Haiti Earthquake Recovery - Adventures In Missions

VIDEO: An Orphan, Cared For.

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Jean-Bernard, 10, was orphaned by Haiti's earthquake. But there is hope for him yet... Hear the story of how an American woman chose to bless a Haitian orphan.

A Look Into Ministry in Haiti-Medical Clinics

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Health is an important concern to most of us. Unfortunately here in Haiti, proper healthcare and nutrition is not always available or affordable. If a team comes down with medical experience, a clinic is a great ministry opportunity for a community.

Many of the problems people come in with are common and easily treatable with over the counter drugs or basic antibiotics.

A lot of the patients are mothers with their children. Malnourishment is common among the children who just need basic nutrition.

Team members with medical experience use translators to communicate with patients to understand their problems and offer diagnosis' and treatments.

One of the most essential elements of doing a clinic is the prayer circle where non-medical participants can pray and minister to the patients.

Every team gets a certain amount of ministry money to serve the community they work in. For a clinic this ministry fund can be used towards buying medicines and over the counter drugs that can be too expensive for some to get.

Teams set up a make shift pharmacy with the supplies they get. Participants with any pharmacy experience are extremely helpful here.

In addition to any necessary medicines, patients may also receive other essential health items such as vitamins, diapers, baby formula, and dental products.

A healthy body is a happy body!

VIDEO: Dance like a Haitian

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A church-to-church team from San Diego visited their partner church in Carrefour, Haiti and learned what it looks like to dance like a Haitian despite the interference of thunderstorms and power loss.

A Look Into Ministry in Haiti-Sports Ministry

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It is probably no surprise that Haitians love soccer. When they are not busy working or at school they are playing or watching it. It is an integral part of their culture. Other sports are not as common here, although they will shoot some hoops or toss a football around. Sports ministry is a great way to connect with people, especially ones who are not likely to come to a church service.

Last week we had a team of 25 participants from an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) group from Schoolcraft, Michigan. They were able to use their sports skills to connect and build relationships with people in a surrounding tent community.

Soccer, as the official sport of the world, is an easy way to make instant connections with people

Once they see a soccer ball, the Haitians come running to play.

The advantage of sports ministry is there is no language or culture barrier. Everyone just wants to have fun and play the game

Though Basketball is not as popular, it doesn't take too long to get a few games going.

This is an intense game: Haitians vs. Americans

At the end of the games is an opportunity for a brief testimony and everyone is invited to church. Good sportsmanship and positive attitudes while you play are important because you are representing Christ.

The littler kids often enjoy doing less physical activities like tossing a football back and forth or throwing the frisbee.

It doesn't matter what sport you play or how you play it. What matters is the relationships that are built and creating opportunities to share the love of Christ with everyone.

A Look Into Ministry in Haiti-VBS

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ministry takes all different forms here in Haiti. There is so much need, and so much to do it's hard to cover it all in one short term trip. Still the teams that come through during their week trips really impact the lives they meet and leave lasting impressions. The following is the first part in a photo-series of a more in depth look at the ministry that we are a part of in Haiti. The first look is VBS.

VBS begins with a series of songs and icebreakers

The children love the hand motions, even if they don't understand the words to the songs. They do their best to learn new English songs.

"Clap a friends hand, clap a hand next to you, clap a friends hand and sing 'Alleluia'"

After singing songs, teams will tell a bible story or teach a memory verse with the children.

Noah and the Ark is a popular story to tell

Acting out all the animals is by far the favorite part of the story.

God's promise to never flood the world again is symbolized by all the colors of the rainbow.

They children spend the rest of the time coloring, doing crafts, and playing with their new friends.

Even the translators and big kids take a break to color

Showing off his beautiful artwork.

The participants and children make some lasting relationships that neither will ever forget.

Spending time with children like this plants seeds that will grow for the rest of their lives. They will always remember the day the American missionaries came to visit, even if they forget your names.

The day is ended by closing in prayer with everyone.

