STACEY GAGNE – Tomorrow we take the trek back over the mountain and make our way to Port Au Prince and then our team will say goodbye as we make our ways to our homes.  This week we have all had the opportunity to see Haiti in a way that we had not seen it before … both for those who had been here before and those of us who had not.  A lot has changed in Haiti since the earthquake.  There is destruction and rebuilding, frustration and hope, turmoil and joy.   Joy in Hope is in Jacmel Haiti with the desire to be a ripple … to help develop the people here.  They are not here to take over or give them everything they need, but to “teach a man to fish”.   They are impacting the lives of children through the children’s home and  other “strategic projects for the purpose of building mutual love and trust so that we may humbly speak the message of Grace.”   I saw evidence of this with them men we worked with, the diaper distribution program and even their interactions around the community.   I saw the family that is the Haitian Children’s Home.  I got to know Mike and Georgette and saw how they work with the construction team with respect, laughter and accomplishing the goal of beginning construction on the land.

I can’t wait to come back and see the progress on the land.  I am certain that there is a lot that I have learned.  I am confident that people saw the love of Jesus in me and our team.   I know that God loves Haiti, these people, this ministry and His purposes and plans here will be accomplished.

FRED MCNAUGHTON – How crazy that there is snow in the forecast for moving day!

Hey we’re moving and we wanted to give you a heads up that we may experience some technical difficulties over the next couple of days with email and the website. We appreciate your patience and prayers during the move. Thank You.

STACEY GAGNE –  It’s hard to believe we only have one full day left here.   Have we really been here almost a week?  This morning our team headed back to the work site.  We’ve gotten used to the routine of getting picked up by Mike after breakfast, heading to the Texaco to pick up water and ice and making our way to to the land.  After yesterday’s full day of work, we were careful to take more breaks.   We realized our stamina is not the same as the Haitians.  At the same time, it was fulfilling to see that we had learned a lot and were able to mix cement without a ton of coaching.   The walls are starting to really come up and by the time we left at lunchtime, the back wall was level and looking great!

One of my high points of the day was the last hour or so on the site when I started using some of the French and a tiny bit of Spanish that I know to communicate with the guys on the land.  I realized that when I really listened that I could pick out a word here and there and I think they were surprised with how much french I could understand.  As the week has gone on I definitely have had a lot come back to me.  After working with these guys all week, it was fun to connect a little even in such a small way of exchanging a few words.  We’re building walls together and in a small way it felt like other “walls” were starting to come down.

This evening Gwenn and Nick and our team went to Cyvadier, a great restaurant just outside of Jacmel with an ocean view.  We really enjoyed our meals (I had lambi thai or thai conch with rice).   Even more-so we really enjoyed hearing stories from Gwenn and Nick and having dinner as a group of friends who feel more like family now.

Tomorrow morning Gwenn is taking Bonnie and I with her to Bwa Vital, one of the newer, cleaner tent camps where we will be doing diaper distribution.  Bwa Vital is a major upgrade for the residents there who have moved from Pinchinat were conditions were very poor.  I’m sure it will be a mixed experience for me as I know there are some children with some severe health issues there.   I’m thankful that in addition to all that Joy in Hope  is doing with the Children’s Home that they are reaching into the community and helping in so many other ways.  We will also be visiting the land and getting the full tour and also having a walking tour in Jacmel.

One more day.  It’s hard to believe.

STACEY GAGNE – Today was the most labor intensive day of the week for us.  We worked a full day mixing cement, filling buckets and helping to pour it into the foundation.  Yes, we became human cement mixers.   While we continued to work on the building there were other locals out in the brush cutting down vines, brush and small trees.    There is also a large area of brush that is being gradually burned out because of thousands of bees and hornets!  We are steering clear of it.   Mike said that they should be able to harvest the honey once the bees move on, though.   Nothing goes to waste!

This evening after we cleaned up and were waiting for dinner, one of the Jacmel Bay artists came by to show us (and sell) some of the jewelry he has made.  Jacmel Bay is a project that my friend Denise has developed to help  hearing impaired artists in Jacmel develop a trade.   They make necklaces, small nativities and other beautiful creations that are in turn sold in the US to help raise funds for missions trips.  (I sold some to help raise funds for my trip.)  I loved making the connection with Jeann Ferissien.  I’m wondering if he made any of the necklaces that I sold!

Please pray for Joy in Hope as they seek to raise funds in the midst of all of the work that they are doing.   This is a growing ministry in Haiti that is making an impact.  There are opportunities to support the ministry that needs base support and there are also missions staff like Mike and Georgette, Directors of Development who are still working towards full sponsorship.

