We have arrived back in Miami. What a trip. What an experience. Awesome team awesome experience. I just want a pizza now!!

Bubbles with kids

School in session

Showing some love

Coming Home

A bunch of us sitting here in the morning sharing stories and pictures. Today we are going to take care of Mother Goose and do some small jobs around the guest house. This is not a requirement of the trip, but the team wanted to contribute to our host ( Dr Bernard)

On a lighter side, this group has really enjoyed each other and the light hearted times have been really energizing. I don't think I have laughed as hard in a long time. Got to love those moments

So we fly home this evening. Personally I am ready to get home and see the family. I will miss some things here. I won't miss other things. But the group, team, friends is something really special.

See you all Sunday. We will share a few more of these stories in service. Hope to see you all soon

Tim

Monday review

On Monday our team was split into 3 groups to try and impact a few areas all on the same day. Again you had the construction team, the medical team, and the team that was still in Saint Louis.

The medical team went to one of the tent cities to administer first aide. Megan and Lindsey joined forces with some other RNs and a paramedic from a team out of Georgia. Once they established a base, there was a constant flow of people all day. Their Haitian group leader and translator Jude was awesome in helping. Most of the treatments were minor in scope, but Lindsey did comment on the amount of malnurishment and need for proper hygiene and personal care. The team served well. Was able to establish a quick relationship with other doctors and take an opportunity to serve in a gift area. Way to go ladies!!!

The construction team completed the roof. There is now a shelter above this lady and her children. The temperature difference was at least 15 degrees cooler in the house once the roof was installed. Hans was our project leader and received incredible help from Pete, Paul, Gina , Michelle , and Steve. The tools were not the best, the conditions less than ideal, but they did what it took to accomplish the job. Awesome job again. Way to go Cypress!!

Last but not least, was my team in Saint Louis. I debriefed the group about our experience there and someone mentioned it was the most I have ever talked. To say the day was impactful on the four of us would be an understatement. Pastor Jean, Jose,and Pastor Charles are wonderful. What they do daily is incredible and overwhelming. The kids were awesome - all 400 of them. The support we give to these kids is life blood to them and well used. There is just way too much to say about our 24 hours there in a blog but I promise we will share updates of the school and Saint Louis in the coming days and weeks. Marq, Logan, and Chris were awesome. I mentioned to Douglas on a text, that without their knowledge, I would have been lost!! It was great to see and hear their contributions.

Overall I am proud of this team. It was great to hear about the day(s), see the joy and satisfaction in their faces after a great day of serving. God did extrordinary things with these amazing people!! No other way to really say it.

Coming home soon...,

Team 1 - day 3

As you read earlier, our team separated and 4 of us flew to Saint louis du Nord to accomplish some things at the school.
Today started out with a great and positive meeting with the company that we are working with to bring fresh clean water to saint louis. They showed us the test of the water these kids and adults drink daily at the school. It is full of a couple bad bacteria but the worst is Ecoli from fecal matter. ( sorry but really can't say it any nicer than that).

We boarded a flight and then flew to Saint louis to meet with Pastor Jean. We discussed many things including the water and that's when our plans hit a major wall. The current source of water is not constant. It's unreliable. That's a problem.
Logan , Jim and I were frustrated to say the least. There is a solution, we just have to find it. It's too long to go into on a blog, but you can help with prayers for wisdom and solutions to come to those involved in this process.
I do not feel that we were here to get a huge setback with no possible solution. We are here to figure a better way.

So that was the bad- the good was really good and a possible God moment was realized by Logan as we had lunch with some friends of Pastor jean and his brother. His name is TJ and he is all about doing things to improve life in saint Louie. We talked about micro enterprising, new forms to generate power with wind, solar power, getting someone to help spearhead efforts here outside of just Pastor. I don't know where it will lead, but it was positive.

There was a concert at the church tonight and the kids from another church were singing. It was really something to hear them. There was some passion in their voices for sure.

We spent some time talking with Pastor Jean and his brother Jose about growing up in Haiti as preacher kids( interesting) and life here. Then the conversation went to Jan 12th and how Jean and his wife were almost killed in their bed. We showed pictures of his house and it was evident the horror of that day is far from over for him. It will take a while for physical and emotional recovery I'm sure.

