A Happy Day…we really felt a belonging to this beautiful country!
Today we travelled to Titanyen, pronounced “tee-tah-yeh”. It was about an hour drive from Port-au-Prince and is the location for Healing Haiti’s Grace Village. It is up more into the mountains and closer to the ocean. The setting is beautiful and we really found a new love for this amazing country.
Our first stop was at the Mass Graves. This is the location where approximately 3,000 or more Haitians were brought for their final resting place after the earthquake in 2010. It was an indescribable experience that was very humbling and sad. Both of our Haitian guides shared with us their accounts of the day of the earthquake. This really made it personal and real for us and we are so appreciative of their honesty in a memory that is still so strong in their minds.
From there we were onto GRACE VILLAGE. This is a new community in Titanyen that is home to an orphanage, school, feeding center, clinic, bakery, greenhouse and the aquaponics program. They are excited to be graduating their first class this next year. The goal is for this community to be self-sufficient. It was quite impressive and really beautiful.
Lastly, was a favorite activity for many of us and that was of home visits to three elders that are sponsored through the Healing Haiti program. We went into their homes in the side hills of Titanyen and greeted them, cleansed their feet and hands, massaged and lotioned their feet, back and hands. Met their families and gave them a warm and fresh meal with water and juice.
So now onto our wrap-up through WORD OF THE DAY…
Laura - INNOVATION - the self-sufficiency of GRACE VILLAGE and all the ideas making the place so innovative
Scout - REMEMBER - the people of Haiti will never forget the earthquake
Jaime (leader) - JOY - Grace Village and the elder visits are full of such joy
Kendra - HAPPY - Grace Village
Paige - EMOTION - hearing the stories of the earthquake
Bailey - HOPEFUL - Grace Village - a good life for the people it serves
Nancy - SAME - we are all God’s children, we are the same in his lives and connected to one another
Lance - PERSONAL - we have all made some sort of personal connection to the people of Haiti
Hannah - GOATS - on the lighter side they made it enjoyable seeing them
Lindsey - SWEET - we met Ismael, the grandson of one of the elderly women today, and he was so sweet and giving in his nature, after he had his picture taken with his sister he showed the picture to his sister and remarked to her “see how beautiful you are!”
Kathi - INTIMATE - loved the intimacy of the elder visits and this made such a personal connection for all of us to the people in this country
Kalli - FAITH & HOPE - the elders we met today had such strong faith and hope in GOD
Eli - CHANGE - what was somber and sad yesterday changed into joyful and innovative today
Angie (leader) - SPARED - so thankful for the sparing of the lives of our guides during the earthquake as they are such a blessing to have along our sides while here in Haiti
Theresa - STRONG - elders are so strong in raising their grandkids
Praise God for all your bountiful blessings and for another beautiful and healthy day in Haiti!
By the way, you don’t have to make it so HOT!!!!!!
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