Haiti, December-January 2011 | Blog 2.

After today, two images may have been etched in my mind that will remain for the rest of my life. The first, watching many of the children and parents unsure of what to do with the wrapping paper that covered their gifts. They timidly pulled it off, almost as if the wrapping was the gift.

Stevenson told us that these were probably the first Christmas presents the kids ever received. Ever.

The second, watching the three littlest girls mother their new precious baby dolls. From feeding them, carrying them, talking to them, and brushing their hair, if a baby doll did ever feel loved, it would be these three. Shortly before we left for the evening, I spotted the three little beautiful things sitting in a circle with their babies on their laps, talking as if they were three new moms in a posh coffee shop. It was precious to say the least.

I simply want to thank the Church again for being the Church here in Haiti. It was so neat to be able to tell these kids, the staff of Wings of Refuge Children’s Home, and any parents that came for the Christmas Party that there is a Church in Williamsburg, Virginia that loves them and is praying for them. The gifts prove those words. Each gift got about 8 hours of use today - from the minute they were opened to the minute they went to bed.

You are a beautiful Church - not because of what you do but because of Who you do it for. Jesus is so worthy of our best. I count it an absolute blessing to be a part of you, Christian Life Center.

Merry Christmas!
Love from Haiti,
Holly Aman

Haiti, December-January 2011 | Blog 1.

Holly Aman and Courtney Scott will be in Haiti from December 23rd-January 7th. During that time they will be serving Pastor Wilson, Wings of Refuge Children's Home, and his Church. Be praying for them and thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus by sending over thirty gifts with them to the kids of Wings of Refuge Children's Home! You are a blessing, Church!
_______

Wow! I honestly am having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that we are in Haiti already! It seems like just yesterday, we were merely contemplating this trip. I feel like I am in a whole new world, one I didn’t even realize existed.

The trip into Petion-Ville was a surreal one. As we were four-wheeling (not really, but it sure felt like it) out of Port-au-Prince, I just stared out the window, amazed at all the beautiful Haitian people. They are all so beautiful...young, old, boys, and girls. I saw so many children laughing, playing, singing, and dancing.

It’s an amazing thing; most living in poverty and the aftermath of extreme devastation and yet these beautiful, amazing people are so happy. I could definitely learn a thing or two from them. This is going to be so AWESOME! I can feel it; God is getting ready to rock my world and I’m so ready!

- Courtney Scott

Haiti 2011 | Blog 7.

Mother Teresa once said:

“Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.”

Each child. Each orphan. Each human being. In Haiti. In Williamsburg. Each one - everyone.

How I treat one is how I treat Jesus. What a sobering thought.

Jesus initiated this concept when He said:

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” [Matthew 25:40].

I just wanted to take a this last post to introduce you to the last four children at Wings of Refuge.

Wilson is one of the quieter ones but his facial expressions speak loud and clear. It was easy to see his disapproval of something or someone by some of his priceless expressions.

Adelin can always be found in the middle of all the commotion and fun. He loves to play seems to never run out of energy.

Adeline can often be found jumping rope or combing the Wings of Refuge doll’s hair for the thousandth time. She, like her brother Adelin, seems to always be full of energy and ready for anything that comes her way.

Renelson (like all of them) loves to be held. The hard thing is he is not three or even five so he is much heavier than the little guys. He is on the quieter side and simply loves to have you near him. So many times I would find him right by my side helping hold the tape as I put up a new alphabet or a number chart. He was always quick to help.

I hardly thought it was possible to miss a place and a people as much as I have the past few days. I miss the kids’ smiles and their hugs, I miss their unique mannerisms and personalities. But, one thing is for sure - I will be back very soon and hopefully with a team from CLC!

Haiti 2011 | Blog 6.

