Greetings to all our friends, family, and our supporters who pray for, and encourage, us. This is a short update […]
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2024 from all at Hands Across the Sea-Haiti. Thank you for all your encouragement, […]
Update Nov 2023
Greetings folks. I am endeavoring to fill you in a little on the very difficult and dangerous situation in Haiti […]
VBS at HATS Haiti
As some of you know, I cannot be in Haiti at this time because of the gang situation. I am […]
Luckner, teachers, and everyone working with the mission, are doing everything they can in a continuing very difficult situation in […]
HATS Update April 10
Hello everyone, On my last blog, March 18th, things were quite bad in our area of the Artibonite Valley. This […]
Update March 18
Hi folks. Thank you to those of you who have reached out to me in various ways as you are […]
HATS-Haiti Update
Hello again folks. My heart is heavy and my eyes are wet as I try to write this. Many of […]
I come to you today asking for prayer for our HATS mission – Children’s Home, school, and our HATS church. […]
Greetings from HATS
Greetings, I apologize for not having written a blog for far too long. I attempted to do so several times […]
The Girls Leica is 17 years old. She was in grade 9 this past year and is now waiting for […]
We have some photos of our children at our Children’s Home, and in their uniforms at our school, IMKH. Our […]
T H A N K Y O U
Thank you so very much to all who donated funds towards a Christmas meal for approx 450 students and staff […]
Sponsors Needed
After many delays due to COVID 19 and the upheaval in Haiti, our wonderful Assistant Director Luckner Estimable was able […]
Christmas is coming.
Christmas is coming. Children in Canada are starting to look forward to the special, fun, family time of Christmas, when […]
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Testimonials
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Personally, this is my first time here. I’ve never done a mission trip of any sort before and I’ve certainly never been anywhere this hot before. I keep seeing things that are different from what I’m used to, and hearing about things even more unfamiliar to me. One of the most surprising things to meis how quickly I’ve grown to love all the people here. Everyone here is great, and the team is wonderful too. Watching everyone support each other warms my heart almost as much as the sun warms my skin. I’ve learned a lot from this experience, and I know that this trip has already had a profound impact on my life.
Matthew Sketchley
HATS Visitor -
One thing that has impacted me on this trip is seeing the children and all the dedication in this orphanage. There is so much going on behind the scenes to keep the HATS orphanage and school running.
Donna Wheeler
HATS Visitor -
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.
Jess Buckle
HATS Visitor -
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.
Aimee Feaver
HATS Visitor -
I have learned much about Haiti in my short stay here, much about generational, entrenched poverty, and much about hope. We can only be part of the bringing of hope if we become one small actor on the huge stage that is poverty. Thank you, Lynn Clark, for inviting me to share this life changing experience with you, and thank-you, Karen Huxter, for investing so much of your life in a work designed to bring hope to those who need it more than any Canadian could ever imagine.
Linda
HATS Visitor -
It’s going to be impossible to put my thoughts into words about this experience, so I’d say this – if you can get here – do. I think most people probably think they’re coming to help others. To some extent, that’s true (at least this temporary blogger thought so). To a larger extent, you’ll leave Haiti a better person than when you arrived. Nelson Mandela once said something like “Everywhere I go, I wear you”. It means that none of us is our own person entirely. Rather, we’re the culmination of the people and experiences we have had. I leave Haiti wearing 16 HATS children, 10(ish) Haitian staff members, a Calgarian, 2 Winnipegian’s, and a Newfie. And I couldn’t be happier about it. Until we meet again my friends.
Rick
HATS Visitor -
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.
Barbara
HATS Visitor -
This is my first time traveling outside of Canada and I am proud to say it was for a mission trip. I have always wanted to go on one and see what it like in other parts of the world and do what I can to help out. Haiti is a terminus life change for me and how I look at things. Seeing these kids and how they have such a passion for each other and for us is truly inspiring. I look back to what I was like at that age and I don’t think I was half as kind or generous as they are. This morning we did devotions and as I was speaking about what an impact they had on me only in one day I started to tear up…it was very emotional to talk about.
Isaiah Henderson
HATS Visitor -
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.
Sandy Eastly
HATS Visitor -
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.
Sara-May Cardy
HATS Visitor
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