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Blogs from Haiti, Central America Caribbean - page 13
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A plea for those in need in Haiti
Published: January 27th 2010Central America Caribbean » Haiti » Port-au-Prince
January 26th 2010
I am currently on a few days' break after an intense 90 days at the HODR project in the small village of Sungai Geringging, West Sumatra, Indonesia, and though we have sporadic unreliable internet at the HODR house, I haven't been able to watch any TV news from Haiti. Horrifying pictures, sad and tragic articles from the net, yes, but no video. I am now in KL, Malaysia, relaxing on my guesthouse couch on which I have hardly moved the past four days, and only yesterday I watched my first CNN coverage of the aftermath of the devastating Haiti earthquakes. I can't say I remember having so many tears in recent times. Watching the TV accounts of the devastation and chaotic mess that is Haiti right now and remembering with fondness the 4 1/2 months ... read more
January 18th 2010
AS PART OF MERLIN'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, I SPENT TWO WEEKS IN HAITI, FOLLOWING A DEVASTATING 7.0 EARTHQUAKE THAT RAVAGED THE ISLAND ON JANUARY 12TH. THE FOLLOWING IS A RECAP OF MY PERIODICAL UPDATES FROM THE FIELD. ------- (The first few days) 12 Jan Just wrapping up my day at the office when a New York Times Alert pops in to my inbox, indicating that Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere had been ravaged by a 7.0 Earthquake. I could only imagine how devastating that was for such a precarious island. CNN was already fearing that the death toll would be astronomically high. Surely, Merlin would be responding. It had to! Hard to say exactly what we would do given that the London team was well into the night. Despite the uncertainty, I tried ... read more
December 28th 2009
My trip to Saintard Haiti was with Heart Hands and Hope for Haiti. We stayed at Phillis Newby's mission House in Saintard Haiti to unload a 48 Foot Trailer containing clothes, food, optometrists chair, tractor, shoes chairs and Christmas presents for many children of Haiti. My job was to document the work of Heart Hands and Hope for Haiti.... read more
Fake Town with Beautiful Waters
Published: December 31st 2009Central America Caribbean » Haiti » Labadee
December 22nd 2009
After our departure from Miami, we spent our first full cruise day underway. It was quite relaxing, getting acquainted with the ship that isn't a ship (it's more like a floating mall) and enjoying the good food and entertainment. We pointed toward our first port of call, Labadee, Haiti a.k.a. the Fake Town. C'est vrai? Yes, I said Fake Town... authenticized with a few native Hatians and what have you got? A cruise island town built specifically to rake in money. Haiti seems to instill a lot of fear into people, and I can say that it's with good reason. With a history rich in violence, it seems that people have much to fear as an outsider or an insider. Between uprisings, civil unrest and coups up until about a decade ago... well, you can google ... read more
September 14th 2009
As I sit here in my extremely empty room, I think back on the last two years that I have gone by in my life. Those two years, I have grown extremely comfortable in my everyday life. Going to work, having a very comortable place to live with my own room with my own space. I've had 2 amazing jobs that I would receive paychecks from every two weeks. I am so used to having money come into my bank account and having money at the tip of my fingers and at my disposal. Now, in 4 days, I am doing something completely new and living on financial support for the about the next two years. A huge faith step for me. I will need to trust the Lord in this time especially when God through ... read more
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August 3rd 2009
This past April, I took a little road trip to visit Pam Plasier in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to give her some supplies for her next trip to Haiti. It was a nice day so we decided to take a walk. As we were walking down the dirt country road, she said "Kirstin, Mike and I met with the Mission Haiti board and I have some news." "This doesn't sound good" I replied. She then proceeded to tell me that the Mission Haiti board has decided and now requires all long-term missionaries going to minister with Mission Haiti for 6 months or longer need to go through some kind of mission training. When I first heard this, I was extremely disapointed. I was planning on going to Haiti for a year starting in September 2009, so ... read more
July 1st 2009
Sunday night it rained so hard. The next morning it was still cloudy, but the sun was starting to shine through the grey clouds. As I looked at the water from the night before on the leaves that are now clean, it reminded me of something. Yesterday, the leaves were dusty and thirsty. Today though, they are clean and fed, no longer thirsty. That is exactly what Christ does for us and continues to do for us. He cleansed us of our sins and washed us clean. He gives us his word so that whenever our souls are hungry and thirsty, we can eat and be fed spiritually. How amazing God is here in Haiti. The sun that blasted through the clouds, reminds me of Christ's love for all people. It is for everyone and He ... read more
June 26th 2009
Arriving in Haiti and seeing all the people that I met eight months ago, reminded me of why I am called there. To rekindle the relationships and pour the truth of Christ into those people. I felt so at home when I was there, I belong and feel that I am making a huge difference in that village of Petite Rivier. Christ through me is changing so many lives and I feel so privilaged to be a part of his plan to help that place. But God didn't use not just me of course, the whole team was key to change lives that week. Megan from YWAM MN (the main leader of the trip) and I met the team of 11 when we arrived in our Ft. Lauderdale hotel. Nine students from 13-18 years old and ... read more
June 24th 2009
Before the actual trip started, God was working. On Thursday, I received a check for $100 in my name from one of my supporters. I thought that it was strange that the check would come in my name since I had told all of my supporters to make it out to Mission Haiti. The check also came with a note "Use this for the Lord's work." I thought "Ok Lord, time for you to lead me, what do I do with this? Do I deposit it and then send a check to Mission Haiti? What do you want me to do with this?" I deposited the check, that was the first thing that I had to do anyway, whether I sent a check to Mission Haiti or used the $100 for something else. I kept saying ... read more
June 11th 2009
As I was reading the last entry for the trip to Haiti, I realized that I did not put in the dates. Some of you have said to me in person "Oh my, you're leaving for a year already?" That is my mistake. I will be leaving for this upcoming trip this Saturday, June 13th. I will be gone for until June 21st. Sorry to have confused you all! I am hoping and praying that I will be going to Haiti for my year of ministry in the Spring of 2010. So to answer anyones question, no I am not leaving for a year, yet. :-) But I will eventually. Please continue to keep myself, Mission Haiti, and the people of Ti-Rivier in your prayers. I will return with many stories of what God did there ... read more
