Haiti Unplugged

Our church's worship leader, Blaine Albright, led our trip. The guy is an incredible human being. And he is actually a real live rock star...but he's choosing to serve and honor God with his life instead of chasing money and fame for himself.

He brought his "backpack" guitar with him, and rocked-it-out for us every day...


I'm not exactly the most musically gifted person, so it was so cool to be a part of experiencing God using music to reach people.

Every day, at every orphanage, Blaine was connecting with these kids musically (not to mention the people in our group). If he wasn't on the clock, he needs a few extra vacation days this year.

Here's a picture of him teaching one boy, Sam, how to play guitar...


(yes, I was jealous of Sam, too)

Here is a little Haiti Unplugged...Blaine making music with one of the girls at the 1st orphanage we visited...



(if you can't view the video immediately above, click the title of this blog post and it will direct you to the actual website which will allow you to play the video...its worth it:)

We Don't Notice

On Saturday night 1/21/12 we regrouped w/ our Global Orphan leaders, John & Abby Carr. This was probably the most personally-impactful time each day...realizing what had happened that day as we shared stories.

John shared the same story that Jesus shared years ago, about a widow living in extreme poverty, and how she still gave sacrificially. Then John shared some "in-the-trenches" perspective of poverty (I'll paraphrase to how it applied to me)...

"Some things that poverty causes that we do not notice b/c we're not living in it...

Choices:

1. which clothes or shoes to wear...the black shoes to match the belt?...gray shirt w/ khaki shorts?
2. which course to golf...the farther one w/ the tougher back 9?...or the close one w/ tight fairways?
3. which Starbucks to go to...the closest one w/ no parking but new swanky chairs?...or the farther one w/ plenty of parking and a drive-thru?
4. which bathroom to shower in...the bedroom w/ awesome showerhead?...or the kids' with the super water pressure?

(that is a shower at Jumecourt orphanage...the water is not warm)

Privacy:

1. there is no place to be alone...
2. no car to go drive in...
3. no bathroom or bedroom to shut door behind...

(this is a boys' bedroom...do the math on how many kids sleep in there...I wouldn't want the bed next to the open windows when its raining...)

Opportunity:

1. cashiers in Haiti speak SIX languages.
2. "overqualified" workers take any job they can get."

Question: How could these people be so joyful without choices, privacy or opportunity?

3 Orphan Stories - A Turning Point

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It was Saturday morning, 1/21/12, and we were about to hit our stride w/ "orphan time", visiting multiple orphan villages each day from this point on. Our Global Orphan leader, John Carr, shared with us 3 brief stories of 3 specific children at the Jumecourt orphanage & how they ended up there. I think John intentionally shared these stories at this point in our trip to help us pay attention & not obliviously overlook the life-changing moments we would soon be a part of with these kids. I'm grateful for his leadership, wise beyond his years.

We had already met & played with lots of the children, and knew for ourselves that these kids seemed joyful, caring, and happy to be a part of their community of orphans. They really didn't seem too much different from my own kids, aside from the absence of deodorant, glitzy recreation, and electronic entertainment. That made it unknowingly easy to overlook the fact that they are orphans...in an impoverished country.

Without knowing their stories, it kind of made it safe for us to physically & mentally be there w/ the kids...but emotionally and spiritually not really have to be invested. I didn't realize any of this until I reflected on this all when I got back home.

Click below, I read my journal'ed notes of the stories of 3 of the kids at Jumecourt, as John told us...

The hotel's rooftop deck where we sat fell quiet. I think it was all 10 of us in our group, but maybe it was just me that was hearing God's simple, gentle, loving whispers...

-"Grasp how important it is to Me that you are here physically, emotionally and spiritually.

-Now go, love these kids as I love them.

-Let Me use you to be a part of their story of knowing My love for them better.

-Go and be My physical hands for them to hold, and My arms to hug, and My legs to play futbol.

-I AM very alive here, and very real to these kids."

John finished by saying, "Global Orphan wants 'adult champions' for the kids." It was clear that this was a turning point in our trip, for me at least, from "we're just here playing w/ these kids" to "we're on a mission here w/ these kids".

