHatte. It was a dusty trip, they climbed up a curvy, narrow dirt road in an open air cattle truck. Once they arrived the team taught a class of 32 ladies, who walked from neighboring villages. The school in LaHatte doesn't have electricity, so the ladies worked on their market bags,  which they will use to carry grocery from the market.

Medical Team: The medical team also traveled to LaHatte and administered physicals and vision checks on over 60 students that attend the Mission Possible school. The team treated a variety of issues ranging from anemia, ear infections, to fungal skin and scalp issues.

Wednesday

Construction Team:  The team continued welding and painting frames for student and teacher desks. The team finally saw the fruits of their labor when the desks were assembled with the help of the Haitian workers.

Sewing Team: The group of Lanzac women returned to work on completing their market bags and
pot holders. The women are so proud of their progress. The Haitian young ladies are enthralled with our Mission Team young ladies, especially braiding their hair and helping them practice their Creole.

Medical Team:  The team traveled to Degeance. They had to hike the last 1/2 mile because there is no dirt road for the truck to travel on, only a narrow walking trail. The team conducted over 115 student physicals and vision screenings. Ever year there is a medical case that reminds us of why we do this work.

The little boy in the picture below is a student at Degeance. The Doctor and Nurses working in the clinic today were very concerned for this little boy. He was dehydrated, clammy, and lethargic. Instantly they started pushing fluids and eventually was able to get him to eat. Gradually he started to improve. It reminds us of the importance of the feeding program that Mission Possible provides with sponsorship. Most of the children's only meal is at school.

Thursday and Friday

Sewing Team: Yesterday the sewing team packed up a couple of sewing machines and traveled to LaHatte where the ladies worked on their market bags. Today the Lanzac ladies returned to the Mission Possible Center for their final sewing lesson. They finished their market bags and potholders. They also brought their quilts that they finished a couple of weeks ago for pictures. The team threw a party to celebrate the ladies accomplishments. Each lady received a certificate. The ladies were very touched form the generosity of all. Tears were shed as they parted ways.

Construction Team: On Thursday part of the team traveled to the Mission Possible school in LaHatte to complete small projects, such as mending gutters, painting doors, and repairing a cistern. The rest of the team stayed back at the Center and painted, started assembly of student desks, stained bookshelves, and fabricated more steel. Today part of team stayed at the Center and finished the assembly of over 30 student desks with the the help of many different Haitians at many different times. The team finished up lots of odds and ends. The rest of the construction team traveled to the Mission Possible school in Dupin and installed new teacher cabinets.

Medical Team: On Thursday the team traveled to the Mission Possible school in Saint Marc and performed over 115 student physicals and visions screenings. Friday, part of the team ventured to Dupin, which involved a 1/2 mile hike up a mountain. Once the team arrived at the Mission Possible school they performed over 65 student physicals. The other members traveled to our school named MPCA to teach CPR to the teachers.

Saturday and Sunday (teams 3 and 4 cross over days)

Teams from week 3 and 4 came together to work at the school in Dupin on Saturday.
After a hike up the mountain, we installed some new teacher and student
desk along with some new classroom cabinets.

One of our Haitian helpers carried the desk all the way up the mountain
all by himself and on his head.

A huge boys versus girls soccer game using two stones as the goal post.

 Megan and Becca taught some kids to play Duck, Duck , Goose
after a few failed attempts.

Rene (and Scott who is not shown) both were baptized Saturday
by Pastor Herve in the ocean to put a great end to the night.

Sunday, we went to a beautiful Haitian church service where we had special music not only by the Haitians but also our own team. The message was translated for us by Pastor Herve so both the Haitians and the Mission Possible groups could enjoy the service.

After church, we sadly had to say good-bye to the team from week 3.