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Mar 13 2012
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Haiti

Morning:Afternoon:Evening

Morning: Awoke to another beautiful day in Haiti and we were especially excited because we get to have Sunday worship in church with the children today. Started the day off well with pancake and bacon breakfast (kudos to the cook – Mike Morris) at the guest house before we left for the orphanage at 8:00am. On the way to the orphanage in Jeremie, we drove through local neighborhoods passing and waiving at the locals that were waiving at us as well. Along the road, we saw some families in their Sunday best walking to their local church, some people riding their pack mules, some women carrying large baskets or containers on their head, a family completely naked bathing next to the street at the neighborhood water spicket, passing a UN (United Nations) compound and several UN vehicles along the way, and we stopped to buy cell phone minutes from a local house on the side of the road that had a flag hanging on one of their trees signifying they were a Digicell representative. Driving up the mountain of the orphanage is always a challenge for the bus but we made it again today as we sang our traditional chant/song of encouragement — “Ole’, Ole’, Ole’ …”.

Sunday morning church service was a treat to see how the Haitians worship. They decorated their church building with flowers, cloth wrappings around the support columns and the podium. The Haitians were dressed up in their finest clothes. They are very reverent yet passionate as they love to sing, dance and raise their hands in praise (seems genuine praise is universal in how it is expressed). They have a small choir of the older children and some adults, and also a band with drums, bongos, keyboard and guitar. After the music minister was done with praise, Dou Dou (our body guard, bus driver, translator and friend) spoke briefly, recognized Long Hollow Church being present and introduced Brian Jackson who spoke to the congregation about how Haiti and the orphanage has changed his life and has deepened his faith. It was very touching and brought many of us to tears. The kids were so orderly and stayed in their pews until after the offering at which time they got up and came to sit with us (next to us or in our laps) for the rest of the service.

Lunch: After church service, we spent time loving on the children for a while before heading back to the guest house for lunch and to change into play clothes to come back to the orphanage. As usual, some of the local boys from the neighborhood surrounding the guest house were waiting for our return outside of the gate. Before we ate lunch, some of us walked down to the ocean with these boys to watch them swim. It was beautiful seeing the waves crash on the rocks and fill up the swim holes that the boys would wade and swim in. The boys were so nice and polite. They held our hands, guided and walked us down the rocky cliff to the beach. We enjoyed talking and laughing with them as they swam.

Afternoon: After lunch, we went back to the orphanage to spend the afternoon. Played hard all day with the kids (soccer, threw football, parachute game, hopscotch, patty-cake, thumb wrestling, karate, tossing children up in the air, piggy-back rides, chasing each other, etc.). Watched children be creative by sliding down a concrete hill on a plastic gas can while the day before it was a garbage can. Anything they find they think of ways to use it.  While many want you to play hard, some just want to be held and loved on. I had both a girl and a boy today fall asleep in my arms as I held and sang to them. While kids are playing, the house moms are hand washing the kids and their own clothes. You may see clothes, underwear and bras hanging from bushes, trees, on lines or laid on top of tin roofs. As you look around, you will see and hear livestock throughout the campus (goats, roosters, chickens, turkeys). The children’s late lunch/early dinner today was special. We had given them bouillon cubes to add a broth/sauce on top of their normal corn and rice mush meal. They loved it!  They loaded up their mush into whatever container they could find (pan, bowl, plastic butter cup, upside down frisbee, etc.  Some of them take their meal back to their housing bed area and sit on the floor and eat. Many of them eat with their hands while some shared spoons. Was invited to their room to come spend time with them while they ate. Breaks your heart seeing their living conditions — steel bunk beds three rows high with 15 beds in one little room. Yet at the same time, my heart was warmed by the selfless gestures of hospitality from these precious children as they offer to share their meal with me. Children that have nothing, often hungry and food is scarce — thinking of others and not just themselves. I could not help but hug and pat them and let them know how proud I was of them for their sincere gesture. Just another example of how they are being raised well by the Biblical teachings of the orphanage. Got to see a photo of the kids in their school uniforms and was told of how orderly they are as they line up to go to class and gather to raise the flag and say their pledge of allegiance.  Late afternoon we were invited to attend the local community concert/play fundraiser at the orphanage church. We had kids in our laps sitting in the pews loving on us and us on them while we laughed together. It was such a joy to see them belly laugh all through the show.

