It’s been on my heart to try and write about my 3 weeks in Haiti but have been at a loss for words to fit it all into a blog post. Here are some of the highlights of my time & the beautiful people I got to serve and build relationships with during my stay.
This is Yolle! In June of 2017 Yolle moved to Haiti to serve as a missionary after hearing the Lord’s call on her life. Every week Yolle serves the women and children in the communities of Jacmel and Beaudouin thru prayer, counseling, Bible study, and one-on-one discipleship. It was such a joy to stay with her for the 3 weeks I was there and witness the beautiful work the Lord is doing in and thru her.
This is Sephora, one of the girls Yolle is discipling and pouring Jesus’ love into. She is a beautiful young girl inside and out & I had the chance to begin teaching her guitar while I was there. Yolle said that Sephora’s goal at the beginning of the year was to learn guitar and was so excited for the chance to learn! She is such a fast learner and we really bonded. I saw how quickly these young girls have been forced to grow up because of their circumstances. But in contrast, I also saw how they are hungry for God’s Word and how grateful they are to have Yolle as a godly example and someone to turn to for encouragement and guidance.
In the months leading up to my trip, my community and church blessed the people in Haiti by providing 25 backpacks filled with necessary school supplies, jewelry-making & sewing supplies, and enough supplies to make 30 care bags for the women we would be serving. To see the expressions of gratitude on the faces of the children, their parents, and the women was priceless.
This is Echo+! Echo+ is a small-business that is a ministry of the church in Beaudouin; it is the first store in the community to serve cold refreshments and opened the first week I was there. They currently have 4 employees who each underwent a training course that taught them the importance of providing excellent service and how their job can be an opportunity to share the love of Christ with everyone they see. It is amazing to see the dignity they now have being able to earn an income and provide for themselves and their families.
This is Gladys (middle), Kevinson (L), and Hilda (R)! Gladys’ husband, Lukeson, and her are active in their church, love the Lord and are honoring Him in the way they are raising their family. The love of Jesus is evident the moment you step foot in their home. It is truly beautiful to see. Lukeson is also pictured below helping lead worship at the orphanage! Their witness stands out and shines bright because it is not the norm.
These are photos from the orphanage in Beaudouin that Yolle visits every Friday and Saturday. There are 30+ children who live here; each ranging in age from 2 to 17. During our time we would sing worship songs and have a time of Bible lesson and activities. We celebrated 5 of them who had recently had a birthday and took a group of them to the beach. I was able to talk to the Pastor who established the orphanage and his wife who is the Director; they said that their greatest prayer request is for food for the children each day. It is heart wrenching and the need feels so overwhelming and desperate. The Lord continuously reminded me of verses like Psalm 10:14 that says: “But You, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; You consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.” I know God sees and His heart is for them; my prayer is that each of them grow to know Him personally and depend on Him for their daily needs. I know that our God is a God who answers prayer and His ear is attentive to their cries.
One of the last events I got to be a part of was a woman’s night hosted at Yolle’s home. There was a meal prepared for the ladies when they arrived and we had a time of worship, prayer, and encouragement. Earlier that day Yolle and I had written out Bible verses on index cards to pass out to each of the ladies that would be coming. After our time of prayer we asked them to read their verse out loud & share if it spoke to them specifically. It was beautiful to hear a number of women share how the Lord had spoken to them thru His word and comforted them in what they were facing. Afterward we washed their feet, painted their nails, and gifted them with a bag filled with hygiene and beauty products. It was so wonderful to see how blessed and grateful they were at the end of the night. Despite the difficulties they are facing internally and externally, there was such tangible joy and it was so priceless to see them enjoy a night of rest and encouragement.
Please keep the believers in Haiti in your prayers: the church and their leadership that they would be strengthened in their faith and encouraged as they continue to spread the good news of Jesus’ love and salvation.