A Frustrating Day and a Delayed Team
They did not make it today. The family and friends workteam scheduled to arrive in PAP this afternoon did not make...
They did not make it today. The family and friends workteam scheduled to arrive in PAP this afternoon did not make...
I’ve tried several times today to put some of my thoughts and memories into words but have not been able...
I am hoping and praying that 2011 is a much less stressful year than 2010 was. With the strength of...
Christmas Day and Magalie’s wedding have come and gone but the work onsite continues. The men returned on Dec. 23rd...
Haitians celebrate Christmas the evening of 24th. This year I pushed for the 25th but I was out voted again....
May the love of Christ surround you as you celebrate his birth with those around you. Jesus truly is the...
I said more trouble lay ahead for Haiti and it has arrived. This year, an earthquake, a hurricane, Cholera, and...
Haiti certainly is troubled. What a horrible year 2010 has been thus far, and more trouble is on the horizon...
And life goes on in Haiti, but, at a slower pace due to demonstrations – road blocks, rock throwing, shooting,...
It was with joy we received the latest of HATS many workteams who come to help – volunteering their time...
The last day in Haiti always brings mixed feelings. Sadness to leave the children and the beautiful country of Haiti....
Today, we decided to enjoy a Sunday of seeing some of Haiti’s beauty. At 6 am today, most of our...
This fantastic work team is hardworking and positive. They’ll do anything – paint, carry, move suitcases, scan letters, resize photos,...
The painting of the children’s home is done today – hooray!!! The team let out out a yell of joy...
Another day of paint, paint and more paint. The crew here wants to WORK. They start early in the day and don’t...
If you’ve ever considered sponsorship, now is the time to do it. Your donation truly does make a difference!
After years of thinking about it and months of planning for it, it seems strange that our time in Haiti is over. We have been asked by a few if it was like we expected. Well, no. I’m not sure what we expected, but our minds could not have fathomed what we have experienced, and we can hardly believe that our 3 month stay has come to an end. HATS really became home away from home for us. We knew we would enjoy getting to know and spending time with the kids but we had no idea how difficult it would be to leave them. They sneak in and steal your heart without you even knowing it. We have left a piece of our hearts in Haiti and can’t wait for the day when we can return.
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.
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 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.
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.
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!
Culture shock for this Canadian team at first, but a ride through busy, vibrant streets proved terrifically interesting; busy markets, vendors selling exotic fruits, clothing and shoes, used tires and rusty metal… and then the gorgeous countryside: banana plants, mangoes, cows and goats and pigs and dogs, the Golfe de La Gonave by our side. Rice patties indicated we were close to our home for the next week. We were greeted by Magalie, a house mother, with hugs for all and, of course, the children themselves, so gorgeous and endearing. A beautiful meal was followed by a sharing of impressions: there is a lot of poverty but so much potential and hope. We are already in love with Haiti.
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.
This morning, we woke up as the sun came up and as we all began to trickle downstairs; we were met with warm welcomes from the precious children. As the children arrived, we were deeply touched and came to the realization of how important the HATS organization is to this country. Many children who would not have had any opportunities are now well nourished, educated and have a loving home and a mother who loves them more than we could ever comprehend, Karen Huxter.
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.
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