Back in Illinois

After a long day of travel (and about a 50 degree weather change), we're back in Illinois.  Thanks soooo much to our amazing drivers, J.D., Stacey, & Mike, for helping us get to and from the airport & Champaign!

Pictures to come in the next few days :-)    

Au revoir

Woke up today, late as usual. Everyone's eating or done eating breakfast, it's cool tho cuz today is Sunday so we don't have the typical work day (which starts @ 8) instead we have church, which starts at 10:30ish. It's a major blessing being able to eat this food here. Everyday has been delicious. I didn't expect to be so well fed on a mission trip, but God provides. We had homemade cinnamon roles, and a Haitian twist off of oatmeal they call laboui. That and some fruit, I was quick to finish the mango. Good stuff. But yea, so after that was straight to church which was another of the many blessings of the day.

Right before church (we got there an hour early) I was able to sit and talk to one of the kids (20yrs old) for a bit. He was really cool. I love being able to speak the languge because it allows we to connect with the people. These people are also really eager to connect with us Americans. Their joy and friendliness is contagious, I love them.

The service was even more of a treat. I knew some of the songs they were singing and was able to worship alongside people of my same heritage, it's an experience that filled me with a really passionate joy. I loved it. It was funny because I got called up by their pastor and leader of MTM, Willem Charles, and I spoke infront of the church for a bit, it was so great and after Wayne delivered the message. It was translated, again by Willem, and it was really beautiful how they seemed to flow together as one united sermon. Willem would not only translate the words, but also the gestures and inflections, the emotion behind it. They even gave us a present too-  the male choir delivered two songs  (in creole) that were both entertaining to listen to and watch ahahha. Saying goodby after the service was bittersweet, so many people we would probably never see again, or maybe we will in time, who knows, but it was a great feeling because these people genuinely did not want to see us go.

Afterwards though, we went through Port Au Prince, we went all over and it was great. Not that we saw beautiful and stellar sights, in fact quite opposite, but in seeing what we did, we gained a sense of understanding that yes, Haiti is in a terrible state right now, but even more true, God's blessings are being poured down. And there's more to come. A lot more. We went through noxious smells and tent cities, saw children running around half naked, the UN standing around with their weapons, and too much more to write, or even capture in photos although we tried. But that was just the surface, deeper than that was the view that Jesus has done so much. Seeing the contrast between Gramothe (where MTM is working) and Port Au Prince gives me a hope anchored in faith in a God of Love. And Our hope does not disappoint. I'm excited for the future of Haiti.

Today was nostalgic. It's weird that something can feel nostalgic after just a week, but that's what it was. We all grew attatchments to the place and the people. Part of me isn't ready to leave  yet, but it's time for us to head out. Maybe we'll be back again next year? I dunno, it seems like I-life and Mountain to Ministries may have a future together :) back in the States tomorrow!

Esdras and the Team

Wrapping things up

Well, today was our last day of work.  Tomorrow, we will go to church, take a tour of the village we're working in (Gramothe), and drive through the city of Port Au Prince.

It's been a fantastic week as a team.  One of our team members, Esdras, was able to function as a translator for the medical team.  He has many stories of patients leaving smiling, saying "God bless you."

Today, Bekah, spent a lot of time working with a pediatric nurse practitioner.  She got to work a lot with children and babies.  She said that she loved it!

Today was our last day in the computer lab.  It was amazing how everything came together.  If we had one day more, we would not have had hardly anything to do.  If we had one day less, we would have been frantic.  The timing was perfect.


One of our accomplishments was sustaining an internet connection via directional antenna from a source on another mountain about a mile away.  Today, we were able to sit around a table with all of the laptops as an internet cafe.

As the day came to a close today, we had all of the laptops in our custom built cabinet.  All Britney (second from the right in the photo) needs to do is plug in the internet cable into the router, power on the network storage device, and the lab is fired up.  It's all in the cabinet.  We did a trial run at the end of the day, and everything worked.  This, from a technology standpoint, was a big encouragement.  It works!!!