VIDEO: Strengthen the Church. Strengthen Haiti

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Journey Community Church of San Diego, CA and the Church of God Mission by Faith of Carrefour, Haiti are connected through AIM's Church-to-Church Initiative. See what the partnership means to them and learn how your church can get connected with a church in Haiti to help rebuild their country.

Adam's At It Again: Haiti Still Needs Help

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In February, we sent a team of leaders, mostly in youth ministry, to Haiti; they were our Youth Ministry Advance Team: Haiti, or just, YMATH.

This intrepid group not only surveyed the damage and need but was a part of bringing relief and bearing witness to God's increased presence in the midst of -- because of and in spite of -- the tragedy.

One of the members, Adam McLane, is going back five months later. Here's what he has to say:

In some ways I can't wait to go back and see how things are progressing. And in other ways I am scared to go back because I think things are a lot worse.

I've heard mixed reports.

This time, he's taking 19 others, many of whom have not met each other. Here are just three reasons why he's returning to Haiti:

1. While the cameras and celebrities (and the money they bring) have left Haiti, millions remain homeless. Two thirds of the city's residents still sleep on the ground. Can you imagine "camping" for six months, sleeping on the bare dirt, trying to find food every day? The hard work of rebuilding has not begun. This is still very much a relief effort. (emphasis added)

2. The local church is still the primary instrument of relief. My entire adult life I've listened to pastors say, "We just need to move the church back to Acts 2." Well, it is happening in Haiti! And I want to support them however I can. I don't want to sound judgmental, but I openly wonder where those church leaders are who claim they want to see Acts 2 in their communities. If they were serious, they would be in Haiti.

3. The situation for the orphans and widows is dire. Last week the New York Times published a beautiful piece about a young girl named Daphne. You should read it; it's a story of hope and despair. As you read it, ask yourself what I have been asking myself, "Why aren't believers telling these stories to churches?" I hope to meet some Daphne's and tell you their stories.

"Rome wasn't built in day," they say, and the clich holds true for this nation. There is progress, however slow: more rubble gets cleared from the roads and students have been going back to school. Haiti will be reborn and rebuilt; it is just a question of when.

To hasten the movement from relief to recovery, we need the church in America to commit to partnering with the church in Haiti for the long-haul. Haitians are turning to God in increasing numbers, drawing upon the local church for sustenance; the pastors are like Moses and they need extra hands to hold up their arms as they seek the Lord on the country's behalf.

Here's how you and your church can do that.

Video 2 of 2: Delivered from Demons in Haiti - Nehemie's Story

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

14-year-old Nehemie continues telling the testimony of how she was delivered from voodoo, thanks to the spiritual intercession of Pastor David Douchard and others in their community in Carrefour, Haiti.

Video 1 of 2: Delivered from Demons in Haiti

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In Nov. 2009, Pastor David Douchard hosted a seven-day conference at his church in Carrefour, Haiti. The lives of three teenage girls were changed by Christ because of that conference and the spiritual intervention that happened afterwards. Hear the story of how three girls were delivered from demons (see part two here).

The Son of God Orphans

Fri, 9 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Son of God Orphanage is home to 124 children, taken in by Pastor Max and his wife. They have seven helpers and are always in need of food and supplies. These are just some of the faces that are being helped and are given the opportunity of a brighter future.

Video: Haiti Rubble Removal Obstacles

Thu, 8 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Much of Haiti is still buried under rubble. The government is working to remove it from the main roads, and more disappears every day. But for many Haitians living in the back streets, removing rubble from their homes is their own responsibility, cost and effort. Learn more and see one unique way missions teams are able to serve Haitians.

Medicine for Orphans

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

AIM staff delivered six suitcases worth of donated children's medicines to Son of God orphanage, which is run by a pastor who is also a doctor.

Video Story: Educate the church. Educate Haiti.

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Haiti's public school system is only able to provide free education for about 10% of Haiti's children, according to USAID. Learn how the church is responding and how we can support the church in their efforts to educate the children of Haiti.

