Haiti

Our church went on a Mission Trip to Haiti several months ago to do some work in the Port-au-Prince area. This area is still dealing with the devastation from the massive earthquake a year ago. While the team was there, they visited an orphanage and that visit has since rocked our church's world. The report they gave when they returned was heartbreaking. These children were living in terrible conditions, dealing with severe malnutrition, lice, worms, etc., etc. The decision was made that something HAD to be done. And WE (our church) were the ones to do it.

Our pastor told the church that a large portion of our Harvest Day Offering in 2010 was going to go toward feeding these 94 children for a year. And not just rice with a few beans once a day like they have been getting. Three full meals a day. Good meals. Meals that will not only satisfy them, but give them the much needed nutrients they are lacking right now. But, this wasn't going to be a small feat by any stretch of the imagination. This will require trips, monthly trips, by church staff and church members to go down there and see to it that the food is purchased and that these children are being fed and cared for. Not only that, but the first trip will be in February to go down there and build a kitchen and a place for these kids to eat their meals. The first team is heading out in a few weeks and it consists of some staff and several men in our church that have building/construction experience. They will build them a functioning kitchen so that they can cook this food that will be provided.

It's SO exciting. To be involved in something so much bigger than ourselves. To know that there's something we can do to help those in need. I'm pumped for and proud of my husband! He's getting his passport and he's joining one of the groups one of these months to go and serve.

Macie picked up a card at church tonight of one of the little girls that lives in the orphanage. She is excited about praying for this little girl. We are trying very hard to teach our kids that it's not all about them. They need to help others. We've been given much and much is required of us. These children need clothing, shoes, vitamins, food and hopefully our church can provide all of those things. And through that, my prayer is that we can also give them what they need more than any of that. Jesus.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.