Pumpkin Soup 2021

Every year we pass out hundreds of bowls of pumpkin soup for the Mole & surrounding communities! We served 300+ bowls of soup here in the Mole, and we sent the team to Karenage & Preskul where they delivered the rest!

Here is a recap from their early morning: 

After coming back from the downtown New Year’s Eve celebration and walking the kids back to campus, we hit the pillow quickly around 12:30am for most of us –  and 2:30am for some.

The alarms were set for an early morning on New Year’s Day. I set mine for 4:40am and arrived in the cafeteria at 5:00am as requested.  Oh, by the way there was a message communicated to not arrive until 5:20am……..somehow Mr. Tom did not get the message and showed up on time, surprise.

Once we got rolling this morning, we left the campus about 6:00am with Mama Gigi and her soup Joumou (Haitian pumpkin soup).  We met the boat on the shore and headed across the bay watching the sunrise on our way to the village of Preskul.

We were received with open arms by the locals.  Mama Gigi gave a devotion, we sang “When We All Get to Heaven”, and we served them a healthy portion of soup.  They were very appreciative!

(Pumpkin Soup is a New Year’s tradition in Haiti. The problem is, the ingredients are very expensive and difficult to find in our area. You need a variety meat & vegetables to properly make it. Our cooks spend 12+ hours working on it. The people we give cards to, have no way of participating in this tradition…if we didn’t make it & serve it to them). 

After spending time in Preskul, we loaded the boat again. We headed along the northern shoreline of the bay over to the village of Karnage.  Our trip back across the bay was very relaxing cruising across the blue waters.

Our arrival at Karnage was received with cheers from the beach. Karnage is a larger community with a bit more intensity.  Mama Gigi’s devotion was much shorter and quickly began passing out soup.  The first crowd that surrounded her was a bit more demanding and it was difficult to sense their appreciation.  Having served one and a half pots, Mama Gigi got up and pushed her way from that crowd. Once she got back to the boat, she did serve the balance of the soup and then we headed out.

This community has SEVERAL active voodoo groups.  Over the years, NWHCM has been able to break through their hardened walls and many of the residents have attended classes or church in Mole St Nicolas.

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Arriving back to the campus about 9:00am we all headed back the dorms for a morning nap and reconvened at noon.  The afternoon we set up the church in preparation for kids and Mama’s Christmas party scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

We first cleaned the building from the dancers that used the facility for their overnight stays.  Once cleaned, we began refreshing decorations from prior events adding many new ones.  We prepared goodie bags for both the kids and the mama’s as gifts.  I cannot wait for Santa’s visit to the party so the kids can receive and open their presents.

Again, I am so thankful for the blessing of this team and their hearts to serve Him in a mighty way.