This week I took yet another trip into Haiti with a team. There were only 7 of us on this trip. To me that is the perfect sized team. It was an amazing week. Let me share a bit of the week with you…..

We landed last Sunday afternoon. Honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have been into Haiti a few times since the Earthquake, and each time has been quite different. This trip was no exception. The airport has totally changed, the process of immigration has changed; but mostly for the better. As we drove through Port au Prince, I noticed more tent villages had sprung up since last time. I began to notice, and would continue all week to notice, the weather worn, wind damaged tents that littered the landscape. It was amazing how quickly some tents are just ripped apart by high winds. Standard tent just aren’t holding up. They provide most folks with about 30 days of viable shelter at best before being destroyed!

But, my primary observation is, there are tons more folks in Port au Prince 5 months after the quake then I have ever seen in the city! People from the surrounding villages have migrated to where the aid is. They are desperate for help, and the city is the primary hub for incoming aid.

Our team hit the ground running on Monday. We went a played with kids at a great orphanage in Santo, just outside Port au Prince. There were 62 kids there and they were amazing. They have all been living in tents since the Earthquake, but seem to be doing quite well despite the challenges. After being there a few hours, I took the team through the heart of Port au Prince. I wanted them to see firsthand the results of the Earthquake. I was encouraged in some ways to see a large amount of rubble removed, and of course the absence of the bodies littering the streets was a great improvement. Much has changed! But, again there were a lot more people in the city than I have ever seen before.

Tuesday and Wednesday the team worked hard at Quisqueya Chapel in Petionville. The guys helped to remove and replace 4 A/C units on the Admin Office for the large church. That was quite a learning experience. Until this week I had never done any HVAC work. Got a new skill under my belt for sure! Both afternoons our team hosted a Youth Camp for the students of the church. We spent hours feeding the crew, playing games, leading worship and more. It was awesome to see our team take the lead and work together so well. I had the privilege of speaking to the students both days. We talked about what Love is and how to make a lasting impact on our world. It was a blast!

Thursday our team went back to the orphanage in Santo. Our task was to complete an outhouse that had been started by a team from Orlando. We worked hard to paint the exterior, build the platform for seats and secure the building for the children. After completing that task, we spent a few hours playing games and laughing with the kids there. That was truly a highlight!

On Friday, I wanted to treat the team to a nice reward for a week of working hard. We loaded up and headed to Wahoo Bay. Wahoo is one of the nicest beaches I have ever been to. When you’re in the midst of the poverty, destruction and craziness of Haiti you often forget you’re in the Caribbean. Needless to say our 3 hours at the beach was a blast.

As I type we are on the plane headed home. I am already planning for the next trip into Haiti. I am praying that God opens doors for us to make an impact and make a change in lives that influences people to fall in love with Jesus!