Evening: After the concert, we went back to the guest house to clean up and then Pastor Dony’s house for dinner. We had chicken, beef, rice, pasta, beans and fried plantains. Pastor Dony’s father was a special guest tonight at dinner. He was in from Miami to teach other pastors at the university on a series he was teaching on Revelation. Being Sunday night and because his father is a local legend pastor, he was the guest speaking pastor at the local church tonight. After the team dinner, everyone went to clean up and get back into church clothes to attend the evening service. It was an incredible service with both an excellent praise & worship time and a great message. After the service, the team then came back to the guest house to prep for our next day bible study and craft activities for the children, discuss the next day agenda, and have our team time devotion to wrap up the evening. Thinking of how nasty our feet and the children’s feet were from the dusty/sandy environment, it made me think about how our Lord humbled himself and served his disciples by washing their feet. This inspired a foot washing for the team as an act of love and appreciation for their servant leadership. The team also had a special prayer time for Gerald to be healed of his sickness that he has been struggling with for two days now. We are hoping he feels better in the morning and does not need to fly back home early. The night ended with the team completing the craft art pieces for the next day’s lesson plan. We are all excited to start the week long bible study plan (“The Haiti Love Lesson”) and have been blessed by Robyn’s leadership, passion for children’s ministry and application of her spiritual gifts and abilities. Monday will surely be a great day!

-Troy West

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Mar 12 2012
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Haiti

A day in Jeremie: March Team Update #2

Well, we’ve ended our first full day in Jeremie with nothing but smiles! After a good nights rest, we woke up excited to get back to see the kids. We got to the orphanage around 9 (after walking up the hill since Dou-Dou just couldn’t make it all the way up!) and were welcomed by familiar faces and lots of hugs! Gerald started things off with about 30 minutes of worship and taught the kids a new song that will hopefully be picked up within a few days. After that, we all dispersed and hung out with the kids until noon, and then we headed back to the guesthouse for lunch. We were able to make a second trip back after lunch to spend more time with those sweet faces!  A parachute (one of those colored ones used for games) was found and was taken to the orphanage and the kids loved it! They all sat underneath while we waved it above them. As Robyn puts it “hiding and fighting” because every time we raised it up the kids just had to punch someone before it fell down again! A game of duck duck goose was also miraculously put together and worked out for a good ten minutes before the kids decided they all wanted to be the duck. A memorable moment was when Tyler put a camera on Pegi’s head and let him walk around getting footage! Hilarious. We had dinner at Dony’s house again tonight, and of course, it was delicious. Absolutely loving this Haitian food! Group time tonight was great, lots was shared and brings our team together even more!!  God has done it again; put a team of wonderful people together with amazing talents and a love for these kids like no other! So excited for church in the morning, and what He has in store for the rest of the week.

-Caroline Bateman

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Mar 10 2012
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Haiti

