And we begin....

Say "hi" to our friend Clark

Our wonderful first medical team!

So much has happened since my last blog one month ago that it is hard to know where to begin.  My initial trip to Our House of Hope last month was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced, both physically and emotionally.  I have never been a camper, so living in such extreme circumstances without electricity or running water for so long was a real challenge.  Our small team worked nonstop to prepare the house for our first medical team that was to arrive October 1, 2012.   Beyond all odds, this amazing team of talented people caulked, painted, wired and plumbed almost the entire second floor of the house. Four bedrooms, one being mine,  were outfitted complete with beds, running toilets, sinks and working showers. The second floor is now wired for electricity, but the Haitian electric company cuts the power on and off at will.  We loose power 3 or 4 times a day for several hours (yesterday it was off for 12 hours) so we are praying for funds for a good generator or inverter to provide the basic need for lights, refrigeration, and fans. We purchased a six burner gas stove that we hook up to a can of propane gas to ensure we can still cook when electricity goes out.  Did I mention that I was "fired" from the painting crew early in the week and found my place of service in the kitchen in charge of meals, market, dish washing and hospitality.

I

Pulling lumber up to 2nd floor

A large crowd awaits our first medical clinic

I came home the end of September  for a short visit to honor speaking engagements, attend a family wedding and celebrate my son and daughter's birthdays.  I had initially questioned the validity of having to return to the states several times during these first few months in order to honor already scheduled speaking commitments, but as always, the Lord knew exactly what I needed before I did.  My exhausted body and spirit needed to step away from the shock of this extreme lifestyle in Haiti for a bit and refill so that I would be fresh and ready to serve with love again. While home, I was able to hold my grandbabies close and spend a little time with precious family and friends.  It was very strange not to have a home of my own to return to where I could withdraw and re-center; I literally lived out of suitcases in my car and played guest at the homes of my mom, sister, daughter, and two treasured friends. They laughingly reminded me that Jesus was also 'homeless".  lol  On October 1st we returned with great enthusiasm and nine 70 pound suitcases filled with much needed supplies including power tools, pots and pans, cooking utensils, battery operated fans, roach and rat killer, sheets, tablecloths, a projector and food. We once again arrived late at night to a dark house with no electricity, but this time we were equipped with the right resources.

Debbie loving on Wainee

Our beautiful rooftop view

We rose early Tuesday morning (with the many roosters outside my window who begin crowing at 5:00 a.m.) and immediately borrowed a generator from a fellow missionary for this trip to ensure basic electricity needs could be met once it was wired to the house.  We made up the bunk beds and prepared the guestrooms for the medical team that would arrive later that morning.  Next we finalized our menu for the week  and went shopping for the required food.  Dr Karen McCarthy and her beautiful team of nurses and volunteers arrived at lunchtime on Tuesday and immediately began their first clinic of the week.   I stand in awe at their tireless dedication, healing hands and joyful spirits.  I rose each morning at 4:30 a.m. to start the coffee pot so that it would be ready for them at 5:00 a.m. as they headed to the rooftop for personal devotions. Deb and I had breakfast ready for the team each morning at 6:00 a.m. and they were out the door at 6:30 a.m. each day to set up their various medical clinics. Dinner was served every evening between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. followed by a sweet time of devotions and sharing on the rooftop before bed. Most of the team chose to sleep on the rooftop on air mattresses and hammocks rather than in their hot rooms.  What a blessing this rooftop is - both as a sanctuary and a beautiful "room with a view".  

A "bad toothache"

It was an emotional week as we shared our individual "God Moments"  each evening.  Here in Haiti, you are stripped of all diversions and it is so much easier to see God's mighty hand at work touching lives.  Dr Karen was especially touched by a lady who came to a clinic the first day of the week complaining of a "bad toothache". Her face was extremely disfigured and swollen with an abscessed tooth and you could smell the stench of the poison in her body as soon as she entered the room.  Dr. Karen made incisions and drained the nasty fluids as much as possible that day. Every day she returned to Our House of Hope around dinner time for additional draining and fresh wraps. By Saturday, her face appeared almost normal.  A fellow missionary, Karen B. took her to a dental clinic where she will hopefully be able to have the tooth surgically removed soon, but the day she smiled and hugged each of us will stay in our hearts for a long time.

Jim and precious Ms Elizabeth 

Jim's "God Moment" was often his daily visit to our neighbor Elizabeth who is dying of cancer.  She lays in a small hot concrete room with a tin roof, her open sores oozing and exposed.  She loves the Lord and is waiting to die.  Jim faithfully returns each day we are here to pray with her, sing to her, and love on her.  The rest of us take turns going with him.  We join him in his tears and prayers.                            

