Friday 3/17

It's our last day in Haiti, our last day doing dental, our last day visiting schools, our last day with Lifeline....for now. This was an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING trip and I think all of us will be back if God provides the opportunity for us to do so! Lifeline is an AMAZING ministry with many different opportunities. We worked in dental, visited schools and taught them how to brush their teeth, wash their hands, and taught them about God's love using the story of Zacchaeus. Spring, our leader this week, wore so many different hats and literally ran everywhere she went. She was an incredible example of Godly leadership and she was tons of fun! We will miss her and her partners in crime, Janet and Jeremiah, they are all amazing people and we are glad we were able to meet them and spend time getting to now them this week.

Today the dental team finished up students and teachers, then opened up the clinic for walk-in patients. They saw 41 people today and this week they saw 458 people! They completed 458 exams, 201 fillings, 74 extractions, 41 composites, 23 cleanings, and 15 perscriptions. Praise the Lord! The dental team wore themselves out everyday this week and didn't complain even once, they even served with a smile on their face.

The other team walked right outside the compound to a school accross the street. We did 4 presentations for the different classes at the school and then we made our way to the feeding center at the Lifeline school to help the cooks serve the food. It's amazing how God brings you a blessing when you serve His people. I think we can all agree that serving God and His people is the best blessing we can recieve.

This afternoon we headed to the beach! The beach we went to was at a resort in Barbancourt. It was beautiful! It was strange to think that a couple miles away from this resort is poverty. We were able to swim in the ocean and many of us went snorkeling. That was quite the adventure! We were able to swim in the pool also. After we swam under the Haitian sun and had so much fun, we wer able to eat dinner at the resort and order yummy Haitian food. It was a great experience and I'm glad we got to see that part of Haiti, but I think I prefer to be in the village with the beautiful smiling children.

Our day closed with a beautiful sunset and fellowship with our team-members. I will always feel close to these people because we have served God together.

Pray:
1. that we are able to make it to the airport safely tomorrow and on time
2. we are able to get out of customs and securtiy quickly
3. that our plane ride is smooth and that we can get through the Miami airport safely and quickly
4. that we are able to have a safe drive home to Port Charlottte

See you all on Sunday! Thank you for your love and prayers and God Bless!

Blog written by: Tricia Gadomski
Pictures by: Katrina Graham; Tricia Gadomski

Thursday 3/15

Today was a great day! I can't believe that tomorrow is our last full day in Haiti. I wish we could stay here longer, I feel like our journey here is just beginning.

The dental team saw over 100 people in the clinic today. They finished up the school students in Barbancourt and are working so hard to serve the people.

The other team went to two different schools in the morning and saw over 200 children. We did our presentations and our Bible skit. When we were finished at the second school there were two men who were filled with questions about Christ and what it means to be in the family of God. It was inspiring to see their hunger for the things of God.

In the afternoon we went back out to an orphanage. The orphanage was very poor and Lifeline is only able to provide dry food for the kids there. We were able to bring them toothbrushes, toys, and dresses. We got to play with the kids for a while and they were so sweet. They loved us playing with them and holding them. Some of the kids were very skinny and malnourished. The church just got a new roof and got their walls fixed. The girls dorm is made from plastic and is very, very hot inside. There were only two beds and we were told that most of them sleep on the floor. This trip to the orphanage was very special for Joshua Schaefer. He and his wife, Mimi, are currently in the process of adopting two children from Ethiopia. Today they found out that God has provided the money, through grants, to bring one child home. They are still trusting God to provide the rest of the money and they know it will come. Today we rejoice with them as they anticipate the arrival of their precious children!

We have started watching the students play soccer in the evenings, it is fun to go out and cheer for them and talk with the other spectators.

Tonight we are having a real Haitian meal, I'm not sure what is being cooked, but it sure smells good!

