Hello Everyone!

This is Rick from Chicago, temporary pilot of the HATS blog. I arrived yesterday with Liette for my first trip to Haiti, not quite sure what to expect. I had done some research, heard some stories, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw when we hit the ground.

We arrived Port Au Prince around 10 AM, and Karen, Luke Ner, and 2 other staff members retrieved us from the airport. Right away, the feeling that I was in an extraordinarily different place washed through me. The people seemed friendly, but the country is in a desperate situation. Poverty is everywhere, but the folks seem happy despite their challenges. We started out on the 3 hour journey to the HATS Compound immediately from the airport.

airport arrival

The ride to the Compound took us through some very challenged towns, with people selling everything you can think of on the side of the road. The situation is desperate, there is no tourism or industry, and the locals are doing their best to make ends meet.

When we arrived at the Compound, the children were very excited, to see Liette. Karen hadn't told them that she was coming ahead of time so they'd be completely caught off guard. Clearly they have great love for Liette. They welcomed me with hugs as well, despite the language barrier (I don't speak Creole, though several of the children speak English). We spent the afternoon playing soccer and getting to know each other. These. Kids. Are. Amazing.

Another family on our walk

Four new helmets arrived for biking and rollerblading

HATS family walk time

Despite being in a very difficult location economically, Karen and the HATS crew have created an amazing place for these children to grow up. They are fed, educated, and generally kept after by HATS - and they are thriving. Each child has a special story, and each radiates optimism. Their smiles, their demeanor, is unbelievable. I'm proud to know these kids, and  to have been invited down. After dinner, I watched their Devotions, where each child sang a song of their choosing, as well as group songs, and their voices were angelic.

Karen, Liette, and I ended the day laying on thin mattresses on the roof, watching the clouds pass across the sky, and the moon peaking through occasionally. Karen shared stories of some of the crazy situations that have played out around the Compound (it's a fortress, with 12' concrete walls topped with razor wire). Though this spot, the Compound, is an island of peace and tranquility - the areas around it don't offer the same. We're not talking about routine gunshots or anything like that, but there's an armed security guard on the premises at all times (and with us when we travel). As a result, Karen (and Liette for the matter, as she's lived down there too) have had some fascinating experiences.

Today is day 2, and we got some early exercises accomplished (with the larger children, and then on our own), and then went to the market. The market is a crazy place, and a neat experience. After returning, we spent time playing with the kids, and Liette and I installed and painted new doors for the front and back of the house. I convinced some of the kids to sing while we were working, and ..... wow.   Just a really neat place to be in the world.

Jonathan's first time on mini trampoline

New man on the block time

Play time at HATS

Ti Luc slam dunk the basket ball (with help from Brad)

Water shortage bath

Rick ready to paint the doors

After dinner, two of the older children came to Karen's house (on the back of the Compound), and Karen, Liette, and I played Uno with one, and then dice with another. And now, the day is winding down so I'll sign off.

Not allowed to wait for Sandra to return

I'm amazed to be at this place, and to have been fortunate enough to have been asked to be a part of it. Karen, Liette, Luckner, Germaine, Brad, Lois, and the rest of the HATS staff have worked very hard to make the children their top priority, and it shows.

THANK YOU.

Thank you to the Texas team who left us on Tuesday.   They came as a 'workteam' and they worked.  They also played, loved on the kids, laughed a lot (can't not laugh with Brooks around),  did radio air time, and enjoyed time with kids at school.  They were a great team!!

Sara - it was her first time in Haiti.  Thank you, Sara, for coming, accepting, and helping everywhere you could.  Our kids are not the only ones who came to love you, so did the rest of us.

Sara

Jennifer and Jake - need to put them together because God did that last July.  They are individuals but are also one.  They both put all of themselves into helping in every way possible.  It was a second time for Jennifer but a first for Jake.   Thank you Jenn and Jake for all you did.  Despite the joking about you two and your PDA I must say it is nice to see 'love' for each other.

Jennifer and Jake

Julie - second time for her too.  Julie, thank you too for what you did for HATS  I, however, am also saying a huge thank you for the iPad for Ti Luc.  Thank you for  the tender loving care you put into buying it, all the apps on it, and the funds to add more in French. This is fantastic for him.  He is using it every day and can do so without any help from me.  He truly is one smart little cookie.

