GOOD NEWS

I'm going back!!!!!

March 3rd - April 15th

I'm going back!!!!

Where is the Love?

I sit here in my room looking at all the junk I need to rid myself of but the one thing that I want to add is a family.

I want a family. In Haiti family comes first. I was amazed at how this love was shown in the village, at the home, and in our group. God made us so that we could love. It's something true, real, and fulfilling.

I don't know if I could ever have a child of my own because I want to love all the children of this world. I want to call them all by name and show my love.





Love was the one thing I felt that all of Haiti was asking for. Think, think of a time when you were all alone and just wanted to be loved. Just knowing that someone was thinking about you would give you comfort. The feeling that your not alone. That is what they are asking for. You can see it in their eyes if only you take the time to look.

Love

That's what Jensi asked for as he brushed my hand to wake me from a nap. All he wanted from me was for me to be with him and to love him. I'm here. You're in my heart. Feel my love. These people will never leave me.

I challenge you to love. Love all. We were made and commanded to love so do it! Share the love that God fills you with. His love is so great and abundant that it should over flow into the people that you interact with. Share the love.

Be happy

Haiti is poor, unwanted, smells, and some would say beyond hope.

Today I thought about Haiti and every thought was a good one. You might see the bad but I see the good.

The people there are so full of life. I didn't see an ugly Haitian there. Not one. They were all so beautiful and different once you take the time to look. These people are very passionate also. They love to talk and listen. To share their knowledge. They love to dance for the Lord. To sing at the top of their lungs.

These people have nothing yet when I was their I felt that all they wanted to do was to serve their Lord. They might not have much to give but what they give matters the most, their heart.

I have so much to learn from them.

You

The Problem

What problem are you going to fix in Haiti?

Are you going to fix a bare cinderblock house,

stacked one on another,

among thousands and thousands,

stretching for miles like concrete ivy,

up mountain ridges, into valleys,

down city streets and through alleyways?

Are you going to paint this house?

Are you going to mend the roof or patch the wall or sweep the floor?

What are you going to fix in Haiti?

Are you going to scrape filth from the streets?

Are you going to spend a week shoveling garbage?

Where will you put it?

Will you come back next month to do it again?

What are you going to fix?

Are you going to plant trees on deforested land?

Will you plant a forest? Will you recreate the rainforest?

Are you going to fix infant mortality, infectious disease,

mortally dangerous jobs and environmental toxins?

Then what? Will you fix over population?

What are you going to fix?

Are you going to fix economic injustice?

Are you going to fix government corruption?

Are you going to fix unemployment?

What are you going to fix by coming here

with hammer and nail and muscle

and books and teachers?

What problem are you going to fix?

Nothing.

You will fix nothing.

So then…

Do not come here to fix.

The problem is not an adequate house.

The problem in not lack of healthcare.

The problem is not street children or filth or pollution or corruption.

The problem is not Haiti.

The problem is you.

The problem is that you have already been given two simple instructions to fix the world:

Love God. Love Neighbor.

And you just can’t do it.

You just won’t do it.

The problem is you.

So do not come here to fix with your wealth and energy and good intentions.

Do not come here to solve a problem or do a project or complete a mission.

You are the problem.

You are the project.

You are the mission.

And it is God who is the problem solver.

God is the builder.

God is the missionary.

So, come here and let God fix the problem that is you.

Come here so that God can build a concrete space for understanding

in the rubble of your heart.

Come here so that God can hammer away the injustice rampant

in the economic structures of your mind.

Come here so that God can scrape away the filth

from the streets and alleyways of your soul.

Come here so that God can plant trees of inspiration

in the deforested soil of your spirit.

Come here so that God can melt your hardened heart.

Come here so that God can do mission work in you.

And yes, you do need to come here.

Because, when you are here,

God will work faster than when you are at home.

At home, you will always be in the way of God’s work:

your plans, your possessions, your prejudice, your life.

God will make more progress when you are here.

So come here to be the mission project of God.

Come to Haiti to let God fix the problem that is you.

God will do that here.

In Haiti God will fix the problem that is you.

And as God does,

So will God fix Haiti.

By Thomas C. Harris

creation

Thank you

Dear Haiti,

I miss you. I don't think I've thanked you yet.
You taught me so much and changed not only my heart but my point of view on life. I want to live a simple life full of things that mater, like love and smiles. I want to somehow someday give back all the compassion you've shown me. From Papi giving his son, Sony and his dancing, to Ari's passion. All of this was such and incredible gift that was shared with me. Every time I think back tears form. These gifts I can't show to people but they touched and changed me. I know how much I need to be changed and not only change.... but to grow.

My love for you and your people grows every day and I long to return. Every face that smiled at me is stuck in my heart. I can see you, feel you, hear your cry. I want to go back to find out your dreams and passions. Then I want to kindle that dream and watch it grow.

Right now Haiti is on my heart. I know that this is not the place I will end up but for now there is work to be done just for you. I pray for you. I love you. I hold you in my heart.

your sister,
Megan

dinner time

LOOK AT THESE CHILDREN.














