Videos

Videos of the Haiti Mission Trip 2011

Back in the US

We have landed in Florida. Thanks for all the prayers and support. Videos posted later tonight.

Day 7 | Jeremiah Ramsey

Well this week has been a blast!! I’ve seen the way of life of many of these great people and have learned to appreciate many of the things I take for granted everyday. We did our dedication for the two houses we have built over the past week and I got to pray the blessing over the 1st house which was quite an honor! Talking with the locals and our fellow workers has become my favorite part of the trip. I have found my self fully capable of holding a conversation (or argument) with three words total! We went out and did some bargaining with the street vendors near the mission and I talked myself into a few good deals which is always a blast! I tried some of the haitian Coca Cola.. not my brightest idea. Were are going to be headed out for the states tomorrow and the long drive back to Braxton so keep us in your prayers!

Day 7 | Jon Smith

    Hey everyone. Last day here in Haiti and I have to say that I will be glad to get home. We have had a great time here. Two houses were dedicated to two families today who were living in a cinderblock foundation with tarps for roofs. How awesome to see two families get brand new homes. Today was very interesting shopping along the streets. The unidentified food being sold along the streets was interesting as well. Please pray for us a safe return tomorrow. They are also telling us to brace for a long day. Well so long everyone and see you at home.

Day 7 | Mickey Skeens

Good evening everyone, it is hard to believe that this week is over and we are sitting here cleaning and packing for the trip home tomorrow.  We finished our work today, we went to the 2 houses that we built and had a dedication service with them.  The 1st house we built was for a family of four.  They shared with us their experience from January 12th, 2009 when the earthquake hit here.  The Service was quite awesome, Bill was asked to lead the worship service by being the Choir Director, and yes you are reading it correct Choir Director.  We sang 2 songs in english and then the Haitian work crew sang 2 songs in Creole and then Eric Campbell read scripture and challenged the family to live their lives and be a light for Jesus and then Jeremiah offered up the closing prayer.  We then went to the second house and John Smith read scripture and challenged the family as Eric did and Brian Gerwig closed in prayer.  This was quit a blessing and an honor to see and to be a part of.  

The rest of the day was ours to walk the streets and to buy some gifts and barter with the locals.  Everyone was able to buy some things and it is amazing how much they are willing to sell something for when they start out so high.  I can’t wait to get home but yet it is hard to leave knowing how much more work and ministry needs to be done.  The little girl that came out and played with us each day was there for the dedication and was still in the same shirt that she was in the first day that we met her.  We took some clothes to see if we could give them to her, but we were told we would have to go through the proper channels. They assured us that they would follow up and get this taken care of.  She shared with us that she had 6 other siblings.  God has been so good to me that I know that I don’t deserve it.  I know that I need to be a better Christian role model in the church, our community and at home as a father and a husband.  I pray that he will continue to do a work in my life and make the changes in me that needs to be done.  Love you all and looking forward to seeing you soon.

Day 7 | Bill Morlan

Well for the most part the trip is to the end.  Cleaning and packing is all that is left.  It has been quite a week and we have been the one’s who were blessed.  To see the faces of the people who received a new house was amazing.  both families lost their houses to the earthquake and they lost everything.  The devastation of the quake is unbelievable and to hear the stories was heat breaking.  We did make some great contacts for future youth and adult trips.  I will be making contact with the leaders of the Haiti mission groups as soon as i get back.  I know this one thing for sure, I am not the same guy now who I was when I left.  This trip has changed my life and my walk with Christ.  I would encourage everyone who is able to make a trip like this while you still can.  Love ya Bron and boys.

Day 7 | Brian Gerwig

Well today is more or less the finally day. All we have left is packing and cleaning everything up since we are the last group here until Feb. I got to say the dedication prayer for our second house that was really special to me. This trip has been awesome it has really changed the way I look at stuff in my life. I cant wait until i get the opportunity to come here again if God allows it. I highly challenge anybody that gets the chance to come serve in Haiti. Thanks for all the prayers and support.

Day 7 | Eladio Mazon

We had two dedications today - during the last one , our leader , Roger got a call wanting a person with medical experience to help fly a guy that had been shot .  So I’ll be going home on a smaller different plane . I know God will be with all of us on our trip home.  It has been a fabulous experience been able to actually help the same people which we, as a church prayed for almost two years ago; the earthquake happened on Jan. 12th 2010.   There is still much to do here , but progress is being made mainly by all the different churches in the country.  You really need to make one of these trips - it will change your outlook on life - guaranteed !    Thanks for praying for us and all the support which we have received .   Love you    Eladio

Day 7 | Eric Campbell

Just wrapping up what you have read from everyone else, today I was involved in the dedication service for one of the homes we helped to build. I was nervous, but with help from Pastor Bill and through prayer I was able to deliver the message to the family. That was a moment I’ll never forget. It was special to be involved and this past week has given me a new outlook on life. I’m far more thankful for the life God has blessed me with than what I was before I came. If you can spend just a week in a third world country, you won’t have anything to complain about when you return home to the US. 