Julie

Brooks, the comedian, the singer, message giver in church, the man who makes things disappear and reappear, Jofky's godfather, and friend to all - children and adults.  Never a dull moment with Brooks around.  This was Brooks' third trip.  He will go to great lengths to entertain us.  The first time he came to HATS he entertained us up to the moment he was leaving for the airport by taking a fall in complete darkness into the ti canal next to the mission compound.  Thank you, Brooks, for everything.

Brooks

David - the fearless leader.  Without his leadership we would not have the yearly Texas teams.  David organizes, fundraises, plans, prays, sings, paints, enjoys the children on site and at the school.  Thank you, David, for continuing to lead teams to HATS.

David - team leader

Thank you to all six of you.  Thanks for all your support in many ways, for your acceptance and special friendship with Ti Luc, and for your awesome encouragement to me.  It means more than I can say.

                  IT  IS  ALL  ABOUT  THE  CHILDREN.  Thank you for helping to make it thus.

Karen

Day 5 - Monday - Our last day

6:45 - Wake up excited for a new day, yet sad it's our last one.

7:30 - Attend opening devotionals and flag ceremony at the school. This is always a special thing to see.

Morning devotions at HATS school

8:00 Luckner and Karen come up with brilliant last minute painting plan for us. We've done such an amazing job with the secondary school that they'd like the administration building to look just as great, so they request that David, Brooks, and Jake paint the top and bottom trim. After some deliberation, we get out a bucket of "Destiny Green," (the color of the main house) and get to work.

The painting continues.  The school continues to look nicer.

11:50 We run out of Destiny Green with just a few yards of concrete left to paint. We consider this a parting gift for Brad.

12:00 Spaghetti for lunch! They feed us well.

1:00 The team (minus Julie) heads back to school and finish with final painting touch-ups. Julie goes to work teaching TiLuc how to use the new iPad she brought him. Thais will help him a great deal with his school, and he picks it up like a pro. Is there anything that boy can't do? He amazes us.

Ti Luc receiving his iPad gift from Julie

3:30 We admire our painting handiwork.

4:00 Brooks puts on his annual magic show. Kids are entertained. House mothers are scared. We all laugh.

Brooks entertaining us with his magic tricks

5:00 Early dinner to prepare for our final big night on the radio.

6:00 Brooks and the 5 Blancs go live once again on Radio Creole. We sing a bunch of songs. Brooks breaks out a freestyle rap with Jake beatboxing. Jenn, Julie and Sara ruin this wonderful and touching performance with inappropriate laughter. All listeners are touched and amazed (we assume). We can't wait to come back on the air next year. We promise Luckner to have a much better organized show next year. He probably doesn't believe us.

Brooks and the five blancs

Brooks and Luckner

7:00 Final devotional with the kids. All but the little ones each sing a song to us. We present them with Jesus Storybook Bibles in Creole, then spend time praying for each of them, then hug all those precious kids. Apparently it gets a little dusty inside because there were lots of watery eyes.

Julie praying with Josie & Ti Luc

Jennifer & Sara praying with Kaeli, Djemima, Leica and Sandra & Jonathan

Jake praying with Dieunel and Judel

Brooks praying with Peter, Moise and JJ

8:30 Special time of prayer and reflexion on the roof with Karen. This is always a highlight. We love praying for and encouraging this amazing Red-headed Canadian!

10:30 We head to bed for a quick sleep before heading out at 4am. What an wonderful time with some of the most precious people on the planet. Our hearts are full, and a piece of them will remain with our HATS family.


Brooks

Brooks and David are back,

...much to Allison's (David's wife) chagrin. However, it's part of our contract, so we're doing it.

4:14-7:30 - see yesterday's blog for morning routine. Pretty much the same.

 

8:00 - Get prettied up for church.

 

9:15 -  Head next door to the school for church services.

 

9:30-10:10 - Texas team discovers our lack of rythm, dancing abililty, tambourine skills, singing on pitch, and our ability to follow along with the C|reole words right in front of us. However, it is a wonderful, joy-filled time of worship with some great people. It's also great physical training. If you've never jumped up and down with 50 other people in a small humid room while worshipping the Lord, try it sometime. It's great excercise and also "medicine for the soul" according Yolene, our gifted worship leader. I'm trying to get her to come lead at my church in Amarillo if Karen will let me.

In church

Sara with a tired Sandra in church

 

10:10-10:25 - Brooks shares the message of our availability to call on our Abba Father. Kids and adults alike receive the message of the Father's love for us with joy and delight.

10:15 - During the message, rain begins to fall. This is much appreciated, as it cools things off a bit.

