The gift of service and the power of the message

As I sit at the table in the guesthouse, surrounded by my teammates, I am grateful. I am grateful for the day The Lord has made and for our ability to rejoice in it.
From the outside looking in, most people would see the least likely and the least equipped people heading out to this foreign land to serve…but, we know that we are soldiers in The Lords army fighting for the people of His kingdom.

We have the best jobs on earth today: to love and serve with not only open arms but also open hearts, to comfort and support those who are in need, and to spread the message of God without even using words. Often times we forget we have the ability to serve, not only when we are in Haiti, also when are homes. Pastor Jeff regularly speaks of how you can carry the message with you anywhere, anytime. The message can be shared at work, in the grocery store, or even over a conversation on Facebook. We are able to serve God and others with open hearts and open arms from the comfort of our home. Serving does not always look the same. We have learned here that service comes in many different shapes and sizes. It may be serving sandwiches with the Mission Team on a Saturday or heading out to serve the elders at Covenant Village one afternoon. It might even be taking off on airplane to Haiti and loving on orphans and elders. It easy to think that in serving we are only giving, when in reality, we are also receiving so much.

Today, I received many blessings. Starting at 6:00 AM church service, I received the power of The Holy Spirit flowing over my body and touching my heart in ways that I will never forget. Our eyes were blessed to witness the love and joy the Haitian people proclaim to The Lord with no limits.  Next, our team was fortunate to visit and tour a job creation facility called Papillon Enterprises. While there, we had the opportunity to see beautiful pieces of art being created by men and women who were once homeless and without work and now thrive in what they do. I personally was blessed to see their hard work and dedication. With the unemployment rate being 70% in Haiti, it was especially powerful to watch each man and woman work so hard to be able to provide for their families. Just to know they would have the chance to go home and spend time with their children instead of being forced to put them in orphanages due to lack of money or food was a gift in itself. We were a part of a great movement today.  Haiti Teen Challenge followed. What an amazing experience for our Serenity Village team. With so many of our members being personally affected by addiction, it was refreshing to see the recovery movement continuing in Haiti. We met with one of the leaders who graduated from the first class in Haiti Teen Challenge 5 years ago. He was a great tour guide around their facility and was so delighted to hear that we were familiar with Teen Challenge back home. After meeting with some of the residents and taking pictures in front of their large “Haiti Teen Challenge” sign, it was time to move onto our next destination: La Pherre. La Pherre is the name of a man who stated an orphanage some years ago from his home. Although he has children of his own, he saw the need for those around him. With his loving heart, kind soul, and complete reliance on God, he opened his home to 16 boys and girls ranging in ages from 4 to 17. Many children who are placed in orphanages in Haiti still have mothers and fathers who visit them while they are living in the orphanage. In situations like this, parents most likely gave their children up in order for them to be cared for in a manner they could not provide. While visiting La Pherre’s today, we had the opportunity to play, sing, laugh, and fellowship with the children. I felt the presence of God all around each and every one of us while we were there. The joy we experienced was like nothing I could explain over the computer. (I can try) We started by handing out the wonderful bookmarks that were created by children from the River of Life church, and then went into lots of game playing. Imagine this: 13 of us, plus 16 children, all trying our best to fit into one large circle to play “Duck Duck Goose” (not grey duck). This game lasted only about 10 minutes since it proved to be relatively dangerous and extremely hot for our behinds to be on that concrete for too long. Next, we played some form of “Monkey In The Middle” and, WOW, this was fun! Mainly because us Americas were trying so hard and sweating profusely while the children laughed at us. Once the kids had enough of our lack of sports ability, they decided to sing for us. Have you ever heard a choir of angels sing? That is what it sounds like when a group of children from La Pherre’s sing to you. The pure joy and excitement on their faces said it all. The love we share with these children is inexplicable. No one here could tell of how it feels to have a child you just met share so much love with you. The trust they share with us is like nothing you could find at home. They believe in us and we in them. They know when we are there we Jesus with us, and we know that Jesus was actually already there when we arrived.

