Journey to Haiti (Part 1)

Hello everyone! This is Marcie filling in for Judy today. As some of you may know, Judy has taken some time this week to visit Haiti with her church, Generation Church. This trip is a scouting mission trip of sorts, to see where Generation Church can make an impact in the rebuilding of Haiti. So far, it has been a strenuous and hard trip. Phone calls and texts are hard to come by, so the team has been emailing and posting thoughts and photos to Facebook. Below are some words that Judy sent to her family. 

This is indeed a tough trip. The sights are so overwhelming.  People living like this are beyond words.  The people are so resilient.  All kinds of tents set up everywhere --they sleep in there at night and may work out of their shack/homes during the day.  But they are so scared to be indoors at night.  The wreckage is hard to describe.  It just doesn't seem like much has been done. 

Supermarket collapse in Haiti

Today is Sunday and we arrived at Pastor Pierre's church at 8:30am and left around 2:00pm.  Church and worship lasted over 3 hours in a small room filled with people (crammed in) and only a few fans. Pastor Pierre is a small man--very rotund--with a booming voice and infectious joyful personality.  We loved him and his wife and 10 children.  They live in a small area over the church--7 boys in one bedroom probably half the size of one of our bedrooms and the 3 girls in with the parents. Church was filled with songs and clapping and preaching and joyful praising.  One of the most memorable church services I have ever been to.  Shawn preached and of course, we had a translator.  

Pastor Pierre and his family

Daybreak and Generation Church are going to talk about sending construction teams to expand the church building for him.  He has an opportunity to buy the three rooms attached.  Trust me--it needs to be bigger!!! It is absolutely stifling here and very little water pressure.  Showers are a trickle.  Tomorrow, we go and visit the 20 orphan kids that Pierre's church is taking care of. 

Church in Haiti - needs to be bigger!

 All I can do to get past this overwhelming hopelessness is to know that 20 kids are being cared for, educated and loved and will grow up to be a light in this part of the world.  And that Pastor Pierre can make a difference in his community thru his church and be a light.  If I cannot cling to this and focus on it--I would be overcome with despair." 

We will have more thoughts and photos, hopefully today, depending on the availability of the Internet, of course. Thank you for reading and your continued support. Please feel free to comment below, I will send any comments to Judy via our next corresponding email.