 

10:25 - 30 - Texas teams "sings" for the congregation. We are thankful Julie and Jennifer are talented.

 

Team singing in church

 

10:30 - 10:40 - The Hats kids sing for the congregation. They sing more beautiful than we do. It's a wondeful moment. More of the older kids from church/school join them for more songs. Then sweet Djemima sings a beautiful solo for us. She is going to grow into a wonderful worship leader herself one day. Then Dieunel comes up and sings I've Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy Down in my Heart. So special.

 

10:40-11:00 - More worship and prayer and fellowship.

 

11:00 - After church trip to Luckner's in Karen's truck which acts as a great TapTap. 26 of us squeezed in for the drive. We all got a drink and cookies from Luckner's store, the weekly tradition that the kids love so much.

 

HATS TApTap filled to capacity. Going to Papa Luckner's

Back of the truck more than full too.

Papa Luckner's after church

 

11:27 - All 26 of us load back into the HATS TapTap. We wait. And wait. Karen realizes she has lost her keys. We instantly assume Moise, JJ, and/or Peter had something to do with it. We unload and begin the frantic search for keys. After several minutes, the keys are discovered in the trash, hidden inside a cookie wrapper. Karen blames yesterday's two-minute rest for causing her to become absent-minded. Reschedules her next 2 minute sabbatical for 2041.

 

11:28 - TapTap starts and brings us home.

 

12:00 - Lunch time. They feed us so good around here.

 

1:15 - Ladies sort through all the clothes that were brought and the men travel over to the school to continue with the painting since the rain "cooled" things off a bit.

 

Three ladies laying out donations for Karen and Lois to organize

 

1:17 - Jake replaces Ryan Reneau as the designated "hang over the roof painter".  Since Jake is in training to become a proud City of Amarillo Fireman he obviously brings a certain skill set to the roof painter position that previous want-to-be's did not have.  Jake and Jennifer celebrate his designation with some PDA.

 

Secondary section of HATS school.  Looking great.

 

3:57 - Haiti Soccer Club vs Texas Soccer Club (plus the token Canadian Brad) - for 90 mintutes HSC and TSC battle it out on the soccer pitch.  Amongst boulders, rocks and Dieunel, both clubs fought, clawed, tripped, stumbled and sometimes completed all four acts toward their own son in the highlight match of the year.   Awards go to the following players:

 

Man of the Match - Stephen HSC

Best Dodge and Scream Award - Jennifer TSC

Official Goalpost Designer - Vladimy HSC

Hustle and Heart Award - Jake TSC

Father of the Match Award - Brad TSC

Bloody Elbow Award - Peter HSC

Body Blows (2) Award - Sara TSC

Hat Trick Award - JJ HSC

Best American Goalkeeper on the Pitch Award - Brooks TSC

Best Goalkeeper on the Pitch Award - Moise HSC

Best, Worst and Least Successful Attempt at a bicycle kick attempt - David TSC

Fan of the Match - Djemima

Official Photographer - Julie

 

Final Score  HSC 10   TSC 8

 

6:00 Dinner Time

 

7;00 Blog Time

 

7:30 Texas Team loads up and heads to Radio Creole 104.7 to spin some tunes and entertain the area. Entire Artibonite Valley is blessed and forever changed by the anointed singing of newly formed Christian musical group "Brooks and the 5 Blancs."  Unfortunately, the performance would have been even more top-notch if not for the uncontrolled laughter emitting from the 5 Blancs. We also discover Jennifer has an uncanny ablility ro recall of all the lyrics to Kirk Franklin music. Luckner finds our singing so beautiful (or hilariously bad) that we are invited back for the next night. We accept this invitation with eagerness, tell Karen that we won't paint on Monday and instead rehearse our new numbers. She says no. So if we're terrible on Monday, it's her fault.

 

Ready for headphones and to turn on the mikes

Julie, David and Luckner

Radio Creole now is better well known due to the the famous Brooks

 

9:30 Return home to rest our tired legs from soccer and tired vocal chords from singing.

 

10:00 Lights out.

 

10:08 David begins to snore

Texas team day 3 - Saturday

Now it's time for Brooks (along with Jake and David) to take over the blogging again. I guess we'll continue the timeline theme since it's done so well the past few days.

4:17 - Roosters begin to crow.

6:45 - After 2 and a half hours of crowing, the team decides to get up and at it.