Knowing these kinds of stories are the soul-scars of the kids that were climbing on us, kicking soccer balls past us, and braiding our hair...it flipped a switch inside of me that rarely gets flipped. I looked around at my 9 American friends, realizing I was right in the middle of the biggest privilege that God has ever honored me with, outside of leading my own family. This was 1Corinthians 12:27 coming to life in front of us.

Call it what you want, but it could not be clearer to me how God would use these stories to teach us that:

1. us "ordinary guys" can be desperately-needed father figures to neglected & abused boys.
2. God still lifts people out of the trash, cleans them up, and uses them for GREAT purposes. NOBODY is too dirty, too messed-up, or too-far-gone for God.
3. God shows Himself all around us...in "coincidences" and in the world's hurts...if we'll only pay close enough attention.
   

Entrusted With Much

Most mornings, I'm up in the 5:00 hour. So I get to hang out w/ Parker (my 12-month old) in the a.m. before Stacy and Payton wake up.

I keep the TV & Blackberry off now, Haiti-style, to keep the world from intruding on our time. He sits on my left hip/lap, leans back into the crook of my left arm, and I usually use my right hand to hold the bottle for him. Here's kinda what we look like...

When this calm mood overtakes him, it's really the only time I get to hold him while he's still. I get to sit there and look at him, hug and kiss him, as he's in the process of beef'ing himself up for his eventual spot on Da Bears D-line.

If you've ever held a child like this, you know the feeling, especially if it's your own child. It is this physical touch of love, care and safety that all humans are naturally wired to need. Especially for a baby, though, who doesn't yet understand what's going on, it's like that just becomes how they learn "love".

Both my kids have grown up w/ this time. They don't know life without the loving touch of mom & dad, the caring & safe arms of us both. We, and our kids, probably take for granted, even overlook, the whole "physical touch" thing on most days.

And then, there are the children who are born into a life very different from ours...

I was getting a tour of this orphanage's dorm rooms from two 10-yr old orphans, when I saw this little guy. He was just left there, at the edge of this empty bedroom. The way my 10-year old tour-guides didn't even notice this little guy, it was clear that the baby didn't get much attention...not like our kids get here in America. It was my first sobering reminder of the logistical realities of an orphanage. The adults have so much work to do & so many kids to take care of, they physically can not be "with" the babies all the time. We try and throw our money at these situations, but its loving human hands that are needed. The harvest really is plentiful...and the workers really are few.

He looked up at me and I saw my own 12-month old in him, just wanting my attention & affection...wanting to be held. That's what we did this mission trip for, to "hold and love on kids"...so I did...

I noticed (immediately) that his onesie was not snapped over his crotch. He wasn't wearing a diaper...his junk was just hanging out. WARDROBE MALFUNCTION?!?! ("no damage" in the video meant I didn't get pee'd on). I learned later, the babies don't wear diapers at this orphanage b/c they just pee/poop so much that they just let them do their thing...no diapers to clean that way. Of course, I was told this LONG after I had gotten down on that little carpet and held onto this child, and laid on the ground by him. It made sense, later, why the smell of urine was so strong in that room.

At least an hour later, after I had played a few games of soccer, and hung out w/ some other kids, I peeked my head inside that door to check on this little one...

He was still there. Alone. No attention. This is just how they live. I pulled up that blue chair to the left, sat down right over him & "shush'ed" him to sleep. About 5 flies landed on his face/head. He didn't budge, though...he seemed used to it. It was pretty noisy too. This was his late morning nap routine I guess...just a few steps from the open doorway to the older boys' soccer games...

Oh, its not all too enjoyable to think about, let alone watch. Its much easier and pleasant to just stay in my own comfort coma, not thinking about these children, and these circumstances. Honestly, that's how I've lived for 32.5 years. Its easy to be deceived into not reaching beyond my own family. This little baby's situation, though, very quickly started to put into perspective the life that I and my family get to live. And how important my attention, and physical touch is to our kids. It brought to life what Jesus said in Luke 12:48 "...when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."

This little guy, this story, shook open a closed-door way-deep in my soul, revealing the truth that I have so much more to give to others...yes to my own 2 kids...but not limited to just them. We all do. The harvest really is plentiful...and the workers really are few.