Continue to pray for us as we minister to more schools tomorrow and share God's Word. Pray that when all is said and done we can feel confident we gave all we had to these people. A local orphanage director we spoke to yesteday thanked us for bringing God's Word to the orphanage and told us that helping each other is what it is all about. It is always about helping your neighbor in need and showing God's love always. j

Blog written by: Tricia Gadomski
Pictures by: Tricia Gadomski

Wednesday, 3/14

Today a team went to two orphanages/schools and it was heartbreaking to see and experience. We were able to do our presentations and skits and afterwards at the first school we were able to hold and play with the orphans. We all wanted to take them home with us and they wanted us to take them home too. It was hard to leave, but we know that we can't take them back with us. The second school/orphanage was very poor and had around 30 children. The school had worn down concrete around parts of the building and tarps covered the ceiling and the walls. When we entered we were told not to touch the walls because they would fall down. The whole school was in this room and all of the children at one time. There was a girl laying down out back who had failing kidneys. She was skinny, sick, and had sores on her back. Spring (our leader) said that she looked much better than she did last time they visited. We prayed healing over her body. It was sad to see her secluded and sick behind the building, but that's all they can do.

The dental team saw over 50 people today and will continue to work throughout the week. They finished working on the students from the Lifeline school and have started working on students from other schools in the area. Dental care is needed over here, so the dental team is making a huge difference!

Josh Schaefer worked in construction today with Jeremiah (a construction guy who works for a separate missions organization, but is friends with Lifeline). They did work on dorms for another orphanage and got the drywall up.

In the afternoon we took a trip to the local market. We couldn't take many pictures, but our translator was able to get some. It was different, there was raw meat, fruits, and vegetables sitting out with flies and people cooking on the side of the street (their version of fast food). One vender was selling mud cookies. They are cookies made from mud and water and sold at the market. We were told that the pregnant women eat them because they believe it holds extra nutrients.At the end of the market we went up a hill and around the corner were tons of bags filled with charcoal. The ground was colored black and women were sitting in soot, picking out the large pieces of coal. To make charcoal they burn down their trees and cut them up because they use charcoal to cook and heat things and charcoal gets 3 burns out of it while burning trees only has 1 burn. It was sad to see and imagine that this is what these people do all day. The charcoal field was right on the water. The shore was filled with trash, but the water was gorgeous and sailboats filled the water. Our translator was able to get a picture of the team in front of the water.

When we returned from the market everyone went back to work. A team went to the warehouse and finished cleaning and organizing, which was a huge task. Jon and Tricia went back to teach another English class, Josh was still out working on the house, and the dental team had the afternoon off and were able to rest after 10 days of hard, hard work.

Our time here is very busy, but we are blessing the people and being God's hands and feet. We talked about 1 Corinthians 13 in devotions today and we are striving to be intentional about our love for each other, Lifeline, and the Haitian people.

Please pray for us as our week comes quickly to a close and that no time would be wasted as we preach God's word and minister to the people.

Blog written by: Tricia Gadomski
Pictures by: Joan Potempa

Tuesday, 3/13

Today is Tuesday and we are having a great time here. The dental team was able to work on 139 people today. The team works so hard and they put in long hours each day to ensure the people in this area are without pain and are able to eat normally. The kids have beautiful smiles and the dental team is making sure they stay that way.

The other team went out to work at two different schools in Barbancourt. We arrived at the first school of 350 students who shared a one-room schoolhouse. There were six chalkboards around the room and each class had benches facing their class' chalkboard. We did our health presentations and our Bible story on Zacchaeus. The students thanked us by singing for us. They were all Bible songs and the team knew some of them. It was wonderful to worship with the Haitian children. The next school we went to was made from weaved palm branches and they assembled together in the church sanctuary. They welcomed us by singing worship songs too. It was a joy and we joined along with clapping and singing in English if we knew the songs. Because the scools combined the classes for our presentation, we had time to spare so we decided to go to one last school.