Tomorrow we head back to the US. I’ll try to keep this page updated as we make the stops along the way. Start looking for the videos to be posted tomorrow night. Days 1-4 are already done and while it was impossible to capture the experience completely, they will give you a good window into the situation here on the ground. God bless.

Day 6 | Mickey Skeens

God is so amazing.  He gave us another beautiful day to work and to fellowship with the workers and the kids.  By lunch today the stucco was finished on our second house and we just had to finish the floors on both houses and rub down the second one.  After lunch there was some down time because there is only so much room in a 10 X 20 house to fit the 10 of us and the crew of Haitians that were working with us.  We kept switching in and out and by this time there were kids everywhere.  They told us after we were finished that this was the most kids that they had seen all year working on the job sites.  They were all beautiful children with big brown eyes and a smile that you will never forget.  Some of them we have seen each day and they were in the same clothes from the first time that we had met them.  They do not forget your name, because when they come up to you they would call us by name.  They would dance, whistle, laugh and giggle about anything that we would do with them.  There was one little girl in particular that I will never forget.  She was there each day that we were and she always had the same big smile and laugh.  Had the biggest brown eyes of anyone I have ever seen.  It would have been easy for me and some of the other guys to bring her home with us.  It was also a blessing for me to met and work with the Haitian crew, they were very helpful and willing to teach us the way that they do things.  Both houses are finished and Wednesday we will go and meet with the family and do the dedication serve and give them the house.  I am very thankful that God allowed me to come on this mission trip.  I know that I have been blessed and been able to travel a lot, but I believe that this has been the best one that I have ever been on and it has been the most physical and strenuous that I have ever done.  I want to praise God for allowing me to see and to experience this place.  The pictures we have seen on TV from the earthquake is in no comparison to how it really is here.  There is things you smell that you will never forget and things that you could never imagine or believe that someone could live this way.  Looking forward to seeing everyone back home.  Love and miss you all. 

Day 6 | Eladio Mazon

What a great couple of days we have had!            The ride to the work site is an adventure in itself.   We finished the 2 houses today.. Built out of blocks and had to mud all outside and inside walls.  Our arms were about to fall off.   We had a lot of kids today on our site,and we were able to interact with them.  Roger, the man in charge, informed us that one little girl that just had an old t-shirt no shoes and her hair very unkept - she was also  joking with us.  Well , he thinks that she is an orphan with no family.  We are going to get her some clothes, etc.   We just got back from eating a Hatian meal and it was great!  We are going to dedicate both houses tomorrow , and try to talk about God to both families, so please pray for us tomorrow at about 10 AM.   We have worked hard , but have had a tremendous experience - We won’t be able to be the same person again.

Day 6 | Bill Morlan

For the most part the week is over.  Our houses are finished, a day a head of schedule, and all that is left is the dedication.  If you read this before 10:00am be sure to pray for Jeremiah, Brian, Jon Smith and Eric as they will be the one’s leading and sharing at the dedication.  By far the hardest work i have ever done on a mission trip and the hottest weather.  The men that worked with us were amazing and worked harder.

Day 5 | Mickey Skeens

Another Day down.  Today was the hottest day that we have had.  It started out early this morning as we got up at 5:00 to see the group from Hope Sound Bible College off.  They finished their project and headed home today.  They were a great bunch of college kids to work with.  The ride to the job site is something in itself, we travel about 10 miles up the mountain and it takes nearly an hour to get there.  We are on a paved road for about a 1/4 of a mile and then the rest is dirt roads and paths.  We drive until there is no more roads.  By lunch today the group I was working with finished the block on the second house.  We broke for lunch and the Haitian group started to mix the stucco for us.  While some of our group started putting the stucco on the rest of us sifted  sand for the finish on the house.  We ran out of gravel to sift and had some down time.  We had about 15 little kids ranging from 6 to 10 years old come out and we had the opportunity to play and interact with them.  They are some very beautiful children and have the biggest smile that I have ever seen.  They are very happy with what the have and don’t even realize what they don’t have.  Not a one of them had a pair of shoes that fit them or did they have a pair that wasn’t full of holes, but this didn’t stop them from playing and having fun.  They would ask us our name and then they would tell us there’s .  John Bonazzo was the biggest hit with the kids, he was getting them to dance, play box, and was ridding the pony on his knee.  God has blessed us in so many ways I cannot describe.  I am so glad that God aloud me to come.  He has shown me so much, and I appreciate what I have, and I pray that I will never complain about anything that I don’t have.  There is no way that anyone in the US even myself that would live they way they do and in what they have and still be happy and content.  They love the Lord and praise him with all that they have.  The church service yesterday was awesome.  They come out on Sunday in the very best that they have and they all welcomed us with open  arms.  Even though the service was in their native language we could still pick out parts and understand what they were saying and singing.  Can’t wait for you to hear parts of the service.  Looking forward to another great day, and praying that we will be able to get the houses finished for these families.  Hi Riley and Happy 13th wedding anniversary to my lovely wife and my best friend.  I miss you and can’t wait to see you.

