I've been thinking about how to blog all that touched me while I was in Haiti. The impact it had on me was incomparable to anything I've ever been through. It really changed me and my thinking.
Where do I begin? I don't know. I do know that I can't share everything and expect you all to get it. I remember hearing about how awesome my friend's trips were but I just really couldn't connect or feel what they were feeling because I wasn't there.
Now, I know what it feels like.
It was very emotional. Here are just a few of the emotions I felt. Anxiety, fear, sadness, shock, anger, selfishness, joy, love, empathy, sympathy, a call to action, and HOPE!
We went to Hope for Haiti Children's Center in Quanaminthe, Haiti. Danita's Children is the Organization. Danita Estrella is known as the "Mother of Quanaminthe". Wow, when I heard the governor declared her that I thought, what an amazing testimony of God's love shown through Danita and her staff. These people are amazing. They love the Haitians as their own and have given up comfortable lives in the United States to help these people. Amazing love.
Awe, is really the strongest emotion I'm still feeling. How can someone do that? I want to be like that. I want to go back so bad. I left a piece of my heart in Haiti and I want God to use me somehow in the future if that is what He has for me.
I will share these photos to show a little of what I experienced.
Thank you to all who supported me on this trip!
The people of Haiti are beautiful. The children were especially easy to love. You would catch their eye and smile at them and they would get so happy. It felt to me like they were surprised to even be noticed. It made me sad. It was really hard to leave.
I felt like I was holding a child almost constantly. The trip was hard but it felt so good to have something I could give them which was God's love.
I will never forget this boy. He had a flesh eating disease on his legs and back and he would take a motorcycle taxi to the orphanage clinic I think three times a week to have his dressings changed. I had the opportunity to change his bandages and I was so surprised it didn't gross me out at all. It was confirmation for me that I can hack the whole nursing gig. Besides that, he was such a gentle, sweet boy and I had a lot of concern for him. After we left, our friend Mark Gonzalez helped find the right medicine for his disease so now he will hopefully be completely healed. Before this, he would of probably died because they were treating him with the wrong medicine because of lack of testing.
This is princess Denise. She has hydrocephalus and this is her caretaker. These women are wonderful people who give 24 hour care to all the special needs orphans. It is a hard job, but these kids will steal your heart.
These are some of the adorable boys from the orphanage. I love them and miss them all so much!
Mark and Erin made the trip with us and it was a memory we will all never forget. This brought us even closer and I am so grateful for their friendship!
Me and E :)
This is Louis. He stole my heart. Well, I think I keep saying that about everybody, but it's true. He is deaf and half blind. Somehow we communicated perfectly the entire trip. I can't even begin to share the relationship we built during my time in Haiti but I just can't wait to see him again soon.
He is a special boy.
Sean and Samson showin' off as usual
This is Danita. She is on her way to Santiago, Dominican Republic here to arrange to pick out supplies for their new special needs facility. I seriously fell in love with her. I can say, I've never, ever met anyone in my life like her.
This is my little buddy Jacob. He ran up to us with a huge smile and a hug everyday we would walk into the orphanage. He lived right outside the gate. The first day we arrived he was buck naked and ran up to me screaming and laughing and just jumped in my arms. Sean said my facial expression was priceless.
Our awesome Crossroads team members with three of Danita's staff members, Brenda, Karris and Bill. Love them!
If anyone is interested in giving to this organization please visit:
We are so rich in comparison to the people of Haiti, please give if not with your money then with your constant prayers. God is doing some amazing things there!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment