Thanksgiving in Haiti

Thanksgiving in Haiti

While America celebrated Thanksgiving today and turned their attention to Black Friday, we went to the beach in the morning and to a Haitian orphanage in the afternoon.  The trip to the beach is a great way to decompress a bit and gain a greater appreciation for the beauty of Haiti.  We left MOH by 7:15 am, so we could spend a couple hours at the beach, eat lunch and maximize our orphanage time.  Our team is always amazed at the beauty of Haiti, especially at the beach.  Sometimes it’s so easy to focus on the problems and struggles of Haiti, that you can easily miss the incredible beauty of the country.  The mountains are captivating, as they seemingly go on forever, leading hearts to want to know what’s beyond those mountains and what stories they have to tell.  The beauty of the Haitian people is always missed in the news stories about a country riddled by corruption, natural disasters, and hunger.  The children are so warm and loving and parents are trusting, knowing a village is truly raising their child.

After lunch, our team loaded up for a brief journey to Barbancourt, a village where the orphanage that my daughters’ came from is located.  Our teams have been able to visit the Barbancourt orphanage on each of our last four trips.  Our visits are always bittersweet, as we are able to love on those precious children, yet our hearts break for them every time we leave. 

Below are some insights from Maddie and Jillian about our trip to the orphanage:

Maddie
            Today was a day I’ve been looking forward to for almost a year now. It was an amazing day for two reasons. One, I got baptized. Two, my little girl remembered me.

            I got baptized in Wahoo Bay today by Mr. Henderson, Villarson, and Delmonte. Last year when I came to Haiti, is when God first came into my life and my faith became real for me, I found a relationship with God. From then to now, my life has gone from being completely about me to completely about following Jesus (wherever, whenever, whatever). I’ve seen Him work in incredible ways in the past year, I knew I wanted to get baptized but I could hear God tell me to wait until I’m back in Haiti when I thought about doing it at the baptism church service. To me, there is no better place than to be baptized in Haiti, a place that is home to me, and by three of the biggest role models in Christ that I have. I’m so thankful for it and excited about where God has brought me in just one year and where He will take me in the future.

            On another note, I’ve waited a year to go back to the orphanage in Barbancourt where Hendo found Jaline and Marie-line. Last year, God broke me with Jaline’s story and transformation, then later that week He broke me even more at the orphanage. Tonight, my heart is on a little girl in the orphanage, my heart will always be on her. Her name is Clenusa. I met her last year. Then, I spent the afternoon with a little girl that I saw such brokenness in her eyes, even if she smiled. Last year, when I left her, she held her hands behind her back and looked right down at the ground.  I left knowing that she would be going to bed on a cement floor. The reality of that for Clenusa and the rest of those orphans wrecked me.

Since then, I’ve seen God move mountains even though I’ve been back home, through a perfect stranger agreeing to help us get bunk beds into Barbancourt, after we raised the money, and again through Kids Against Hunger. Today, I wanted to run up to the orphanage. I tried to make myself afraid that she wouldn’t be there to sort of protect my emotions but I knew she’d be there. Julia wrote me a letter telling me that she hoped I’d see her again, but she knew I would because I’d go to the end of the earth to find her again and today, she remembered me. I couldn’t help but break down crying as she jumped right up into my arms and held on to me so tight. She showed me her bed and we put new sheets on it that we brought down for the kids. There was also a Kids Against Hunger box in the corner of her room. Getting to love this little girl for four hours were the best four hours of this trip, because in reality, she needs this love, she’s an 11 year old girl who does not have a family and does not go school, but spends her days in a dull orphanage. One girl on our team asked if I thought she was better than last year, physically, yes/kind of, she looked a little better, definitely didn’t look worse than last year. A year ago I could fit my index finger to thumb around her upper arm (I can’t even do that on my 5 year old little peanut of a cousin). This year I couldn’t do that and her hair wasn’t as orange, but still she wasn’t in any way great. But emotionally, I see her as much worse. The way she has to grow up breaks me and I can see the sadness in her eyes. 

I’m so lucky to have spent the afternoon with her at my side, anything we did she held on to me so tight… and so leaving her this year, was a million times harder. Four hours last year and four hours this year built a bond with this girl. When I had to tell her goodbye, I told her goodbye and I love you in creole. She buried her head in me, after a while, she ran off into her room. I followed her to find her sitting on her bed quietly, with tears coming down her cheeks. I had been trying not to let the kids see me cry, but at that I just lost it, I sat there as long as I could just hugging her. But this time, I left knowing she had a bed and wouldn’t be sleeping on cement. I don’t know where God’s taking me, but I do know that I love that little girl, I do know that my heart is for the orphans in this world, and I do know that I will follow wherever He leads me.

That’s my heart for tonight.

Jillian

            My heart has always been with foster children. When Mr. Henderson told us we were given the opportunity to go to Barbancourt I couldn’t wait for the day to come. As we arrived at the orphanage I was overwhelmed with so many different emotions. But it didn’t hit me until I had to say goodbye to all the children.

            I was carrying a three year old boy who had such a bloated stomach from the worms that his shirt would just sit on top of his little belly. And I had a six year old girl connected to my hip the entire time, and she insisted on carrying my backpack for me as we held hands. We all walked the children back to the orphanage from the soccer field. As we arrived to the orphanage the little girl squeezed my hand and walked me to her room. She pointed me to her bed and I laid down next to her as the little boy with worms laid on my stomach. The little girl and I talked until I had to officially say goodbye. As we were talking I started to cry; She asked me, “Why you cry?” and continued to wipe my tears away. At this point I couldn’t even tell her why I was crying.

            Haiti is beautiful, but it sure knows how to break your heart. Today my heart was left at Barbancourt with a young lady named, Lakden. I simply couldn’t explain to her how I felt when I laid next to her in that bunk-bed. Knowing I had my last couple minutes before leaving her I couldn’t handle all my emotions at once. I have been away from my family for a week now, and I already miss them like crazy. But this little girl didn’t have a family. I left the orphanage knowing that I will be seeing my family soon. Lakden on the other hand goes to bed crying knowing she is all alone. This put my whole life into perspective. A six year old girl sharing her life story with me as she just wants to be loved, but all she feels is that she’s invisible. I love all the children and Haiti, but my heart will always be with the orphans.