15 Things that I learned about Haiti while in Haiti:

1. Power outages are a normal thing. Whether in church, the supermarket, or at home, you never know when you will lose electricity.
2. Sweating is a staple to living in Haiti. Just get used to being hot.
3. Hand-washing clothes is very therapeutic.
4. You cannot leave your purse in the car, ever.
5. When playing a game of street soccer, your team has to do push-ups when they are scored upon.
6. Receiving an apple from a boy is a serious thing.
7. Eating mango with only your teeth and no knife is the way to do it - messy but so worth it.
8. You can expect to be woken up to either the sound of roosters, dogs barking, or the church singing.
9. The people are simply beautiful.
10. All-night prayer is REALLY all-night prayer.
11. People are quick to help you (even if sometimes they expect something in return).
12. Jesus is so present.
13. Haitian food is delicious.
14. Driving laws are open for negotiation - speed limit, side of the road you want to drive on, passing someone, everything...
15. The children are so appreciative of anything. They are perfectly content coloring the same drawings you drew for them the three days before. They simply want you, your attention, and your affection.

After a 10 hour flight yesterday (it was supposed to be 3.5 hours) and waiting at the airport for 10 hours today for my flight back to Richmond, I am thankful to have made it home though I do feel like a part of me remains in Haiti. I guess, I will have to go back soon...who is with me???

I will be posting the last four children soon.

Thank you for all the prayer!
Much love!

Haiti 2011 | Blog 5.

Saying good-bye to the kids was much harder than I anticipated. I suppose this was mostly because I had not thought about saying “good-bye” to them. It was hard partially because I was unable to let them know that I would not be there tomorrow (or for a while, actually).

Since it is my last night in Haiti, I want to introduce you to the other five of the children at Wings of Refuge Children’s Home. I will save the last few for tomorrow.

Sarah is a beautiful and bright seven year old. You can read her full story at the Wings of Refuge Website (http://wingsofrefugehaiti.com/). She is so smart and is picking up English very quickly. She already can speak French and Creole. She is a real leader and cares for the other children. She has such a sweet presence about her.

Jovannes has got leader written all over him. Whether he is helping clean up a mess, pointing the younger boys in the right direction, or simply listening to directions, he leads. He learns quickly and does not speak very much. He is kind and gentle with the others.

Widmy is Jovanesse’s younger brother and in many ways, it shows. He is kind and thoughtful like his older brother but he also can often be found in a corner playing with blocks by himself or throwing a ball around.

Migelite cannot help but giggle when the camera approaches anywhere in his vicinity. Once I hold up my camera to take a picture of him, he bursts into a gorgeous smile and giggles.

Clifford is the sweetest little-guy. He will share with anyone (to a fault at times) and in a home with twelve kids, sharing is a rare thing. He is content being by himself and is the quieter one of the bunch.

They are each so special, unique, and beautiful. I have loved every minute that I have had to get to know them and will miss each one dearly, but at least I know they are in good hands!

Haiti 2011 | Blog 4 & Prayer Points.

Today, we went on a windy and dangerous five hour drive to Lartigue - an area in the mountains of Haiti where Pastor Wilson has a church and school. The school provides all the kids with uniforms and a meal each day. Today was the kids’ last day of school so they were excitedly anticipating their report cards. We spent the first half of the day playing with them, holding them, and following them around.

The kids were beautiful and so joyful. They loved having their picture taken and having your arms around them. They have so little besides what the school has given them. They cook meals in straw huts, wash clothes in the river, and live without electricity.

Everyday while here in Haiti I am reminded to a new level of the fulfillment and joy that comes with giving. Many times this week, Mother Theresa’s words have come to me:

“It is in giving that you truly receive.”

That is true not only for the children but for my life and not only for my life while I am here in Haiti but for your life in Williamsburg. When we give and pour out, we receive far more.

It makes me think of the rich young ruler who came before Jesus searching for the key to eternal life. Jesus told him to sell everything he had and give the money to the poor. Jesus was not trying to scare the man off, make him miserable, or discourage the man’s faith. He was simply giving the man an opportunity - an opportunity to give and to be free from the bondage that stuff can have on us. He was offering the man the ticket to freedom and from what we see, the man was not interested (Matthew 19:16-22).

