Our day started earlier than usual, at 7, we managed to get out of bed, change and have breakfast. We planned our Sunday school lesson, deciding on doing a skit of Jonah. Nic was Jonah, Micah was the big fish, Jordan was the king, Lizzy and Hannah was the bad storm, Dan was "God", Alinda was the narrator, and Cameron was the tree. We practiced singing a few songs before El Jeffe taught his sermon. We did the skit during the service, which the kids enjoyed.
After the service, we had some time to rest before getting ready to head for the Citadel. The drive there was pretty long, with tons of poverty-stricken towns and homes along the route.
When we got to the Citadel, tons of people gathered around the truck, either wanting us to buy something or to use their horse to bring up the rest of the way. After we finally managed to get onto our horses, we started up the trail there. A few of the names of the horses consisted of Nike, Taco, and Motorcycle. The trail we took felt somewhat steep, but they were able to scale it somewhat easily. When we reached the Citadel, we were greeted with tons of cannons and cannonballs. The tour guide showed us the "powder room" where they made the gunpowder for the cannons. We proceeded into the different rooms of the Citadel, some being the officers quarters, generals quarters, and the barracks. On top of the fort, we saw a huge chunk of the Island. The guide told us how it was built to protect themselves from the French, but they never returned for attack. The Citadel wasn't finished being built afterwards.
After the tour, we began heading down the mountain, which was steep and made the horses slip every so often, but they never fell. We were once again met with the people who tried selling us their stuff. Most of us didn't bring any money, so we couldn't even if we wanted to. The way back home felt somewhat quicker than the way there. As soon as we arrived back, a good portion of us passed out on our beds.
After supper, I (Nic) saw Fritz, one of the kids, bringing a couple jugs for water, so I decided to talk to him one more time before we left for home. He asked if I could carry him home; I did and seen some of the other kids who were about to watch a movie. I had to start heading back, so Fritz and I hugged one last time and I left.
During devotions, we talked about things that impacted us the most, some said the children at COTP, others talked the city, and then there was Tammy who talked about the bugs. We all seemed eager to head home, but also didn't feel like leaving any time soon.
Fin- SRYG group 2
-Nicholas, Jordan and El Jeffe
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Beach Day
Picturesque is one of the best ways to describe the beach we had the privilege to go to today. Deep, rich colors of blue spread out before you as you lay on comfortable hammocks underneath the swaying palm trees, Haitian music playing in the back ground overlapped with the comforting sound of waves breaking on the sand...just beautiful.
The ride to the beach, however, was not peaceful. I think that the best way to describe Haitian traffic and towns is an organized mess. Somehow, they make it all work. There will be people suddenly speed walking across the road right in front of a tap-tap (a Haitian transportation truck, kind of like a taxi) and motorcycles weaving in and out right in front of you and around you. A Haitian traffic jam is so much different than an American traffic jam. In America, people may not always be patient, but they will, for the most part, stay in their lane. In Haiti, the center of the road is often ignored and most drivers have zero patience and will pass you at the slightest opportunity.
Construction on some spots on the road though the mountain made the ride there extra interesting. At one spot we had to stop and back up to make room for a dump truck to tip dirt on the road almost directly in front of us. At another spot, we got into a slight problem with a motorcycle. For this incident, yet another dump truck was trying to back up, so we had to quickly stop and back up also. One of the motos coming up behind us managed to stop behind the truck with some room to spare, but the other was going too fast and crashed into the one that stopped, thus making it ram into us. The driver wasn't very happy to say the least. No one was hurt and I'm pretty sure the motorcycle worked again.
At the beach we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and warm water. The waves were perfect and many of us had fun diving and jumping under and over them. You could easily see where the sand ended and the reef began, and its a good thing we were careful to not step too near the reef! There were many, many sea urchins that would probably not be pleasant to step on.
I think most of us were missing America at lunch as, yet again, we, (all the teens) ordered a burger and fries. They were amazing. Not long after lunch, almost half the group and I, (Alinda) went snorkeling. Although nearly one of us drowned, (don't worry, he's fine) I think we all had a great time floating over the coral and seeing many cool fish. (Dory was definitely the best!) It was a humbling experience to be floating far from shore and all you can see around you are large waves and cliffs in the distance. It makes you see just how small you are, and just how amazing it is that a God who made all that, loves us.
After supper, I was went over to the Grace House to return some items a few of the kids wanted me to keep for the day, fully intending to only stay for a few mins, but I ended up staying for about 20 mins, just letting the kids "braid" my hair and listening to everything they wanted to tell me. I honestly think I enjoyed those 20 mins of just being in the middle of all those happy, beautiful kids, as much, or more, than I enjoyed the day at the beach. Every night at devotions Dan asks what we saw God in. Today I saw Him not only in the big things, like the wide expanse of open sea, but in the small things, like little kids just wanting to tell me what they did that day.
-Alinda :)
The ride to the beach, however, was not peaceful. I think that the best way to describe Haitian traffic and towns is an organized mess. Somehow, they make it all work. There will be people suddenly speed walking across the road right in front of a tap-tap (a Haitian transportation truck, kind of like a taxi) and motorcycles weaving in and out right in front of you and around you. A Haitian traffic jam is so much different than an American traffic jam. In America, people may not always be patient, but they will, for the most part, stay in their lane. In Haiti, the center of the road is often ignored and most drivers have zero patience and will pass you at the slightest opportunity.
