Rooted- Day 2

Today is day two at the Mole. This morning we did some construction helping build a dorm for the community, which will be on top of the mission’s community clinic and pharmacy. We helped mix up some concrete, put it in buckets, and pour it on the stairs, which will be leading to the dorm. We also helped move a ton of cinder blocks up the ladder to the top of the dorm. I don’t think I have ever sweat so much in my life. I think we all could agree on that. We would all stop and take a break and stand in the shade and feel the cool Haiti breeze. It’s the little things. I think God brought me on this trip to open my eyes to a third world country and how much we in the U.S. take for granted. The thing that I love the most is learning about the culture and what all it has to offer. The food is spectacular and I love waiting to see what we are going to have next.

After we ate lunch, we all went to the beach for a little while and it is so beautiful. The water is the color of turquoise and warm. I personally found some pretty awesome seashells that I’m going to bring back home with me. The beach is covered in intricate seashells and rocks. It was a fun bonding time.

The last thing we did for the day was we had a bible study for the community and the older kids. Over seventy-five kids came, which surprised me because we could have 5 kids, or none, but we got seventy-five! It is so awesome to see how God’s love is working through the kids, as well as us. God’s plans always exceed my expectations with everything. It is really cool to hear the Haitian language, even though there is a language barrier. I personally had a hard time understanding what they were trying to ask me, but I used hand gestures to help me understand them better. It all worked out in the end. Dustin told the story of the Gospel and it would get translated into Haitian Creole and it was really cool to listen to. Some of the words are the same as our language, so it was easy to understand some of the words. We had the kids make bracelets and they really enjoyed doing that and they wanted to make as many as they could. They would take the beads that were on the floor and take them home with them. One of the boys gave me one of their bracelets and another boy took it from me. It comes back to the simple things. After that, we all went outside and threw the Frisbee around and played some soccer, and played ring-around-the-rosy. It was a lot of fun, but I think we are all going to be super fit when we get back to the states. (That’s my plan anyways).

I think my favorite thing I have done so far is going to the orphanage and playing with the kids and laughing with them and making them smile. It is very heart warming to see. They all make us laugh and keep us on our toes. It’s awesome!

All in all, I would have to say it was a pretty good day and I can’t wait to see what the next week has in store for us. God bless and love to all of our families!!

Au Revoir!!

Erinn Blackwell

It was another beautiful day in the Mole with lots of sun, concrete, and games. We started construction work above the pharmacy, lifting tons of cinder blocks and buckets of concrete like a well-oiled machine. Our mission team and the Haitian workers we were helping were able to make a concrete staircase before lunchtime. The Haitian workers here are some of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen in my life; working non-stop at whatever job they are assigned with short breaks and little water. It is a blessing to work along side such work ethic and dedication.

After lunch, we took a quick dip in the ocean to cool off and clean the concrete off our skin and clothes, and then got ready for a bible study with some junior high students. We got a huge turnout of kids, almost eighty kids, and made bracelets and necklaces with all of them before Dustin did an awesome sermon on the Gospel.

As I was helping some kids make bracelets, one kid asked me to hold some the string for him. After he was done twisting and turning the purple and white strings into an intricate pattern, he tied the new bracelet on my wrist and gave it to me. I didn’t expect this, and was very grateful for the gift. I said thank you in the best French I could and soon helped him make another bracelet for Luke. In the past couple days I’ve been here, the Haitian people I’ve met have been some of the most kind, gentle, and respectful people (besides just a couple junior high students, but junior high is a weird time in life) I’ve ever met. It is definitely great to see, and God is teaching me to have such an attitude in all areas of my life.

Toward the end of the night, our mission team talked about how God has been working through us on the trip so far and we bonded even more over an exciting game of signs. I’m so thankful for this team and this experience.

Tomorrow is another hard day of work doing construction, bible study, and whatever God has in store for us. I can’t wait and see what is in store for the future!

Love and blessings to friends and family, see you all soon!

David Bowles

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