Haiti Day 2

Day 2 we were all planning on waking up at 4:30 for morning prayer with the Hatians... but that didn't happen as none of us heard our alarm clocks and some much needed sleep after being awake for over 40 hours and lots of traveling! Instead we woke up and have devotions together where the floor was opened for people to share what God was speaking to them or share verses. Tracy's mom wrote her letters for each day to open and each day she shared them with the team. We discussed possible service opportunities for the day and the team broke up and served in different areas. Trip one got to finish a house and people in the community helped them to build it. Kristie and JeanJean thought it would be a blessing if we could build a house for a family who helped the family from trip 1 build a house. A group of us went to help them lay cement and build the walls. We made cement from dirt we wheelbarrowed in and walls out of rocks that they shaped with their machettes putting the dirt cement between them. One of the ladies there was teaching me how to balance a water jug on my head.. I wasn't very good but their lady could even dance around with it on there! This 11x11 house hosted a mom and dad with 10 children. We soon got to learn that family is a huge part of the culture and the first question people will ask you in how many brothers and sisters you have. Again I got to meet someone who was studying in the Dominican Republic who spoke Spanish! So cool! After working on the house we went back to the compound for lunch and to the worship center to play with the kids and balloons and with the parachute. After games we went over to the pavilion to help at the nutrition center. JeanJean and Kristie have a feeding center where they feed 50 kids 4 times a week. We learned that $1000 dollars covers this for a year. It was so humbling to see the older siblings feed their younger brothers and sisters first as they blew on their food and fed them. Others would eat just a few bites and then pack it in their bags to bring back to their families. What a difference in the community the nutrition center is making, Kristie said that just few years ago people use to call this a place that nothing good could come from. Now children are being fed, people are coming to the Lord, and singing and laughter just are a few of the visual signs of the inward impact that is happening. Later that night after dinner and worship and devotions, Zuel, a witchdoctor who became a believer, shared his testimony to us and gave us a little background about voodoo. Voodoo is based around fear, and belittling other people while lifting up self. I kept thinking how these practices manifest themselves in the US in different forms... fear and pride. We were all so blessed to hear his story and see the transformation of what Christ did in his life and how God used his Word to save him. JeanJean one night heard the voodoo drums going and went there to their ceremony and shared John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he have his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" with them and Zuel came to him later with questions. Just being obedient and sharing with Zuel, God opened up doors for this witchdoctor to be saved and lead other witchdoctors to the Lord. Zuel's prayer is that his children will not remember what he use to practice so they would be able to walk with the Lord. Please lift up Zuel and his family in your prayers!