WITHOUT ANY INFRA-“SCRIPTURE” WE’LL BECOME AN IMPOVERISHED STATE.
we’ve just finished our first day in haiti.
we left this morning at 6am… got here this afternoon and after dropping off our stuff… we couldn’t wait to see the kids.
when we landed in port au prince and started driving through the city to the next airport, i was struck by something…
it was crowded, broken down, trash here and there, dirty… but i thought it was beautiful. because there were palm trees.
palm trees=childhood=home. but it also looked terrible.
this made me think of God… and us.
we have so much stuff in our lives, so much rubble, junk, things we cling too, ditches, broken down-ness: yet GOD … thinks we are beautiful. He sees us as his treasure. like the palm trees in the middle of port au prince.
then… we rode on a smaller plane to get to Jeremie.
as we looked out to watch for the orphanage, we talked about what a beautiful place Haiti is.
He said that it’s a beautiful place, without any infrastructure, so they can’t grow and get past their impoverished state.
That made me think about how true that is of us… no matter what you look like on the outside, without any infrastructure (or infra-scripture) we will become an impoverished and ailing state.
We spent two hours-ish hanging with the kids. They were thrilled to see us and reaching out with wild abandon for any shred of love we were willing to share. Do we ever seek God’s love that desperately, I wonder?
There will be way more to say and share about these kids as the week goes on.
We are safe. sound. sleepy. and totally stoked to be in Haiti, for a time such as this.
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Mar 09 2012
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Haiti

Spring Break Haiti Mission Trip: Vanderbilt Who U With

Below are CJ Rhoades pre-trip thoughts in poem form:

young and fruitful, their spirit shined
dirty and terrified, their bodies broken
young and restless, my spirit wonders
fresh and excited, my body’s shaking
-CJ Rhoades
Junior Soccer Player
Vanderbilt
On Friday afternoon a group of college students decided to sacrifice their Spring break to go serve in Haiti. We arrived in Jeremie, Haiti around 12 o’clock and were shuttled by Dou Dou, who would become our official mission guide to getting around Haiti.  Since our arrival we have been blown away by God’s presence. The orphans and people around Haiti have taught us more than we have taught them. I believe that we all came with different intentions in what we wanted to take away from the trip, but God helped us forget about our intentions and focus on his.  If there is something that I have taken away, it’s that God wants us to throw our schedules away and focus on trusting in his perfect plan for our lives. We make our lives so busy and believe that time holds us in the palm of its hand, and in a way we worship the busyness above the God that created us.  Just think if we took time out of our lives to just look around and listen for God to talk to us in the mist of all the chaos.  God desires and longs for our undivided attention, and we owe him that because of what he did on the cross.  Overall, the experience has been mind blowing and I can’t wait to come back.  My prayer is that the orphan children would grow up strong both physically and spiritually and find that they have a Father in Heaven that loves them unconditionally.
Ryan Fowler
Junior Football Player
Vanderbilt
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Feb 21 2012
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Haiti

Updated Photos: New Cafeteria in Jeremie Haiti


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Jan 26 2012
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Haiti

Everything Changes When You See God: January Haiti Trip

By: Annemarie Williams

I’ve been back a few days and the post-Haiti process still continues. There are so many thoughts in my head at one given moment-I’m trying to adjust yet desperately trying to hold onto all the memories from last week, while struggling to make sense of both worlds. I find myself looking thru all of our team pics and video, just to make sure I don’t forget a face or what happened last week.

To be part of a team is always special. To be a part of team that is hand-picked by God is divine- even “Super Veto” as we like to call ourselves. We each heard the call to GO, made the effort and preparation to do so, and then made ourselves available to see and do God’s work. And we had a blast doing it. But let me tell you, that first day at the orphanage was just downright hard. It was not what I pictured at all. After leaving, the week’s tasks seemed simply insurmountable and I felt overwhelmed and defeated. How in the world was there enough to make them feel loved in one week’s time?  How could we do anything to make a difference with all they were facing in their environment? Encouragement from experienced team members and staff got us thru to another day. In particular, I remember Dan telling us that we can’t do everything, but we are called to give a cold cup of water. Okay Lord, be my water source and let me splash some of you on them.

