SAVANNAH UPDATE:
Hello Everybody,
It has been a great day today. We started out by having breakfast this morning, and Kristen did a great devotion for our group and the Momentum Church group (from South of Atlanta). Our first task of the day was to take a fifteen minute new church site. We were to meet a pastor and several land owners who were going to take 50 Lucenia treest back to their own property and plant them and watch over them. Because the trees were planted in black plastic bags and were easy to pull out of the ground there was only about 20 minutes of hard labor.
The next little while, we taught two little boys how to hit the grand slam. With my faithul pitcher Harrison throwing for me I hit one over the big green monster (green army tent where we have church). Even with that testimony to my hitting technique the two young boys did not adopt immediately, but maybe it is a planted seed for later.
After batting practice, the landowners showed up to receive the trees. We first sat them down and shared the gospel with them, somewhat shocked to find out that some of them had already heard it and accepted and were even leaders in the church. Who better to entrust the resources of the church (ie the trees). But any how we gave them folding gospel sharing tools that may help them share the gospel with others in the future. After praying for them they collected their groups of trees.
We moved on to the next thing which was lunch. And then we went to experience fishing Haityi style. We apparently did not give the fisherman enough notice because he did not bring any fishing equipment. That was okay we were able to see that his job of fishing involved a lot of strenuous rowing. To our surprise his method is using a hook line and bait. No fancy nets. After the fishing Q&A was over, we went back to the main compound and invited the kids in the street to a VBS. We did the story of Jonah with some help from volunteers from the crowd, then transitioned into craft time with paperplate fish. By the time it was done I had colored the entire fish cast of finding Nemo. We played games in the street and then we prayed for the kids. Now we are dinnner. That is all for now.
God Bless You! In Christ,
Dan Popham
MOMENTUM UPDATE:
Before I say anything else, I must share the funniest part of the day (according to me). First, you must know the background.
Two days ago, when we arrived in the first fishing village (Preskul), Kim Groves managed to accidentally flash all the islanders as we exited the boat. An unusual greeting from us “blancs” (AKA: whiteys). A few of us got a really good chuckle out of this.
So this morning, we got to take an hour boat ride to a third fishing village (Kapafu). When we arrived, Kim starts to get down from the boat and gets her skirt caught, therefore beginning to flash everyone YET AGAIN. It gets better. She’s actually not just attached to the boat by her skirt, but….get this…her panties. Then I proceeded to witness two Haitians try to detach her from the boat. As you can only imagine, Kim was quiet through the whole ordeal 🙂
But on to a serious note, it was an amazing visit with some beautiful people. For most of us, it was our favorite fishing village yet. Everyone was so receptive and friendly. Tammie had about 8 kids attached to her from the moment she set foot on shore, and Kim and crew rocked out with the VBS as usual. Meredith at one point had a blanket of children on her. THE VERY COOLEST PART EVER, though, was that we all felt led to wash feet. We each got an opportunity to be on our knees with these sweet people and scrub their feet with soap and salt water. I would imagine it was a trip highlight for everyone. So humbling and wonderful.
After our return, we took a much needed trip to the beach to cool off where we were able to play with some more children and just relax. We just enjoyed a yummy ravioli dinner (with some scrumptious Tootsie Pops for dessert – Thanks, Mandy!). Danny and Gabby just read all of the comments outloud from last night and today – Your support and sweet prayers mean the world to us and we’re enjoying each and every word. Thank you!!!! We certainly feel your prayers and God’s Spirit moving in each of us, which has been so cool.
As wonderful as it has been, though, we will be so anxious to squeeze all of you on the other end (of the trip). Tomorrow we will be doing some more “Hut to Hut” visits (painting nails, bubbles, praying with some families) and probably a sports camp in the afternoon, all wrapped up with a beach dinner at 5. I think it will be a day we will all enjoy.
We are actually loving the mush, Tricia, Kelly and Loren – Keep it coming you sappy sistas! Bart: Turns out Bart is actually BarTina. Weird.
