Day 2: Water Truck Day & Haitian Initiative Soccer Program in Cite Soleil

Water Truck Day & Haitian Initiative Soccer Program:
My Word of the Day for today was Wonder.  I wonder why I was called to do this trip, I wonder what I will see, I wonder how this will affect me, or how I will affect others.

Going into Cite Soleil we were told that Healing Haiti has been going in for 8 years.  We are the only organization that goes in with the water trucks because we have established a trust with this sector of the city; otherwise unsafe to go to.  Note that many of the young girls are considered restivek (slave).  Families will take in a child who no longer has a family or are promised a better life, but in the process becomes a restivek.

When we pulled in through the streets, kids came running to the truck from every direction, most barely clothed if any at all.  We were immediately bombarded with kids wanting to be held and loved.  We did three water stops that day.  Katie, my daughter recalls a girl of 4 or 5 coming to her with her baby brother.  The little girl handed Katie her brother to be held.  Katie couldn't believe the selflessness of this act of love.

Filled  with more emotion than we could comprehend, we moved on to a second water stop.  Before moving on we made a stop at Hope Church, in the heart of Cite Soleil.  There we waited while the water truck went back to get refilled.  No one ever thought a church would be built in this city.  But lo; a church has been built - on a garbage dump....but think of it....the Lord took in the lowly, He healed the lepers, gave sight to the blind, and helped Rahab....  and what better place to build a church.

I do have to talk about the 2nd water stop.  The old lady.  She was probably over 70.  She got her buckets filled.  Her buckets.  With no handles - they must have broke off.  I walked over to her and gestured if she would like some help.  She shook her head "no."  I helped anyway.  We picked up the bucket together 5 gallons of water is heavy, even  for two people.  We picked up the bucket with our finger tips on the lip of the bucket.  It was hard....it hurt.  We walked to her shanty.  When we stopped the tears were rolling down my face.  This old lady did this on her own.  she looked at me, kissed each cheek and told me she loved me.  She gave me way more than I could give her.  How could she do that.  She was old...deserved a nice retirement.  Instead, she will carry water the rest of her days.  Probably does not even have a mattress to sleep in.  I will pray for her everyday and never forget those whom seem forgotten.
~Micki