The next day started with VBS and it was wonderful. To get to sing and dance with the kids thru praise and worship in a church built through Crazy Love was incredible and surreal. It gave intense focus for what we were there to do. Afterwards I still felt nervous, but God-charged for the day. The planner part of me struggled to just slow down and not be in charge of countless activities (most of which won’t work in this environment anyway.) But God kept pushing me to slow down. Later, I remembered a neighbor had sent soccer balls with me and I suggested to my group that we play soccer. Valierre’ in particular was thrilled at the idea to kick some balls around. It was during this time that God said “See, you can do this. You have 2 boys of your own and you know how to kick balls in the backyard. That’s all he really wants to do to.” It was just downright fun. God had given me a piece of his confidence to keep me pressing on towards the goal of showing love.

The third day we held a clinic for minor cuts, blisters, boo boos, etc. We were so excited about doing this. I was the waiting room attendant trying to keep children that are nervous and excited in one general area. God reminded me that when you are the waiting room you color and I just happened to have a backpack full of coloring books. It was magical and we all loved it! Our last patient was 4 year old Delsen. He had a distended belly which Erica quickly diagnosed as worms. He also had a fever. We used our mama skills to try and get the chalky meds down and it was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Not liking medicine is universal among kids! In those moments my heart connected with him and I became concerned for him like one of my boys. I spent a lot of time holding and carrying him around the rest of the week and one night I had the privilege of holding him for several hours while he slept thru movie night. He is the one I still worry most about now that I’m home.

This night we also made our first trip to downtown Jeremie for dinner. I was completely taken back by just how poor the city is. The homes, the beach filled with trash and random animals, tents, there was even a guy outside the restaurant with a machete guarding our bus just so we could eat. It hit me hard and opened my eyes to the culture there- how these kids fit into that and how critical the orphanage is for just giving them a hope and a future. Just a chance. A chance to eat every day, a chance to sleep on a bed in a safe place, a chance to go to school in a country where there is no public school system, and a chance to be exposed repeatedly to a God that created and loves them. I could really sense God revealing things to me like the pieces of a puzzle, one at a time, in His time. This was a big piece for me because up to this point I just felt sad and somewhat confused.  But God showed me that the orphanage can only be viewed in context of the Haitian culture- where this is no hope. I was so thankful for this understanding and I had a fresh perspective the next day.

One thing that I struggled with throughout the week was their strong need to own. First, they own people when you arrive (they “choose” you for the week as soon as you arrive and they close their group off and won’t let anyone else in), then they want for anything you have (repeated requests for your watch, shoes, shirt, backpack, boom boom, candy.) They try to claim your items in hopes that sometime that week you will choose them to be the lucky one to own something of yours. My own insecurities made me feel like I wasn’t enough. I was happy to give everything away but I struggled with how choosing one or 2 would make the rest of them feel. One early morning at the guesthouse gazebo God gave me a revelation that I hope to never forget.  He questioned me in my requests to Him- do I only go to Him when I need something (for me or someone else?) Or do I just enjoy Him for who He is? Does all the stuff get in the way of being able to just sit and recognize Him as the creator of the universe?  Another piece of the puzzle was put in and I worked that day to see the children thru God’s eyes.

Each day I felt more prepared, we would stuff our backpacks with crayons, paper, simple crafts, chalk, etc. and pull out a few things at a time to do with them. I learned you can’t take everything out a once or it runs off in a few little hands! I was also learning how to communicate more with them and I was fascinated by this. As I sat with my usual group one afternoon God brought an older girl to me that I hadn’t met. We sat and read a book about Easter for what seemed like long joyous hours.  We did this sitting on the concrete floor in the church, sweaty, dirty and with kids crawling all over me but the sense of focus He gave us was incredible. It was one of my favorite parts of the week. God knew I needed something tangible to see a progression, a hope, just right at that moment and He granted me that. I could also feel God growing my love for them as individuals, they were no longer a “group” of kiddos at the Long Hollow orphanage in Haiti. They were Delsen and Brinnia and Sanchez and Gonel and Valina and Sophia and on and on. They are like all other kids, they laugh, they pout, they smile, they want things, they come and go, but what they want they want the most is love.

