‘Kimothy” began their rounds at 6:30 am…breakfast was at 7:45. There’s nothing better than starting your morning with some eggs and spaghetti.
We boarded the bus: little did we know the adventure that awaited. We may have left some parts of the bus in the river and the mountainside, but we finally made it. We began the hike toward Backey Springs and made our first stop at a small water treatment station. We stood on top of the station, and learned the history behind it. It had broken down over 20 years ago after Hurricane Ana, and no longer functions as a viable filtration system. George (aka THE WATER HERO) explained that the system was originally built for a community of 500, but Jeanton has quickly expanded to over 4,000 residents. Needless to say, it was very evident that the distribution of safe water to the people of Jeanton is a major concern.
We thought the hike was over, but it had just begun. As the trail we followed narrowed, the scenery grew in beauty. We were immersed in the natural awe of Jeanton. Clusters of wild banana trees hugged the trail as a gentle stream of water flowed beside us. Everywhere we looked, we could see the outline of the mountains painted on the horizon. The trail was no walk in the park. Small disclaimer, if you are a parent you may want to skip the next sentence. At one point, we entrusted the Haitian guides with our lives as we walked across a log on the edge of the mountain, not much thicker than our feet, and relied on their support to keep us from falling off the side. There were a few close calls, but we couldn’t have beenin safer hands. We finally reached Backey Springs; the main source of water for Jeanton. It too had been destroyed by Hurricane Ana. We prayed over the spring, and prayed for a solution to the potable drinking water shortage. Mina shared her vision of children gathered around a pipe full of clean water. They were praying over it and rejoicing! There was so much water that the children were able to play with it. We left the spring knowing that this issue is in God’s hands, and its solution will happen in accordance to His timeline.
We returned to the church we had visited yesterday and were once again greeted by big smiles and hugs. We played with the kids (who never seemed to get tired) and spent time praying with them, and learning from them. Despite our limited knowledge of Kreyol, it is amazing to see how God breaks down barriers.
We headed to the school where we would be hosting our first VBS day. We started by worshiping together. If you are not already familiar with the “Amen” song, you will be when we get back. Next, we taught the children about the Fruit of the Spirit: Jwa, La Pe, Pasyans, Fidelite, Sajes, Janties, Kontrol tet ou, Renmen,and bonte. We quickly learned that watermelon is Spencer’s favorite Fruit of the Spirit. Then we broke off into craft, game, and scripture groups. It has been amazing to experience the love and creativity of each and every child we’ve met.
After an exhausting day with the hike, followed by a day with the children, we could barely move. We came back to the hotel, relaxed for a while, and ate dinner together. Afterwards, we met for our evening devotional… WOW. We experienced the Lord in ways that many of us had not before. After only 5 songs that we sang together, the entire room was in tears. It was incredible to experience God’s tangible presence in the room, and witness firsthand the spiritual gifts working in us. What had been seen tonight reflected God’s almighty power, and focused us on our mission of spreading His love to the community of Jeanton.
Bon Qui Qui (that’s how you say goodnight in Kreyol, just ask Ms. Kim)
Colin, Trey, and Kaylee 🙂