The last school we went to had only 40 students, but it was the most wonderful trip we have had so far this week. After the story about Zacchaeus, Bethany asked if the students had any questions, like she has done at every school. Two students stood and gave a testimony on how the earthquake came through and killed so many, but they survived; and how the cholera epidemic has come and they have survived that too. Another boy stood up and told us that he doesn't want to be like Zacchaeus and do bad things, but wants to follow Jesus. He told us that he wanted to pray to recieve Christ into his heart. Smiles were plastered on the teams faces and tears came to my eyes. We explained salvation again to the students and told them it was a one time decision and it wasn't the words you say, but your heart. We then asked those who would like to invite Jesus into their hearts to come forward. They got down on their knees and repeated a prayer to the Lord. It was a touching moment and during our time there we just helped Baptist Emmanuel School to fullfil their mission, to reach the children in Haiti for Christ. We ended our time there by singing praises to the Lord together.

In the afternoon people switched out in the dental clinic, some cleaned out the warehouse, and some taught in the classrooms at the Lifeline school. It was a great afternoon.

We have Haitian women from the church cooking dinner for us this week and they make amazing food! Tonight we had goulosh and had fresh cut pinneaple, mangos, watermelon, and many other fruits. It was AMAZING! Toward the end of dinner, Katrina asked me (Tricia) if I wanted to walk up to the cross with her to take pictures of the sunset. Katrina, Jon and I walked up there and although you can't be here to witness the amazing scenery and sunset, but we would like to share a little piece of it.

Tomorrow the dental team continues to work and a team is headed out to an orphanage. Pray that God works in the hearts of the children as He did today around 11:00 and that we would be effective in speaking the Gospel.

Blog written by: Tricia Gadomski
Pictures by: Tricia Gadomski

Monday 3/12

Today was our first day at work in Haiti. We started our morning with prayer, devotions, and reflections at the prayer rock on the mountain and watched the sun rise on the mountains and on the ocean. It was a beautiful sight and no pictures could do it justice.

Our team split up for the morning and some of the team worked with the Potempas in the dental clinic and the everyone else walked a couple beautiful miles through tropical brush and streams to the next town over to minister in a school/orphanage. We saw 350 students and taught them how to wash their hands properly, brush their teeth properly (we even gave them toothbrushes and toothpaste), and we did a skit about Zacchaeus and transitioned that story into the Gospel message. After that we took a short break for lunch then headed to the cafeteria to serve food to the chidren. After all 350 students ate, the village children were let in to eat too. The children loved us and enjoyed us being at their school and teaching them about health.

In the afternoon, once the team came back from the school/orphanage they went straight to the dental clinic to switch places with those who had been there all morning. The dental team served over 100 students from the Lifeline school today. The people who left the dental clinic and those who could not help there went to the storage room and helped sort boxes. After that we all went to the warehouse and continued to clear it out for all the supplies. The storage room is taking up classroom space so clearing out the warehouse is important.

We are really enjoying our time here and growing closer together as a team, as a community here in Haiti, and sharing the Gospel with hundreds of people daily!  We feel like a huge family already! We have a busy week ahead of us, pray as Jon and Tricia teach an English class tomorrow, teams are going to two different schools, and the dental team continues to work here in the village.

Blog by: Tricia Gadomski
Pictures by: Tricia Gadomski

Sunday 3/11

This morning we awakened to the worship of God's people filling the air. Sunday school starts at 6:30a.m. at the campus church and they play live worship music through speakers that fill the village with the Gospel. We arrived at the church at 8:00 for the service and although we did not understand the service or the songs, we were filled with joy to see the Haitian people worshiping God and learning from John 10:1-19, where the sermon was preached from. Katrina Graham sang a solo in church. She sang "Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen. She did great and the church loved it!

