34 Days in Haiti

This verse from Proverbs most accurately sums up the 34 days recently spent in Haiti:

"A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps."  (Proverbs 16:9)

God determined each step.  Even though our ministry team had planned out the three teams and all of their activities, God had other plans day-by-day.  We visited places we did not plan to visit.   We were unable to work with ministries we had planned to partner with.  And . . . We made new friends and made lasting memories.

In the end, it was clear:  Each of the three summer teams was put together by God with each member having special talents and abilities that complimented the group and allowed the group, as a whole, to learn more, experience more, be more effective in sharing the Gospel through daily living

Team 1 was exuberant and lively and constantly in motion.  Psalm 150:6, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"

Team 2 was characterized by love and hard work.  I John 3:16-18,  "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

Team 3 exhibited great unity of purpose and spirit.  Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. "

Caleb Steven Derard

“My Redeemer is faithful and true.
Everything He has said He will do,
And every morning His mercies are new.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.”

— Steven Curtis Chapman

How true these words became to my heart and soul during my recent trip to Haiti.  I had my trip all planned out for April 15 - 26.  I knew what I was going to do, where I was going to go, and what I was going to accomplish.  And guess what?  God had other plans.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”

— Proverbs 16:9

When I called Steeve for our daily afternoon "Bonjou.  Bonswa.  Orevwa!" phone call (thanks, AT&T for raising your rates.  Not!), he told me that Manoucheka had been admitted to a local hospital with symptoms of pre-eclampsia.  In addition to my concerns for her and the baby, I have to admit I also thought, "Oh!  I'll get to meet that sweet baby while I'm there!"  Little did I know that That Sweet Baby would become the focus of the entire trip.

Tuesday Manoucheka was transported by ambulance to Zanmi Lasante in Mirebalais.  That is a story in itself, and a part of the larger picture that God painted through this entire experience.  God was in control of every detail of Caleb's arrival.

Wednesday I arrived at the airport in PAP, and soon after Wesly accompanied me north to Mirebalais where Steeve and Manoucheka were.  Steeve and I were thrilled to see each other after 48 hours of worried phone calls.  We snapped this photo with my phone, and I've since told Steeve this is The Photo we need to remember when we're having a disagreement in the future.  We were so happy to see each other.

Thursday a group of us headed back to PAP.  The doctor assured us Manoucheka was not going into labor any time soon.  They were just keeping her to monitor her blood pressure; however, by Friday afternoon, it was evident they had done something because after Manoucheka received a medication, active labor began.

We went back to Mirebalais Friday evening and found Manoucheka in the throws of hard labor.  It was hard to watch and hear. She was in so much pain, and it is nothing like it is here in the States.  Let's start with the fact that there is no air conditioning and there is no privacy as the patient beds are one right after another.   Being there with her made me realize that no matter how intense labor is in the United States, we have NO IDEA how good we have it.  NO IDEA.

Manoucheka labored well into the night, and about 2 a.m. she was taken in for a c-section.  About 2:30 a.m. Caleb Steven Derard made his grand entrance into the world.  Steeve and I were able to see him and Manoucheka just minutes later.   My first thought upon seeing him?  "He's huge!"  And he was.  We are told Caleb weighed about 11 lb. at birth.

“Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still.”

— Steven Curtis Chapman

Caleb's birth was rather dramatic, and the next morning I listened to "Be Still" over and over and over.  It was as if God was reminding me of what was important.  And there was that word "faithful" again.  He is faithful.  Always.

Caleb and Manoucheka came home on April 20, one week after their ordeal began.  But they weren't home long before we began to realize Caleb was going to have a few challenges.  First, Manoucheka noticed that Caleb's foot was turned.  Then, I noticed that Caleb wasn't exhibiting normal newborn reflexes.  That Wednesday, April 22, God sent us to just the right pediatrian, Dr. Nathalie Theard, in Petionville.  She had referrals for Caleb's foot, and she also asked me to text her over the coming days regarding his reflexes.  She is an amazingly caring physician.

By Friday, April 24, we had many questions about Caleb's health, and not many answers as of yet.   Steeve, Manoucheka, Caleb, and I drove around the PAP area trying to find an orthopedist based on Dr. Nathalie's referral.  And, I just got completely overwhelmed.  Completely.  Like crying overwhelmed.  Like "Steeve, you just have to pray before I can even drive this car" overwhelmed.

Rick, Jared and Ethan were headed to PAP via Atlanta, and I messaged Rick  and told him I just didn't think I could return to the States on Sunday, as planned.  I asked him to see if we could change my flight.

