Day 5

Tonight, our bodies are exhausted, but our hearts are overflowing with the spirit. God is providing for our needs in Haiti, as we try to help meet the needs of these kids.

"I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2).

God used all of us in a lot of different ways today, and he is really showing us the needs that each kid has here. Today the team finished putting the second coat of white paint on the inside of the Church, and John and Gregg put a solar powered fan in the roof of the kitchen, which really helps to keep the smoke out of the room when cooking, and the temperature much cooler. John said the mamas were very excited to have it, and very appreciative. Kelly, Cindy and Jenna were also able to spend some time with the mamas and Samuel (our interpretor) while the kids were in school. The shower house concrete was finished, and the drain is working as we hoped it would. The kids seem to be quite anxious to use it. They even decorated the concrete walls on the outside of the shower house with beautiful pictures in colorful chalk.

God gave us a lot of time to spend loving the kids today, because they got out of school a little early. Before singing some songs, each of the kids made an egg shaker with rice, decorated with stickers and their names. The kids eyes lit up as they all started to shake them at the same time during the first song. They were a big hit. After the kids ate their big meal for the day, we had a variety of crafts that the kids could make. Kelly, Cindy and Jenna made friendship bracelets with some of the kids, and Rob, Jonathan and I made paper airplanes with the kids (or avion in creole). John hung pictures of previous LCF trip teams on the dorm walls, and Gregg got some help from some of the boys when measuring the buildings for a layout of the orphanage. The boys really loved holding the end of the tape measure. Kelly is still seeing kids each day to assess their medical needs, and is making a lot of progress.

When playing with some of the older boys today, they wanted me to throw them in the air, just like you often see a father do with his very young son or daughter. I couldn't help but think that these older boys have never been able to have that experience with an earthly father. It really touched me to see the smiles light up their faces as they held on tightly to my shirt as they went high into the air, not certain on the first time that I would catch them on the way down. It was a moment I'll never forget, and I know that many of the team here had experiences like this today that they will never forget.

Tomorrow, the team is taking all of the kids to the beach, which is about a 25 minute drive from the orphange. For most of them, it may be their first time outside of the orphanage, and we can't wait to see their faces when they see the ocean for the first time. It will truly be an amazing day, and we know that God is going to reveal himself to these kids even more than he already has tomorrow. Pray for us as we continue to look for ways to love each kid in the way that they need, and pray that God would continue to work on the heart of each kid at the orphanage.

Brett Blanton