This morning we had the largest VBS bordering on 250!
It was bittersweet as we were able to play with the kids, but bhad to also say goodbye.
They kept asking if we were coming tomorrow and we had to say no.
One girl sang me a song - an I love you song.
It was bittersweet saying goodbye. This afternoon we are heading to an orphanage. We will be taking the remainder of donations to those children.
-Marilee
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Almost the end
Today is our last full day here. It sucks just to write that, but this week has been amazing. And I expect nothing less today. We have our VBS today, I am narrating the story of the Good Samaritan. So hopefully that goes well. I wanna be sure to get a picture with Corey and then eventually make sure I make it my profile picture on Facebook. But saying goodbye is going to suck, but I know that kids have loved this week. I have seen so much and will never forget this week.
I didn't blog last night, but yesterday after VBS we went to Tent City and being there and talking to only a few families just left me speechless. All of the families wanted us to pray for them and to pray for a better life someday. Every family still had their faith and never lost it. There is no way I could have been that strong. These people deserve better and I hope us praying with them brought then even more strength and hope. Love and miss you all.
Chris
I didn't blog last night, but yesterday after VBS we went to Tent City and being there and talking to only a few families just left me speechless. All of the families wanted us to pray for them and to pray for a better life someday. Every family still had their faith and never lost it. There is no way I could have been that strong. These people deserve better and I hope us praying with them brought then even more strength and hope. Love and miss you all.
Chris
Last big day
I haven't been blogging much but trust me there is so much I want to tell everyone when I get back. Lemme give you a few of my fave memories from the trip - 1. VBS and seeing all these kids being so happy when they love in a place that wouldn't be something to cheer about. 2. Specifically the kids who would hold my hand or hug me and kiss me and wanted my love and attention. 3. Tent city: woah. I cannot believe that so many of those people still have such strong faith in god after all they have been through. 4. Final - sitting in the back of a pickup truck and flying down a main haitian roadway, and being called beautiful by Haitian men! I realized that I need to come back. Later in life and need to experience this again. Help is greatly needed but not a lot of people seem to know that. Just wait till I get back. The word will get out :) Love, Sara <3
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Emotional day...
Today we headed into one of many tent cities. We were there for one purpose and that was to pray with the people.
We first met a woman whose nephew died in the earthquake and whose son was sick immediately after- however there were no hospitals to take him to.
We met a woman with three children- she is by herself with no husband (he died during the earthquake) and no family. She invited us into her "home". It was about the size of a bathroom stall and they had nothing - they sleep on the rocks.
We met an elderly woman who wanted us to pray for her but she had no specific requests as she said God has provided her with what she needs.
I was in awe of her faith. She has nothing (by our standards) and she didn't want to ask God for anything.
We spoke with our translator and found out he lived in one of the tents we visited.
Their living conditions are completely unacceptable. The kids are playing on a playground with razor wire around it.
They walk around bear naked or at the most with only a shirt.
I cried. I couldn't help but crying.
This country continues to need help. Those that are in the tents with children just want out - it is no place to raise children.
They are hungry, naked and forgotten.
They love the same God we do and many times we heard- we are here for a reason. They prayed with us and even for us.
I did not take many pictures out of respect for the people living there. Pictures would not show what we saw and words can not explain what we experienced.
Please ask the teens about this. It was hard for them too.
-Marilee
We first met a woman whose nephew died in the earthquake and whose son was sick immediately after- however there were no hospitals to take him to.
We met a woman with three children- she is by herself with no husband (he died during the earthquake) and no family. She invited us into her "home". It was about the size of a bathroom stall and they had nothing - they sleep on the rocks.
We met an elderly woman who wanted us to pray for her but she had no specific requests as she said God has provided her with what she needs.
I was in awe of her faith. She has nothing (by our standards) and she didn't want to ask God for anything.
We spoke with our translator and found out he lived in one of the tents we visited.
Their living conditions are completely unacceptable. The kids are playing on a playground with razor wire around it.
They walk around bear naked or at the most with only a shirt.
I cried. I couldn't help but crying.
This country continues to need help. Those that are in the tents with children just want out - it is no place to raise children.
They are hungry, naked and forgotten.
They love the same God we do and many times we heard- we are here for a reason. They prayed with us and even for us.
I did not take many pictures out of respect for the people living there. Pictures would not show what we saw and words can not explain what we experienced.
Please ask the teens about this. It was hard for them too.
-Marilee
Day 2 of VBS
Just got done with our second day with the kids, the kids loved playing freeze dance and enjoyed the bible story. David and Goliath was fun to act out, the actual kids playing the two parts had fun too. Game were hectic and the soccer turned into a free for all with the ball. Then the kids started to play a game of soccer and that was fun to watch. I sat and held this little kid in a Mariners shirt and he was cute. He held onto my hand for awhile and smiled a lot. My friend Corey i asked today had no brothers and sisters and is 14 years old. He told me he was sick today, and didn't feel well. We hugged when it was time to go and he seemed excited to just say I'll see you tomorrow. It's gonna be hard telling him and all of the other kids that tomorrow when we say goodbye we really mean goodbye. I had a great morning with the kids and now we are headed out to tent city. Love you all!
Chris
Ps: Dad, hard to see Mason go to NY, excited for Ricky. Thanks for the updates.
Chris
Ps: Dad, hard to see Mason go to NY, excited for Ricky. Thanks for the updates.
Sri Lanka UN
So while this shouldn't be my blog I have to say as we were coming back from VBS (which today we had 180!) we were stopped by the UN. Now I personally have never seen so many guns in my life. I'm still not sure why they were there, but they were. The kids were running and playing around them not bothered by the guns at all.
Today was heart breaking for me. We took Juice for the kids and water- they were so thirsty that we ran out and for such a simple basic need to not be met - it killed me. To turn these little sweaty thirsty babies away was heart breaking.
(John and Tracy - Haiti NEEDS living water to come).
VBS was fun. We are not just here "helping" with VBS we are running the whole show. We have to come up with the entire program. Today we told the story of David and Goliath. We try to have the kids interact with us by acting it out.
When David "killed" Goliath - the kids jumped up and cheered. It was the best David and Goliath ever. They have taught us how to sing a song in creole and today we taught them Jesus Loves Me and they sang it in English. It almost brought me to tears.
The afternoon holds some surprises as we are not 100% sure what we are doing inside tent city. We will keep you posted.
-Marilee
Today was heart breaking for me. We took Juice for the kids and water- they were so thirsty that we ran out and for such a simple basic need to not be met - it killed me. To turn these little sweaty thirsty babies away was heart breaking.
(John and Tracy - Haiti NEEDS living water to come).
VBS was fun. We are not just here "helping" with VBS we are running the whole show. We have to come up with the entire program. Today we told the story of David and Goliath. We try to have the kids interact with us by acting it out.
When David "killed" Goliath - the kids jumped up and cheered. It was the best David and Goliath ever. They have taught us how to sing a song in creole and today we taught them Jesus Loves Me and they sang it in English. It almost brought me to tears.
The afternoon holds some surprises as we are not 100% sure what we are doing inside tent city. We will keep you posted.
-Marilee
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