feeding the hungry
waiting for food
This is Tatiana. She is one of the children sponsored from our congregation. For $225 you can change a child's life forever.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Images from Haiti
2 1/2 miles straight up and then down!
Feeding the hungry
Jim on top of the mountain
Haiti - Reflection from Christy Jackson
And he told them many things in parables, saying “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 13: 3-8
In Terrier Rouge seeds have been sown, and the soil is good.
Pere Bruno has faithfully tended his seeds and soil for many decades, and from his efforts have sprouted a school, Ecole Saint Barthelemy, and a medical clinic, Clinique Esperance et Vie, to serve the minds and bodies of Terrier Rouge while his ministry serves the souls.
Greater than 800 children attend Ecole Saint Barthelemy daily, receiving not just an education but an opportunity. Teachers at St. Barthelemy are certain that amongst their students is one who will someday emerge to lead Haiti. Imagine the perspective and vision a leader who has so intimately experienced opportunity in his own life could bring to this nation. At Ecole Saint Barthelemy the soil is good, and opportunity grows.
“Esperance” is the Haitian Creole word for hope, and in Clinique Esperance et Vie the people of Terrier Rouge have reason to hope. Not all who come to the clinic will be healed but many are, including the grandmother whose cataracts were removed by clinic doctors, allowing her to see her grandchild’s face for the first time. There is a correlation between successful healing and a patient’s expectation of healing, and such expectation requires hope. At Clinique Esperance et Vie the soil is good, and hope is growing.
In Terrier Rouge seeds have been sown - seeds are growing - and the soil indeed is good.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Reflecting on our trip - Marshall Family Blog
It is the small things that are most enjoyable. The smiles on people’s faces, the walks through town, sipping drinks at Madame Socretes’ store and watching kids play soccer in the streets. But the greatest simple pleasure is eating chilled, fresh-peeled sugarcane. The first time we had it we bought it from a small vender in Terrier Rouge, just beyond the school yard. The vendor was more like a small market on a raised stone platform. Mangos were lined up in rows. The sugarcane was piled high in a wheelbarrow and several men were gathered around it peeling it on site with machetes. One evening, walking back from Madame Socretes’, we picked up a stalk for five Haitian Goudes. This is one eighth of a U.S. dollar. Back at the school, Lanaud, peeled the sugarcane for us. We then enjoyed delicious chilled sugarcane! You have never tasted anything so fabulous.
Blog Entry - Karen Mitchell
NewYear’Day was the most meaningful day of our trip. If you have ever wondered how your donations to Haiti have been spent, I can guarantee that it is spent in a way to feed as many hungry families as possible. We fed about 600 families. A member from each family was given a card. They lined up and we passed out the bags of rice, spaghetti, and oil that we had prepared the day before. I felt tears coming as I handed out food to the elderly and the children that were the ages of the students that I taught for so many years. Then one of the last women in line at our first stop touched my life in a way that I will never forget. She was my age or a little older its hard to say. She was wearing a dirty yellow dress and she was missing some teeth. It wasn’t enough to hand her the bag of food and for her to say “Merci” She and I hugged. Then I had me a good cry. (Some of the men were even teary eyed and thankful for sunglasses.) I don’t know if it was the joy of sharing food, their joy of receiving food, the guilt of the inequality and injustice of what I have been blessed with compared to what little they have been blessed with that made me cry. But I am so thankful for this experience. Thank you for your donations that made this feed possible.
Today we hiked to the Citadel! I walk the Mall with Nan (Jane’s sister) whenever we can and chase two year olds everyday, but an athlete I am not. When they said it was a strenuous one hour hike, I have to admit that I was a little nervous, but I also didn’t want to miss the experience. We got up about 6:00 am, had breakfast, and packed our lunches. Our driver took us half way up a steep mountain. We climbed out and started off at a fast clip to get away from the street vendors. The trail was very steep and this “Mall walker” was soon panting and wondering if I was going to have to give in and pay the man to ride Toyota the horse to the top. But we slowed our pace and took a couple of breathers along the way. Christy and Trey kept a close watch on this grandma and I made it to the top It was an awesome sight. Our guide shared the history with us. Then we had a picnic lunch. The walk back was a piece of cake for me. Then the street vendors attacked us. Those of you who know me, know that I am not a wheeler dealer, so I was glad when we left the shopping area. But right now I am feeling pretty good. Leigh said I earned the right to do the Happy Dance.
I miss you all and can’t wait to get back home. But I have to admit the afternoon siestas are pretty nice. The stars that seem so close that you can touch them are breath taking, and sitting on the porch sipping an evening beverage with old and new friends will forever be remembered.
Love, Karen
PS Wayne Scott, you know that I am not a violent person, but I am in complete agreement with you about the crazy roosters who crow all night. HAHA
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
You feed them
The disciples said to Jesus, there are so many people, send them away so they can eat. Jesus said to them, "You feed them."
January 1 - Post from Mike and Daphne Nash
Be still and know that I am God. [Psalm 14:10] has always been one of our favorite verses. Never has this been more evident than in our experiences immersing ourselves in the Hatian culture. This environment has allowed us to slow down and focus on God’s work. Simplicity rules the day. Today, thoughts and ideas were shared without Texting and Facebooking Instead, we gathered around the dining table and on the front porch, to exchange thoughts, feelings, and experiences —- all done-face-to face.
We saw children playing and running in the streets—-again simplicity. We watched as these children tirelessly pulled homemade toy cars, (fashioned from empty motor oil bottles with bottle caps for wheels.) Here everyone knows their neighbors. We saw women walking with buckets to and from the well in the center of town and livestock roaming freely. In the evenings, we heard voices floating on the breeze, from porch gatherings all over town, and above, the starriest sky we’ve ever seen.
Today we delivered food packages. In addition to deliveries in and around Terrier Rough, we ventured to the the very isolated communities of Phaeton and Paulette. We thought we were coming to Haiti to shine the light of Christ’s love (reinforced by Father Bruno’s sermon last Sunday). What we found was that light shining back at us from the faces of the grateful elderly and the children of those village. The food packages seem so little to us, but so very much to those in need. As we drove through Terrier Rouge, one of the food packages fell from the truck and partially spilled on the dirt road. All was recovered except a cup-full of rice. When we returned to town a little later and passed over that spot, not a grain of rice remained a stark reminder that here, there is never enough.
We ended the year and ushered in the new year in Pere Bruno’s church. The service began about 11:00 pm with carols, (in English and Creole) and ended at 1:00 am. We now know there is no better way to celebrate “New Years”, than in worship and prayer. As we begin this new year, we pray for wisdom to recognize our gifts and seek opportunities to use them in God’s service. We See God’s presence in our life. We will treasure these memories and ponder these experiences in our hearts forever.
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