The people here give so generously and freely. There is no holding back even though in my eyes, they may have so little. We serve a great God who does not see things the way we see them. Hallelujah!

A few more points that you can be praying for:
Eglise Communion De La Manne Evangelique D’Haiti|
Pastors Roger and Gladys Wilson: wisdom, strength, and grace as they lead their church.
Unity for the church and the churches of Haiti.
Finances to support adding a facility so that they can provide a children's’ program during the services. Due to the earthquake, everything was ruined so that there is no separate space for the children.
Grace to grow and reach the unreached.

Thank you! Much love to you, Church!

Haiti 2011 | Prayer Points 1.

A few points that you can be praying for:
Wings of Refuge Children Home|
- Building Project: Currently, they are renting a home that is too small and does not give the kids any yard to play in. The land is bought and the foundation has been set. The project now just needs the finances to finish it.
- Pray for financial provision! Pray for the right people to partner with what God is doing here and for strategy and wisdom to know how to better raise the funds.
- Pray for the children: a few more will be coming this and next week to live at the home!
- Pray for the children to be healthy: many of them come with sicknesses that need medical attention (which adds to the cost).
- Pray for the Staff (Stevenson, Nana, Kenson, Aluna, and Ketchia). They work long and tirelessly to give these kids a different life.
Pray for the kids to know Jesus!

Tomorrow, I will post some prayer points for the church, Eglise Communion De La Manne Evangelique D’Haiti.

Love you all and thank you for praying!

Haiti 2011 | Blog 3.

In the church we have been visiting (Pastor Wilson’s church) here in Haiti, Psalm 94:17 is painted above the alter. It says,

“Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence.”

I love that. Unless the Lord had come through, there really would not be anything to say. There is a dependence upon the Lord in this verse that I think is so beautiful. There is an acknowledgment of who He is that makes everything else so simple.

A corporate service or prayer service here in Haiti is a different thing. The Sunday service begins at 6am and ends at about 11am. Then, there is the youth service that went from 3pm till about 6pm. And then there is the night service from 6pm to about 9pm.

The church has corporate prayer each morning of the week at 4:30am in a different home and people attend! They also have a monthly prayer service on Friday that goes from 6pm to 12am and then on Saturday from 6am-12pm (where people fill the church with sleeping bags from 12am-6am to rest in between).

The church is filled with people who really seem to believe in what they are doing whether it is engaging the Lord in prayer, worship, talking with others, or listening to the message. They really believe that Jesus is everything and that without Him, they are nothing and this is obvious by the way they pour their lives out before Him. They know how to cry to the Lord and they know how to dance before the Lord. They really don’t care what the person to their right or left thinks of them - that is what a right perspective of God will do for you.

Here is an introduction to one more of the beautiful children from Wings of Refuge:

Erinel is five years old and is the happiest little guy I have ever met. He rarely is not smiling, laughing, wanting to be held, and sweating. We spend most of the day laughing at his little mannerisms - from his facial expressions to his inability to talk quietly, to his fascinating skill in repeating English words and phrases (you have to hear him say “I love you”).

I will be updating the blog shortly with prayer points. Thanks for staying tuned and for all the prayer! I feel it and appreciate you all greatly.

Haiti 2011 | Blog 2.

We spent last night at Wings of Refuge. The kids were so excited to have us stay with them. I ended up staying with the girls in their room and think that I have never slept worse. I know that is terribly negative but it was so hot that it was hard to breathe, hard to get comfortable, and hard to sleep.

I was drenched with sweat by the time I woke up a half-hour after I fell asleep. It probably did not help that I had two little bodies squeezed in right next to mine - those two little bodies of course, fast asleep. I did not want to move in case I would wake them up. In fact, I hardly wanted to breath in case they would awake. But, at moments, I just had to sit up. It was that hot.