The last day was remarkable. God showed up in a big way and showed us that He was in control. We got to see an orderly side of the kids that made me recognize that they were His and this whole “thing” was right under Him at all times. We spent the afternoon hanging with the kids and I recognized how far God had brought us during the week- both in relationship and feeling comfortable there. I had built up trust with several of them. I had brought a Preds jersey from home and I put it on 4-year-old Delsen. It hit me that he looked like one of mine now (as my boys wear Preds jerseys constantly.) And I really feel like he is. He’s got a small piece of my heart that I never want to get back because I hope it makes him feel loved from a mama far away across the ocean. I had a few quiet moment with Delsen and his brother Gonel and it hit me that they were the exact ages of my boys (4 and 8.) I hadn’t realized it until that moment that God had brought them into my life to surround me that week. Neither of us had any clue that we were so perfectly matched, but God did.

As we were leaving to go hear the children sing their goodbye songs I felt a great sense of peace. God reminded me that he just called me to GO. I was obedient to the call, and he had taken care of the rest, all the while revealing himself and His plans for me and for them in a personal way.

I’ve heard others say in a joking fashion “Haiti, where all your career dreams come true.”  We laughed about this when we ran the clinic one day with only 1 person with any type of nursing experience (Erica) and one who had participated in clinic there before (Kinsley.) But as I think back the phrase rings true as I think of all the roles God allowed me to be in: servant, teacher, mama, friend, praise and worship leader, dancer, soccer teammate, craft person, big hugger, nurse, team member. I also got to be the recipient of so much: the kind of love that they are willing to fight for, student, listener, constant handholder and hugger, smiles, seeing light bulbs turn on as they learned new things, their pride at showing me what they had  (their rooms and photos from past teams) or could do (sing, draw, color, dance.) As I reflect and struggle to apply what I’ve learned I’m struck by how often I might miss the roles and opportunities that God has for me daily because I’m clouded by how complicated things can be here. How I so often get caught up in the details of life and maybe miss the whole point of what God has for me.

There are pieces left to this puzzle. Now I’m left to figure out what they are. What my next steps are in this journey because now that I’ve been there, I know. I’m changed. I have a responsibility. I have a love for them. My perspective is different. When I was up one night this week with a sick Alex I thought of Delsen who I held last this time last week with the same fever.  When I took him to the doctor the next day I thought about how there is no doctor readily available for our kids to go to for meds for the big and little things.  In the same way, I have come to know my Lord and Savior in a compassionate loving way that I would never have understood in my warm little house in Hendersonville. He views me the same way he views them, thru the lens of his son “Jezi Christ.” I am so thankful he chose me to GO. And while I pray for their protection, for their hope, and for their future, I know that mine lies in the one who is faithful and trustworthy. And he’s just downright crazy about all of us.

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Jan 13 2012
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Haiti

Super Vito Team Update #2

By: Annemarie Williams

As I type, Team Super Vito sits in the guesthouse without power but with internet. We are so thankful for this because between the 2, we choose internet! Each night the team is spread out skype-ing with family back home. Currently, our mighty team of  Dan, Anthony, Jeff and Dou Dou are hauling, carrying and walking around with flashlights working on the generator. It went out yesterday so we are sharing with the University Chapel. What a blessing to have 2 to choose from!

We had a wonderful day today. We started the day with quiet time down on the lava beach. The kids at the fence helped us hike down, took pictures and enjoyed a worship time with us. They were sweet and helpful and it was nice to be on the other side of the fence with them, holding their hands on the way down.

Dou Dou successfully got us up the hill in the Chuck Norris and we love breaking into a big chorus of Ole Ole at the top of the hill. Not having been to Haiti before I now understand what a blessing he is to each team that is here. We feel protected, safe and loved and the orphans respect and adore him, as do we!

We spent the day with our kids and had a really special worship time. We have been teaching them that they are wonderfully made by God and that he knows everything about them. The praise and worship is my favorite part of the day and is the perfect way to start our time with them.  We are having a blast singing and dancing Bondye Bell with them. This afternoon we did line dancing and the girls in particular really enjoyed that!