Hey Friends! I absolutely love seeing all your smiling joyful faces! You can see the Holy Spirit all over you guys! What a blessing to hear and see the pictures of you all washing the beautiful Haitian peoples feet!!! Tears have flooded my face knowing what that must have meant to them. Each of you were truly the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus, and their is nothing more beautiful than that! I am so proud of you guys, I know your hearts are forever changed!! Kim, bless your heart LOL! That story made me laugh out loud for real!! Love that you all are having so much fun while you are working so hard! We here at home have missed you all. We are praying for rest and renewal so you can be ready for the last two days. Seriously can not wait to hear every detail about what God has done! Love ya’ll
Stephen, my love! I dont know if you are able to read this, i hope so! We miss you so much, cant wait for you to he home safely!!! Hope everything is going ok and that you don’t feel lonely since you are not with the group. We are praying for you constantly!!! We love you to the moon and back!
You guys are awesome!! Listening to your days and looking at your pictures just reexcite me about Africa so much. Seeing you all clearly show what it means to serve as He served and love as he loves has just been amazing. I am so proud to know each of you and serve with you all each week at Momentum. We are anxious to get you all back and hug you as well!! Kim so funny but I’m sorry too ;). Meredith and Tammy how sweet and how blessed each of u r to get to love on those sweet babies!! Katie I hope u r well I cannot wait to hear ur stories. Gabby I am so proud of u!! All of u it’s great to hear how u followed the spirits nudging to wash feet. Very humbling and a great act of submission. Stay strong your last days and know we are still praying as much now as in the beginning!! I love love you all!! Sleep well!!
Blessings
Heather
Ok, so why I am I always one of the first to comment on the updates?? Because, literally after I put Adelynn to bed, I wait in excitement and anticipation by my computer for an email notification to come through that the new blog is up and then I can’t seem to read it fast enough. Josh, I guess it’s kind of like how you use to wait in anticipation for me to sign on to AIM each night that first summer you became infatuated with me :).
Well, I can’t believe we have already reached the end of Thursday. I can’t imagine how exhausted, humbled, emotional, fulfilled, and overjoyed you guys must feel. I hope that each of you soak up every moment of your last full day tomorrow. I am sure it will be a bittersweet day. But take time to think back over the week of what all God has been able to do through you guys for these people. God gave you the incredible opportunity to pour out his love on these people in the form of painting the nails of children, delivering animals, digging ditches, jumping rope, and yes Kim, even flashing them as you exited the boat :). God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary because he is just that amazing! I am so proud of you all and so excited for your return.
Joshua John, I miss the heck out of you and can’t wait to see you and your Hawaiian Tropic tan. You are my favorite and you have helped me to become the best version of me! I am so stinkin’ proud of you and honored to be your wife! Just a few updates here, phone line was fixed. I had all 3 girls asleep by 9:15 tonight and none of them are in the bed with me. You should be proud! Braelyn has her MRI Friday at 1:00, so be in prayer for her and Drew and Allison. I LOVE YOU SASSY BRITCHES!
Loren
Josh, one more update. Adelynn is becoming a pro at riding the three wheeled scooter. Thought you would be proud!
So… I feel like an idiot!! Seriously!! I’ve been reading your updates and praying numerous times throughout the day. BUT it was not until I saw in today’s blog that you were “enjoying all the comments”. Comments?! What comments? Oh dear.
Anyway, I couldn’t say it any better than anyone else… what great and TRUE comments others have left throughout the week. It is so obvious on each of your faces that God is there in a REAL and AMAZING way. But what is even more apparent to me is the sparkle in the Haitians’ eyes… clearly brought on by the unconditional love you’ve shown them. It is also evident that each of you have humbled yourselves in a way that is just so powerful. WOW. I am personally PROUD of each of you and your willingness to stop, listen, and MOVE throughout this journey.
Please know we’re all continuing to pray for you!!
Love in Christ,
Jenny Ann Barber
P.S. So, the story about Kim is truly hilarious!! But the most shocking part to me is that she was “quiet” throughout the entire debacle? I didn’t know that was even possible. JUST KIDDING, KIM!! You know I LOVE ya tons!
Beautiful. You are all so beautiful. Continuing to pray for you and your families.
