From the Field: Haiti Relief & Redevelopment

Haiti Update 3/19/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Pleasant Valley Baptist’s team of 20 arrived yesterday afternoon. After a brief time with our OTV kids and dinner, they were able to verify that KU won, a fact met with satisfaction by some and resignation with others.

VBS activities, loading bunk beds for shipment, agriculture and water well meetings are being worked around the rain and broken vehicles. No problem! Looks like we may already caught a break–as the rain has stopped.

Later today Longhollow’s team of 20 or more come for a night. Your heart to help is so inspiring; your love so infectious. What a privelage to serve with you. We have a busy weekend ahead. More to come.

Haiti Update 3/17/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

His Children

“Can we do something about the kids who don’t have parents? See me after church.” – Sage (age 7)

This note from seven-year-old Sage to the Sr. Pastor at Faith E-Free launched the church’s orphan care ministry, Sage’s Hope. Led by a child’s heart, the question being asked is how, not if, every member of Faith E-Free will help orphans.

Two days ago at the OTV, Pastor Chris walked up to Pierre who had his finger in a pink Bible he carries. Chris decided that he would read to Pierre in English the passage on that page.

“Vindicate the weak and the fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4

God was speaking to Chris through the well-placed finger of a 10-year-old Haitian orphan. No surprise. God loves His children! Seven-year-old note writers, eight-year-old artists, ten-year-old Haitian orphans, thirteen-year-old violinists…He loves to involve His kids in His work…His kids of all ages.

Two of His children that I met this week are Danny and Karen Logan. They’re a successful farming family. They’ve been married for 50 years. They love God and they love their neighbor.

Now in their 70’s, they’ve been to Haiti six times in the last three years. This trip, they slept on the ground for six days, eating military-based MRE’s, and making sure their Haitian brothers and sisters have clean water. Retired? Are you kidding? They’re just getting started! (See picture)

Danny and Karen, Sage, and God’s other children aren’t out to save the world. They just want to help people, because they love them. It’s that simple. The best things usually are.

In Psalm 131, King David said, “I do not involve myself with things too great or too difficult for me. I am like a little child.”

In Haiti, God shows us what King David knew: God loves His children, no matter what their age! And that’s Good News from one of His kids to another.

Haiti Update 3/17/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Haiti Update 3/16/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

This afternoon we’re visiting a Catholic orphanage we’ve supported with food and water in Mayotte. Difficult to find this place, windy roads in the hills; I can’t imagine a UNICEF convoy making this drive.

The damage is extreme (see photo). In fact, it’s tough to look at the living conditions here. We’d love to bring these kids onto our Global Orphan Project Transition Village. However, as you can see with this sweet nun (pictured below), this is home for them. We understand and respect that; so we will help them in the way that blesses them the most.

This type of help (food and water distribution) is a big part of what God is asking us to do right now. In fact, we are helping more than a dozen orphanages feed several hundred children. They are God’s kids and it is an honor to care for them. It is what God has called us to do. It’s what you enable us to do! Thank you!

Haiti Update 3/16/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Questions asked at the OTV

In the back of the truck taking the CO team to the airport and picking up Jimmy and Megan Dodd before heading to a Delmas orphanage (a tough place), then to a meeting about drilling water wells, and back for an afternoon food drop. Just enough time right now to share a few questions being playfully tossed around on a beautiful day in Haiti…

1. Can any team top the love and effort given by Faith E-Free the last five days?

I don’t know…these guys are absolute Champs! They are “all in” for God’s kids. (See video) What a privilege to serve with them!

2. How many rice krispie treats can we eat in one week?

Easy. All of them! How many can you send?

3. Are Joe Knittig and I brothers?

This question has been asked so many times on this trip, I’ve just started saying “Yes.” It’s true enough, at least when looking through God’s eyes.

4. Is Moise Vaval Haiti’s best soccer-playing pastor?

No doubt. The only way we could slow him down was to injure him. A thigh bruise…nothing too serious; we want to keep him in the pulpit. We just needed a little relief from his All-Star futbol skills.

5. Is there a time of day when you can actually get a hot shower?

Yes! And I might tell you when…right before I leave.

Fiesta at Juli’s from The Global Orphan Project on Vimeo.

Haiti Update 3/15/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

I’m sitting beneath Juli’s beautiful mango tree. With its shade and the March breeze, I may have one of the country’s best seats on this sunny day in Haiti.

If it weren’t for the tree, I wouldn’t recognize this place. Three weeks ago it was rubble and shovels. Today it’s beds, rice bowls and smiles. Gift bags from Faith E-Free started a kid-led fiesta. The frenzy has now given way to bubbles, suckers and soccer balls.

Juli is part of our GO Project family now. We love the story God is writing (from earthquake to refugee camp back home), but it is far from finished.