Our happy 99 year old patient

Precious baby with spinal meningitis

I constantly ask God not let me grow hard to the great needs here in Haiti, but I was still taken off guard when I broke down emotionally Saturday afternoon while we held our medical clinic here at Our House of Hope.  People packed the street fighting to get in the gates to see the doctor and her staff.  With only one doctor and a team of 5 nurses, I couldn't imagine how they were all going to be seen.  Everyone, over 320 people, was seen and treated with love that day! A 99 year old lady left walking proud with her new glasses and sunhat after her visit with the doctor.  The medical issues were varied and great, including spinal meningitis, measles, flu, cuts, stomach aches, abscessed teeth, etc.  My personal "God Moment"
occurred when a nurse came to get me to ask me to pray with Dr. Karen over a baby.  I entered the room to see the rigid baby jerking with a spasm and arched back.  Dr Karen said she believed the baby had spinal meningitis and we had to get the baby to a hospital immediately.  The problem here in Haiti is that there is no guarantee that a hospital will see these babies once they get there....it would break your heart to see the "hospitals" here in Haiti.  We laid hands on the mom and baby and thanked God that the baby was brought to our attention that day. We prayed for healing and that God would go before us to make a way to get the baby to a hospital for treatment.  The mom waited for several hours with her baby while transportation and arrangements were made. I took her food and water several times as she waited and tried to nurse her sick child.  I thought of my own grandchildren and how we rush them to the emergency room at the slightest sign of a sore throat or pain, confident that they will be seen and receive professional help to make them better.  This young mother held her dying baby in her arms with very little hope of future treatment or restoration of health.  My heart broke and I retreated to my room and crumbled in tears and prayers.

I feel so small here as I see the great needs, and I am reminded again that I must keep my eyes and heart on Jesus and His great love and power, not on the circumstances around me that can distract me.  I have committed to live as a servant of God here, and I will continue to be His hands and feet and walk in faith. I must lose my need to control and/or fix the circumstances.  I will do what I can. I know that I can give love and respect to each person. We will continue to preach the gospel of Christ and salvation as people wait for the much needed medical attention.  We will plant the seeds and trust the harvest and healing to God.

Time to lick the chocolate bowl!

lunch guests

Magic moments abound here in Haiti when you stop to enjoy the simplest pleasures.  I made a German Chocolate Cake and had all three of our "house children" sit down to enjoy their first "spoon licking".  They were so cute cleaning out that bowl!  On two different days we had unexpected groups drop by around lunch time, one day 16 people and the next day 19 people.  They did not come expecting to eat but only to see our place and pray with us while they were in Port au Prince; however we saw it as an opportunity to share hospitality and love and we prepared a lunch for each group. With a little pasta salad, chicken salad, tossed salad and sweet tea, we watched as God continuously performed a miracle of abundance and provided more than enough to satisfy each guest.

Carpenters at work

Our pharmacy

One of the things I loved the most about this precious team was their ability to create spontaneous moments of joy throughout the tiring day. We joined rooftop neighbors with morning exercise, laughed at practical jokes, danced with elderly patients, rode motorcycles, ran prayer laps around an empty cracked pool, and played jacks with the children. Our guest carpenter of the week, Carl, took time out to make wooden cars for the children to play with, replacing their 3 wheeled cut off clorox bottle tied to a string.  Carl built us a beautiful large medicine cabinet for the medical supplies in the clinic, a new storage cabinet for Deb and Jim's bath to hold linens and towels, a desk for their office, and a beautiful bookcase for my room!  Blessings abound!

Allison dancing with the stars

Rooftop morning aerobics

   

Carl's wooden cars

Karen and her amazing team saw over 1300 patients this week and treated each one with great dignity and love.  We were able to offer the team a sanctuary to return to each day where they could get a cold shower, a good meal, devotions, and appreciation. This week we saw the dream of Our House of Hope manifested. We housed our first guests, held our first medical clinic, and hosted our first church service. On Saturday, I led our first Women's Small Group for American missionaries. This week we shared the entire video training series of The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson as we encouraged our visitors to join us in circling our big dreams as we claim the power of prayer. The love of God and the message of salvation were shared constantly.  Souls were won. Relationships were built. God was honored. That is our continuing prayer.