7:30 - off to paint and beautify the school. 2nd coat of Aqua Chintz applied to the secondary building. And new coat of Big Country Blue begins to go on. Brooks rejoices, as he has painted with Aqua Chintz for a good 30 hours in his Haitian experience. Jake and Jenn engage in PDA in honor of Brooks' excitement.

Second coat of paint going on

office for assistant of secondary section

11:15 - Brad is summoned and kills many wasps. 

Noon - We enjoy chicken and mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes are as good as they come. Brooks and the potatoes engage in PDA.

1:43 - We resume painting. Heat stroke is nearly experienced, but we gut it out. Sara impresses David with her cut-in skills with a paintbrush. To his astonishment, Sara is the first blanc to surpass him as a concrete surface cut-in technician, all-though publicly he still claims to be the best utilizing a canvas medium.

2:14 - For the first time in 18 years, Karen sits down and watches other people work. 

Something new at HATS. Karen sits for two minutes and watches others work.

2:16 - New experience for Karen ends as she feels grass growing underneath her sandals, jumps up and gets back to work.

2:17 - Karen schedules next break for 2:15pm March 3, 2031

3:30 - Painting finished, team goes in to freshen up after some high quality amazing work.

Anne, Josie, Karena with their new clothes

Jake with Sandra

Sandra in her new duds

Saturday play time

Three muskateers

Sara and Jennifer cleaning paint brushes.

David and godson Jonathan

4:30 - The most interesting man in Haiti arrives at the front gate. Our dear friend Missionary James picks us up in the White Wonder of God's Provision also know as the Toyota Land Cruiser or WWGP for short. We head into Verrettes for an amaizing movie night in the heart of the village.

The movie crew

5:00 - As we begin to set up for the movie, James asks who would like to walk through the village with a bullhorn inviting the community to see the film. Right before nobody volunteers, David nominates Jake and Jenn to head into what Brooks feels is their certain death. With no further nominations, forthcoming, the motion carried, and we said good-bye to the two love birds, who head into the darkness armed only with a bullhorn and Macinzi the translator. Jake and Jenn engage in PDA for comfort.

5:30 - To our joy and astonishment, Jake and Jenn return, holding hands and the bullhorn. Jake may or may not have wet himself in fear at certain moments. Jenn did not - yet. Please see related story at 7:32.

6:15 - Hillsong music videos begins to play. Crowd begins to build.

6:45 - After numerous videos play, a crowd (estimated by professional estimator David Nance of close to 257) begins to watch a movie that tells the story of the Bible and history of God's relationship with man.

7:32 - Jenn realizes she is in need of a restroom. Realizing their predicament, Jake asks James if he'll help them find a safe, clean, American restroom. James says "Follow me."

7:34 - James says to random man standing nearby "Can this crazy white woman use your facilities?" "Sure," random man replies, and points into his backyard.

7:35 - Jenn enjoys the random man's semi-private backyard.

7:36 - Jenn tries to celebrate with PDA. For the first time ever, Jake refuses until hand sanitizer is retrieved from the WWGP.

8:40 - Film ends, Brooks explains to the crowd that we want to pray for them. Using hand signals, they are able to tell us what the need prayer for - sickness, injury, bondage, broken hearts, etc. The crowd pretty much engulfed us. For over an hour, we were able to lay our hands on many who were sick or hurting or afraid or suffering. Multiple decisions for Christ were made. We even saw some people healed. It was an amazing evening that we won't soon forget.

9:45 - We pack up and head home.

10:06 - Lights out, headlamps on.

10:11 - David begins snoring

Day 2

April 1st

Authors- Sara and Jen and Julie

4:00 am- We are awakened to the sound of drums, chanting and roosters.

6:00 am- We awake for the day (again to the sound of roosters). Boys take ninja style showers in less than two minutes

7:30- Devotions with kids, praise and Ti-Luc dancing. Awesome start to the morning!

9:00- Tour of school and compound. Played an amazing game with Tifi. Brooks and David had a pda moment (holding hands while standing in a circle with Tifi.)

10:30-Go to recess with kids. Brooks denied soccer privileges from 10 year olds.

11:30- Ride in back of truck to Luckner's (Karen's right hand man) store for water.

12:00- Delicious rice and beans for lunch.

12:30- Paint time! The school is now blue and so are David's...pants. Julie and Sara were epic paint trimmers. Jake and Brooks knocked out the ceiling.

Workteam started work on the school

Starting to look better already

12:31-4:00- Brooks complains of defective paint brush, how he can't paint and more paint on the floor than the roof.