We are having an absolute blast as a team. We have shared so many things together this week and there’s no doubt God put us together to be here for such a time as this. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed the gift of laughter so much in a long time. Wait till you hear our new Haitian Creole accents. We have learned that speaking louder makes you sound better. (right??) The kids think this is hilarious too.  It’s a blessing for us to have 4 of our LHB staff members here to lead and guide us through how to show love. They are absolutely incredible and wonderful leaders for us.

With each day I feel more relaxed at the orphanage- the sights, sounds, smells. As many of you know the first day they “pick you.” As a first timer the first day was overwhelming. There were so many things I didn’t expect or understand. However each day the Lord gives a fresh perspective, a sense of peace, and a willingness to continue to serve. I now look around when I don’t feel hands on all sides of me. I have built up a sense of trust with several of them and i understand they also want to serve, carry my backpack, close the zippers, help me walk up and down the rocky hills.

Today I wore my Crazy Love shirt and I had several children walk up and point and say “Crazy Love”. I lit up and said “YES! Crazy love for Jesus!” It was a full circle moment for me. To get the opportunity to be part of Crazy Love from home first thru our gifts, service, prayers, trying to teach my own children and then being called to GO.  There are times this whole thing feels crazy, but it’s the good kind of crazy. The kind of crazy that touches, hugs, smells, laughs, feels, pushes us to stretch more, love more, and do things we never though we could. I hope i never forget how crazy love can be.

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Jan 12 2012
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Haiti

Super Vito: January Haiti Team

We’ve named our team as you can see. Like all teams, bonding well has been a huge blessing! Our internet has been spotty as best, in fact we have tried to post a blog three times now with no success! So today we are going to keep it simple. Our team is small and we have been able to grow together in an incredible way. We have first time team members mixed with those who can call this their eighth trip. We have learned from each other and used both the fresh perspective and the seasoned knowledge of our team to minister to the kids in a very special way. We are incredibly blessed to be here, to be allowed to love in this way. Here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of our time thus far. Three more days to go!


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Dec 14 2011
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Haiti

December Team Update #3

By: Margaret Reynolds

Today was a special day. We witnessed the flag ceremony before school. The children line up in their uniforms in 5 lines according to age.  They work on getting their spacing just so, each child an arm length behind the one in front. Even the very young go to school.  After they are properly arranged, they sing a song, say a pledge and then raise the flag. The ceremony was precious and we felt privileged to be there to observe.

After we were able to pull ourselves away, we made the trip to Bon Bon, a small town not far from Jeremie. It is a quaint town, very tidy, with streets filled with school children in their uniforms, mothers waiting to pick them up at bus stops and the days commerce. We walked the future church grounds and shared a blessing for the land and for all that is to come upon that land.  We know in our hearts it will bring great things for the people of Haiti and those that love them.

It was back to the orphanage after lunch. Our small but mighty group had a great day loving on children. Several commented in devotion tonight that it was their best day yet. We are getting to know the personalities of the children better as they become more comfortable with those of us that are new. We continue to meet more children each day as we try to spread ourselves around to make sure no one is forgotten. That can be hard to do as those children who “claim you” for the week  don’t always like to share.  There is plenty of love to go around, however.

Today there were several special “events” not a part of the worship, crafts and snack session. Fingernails were painted, there was an impromptu soccer practice and Josiah played strongman seeing how many kids could hang on him at once!  Some special highlights to share:

  • A laugh from a child that so far has not even smiled
  • A hug for a child that was sitting alone at the back of the church feeling unloved
  • A tour of a mattress and a small duffel bag that constituted the entire “personal belongings” of one child, yet proudly shared with their new friend
  • A typed message on a cell phone that said “I love you” in English

