The Hardest Day Yet… February 24, 2011

Today was definitely the hardest day we’ve had since we arrived. We’re all physically tired, but emotionally, we are spent. We started off back at the same church we visited yesterday so that David and Adam could help the team from Kentucky continue the work on the roof. They made significant progress and the church will more than likely be finished by tomorrow. The people may be able to worship there on Sunday!

Mid-afternoon, the four of us left with “Momma Kay”, as she is affectionately known here, to head toward the countryside and visit an orphanage. (Momma Kay is the Team Coordinator here at the Guest Mission House.) People who lost their homes in the earthquake are able to live in the rural area around the mountains for no cost as long as they have a tent. There’s no way to describe what we saw. There is a “marketplace” in a busy part of the area that was so crowded, there was barely room to drive. We finally arrived at the orphanage where we were greeted by Pastor Edmond. He is by far the most gracious, humble, precious man we have met. Pastor Edmond and his wife and seven children care for 30 orphans, from infants to preteens. He lost everything in the earthquake – the orphanage, his church building, and his home. The “orphanage” is a group of several tents, one being used as their school. Pastor Edmond told us that he had been praying and fasting for three days asking God for supplies to care for the children and especially for food. He said when we drove through the gate, we were God’s answer to his prayer. We gave the children most of the donations that we had brought from the US – soccer balls, jerseys, candy, bracelets; and even were able to leave special “care packages” for each orphan that included things like toothpaste and a toothbrush. One of the teams from Kentucky had given us money to give to Pastor Edmond and he was so thankful that he could finally go and buy food. Looking at those children and knowing that they had not eaten in 3 days was overwhelming, to say the least. A little girl latched herself onto Kayce and it was difficult having to say “good-bye.” Adam and David were amazing with the kids – especially the boys. They held them in their laps and kicked the soccer balls around the yard…Kayce and I are blessed to have husbands that are good “daddies.”

While the physical work was not as bad today, the emotional part was draining. We came back to the Mission House and are trying to figure out how we can help raise $2000 to put down on a piece of land for Pastor Edmond. This would secure him a place to build his church and school, and give shelter to the orphans. The total cost of the land is $7000 and there are teams that would and could help them build. I wish I was able to post pictures tonight, but the signal is low and it would take hours to upload them. When we return to the US, we will definitely share pictures so you can see for yourself the conditions these children are living in. Tonight, we are asking that you pray for Pastor Edmond and the ministry God has called him to here in Haiti. And pray for our hearts…they are broken.

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