A Very Special Texan Visit
On Tuesday, November 7, the American Airlines flight that so many of us have longed for finally arrived. This was...
David N. Nance has been involved with Hands Across the Sea since 2008. He believes that one of the greatest privileges of his life has been the opportunity to travel to HATS with mission teams from Texas. Karen and the HATS staff have welcomed them with open arms and each team that has traveled to HATS has left with a piece of their hearts behind. David lives in Texas with his beautiful wife Allison and their three kids. He teaches Sunday school and serves on his church’s missions committee. David has recently become a member of the U.S. board that is working towards 301C charitable status.
On Tuesday, November 7, the American Airlines flight that so many of us have longed for finally arrived. This was...
Lots of exciting things on the HATS compound today. Below is the recap. After Karen skipped him during the morning...
Brooks and David at the helm. A few more things our team learned today, our last day here at HATS We have...
Brooks here (with an assist from David – which also describes our soccer match). We asked first timer Tina to blog,...
After a glorious nights rest under the star filled Haitian sky and rooster filled sound waves, the Texas Team awoke ready...
What a way to start the day – worshipping the Lord in Haiti! We had a glorious service led in...
Well since we have a lot of visitors to the HATS blog with the visitation of this team, I would...
Well I can tell you this, there certainly has not been a lot of idle time at the HATS compound...
Good Morning Haiti! Once again the local farm animals provided an appropriate wake up call. Our last full day in Haiti...
Although it’s not officially the rainy season, the rain is coming! Dashing during the day to move the mosquito tents from...
Karen Another glorious start to the week at HATS. Lots of activity all over the compound. The Haitian work team continues their...
On our way to out to Deschappelles yesterday, we were able to stop in PaP and visit with our sister...
Well, Haiti will never be the same again as the Texas Team plus our token Canadian arrived in Haiti. Quite...
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Amazing organization! Had the pleasure of visiting twice, and can’t wait to go back again someday. God is doing some wonderful things at HATS!
This week has been amazing – one of the best weeks of my life thus far, hands down. I can’t really think of any other experience in my life that can even come close to comparing to this. Though my visit here was short (too short), it has been incredibly eye-opening, and life changing. I will never forget the people I have met here, or the things I’ve gotten to experience! Most of all, I would like to say how remarkable it is to see first-hand the amazing work God is doing here. I am behind this ministry 100%, and will continue to support it. I am so, so blessed to have been given the opportunity to come here, and I am REALLY not looking forward to saying goodbye to the children tonight. My heart sinks just thinking about it. There’s no doubt that they’ve had a bigger impact on my life than I’ve had on theirs. I will be leaving a big piece of my heart with these people and this country. God bless.
We’ve made a difference, I believe. Big stuff, little stuff; it all contributed to the greater good and that big picture: keeping HATS a surviving and thriving, safe haven for the children of Deschapelles, Haiti. And oh my, what children they are. As expected, it was tough to leave. There were tears, whispers, hugs and I’ll miss you’s. I learned that it gets easier (only a bit) for those who’ve done this a few times. As Bob says “I’m part of the furniture now. I don’t say ‘goodbye’, I say ‘see you later’.” Maybe that’s how you cope with leaving…you return. Once, five times, 10 times. However many. Guaranteed you’ll leave a different person than when you came in.
I am so thankful to Jesus for the opportunity to serve at HATS and to finally experience the great work that God is doing there. I look forward to seeing them all again when I visit next time.
I have absolutely loved the Haitian people and Haiti the three times I have been there. I go to bless them, only to be blessed myself!
A huge thank you to aunt Karen, who always seems to be doing something with her children and the HATS mission. The only time she takes for herself is long enough to spread some almond butter on a banana that she eats on the run. Thank you so much for all your hard work and unwavering dedication. Thank you for being an inspiration to me and so many others. We love you and our Haitian family very much. The longer I spend at HATS, the bigger piece of my heart remains. Take care of yourself and our kiddies until we see each other again.
I spent a week in Haiti at HATS in November 2017 and it was a wonderful experience. Karen is an amazing woman and is doing amazing work. She is dedicated to the children in her care and is changing lives. I would love the opportunity to visit again and help out where I can.
I’m not sure what we’re doing here, just showing up for a week – it’s not like it’s sustainable. And I don’t want to become depressed by some of the harsh realities that Karen has to deal with every day. You know it’s ONE thing to start an orphanage and school (Yes, Karen has done things that are beeeeyond me), but it’s ANOTHER thing to raise the 20 babies that become YOUR kids!!! Not only are they a big family, but they are a big family containing individual stories that got them all to where they are in the orphanage. I don’t even know how to describe it…I have never seen a woman her age with this much energy…fun loving energy that is. She so inspired me today and really is a wonderful mother to all these children.
I had anticipated that I would enjoy spending time getting to know the children and being a part of Karen’s daily life in Haiti but I had not anticipated that it would capture my heart like it did. I will miss spending time with the children and Karen but I am hopeful that I’ll be able to see them all again in the not too distant future.
It’s my hope that I manage to touch their hearts in some small way, the way that they have touched mine – in a major way.
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