arrived safely, but not without adventure

 

So we arrived at the airport in Chicago and I go up to the Check-in counter and am told we missed our flight.  My heart dropped like an anchor.  My flight itinerary email from the agent was had a 2:45 pm departure, yet the check-in kept saying it was 11:45 am and we missed the flight.  Picture the line of guys, excited because the time is finally here, we are at the airport, and my distress is obvious.  What happened?  I take full responsibility for the gaffe.  We, I, get all our stuff,  back out of line and go to an area where I can explain what is going on.  Not willing to let it go, I tell them I am going back to the attendant to ask for other ooptions. As i look back over at the group, they are all together praying asking for a solution.  I wish I had been of the mind to get a picture.  This is what is it about, total trust.  Well, the attendant and I, after going over some ideas, with no solution, thought it was not going to happen and she was looking at other airlines to get us there to JFK in time.  i asked about going to LaGuardia, immediately she got excited, told me to get the guys over now, that there was room but only minutes to get the bags checked-in before the cutoff.  AND NO CHARGE.  It happened, we flew into LaGuardia with time to get a shuttle (which I might add a guy was there waiting to help).  We are here safe in Senegal at the Phare.  It is sunny with a mild breeze and we are TIRED.  Having slept very little on the plane, guys were falling fast.  We did get time for a nap.  We have gone through orientation, heard the history and explanations of the ministries at work here is Senegal.  Did a little scavenger hunt in the community which included going to different little stores, speaking and buying a few things for dinner.

 

So, back to the start of our journey.  It is never my intention to put God in situations where I need to get bailed out, cause I do enough of that being human.  But, again as in this case, as it happens time and again, God watches over us and can fix, takes care of, and makes it known that He is in control, even when I think I am or want to be.  There is no way I could on paper choreograph the twists and turns, but that is what makes this unique and special.  God is in control.  Your sons, my guys, we need to see that and be reminded of that constantly. 

 

Thank you for your prayers.  Tonight might be the best night of sleep we get because we are so deprived of it.

Live like it Matters!!!

 

South Africa Update

 

After over 36 hours of travel we landed in the Johannesburg airport around 10pm local time only to find out that our ride to our lodging for the night was nowhere to be found. So shortly after landing we found ourselves without a ride and without a place to sleep for the night. It wasn’t long before we “just so happened” to come upon a man who was waiting to pick up a large group and take them to his Bed and Breakfast for the nights stay, but his large group didn’t show up. So after a quick phone call and a short ride we found ourselves all safe and sound and laying in beds at last. This among other things made it clear that God had his hand on our trip right from the get go.

            After another days travel we arrived in Loskop, a farming community about 5 hours drive from Johannesburg.  The community of Loskop had an HIV/AIDS infection rate between 50%-70%, which is one of the densest HIV/AIDS populations in the world. This in combination with around 90% unemployment made for a community much different than any one of us had ever experienced before. One thing that we did differently this year is that we had the opportunity to sleep in the orphanage instead of sleeping somewhere else and driving in every morning. This was a huge blessing to have the time to really live with the kids and see what their day-to-day life was really life.

            After arriving late in the afternoon we settled in and the next day we got right to work. There definitely wasn’t any shortage of things to work on so we went with the divide and conquer approach. We had 5 guys on weed-eaters clearing the land around the orphanage, 4 guys helping build the foundation of the newest house on the orphanage, 2 guys helping at the HIV/AIDS clinic and a few guys helping build a barbed wire fence for a family in the community.

            One of the highlights of the week was getting to go to a local church service and not only observe but to participate as well. After the regular worship time we had the opportunity to show the local Zulu people what a typical American worship set looked like. After singing a few songs a few guys had the opportunity to share their testimonies with the help and an extremely charismatic translator.

            We also had the opportunity to spend some time in a local kindergarten classroom with around 90 kids. Most of our time with them was spent playing on the playground and was a highlight for many guys on the trip.

            It is so difficult to put such an amazing trip into words but all in all it was another amazing WFMP trip where God really did a great work not only through us in South Africa but in our hearts as well. 

Update from Wears Valley Ranch in Tennessee

Driving onto the Wears Valley Ranch in Tennessee for the first time I wasn’t really expecting to have the same “missions trip experience” that I knew my teammates were having in South Africa and Haiti. I had been told the kids we were coming to serve had some rough backgrounds but were under a good roof with some solid pastors, cowboys, mentors and volunteer parents raising them. Coming off of a semester at Wheaton were teachers, coaches, and friends had been poring into me I was really looking forward to a chance were I could, in turn, poor into others who were in rougher circumstances than I. Hearing about Wears Valley Ranch and the program that had been installed for these kids (I mean they had good houses, horses, cows, a sports shelter, a climbing wall) I wasn’t sure how much of a help we were actually going to be. It seemed like they had everything going pretty well for them, and after a week there I can still say they do. But what I did not expect was the effect we would have on the kids and, likewise, the effect they would have on us, even after a mere week. 

Not having the language barrier, we all were able to get to know the kids quickly. We heard some of their stories, stories that were just as heartbreaking as those you hear from children in third world countries, which can not be done justice on a website. The greatest part of hearing these tales, however, was the unique opportunity we had to see how these young kids (generally 7-14), given their rough past, were able to stand there and recognize that God is still their loving Father and has blessed them greatly. 

Every time we came into a room of kids we all would instantly be crowded, hugged, and loved. It was great and the enthusiasm never died while we were there. Almost every morning, we were able to see kids as (one was two years old) stand up in front of all of us and recite entire chapters of scripture. Ironically,we found ourselves being inspired by the very kids we thought we would be inspiring. It was incredible and incredibly humbling at the same time. After a week of praying, playing worshiping, and working together every one of our group of twelve was juggling around the idea of coming back to the ranch after college and working with the kids again. As happens on many missions trips, we went to serve and in turn we were the ones being given the most. In closing, I pray that God used us to enhance the lives of those kids we grew to admire and enjoy as much as they have enhanced ours. 