Today was a day of blessings. Today was a day of prayer. Today was a day of peace. Today was a day of love. Today was truly a day filled with Jesus.

Thank you Lord, for today. 

Amen

Love,

Nikki

Day One: Water Truck

Today we did the first day of “water runs” to Cite Soleil. We made 3 stops with breaks in between for the water truck to be refilled. I was one of the “hose-holders.” It was a gift to be able to see my team members gifts come out during this day - and to see the beautiful children truly enjoying themselves and us, as they made waterslides, splashed us, themselves and each other. One of the most special times was praying on the site of the new school and church being built what used to be a garbage dump. I can truly see hope for the children. I see that this church and school is going to truly change their lives. My heart breaks in Haiti. How grateful I am (we all are) for the gifts we are able to give but also receive today. 

-Linda Kleven 

Day 6 The 'Son' was Shining

Today was another amazing day for our team and started with another delicious breakfast prepared by our Haitian mothers.  It was chop chop on the top top, then we were off to the earthquake memorial/mass grave sight and Grace Village.  We confidently and humbly prayed to God for the souls of all the family and friends lost during the earthquake.  Once we arrived at Grace Village... It didn't take long for the smell of beer cheese bread and the joy of the children to spread throughout the entire mountain side! ;)  What do you get when...an albino redhead meets the Haitian sun?  I don't know...go ask Erin and her 100 SPF.  The rest of us were rocking 30 SPF and ready for an afternoon at Wahoo Bay...we scuba'd, we trampoline'd, we swam in ocean, we ate fresh crab, we reflected, relaxed and praised the Lord and only got in one fight :) jk obvs...we reaped a sun-filled harvest from seeds of love, sowed in a country of beauty.  After some aloe...we headed out for some authentic Haitian food at Pizza Amore ;) fun and fellowship was had by all, a perfect end to a perfect day #PTL

Blessing~

The SVCC Haiti Team (one sentence at a time)

5/7/2015

 Encouraging, heartbreaking, breath taking, and beautiful. Not even the words above come close describing how powerfully the Holy Spirit worked in and through the team and the people of Haiti. Starting out the day seeing the joy of the Lord in the eyes of the children at Grace Village Orphanage. Not to mention the encouragement of seeing the compassionate and driven hearts of the leaders of the orphanage. On to the unexplainably, moving, heart shattering and life changing Elder visits. Depositing love of a heavenly realm from them to us, and us to them through prayer, praise, and touch. What an honor to wash their hands and feet and to experience the love of God like never before.   

Kirstie

Day 2 – Water Truck Day

Wow! Just, wow! It is difficult to explain the range of emotions we’ve all felt today. Right now, while I write this, we’re all sitting around a living room having a great time telling jokes, playing trivia, and listening to music. Truly, God is in this place. We are happy, here, with each other. This morning our joy came from an entirely different, and entirely unexpected source. 

Our day began at 5:45 am, when we were driven to a daily prayer event. Each morning, hundreds of people gather to pray in a large steel building. It has the look and feel of a livestock building at a local state fair, only, instead of animals and fairgoers roaming about, the place is filled with dozens of prayer warriors. And that’s all it is. Prayer. 

They do this all day, but we joined them for roughly an hour. While we prayed several men took turns praying into a microphone, praying in Hatian Creole. The Holy Spirit was definitely present, even though we knew little or none of what was being said. All of us were hit with the sense that, in spite of all of our differences, the body of Christ is one. And we were with our family. After breakfast at the house, we piled into the back of the “Top Top,” our ice cream truck shuttle bus, and headed into the one of the poorest places in the world: City Soleil. 

As predicted, this was a game changer. 

There are no words to describe the feeling while driving through the homes and streets built in the midst of rubble, garbage, and human waste. As the Top Top pulled down the final turn into the street we’d bring water to, dozens of little children followed us laughing and calling out to us. When we came to a stop we were immediately flooded with open inviting arms, insisting that we pick them up and love on them. 

Many of the children were naked, or had little to no clothing on at all. Some, like one boy I remember who was no older than three, had nothing but a single rubber boot on. And all of them were starved, with skinny limbs and distended bellies. They clambered all over us, and we hugged on them and loved on them and played with them for over an hour.