Each and every one of those moments is priceless as we realize the only common language anyone needs is one of love. Our group is so impressed and humbled each day by the spontaneity, openness, sharing, humility, and pure joy these children lavish on us. We feel so cared for by those with so little, yet they freely give it and we can never repay them. That is such a humbling feeling. For those of you who have come, you know you get so much more than you can possibly give.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you from Long Hollow that support this mission. It is an honor to be here and those of you who have labored to set up this ministry, the seamless process for serving here and established the strong bond with the children have allowed people like me to come and serve so effortlessly. I realize I am readily accepted because of the relationships these children have had with those of you who came before.  Unfortunately, I cannot find the words to say thank you adequately. Every moment here is a treasure that I will carry with me forever.  Thank you.

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Dec 13 2011
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Haiti

Haiti Dec. Update #2: A Soccer Game

A Soccer Game, and a Big Deal By: Mike Morris

I went to a youth soccer game Sunday, and it was a big deal.  Soccer games happen everywhere, every day.  I know that’s no big deal.  I’m not trying to say it was a big deal that I went as in Me, “The-guy-who just-doesn’t-like-soccer”.  I know, I know, it’s the most popular sport in the world, and it’s the fastest growing sport in America.  You can quote all the stats to me–I still just don’t like soccer.  Maybe I’m not smart enough to understand the nuances of the game, the strategy and skill required.  Maybe I’m insecure because I never played it as a kid and I’m no good at it.  Maybe I just can’t get past the dramatic flopping and faking injuries that happen on the soccer games I see on TV.  Whatever the reason(s), I just don’t like soccer.  And I went to a soccer game today.  But that’s not the big deal.  I went because I knew someone who was playing, several someone’s in fact.  Our boys from the orphanage in Jeremie had their first ever church league soccer game, and THAT was a big deal—a huge deal in fact.
It was our first day in Jeremie.  Our flight had arrived earlier in the day and we had settled in and unpacked at the guesthouse.  We had come to the orphanage around 1 in the afternoon to visit with the kids for a while, just to build some bonds and love on them.  Around 3 O’clock, several of the older boys began to appear in soccer jerseys.  They were very sharp jerseys–dark purple with white numbers and a cool design, very official looking.  They were excited.   You could see how proud they were to have on the jersey and be a part of a team.  Every kid that has ever played a sport can relate.  That first time you put on your uniform before your first game.  You want to show it off.  You want people to see you in that uniform and know you’re a part of a team.  You want people to ask you about it.  Orphans or not, these kids were no different.  In fact, they seemed more excited than most kids to wear a uniform.  They were milling around in the church building in uniform, with the other kids checking out their uniforms and asking them questions about the team.  I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, whether they were showing off, or had a practice.  Eventually I got distracted.   ‘My kids’ wanted my attention, so I wandered outside the church with them.   I had passed out some gum and was hanging out with them when I saw the boys on the soccer team start walking off down the road.  I saw Pastor Lionel and Dou Dou talking so I went up to them and asked where the boys were going.  They explained the boys had their first soccer game today.  I was excited to hear that they were playing their first game ever today.  Dou Dou said it was not far, just down the hill.  He asked me if I wanted to go.  Of course I wanted to go, but I was a little torn at first because I didn’t want to miss time with my kids too.  I asked Dou Dou if I could take a couple kids with me.  He said the older ones could go, if they were dressed properly.  I pointed to Sonjua and he looked her over as a Dad inspecting his daughter’s outfit before she goes out in public.  He said something to her and she quickly ran off to change.  I chatted for a minute with Dou Dou and she reappeared in a different, more presentable outfit.  We held hands and walked down the hill towards the game with several other members of our team and a few more of our kids.
When we got to the soccer field, I was surprised.  It wasn’t anything like the any of the soccer fields I had ever seen.  I’m not sure what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it.  It was bare and sparse without a blade of grass.  The field was mostly patches of baked dirt and bare rock.  It was fairly even, which was impressive, and had a semblance of lines all around the edges and outlining a goalie box.  Upon closer inspection, I realized the lines were made of some of the lighter colored rocks crushed up into powder carefully placed.  Around the entire field was fence.  It consisted of a wall of small poles and woven with palm branches, stitched tightly together so no one could get through or even see into the field.  Only one entrance was available at the corner of the field.  I later learned this was the gate so they could charge admission (7 cents per person).  Someone from our team graciously paid for all of us.
Sonjua and I found a place along the small space at the edge of the field, watching our boys warm up for the game.  They looked sharp in their uniforms, having fun showing off as they warmed up.  I checked out the other team, kids from another church nearby.  They wore red ‘uniforms’ consisting of various types of red t-shirts, mostly solid red although one or two had some writing on them.  Their numbers were drawn on the backs with a sharpie.  How ironic that our orphans looked so much sharper and more organized in their matching purple uniforms.   Our goalie even had a sharp goalie uniform.
Pastor Lionel gathered our boys in the corner to talk before the game, away from everyone else.  He was calm and smiling, projecting confidence.  He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere.  Several more of the older girls from the orphanage showed up, all dressed properly.  I’m sure ‘Papa Dou Dou’ had given them the once over before letting them come down the hill.  By the time the game was about to start, it was getting crowded on the one side of the field, so Sonjua and I went to the other side of the field where there was a little more space between the fence and the edge of the field, and not many people.  The boys finished warming up and Pastor Lionel gathered them one more time.  After a few more words of encouragement, they huddled and prayed with one of the older boys leading the prayer.  They lined up at midfield with the other team side by side, giving a clap of salute to the fans present.  By now, about 30 of our orphans were there, plus most of our mission team.  There were another 20 or 30 people there to watch too, family members and kids from nearby.  The ‘press box’ played music and the kids swayed and danced on the sidelines.
Finally it was time to start.  I’m not enough of a soccer expert to give you an assessment of the skill sets or the quality of team play, but it was fun to watch.  There were some talented players on both teams, and the ball went up and down the small field quickly.  Our goalie, Johnny, made a few big saves, then the ball went to the other end, and one or our boys scored.  I wasn’t prepared for the celebration.  Our whole team ran to the center of the field jumping and hugging.  The orphans watching on the sidelines jumped up and down, over and over, hugging and screaming.  Some of them ran onto the field too.  Even Sonjua, who is often very quiet and reserved, was jumping up and down at my side hugging me and celebrating with the boys as they came back to the sidelines.  Those kids were downright giddy.  I felt tears of joy for them well up in me as I celebrated with them, at the same time kicking myself for not having my camera ready.