World Race Parents Experience a Trip for Themselves

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

After hearing of their children's experiences on the World Race, Sue and Don Brensinger and Donna Morgan felt the call to come to Haiti on an AIM short term trip. The hope and passion of the Haitian people impacted these three, encouraging them to impact their communities back home in America.

School Reopens in Leogane

Fri, 2 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Remember The College Frere La Rochecafould -- the school in Leogane that was completely destroyed in the earthquake, yet none of the students were harmed?

The pastor told us that if he could just get the supplies he could get a team of people to rebuild the school. (If you need a refresher, you can find the story here and see the video interview with Pastor Ambroise.)

Friday I was able to catch the last few minutes of a class in session. A little over a month after we first met with Pastor Ambroise classes resumed at the school.

Mounds of rubble and debris have been removed and in some places leveled. There are two brand new buildings on the property constructed this time of lumber and tin. New chalkboards adorn the walls already dusty and covered with the letters and numbers from a recent lesson taught, while rows and rows of new wooden desks wait in expectation of their pupils' arrivals.

There are currently 42 teachers voluntarily working since the school cannot afford to pay them. Before the earthquake the school provided food and water for its students but they do not have the funds now.

Regardless of set backs, they are still moving forward. From the information we could gather there are about 250 students in class every morning from 7:00 to noon (7:00-11:00 on Fridays) and another 250 older students in the afternoons.

Below are a couple of videos from my most recent visit to the school grounds.

How Can We Pray for You? (A Photo Blog)

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When you ask a Haitian, "What do you need?" more often than not they don't say food, or a house, or a job, they ask for prayer. After picking up on this a youth group team decided to take their ministry to the streets in Port-Au-Prince and ask anyone and everyone, 'How can we pray for you?"

How can we pray for you?

Some Haitians joining in on some worship as the team walked the streets asking what people needed prayer for. Many simply asked that God would bless their lives.

Once school let out, many children came asking for prayers as well.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." -James 5:16

Video testimony: "I was born blind"

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A Haitian Christian shares his testimonies of healing!

I Saw What I Saw And I Can't Forget It

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Lesa Close came to Haiti on a short term team a couple of weeks ago. Below is a glimpse of her experience in her own words.

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." -James 1:27

A man came to know the Lord this week, and needed an English Bible rather than Creole, because he spent many years in the U.S. and speaks English better than Creole. So I gave him mine. No hesitation. This week I realized that I am rich...I may not have a job, I may feel poor, but I am rich...and I have 4-5 Bibles of my own, and this man had none...

Our team was able to prayerfully decide how to bless our community with a budget of $2,000, and we decided to give rice and beans to the Pastor to distribute, as well as to buy wood and other roofing supplies so that they could put a roof on their cinder-block and tarp church. The food was delivered under the cover of darkness (we felt like it was a mafia deal, LOL) for safety reasons, and the building supplies were delivered to the church to their complete surprise. It was SO awesome to be able to give to them! They only had two tarps covering their church when we came that week, and we added more to that (picture below) before deciding to give them the supplies to build a real roof.

Friday night, Pastor Theodore's church wanted to have a "thank you" service for us...and it was so amazing. They worshiped, a choir sang for us, they prayed for us, and a few of us shared how this week had impacted us. The love between believers is astounding, and surpasses even language barriers! It was so hard to say goodbye...

My life has been changed by this week, in ways that I probably don't even realize yet. We experienced so much, saw so much...

The song by Sara Groves, "I Saw What I Saw" has even more meaning now...