- Kai Libby

Check out the photos from our 2012 Trip!

WFMP2012′s photostream on Flickr.

We’re excited to share with you the latest photos from our 2012 trip.

Saturday in Haiti

 

Well, it is saturday and I am so proud of this group with the effort that was put into the projects, the children and caring for each other.  Fun, yes.  Hot oh yes.  What a privilege it is to serve.

 

projects – poured 4 300+ pound concrete blocks to put into a creek that everyone either has to walk thru or try to step on the rocks and not slip in.

 

helped with and finished a community center outdoor pavilion for a social area that is got a roof to protect from the sun and rain.  An outdoor gazebo.  These first two projects put the community and Grant and Natasha’s ministry closer together.

 

Painted almost all the building in the orphanage center – 5 buildings.  white, blue and orange.

 

knocked out the floors of the two dorms and tiled and grouted, built shelves, cleaned and it is great for the children.

 

finished a concreted slab so the children dont have to walk thru mud to get from their rooms to the bathrooms.

Thursday’s Update

 

Well, it us Thursday, and the challenges came out.  Sorry right now to the Cook’s, because he took the first – if you love Wheaton football challenge thrown out there. There is a picture, I won’t explain.  He is OK. We are working so hard in the heat, and getting so much done.  I am proud of our guys, and they even find a lot of time to play with the children.  Shout out to Natasha and Grant with not only taking care of the daily task of the kids, but also with us being here and all the things going on.  Peltz

 

Coming to Haiti, I didn’t really know what to expect. I assumed that the circumstances that the Haitian people were in would make them miserable and dejected. After being in the Bai for three days now, I have learned that this is the complete opposite of the truth. Despite having extremely little, the people of Haiti are extremely joyful. The Haitians we have encountered have been some of the happiest people I have ever met. Despite the situation they are in, they smile with a simple, “Bonjour”, giggle with joy when you hold their hand, have fun picking up concrete chips, and scream with joy when they carried to school. Last night, we stopped to help out some men struggling to fix a flat tire. I watched intently as these men tried and tried again to get the jack working, but failed every time. Despite the circumstance, the men were laughing the whole time. This is a common theme among the Haitian people and it has been an encouragement to our entire team. Even though I thought that I would come and bring happiness to the Haitians in the Bai, they have poured so much more joy onto me.

-Mark Hiben

            Being fortunate enough to have been on a WFMP trip before, I have had some experience working in a third world country. Haiti, like Senegal(where I went last year) has some of the friendliest people I have been around.  It is very intimidating walking through an area with many locals keenly watching our group from a distance.  Though it’s amazing how much significance a relatively meaningless “hello” can hold, even a smile seems to break down the walls that are perceived to be dividing us.  Unlike the states, in many foreign cultures it’s important to say “hello” to whomever you run in to.  It is the basic fundamentals such as this that are embedded in their society that makes Haiti such a friendly place. It’s awesome to see what Grant and his wife, Natasha, have done to the area they live in.  How they came with nothing, and slowly built upon what they did have, and continue to do so.  Our biggest projects include painting all the houses and the orphanage, tearing up the floor of the orphanage with hammers so that tile can be put in, and putting a tin roof on the “town center” for the community to have as a gathering point.  Living in the states I tend to have close minded view when it comes to what God can do, but being in Haiti really has opened my mind and helped me to realize just how present God is all over the world, even with people who have nothing, in places that I don’t see. 

-Pat Dansdill

Updates from Haiti

Here are two notes from our group regarding their experience so far:  thanks for praying.

 

Coming to Haiti, I didn’t really know what to expect. I assumed that the circumstances that the Haitian people were in would make them miserable and dejected. After being in the Bai for three days now, I have learned that this is the complete opposite of the truth. Despite having extremely little, the people of Haiti are extremely joyful. The Haitians we have encountered have been some of the happiest people I have ever met. Despite the situation they are in, they smile with a simple, “Bonjour”, giggle with joy when you hold their hand, have fun picking up concrete chips, and scream with joy when they carried to school. Last night, we stopped to help out some men struggling to fix a flat tire. I watched intently as these men tried and tried again to get the jack working, but failed every time. Despite the circumstance, the men were laughing the whole time. This is a common theme among the Haitian people and it has been an encouragement to our entire team. Even though I thought that I would come and bring happiness to the Haitians in the Bai, they have poured so much more joy onto me.

-Mark Hiben

            Being fortunate enough to have been on a WFMP trip before, I have had some experience working in a third world country.  Haiti, like Senegal(where I went last year) has some of the friendliest people I have been around.  It is very intimidating walking through an area with many locals keenly watching out group from a distance.  Though it’s amazing how much significance a relatively meaningless “hello” can hold, even a smile seems to break down the walls that are perceived to be dividing us.  Unlike the states, in many foreign cultures it’s important to say “hello” to whomever you run in to.  It is the basic fundamentals such as this that are embedded in their society that makes Haiti such a friendly place. It’s awesome to see what Grant and his wife, Natasha, have done to the area they live in.  How they came with nothing, and slowly built upon what they did have, and continue to do so. Our biggest projects include painting all the houses and the orphanage, tearing up the floor of the orphanage with hammers so that tile can be put in, and putting a tin roof on the “town center” for the community to have as a gathering point.  Living in the states I tend to have close minded view when it comes to what God can do, but being in Haiti really has opened my mind and helped me to realize just how present God is all over the world, even with people who have nothing, in places that I don’t see. 

-Pat Dansdill