We’re looking at an addition and raising the wall to give this family more space and more security. They need it, and you all make it possible. Thank you! We love you!

Haiti Update 3/15/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Haiti Update 3/15/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Monday morning at the Orphan Transition Village from The Global Orphan Project on Vimeo.

Haiti Update 3/14/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Great day! Church was God-filled this morning. See the blog entry below for more.

Moise and I spent this afternoon with our new friends at Living Water. They have a solar-powered water purification system that will make the most cynical skeptic smile. We were at the launch ceremony of their latest site. I had my first glass of “tap water” in 7 trips to Haiti. Fantastic!

Living Water wants to install another system at Moise’s church and maybe more with other GO Project partners after that. Bottom line: clean water helps people in a big way. Having this system makes the church an even more effective servant leader in the community. Moise and I meet with well diggers on Tuesday, but this is headed in a crazy, good direction.

Then we went to Leogane with Danny, Karen and John from Living Water. I heard Leogane was hit hard by the quake. True. Very true, and sobering, but amidst surreal devastation, we saw hope.

We met Pastor Jean-Claude. He cares for 85 children on probably 4-5 acres of land. His church was pancaked, but was cleared by the Canadian and, get this, Chinese Gov’t as well. Jean Claude needs some help, but he’s doing great work!

God is on the move! GO is feeling called to Leogane. Pastor Jean-Claude is established and caring for God’s kids. The land and location are excellent. We trust God will raise the right partner. He is faithful and active!

All the while, our brothers and sisters from Faith E-Free continue to do the important work…loving God’s kids. Take a look at these pictures. When you figure out who is being a blessing and who is being blessed, please let us know. We’re a bit fuzzy…these kids will make you question a lot…and it’s so good. We love you!

Haiti Update 3/14/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Can’t get enough

What would happen if we got on our knees and prayed for 40 minutes to open our worship service? What would happen if we sang songs of praise with all our heart for 40 more minutes, and then spent another hour in the Word? Some people wouldn’t come…I agree. People concerned with checking the church box, being at the game for kick off, or beating the church across the street to lunch – those people would be gone in a Sunday or two.

But, let me tell you what else would happen. God would receive our small sacrifice of worship, and the power of His Spirit would move in such a mighty way that most “church goers” wouldn’t recognize it. He would free us from the chains of sin. He gives grace to the humble.

Grace. God’s grace. People want that, so much that we’d fill the church….and churches would have a new problem, they’d run out of chairs.

That’s what happened at church today in Haiti. And don’t believe for a second that it wouldn’t “work” in America. The team from Colorado is loving it, as I always do, as you will when you come.

Thank you for worshiping the King with us. We just can’t get enough of Him!

Worshiping at Church in Haiti from The Global Orphan Project on Vimeo.

Haiti Update 3/12/10

From Trace Thurlby live in Haiti:

Called for Today

Zagalo is a strapping 14-year-old young man. He’s from Leogane, an area which felt the full effect of January 12th’s devastation. He came to us yesterday, two months after the quake with one, maybe two fractures in his lower leg. It’s never been x-rayed, but a swollen right foot confirms the break. While ashen skin points to infection, Zagalo doesn’t complain. A local pastor brought him, because he heard we would help. This morning we got Zagalo a place in line at Love a Child for the care he needs, and God willing, should soon receive.

Adrien Lewis helped spring the supply truck at the border yesterday. (Thank you to many of you who prayed that through). With that victory and a strong showing on the soccer field last night, Mr. Adrien (aka Adrun, Edwin) goes home with a “Well done!” from Papa…Edwin-a true servant leader of the King!

Kender and Bertranz left for Cayes this morning, taking yesterday’s border-liberated, Longhollow-supplied tents, food, water, clothes, etc. What a blessing their arrival will be to our brothers and sisters in the flood-ravage south.

The kids here at the OTV, like Jeffrey and DeDe (pictured below sporting their new crocs), have been playing me like a fiddle, while Ben and the other Champs from Faith E-Free in Ft. Collins sing praise songs to Jesus with them! (Picture 2)

More than 50 people from Faith E-Free signed up to come and love God’s kids in Haiti. Ten were selected. Their call to this work is unmistakable and glorious. This makes me wonder if sometimes we neglect the work of the Lord (Love Him with all of our mind, soul, heart, and strength; love our neighbor as ourselves), because we don’t recognize what a privilege it is to represent Him. He allows us to be His hands and feet to a lost and hurting world. Would we serve Him with more zeal today if we didn’t presume that we’d have the opportunity to do so tomorrow?

Just a thought I’m wrestling with as I watch Faith E-Free grab hold of today for the glory of God and to the benefit of His Kids. Thank you for grabbing hold of the privilege with us as well. We love you! We love serving Jesus with you by loving on His kids, today!