Construction on some spots on the road though the mountain made the ride there extra interesting. At one spot we had to stop and back up to make room for a dump truck to tip dirt on the road almost directly in front of us. At another spot, we got into a slight problem with a motorcycle. For this incident, yet another dump truck was trying to back up, so we had to quickly stop and back up also. One of the motos coming up behind us managed to stop behind the truck with some room to spare, but the other was going too fast and crashed into the one that stopped, thus making it ram into us. The driver wasn't very happy to say the least. No one was hurt and I'm pretty sure the motorcycle worked again.At the beach we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and warm water. The waves were perfect and many of us had fun diving and jumping under and over them. You could easily see where the sand ended and the reef began, and its a good thing we were careful to not step too near the reef! There were many, many sea urchins that would probably not be pleasant to step on.
I think most of us were missing America at lunch as, yet again, we, (all the teens) ordered a burger and fries. They were amazing. Not long after lunch, almost half the group and I, (Alinda) went snorkeling. Although nearly one of us drowned, (don't worry, he's fine) I think we all had a great time floating over the coral and seeing many cool fish. (Dory was definitely the best!) It was a humbling experience to be floating far from shore and all you can see around you are large waves and cliffs in the distance. It makes you see just how small you are, and just how amazing it is that a God who made all that, loves us.After supper, I was went over to the Grace House to return some items a few of the kids wanted me to keep for the day, fully intending to only stay for a few mins, but I ended up staying for about 20 mins, just letting the kids "braid" my hair and listening to everything they wanted to tell me. I honestly think I enjoyed those 20 mins of just being in the middle of all those happy, beautiful kids, as much, or more, than I enjoyed the day at the beach. Every night at devotions Dan asks what we saw God in. Today I saw Him not only in the big things, like the wide expanse of open sea, but in the small things, like little kids just wanting to tell me what they did that day.
-Alinda :)
Friday, July 22, 2016
Day 5
We started the day off like normal. We had french toast and fruit for breakfast. Tammy could eat just fruit all day long, if we had enough of it. Then we just got ready for the day and for the carnival. We spent two hours this morning doing the carnival for the kids. I (Cassandra) was running the soak and wet (dunk tank) game. Some of the kids didn't want to get wet so I sat under it. It felt really good to just be wet. Some kids would yell at us that we were dirty but that really meant that we were wet. Most of us wanted to get wet from that game.
After dinner (for farm people)/lunch (for those city people) we went back to work on "our" wall. We finished scraping and painting it. While working on the wall Jordan and us girls took turns getting our hair done. The adults stayed working on the wall so that we could finish. Jordan, Hannah, Lizzy, and Nic then ran VBS while Cameron, Alinda, Micah, and I did the carnival again.
Now we are just taking showers and hanging out waiting to do tonight's devotions.
Cassandra Daugherty
After dinner (for farm people)/lunch (for those city people) we went back to work on "our" wall. We finished scraping and painting it. While working on the wall Jordan and us girls took turns getting our hair done. The adults stayed working on the wall so that we could finish. Jordan, Hannah, Lizzy, and Nic then ran VBS while Cameron, Alinda, Micah, and I did the carnival again.
Now we are just taking showers and hanging out waiting to do tonight's devotions.
Cassandra Daugherty
Thursday, July 21, 2016
May the fourth be with you
Hello!
Today's peculiar festivities started at breakfast... Spaghetti for breakfast. Although strange, we were pleasantly surprised by the taste. We ate quietly again today, for most of us- myself included- rolled out of bed just minutes before breakfast was served. We continued the morning with a good devotion focusing on God's unconditional love shown through the story of Hosea and his wife.
It was just another work day today, but our spirits were lifted as we were not only able to scrape paint off today, but we were allowed to actually put paint back on the wall! If only I could explain to you how satisfactory that was. Almost all of our group worked on scraping/painting the wall of the Life House, except for the select few that have been assigned special tasks for the week. Jordan worked on more technology today, helping fix computers around campus as needed. Jeff was in the workshop all day wrapping up a skee ball board he has been working on for a few days now. Dan gave us a goal for how far he wanted us to get painting on the wall by the end of the day, but we are happy to report we reached our goal by lunch time!
For lunch, we had my favorite Haitian meal. We had grand meatballs, fantastic fried cheesy bread wedges, and wonderful dirty rice. To top these great foods off, we had two sensational sauces. Every day we get a nice break just to sit and relax before going back to an afternoon of work.
Speaking of which, this afternoon was a rather easy afternoon of work, which was nice. Most of us really struggled with energy levels this afternoon, so it was great to just have to clean up as our work.
From three to five, we did our vbs with the kids again. It started raining, so the kids were pretty distracted during the lesson. Although distracted, I think we got our point across. After we finished our lesson, we had extra time, so we colored pictures with the kids and they seemed to enjoy that for the most part.
Straight after we brought the kids home from vbs, we headed into town, and the rain, to have supper at a restaurant. Let me just tell you, the food was delicious. About 90% of us ordered a cheeseburger and fries. It was nice to have a night off the COTP campus with lots of laughs and fellowship. (I feel the need to say Cameron ate his cheeseburger and fries in about five minutes. We were all really hungry.)
After supper we all got back in the van, with a little more energy. Hannah, Cameron, Jordan, and I (Lizzy) laughed almost the entire 20 minute drive back. If you asked us what we were laughing at, we wouldn't be able to begin to tell you; we'd probably just start laughing again.
We finished off the night with another good devotion and even more laughs. Our time here has been full of work, but also the right amount of fun. Also, we all definitely appreciated the letters from our families today. (Riley, I'm sorry. I didn't eat a mango for you...I have plenty of friends here who will though :p ) Thank you all for your continual support and prayers while we have been here! We all are thankful we are here and not in the weather you Minnesotans are experiencing...Take advantage of that AC! See you all soon,
Lizzy Gardner :)
Today's peculiar festivities started at breakfast... Spaghetti for breakfast. Although strange, we were pleasantly surprised by the taste. We ate quietly again today, for most of us- myself included- rolled out of bed just minutes before breakfast was served. We continued the morning with a good devotion focusing on God's unconditional love shown through the story of Hosea and his wife.