Day 5 | Bill Morlan

Well day 5 is in the books and what a day it was.  It was the hotter today than any other.     We have almost finished one of our houses and will start stuccoing the outside of our second house tomorrow.  we had to shift gravel today to find sand.  we went through about a ton of gravel and filled about seven 55 gallon drums with sand.  On house one, we finished the stucco on the inside as well as 98% of the outside.  It will be completed by lunch tomorrow.  On house two, we finished laying the blocks this morning and then started on the stucco.  The inside was completed today and we will finish the outside tomorrow.  It was a long hard day.  We were all worn out and sun burnt.  It is 7:30pm and we are ready for bed.  I can’t begin to tell you how tired we are.  It was an awesome day.  On Saturday, 11 children gave their heat to Jesus at one of the house sites.  It has been an awesome week.  Love ya bron and boys

Tent City

A tent city set up after the earthquake. This was in Port-au-Prince, taken when we first got here on the way to the Baptist Haiti Missions compound in the mountains.

Day 3 | Eric Campbell

Another full day here in Haiti. Just sitting down to post everyone's blog posts and taking a little time to reflect. Today a man walked up and began talking to Eladio, Rich, and myself in English. There are many moments here that I wish I could videotape and share with all of you, but it's a difficult balancing act between capturing the moment and offending someone. This was one of those. He talked about the conditions here before the earthquake and how poor the people are here now even more so afterwards. He talked with Eladio for 20-30 minutes, taught himself English, walks 45 minutes to church, has no job and has no desire to date a girl until he finds a decent job. I continue to be more and more humbled by the hour on this trip.

At times, it's much easier for me to just think of this trip as a project to build a couple houses, because if I allow the things I'm seeing and hearing to sink in, it's too much for me to handle. You know the pictures are real. You see Anderson Cooper grab a bloody child carry them to safety in downtown Port-au-Prince, but that's TV. Being here makes it all real. There are people suffering. There are people living in tents. I get to go home in a few days. These people have no home. But some of them do have God and they have real joy and couldn't be happier. I just hope and pray that I can share the joy I have thanks to Christ to some that don't know Him.

The other group we are here with finished their home and had a dedication service with the family that will be moving in. Eleven people gave their lives to Christ at that service today. Praise God for that.

Still working on getting more to you back home than just some blog posts. I promise at least a few pictures tomorrow if not something more. Logistics here have been a challenge to say the least.

Enjoy driving to church tomorrow, some people will be walking at least 45 minutes to get there and they will be thankful to worship God and turn around and walk the 45 minutes back.

Day 3 | Bill Morlan

After a 90 min delay in leaving for the job site, we finally left for our houses.  Being on a mission trip in a third world country is at times about waiting.  You learn to be flexible and not to get upset with the waiting.  Being American, we at times get really upset with the wait, but it’s a way of life here.  No one is real concerned with the time like we are back home.  Still today was a great day!  We finished the blocks on our first house and began to stucco it.  The second house we finished the block on the back wall and lack 4 rows of being finished.  We experienced a HOT day today.  No breeze to say of and no cloud cover.  Just about everyone was burnt and we went through the water.  We also loaded about a ton of sand, 5 gallons at a time as well as unloaded another 200 blocks.  Our trip home was a new experience in the “Momma will say there will be days like this”.  It started to rain on us and then we met a Mack truck.  Neither could pass so we did the Haiti thing and tried to pass.  The Mack locked up with our truck and then was stuck and we had to each back us and try again.  This time we got a running head start at each other and somehow made it by each other.  This trip has began a new book for “Momma would say there will be days like this”.  Everyone is working very hard and the work is hard to say the least.  We are surrounded each day by multitudes of children always asking for food or money and it does get hard saying no.  It seems like all of the children have the biggest smiles that you will ever see and enjoy being with us.  As you work and travel, your heart aches as you learn of their stories.  Not only from the earthquake, but from everyday life.  I can’t wait to tell of the stories when we get back.  Love ya all.  Love ya Bron and Boys.