I saw what I saw and I can't forget it
I heard what I heard and I can't go back
I know what I know and I can't deny it

Something on the road, cut me to the soul

Your pain has changed me
your dream inspires
your face a memory
your hope a fire
your courage asks me what I'm afraid of
(what I am made of)
and what I know of love

Haiti is a country filled with joy, hope, love, determination, and peace...despite the media's portrayal. And I am encouraged, inspired, and ready to advocate for them! :)

The following video highlights some of what Lesa and other team members saw and will never forget:

Ministry Meets Large Mob: Normal Day in Haiti

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It was a normal Haitian afternoon with the air boiling and people seeking refuge in the shade. Part of the team was inside a white tent, designated for our purposes as a medical tent. Wounds were being cleansed and redressed. Stomach aches were being soothed with medicine. The touch and care deprived were given full attention, even if for only a few short minutes.

Gathered outside the tent were many, many more. Some were simply waiting in line, anxiously awaiting in hopes we could help. Others were gathered around those praying for healing for the many cases we were untrained to handle. It was a lot of people.

Unknown to the team, in the midst of a normal day of ministry, a "large mob" had been sighted. The alert was sent out and help was on its way. Team member Lindsey Webb recounts the afternoon's events here:

It was the last day of the week and we were in the middle of doing a basic needs medical clinic at the tent community. I was standing at the entrance of the tent doing "triage" when a UN truck came down the tiny dirt road. In passing it occurred to me that it was a bit odd but I didn't really think about it, that is until another truck pulled up... and another... and another... and another.

Humvees and troop vehicles of various shapes and sizes clogged the lane beyond the wall. Then they stopped and got out.

Still in the process of trying to decipher symptoms of vaguely ill patients, I assumed Mark or another staff member was standing beyond the large group crowded around the entrance of the medical tent and that one of them would take care of whatever was going on.

They kept pouring out of the trucks: the Haitian police, the French gendarmes, the Sri Lankan military, a Haitian UN force leader, and a random Chinese guy (I'm still not sure what he was doing there). They didn't seem too anxious or upset, but they were all carrying automatic weapons and beginning to casually encircle the gathered crowd.

The Haitian commander started walking through the crowd and heading for the tent. He greeted us with a pleasant "Bonjour!" I returned the greeting and he asked if I speak French. I said I did and he smiled and peered around me to see what was going on in the tent.

"You're just doing a bit of first aid?" he asked.

I told him yes, and explained the nature of the few services we were providing at the moment.
"Oh that's very good! You know...I have this pain in my back..." he said, turning and pointing to his shoulder, "I really could use some treatment for that. Of course, it can only be treated by a pretty young woman!"

He grinned mischievously. I took a look at his back, and shook my head, told him there was nothing I could do and he was probably going to die. Then everyone, AK-47-toting troops included, burst out laughing.

We chatted for a few minutes he asked what group we were with and asked if we felt safe. They had noted the large mob of people clustered for our medical clinic and had been concerned about a possible security issue. I assured him that we hadn't had any problems and everything was going smoothly. He kept thanking us for our service and our desire to help the people of Haiti and saying how appreciated it is.

He went off to take a look around the community while they were there, leaving most of the police and soldiers waiting at the front, joking,smiling and waving at us. After about twenty minutes the commander returned, thanked us again and wished us a good continuation as the group loaded up and rumbled back up the dusty road, leaving us to bandage wounds and pass out toothbrushes.

It just goes to show that you just never know what may happen during a "normal" day in Haiti.

Rebuild the church. Rebuild Haiti.

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Pastor Jean Claude Belchet is one of the many pastors involved in AIM's Church-to-Church initiative. Hear his story of surviving the earthquake despite heavy losses in his family, and hear how the needs of the church relate to the needs of the country in the video below.

Haiti in a Photo Blog

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Presidential Palace that was flattened during the January 12th earthquake.

Talking to some locals in front of the Presidential Palace. They shared with us their experiences since the earthquake. Many are looking for jobs and of course, food and more permanent shelter.

Signs of revival are everywhere in Port Au Prince. This crisis has brought thousands of Haitians to God. They can be heard singing his praises daily.

Coming home to family under tarps.

Pastor Wilnaord is one of the pastors that is in AIM's church-to-church program. The goal is to pair up a Haitian church with an non-Haitian church to encourage and support each other.