It has been expressed multiple times how excited the students are about the computer lab.  We installed lots of educational software as well as some just for fun.  You can solve complex math problems or build structures out of legos.  The research on the software was well worth the time.  We had a few students in the lab with us today using the computers.  One student was using a typing program, learning how to type, and the other student was driving around the universe using a program called Celestia.  They will pick things up so quickly!

As the work week comes to a close, we had a sweet time tonight, recapping the week's stories.  We celebrated how God used each of our gifts and abilities.  From carpentry to networking to medicine, we praise God for the work that He did, and we give Him the glory.

This picture (I couldn't resist posting one more photo of the banana costume...) sums up the week.

-- Jay and the Team

Live from Gramothe

We have internet on the mountain!  All laptops are up and connected to the web :-) 

Its slow, so its very likely that a satellite will be purchased in the future, but for the time being, there is a connection and its useable for the computer class!

Complainin' Wayne in Haiti

I hate to complain but there is something strange about us.  We'll sit in a group and a question will be asked.  "What was your best memory of today?"  And I'm shocked how long we will wait until someone will speak.  It's almost like we are NOT going to cooperate with this.  But then all of these memories come exploding out.  Mission trips are like this - so full of stories.

Everybody went different directions today.  Wayne went to Port-Au-Prince with Matt Strom shopping for equipment with Willem.  Our team at the clinic saw over 200 people today.  One older man who walked 2 hours had such ragged shoes and a swollen leg, that we gave him a new set of Crocs.  It was like he had won the lottery.  Jay Hooper visited a math class and watched how they solved an advanced problem that took three chalkboards - advanced stuff, even by Champaign standards.  The computer room today went from a disorganized mess to an impressive digital lab with two purple tables.  Bryan watched as a chemistry class solved a "decomposition reaction" and then converted its numbers from grams to moles.

When people think of Haiti they think of a festering hopeless mess.  It's a place people warn you not to visit.  They haven't been here.  The conditions are rough in places.  But it's beautiful.  The people are guarded and sometimes appear to be way down.  But there is a warmth and a genius in these people.  Their potential is like a coiled spring waiting to be released if only they had the opportunity.  I think we are all grateful as a team that we are doing something to help set these people free.


Pastor Wayne and the team

A few photos from the day today:

Selling lunch outside of the clinic.

Students loving to get their hands on the new laptops.

Willem Charles at work (the director of the mission).

A trip to Port Au Prince.

A church in Port Au Prince.

David, well, being David!

Josh got to ride on the truck down the mountain.

Full Day 3 (Thursday)

Hey there friends!

Today was perhaps one of the most exciting of them all. Early this morning our clinic team met with the team from UIC before heading up the mountain. Their group consisted of 21 members, many of them Family Nurse Practitioner's (FNP's) and FNP students. They were an awesome group of people to work with. As we reached the MTM site we saw a line of at least 100 people waiting outside the clinic door. Several of the UIC team members have been to MTM before and so within a matter of 30 minutes we were up and running.

 We saw a vast array of clients including a 6 day young infant, school-aged children, several young mothers and pregnant women,  and even some of the elderly generation. With our basic resources we were able to screen for diabetes, high blood pressure, urinary tract infections, tuberculosis, and provide pregnancy tests. Thanks to the bounty of donated supplies we could supply our clients with antibiotics, hypertension medicine, prenatal and children vitamins, basic hygiene kits, and treatments for intestinal worms and scabies (very common conditions). Another part of our group was incredibly faithful in doing the tedious work of counting out medications and organizing the cluttered pharmacy/donation storage room.

On another front, the team putting the computers together and establishing internet up at the school had a breakthrough. The internet team was able to connect to the web and the first Google search was made from Gramothe village! One small step for our team, one large step for the MTM school. Connecting to the internet will open great opportunities for the students to learn and connect to the rest of the world. Very exciting stuff! The connection to the internet, however, was shorter lived than hoped and so we ask for your prayers that we may create a sustained connection that is reliable. The shop team stayed busy making a beautiful cabinet to store the laptops while others of us installed a number of invaluable programs on all 15 computers.

