Doorway To Peace Haiti

After a stormy day yesterday, "Klub" ended today with 140 kids participating and hearing about how Jesus loved to serve others, and wants us to serve others too.

We canceled the morning session yesterday due to the deluge of rain and wind that began around 3 AM. However, when I arrived at the school just after 10 AM, I found the Haitian team waiting there for us! How tremendous that they would walk on those slippery pathways, in the rain, to serve their community. We had our work cut out for us and even enlisted the help of the few kids who came too. The tarp covering the courtyard was just about destroyed so we had to piece it back together. We also wanted to prepare the backpacks that kids from Orchard Fellowship made. We stuffed them with goodies left over from the week. After a brief rest and meal, we all returned to the school to try to get the afternoon session in. It started off OK, but about 5 minutes into the main part of the program, the skies opened up and another deluge began. Becca and David got soaked - and I mean soaked - out in the courtyard. They quickly improvised and changed the game to Hangman inside one of the classrooms. A little tough to explain in Kreyol, but after a few tries they got it and really enjoyed it!

Anyway, the rain continued; the road turned into a river; and we prayed like crazy it would stop before it was time to go home. Well, it almost did - but we were all pretty drenched by the time we walked back to the Retreat Center.

So today was sad... I hate saying goodbye to all the kids. This year is especially tough because I can actually hold conversations with them now, so I know them even more. I left them with Ephesians 3:14-21... a fitting prayer for the message this week. God's love is what saves us... and it is a deep, long, wide love that nothing else can compare to.

Please hold a particular young boy in your prayers. F. is 8 years old and is homeless. He literally had the clothes on his back, and one spare set in a ripped plastic bag that he was carrying around. He came to the program each day hoping for some help. I hope he took away more than just a meal and some new clothes (thanks Karen!).

You should be very proud of the team that served this week. Each one faced at least some sort of adversity - none of which was fun nor pleasant! But they held onto their Father, relied on Him for strength, and "ran the good race". Many lives were touched because of them!

Everyone is excited about beach day tomorrow, especially the Haitian team. None have been there so it is particularly exciting. You should see the joy on their faces - they were literally doing the "Happy Dance" today as they were talking about it. I love it! We'll be traveling in the back of a tap tap for about an hour to get there; will enjoy the sand and surf - even have some frisbees and a soccer ball to take; and then enjoy a fresh meal of fish (ok, so most of us will enjoy the fish).

That's it for now... Peace!