Approaching trip's end

Today was the next-to-last day and everyone was focused on getting everything done possible, ensuring projects were closed up, people trained and relationships set right before our departure Thursday morning.  It was a good day.  The teams have meshed beautifully as one BIG team which has been very special, and each member has shared how they've found their niche and made contributions over the week.

It seems like it was hot today, and Cec was saying eagerly its -9 degrees in Calgary, whopee!   That would be nice when drenched in humidity and sweat here, though I think the tune will change after a week or two back home and remember longingly of this tropical clime.

Last night we shared about where we see God's fingerprints here, and it was wonderful to hear all the varied anecdotes and insights.  God truly is at work and we hope to share some of those things upon our return over the coming weeks.

Midday respite

Lunch-time Monday, only three days left (2 1/2 actually), the end is in sight and clearly not enough time to finish what we were hoping.  It is going very well, but the job is massive.  Taken to prioritizing rooms and projects to get the most important ones done before we go on Thursday.

This morning Monica (Crossroads-Red Deer) escorted the young 8 year old boy she has started sponsoring for school into his very first class.  He was very excited, especially eyeing all the kids playing at the playground before classes.  What a wonderful sight!  Later this afternoon we'll split into three groups and head off to dedicate 6 houses recently completed by Haiti Arise and turn over the keys to the new homeowners.  That will also be special.

Well, spaghetti is ready so I'd best get going or it'll all be gone...
Chris

Sunday day of rest

Today is a day of rest, a welcome break after a busy week and before the next three days before our final push.  Church this morning was a joyous blessing of worship, with "pastor" Cecil bringing a word from the Lord and then an inspired word on walking with the Lord.  The whole church was blessed and four ladies responded to his invitation and came forward to accept the Lord.  Praise the Lord!  As day goes to day the Lord is continuing to touch the hearts of the men (and Cathy...) on the team as each sees the Lord working within and how they are able to contribute to the ongoing and work here.

Yesterday was a a day of market and then the beach.  The market tour was quite the eye-opener with the crowds but also the hustle and bustle of ongoing commerce as each busy providing the means for ongoing life.  Many last night were touched and are coming to better appreciate the intricacies of life here, below the surface poverty seen at first glance.  The other blessing is the continued knitting together of our two teams and the unity of spirit amongst all.

Tonight we're off to a local restaurant for "goat & Coke" which will be a welcome break.  Now off for a rest!

Thursday it poured down rain midday, which cooled things down a bit then soared the humidity.  Progress is coming, but with changes midstream it seems like one step forward and two back.  Tiling and electrical and welding and plumbing and a few other things are keeping it busy and changes are becoming apparent.  We hope to have lights on in the technical school tomorrow.  Guys are holding up well and there's been good camaraderie amongst the teams.  Tonight Howard cooked up two turkeys he found in PAP and we celebrated American Thanksgiving, which was great.  The next four days we've some outings re evangelism, market, beach, restaurant and house dedications so it'll again be a different challenge and eye-opening all at once.  Internet is bad so I'll end here and hopefully this gets saved...

Now Friday evening after a very satisfying and eventful day.  I've been tiling, after two days finally figured out how to keep a straight line.  Yeah!   Two rooms are nearing completion as today we had three different tile crews going so we're making good progress.  We also got lights in the rooms which you never really appreciate until you don't have any.  Late this afternoon we split into two teams and with interpreters walked into the nearby village to meet and share with some local Haitians.  It was a very moving time, with lots of opportunity to pray, play with the kids and get a much better appreciation for normal life here.  At one home a wrinkled grandma rushed up and with joy in her face gave me a great bear hug and won't let go, remembering my name from last winter and our fun times dancing in the Lord together.  She introduced us to her 7 children and some of the 32 grandkids, one looking very similar to our own Bella and proudly discussed their life here, showed off their garden and allowed a lot of play with the young kids.  At another stop we connected with 3 young men "hanging out" and gradually built enough trust to share the love of Jesus with them and challenge them to seriously consider God and a relationship with Him.  There were many other experiences and it all was quite life-changing from many of the participants.  another great thing this week is the interweaving and meshing of our group with the Red Deer Crossroads group.  It is going very well, with all open to sharing and being used as best they can be while here.  It is a pleasure leading and working with this group of men, and of course Cathy.

For those praying please raise up Glen who has a touch of stomach illness as well as Cathy's continued back weakness, though she did have a  good day today.  Tomorrow and Sunday are rest days, with a market trip in the morning followed by the beach in the afternoon.  Danny I think is going to join the worship team in the afternoon then on Sunday, and Cec is preaching and bringing a word the Lord has given him on Sunday morning.  Many have shared devotions and been challenged in many ways and it is fun to see everyone stretched, even the oldest of us old dogs, Ian.  Sunday we're off for "goat & Coke" in the evening at a local restaurant then Monday night are several HAM house dedications to participate in which will also be a great blessing to be able to participate in.

That's it for now.  We pray you are all well too.  God Bless...

Chris & Cathy & Team

Massive progress

Today was a great day with significant progress on many fronts.  Railing pieces have been cut and initial welds made... though Cec says he's had to learn welding all over again (thin materials...), Danny and Ian along with several other electricians have gotten most of the wires run and the main hook-up nearly done, so we're going to celebrate lights by Friday latest, Cathy is finding her way with the new staff and helping out where she can, thought the back is still hurting and restricting her activities walking... Glen's gotten the painting stuff realigned and is getting tiles set starting this afternoon, James is helping all over and relishing the returnee role, sharing vision with all the newbees... and I'm taking up tiling with a vengeance(thanks Paula & Dave...) as well as being a resource for both teams... The Lord is working too, impacting each in different ways and allowing each to open their hearts to the circumstances and other team members.