All I could think was, this is how they sleep every night?!? They slept so sound, so peacefully, without a peep or sigh.

I love that we serve a God who loves and cares for children, no matter their age, no matter their background, no matter if they were accepted or rejected by their parents.

King David wrote,
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” [Psalm 68:5].

That has taken on a whole new meaning for me this week. God is a Father to the fatherless.

James then wrote later,
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” [James 1:27].

I can’t help but think that Jesus desires to use His church to care for orphans and widows. Though He could easily do it on His own, He wants to use us. I have been so blessed being used in caring for children who have no parents to call their own.

Since most of my time is being spent at Wings of Refuge, I would love to introduce you to each of the children that currently live there. I will start with the two youngest of the bunch. They are both three years old and extremely different from each other.

Angelina is the first pictured here and these two pictures give you a taste of the many faces that come with Angelina. She is my little love and we have become close friends the past two days. She is spunky, fun, brilliant, and the most stubborn little thing.

Betchina is still getting used to the transition to Wings of Refuge but tries to keep up with the rest of them. She is just precious. She loves to be held (I guess all of them do actually) and loves to be sung to.

Pray you are doing well, CLC Family! Love you, miss you all, and thank you for all the prayer!

- Holly Aman

Haiti 2011 | Blog 1.

Personally, I think that a blog should take each post and focus on one thought, one lesson learned, or one challenge passed. However, I have absolutely no idea what one to focus from the past few days. I had intended to blog everyday to alleviate the pressure of summarizing or writing far too long posts but the internet has not been working since I got here.

Boy, God is good. There is not one moment that I am not positive that He led me here not only for the lives I am coming in contact with but for my own refining, growth, and character. My goal coming to Haiti was to be a blessing to those who already laboring here but I honestly feel that they have blessed me far beyond any blessing I have been.

I love the way people live here. It is definitely not easier but there is something so beautiful about it. Whether it is to washing clothes by hand, never knowing if electricity is going to work, breaking ice by hand, and so many other things that are simply afterthoughts in the United States, there is something so simple about it.

We have been spending most of our time with the children from Wings of Refuge Children’s Home but had an opportunity on Saturday to help run a kids’ program for the children from one of the tent communities. There are still many people living in tents since the earthquake. Can you even imagine? This tent city that we visited with was right next to the Prime Minister’s house, so it is said to be the nicest.

The children are beautiful. Stunning, really. They are so happy, so caring, so considerate, and so helpful. Many of them have close to nothing to call their own but they truly love life. While helping with the program at the Tent City, I noticed there was so much trash all around (which is not a rare scene at all, due to the lack of trashcans). I asked around for a bag (“sha-she” in Creole) and began to pick up trash. At first people just watched but after only a few minutes many children and teenagers had joined in the effort. It got to a point where they were fighting about who could hold the bag for the others to throw the trash into.

The children really don’t want anything except your attention. They want to be held, loved, and played with above all else. Though the clothing and items are appreciated, all they want is you. I don’t think this is any different than any other child in the world, however somewhere along the line it is easier and less disappointing to go for the possessions.

More than anything, I am reminded that Jesus Christ is the hope for the world. No matter the circumstance. No matter the situation. No matter the person or issue. No matter the country. He is the answer and it is how we respond to Him that changes everything. I have been pondering over this story in Luke for a few days now...

“...Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.” [Luke 13:10-13].

I love that in her own strength she could not straighten up at all, but then, Jesus comes on the scene and everything changes. It is easy to become overwhelmed in a country that is so bound by poverty, corrupt government, and spiritual oppression, however, Jesus is the answer. Not just for Haiti, but for the United States. I love that. That does not mean that it will look the same but It really is that simple.

I could go on for about two weeks about what God has been doing, showing me, and challenging me in just these past few days but I want to go help get dinner on the table. Thank you so much for all the prayers and support. Love you all and miss you, dearly! Can’t wait to hear all that God is doing in YOU over these past two weeks.

- Holly Aman