Monday, April 10, 2017

Much accomplished in Haiti

Thank you for all the prayers for our recent Haiti trip.  Everything went very smoothly despite flight times that required us to stay up the whole night before travel and arriving home around 4 a.m.

We are grateful that our luggage and donations all arrived with mishap as there were short times in between flights.

There were 16 team members and 3 projects:

  • Construction:  prep and pouring concrete for basketball court and work on the new school on the adjoining site.
  • Computer lab: repair hardware, update software, training for teachers at Kids Alive, and repair and updating many other computers that are on-site.
  • Health clinic: check up for students who live in the KA Village, students who live in the community that attend the school;  checks for KA school staff, and a clinic day for the community surrounding the KA site.
Those things were accomplished and there was plenty of time to play and visit with the children! Chances to share bible verse to children and adults were precious times.

Also, the high-school students who came with us would go back again!  This is noteworthy as a trip to Haiti is unlike other trips you hear about.  There is not much "to do" in Haiti and there is little sightseeing or touristy things. You do not have reliable electricity, and do not have air conditioning. The community in Balan, where the Kids Alive village is located, shows the poverty there.

The first Kids Alive kids are old enough to be preparing for college or trade school and currently have 12 students in the transitional/independence homes in the village.  Many want to study computer science in college and others are doing well in trade school working with electricians and construction people.  Please pray for this first group of kids, who will head out on their own soon.

Check-up of a preschooler

Working on the basketball court

Word instruction for teachers at school