It was just another work day today, but our spirits were lifted as we were not only able to scrape paint off today, but we were allowed to actually put paint back on the wall! If only I could explain to you how satisfactory that was. Almost all of our group worked on scraping/painting the wall of the Life House, except for the select few that have been assigned special tasks for the week. Jordan worked on more technology today, helping fix computers around campus as needed. Jeff was in the workshop all day wrapping up a skee ball board he has been working on for a few days now. Dan gave us a goal for how far he wanted us to get painting on the wall by the end of the day, but we are happy to report we reached our goal by lunch time!
For lunch, we had my favorite Haitian meal. We had grand meatballs, fantastic fried cheesy bread wedges, and wonderful dirty rice. To top these great foods off, we had two sensational sauces. Every day we get a nice break just to sit and relax before going back to an afternoon of work.
Speaking of which, this afternoon was a rather easy afternoon of work, which was nice. Most of us really struggled with energy levels this afternoon, so it was great to just have to clean up as our work.
From three to five, we did our vbs with the kids again. It started raining, so the kids were pretty distracted during the lesson. Although distracted, I think we got our point across. After we finished our lesson, we had extra time, so we colored pictures with the kids and they seemed to enjoy that for the most part.
Straight after we brought the kids home from vbs, we headed into town, and the rain, to have supper at a restaurant. Let me just tell you, the food was delicious. About 90% of us ordered a cheeseburger and fries. It was nice to have a night off the COTP campus with lots of laughs and fellowship. (I feel the need to say Cameron ate his cheeseburger and fries in about five minutes. We were all really hungry.)
After supper we all got back in the van, with a little more energy. Hannah, Cameron, Jordan, and I (Lizzy) laughed almost the entire 20 minute drive back. If you asked us what we were laughing at, we wouldn't be able to begin to tell you; we'd probably just start laughing again.
We finished off the night with another good devotion and even more laughs. Our time here has been full of work, but also the right amount of fun. Also, we all definitely appreciated the letters from our families today. (Riley, I'm sorry. I didn't eat a mango for you...I have plenty of friends here who will though :p ) Thank you all for your continual support and prayers while we have been here! We all are thankful we are here and not in the weather you Minnesotans are experiencing...Take advantage of that AC! See you all soon,
Lizzy Gardner :)
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Day 3
Hello friends!
Today was filled with various activities, some being very monotonous, others in air conditioned offices, others rather enjoyable under the shade of a tree with some paint brushes. In any of these circumstances, we all served COTP and the Lord in some way.
The morning started off with a delicious breakfast of pancakes made by Maude, the cook for the volunteer house. Some people were up and did devotions before breakfast, others slept in until the last minute possible (cough, yours truly) and groggily ate breakfast and did devotions after. It's an enjoyable way to start your mornings.
After devotions and breakfast we started our jobs. Mom (Tammy), Lizzy, Micah, Nic, and Alinda all started off by pressure washing and scraping paint off the side of the Life House, a continuation of yesterday's job. Cassandra and Jordan were working on photocopying report cards in the offices for part of the morning, and Jordan continued to work on computer problems for the rest of the day while Cassandra switched out to scraping the wall. Dad (Jeff) worked on preparing for a bible study for the international staff and worked on building a game for the carnival this coming Friday. Dan came around and supervised everything and took pictures and worked on painting a little bit. From 3:30-5:30 we did a VBS with some kids from one of the baby houses.
Alrighty, I'm going to expand a little bit more on this because this is what I did for most of the day. Cameron and I started off the day by painting one of those boards with animals on it with the faces cut out so you can go behind and stick your face in it(see the picture below if that description made absolutely no sense :P) It was a lot of fun and we worked fairly fast and got all of it done today. I had an absolute blast working on it and the artistic side I didn't really realize I had came out. The picture below is about half way through the painting. A few more clouds were added along with some tree branches. We'll be using it for the kid's carnival on Friday.
I am thoroughly enjoying our time here in Haiti. I have a new appreciation for washing machines, for cold showers, for good paintbrushes, and air conditioning. I am loving the Haitian culture and their relaxed time schedules. Since we don't have access to social media/aren't really supposed to be on it, I have realized how much time it can really suck out of your day, and how much more you can connect with those around you when you're not worried about your Facebook friend you hardly know. It has been very refreshing.
We are excited for the rest of the week, and for me it is all together going by much too fast. Your continuous prayers would be appreciated, and I hope you are all having a lovely week back home :)
-Hannah Vanderhooft
Today was filled with various activities, some being very monotonous, others in air conditioned offices, others rather enjoyable under the shade of a tree with some paint brushes. In any of these circumstances, we all served COTP and the Lord in some way.
The morning started off with a delicious breakfast of pancakes made by Maude, the cook for the volunteer house. Some people were up and did devotions before breakfast, others slept in until the last minute possible (cough, yours truly) and groggily ate breakfast and did devotions after. It's an enjoyable way to start your mornings.
After devotions and breakfast we started our jobs. Mom (Tammy), Lizzy, Micah, Nic, and Alinda all started off by pressure washing and scraping paint off the side of the Life House, a continuation of yesterday's job. Cassandra and Jordan were working on photocopying report cards in the offices for part of the morning, and Jordan continued to work on computer problems for the rest of the day while Cassandra switched out to scraping the wall. Dad (Jeff) worked on preparing for a bible study for the international staff and worked on building a game for the carnival this coming Friday. Dan came around and supervised everything and took pictures and worked on painting a little bit. From 3:30-5:30 we did a VBS with some kids from one of the baby houses.