After the church service we headed out on a tour of Port Au Prince. We went to the Palace, where the President used to live. The Palace was destroyed in the earthquake and hasn't been touched since. It is really sad. We were able to see the markets and buy some souveniers. Next we headed back to the airport to see if our 18 totes of supplies had come in and THEY HAD! God provided! All 18 arrived and none had been touched. Three of them had to be searched in Haiti, but none of the supplies were taken, praise the Lord! God answered our prayers! On our way back to Children's Lifeline we stopped at the mass grave site for the 220,000 + people who had lost their lives in the earthquake. It was very touching to see the memorial and hear of all the lives that were lost. Our dental team served 18 staff members today doing around 30 fillings and 7 extractions.
We winded down our night by talking and planning for tomorrow. We prayed for rain in our devotion time and within 30 minutes after our prayer, rain came and continues to come. God is SO good!We are having a great time fellowshiping and serving the Lord here in Haiti. Tomorrow we will be going to a school/orphanage to do skits and serve the children. Pray their hearts are open to the Word of God and we are able to be a witness for Him!

Blog Written By: Patricia Gadomski
Photo Credit: Patricia Gadomski

Saturday 03/10

Today we set out from Miami, FL and headed to Port Au Prince, Haiti. We had heard stories, but had no idea what we would be experiencing. Our journey started on the plane into Haiti. On the plane ride into Haiti I was looking out the window, I was looking for the line of deforestation. I didn't see it, but I did see huge houses on the coast with personal piers and boats and a couple miles west the huge houses had turned into a city of tents, red ones, blue ones, white ones. When we arrived in Haiti, we walked off the plane and onto the runway. (This was a first for me) We took a bus to the airport and when we arrived we were greeted with a Haitian band! The airport (immigration, baggage claim, and all) are in one small non-air conditioned room...imagine that. We then found out that all 18 tote boxes of supplies were never put on the airplane in Miami, so we have to go back to the airport tomorrow to pick them up, Lord willing.

We took a very bumpy bus ride to Mission Lifeline and were greeted with love by some of the children who graciously carried our bags in and by some of the staff here. Spring is our missionary leader for the week and she is WONDERFUL! We got to unpack and eat a sandwich lunch. Spring debriefed us and gave us a schedule for the week. Then, Spring took us on an amazing tour of Mission Lifeline's campus and into the surrounding village. We took a walk up to Prayer Rock, where we will be having morning devotions and prayer time. A little bit farther up the mountain we came to a cross. Mission Lifeline has a huge concrete cross that is painted in glow-in-the-dark paint. It was put up before the earthquake and were able to help with humanitarian aid because the helicopters could only find the Mission Lifeline campus by the cross. The cross is at a peak and the view is BREATHTAKING! I could sit up there and worship God all day!

Mission Lifeline has a clinic, schoolwith 350 students that goes up to 10th grade (they add a grade every year), church, and they minister to schools and orphanages all over the country feeding 8,300 children every day. They are starting a concrete block trade school for the men to learn how to make concrete blocks to sell and do construction on the Mission Lifeline property. They are also starting a welding trade school, a sewing trade school, a nursing trade school, and they do teacher training and enrichment for their school staff. The children are sponsered to go to the school and people can send money to sponser the building of houses for people. Mission Lifeline is run completely on donations and they minister to SO many people! God is definitely using this ministry to do AMAZING things in Haiti and in this village.

Spring took us into the village and we got to see the "houses" these Haitian people lived in. They were mostly simple concrete, one room houses where a family would live, no matter how big or small the family is. Some houses had palm branch weaved walls and roofs. The children in the village LOVE us. They wouldn't let go of our hands and followed us everywhere. They wanted us to take their picture and wanted to use our camera to take our pictures. They loved to play with us and hug on us. They are precious children! All the people we met were so happy and kind and let us into their homes.

We had to say goodbye to the kids for today, but we will probably see them again tomorrow. A couple of us challenged some of the older boys to a game of dominos, they won. We were fed a wonderful Haitian/American dinner of grilled, marinated chicken, black beans and rice, corn, green beans, Haitian bread, peaches, and salad. It was great food!

Because most of us got up before the sun this morning, we are all exhausted beyond believe and will sleep well tonight, permitting the roosters don't crow until sun up. We can only hope...

Enjoy some pictures from our first day in Haiti and continue to pray for us this week as we strive to stay healthy and minister to these people by serving them and bringing them God's Word.

Thank you and God bless!

Blog Written By: Patricia Gadomski
Photo Credit: Katrina Graham