Friday, March 20, 2009

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS


This week we have been hosting a medical team of 16 men women and children from South Carolina, Missouri and Texas they arrived on Monday and will leave tomorrow morning. They have worked really hard this week with doing medical clinics here at Canaan three days and one day at Archaie. Today was one of those fun days that we promise our teams that come to Haiti. Fun days usually involve hiking in the mountains, traveling , swimming or a combination of the three. Ric and Wendy Bonnell for the second year in row have brought their three children to Haiti over Spring Break, they were the only family unit on the team. Today's plan was to hike to Piatre (Capiat) up in the mountains behind Canaan a very good hike from here. The younger 20-30 year olds in the group had decided to get up at 5:30 and make the hike. The Bonnell's had asked me last evening if I would go with them and their kids later in the morning after the kids got up had breakfast. We took my small 4x4 truck and drove to the first village where it was a 45 minute walk up to the springs and basin in the village. The teams I take up always love getting in the basin and refreshing themselves after the walk up to the village. The Bonnnell kids and Dan Langenberg visiting from Kanakuk Institute were no exception and we spent at least 40 minutes there before taking the less arduous walk back down to the truck. I'm always eager to hike into the mountains and spending time with these young Texan kids brought back memories of when my wife and I took our kids camping and hiking. Just as there is no better way to build a love for nature and the out of doors than to get children learning and enjoying nature early in life so it is with mission work. Start early and that love of learning about, respecting and helping other cultures will stay with them a lifetime. This week with the Bonnell's has been a great testament to what I have been telling lots of other parents consider doing a family mission trip, what a great way to honor God. In God's love, Steve from Canaan.

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