Our team is feeling in high spirits about what is being done here and rejoice that God has called us to be a part of this awesome work. We look forward to our next 2 days to serve. More stories to follow.

<3 April

Greetings from Haiti!! - Full Day #2

We ended our second full day here at Mountain Top Ministries admiring the shooting stars, praying for what lies ahead, and singing praises to our almighty God.  Today has been filled with a wide variety of activities like yesterday and we look forward to waking up early tomorrow to serve God and the Gramothe community.

Today the Matts and Jay continued to work hard at getting an internet connection from the guest house to Gramothe where the computer lab is on the mountain.  So far an internal network has been created so file sharing can take place but internet connection has not been maintained yet.  The guys were able to simulate an internet connection here at our guest house so they are encouraged that an internet connection should be made quickly tomorrow!!

Jack, Dave, Merv, and Wayne have almost completed the cabinet that will be holding the laptops in the computer lab!  And the workshop is almost unrecognizable after a major spring cleaning - hopefully, it will be a huge help to workers as they are using the shop.  As Claudia was cleaning out the cabinet full of craft supplies in the computer lab, she found an interesting surprise that rats apparently are very intrigued by the wax from crayons and have eaten a hole through the cabinet to get to the box of crayons and devoured them!  (And yes, they do poop the different colors of crayons from eating them...we have evidence!  Gross but true...)

The rest of us did various tasks on the mountain including digging a trench at the new hospital construction site in order to pour concrete and build the hospital walls.  We were able to work alongside of a couple of men from Haiti and communicate as best we can with them as well as with some of the high school students who stopped by.  The high school students were so excited to hear that Bryan is a chemistry teacher and the students were able to explain what they were learning to him.  It's always encouraging to witness a common interest being made between us and the Haitians especially when the language barrier is difficult to overcome.  Esdras is so valuable to our team as our translator!!

Josh and David seem to be thoroughly enjoying their time playing with the other Haitian kids their age climbing walls and flying kites.  The other kids are still enthralled by both of them because Josh is caucasian and David looks like the others but doesn't speak Creole, which is confusing to them.  However, these differences don't keep them from laughing and having a fun time!

Tomorrow is going to be a big day with the medical clinic opening up to the community for the next 3 days.  Justin, April, Claudia, Chelsea, and I will be teaming up with the UIC medical team (Little by Little) who arrived today to provide medical help to the hundreds of Haitians each day who will be traveling from very far distances in hopes to be treated.  We also hope to get the internet fully functioning in the computer lab and finish up the computer cabinet.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!!  We are thankful that everyone is still healthy and trying to stay as hydrated as possible.  We are learning the importance of sunscreen too... :)  (Yes mom, I am sunburnt but I promise I'm using sunscreen!)

Lots of love and hugs to you all,
Bekah & the rest of the crew

First day in Gramothe

First work day up in Gramothe today, and at 7:30 tonight, several of us have already gone to bed and the rest aren’t far behind.  This sunny, hot, work day exhausted us, in a good way.  

We headed up to the village this morning, riding in the back of the pickup trucks.  All the first-timers riding up to the mountain, learned quickly to hold on tight - its quite the steep, bumpy (and also pretty cool to experience) ride.  Once in Gramothe, we split up and worked on various different projects.  School was in session and so while we worked there were usually several curious faces poking their heads in to watch.

Lots of cleaning and prep work happened today.  The computer lab is now clear of any non-working equipment, has been dusted down, and is ready for laptops to be set-up tomorrow.  Dave got a great start on building the laptop storage cart, and Wayne started an impromptu project of cleaning & organizing the woodshop (which, by the way, looks great and will be a huge help for future projects!).  Bryan was our lone- construction worker and spent the morning working away in the hot sun with a group of Haitians working on the floor for a house.  Bryan doesn't speak any creole; the Haitians didn't speak any english and it sounds like there was a ton of laughter shared by all.  (Those of you that know Bryan, know that he had us all laughing tonight recalling his time).  The medical team did some exams this morning on ~20 students and then spent the rest of the day prepping medicine for the clinic that will open later this week.  Esdras has proven to be an incredible translator for us (seriously, incredible - lots of potential stress at the airport yesterday was bypassed due to his help) and got to know many of the kids & others in Gramothe better.

