How this all started! Part 3

Once we were home the planning began we really wanted all three girls to go. Mainly Amber because she would be moving with us because of her age. At least for a couple of years anyway. So we told the girls that we wanted to go to Haiti for Christmas. Carrie was not happy she felt we were making her go (we were it was her Christmas gift) and she wanted no part of it. Katie couldn't wait to go back she was mad at us for going without her our 2nd trip. Amber wanted to go but was a little scared about the unknown. She had never flown or been to a 3rd world country. We also told the girls No electronics devices this didn't go over so well but we wanted them to experience it with no phones, computers, or ipods to distract them. We did give in and let them take their ipods for the flight and at night.

So our flight was booked, tickets were purchased, and 4 days after Christmas we would be on our way to Haiti all 5 of us for 10 days. I couldn't wait this trip was exciting because all of us were going. I wanted the girls to meet the kids and see, touch, smell and be a part of what Jon and I had fallen in love with. We arrived in Port Au Prince about 11 am and was met in the airport by Danny. We got all our bags all 10 of them, very large and 50 lbs each and headed out to the truck where we were met by Nixon and a couple of the boys from the boys home. We loaded our stuff and headed to Domino's the ONLY American restaurant in Haiti. We had lunch and headed to Jacmel where we would be staying in team housing with Nixon, sadly for us his wife Sandra was visiting her family in the States. I missed her that trip but Nixon was a great Host and we enjoyed staying up late talking to him and getting to know him better.

Jon, Danny, Nixon and some of the kids built 8 sets of bunk beds for team housing.






The finished product!

We got to attend a Christmas party at one of the schools that the Joy In Hope supports we passed out gifts to all the children and provided them with lunch. We also got to help with the Joy In Hope Christmas party that they have for the staff and their families each year. Because we are like family to the Pye's we had the privilege to have some of the kids come back to team housing with us each night for a slumber party. We loved having them and the kids loved it to. This gave us and opportunity to get to know some of the kids better. They danced, sang, played hand games, watched movies and ate. I can't begin to tell you how much I love these kids they are awesome. We walked the land so the girls could see it and always take a trip or two to the beach.


The Christmas party at the school.


Joy In Hope Christmas Party


Blanca I love that girl. The girls having a good time dancing.


Taking a break, people watching. The girls used to live here so they know the neighbors.


Girls on the land checking out the water. The ridge behind them is all part of the land.


The boys playing soccer on the land.

Of course in that time we also brought in the new year 2009. What a great way to start and end a year. They have a special church service that night. Haitian church can go on for a long time but I have 2 favorite thing about this service that I will always remember. First is the praise and worship I love how freely the Haitians worship. And the second is when they lined up 2 rows of chairs down the center of the church, they brought out small tubs of water and towels and people just started washing each others feet. OK I am not a feet person I don't like feet. But to see them serving each other in such a loving way was awesome. We watched this go on for quite a while, someone would sit in a chair another person would wash their feet then they would switch places when the 2nd person was finished they would give each other a hug. This just kept repeating. Except for one woman I watched her wash feet after feet just serving the people of her church. Haitian people are very strong and endearing people and I just love them.

This trip was awesome, we had a great time serving and loving the Joy In Hope team and the people of Haiti.