Pastor Wilnaord's church also has an elementary school attached with it. These children are privileged to go to school because there is no public school system in Haiti.

Pastor Edward is another pastor in the church-to-church program. We met with him inside his church to hear his vision for his church and how God is moving in his congregation.

Praying and encouraging pastor Edward after we met with him.

Supplies for the Son of God Orphanage

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"We have been praying for years for mattresses."

That one sentence has remained in my mind for the past week, floating around and resurfacing, calling me to ponder .

Last Wednesday, after two days of searching Port-Au-Prince and negotiating with vendors for the best price, three trucks loaded down with 46 mattresses and one baby bed arrived at the Sons of God Orphanage in Carrefour. The answer to years of prayers for those who care for the 124 children residing there.

Benny Veale recounts some of the reactions to Wednesday's delivery in his blog, below are a few quotes:

These kids were overjoyed! We were mobbed with smiles and hugs.

We prayed a blessing over the orphanage and played quickly with them. A week earlier we had stocked them up pretty well with food and water...However, as I stood there, Pastor Max and wife came up to me brimming...He held back tears and was speechless as she started talking once again with me. In all honesty I don't even remember everything she said because I felt like there was one thing after another that just hit me in the gut...

"We've been praying for YEARS for mattresses..."

"The government keeps giving us trouble and trying to shut us down because we don't have proper places for kids to sleep..."

"I'm not going to be able to sleep for a week..."

"We need to have a feast tonight and Thank God..."

Word after word of thankfulness exuded out of them as I choked back tears. I had two little boys clinging to me. One man who helps take care of the kids came up to me in sheer delight that we had even thought to bring a baby bed for the little girl that normally has to sleep on the stone table..."

Friday the team returned and further blessed the orphanage with school, craft and personal hygiene supplies. Since Pastor Max is also a doctor running a medical clinic among the provisions was a bag full of band aids, vitamins, antibiotics, gauze, and other first aid supplies.

Below is a clip from Friday's supply drop.

Meet Geftay and John or Why People Give

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Mark Oestreicher has gone on trips with Adventures In Missions for years. Most recently he has been working with AIM in Haiti and he recently wrote this post on the work he is doing with AIM. He allowed us to re-post it. The original article can be here.

I think I miscalculated something. Please hear me on this: what I'm about to explain is not an attempt to guilt anyone or manipulate. I thought about how I should write about this, and realized that my blog isn't about spin, and that I should just say what's on my mind. So here it is, my miscalculation...

I thought it would be super easy to raise $35,000 for AIM's Church-to-church program. I think (and thought) it's such a unique and revolutionary approach to long-term help for Haiti. And I think (and thought) people would be quickly "in" on helping finance that kind of thing, particularly when the funds we were trying to generate are for the express purpose of providing the salaries of a few Haitian church leaders.

But, man, I miscalculated. so far, our efforts have brought in a total of about $750 (plus a $3500 offering taken at my own church a week ago), even though we've had tens of thousands of blog readers and radio listeners hear about it. Some of our team think people in the US have "Haiti fatigue". That may be true; but I've been very pleased with the response to the church partnership program in terms of interested churches (this was the very successful part of our trip there this past week). I can already tell that the partnership my own church has formed will be transformational for both churches. So, I'm not completely convinced it's a "Haiti fatigue" issue.

What I'm wondering is: Did we talk about it in the wrong way?

I was (finally) reading Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide on the plane ride home sunday (iIbought the book on kindle back when it came out, but my wife short-cut me on it, and it fell out of my 'to read' cycle). The authors mentioned, at one point, research that shows what people are more likely to give to: the research showed that people will give to a real person who's story moves them much more than they will give to a program, even if the program is very promising in terms of impacting the lives of hundreds or thousands. And it struck me: we'd talked about the concept of church to church, and how it will bring sustainable change in Haiti; but we'd failed to tell the stories of the few church leaders we're hiring in Haiti to run it.

