The first
Haiti work trip from the Presbyterian Church of the Roses was a true blessing
for all! Eight people from the Church of the Roses and one from Knox
Presbyterian Church came back with a greater sense of the Holy Spirit’s amazing
grace and new friends as a result of our work with two children’s homes outside
of Port au Prince in the region of Ganthier. We left on March 7th
and returned on the 14th in good shape.
Our team
consisted of: Pastor Cindy Alloway and her daughter, Kathryn Culver
(co-leaders), Pastor Sue Fleenor, David Hansen, Mickey and Don Marshall, Chris
and Liz Rhodes, and Brian Smith. In the Hope House home we created an aquaponic
garden where they will grow many vegetables to feed the 40+ children they have
taken in after the earthquake. (below see the big tank holding the fish with a blue filter tank and piping that
flows the water beneath floating plants in long pools that are located outside the
photo).
At the CAD
home where there are 90+ children, we planted 72 Moringa trees and taught the
children about the precious resource trees are for them and for the world. The
moringa tree is edible and contains all the nutrients one needs in a diet.
Moringa grows well in arid regions and it is even rich in protein. The children
helped us plant the seeds and put chicken-wire fencing around each one to
protect them from the goats. We had a creole translator read to the children a
Shel Silverstein book, The Giving Tree, to help them
understand the precious value of trees.
(illustration from: http://miracletrees.org/moringa_urban_grow.html#growmoringa)
We want to thank everyone who donated to help make this trip
possible. The children were so grateful for the backpacks and school supplies!
We hope to return again to see how the trees and the children have grown! God
calls us to use our many blessings to bless others. The people of Haiti blessed
us far beyond what we were able to give to them. They trusted us with their
love and took extra special care of our whole team as we worked, prayed, and
worshiped with them at the Kwa Kok outdoor church.
God is
good! And we learned that many of the children have Psalm 46 memorized to
assure them of God’s care for each one of them. We suggest all of us do
likewise and memorize the words of this Psalm so we never forget that God is
with us no matter how difficult our lives may be. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Bondye beni nou,”
which means, “God Bless You!” in Haitian Creole.