2:00- Luggage from yesterday finally arrives with one bag missing. :(

2:30- Brooks prepares for "the games" by carrying large waters bottles on his shoulders.

4:30- Walked the canal with the sweet kids, staff and Karen. This country is beautiful!!

Family, workteam, visitor walk along the canal

5:30- Jake, Jen and Brooks were dominated by 10 year olds in a mean game of soccer.

6:30- Ate and played with Ti-Luc.

Older kids eating late after afternoon tutoring

Sandra writing in Leica's homework. She holds the pencil better than other kids.

7:00-Showers and relax time (nothing like bunny and crocodile tan lines from dried paint on skin all day).

9:30- Settling down to the sound of Brooks, David and Julie singing 'I can only imagine'. Brooks and David hitting high notes. Great end to our day!!

Team Texas Arrives

The team has written the blog.

( Karen says "What a day of travel, and what an experience they had yesterday!" We are thanking God for a safe arrival. )

Detailed account of the travel and arrival of the Texas Team at HATS:

4:43 AM - Arrive at Amarillo International Airport

5:02 AM - Start the process of checking in our luggage and shifting around the ozarka watering station to another luggage piece

5:18 AM - Luggage check-in process complete

5:25 AM - Made it through the TSA Q&A Session and arrive at Gate 2

5:33 AM - Jennifer informs the team that we are crazy and that there are a lot of days left in February and that April does not come after March. If you are confused by this statement, so are we. And so was Jennifer.

5:35 AM - Jake reassures Jennifer with some PDA. (Public Display of Affection - Jake and Jennifer married only last July.)

6:02 AM - American Airlines Gate Counter Attendant “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, we realize that we have now arrived at our scheduled departing time however we must start the engines for the plane before we depart.” Such an obvious statement should have been our first clue that AA was not going to win the customer service award for the day (oh how I wish Air Canada flew out of Amarillo).

6:50 AM - Our scheduled 6:00 AM flight finally departs AMA on the way to DFW.

7:45 AM - Team Texas safely arrives at DFW and speed walks over to gate D28 in order to board our scheduled 7:55 AM departure to Fort Lauderdale.

7:48 AM - PDA between Jake and Jennifer during the speed walk over to gate D28.

7:55 AM - We arrive at Gate D28 only to realize our scheduled flight left “several minutes” ago. David expresses astonishment that an American Airlines flight not only left on time, but slightly early. AA agent agrees with this statement.

8:05 AM - AA reroutes us through Miami to PAP. Brooks “Dear AA Agent, you will make sure that our luggage is transferred over to our new flight.” “Oh yes, Mr. Boyett I am making the phone call right now down to the baggage agent to make sure that your luggage is transferred.” This is the second statement from AA that would cause one to wish for a Canadian airline to set up shop in the USA.

8:55 AM - We board the Miami bound flight from DFW.

8:55:43 AM - Jake and Jennifer exchange PDA as they pass through the 1^st Class section of the Miami bound flight.

4:25 PM - Team Texas arrives in PAP.

4:43 PM - Team Texas watches the luggage carousel go round and round, round and round, round and round. Imagine – our luggage did not make it to PAP.

4:44 PM - Jake and Jennifer celebrate the news of our lost luggage with some PDA. 4:50 PM - Team Texas loads Van No. 1 for the scenic travel out to HATS.

5:17 PM - Van No. 1 pulls over and the driver and his first assistant kick the front passenger tire repeatedly.

5:45 PM - Van No. 1 pulls over and the driver and his first assistant locate a tool set within the van to make the necessary repairs.

5:52 PM - Horrendous noise heard from the undercarriage of Van No. 1. Brad externally remains cool, calm, and collected, but internally probably begins to wonder why Karen and Luckner sent him to pick up the team.

5:55 PM - Van No. 1 pulls over and the team loads into Van No. 2. Jake and Jennifer rejoice with PDA, then fall asleep for the rest of the ride home. David, Sara, Julie, and Brooks high five.

8:15 PM - Van No. 2 safely arrives at HATS into the welcoming arms of DG.

Team on site first morning with Jofky, Ti Fi and Anne

Jennifer, Ti Fi, Anne, Sara and Sandra

Friday, March 1 (yes Jennifer we are now in the month of March).

So glad to be here. So glad to worship with the HATS kids and team in morning devotions this AM. Ready to get to work. Ready to start the painting process.

Dav id with one of our students - Frantzy

Sara with Sandra

Julie with Leica

Thank you for your prayers – all is well.