While most of us were enjoying the children. A few helped deliver clean water to a horde of people and buckets who otherwise have no source of this life giving substance. The water truck, a big tanker that reminds one of a diesel truck, pumped out over 1200 gallons of water into thousands of buckets that were brought in one, often chaotic line. 

The children were an eye opening experience. You could feel the pure desperation, the need, to be loved and noticed. It wasn’t enough to just hold them, you had to love them. You had to play with them, interact with them, and connect with them in the most wonderful of ways. While they hung naked onto your shoulder and arms, you could smell or feel the body order and excrement. But through all of that, not one of us noticed a single thing that wasn’t utterly beautiful. 

They were beautiful. 

I think that’s what they love most about us, that we don’t merely tolerate them or deliver a service. We share with them and play with them and get to know them. They matter and because of us, they know it. It’s an amazing feeling. 

But even more shocking I the act of delivering the water itself. The residents do not line up by the hundreds with their buckets as if it’s a chore or just something they do. They run to the water truck with fervor, fighting their way to the end of the hose before the water inevitably runs out. 1200 gallons is a lot, but it is not nearly enough. 

It is heart breaking to see old women and grown men fight with each other to get their buckets and pales filled. They aren’t fighting out of a sense of good order, like we might in America, because someone cut someone else in line or broke the rules. They fight to the front because if they don’t, they can’t cook. If they don’t, they don’t bathe.  If they don’t, they can’t drink. If they don’t, their animals and children die. 

The worst, and easily the most sad, is the use of children to get water. Parents send little, little children often as young as two or three to the front of the line with little buckets to get water. They know that even though they’re “cutting in line,” people like us can’t say no. So we sometimes let the hose fill their little buckets and try not to cry when a naked girl young enough to wear diapers says “merci” and then struggle to carry a gallon of water down the alley to their home. 

During all of this, amidst the clamor we enjoyed our task and each other. We didn’t lose our hearts, but found more spirit and care than any of us have ever felt before. We’re still processing the feelings that have overcome each one of us. But for now, we’re content to just rest and accept that while there isn’t much we can do, we are doing what we can. We are here, doing God’s work, and we will continue to do just that. The outcome is His. 

We’re at the house. We are laughing, but also tired. Tomorrow we’ll head to two orphanages and the “Apparent Project,” an initiative that provides jobs. But for now, it’s time for bed. Good night. 

Michael Spakousky

952-999-1093

mspakousky@gmail.com

SVCC Healing Haiti Trip Day 1 – Travel Day

Well we made it. We are here. Our day began at roughly 3am at the Minneapolis airport. Now, fifteen hours later, we are sitting in our beautiful and safe guest house in the city of Port Au Prince, Haiti. Our team of fourteen travelled well. We encountered few issues, save being forced to wait an hour for Starbucks to open. 

Everyone arrived safely. Everyone got along. Even before we left for our first destination new friendships began to form. Ask Steve. Not even to our first gate and he discovered the dangers of saying yes when your girlfriend insists you bring her stuff animal named “trunks” on a trip with someone like me.  

Hours later we arrived in Haiti. The excitement built even as the hot humid Haiti air hit us when we exited the plane. We hopped into the back of the “TopTop,” the truck which will be our mobile home for the next eight days. The Top Top is a silly little flatbed of a box that looks like an ice cream truck but one that hauls people. 

It took us a few miles over roads good and bad and terrible to bring us to the Healing Haiti Guest House, our home away from home for the next week. Here we sit, some out on the patio, some on the couches near me. All around the house I hear laughter and praise, joy and faith building discussions. As much fun as we are having, we are all very tired, and more than a little excited about tomorrow.

Today we have settle in to a new place in a foreign country. Tomorrow we learn what we came here for when we head out into the poorest parts of the city and truly begin to do God’s glorious work. Tomorrow we learn why we are actually here. Tomorrow, we really meet Haiti. 

Michael Spakousky

952-999-1093

mspakousky@gmail.com