So, let me introduce you to Geftay and John, two of the three (the other is Samuel, but I didn't get to know him as well). Geftay and John were two of our translators on our first trip to Haiti in February. but now, on this return trip, they are basically the Haitian hands-and-feet (and heart!) of this program. They're amazing young leaders, with big hearts and ready smiles. they love the church and their country, and they're 100% committed to standing in the middle of God's kingdom flow, God's restoration work in Haiti.

Every day, Geftay and John are working long hours, meeting with Haitian church leaders, discerning needs and hearts. they're the guys who are able to give us the insight on which pastors have a heart for their communities (rather than a heart for building their own kingdoms). They're leading discipleship groups of Haitian pastors. They're providing leadership for work sites (for groups coming down to help). They have shown absolute integrity, and have proven that they're not in this for their own gain.

At one point on the trip, I had a chance to chat casually with John. He told me why he's had to postpone his wedding: he can't get married until he has a place to move with his future wife. But the house he was in the midst of building was destroyed in the earthquake. so he's starting all over again (though he doesn't currently have any money to do so).

Geftay is an architect, who is putting his training into the service of God through his work in the church to church program. Both guys lost the jobs they had due to the earthquake (as pretty much everyone in Haiti also did - this is one of the most significant problems there today, resulting in a complete lack of resources for basis life needs, like food). but they're not involved in the church to church program merely because they need employment -- this is missional stuff for them. I get the sense that they would do it whether they were being paid or not.

Here's my sense of Geftay and John: both of these guys will be key leaders in the Haitian church over the next decade (or more). Both of them are clear-minded leaders, but with humble hearts. They're value-driven, passionate and articulate, but they listen more than they talk (a leadership trait I often lack). They understand suffering at a deeper level than I ever will, and bring that compassionate leadership to every interaction (whether with a Haitian or an American).

It wasn't until we were halfway through our week there that i realized that Geftay and John (and Samuel) are the three Haitian church leaders we were trying to fund with this giving project. For me, the whole thing moved from a great concept to a wonderful personal story.

So, again - no manipulation or guilt from me; I'm not interested in using those tools and, I think this is probably the last time I'll ask here on my blog. But, if you'd like to support Geftay, John and Samuel, in their desire to connect Haitian churches with non-Haitian churches, for long-term restoration in Haiti, here's the link.

Geftay, John and Samuel are paid $10/day. they work 6 or 7 days a week, every week. If you give $10, you can cover a day; or $30 will cover all three of them for a day. Give $60, and you'll cover one for a week; $180 covers all three for a week. or, go big: about $300 covers one for a month; or $900, all three of them for a month.

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A Thank You to Ktadb

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ktadb, one of the hundreds of tent cities in Port au Prince, is at once the poorest place I've been, as well as the richest. It's an ugly, sad place filled with beauty and joy. This community of 3,500 should be drowning in despair, but instead, there is faith.

When my AIM team arrived, four and a half months had passed since the January 12^th earthquake. As far as we knew, no one had been to Ktadb to distribute supplies during that time. There were almost 600 shelters there, but not a single tent or any tarps in sight. All of the shelters were built with sticks lashed together and covered with whatever cloth was available: sheets, tablecloths, even old pants or skirts stitched together. Lucky families got to sleep on piles of broken cinderblocks. Those less fortunate slept on cardboard or right on the dirt that quickly turns to mud during the rainy season.

After spending a week in Ktadb, getting to know the residents, I found there was much more to discover beyond the harsh realities of daily life.

There is joy. It's pure and overflows from the people, particularly the children. One of the first kids I met was a young boy, probably 8 or 9 years old, named Aiti. He and his friends (Dennison and Kobe Jean) were working, carrying a bucket of empty bottles when I stopped them to say hi, introducing myself in halting Creole and asking their names. From then on, every time I was in the camp, Aiti ran up and grabbed my hand. His face lit up when I recognized him-just a kid, overjoyed to have a new friend.