I am thoroughly enjoying our time here in Haiti. I have a new appreciation for washing machines, for cold showers, for good paintbrushes, and air conditioning. I am loving the Haitian culture and their relaxed time schedules. Since we don't have access to social media/aren't really supposed to be on it, I have realized how much time it can really suck out of your day, and how much more you can connect with those around you when you're not worried about your Facebook friend you hardly know. It has been very refreshing.
We are excited for the rest of the week, and for me it is all together going by much too fast. Your continuous prayers would be appreciated, and I hope you are all having a lovely week back home :)
-Hannah Vanderhooft
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Day two
Today was filled with many new things and experiences. In the morning we all had a time to do personal devotions. These devotions are nice because they are personal and have lots of meaning. Then right after we had our breakfast we grouped up to give out what was needed to be done. Today we cleaned,moved a bed, scraped the paint off the walls, painted carnival games, and had VBS with the Grace House kids.
Scraping the paint off the walls was a chore! On the Life House We had to pressure wash, then strip the walls of it's paint. To scrap the paint, we had a few people use scrapers, while others used their fingernails. It got to a point where we could pull off big strips of paint of the walls.
Painting the carnival games wasn't too hard, it just took a long time to paint two layers of paint.
VBS took place right outside of the Volunteer House on the deck. We talked with the kids from the Grace House about how God never leaves us. We made paper fans together, sang songs, watched a short clip, and spent some time hanging out with them. Then at the end, when Micah was asked to pray, a six year old boy offered to pray for us.
We were planing on moving a bed from the Adoptive House to the Promise House, but we couldn't figure out how to get it down from the roof. So later, Dan and Julian managed to get it down by hanging it off the side of the house and handing it off.
-Cameron Van Der Puy
Scraping the paint off the walls was a chore! On the Life House We had to pressure wash, then strip the walls of it's paint. To scrap the paint, we had a few people use scrapers, while others used their fingernails. It got to a point where we could pull off big strips of paint of the walls.
Painting the carnival games wasn't too hard, it just took a long time to paint two layers of paint.
VBS took place right outside of the Volunteer House on the deck. We talked with the kids from the Grace House about how God never leaves us. We made paper fans together, sang songs, watched a short clip, and spent some time hanging out with them. Then at the end, when Micah was asked to pray, a six year old boy offered to pray for us.
We were planing on moving a bed from the Adoptive House to the Promise House, but we couldn't figure out how to get it down from the roof. So later, Dan and Julian managed to get it down by hanging it off the side of the house and handing it off.
-Cameron Van Der Puy
Monday, July 18, 2016
Group 2, Day 1
The day started very early as we departed from Unity at 1 o'clock Monday morning. This caused many headaches on the car ride to the cities that were then worsened by a detour because of a car crash. Upon arrival at the airport everyone was very tired. After a long time waiting in security, caused by a couple unexpected bag checks, we boarded the plane headed to Miami, Florida. The flight seemed very long and had a good bit of turbulence that only added to the head aches caused by a lack of sleep. The second half of the flight was much smoother and we touched down in Miami. After we got to Miami we had to rush to the next flight because boarding began 30 minutes after we got off the first plane and it was a long walk between gates. Our second flight was much shorter and much smoother than the first flight, until we were very close to our destination and turbulence began. The turbulence was very short and we landed safely in Cap Haitian. In Cap Haitian airport we had trouble finding our bags and getting them checked to leave, but after a long inspection period we were allowed to leave the airport and go to the COTP campus. Upon arrival we were greeted and giving a brief explanation of what COPT strives to accomplish a tour of the campus. We have all settled into our rooms and are resting for tomorrow.
- Micah
ps. we tried to post pictures, but it won't work...
- Micah
ps. we tried to post pictures, but it won't work...
The Final Day in Haiti!
The Final Day in Haiti!
The morning has consisted of starting to pack up and get ready to leave. We all sat down for the last meal before we left for the states and discussed how the great the week was! We had many great experiences this week. We did things like work in the wood shop to teaching classes to the nannies. We also taught a VBS class to the Hope and Joy house from Tuesday to Friday. Those were just some of the experiences inside the compound during the first few days.
We also had the opportunity to get out of the compound and see more of the country. Thursday night was our first free night and we all went out to eat at La Kay, a fancy restaurant in Cap Hatian with the Vander Pol family. Saturday was our whole day off and we went to the beach for the day. It was a very nice beach with a restaurant attached to it! Then Sunday in the morning we went to church and lead worship for the missionaries in COTP! But in the afternoon on Sunday we went to the Citadel, an old fort that was made to protect Haiti from the French. To get up there we had to drive about 20 minutes up the mountain and from there you get on a horse the rest of the way up! On nights that we had free at the compound we would play games and do devotions. We CAN'T forget our last night when we spontaneously had a sing off with the local Haitian church! The eight of us American kids stood in front of the Haitian church and sang our hearts out in hopes of competing with the spirited Haitians. Their volume exceeded ours tremendously, but out of pity they told us that we won the competition at the end. It was a blast and something we will never forget. On the same night on the walk back from the church to COTP, we had a flashlight that was shining on the side walk in front and all of a sudden there was a big tarantula in the middle of the side walk. The girls all screamed and Julien ended up capturing the tarantula and killing it. It was quite the adventure! Some of us were more scared than others! So as you can see we kept busy this week with not only the daily work in the compound, but with all the free time we had.
So I just want to say thank you to all the people who have had us in your prayers for 2 years now since we started talking about going on the trip all the way until now! Also everyone who has donated money or come to fundraising events for this trip. I can speak for all of us on the trip and say that we had a phenomenal time experiencing Haiti on this mission trip. Thank You!
