Haiti Update (Day One and Two)

We are almost at the end of day two and we have finished more than we thought we could accomplish in this time period. Last night some of the members got ambitious and began working on the basketball court. The most amazing part was how invested the Haitians were in helping us take on the task. It has been very hard work. We had to dig the ground down 6 inches through hard rock, tree roots, and concrete. The biggest area we had to dig was 30x16. Everyone pitched in together using pick axes and shovels to get the job done. One of the bigger tasks was removing the broken basketball pole that remained. For hours we worked on the base only to realize the pole was very strong and very deep. I (Joel) began picking up bigger rocks and throwing them at the pole. After about 30 minutes and a lot of help by everyone the pole finally snapped. It was a great victory!

Our team meeting time was met with mixed feelings on the day. Some team members reflected on the new friends they made, some on the drive through town, and some on the work we had accomplished that day. God was most definitely among us and we enjoyed His presence in worship and conversation. The team continues to grow closer together as the day goes on.

Today we continued work on the basketball court and began work on the playground. We finally reached a point today where we were able to start boarding off the areas where we will pour concrete. We also have begun to dig holes for the new basketball hoops. Our timetable for the basketball court is to have concrete poured on Tuesday and hopefully be able to see it in completion before we leave on Wednesday morning. Dan and Aidan began working on the playground. As always, nothing is ever easy in Haiti. They had to use a saw to cut through metal in order to get the right parts in place properly. They were able to get the old pole holding up the slide out and finished pouring the concrete for the new pole late afternoon. Tomorrow the kids will be able to use the new addition to the playground!

This week has been so impacting already and it's only day two! After church tomorrow we are heading to The Citadel which is a historical landmark in Haiti. Pray for us as we continue to go through the week and I will update you all as possible as I can. Although we have established a stronger internet connection, it's still too weak for me to post pictures. I imagine I won't be able to upload any photos this side of the US. Once we get back into the States I'll upload the photos during our long layover in Atlanta.

Thank you for your prayers!

1st John 4:19 - "We love because He first loved us"

Joel