Why do they make us uncomfortable?
Why do we think they are evil and full of bad spirits?
Why are they considered the lowest people on the earth?
Why?

All they want is to be touched, loved, and just someone to be with.

Here are some thoughts and feelings I experienced when I went to Wings of Hope.

It's funny now that I look back on my trip because the first feeling I felt was comfort. The building is beautiful. Hand made tile, art work, stones, metal work it was all so beautiful. A diamond in the rock. Our rooms were amazing and even had a shower and toilet!!! That was a big deal. Then we go down to meet the kids for meal time. All of my comfort left me. I took the bowl that was handed to me and found a child sitting in his wheal chair, mouth agape waiting to be fed.
Meal time was the hardest event I had to deal with. The food looked like oatmeal, slimy, slippery, lumpy, runny........gross. The child I was feeding wasn't very hungry. This didn't help at all because most of the "food" I would put in his mouth would just run down his shirt. I was incredibly frustrated with my feelings. I didn't want to sit there and feed the child. Then I would look at him and tears would come as I thought who would if not I? I felt horrible, sick with myself.

As I look back I realize that God had me right where He wanted me. This was what I had asked for. I want to serve. I want to be uncomfortable. I want to be humbled. That's what happened. As I look back I see all of their smiles, gifts, and talents. The only problem is that no one can appreciate them because these disabled people all live together. Their not in the villages or communities. I think that's a big mistake. They have a role to play. They have equal gifts and their spirit to share with others. They are all still children of God.

Let us touch the untouchable.

His, not mine

People ask me what I want to do......
How are you going to leave your mark on the earth?

My answer is this.
I don't want a trace of me, Megan Bannerman to leave a mark but my maker. I want his mark to stay behind.

his love,
his word,
his beauty
his truth.

This is my dream
my answer
my ministry

Jensi

I went back to PC and people asked about my trip and as I was talking I had this memory wash over me when I was with Jensi.
Jensi is my prayer partner. He prayed for me a month before I came and we spent time together when I was there. I loved this idea because it let me have a natural connection with one of the boys without trying to find it.

Jensi reminds me so much of myself. I'll share some memories we had. When he first came out to say my name and give me a gift he was wearing a tie die T-shirt. This made me smile. He was also very shy in saying my name. This gives me flash backs of when I was shy. One of my favorite memories was on a night when a storm brought me to the roof. I love to listen to them. Josh was up there already and we just sat and watched the lightning come closer. Jensi then came up to the roof and I asked him if he thought it would rain. I asked by acting it out because I don't speak Creole and he doesn't speak English. Then I started to do the typical Indian rain dance. He laughed and didn't know what I was doing but joined in along with Josh. Then Jensi started to do some of his Haitian dance moves. Josh and I tried to follow but were a little shy in going all out. Soon we were laughing and dancing like fools. In that moment I felt blessed. Here we were just dancing, laughing, and just letting go of all the walls between us. Playing. It was amazing and I'm sure we looked really stupid but we didn't care. Jensi was talking in Creole and we were talking even though we didn't understand each other. I didn't matter.










Here I finally found some time to sit down with Jensi and figure out a way to communicate with him. I pulled out my journal and started to draw. We drew our families witch was painful because I knew he just lost his dad and mom. We then went to animals but the cool thing was we would say the names in each language. I loved to watch him and from that time on he would come to me with a pin in hand ready for more.


It amazed me at how fast he let me in and loved me. He would always want to spend time with me and was so hungry for attention that he would wake me up from a nap just so we could sit in silence together on the roof. He has such a sweat heart and he will always be a close friend and brother.

George

I still feel stuck.

stuck in this way of life. A way of life that I want to change but age and education requirements are holding me back from doing what I want and feel called to do.

I want to struggle, I need to struggle but not here. In Haiti, Africa, Philippines
I don't care but not here where I'm surrounded by all my things. Where I'm comfortable.

Haiti and its people have humbled me. I want to be like George. All I want is to praise the Lord and serve him. I want to be at peace. I'm not there yet and won't be till I get out. My heat is being pulled and I want to go , even if I'm alone.


"Here I am Lord,
is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night,
I will go Lord
if you lead me,
I will hold your people in my heart."

Tap Tap

A tap tap would be the public transportation....like a taxi or bus stop. Some are big and most would be just a pick-up truck painted with crazy colors.

We road in them lost and every time was an experience to remember. I have to say a word about driving in Haiti. IT'S SUICIDE! They fly down the road. No speed limit. No age restrictions. No police on patrol. The streets are packed with people and cars. No bikes. We were inches to passing cars going 40. At first you just learn to look away because it makes your stomach hurt every time a car passes. I don't think I could ever get use to it. Really. The worst would be the road conditions. Driving in a bus was a challenge and the speed bumps where huge.

In a tap tap you should be able to fit 12 people in. We tried 12 and it didn't work very well. She had to sit on a lap or squat.

Trash

There are no consequences for the excess of our lives.