Time and again, I experienced touching displays of hospitality. Women pulled weeds from in front of their shelters or brushed away loose dirt from the ground when we visited. Chairs and stools materialized from thin air for us visitors to rest on while we talked. One student, Yvelise-a community leader who's studying to become a gynecologist-invited us into her home, which was still standing, and shared two coconuts with us. There were only four left hanging from the tree.

We met an older man-his name escapes me now-who lost a son in the earthquake. His family, like so many others, was still grieving the loss. But through everything, he told us he thanks God every day for life. At a different point, we asked a woman if we could pray for her, and she told us, "Prayer is my food." She probably hadn't eaten in days. Both of these people exhibited intense faith even an earthquake couldn't shake.

Twice during the week, impromptu worship services started up in the middle of the camp. Dozens gathered to clap, dance, and sing. The AIM team sang in English, the Haitians sang in Creole, and together we worshipped the same God. When I read in the Bible about giving praise in all circumstances, I never thought I'd be singing in a place like Ktadb.

When my friend Doug and I packed up to go to Haiti, we filled bins with over 300 pounds of supplies (thanks to the generosity of our church, friends, and family). We flew down loaded with tarps, tools, and school supplies. As we checked all the gear at the airport, I couldn't help but feel like I was part of the solution. I was going to spend my week helping Haiti. I was there to help the people of Ktadb.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

The people of Ktadb helped me.

They helped me see what joy really is-and that it doesn't matter what your house or clothes look like. Through them, I learned about faith that goes far deeper than the surface level I'm used to living on in the States. That's what comes when you have to trust God for everything, literally everything, you have.

Throughout the week, I found myself constantly thanking the people in Ktadb for the privilege of knowing them, praying with them, and helping them rather than the other way around. With each interaction, the debt I felt grew. I couldn't thank these beautiful people enough.

In writing this post, I'm saying thank you once more. But it's still not enough. Even though we delivered 200 tarps, dropped thousands of dollars worth of food, passed out boxes of school supplies, and gave away all kinds of sporting goods and toys, I don't feel like we're even. If I said thank you to Ktadb a million times in a million ways, it still wouldn't cover the debt I owe. I brought supplies, but they showed me Jesus right there in middle of that dirty field and meager shelters. They gave His love to me, and I'll never forget that.

(If you'd like to donate to the relief efforts for Ktadb, click here and write "For Ktadb" in the memo line. Just $30 will purchase a high-quality tarp to create a better home for a family in need.)

Young Haitian Delivered from the Hands of a Witch Doctor: Part Two

Tue, 8 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A team in Port-au-Prince had the opportunity to be the will of God by bringing his kingdom right into a tent home. This is the story of Evansbord and his mother, and how God did a miracle in their lives.

Meet Pastor Wilnord Pierre

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Pastor Wilnord Pierre is one of the many pastors in AIM's Church-to-Church Initiative. He also runs a school under a tarp where about 90 children attend each day. He shares about his church in the aftermath of the earthquake

To find out more about how your church can be a part of rebuilding Haiti by supporting a Haitian church community, go here.

Helping the Sick

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

AIM short-term teams in Haiti have many opportunities to serve the people in a variety of ways. One team met a woman, Nadi, who had a severe infection on her chest. Out of concern for the woman and her nursing baby, Ishnadi, the team and AIM staff took them to the hospital for diagnosis. Here's the story:

The Displaced People of Haiti: Video

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've shared a number of videos put together by Ian Robertson. Below is another one from the three days of prayer and fasting in Haiti. While this occured shortly after the earthquake, the attitude in Haiti remains the same.

Food & Tarp delivery

Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

AIM staff and a short-term team purchased and delivered one and a half truckloads worth of rice, beans and tarps to a church in need in the Port-au-Prince area.

Haiti in Photo

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Beyond the destruction that caught the eyes of the world...

Beyond the endless mounds of rubble, rebar, dust and destroyed homes...

In the midst of the city chaos...

There is resiliency....

There is joy...

THERE IS HOPE!

Photos edited by Kim Daniels