1st Community Women's Small Group

I sincerely ask for your committed prayers for us as we work here in Haiti.  Our power is in your prayers. Please pray that we will have renewed energy, the wisdom of Solomon,  discernment, health, a joyous and grateful spirit, and the financial resources to stay and serve here in Haiti.  I am walking in faith that God will touch the hearts of my friends and family to provide the monthly financial support for me to continue to follow His call to Haiti missions. Please pray about sending a tax deductible donation online @ http://www.utwwk.com/give/ or mail a check made out to Donna Tyson/Until the Whole World Knows to  Until the Whole World Knows, Inc. , 731 Duval Station Road, Suite 107-281, Jacksonville, FL 32218.  Even a dollar a day from each of you would make a world of difference.  

Dr Karen bringing joy

I will be traveling between Haiti and the U.S. for a few days in October, November and December and will then be here in Haiti for several months before returning to the United States again.  I would love to come share with your church and/or organization about our work here in Haiti.  Please message me at donna@utwwk.com if you would like a presentation in exchange for a love offering for my ministry. Thank you again for your continued love, prayers and support.  You are truly the wind beneath my wings. May God continue to be glorified and honored in all we say and do.  

Our first Sunday worship service

Week One

My rooftop morning devotions

I sit on the rooftop and listen to the sounds of Haiti at dawn. It is hard to believe that this time last week I watched the sunrise from my screened in porch overlooking the beautiful Potomac River.  Perhaps I will wake and find this is just a dream..  My life today feels surreal, and yet I am at peace that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Last week I was overwhelmed with emotion as I let go of everything I owned and prepared  for my new life here in Haiti.  I don't know that I would have emotionally or physically survived
if it were not for the constant presence and support of dear friends.  My heart jumped with excitement as I arrived at my new home, Our House of Hope, in Port au Prince right before dusk on Friday.  Despite the crumbling walls and rooms covered in filth, I felt that I was standing on Holy Ground.

Maybe we should start with an outside wall to the house

Speckles of paint and hope

The streets are filled with weary people suffering from hunger, thirst, heat and a lack of hope.  What a privilege to be able to share the love of God with these precious people. We had no electricity, water, appliances, or transportation yet the team was filled with enthusiasm and high hopes for the home repair project before us.  We each chose a room and began to blow up air mattresses by flashlight. Before bed we met on the rooftop of the house and stood in awe at the view overlooking the city in all directions.  We prayed together and reminded each other that our purpose in being here was to honor God and to serve as His hands and feet in this desolate land of Haiti. I found my way back to my room in the dark and climbed into bed, wondering what in the world I had done. How could one decision change a life so dramatically? Could I really do this? If so, it certainly wasn't going to be by my own strength or knowledge, for I was definitely in an unknown land on all counts.  This would be a true walk of faith powered by the Holy Spirit and an intense desire to answer the call that God had placed on my life to come to Haiti.

My room is very hot with little breeze despite the open windows.  I did not bring a mosquito net

Danny and "our kids" 

or a battery operated fan.  I realized I had left many necessary items behind, but I had my family pictures, my Bible and a suitcase full of nuts and; dried fruit to help me survive. I rose at dawn on Saturday morning for personal devotions and prayer followed by group devotions.  Our crew of 7 was joined by many young missionaries and Haitian workers eager to help us create a lovely mission house.  We caulked, scraped old paint, sanded and painted walls while others worked on restoring broken concrete walls, repaired broken toilet and sink lines, and tried to figure out the jumbled electrical maze of open wires pulled across the ceilings and walls of the house. My already exhausted body felt inadequate and old, yet my spirit soared with the vision of our future home and ministry house. Each day ends with a sweet time of group sharing, devotions and prayers. We are all very different in our personalities and skills, and yet we see God using us as one body committed to His work here.

Pastor Cenore's Haitian church service

Sunday was a day committed to worship and refilling of spirit.  We began the day with Pastor Cenore traveling up the mountain to a beautiful Haitian service that lasted for the morning.
At 3:00 we went with another dedicated missionary, Pastor Lenny, to the Phillipine UN Building.  Jim shared some of his experiences as a missionary in Venezuela and my heart was touched by the sweet worship of these "tough" Phillipine soldiers singing and praying. We then went to dinner at Sherrie Fausey's who welcomed our team with open arms and fed us for the first three nights of our stay.