Wow…every day I read these updates and think “This is the best day yet…it can’t get any better”. And, yet, every day it gets better! That’s because our God is that awesome! He continues to work through each and every one of you to do His work. Kim…I’m sure He’s even using your unfortunate mishap for His glory! What an amazing thing for you all to wash those sweet people’s feet! I got goose bumps (and a little teary-eyed) reading about that…so powerful. I know as you head into your last day there that you probably have mixed emotions…excitement that you get to see your families soon and sadness to leave the amazing people you’ve met. My prayer for you today is that God will continue to let you completely focus on the task and people at hand. That He will give you peace that you have done His work and will this week. And that He will also help you find a special place in your heart to tuck away this experience and the people you have met. I know that these people have touched you as much as you have touched them…again, that’s how our God works! Enjoy your last day to the fullest!!! See you all soon! Love and hugs, Andria
Hey gang. I cannot tell you how I have thought about, and prayed for, you over the last week. There is no doubt in my mind that you have experienced the “Haiti effect” and the Lord has broken your heart for these people. When I returned home from my trip in March, I honestly felt as if part of my heart remained there. It is a place I think about almost daily and, in a weird way, a place that feels like a second home. I can’t fully explain those feelings, but I have no doubt that God has interjected a similar passion in your heart for this place and these people.
You are literally extending the love of Christ and standing right in the center of his will. There are no words to describe that except to respond in full submission and awe – “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Amen? Amen.
Oh my stars…what a rewarding experience for you all to get to wash their feet. How humbling and special that must have been. I am so proud of you all and I hope and pray you can continue to stay focused on God’s mission while you are there, but I can not wait to see you all.
Andrew, I can not wait to hear your stories and see how God has changed you, Gabby, I can’t wait to have you back in moxie, because it’s just not the same without you. Wednesday night we had about 15 girls and not one of them was very willing to play the silly games and I know you would have been a leader and encouraged them all to. 🙂 Meredith, we need your smiling face and high spirits back at moxie as well, plus I know your boys can’t wait to love on you. Joshua, your wife’s belly is getting cuter by the minute. Joshua Jr. is growing like a healthy weed and her mama glow is so precious. You are just going to melt when you see her…and Matthew Mauk, Oh how I love thee…I’m so proud of you and I can not wait to squeeze your neck and hang on. I’m going to kiss you all over that face that you probably haven’t shaved in a week. I will then get a face rash and it will be lovely. 😉
Keep up the good work, all of you! Stay well and keep Christ’s fire burning!
Love, Tricia
By the time you read this it will all be over but the packing…and hugging…and crying – or however you will leave the Mole. I’m sure you are all exhausted. As you enter back into the loving arms of family and friends and the frantic paced American life, remember there is a place of rest you can always go. “Come to me you who are weary…I will give you rest.” Take time to process all you’ve experienced, all you’ve seen.
Kim, are you rethinking that meeting in the early service Sunday? Please dress appropriately 🙂 (sorry, I’m old and don’t know how to put that cute little happy face in there)
Andrew, we can’t wait to see you. We love you so much. Keep loving and serving to the end.
As your time there comes to end, I encourage you to reflect on the events that brought you to Haiti, the events in Haiti that impacted you the most and where you saw God. I know some of my team members came home feeling as if they really didn’t have the “God” moment they were looking for or that they accomplished something “great”. Sometimes it isn’t until you get home and take the time to reflect when those moments HIT you!
Let me share my moment of reflection:
On my first trip to The Mole, we stayed in a hotel. This last trip, Jody really wans’t sure where we would stay….in the end, the guys stayed in tents and the girls in the orphanage. We were actually the first team that stayed out there….very interesting…lost of stories…but Jody would be reading forever if I shared them…
We made the long walk from the mission property to the Castillo home for each meal. While it really didn’t matter where we stayed, we longed for the shorter walk from the hotel to Jody’s. Now that I am home, I realized God placed that path before us for a reason. There is a home near the bridge where a little girl lived. Her home was not filled with love, she was often left alone, filthy, naked and hungry. She relied on the kindness of others to bathe her and take her to church, to provide medical care and nurse her back to health.On that same path, we saw a darkness few have ever seen and I thank God for that moment. Without it, HIS light would not be shining so brightly!
I knew her name before we arrived in Haiti and began to share her story with my team. We passed her home and called her by name. She now has a group of people that love her and treat her as family, she is no longer naked, hungry or alone. SHE IS A BLESSING FROM GOD, HER NAME IS FEDNA!