Haiti itself is still on the road to recovery.  Obvious signs are everywhere.  Besides that tons of standing water and washouts from the recent hurricane Sandy are everywhere.   PAP shows continued signs of advance with fewer tents less garbage, though that's still relative.  In spite of all that its still Haiti and lots remains to do.  Tonight, here's Cec...

The heat is not hard to deal with, and neither is the humidity, my clothes become damp from sweating and I am comfortable. Hello to you my wonderful Sue, I send you my love and prayers. I am working with John Philip ( pronounced 'feeleep') the local welder here, and another great brother named Travis who came with the Red Deer team. Together we are a very good team and are making good progress. The ride from the Airport, through Port au Prince to Grande Goave began in me, and others, a breaking  to make more room for the heart of God for all people every where and particularly for those who have nothing and live in the midst of garbage, open sewage, pigs and other animals,  extreme poverty. I could continue with descriptions, but no words can tell an adequate story. I am forever changed. Thank you all for your prayers. Cec.    

Followers and other interested parties.  If you feel inspired please send comments back so we know you're getting the blog.  The guys appreciate it!

Day One done

Day one is in the books and it was a great day.  Just after breakfast everyone pitched in to unpack the multiple, massive and heavy checked suitcases (which ALL arrived intact, thanks for the prayers...) and then headed off to their various worksites.  All in all it was productive, which new relationships forming and challenges met with good attitudes and efforts.  As a note, the internet here went bankrupt and we're now set-up via an internet stick, which only works on computers so my plan to use and iPad and wifi is shot... the consequence is no pictures this time.. but we'll show some upon our return.. Instead you'll get some input from the team, tonight from James...

Good day fellow trip followers:
The change here in the last nine months is massive. The trades training building is coming along at an amazing pace.  Danny has put himself in charge and running the job like a project back home (:  We are trying to keep up with his orders but the Haitians have the language barrier and us labourers have the heat and humidity to deal with.  We try to keep up with his pace but the man wants progress....( HA HA) Everyone is doing an amazing job considering all the challenges each job brings.  The whole team is in great spirits and looking forward to another day filled with both challenges and triumphs.  Thank you all so much for your prayers and support to make this happen.

Well we've arrived in Grand Goave with no incidents and all our luggage!  PTL!!  Things are definitely progressing here, as more rebuilding is done and its a bit cleaner, but its all relative... a long ways to go.  The team is well and adjusting to the trip and being away.  I think Danny wants to share so he'll follow.  Tomorrow starts the work projects, it'll be busy.

    Well! It is sure an eye opener seeing first hand what we saw on tv. The trip was good with no trouble on the flights. My big case got damaged and I'm not sure how bad the zipper got broke. I'll find out tomorrow when we empty the cases and get to work. There is plenty of electrical work to do so we are going to be busy. Colleen would freak out at the way they drive here. I'm glad I was in the back of the van.Any way all is well and I'm missing everyone already. God bless and I'll get on this again later. Ian

 There's an awful lot to take in - a lot of thoughts going through my brain and a lot of things I could write here.  It's tough travelling past such deep poverty and terrible filth and see kids the same age as mine living in it - how sobering, saddening, upsetting - I'm very glad I'm not here with my family, but at the same time, I'm really missing my family at the moment.  I saw a kid at the airport in Miami that looked a lot like my son, which was a very different sensation than looking at a little girl about the same size as my daughter sitting in a pile of dirt, garbage and rocks - wearing a little shirt but no pants.  I believe the day will come that I can make a trip like this with my kids but I'm immensely glad that my kids are shielded from the trip I just took - and yet...  Sunday morning as I was finishing packing, Sammy (who is 4) was getting upset that I was going.  He didn't want me to go.  It's hard to explain exactly what's going on to a 4 year old so Erin and I told him that daddy was going to Haiti to help people that didn't have a lot of things - where there are kids that don't have any toys.  Well that hit Sammy - he wanted to know how many kids there were that didn't have any toys and he could give them his toys.  We couldn't tell him that there were thousands upon thousands upon tens of thousands - Erin suggested that maybe there were a couple of kids, Sammy said he thought there were probably 3 and ran downstairs and came back with 3 of his little hot-wheels cars for me to bring to the kids here with no toys...so what an incredibly blessed man I feel like - I get to raise my kids in a place with so much blessing, and yet in the midst of our incredibly selfish culture, my little son can understand and have compassion for a kid, just like him, who doesn't have any toys.  Blessings!  Danny

Early morning

Up early, we're finishing breakfast at the Comfort Inn with waffles, eggs and our last sausages for a while before heading off to the airport in a half hour.  The day is bright and sunny, and warm, for a change that I'm sure we'll all enjoy for the next week and a half.  That became clear with all the shorts being worn... All are well, bright-eyed and smiling, not knowing what they are about to face once landing in Haiti.  But that's ok, that first flush of reality is one of the best parts of the trip as it extracts a whole new perspective in participants and an appreciation for things always taken for granted before.  Got to run, hopefully Internet and electricity will be working tonight.

Returning to Haiti...
Tomorrow we're heading back to Haiti, this time with a team from our church.  The team consists of myself and six others (including Cathy), mostly tradespeople as our focus is working on the interior finishing of the HAM trade school, to finish it off so it can open for new classes in January of 2013.  We are looking forward to the trip and renewing friendships there.  We'll keep in touch, along with sharing from the other members with us.  The team consists of two electricians: Ian & Danny Wilson, a welder: Cecil Rau, an electrical lineman, returning for his second trip: James MacKey and a painter/businessman: Glen Leibham along with Cathy & I.
Chris