-Logan TeBrake
The morning has consisted of starting to pack up and get ready to leave. We all sat down for the last meal before we left for the states and discussed how the great the week was! We had many great experiences this week. We did things like work in the wood shop to teaching classes to the nannies. We also taught a VBS class to the Hope and Joy house from Tuesday to Friday. Those were just some of the experiences inside the compound during the first few days.
We also had the opportunity to get out of the compound and see more of the country. Thursday night was our first free night and we all went out to eat at La Kay, a fancy restaurant in Cap Hatian with the Vander Pol family. Saturday was our whole day off and we went to the beach for the day. It was a very nice beach with a restaurant attached to it! Then Sunday in the morning we went to church and lead worship for the missionaries in COTP! But in the afternoon on Sunday we went to the Citadel, an old fort that was made to protect Haiti from the French. To get up there we had to drive about 20 minutes up the mountain and from there you get on a horse the rest of the way up! On nights that we had free at the compound we would play games and do devotions. We CAN'T forget our last night when we spontaneously had a sing off with the local Haitian church! The eight of us American kids stood in front of the Haitian church and sang our hearts out in hopes of competing with the spirited Haitians. Their volume exceeded ours tremendously, but out of pity they told us that we won the competition at the end. It was a blast and something we will never forget. On the same night on the walk back from the church to COTP, we had a flashlight that was shining on the side walk in front and all of a sudden there was a big tarantula in the middle of the side walk. The girls all screamed and Julien ended up capturing the tarantula and killing it. It was quite the adventure! Some of us were more scared than others! So as you can see we kept busy this week with not only the daily work in the compound, but with all the free time we had.
So I just want to say thank you to all the people who have had us in your prayers for 2 years now since we started talking about going on the trip all the way until now! Also everyone who has donated money or come to fundraising events for this trip. I can speak for all of us on the trip and say that we had a phenomenal time experiencing Haiti on this mission trip. Thank You!
-Logan TeBrake
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Our last full day!
Our last day in Haiti is drawing to an end, and we are amazed at how fast it went. This week has been full of love, joy, and many cherished memories made. Today we started off the morning with a great time at church. The missionary families here have their own church service each Sunday morning, and we had the opportunity to lead praise and worship for them. Kayla Ulferts valiantly lead us in guitar as well. She did a phenomenal job, especially considering she has only had four lessons so far! Then we took the kids to have a childrens' service outside, while the parents listened to their sermon. We had very short notice of doing this, so Dan shot from the hip and corralled us together to perform a few skits of some Bible stories. The children loved it and so did we!
Next we ate an early lunch and headed out for the Cidadel. The view from the back of the pickup was beautiful as we bounced and bumped along the winding, treacherous road to the mountain. Finally we arrived at the bottom of the mountain where the Cidadel was. As we crawled out of the van on our wobbly, stiff legs, we were engulfed by Haitian people asking us to buy their gift items or horses. How adamant they were!! So today we learned the valuable lesson of learning to say "no." Thankfully our Haitian tour guide took care of all the communication for us and found us each a "horse" to ride up the mountain on. These animals were far from what our American standards of horses are. It was especially interesting for me (Christine) to compare these horses to mine at home. They were tiny and as thin as it gets. Not only that, but when we were riding the horses up the mountain, the Haitians repeatedly whipped the hind ends of the horses with sticks to keep them going. Needless to say, these poor, visibly scarred horses, live a lifestyle far different than my pampered furry family members at home.
Anyways, we all made it safely up the mountain on our trusty steeds and arrived at the huge stone fort, called the Cidadel. This fort was made in the early 1800's when Haiti got their independence from France. It was built to defend against the French in case they came back to claim Haiti again. 20,000 workers died building it, and they worked for food and water. The mortar between the bricks was made out of cows' blood and sugar cane! The Haitians never ended up using this building for its intents, as the French never came back to fight. The architecture was amazing, and it was unfathomable the amount of labor that went into creating it. We learned a lot of history during our tour and saw many cannons and cannon balls.
Lastly, we arrived safely back at COTP, tired from our adventurous afternoon. Then Julien gave us each a ride on his moto around the area, and we spent some time relaxing and coloring together. For supper we had goat! It was very tasty and was fun to try something new! To conclude our last full day here, we plan on doing devotions as a group, playing tons of games, eating a midnight snack of macaroni and cheese, and enjoying each other's company as we have been all week long.
Throughout the week, we have had exciting new experiences and many comfort zones stretched. Minus a few tarantula sightings, which we survived, our time here was filled with wonderful opportunities and activities. All these adventures are helping us grow in positive ways. Personally, I am gaining a deeper appreciation for many parts of the culture here in Haiti. The sense of community is uplifting, as most everyone helps each other out and sticks together. The joy and contentment of the people here is both encouraging and admirable. I have loved the "go with the flow" mind set of the people here and the lack of a strict time schedule. I believe we have made a positive impact on those we have come into contact with here in Haiti. Our goal was to bless people down here, and simultaneously, we have recieved such a blessing and refreshment from the loving people here. Each member of our team is using their own gifts to encourage and help others, and it is a beautiful thing to see. I am so thankful for each person here and for the love that God has placed in our hearts for others. We are seeking to glorify God with our words and actions here and always. We are so thankful for this amazing opportunity and all those who are supporting us with prayer.
-Christine Mikelson
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Day 6: Beach Day!
Day 6 ~ Allie Zwart
The Sun sure did it's job today... very well. Currently all of us are pretty much like apples: crisp and red.