Sometimes God makes you walk a longer path to experience the blessing of HIS plan.
Team Savannah,
What a blessing you are! Waking up this morning to read your update and seeing pictures of you all and Fedna brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for delivering the gifts for her and loving on her and Tizzie. Fedna has a story to tell and The Mole will be forever changed because of her. She is no longer in the darkeness! If you can, please visit Tizzie’s home and pray over her and her children. She is a very special woman, a true gift from God!
I wish I knew each of you enough to send individual messages, instead please know that each of you are being prayed for and lifted up daily.
Renee – Tuesday, January 12, 2010. I was sitting next to Heidi Thomson at our bible study when you walked in and told us about the earthquake. Heidi turned to me and said “Are you ready to go?”. I remember this like is was yesterday. I am so thankful that I was sitting there in that moment. My first trip to Haiti was 9/17/2010. Haiti now has my heart, thank you for sharing such a tragedy. I have been truly blessed.
Chris – You were there too! I think we were all ready to leave right away. I see your smile in the photos and can see God’s love pouring out of you! Oh how I wish I had your energy! By the way, there are some really cool lizzards in Haiti! No, I’m sure they don’t compare to your bearded dragons but still neat! Just watch out for the tarantulas….
Harrison – Thank you for listening to my story of Fedna and for taking the pictures to Jody. I am RELENTLESS in telling her story (you should be knodding your head in agreement right about now).
Team Momentum,
I love hearing your stories as well and how your experiences compare to some our team had. The fishing villages are awesome!
p.s. wearing shorts under your skirts are always a good idea (thought that might bring a laugh or two)
Jody,
Yes, my posts can be as long if not longer than the ones my husband posted when I was there but mine are much more tame 😉 Hopefully there are still nights filled with laughter as you share the comments from home. Lifting you all up!
By the way my small group (9 girls) is planning to come back next summer, they are already working on fundraisers and support letters!
Lesha Thrift
Hi Team,
Well you are probably packing and saying good-bye, and I’m sure there will tears. I wonder if you are excited to get back to cooler temps? The weather in Ga. has definitely stated cooling down and fall seems to be in the air. So be prepared to probably be cold. You all have definitely “risen to the occasion” and I’m so proud of each of you. I’m sure you are tired, but what a good tired. There is nothing that feels better than giving to others and putting your own wants on the shelf. I know that each of you are changed forever because of this experience and you will find yourself eager to return. The friendships you have made will also be forever. Praise God for the mighty work He has done in and through each of you. I pray for safety as you return and for those sweet moments of reflection. As I write this I’m reminded of the words to the song “I could sing of your love forever” –
Over the mountains and the sea, Your river runs with love for me
and I will open up my heart and let the healer set me free.
I’m happy to be in the truth and I will daily lift my hands
for I will always sing of when Your love came down…
Father, thank you for this amazing group of people that have followed your call to serve the people of Haiti. We praise you for the works of their hands in this place. For the joy and love they have been able to show in this beautiful creation. God I ask that you provide travel mercies for their journey home. Father we love you and are grateful for this team and the opportunities they have been given to love like Jesus. In Jesus name I pray.
Love you guys and see you soon!
Debbie
I love you, Mr. Bill.
I’m proud of you.
I can’t wait to see you again.
Joel
Kim – I’m with Mary Kay – do YOU really want to do the meeting Sunday morning. Love you girl. See you Saturday – oh yes I’ll be there….
Debbie
Hey Andrew – I can’t wait to hear about how the trip went. Keep doing the Good Work in every thing you do. I love you, man! See you when you get back.
Josh Harris
Shout out to Gabby:
Maria misses you like crazy, and is so proud of you and can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home!!!
We love you guys and are so inspired by these blogs!(You really should be a professional blogger, Katie!)
Deana & Maria
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you so much for the blessing this trip has been to all of us. We praise You! You are beautiful. Keep our precious loved ones safe as they make their way home. Please send Your angels to protect and guard them for their journey. What a wonderful gift this has been! Thank you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
You all look as beautiful/handsome as you ever have. The Holy Spirit is so very evident on each of your faces. I am so proud of you and so excited for the experiences you’ve each had. I will, however, be so excited to see those beautiful faces in person very soon. I pray you have safe travels home tomorrow.