I'll leave you with some pictures and then I'm off to bed too - roosters will start crowing early :-)

Good night,  

Molly & the Team

Claudia, April & Bekah in front of our extraordinarily nice guesthouse.

A Haitian woman in Gramothe.

2 of our computer lab helpers.  The high school students are taking exams this week and so they got out of class early.  These 2 speak english fairly well, and chose to use their off-time helping us out.  Here they are posing with some of the non-working equipment from the lab.

Esdras sorting pills in the clinic.

Dave & Jack working on the laptop cart.

  

Welcome to Haiti!

Bon swa!

We have arrived! Two flights and two time zone changes later we are safe and sound in Haiti.

Our trip started at O'Hare airport at 5:00 in the morning. Our group got through customs and security quickly and had plenty of time to make our morning flight. (Only Bryan and Merv got the extended screening). There was a very pleasant layover in Fort Lauderdale for lunch and then we boarded the plane for Haiti. American Airlines even gave us Toblerone! (Best in flight snack EVER)

At this point in the trip is when things started to get hectic. Upon arrival in Haiti our experience with customs was as Molly called it, "a learning experience". (I admire her positive view). Our team had to step out of line to get new forms after waiting, we had to rent carts to check our luggage, and then on our way out of the airport we were intercepted by people claiming to know our contact. They "helped" us with our luggage and were very forceful about helping. Once we reached the truck we found out they wanted money for their services. Willem, our contact in Haiti, cleared up the confusion and soon we were off driving through Port-Au-Prince.

We drove for an hour through the city and into the mountains. Half of our team was riding with the luggage in the back of a big pickup truck. The damage from the earthquake was apparent in the buildings and the roads we traveled on. Our route through the city went past two tent cities and many areas of poverty. As we drove up the mountain the air grew cooler and the poverty less intense. On top of the mountain we are able to see a beautiful view of the city below.

Now we are settled in at our guest house and resting for the big day tomorrow. Looking at all the projects we are seeking to accomplish this week it is clear that the team is excited but also not knowing exactly what tomorrow is going to look like. We have many unknown variables to work out with our construction on the hospital and building the computer lab.

With high spirits and much prayer there is much good to be done.

Yours,

Bryan and the Haiti team

Computer Lab

One of the main projects we are working on in Gramothe is setting up their school computer lab.  For the past few months, we have been in contact with MTM & their computer teacher to get a basic design and feel for the lab.  We then made a plan, did some research, and set about to create a lab to best suit their students' needs & also work within the environmental constraints.  With the help of our many fundraising partners, we are excited to be able to provide the equipment for the school in Gramothe to have a very modern computer lab. 

This week, two of our team members (Matt & Matt - 2 talented computer techs) have been busy installing software & testing the environment for the computers.  Its been a lot of fun to see things coming together!  

Click on the link below to see some pictures of the work that has been going on this past week.  Next step, is to get this equipment to Haiti and up and running.

Pictures of the computer lab - Stage 1

What will we do there?

In less than a week, our team of 15 people will be heading to Haiti for a week.  We will be staying and working with Mountaintop Ministries (MTM), which is located in an area about 45 minutes from Port-a-Prince.  We will work directly in the mountain-village of Gramothe, where MTM focuses much of their programs & ministries.  There is a lot of amazing life-changing work going on there and we are honored to be able to partner with them.  

This will be Illini Life's first time sending a team to Haiti, and a lot of our focus for this trip will be spent learning more about the Haitian people, Mountaintop, and determining how Illini Life might fit into this picture.  We are hopeful that God will use our team to aid with MTM's efforts, while also being an encouragement to the people of Gramothe. 

From what we understand (things may always change once we get there), our team will be divided into three different groups.

• One group will be helping to set up their school's computer lab & provide training for the equipment.
• One group will be working alongside a Haitian construction team to build a hospital.  
• One group will be partnering with a team from UIC-Chicago to run a medical clinic. 

More details to come once we are on the ground in Haiti :-)  

The pin shows where we will be in relation to the whole country.