You can see and smell the consequences in Haiti. We have so much stuff, junk, crap. One day it will catch up with us. One day soon.

Today at work I swept the sidewalks and bagged leaves.

Feelings just sneak up on me.......I thought about the people of the world that sweep dirt off of dirt.

Trash.

We produce so much trash. I work in a bakery and we go through all kinds of things, especially food. We don't think about it, we just toss it.


There was trash on most every street in Haiti. Mounds of it. Of course it smelled. Haiti smelled dirty. You would see people in the trash along with animals (dogs, pigs, chickens). One thing I've taken for granted and not realized until now was a clean town. There are dumps but no one takes it there. I never saw a trash truck once.











notice the trash on the roof. everywhere. just toss it out the kitchen window.

Three Wings

This is Angela. She helps to direct the orphanage. When I go back I could work here or at wings. These children just melted me and I was so supprized at how open and loving they were. I mean, I just met them and we were having a blast together.
http://www.threeangelshaiti.org/











just look at that face! I want to take him home.














and this is Steven. The smartest kid I've ever met. Really.

pink glasses

These were Taryn Taylor's glasses till I took them out of Brandon's car and brought them to Haiti. The kids LOVED it. It makes everything pink and I would just watch them take them on and off, on and off laughing all along.
The bad part was this was durning Sunday morning worship....oops.

This is Fritz


These children are up for adoption. http://www.threeangelshaiti.org/

Darts

I'm not sure but I think Bill one the game with this shot. They play for $50 gourde EVERY Sunday. They put all of us on a team and we did horrible but it was fun to see the competition.

Kari pointed out the connections between the boys. You would see the older boys coaching/supporting the younger boys.






They could sure use a new dart board! The middle was was just gray and one big hole. It was really comical because when we stepped up they would all back up to get out of range. We were all scared we would miss and bake the window but that didn't happen.

St. Joseph's Home for Boys

We then traveled to St. Jose's. The home was very nice and it was a privilege to stay there. We stayed in guest rooms with bunk beads but I soon learned that no one slept there. We all slept on the roof every night because of the heat. There are 19 boys living at then home. These boys all lived on the street at some point in their lives. I heard some of their stories and its just amazing to see how far they've come.

Once they are apart of the home they are apart of a family. They do chores, go to school, practice for plays and dance theatre, pray. They try to avoid adoption because this is their new home. The hope is that the boys will grow up till they are 21 and then go out and give back to their country. Once they turn 21 they must find a job. I think the most amazing thing is that the home was ran by the boys. Bill is the coe director with Michael and Bill grew up in the family.

Here you see Michael and the boys coming in singing and bringing flowers for us all. This was our first meeting. They then went back outside and came in one at a time saying a name. This is how we met our prayer partner. Jensi gave me a necklace and then I gave him a toy. We then all stood in one big circle and prayed. Then we sang "Bind us Together Lord" while holding hands, black white black white, and that's when I knew I was meant to be there.

http://www.heartswithhaiti.org/

Papi & Katsmith

The first stop on our way to St. Jose's was at Papi's house. Papi is such an inspiration to all of us. His dream is to see a healthy, green, peaceful Haiti. He has done so much for his country by just trying to help one person at a time. This is his answer to all the problems in Haiti. You mush sit and listen to these people so they can start to heal, trust, and then together you can work towards a better life.

The moment I got off the plane I was humbled. We go to Papi's house and he gives us water, food, whatever we like- it's ours. He even brings out his newborn son for us to hold and pass around.

This is Josh holding Katsmith. It was really funny because first off Josh's mother wanted to see what it would look like for her son to hold a baby. Second, because Josh doesn't know what to do with a baby or how to hold him. Third, because Katsmith did a runny number two while being held.

From the sky

We left Jacksonville FL at 4 am to fly to Miami. Then from Miami to Port Au Prince, Haiti. I got to wondering about how everyone below starts their day. How will my day start in Haiti? We left when it was pitch dark outside. The sun came and touched the tops of the clouds and my face bringing me strength and hope for this trip.

There are 13 airports in Haiti. 4 of them are have paved runways. I've never flown over another county and thought about Haiti. Could you tell that it was a third world country?

The poorest country in Central America? You can't hide what you don't have. This was to be my home for the next week.

One of the scariest events that happened was right outside of the airport. Once we finally get through customs we go to gather our 28 pieces of luggage. There were 14 in our group. Once we stepped outside to look for our bus I was instantly overwhelmed by all the people. Haitians playing music, begging for money, yelling at us, and trying to take my bags out of my hands looking for tips. I didn't know where to turn or who to trust. In that moment I told myself that I could never come back alone. It's funny because later in the trip Arry challenged us to come back with nothing but our passports. He told us all we needed to do was to walk outside and say, "here I am with nothing. I need a place to stay. Will you help me?" I've thought about that really hard but think that I wouldn't be able to handle that....yet. I feel like that's what God is calling me to do. Just let go of all I had and walk forward just as I am. This takes full trust and nothing less. It's all or nothing. I've been so comfortable for so long but I'm not ready for this. I'm trying.