Haiti: Day Two

Pastor Jeff arrived safely today, and he and Bob Woodward headed off to their pastor training until Thursday when they will join the rest of the team at the Guest House. We pray for them and the 100 pastors with whom they will be working.

Today was our first day at Vacation Bible School (VBS)! Upon arriving at the church, we were pleased to see that some of the children were already waiting for us on the steps. Their wide eyes and big smiles were an immediate indication that we were in for a fabulous day. Once we settled into the church, the children (ranging in age from 2 to 18) assembled in the pews and started singing. It didn't take us long to recognize the familiar tune of "How Great Thou Art." They were singing in their native tongue of French-Creole in a voice so beautiful it seemed as if it was coming straight from heaven. We sang throughout the day with the help of our Haitian translators, Marc-Anny and Kissmir. For all of you Ohio State fans, you'll be happy to know we taught the children "Hang on Sloopy" complete with the O-H-I-O arm motions!!

Today was a bit unstructured, giving us a chance to spend some wonderful time with the children, singing, dancing, and playing...they got to know us, and we got to know them, too. By the end of the day, they were sitting on our laps, "fixing" our hair, and hugs and kisses were plentiful.

We saw old friends--including Lumere--and had the great blessing to present our gifts to Edzair, the pastor of the church in Duplan--including musical instruments, school supplies, and toys. Dennis and Jennifer Franko also presented a keyboard to Elijah--fulfilling a promise from a previous visit. :)

While we were prepared to serve in a support role, we were pleased to discover that we have the privilege of planning the next 4 days of VBS time with the children. This was truly a blessing; and after developing our plan this evening, we are looking forward to getting started tomorrow!

God's love was shining through the eyes of the Haitian children today, and we know the next 4 days will be filled with great joy, love, and blessings as we continue to serve the Lord on behalf of our church family. God bless.