That is a story in itself, but to make it short, it comes down to these facts:  1)  Delta changed my ticket at absolutely no cost to us at all, 2) the only date Delta could change that ticket to was the very date I told Rick was my absolute "I must be home by then" date, and 3) God knew that I needed to stay 8 more days . . . Not just to help Steeve and Manoucheka, but for me to learn more about the character and the provision of MY God.

There are still some questions about Caleb's health, but he's under the care of Healing Hands for his orthopedic issues.  The newborn reflexes are now being displayed, though not as strongly or as consistently as we would want if everything were "perfect."

But this is what I know.  

“But God will, He will finish what He started
No thread will be left unwoven
Nothing will be left undone
Every plan and every purpose
That He has will be accomplished
And God will finish what He’s begun.”

— Steven Curtis Chapman

 In the end, staying until May 4 allowed us at Haiti Awake to do the "big thing" I had thought would be the focus of my trip - moving Federick's children into their new home.  I love those 17 children that live under Federick's care.

However, what I learned on this trip is that there are many children in Haiti, there are many needs in Haiti, but one little guy most definitely has my heart.

And his name is Caleb Steven Derard.  

Wesly Bien-Aimé

Earlier today, I wrote this post to share with our summer ministry teams.  But . . . the more I've thought about things today, the more I thought it was an appropriate post to share with all of you who are part of Haiti Awake.

Two weeks from today, Jared, Ethan and I will be on our way to Port-au-Prince to get ready to welcome YOU. We're so excited about hosting three separate teams and sharing Haiti with our friends.

We'll be waiting for you at the airport!

I was thinking yesterday about how difficult it still is for me to remember everyone I have met. Sometimes it's overwhelming. I've met people, I know I'm supposed to know them, but I just can't remember who they are or how they fit into the grand picture. And I know you'll experience this, too . . . trying to figure out who everyone is. Right, Sharonda?

For the next few days I want to introduce you to some of the people who will work with us while you're in Haiti. Hopefully this will help you put names with faces and put you more at ease from the start.

This is Wesly Bien-Aimé. I've known Wesly for over three years. He can do just about anything, and I personally depend on him and trust him a great deal. On my last trip, I really don't know what I would have done without him. He was with me morning until night, and he took care of what needed to be done.

He's a hard worker, a really smart guy, and although he looks tough (muscles, muscles, muscles!), he's really got a great heart.

Wesly is learning English. If you're patient in communicating with him, he'll be patient in communicating with you, too.

Wesly knows there is one thing I want for him more than anything else.  I want Wesly to know Jesus Christ as HIS Lord and Savior.

The most important thing about Wesly? He's my friend.

When Jesus Says Yes . . .

July of 2013 found me in Haiti for the 5th time.  But I was not in Port-au-Prince.  Instead, I was north of the capitol, in unfamiliar territory, with unfamiliar people, and feeling quite lonely and out of place.  In fact, I felt so "homesick" for PAP that the day after I arrived, I found a way to get back to PAP, and I asked Steeve to meet me at EpiDor to talk.

Once there I explained to him how miserable I was, how isolated I felt, how much I didn't think I was in the right place.  I was having trouble integrating with my team, I felt marginalized, I felt I had no place or purpose where I was.

Steeve reminded me that God has a plan in every situation, and he told me that I needed to stay where I was and learn what I needed to learn.

Two days later, I was still struggling to find my place with the team I was with, but another team welcomed me with open arms.  So I basically joined up with them, and I was invited to visit some orphanages back in the PAP area.

That day we visited three locations.  I had no idea where we were, and I did not know the people I was in the vehicle with.  I had never been involved with orphan care before, and this new experience tugged at my heart in a real way.

I remember seeing this sign in the first orphanage.  It had a profound impact on my thinking the rest of the day.  

That day we visited three orphanages, but one grabbed my heart in a special way.  And at that one orphanage, one little boy stole my heart.  His name is Handy.

When it was time to leave these children, I felt so helpless.  I had nothing with me that I could share with them.  Nothing but a pack of gum that didn't even have enough pieces for each child to have one.   As we drove away, my heart ached for those precious children.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

— James 1:27

Fast forward seven months.  Rick and I were taking a short trip to Haiti to visit Steeve and Manoucheka.  And I thought, "Hey!  We could see those kids again. We could take some things to them . . ."  Except there was one problem.    I didn't know where "those kids" lived, and I had no contact information for them.

But I had photos.  So I sent the following photos to Steeve and asked him if he could possibly find these children.  I knew it was a long shot, but I also felt God really wanted Rick and me to see these children.

And you know what?  I was right because Steeve found the director and was able to make contact with him.  He agreed to let us visit in February of 2014.

https://youtube.com/devicesupport http://m.youtube.com

The summer of 2014 found us once visiting the precious children under Federick's care.

“The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”

— Psalm 146:9

“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.”