                                                Bill

Day 3 | Mickey Skeens

What a blessed day it was.  It was a little hotter today and God saw fit to allow us to experience some of the real climate here.  As Bill said the Haitians are not on any time schedule, they don’t get in a hurry about anything.  We have set and talked about how much could me accomplished if we could start on our time, then he shows us that we are on his time and everything always works out.  I have met and made many new friends here and they all come from different parts of the world.  Kenneth is a paster from PNG and has been in the states for three months, he felt Gods call on his life to come here for an education, he left behind a wife and four kids ranging from 4 months to 15 years.  Just listening to him talk and share his story is amazing and you know that only God could have worked this out for him and his family.  The job foreman is Taejohn and he is a very large man for a Haitian.  It has been an honor and privilege to get the opportunity to meet him and get to learn his trade of block laying.  We have spent the last 2 days sharing and learning about one another.  Can’t wait to share more once back  in the states.  I love and miss everyone.  I miss my girls, Love you Marcy and Riley.

Day 3 | Brian Gerwig

What a blessing it has been being able to come on this mission trip. You know how you see poverty and such on TV well its total different seeing it in real live. Im so blessed and this just opens my eyes to really see how blessed I am, actually  how blessed WE are as Americans. What really amazed me today is when we were carrying block today and a twelve or thirteen year old girl was packing three concrete blocks just as I was, I thought to myself there aren’t very many thirteen year old boys in our country that can pack three concrete blocks thirty blocks.... Thanks for everyones prayers and one last thing that’s kinda funny... Mom i love you but when you bought me socks you got 9 1/2 in boys we got pictures how they fit on my size 12 foot. Once again thanks for all the prayers.

Day 3 | Eladio Mazon

It is 7:30 PM.  and I think we are ready to go to bed.  It was a hard day at work - we didn’t start to work until 10:30 AM because in Haiti things don’t go to fast. - the travel is very hard , we travel in a large work truck ; they put all 26 of us plus the interpreters in the back bed.  The trip takes about 50 minutes and you have to hold on for your life.

We even had some little boys and girls helping us carrying the bricks.  They all are very glad that we are here.  I talked to a young man that is learning English by listening to the radio and repeating the words and also using the dictionary.   He travels 45 mins. by foot to church on the top of the mountain.  And he feels blessed.   What a humbling experience!            Keep praying for us.

Day 2 | Eric Campbell

Tonight, I'll let the other posts that will follow do most of the talking for our experience here. For those looking for a video, I have plenty of footage of the events you will read about. Unfortunately, right now the internet connection is preventing me from sharing that with you. Still working on it, might have something up later, maybe not. Hope everyone is doing well back home. I'm wore out after a full day of manual labor that I'm not used to at all, but it's pretty difficult to complain when you see your surroundings. Take care and God bless.

Day 2 | Mickey Skeens

What a beautiful day God gave us.  Perfect weather and wonderful people to work with.  Different Country, Different Name, Same Problems.  After just a few hours of work we were out of supplies.  We were 250 blocks short to finish our first house.  For the next few hours, we sifted sand for the finish that we will put on the house.  Once the truck arrived, the real work began.  We had 400 blocks to unload and carry into the 2 house sites.  What a work out.  My arms are like jello.  When we were finished and got back to laying block we ran out of mortar and we only lacked three rows on the front and two rows on the back.  Looking forward to finishing our first house tomorrow and getting the next one started.  God blessed us with the right temperature to work because he knew we could not handle to heat of this place.  People here are wearing light weight jackets and toboggans.  We are in shorts and cut off shirts.  At the market today I received the name of Big Poppy.  Here your size is how wealthy they think you are.  Kids and adults all had their laughs.  Laughing is a good thing.  So just have to smile and go with the flow.  We have another group with us from a college in Florida.  They have been a blessing to be around.  They are from all over the world ranging from Alaska, New Guinea, and the Ukraine.  They have a beautiful country to see.  Going back into the mountains, now has a new meaning.  A few miles takes almost an hour to get there.  At home we don’t have pot holes, you should see the size of these.  They will swallow a small car.  Looking forward to God’s blessing tomorrow.