Crossing the ravine for infant feeding

On Monday morning, I had the privilege of walking the ravine with Sherrie as Amber, a beautiful young Christian woman from Roanoke, Virginia, and the mamas passed out hot soup and baby vitamins to young children under three. I experienced a moment of "dejavu" as my mind and heart tried to process the stench and the horrible living conditions of those in the ravine. It was a similar feeding experience that broke my heart in 2008, and the faces of the starving children have called me back to Haiti ever since.  As I talked with Sherrie about her emotional experiences surviving the earthquakes and floods of recent years, God reconfirmed my role as an
encourager to these saintly women of God who have dedicated their lives to the Lord's work here in Haiti. As I laid in bed and thought of my own grandbabies and how much I miss them, I wept and asked God to forgive me for my selfishness. I hear the cries of the youngest of the three children who are now living in the back of the house with our wonderful Haitian house employees, Moodlin and Johnno. (sp?)   I can no longer accept the life of comfort and convenience that I have known most of my life.  I know that I am where God has called me to be and I look forward to the future Bible Studies, workshops, and personal sharing time with these precious women of God.

Bunkbeds for mission teams

Every day is filled with miracles and God whispers.  We have somehow managed to feed not only our team but also all the workers that fill the house.  Fellow missionaries and neighbors have blessed our home with their presenc, prayers and love.  We now have water from the cistern running into the house for toilets and sinks, although as we speak, a water line has broken for the second time this week.  Several rooms have been rewired for electricity and we are hopeful that we will have lights and floor fans in all our bedrooms by next week.  Three guest rooms and baths are now ready for the upcoming medical team that is to arrive October 1st. We have a 6 burner gas stove, a refrigerator, and 10 bunkbeds ready to go!  Today, a fellow missionary came by with a great van that we may be able to purchase to transport and serve our future mission teams.  We join in prayer and ask for God's continued guidance and provision.  The needs are so great and our finances are so limited.

A fort for the kids out back

At late evening a huge thunderstorm breaks out and the rain blows through the open windows of my room.  The silence of the night is filled with loud voodoo drums and chanting as the lightening and thunder rolls.  Into the mix comes the amplified singing of an all night Christian Haitian worship service.  My senses are heightened at the dualing presence of good and evil competing for attention.  That is really what this mission trip is all about.  My faith and commitment is strengthened as I repeat aloud "My God is Greater.  My God is Greater!"   Everyday I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit at work here at Our House of Hope. Today we celebrated with the angels as a young Haitian worker prayed for salvation after the Bible study on the front stoop. It is our prayer that everyone that passes through this gate will feel the presence of God's love and grace.

Jims Bible Haitian Bible Study Group in prayer

I ask for your continued prayers and financial support as we establish this ministry house here in Port au Prince.  I am honored to be able to be physically present and working here at Our House of Hope, but I cannot do it without your financial support and prayers.  Please consider making a tax deductible donation to my mission account at http://www.utwwk.com/give/.  If you will join me with a prayer and even a dollar a day as I serve God here, we can create a light in the darkness here in Haiti.

A Beautiful Haitian Sunset

As  I stand in awe watching  God's majesty in the beautiful Haitian sunset this evening, I send you love, prayers and blessings across the  ocean breezes.   Thank you for your continued love, support, prayers and friendship. 

Inside view of Our House of Hope

I had to laugh this week when someone commented that they didn't think I needed financial support for my trip to Haiti since I was going to be living in a 14 room tropical "mansion". As I shook my head in disbelief, I realized that they had only seen a Facebook picture of the outside of Our House of Hope, so today I would like to share some pictures of the inside of our "mansion"  that Jim and Deb took when they picked up the keys last week.  

We do not have a stove or refrigerator in our kitchen yet, only lots of worn out, broken cabinets. We will be cooking on the burners of a camping stove. We look forward to the possibility of a microwave if we can get the electricity up and running. Thought you might like to see our current electric box.

Thanks to a hardworking mission team crew last week, we do have 2 bathrooms that have been repaired and will soon be functional with our cistern water supply, but the plumbing is a bit archaic and needs some serious work. We will now begin working on the other bathrooms in the house so that they will be ready for future teams. As you can see, it may take a while.

The house sat abandoned and neglected for years.  The 2010 earthquake did a lot of damage, and while our house has a sound foundation, there is lots of work to do repairing broken walls throughout the house.

We still have to build our bed frames, so we will be sleeping on air mattresses this trip. Jim promised to work on getting screens across my open windows this week to keep  the mosquitoes out. In the interim, I will be using a mosquito fogger and lots of Deet.

We look forward to offering our pool to the local pastors for weekly baptisms, but we have a lot of work to do cleaning out the filth and contaminated water before we can make that happen.

Okay, I think you get the picture.  This is definitely not a luxury vacation. It is a work of great love and dedication and we need your help. I ask for your prayers, financial support, and skills. If you are a plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter, construction worker, mason,  physician, nurse, dentist, chiropractor or hard worker - consider putting together a mission team and come join us for a week of joyous ministry.