Today was a beach day!!! T'was a long and bumpy journey there. Road construction was going on and we now know the meaning of up close and personal. No, they did not close the road off, they led the cars right up against the machines as they were working on the road. Fun, right? It actually kinda was... When we got to the beach, the views were jaw dropping. All we could see was where the ocean and sky met. As soon as we got our stuff settled, immediately all of us kids were in the water and had some snorkel gear. When I snorkeled, lots of little fish that were colorful and some clear, were right by the reef. I didn't want to go in the reef for the fear of stepping on sea urchins. Sea urchins sure didn't scare the boys. Julien was holding one and coming up to all of us, trying to make us hold it. Kirk, Tanner, Logan, and Mason all went snorkeling on the other side of the reef where I was told there was a 40ft. drop. Lunch was ready and we dined at this long table most of us got American food, aka hamburgers, and some got Haitian. Awhile after, Julien took Tanner, Kenna, Kayla V, Kayla U, and I down the beach and some of us climbed over some rocks, but it got too hard and hot for the feet.
Today we most definitely saw God's beauty and is artistic abilities. Haiti is one of those masterpieces in the book. :)
The Sun sure did it's job today... very well. Currently all of us are pretty much like apples: crisp and red.
Today was a beach day!!! T'was a long and bumpy journey there. Road construction was going on and we now know the meaning of up close and personal. No, they did not close the road off, they led the cars right up against the machines as they were working on the road. Fun, right? It actually kinda was... When we got to the beach, the views were jaw dropping. All we could see was where the ocean and sky met. As soon as we got our stuff settled, immediately all of us kids were in the water and had some snorkel gear. When I snorkeled, lots of little fish that were colorful and some clear, were right by the reef. I didn't want to go in the reef for the fear of stepping on sea urchins. Sea urchins sure didn't scare the boys. Julien was holding one and coming up to all of us, trying to make us hold it. Kirk, Tanner, Logan, and Mason all went snorkeling on the other side of the reef where I was told there was a 40ft. drop. Lunch was ready and we dined at this long table most of us got American food, aka hamburgers, and some got Haitian. Awhile after, Julien took Tanner, Kenna, Kayla V, Kayla U, and I down the beach and some of us climbed over some rocks, but it got too hard and hot for the feet.
Today we most definitely saw God's beauty and is artistic abilities. Haiti is one of those masterpieces in the book. :)
Friday, July 15, 2016
Day 5
Bonswa everyone!! We are now on day 5 of our Haitian adventure! We all had a very eventful day in Lagossette with lots and lots of children. We started off our morning with some amazing french toast. Over breakfast we discussed the plans for the day... Which was the carnival day!!! For 4 hours of the day we ran all of the carnival games. The first group came at 10AM and stayed until 12PM. Some of the games included Plinko, Ring Toss, a Small "Dunk Tank" and also a bouncy house! The kids loved it so much. When they were done the house parents came to pick them up and brought them back.
Two of the nannies here cooked lunch for us. We had sandwiches that were similar to sloppy joes and fries. After lunch Kenna, Allie, Christine, Tanner and I (Kayla V) went to the Van Der Pol's to get our hair done. Julien's two sisters came to do it for us. While we were doing that, Wendy taught a health class that we have been teaching each day for the nannies. Then the next group of kids came to the carnival. They loved it as well!
At the same time we were doing the carnival, Christine ran the VBS for the first group of kids that were at the carnival. Everyone was with their house parents by 5:30. It was then time to eat supper so Wendy took Allie, Christine and I to pick up the food from Julien's sister's house. We had beef, fried plantains and dirty rice. We are now just hanging out before our devotions.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for tomorrow's stories!!
-Kayla Ver Steeg
Two of the nannies here cooked lunch for us. We had sandwiches that were similar to sloppy joes and fries. After lunch Kenna, Allie, Christine, Tanner and I (Kayla V) went to the Van Der Pol's to get our hair done. Julien's two sisters came to do it for us. While we were doing that, Wendy taught a health class that we have been teaching each day for the nannies. Then the next group of kids came to the carnival. They loved it as well!
At the same time we were doing the carnival, Christine ran the VBS for the first group of kids that were at the carnival. Everyone was with their house parents by 5:30. It was then time to eat supper so Wendy took Allie, Christine and I to pick up the food from Julien's sister's house. We had beef, fried plantains and dirty rice. We are now just hanging out before our devotions.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for tomorrow's stories!!
-Kayla Ver Steeg
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Thursday Day 4
Day 4 in Lagossette, Haiti was business as usual. A very "Gumby" schedule that included more woodworking with the boys and the girls working with the nannies and others to teach the health and hygiene for the children.
The boys Dan, Mason, Logan and I(Tanner), continued to tinker away in the shop on carnival games for the carnival games coming up on Friday. We had finished a lot of games earlier in the week including a chicken catapult, can smash, cutting out the shape of a soccer goalie(who we named Benny Frank), and we had started on a Plinko board that had frustrated us so much to point of quitting on it for the day. Until today! Today we finally put it together and got our Plinko board finished. It was also quite impressive if I say so myself. We also prepared a photo booth for painting by cutting out 3 head shaped holes. We don't have any paint so we are going to have to use the board for just a bean bag toss until the next group arrives with the paint.
We also had a 3:30 VBS session with the kids and got a little more interactive with them because if any of you can imagine 10 little kids who are used to playing most of the day having to sit down and listen to us talk... It doesn't work to well. The kids paid attention a little better today because we had a skit and a game in the middle of the lesson, and the kids are also starting to become more comfortable around us and it is so much fun to witness and be a part of.
For supper we went out into Cap-Haitian to La Kay in honor of Julien and Kirk's birthday's who were the last 2 days. The trip into Cap-Haitian took a little while and we witnessed so much eye opening devastation on the way. Seeing the homes of some of the people in Cap-Hatian and how much work some of the roads need. At the restaurant we enjoyed a night of good food, music, and good conversation. When we arrived at COTP we had cake that the girls had prepared in honor of the birthdays the last 2 days.