Day 2 | Jeremiah Ramsey

So we started this week off with a bang! Today was our first work day and we knocked out some block! We showed up after our 50-60 minute pothole ridden drive we promptly jumped off at a concrete pad with 3 courses of block and multiple haitian workers. We then proceeded to learn their way of laying block. its different then our American way. They prefer to start at both ends and piece together the middle. We ended up laying almost the rest of the house and unloading half of this and the rest of our second house. We were working with a college group from college but many of the students are from around the world. They’re all my age so its nice to get away from all the old farts. I’m pretty sure John Bonazzo is either going to kill me here after I do all the heavy work or just write me multiple tickets. Either way, Ive been having a great time and seeing God in many ways! The people are always happy and laughing and making jokes. It’s hard to believe with this much poverty. It’s quite a heartfelt blessing!!! Ive been keeping Mickey Skeens straightened up for ya tyler!! so don't worry!!! Can’t wait to make some biscuits and gravy tomorrow!! Peace!!

Day 2 | Bill Morlan

You’ve already heard about the day, so here is my take on it.  We went to the market to buy some items with our interpreter, in groups of nine.  We mixed up people from both groups and took off shopping.  My group was called “grandpa’s group”, so everyone was asking me how many grandkids I had.  The markets were like in India, open food was everywhere.  Some of the youth were pretty grossed out by the chickens hanging on the hooks as well as the fish.  The smells were undescribable and the market was packed.  We road in the back of a truck, all 20 of us, standing in the back hanging on to the racks as we bounced all over the place.  It was awesome.  After arriving to the house, we jumped right to work.  We were 6 courses up, when we ran out of material.  We were going to start 2 houses today, but only had bricks at one so we all began at the same house.  We were cruising and then it all came to a halt.  We helped the other team shift sand and did odd jobs like always.  After about 2 hours, our bricks arrived and we spent about an hour throwing blocks to each other.  It was pretty tiring.  We finished what we could before dark and then headed back to the camp.  Another 50 minute ride in the back of the truck.  Now we are getting ready to eat, some are taking showers.  We should sleep well tonight.  Love ya all and talk to you soon, love ya Bron and Boys.

Day 2 | Eladio Mazon

Had a long night last night.  Four big snorers in the room .  Then we got in back of the truck and it was a wild ride.  Haiti is very hilly and have hardly any roads - all 4 wheel drive.  We worked hard until 4:30  and it was a good thing because I was about to give out.   The people  are great  and have a great attitude about life.   God has blessed us beyond believe ! .   Have a lot of different sad stories in this place.  We were able to take GI showers and it felt great.   There is no septic system in the whole country, so everybody burns their stuff.   We will all sleep well tonight after I pass out the Motrin. 

Keep praying for us.  Love you all .

Day 2 | Jon Smith

Wow what a culture change, people at home have no idea how good they have it and I was the same way. Today was a good productive day and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. We all slept pretty good except for the rooster that starts way too early like 2:00 am. Hope everyone at home is good. Mark was right when he said we would smell things we would never forget. Thanks for all the prayers everyone and please keep them up esp with me a little uneasy in the air

Day 1 | Arrival at Camp

The population here is still trying to dig themselves out.   We feel so blessed that we are  able to help out in a small way.   The driving in Port-au-Prince was wild and out of control , but I didn’t see any road rage at all and the streets were full of people.   One thing I have not seen are cats,  I wander why ?.    We got to the Mission compound and got a tour of the campus.  They also have a hospital which we toured and it was really interesting.  People are suffering , but they are very patient, a lesson which we  can learn from. Keep praying for us .          

-Eladio

Day 1 | Arrival at Camp

We arrived in Hati around 2:10 and it was hot!  Baggage claim was just like india with everyone going crazy and grabbing everything in site.  We had no problems during the flight or at the airport and we sailed through customs.  We were taken for a tour of the capitol Port-au-Prince.  We saw some of the destruction, which was unbelievable.  The capitol building was in ruins as well as the cathedral.  the streets are very crowded with only room for cars and trucks to barely miss each other.  We took the tour in an old school bus and our driver drove it like it was a ford focus.  there were a couple of times that everyone got a little nervous.  We are staying in a dorm room, all ten of us and we are located next to the girls room(poor girls).  We will get the tour of the compound tonight and start our projects in the morning.  The mountains that surround us are awesome and it is cool up here in the mountains.  Keep praying for us and we will see you all soon.
-Bill

In the air

On the plane

We are on the plane. On the ground in Haiti this afternoon

In Florida

Made it to Ft. Pierce, Florida. Spending the night here before taking our flight early in the morning to Haiti. We have a couple stops along the way in the Bahamas and the Caicos Islands for fuel. We met up with Rich and Linda Oney this evening and had a good dinner with them. It was a great day for traveling...no problems on the drive down. Please continue to pray for our safe travel and that God would use us to help the people of Haiti and deliver His message. Have a good day and hopefully we'll be blogging from Haiti tomorrow.