— Psalm 87:3

The fall brought unexpected changes regarding Haiti for the Graves family . . . and the first Haiti Awake team in October of 2014.  It seemed like a natural choice to do a 4 day Bible school with these children who were quickly becoming a big part of each trip to Haiti.

And in January, the 2nd Haiti Awake team spent 4 days with these precious children.  We all felt there was more we should be doing for them.

And God has made that possible.  Through the generous monthly donations which have come in, we are now able to help these children in a real, tangible way each month.  They are "our" children.  There are still many needs (school, furniture, toiletries, more caregivers) and we need more monthly support, but we are doing SOMETHING now.  We are so thankful for what God has done.

God is sovereign over all circumstances in our lives. We don't always understand why He has us in the place He puts us. We might feel alone, forgotten, unneeded. But the beauty of those moments comes later when we can look back and see WHY God had us where we were . . .

I am thankful for that very hard week in July of 2013.  I'm now thankful that I didn't fit in with the team I *thought* I was supposed to be on.  I am thankful God had another plan.  And I'm thankful that He directs each step we take.

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

— Proverbs 16:9

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

— I John 3:16-18

Steeve Derard's Testimony

In early February 2015, Steeve came to Wilmington for a few days and met with pastors from several ministries in the area.

On Sunday night, February 1, he had the opportunity to publicly share his testimony at Grace Baptist Church.

Grace Baptist Church February 1, 2015

Important Contribution Update

Important Contribution Update  Haiti Awake, Inc. was formed as a North Carolina non-profit corporation in December of 2014.  Haiti Awake filed for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in early March 2015.  When this application is approved, then exempt status will be granted retroactive to the date of formation (that is December 2014 for Haiti Awake).  This means that gifts made to Haiti Awake starting in 2015 will be tax deductible unless the IRS denies Haiti Awake's application for exempt status.  This is the IRS's policy since a vast majority of the 70,000 applications a year are approved, because our country encourages charitable activity and giving, and because the IRS is aware that it can take several months for an application to be approved.  Since our application was made in early 2015 and the current processing time is approximately 6 months, we expect to have our exemption approved before the end of 2015.  In the extremely unlikely event that the IRS denies Haiti Awake's application for exempt status, then Haiti Awake will inform donors who have made gifts.  This policy of retroactive application is available from the IRS in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2013-2, Section 11 (http://www.irs.gov/irb/2013-02_IRB/ar07.html#d0e1098).  This is great news for those of you who have been waiting for the tax exempt application to make donations.

Spring 2015

What a long, cold winter it's been here in North Carolina!   This last week we've finally seen the promise of spring with trees blooming and warmer temperatures.  Spring always reminds me there are beautiful days ahead.

Here at Haiti Awake we're anticipating great things in the coming months.

Rick, Jared,  Ethan and I will be in Haiti in April, and then the boys and I will head back down May 27.   Jared and Ethan will be in Haiti until June 19th, and I'll be there until June 29th.  During the month of June we'll host three separate teams . . . with a house filled to capacity (and beyond!) nearly every night.

We've had the opportunity to teach a Wednesday night class at GBC based on the book Helping Without Hurting.  The class is made up of summer team members and others in the church who are interested in missions.  It's been a great time on Wednesday nights as we study, share . . . and learn some basic Creole together.

Speaking of Creole, the Lord sent me a wonderful teacher named Gloria.  She's Haitian, and she teaches her classes via Skype.  We've only had a few lessons, but her teaching method and insight are EXACTLY what I needed.  I feel like my grammar and pronunciation have improved immeasurably these last few weeks.   My comprehension has gone up substantially,  too.  I'm still a long way away from being fluent, but progress is exciting.  

Jared and Ethan are learning quite a bit of Creole, as well, and the three of us have been practicing music for the summer.  We're looking forward to leading some of the music for the children instead of just listening.  I LOVE hearing my boys sing "Glwa Pou Bondye" most of all.  

I've been thinking on Romans 1:12 this morning : "That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine."

 This is Haiti Awake.  This is my heart.

Becky

So much has happened in such a little time

Three months ago, Haiti Awake was an idea.  Today we're a fully functioning organization with four full-time Haitian employees.

The October team was more than we could have hoped for.  Sharonda, Kim, and Kelli worked well together to hold 3 Bible schools each day for 4 days.    

The January team is just a few days away and in the final days of planning.

The June teams are forming.

We are thankful for the love and support we've received from so many friends who share in our vision of Relationships.  Gospel.  Hope.

Our prayer is that in 2015 God will help us see clearly precisely what He would have us do as we refine our mission statement  and continue to form relationships with people in our community and the surrounding areas.

October 19, 2015

Tonight Rick shared Haiti Awake with our Grace Baptist Church family.  We're excited about this new direction in which God is leading.