As the celebration died down, and the game resumed, it dawned on me that there was something much more to celebrate than a simple goal in a game.  These kids had no family.  They had no one to be there to celebrate the milestones of life.  I thought about all the things that I have celebrated with my kids in supporting them—their first day of school, their games in various sports, their accomplishments in school and in life.  For most of these kids, they had never had anyone around to do that, or at least, not recently.  It was likely the first time any of them had even been on a ‘team’ or had a team of their own to support.  So their celebration was more than just a goal in a game, it was a celebration of belonging, of connection, of being a part of a family and a ‘team’.  They had so much more to celebrate than that game.  I marveled at how God can connect with people in such a hopeless situation, orphans in the poorest country in the western hemisphere, now brothers and sisters in Christ celebrating their family’s accomplishments.  These kids belonged to a family, the family of Christ.  They were brothers and sisters and proud of their family’s accomplishment.  At that realization, I celebrated a little harder with them.

As I treasured these thoughts and the joy of the experience, the other team scored a goal.  It didn’t matter to me.  In fact, it didn’t matter that the other team scored again and our team was down 2-1 at halftime.  We had to leave and I already knew the final score—our kids had won.  They found Jesus and were a part of His family.  And that made them all winners.  I am proud to be call them my teammates, my family, my brothers and sisters in Christ!
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