Thanks for praying for our team, too.   God truly put together a group with varied gifts, skills and personalities who can work well together and are now friends!

STACEY GAGNE – Today was a very full, productive and fun day.   Our team spent the morning working (and playing) on the Joy in Hope land.  We continued to work with rebar and other steel making parts that get put together for the base poles and connectors where the concrete will be poured for putting this house together.  It’s amazing to think that all of these little metal square and triangles we are making are going to help hold this building together.

I had brought some hacky sacks along to the land hoping that some neighbors would show up and they did!  I had fun playing with the boys and showing them how to hack.  Some of the other team members got in on the action, too.

A funny (now) story from this afternoon that is a good example of the unpredicable nature of living in Haiti… one of our team members was in the shower after our time at the work site.  The rule of thumb in conserving water is to get wet, turn off the water, lather up, then rinse off.  Well, though there is plenty of water in the cisterns, it’s practically a full time job for the staff here to keep switching between the two, pumping, and keeping up with the whole process of keeping the water going.  Well one of our friends got stuck in the shower for a good 10 minutes all lathered up.  We could laugh about it tonight.  🙂

This afternoon and evening we spent time at Joy In Hopes Haitians Childrens home (aka the Mangine home).  We were able to present them with the bags and bags of formula, cloth diapers, school supplies, clothes and more that we brought.   We also spent time tie  dying t-shirts with the kids and that was a big hit.  Dinner tonight was Haitian spaghetti with picklies (a spicy sort of coleslaw).  YUM.  The spaghetti was a drier version of our spaghetti with tons of spices.  They like to eat it with mayonaise, ketchup and/or hot sauce.   Interesting .

Tonight our team packaged up all the disposable diapers that we brought that will be distributed at the tent camps.  We also spent time debriefing (which we do each night as a team).  We share our highs and lows from the days and have a devotional time.  I love to hear the different perspectives of the team members and re-live the days memories together.

Tomorrow is a full work day.  Stay tuned for more updates!

JOHN SHIRK – Calmness is a state of being free from storm or disturbance. A calm atmosphere is defined by quietness and tranquility.  Calm weather is a scene where the wind is hardly detected.

Sometimes our lives can be like the weather, in the midst of a fair weather season where our activities follow through according to plan, our vehicles are working, our job performance is productive, and our relationships are growing.

Then, comes a storm where the winds blow and test the foundation of our faith.  An unexpected disappointment, a relational conflict, water in the basement, a financial setback.  These types of things can agitate worry or fear.

The eye of a storm is a place of calmness.  And in the storms of life, that calm place is found in our relationship with God. His grace is our source of trust.  His truth is our solid foundation for troubled times.

In an atmosphere of swirling conflict and trouble, Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.”

Calmness is a character quality that enables us to represent Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Third Day will be live in concert this Friday as their “Make Your Move” Tour makes a stop at the Giant Center in Hershey!  (Doors open at 6:30 p.m., the concert starts at 7:30 p.m.)  It’ll be a rockin’ night of live music that also features Tenth Avenue North and Trevor Morgan!  Listen to WJTL all day Winning Wednesday, October 26th for chances to win tickets to the concert!  We’ll give a pair of tickets away to the first caller whenever we play a Third Day song!  So, keep your ears peeled and phones ready!  (Our phone number is 717-392-3690.)

STACEY GAGNE – Today was day one of the building project on Joy in Hope’s land.  Joy in Hope has 17 acres of land on the ocean in Jacmel, Haiti.  Our team has the privilege of helping to build the first building on the land!  Today we worked with a team of 15 – 20 men from Projet Connect .  After the earthquake, Joy in Hope helped provide several families from one of the tent camps with rental homes.   As part of a work for housing project, Joy in Hope has paid for their rent for the year with the agreement that the Haitians will help with various Joy in Hope projects to be eligible for another year of paid rent.

The men had the project underway having leveled and dug out the foundation.  When we arrived we were put to work bending, cutting and tying metal and assembling posts that will serve as structure for the house.  Mike and Georgette, the Directors of Development for Joy in Hope and some hired crew leaders gave us instruction and patiently re-directed people like me who are not so used to construction work.  🙂 We had fun joking around while sweating and trying to stay hydrated!

It is really exciting to know that what we are doing is getting the ball rolling for the development of this land!  Later this week we will get the full tour of the land.  Thinking that in the future the kids will be playing here in this beautiful land on the ocean and all of the possibilities this will offer for community impact is so exciting!

Oh, and on the way home … we saw the brightest double rainbow I’ve ever seen.  I think you can only see one in the pictures… so you’ll have to take my word for it.

There are opportunities to get involved with future projects or to join with the vision.  Please visit Joy in Hope online or on Facebook and connect!