I look forward to what the next 3 days will hold for us here in Haiti before we head home. Thank you so much for your prayers back home, we really appreciate it!
Tanner Stoel
The boys Dan, Mason, Logan and I(Tanner), continued to tinker away in the shop on carnival games for the carnival games coming up on Friday. We had finished a lot of games earlier in the week including a chicken catapult, can smash, cutting out the shape of a soccer goalie(who we named Benny Frank), and we had started on a Plinko board that had frustrated us so much to point of quitting on it for the day. Until today! Today we finally put it together and got our Plinko board finished. It was also quite impressive if I say so myself. We also prepared a photo booth for painting by cutting out 3 head shaped holes. We don't have any paint so we are going to have to use the board for just a bean bag toss until the next group arrives with the paint.
We also had a 3:30 VBS session with the kids and got a little more interactive with them because if any of you can imagine 10 little kids who are used to playing most of the day having to sit down and listen to us talk... It doesn't work to well. The kids paid attention a little better today because we had a skit and a game in the middle of the lesson, and the kids are also starting to become more comfortable around us and it is so much fun to witness and be a part of.
For supper we went out into Cap-Haitian to La Kay in honor of Julien and Kirk's birthday's who were the last 2 days. The trip into Cap-Haitian took a little while and we witnessed so much eye opening devastation on the way. Seeing the homes of some of the people in Cap-Hatian and how much work some of the roads need. At the restaurant we enjoyed a night of good food, music, and good conversation. When we arrived at COTP we had cake that the girls had prepared in honor of the birthdays the last 2 days.
I look forward to what the next 3 days will hold for us here in Haiti before we head home. Thank you so much for your prayers back home, we really appreciate it!
Tanner Stoel
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Day 3
Bonjou!! I'm writing this post at the conclusion of another busy, exciting, and wonderful day in Haiti. Last night's cooler weather allowed us to get a great night's sleep, and we woke up ready to face the day. Wendy, Jill, Kayla U, Kayla V., and I (Kenna) had an incredible opportunity to tour the local hospital in Milo, a town near Lagosette, because of the previous experience or interest of the group members in medicine. This experience was extremely eye-opening and even heart-wrenching at times, as you can imagine. It is difficult to understand just how good hospitals are in the states until you witness medical care in many if not most places outside of the US. I think we were all able to walk away with a new appreciation for the healthcare we have been so blessed with receiving, and a new understanding for the medical need in Haiti and other third world countries.
Upon returning to COTP, we met up with the guys who had been working hard to build multiple games and activities for Friday's upcoming carnival for the kids. Allie and Christine had spent the morning babysitting Rose and Natalie Vander Pol as well as some of the missionary kids at COTP. Our afternoon consisted of helping to teach the nannies at COTP some things about healthcare, and then Wendy teaching a prenatal class through COTP to some ladies from the community. It is super helpful to have Julian around to translate all our English into Creole. After three days in Haiti and some good teaching from Julian, we are picking up on some of the very basic phrases which is fun. :)
VBS with the kids was a blast. One of our favorite parts of the class is singing songs with the kids. We have been so blessed already by the staff and children at COTP, and we were yet again at VBS today.
Our day concluded with (another) great meal, and hanging out as a group. In our group meeting we discussed the day's devotion that we all read and journaled about this morning. We discussed how Phillip listened to God's continual calling on his life, and in turn his obedience to it. We discussed that in order to be open and willing to go where God calls us, our hearts must be fully surrendered to God. We need to be humble yet courageous. It is easy to become so comfortable in our situations that we are not open to be put wherever God needs us to be. Finally, we need to be always abiding in Christ and spending time listening and seeking him out in order to discover his will for each and every one of us. This was a very fitting devotional for this week, and a lesson for all of us! Halfway through the week, and we are having a blast. I can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds!!
Upon returning to COTP, we met up with the guys who had been working hard to build multiple games and activities for Friday's upcoming carnival for the kids. Allie and Christine had spent the morning babysitting Rose and Natalie Vander Pol as well as some of the missionary kids at COTP. Our afternoon consisted of helping to teach the nannies at COTP some things about healthcare, and then Wendy teaching a prenatal class through COTP to some ladies from the community. It is super helpful to have Julian around to translate all our English into Creole. After three days in Haiti and some good teaching from Julian, we are picking up on some of the very basic phrases which is fun. :)
VBS with the kids was a blast. One of our favorite parts of the class is singing songs with the kids. We have been so blessed already by the staff and children at COTP, and we were yet again at VBS today.
