Haiti June 2, 2012

Report by Ali Turner

Today was a long day. Gabriel (our truck) broke down a few days ago. A repairman has been trying to fix it but every time we think it is working and they take it on a test drive, it breaks again. Our plans today were to go to the market place (if the truck was fixed), but it was not. Instead we stayed in the village and painted the pastor’s house, the kindergarten classroom, and two of the well houses. Oh and by the way, we painted each other too. Today, I have learned that sometimes I don’t listen to God. I get so focused on myself and what I need to get done, and I forget that I am not in charge of my life. Once I became a Christian I supposedly gave that up to God. Sometimes we get too busy and think that it is our plan; we have things to do in this world that we have to get done. We do this especially in America, with all our gadgets and distractions. But I think what we need to realize is that we don’t make the plans – God sees everything and has a plan. We don’t have a thing to do or work that has to be done for this world, or in my case, in Haiti. It’s all God’s work, and we are just fulfilling what he has called us to do. James 1:17 says, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” We need to learn to trust, to listen, and to obey God, because His plans and His decisions are perfect – everything about Him is perfect. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Report by Mathew Crutchfield

One long amazing day! It started with the team thinking that we were going to Port au Prince to experience the market, but God had something else in mind. The Lord wanted us to paint the pastor’s house today instead. Paint was spattering everywhere and made us nice and colorful. After the painting was done, we had the pleasure of washing the paint brushes with well water. Adam Downing tried to make a ducktape handle so we could use a bigger bucket for bringing more water up. That didn’t work, it snapped and fell in; so he had to lower me into the well to get it. Don’t worry, Mom, I made it out. During the time we were pulling water up from the well, I thought, Wow! The Haitians do this a couple times a day, every day. I don’t think I could do that. Next in line for the day was helping Cooper build a solar oven. That was fun to make but we haven’t tried it yet. So, all in all it was a great day!