Our hearts were encouraged as the first medical team held a clinic in Our House of Hope last week.  One day soon we hope they will return and be able to stay in the guest rooms.



 I can't wait to get to Haiti to get started on restoring this once beautiful house into a loving sanctuary for people eager to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus in Haiti.    I will keep you updated on our progress through this blog.  I leave you with pictures of two of my favorite items in the house....a winding stairwell and a beautiful mural of an angel in the front hall.

Looking at these beautiful features gives me great hope as I cast a vision of what Our House of Hope will look like in one year as we celebrate our purchase of our ministry house.  How's that for positive thinking!

Thank you for your prayers, love and support.
I am standing on His Promises!   Love you. 

My Heart Returns to Haiti

Our House of Hope in Port au Prince, Haiti

                     My Return to Haiti
                            August 2012

I searched for my first entree on this blog, A Heart for Haiti,  and smiled as I read the emotional recap of my first visit to Haiti in September 2008. "Forever Changed"  best described my heart and mind.  Haiti's strong imprints on my heart and mind could not be washed away by time or distance.  Even then I knew that Haiti would somehow be an important part of my future; I just didn't know how important!  

I traveled to Haiti several times in 2008 and 2009, each time vowing to return with more resources.  I have raised relief funds and covered  my precious Haitian friends and missionaries through floods and earthquakes.  As a new doting grandmother, I honored a family promise not to travel back to this "disease ridden" country during my daughter's pregnancies and the critical first years of my granddaughters' lives.  As Lilah now prepares to celebrate her 3rd birthday and Sammi nears 16 months,  I have answered the cry of my heart to return to Haiti.  I have struggled with a restless spirit and intensely sought God's will for my life during this past year.  I long to feel on purpose and passionate in my service to God.  I have tried to create positions where I could "conveniently" use my gifts for God's glory, but everything felt like I was struggling to fit a square peg into a round hole.  I prayed for a clear path and wisdom, and God answered.

My brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Debbie Hambrick,  have served as full time missionaries since 1997. Last year they founded their own mission board entitled Until the Whole World Knows, http://www.untilthewholeworldknows.com.  They have prayed for an opportunity to open a Ministry Center in Haiti and God has now faithfully opened up the path to fulfill that dream.  Jim was in Haiti last week picking up the keys to Our House of Hope, a 14 room house in Port au Prince. The house has sat vacant for years and was damaged in the Fall earthquakes last year. UTWKK has signed a one year lease on this house with the intent to raise the $200,000 purchase price in the next 12 months.  After much prayer, I have decided to join my brother and his mission work in Haiti for the next year.  I am joining UTWWK as a full time missionary with primary responsibilities in fundraising and Mission Team training. I join Jim and Deb in Haiti on August 31st!  In preparation for this year in Haiti, I have given up my internet radio show, Rivers of Faith, which I have hosted for two years and am closing out my beautiful river home on the river in Colonial Beach VA. Letting go of the material possessions isn't as difficult as preparing to leave my beloved grandbabies, family and friends, but I have great peace that I am doing the right thing in following God's call to Haiti.  Jim says that this will not be a one year mission, but rather a lifetime commitment; Guess we will see what God has planned!

I will be responsible for raising my own funds for this year of Haiti mission work. If you would like to support me in this ministry, you can send a tax deductible contribution by clicking on our ministry website at www.utwwk.com/give/.  You can also reach that UTWWK contribution site through a link on my website at www.drtyson.com. If you prefer, you can make a check out to Until the Whole World Knows (be sure to mark the check for Donna Tyson support) and mail it to Until the Whole World Knows, 731 Duval Station Rd., Suite 107-281, Jacksonville, FL 32218.  I invite you to follow me as a FB friend - Donna Hambrick Tyson. My new email is donna@utwwk.com. Whew, that is a lot of information, but I want you to be able to stay in touch with me.


I am walking in faith that the funds will manifest as I follow God's call.  I am asking my friends and family to cover me and this project in prayer and love.  I also ask you to prayerfully consider assisting in the following ways:  1) make a one time contribution or regular deposit into my UTWKK mission account  2) invite me to make an inspiring mission presentation to your church and/or civic organization  3) come on a mission trip to help us with the massive home repairs and the start up of Our House of Hope ministry.   It is going to be an exciting year!  I can't wait to see what God has planned as we serve as his hands and feet with the beautiful Haitian people. I love you.  Mwen renmen ou.