Our day concluded with (another) great meal, and hanging out as a group. In our group meeting we discussed the day's devotion that we all read and journaled about this morning. We discussed how Phillip listened to God's continual calling on his life, and in turn his obedience to it. We discussed that in order to be open and willing to go where God calls us, our hearts must be fully surrendered to God. We need to be humble yet courageous. It is easy to become so comfortable in our situations that we are not open to be put wherever God needs us to be. Finally, we need to be always abiding in Christ and spending time listening and seeking him out in order to discover his will for each and every one of us. This was a very fitting devotional for this week, and a lesson for all of us! Halfway through the week, and we are having a blast. I can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds!!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Day 2
Day 2
The word for this week is "flexible." Our day started out with cold showers and personal devotions. Then it was pancakes for breakfast. Our day didn't really have a set time schedule. After breakfast the guys headed over to the workshop to start building a rubber chicken catapult for one of the carnival games on friday. I just asked Dan how many hours it took us to make it and he said, "too many," which it did. It was quite an experience, as a summary it consisted of flying pieces of wood off the table saw and disappointing chicken flights that weren't going like they were supposed too. We worked on it all morning and for about an hour after lunch. The girls helped Wendy and Jill train some of the nurses on oral health and care. After a lunch of rice, chicken, and a few other things that I don't know the names of, a few of us took a walk with Julian to get mangos. We didn't actually get mangos though. Julian and one of his friends climbed coconut trees and then came down and cut them open with a machete for us to drink. We also picked a fruit that was very sweet but I don't remember the name of it. Then it was about time to do VBS with the kids. We have curriculum and Christine took charge. We planned earlier who was all gonna do what part. We learned about/taught that God will never leave us. It kind of hit home for me. I have to say I was pretty nervous to go on this trip. I realize now that I had nothing to be afraid of. God got us here safely and even though there was a few hiccups, we had a great time and are still having a great time. Tonight we had took a walk down the road a ways and a few people bought some things. After supper we just sat around and talked for a while and then played a few intense games of dirty Uno. Now we are taking showers, a few of us writing in our personal journals and getting ready for bed. Please pray for a good night of rest, we have a very busy day tomorrow. The heat really takes its tole on us during the day. Thanks for the prayers, they truly mean a lot!
Mason Dehmlow
Monday, July 11, 2016
We made it!
Day 1:
1:00 am and we began our adventure. We loaded the van and headed to the MSP airport. The 3 hour flight from Minneapolis to Miami went smoothly, and we all got a little nap in before our connecting flight to Cap Haitian. Our flight got delayed slightly but we were all smiles headed onto the plane, excited to arrive in Haiti. It was a short 1.5 hour flight to Cap Haitian and before we knew it we stepped out of the plane into the humid 90 degree air. Expectations of what Haiti would look and feel like started to turn into a more realistic picture. Still, we didn't quite have the full picture of what Haiti was like until we stepped out onto the streets. But before that could happen, we had to get all 19 of our bags out of the tiny, crammed airport. It was a struggle to say the least, we were the last ones out of that airport, but we managed to retrieve all of our bags...phew!
We piled out of the airport and walked into the crowed streets of Cap Haitian. Next, we loaded all of our luggage in one truck and were told to "pile in" for the ride to Children of the Promise.
This was one of the highlights of the day, believe it or not. It is hard to explain the sort of culture shock I think we all felt on that trip to Children of the Promise. We all kept telling each other that it felt like a dream. Families crowded around tiny, beaten down houses waving and smiling at us as we rode by. Young men worked hard on different projects around the city. Young children wandered around all alone and yelled "bonjou" (hello) as we drove by. It was interesting to see all the different reactions to foreigners like us. We received so many smiles and waves from complete strangers, it was so nice to see them welcoming us into their home.
Juliens sister made us a delicious meal of rice, chicken, and plantains for dinner.
Overall, today a big lesson I learned was to approach every person as an equal. People may appear rough, but many of them have such amazing spirits and are so much different than they appear. I think it is easy to look at a person with less than we have and immediately think we are better than them. However, we are all sons and daughters of God and are equal in his eyes despite any financial or cultural differences. We have a lot to learn from every person we encounter here, and I am so excited to continue on this adventure this week! Thank you all so much for the prayers, we appreciate it. :)
Kayla Ulferts
1:00 am and we began our adventure. We loaded the van and headed to the MSP airport. The 3 hour flight from Minneapolis to Miami went smoothly, and we all got a little nap in before our connecting flight to Cap Haitian. Our flight got delayed slightly but we were all smiles headed onto the plane, excited to arrive in Haiti. It was a short 1.5 hour flight to Cap Haitian and before we knew it we stepped out of the plane into the humid 90 degree air. Expectations of what Haiti would look and feel like started to turn into a more realistic picture. Still, we didn't quite have the full picture of what Haiti was like until we stepped out onto the streets. But before that could happen, we had to get all 19 of our bags out of the tiny, crammed airport. It was a struggle to say the least, we were the last ones out of that airport, but we managed to retrieve all of our bags...phew!
We piled out of the airport and walked into the crowed streets of Cap Haitian. Next, we loaded all of our luggage in one truck and were told to "pile in" for the ride to Children of the Promise.
Juliens sister made us a delicious meal of rice, chicken, and plantains for dinner.
Overall, today a big lesson I learned was to approach every person as an equal. People may appear rough, but many of them have such amazing spirits and are so much different than they appear. I think it is easy to look at a person with less than we have and immediately think we are better than them. However, we are all sons and daughters of God and are equal in his eyes despite any financial or cultural differences. We have a lot to learn from every person we encounter here, and I am so excited to continue on this adventure this week! Thank you all so much for the prayers, we appreciate it. :)
Kayla Ulferts
Friday, July 8, 2016
Ready, Set, Go
Airline tickets are purchased, vaccinations are injected, supplies are purchased, bags are packed (or getting packed), and we are ready to go! Are we there yet?
As the weeks unfold, stay tuned... We plan to update this blog everyday with posts from different kids sharing about what we have been up to.
Please keep the two groups in prayer:
Group 1 (July 11-18), Dan Sterk, Wendy Ulferts, Jill Lawson (Wendy's mom), Kenna Ulferts, Kayla Ulferts, Allie Zwart, Kayla Ver Steeg, Christine Mikelson, Logan Tebrake, Tanner Stoel, and Mason Dehmlow.
Group 2 (July 18- 25), Dan Sterk, Jeff Vanderhooft, Tammy Vanderhooft, Hannah Vanderhooft, Jordan Starkenburg, Alinda Brouwer, Cam Van Der Puy, Micah Vanderbeek, Nic Groen, Cassandra Daugherty, and Lizzy Gardner
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