Tomorrow we get to see the school in action. They have exams (Pastor can't you let the kids play some soccer with us instead ?-haha) so not sure how much we will get to interact. But will try.
Today a group of kids were playing soccer with a beat up basketball. Where I grew up, Indiana, you do not kick basketballs. Tomorrow I have a surprise for them that will change that. I know giving them a soccer ball may seem insignificant and low on priorities, but to them it won't.

I am going to write a little more as I may only get one shot to send out as reception is in and out...,

Jean and Jose are really great and very helpful. Jean told me with emotions in his eyes, there is no way he could take care and educate these kids without the help of Cypress. We sponsor about 300 if the 400 kids. Parents make up the difference. He was very appreciative. There simply would be no school.
I asked what the number 1 priority is if he could have anything, water is on his list but the need us so great, I felt like there was a 1A, 1B, 1c priority with food and clothes.
In actuality they have many many needs. The roof is rusting through and rain rushes in. I could take 10 people in and around the church and school and each person would probably find a list of improvements that could be done. We take them for granted. To them, they are not in the radar as living and staying healthy are greater concerns. They don't care that it's 100 degrees inside the school/church. They would rather ask for things that sustain life first.

Pictures DO NOT do this place justice. It's hard to put everything into words. You have a land surround by natural beauty with the ocean and blue blue water. The green of the mountains But then the chaos and destruction and poverty inside those boundaries.

Haitians know their situation. They are not blind to what's happening. They are willing to do but they need some assistance. We ( the world) do not have to do it but rather show them the path and teach them. There is opportunity. You would see things and ask yourself " why is that like this?"
" where is the government?". "Why can't someone use that idea over in your town?". Believe me, we had a long lunch talking about improvements and lack of government interaction and lack of caring. Before you complain about a George Bush or Obama, just be thankful we have the government we do. Seriously!!

I could go on for 10 more pages but it's a long day tomorrow

Btw- the roads here, yeah, ouch!!'
Tim

Soul Exercise

Haiti builds the muscle of Cypress. It is working to increase the connective tissue that binds us together and gives us strength to do more. There is some sweat involved but it is a labor of love. There was an interesting dynamic at work when we first arrived - a simultaneous desire for Thought and No Thought. It is an overwhelming sensation for a first-time visitor, one that none of us will ever forget. The struggle is that it can be so overpowering, it is incredibly easy to give it no deep, meaningful consideration and just live in the moment. It is an onslaught on the senses - a tent city seen up close has infinitely more meaning than as viewed on the television or the computer. Be able to process the input is extremely difficult because of the sheer enormity of the situation. Can we, as a few representative of Cypress make much of an impact? The answer of course, is a resounding Yes, because we are also representatives of a loving Father and Son.

Spending time in the cretch (Creole for crib - a orphanage for the very young), we all had our hearts broken open and filled to overflowing. It was amazing to be able to share the gift of Love. It also shook us awake, as we realized that we are not being called to build walls, bring safety to the electrical system, hang fans, build a roof and floors....we're doing that too, but we are called to be like Jesus. Welcoming and loving the children, the poor in spirit and to bring smiles and joy.

On Saturday, we broke into two teams with our electrical experts (Hans, Peter and Paul) heading to the orphalina - the orphange for older kids and teens, and the rest of us heading to a jobsite to rebuild the home of a woman widowed by the earthquake. It was another battle with frustration, at the difference in how work is accomplished - our norm of instant results and repeated trips to the hardware store just aren't reality here. The lumber is warped, the nails are few and the tools are primitive, and it takes forever to restock supplies. But the children flocked to us, shy at first but warming quickly. Kirsten and Lindsay put their medical skills to use, literally caring for the feet of these children - cleaning and bandaging their infected wounds. Michelle was maybe the favorite of the day for sharing the music on her MP3 player with everyone - the love of music is universal. The house did come together with some very tangible results, despite our initial frustrations. The roof is framed with corrugated metal sheets ready for installation, the walls are sealed and the guys in all reality, probably saved a few lives with their electrical work and increased safety. Spent some time with the older children from the orphanage when we got back to the guesthouse. Dr. Bernard, truly a Renaissance man, runs the guest house and manages the orphanages, among many other noble pursuits.

Today is Sunday and while most of the team is heading to Dr. Bernard's church in Port au Prince; Tim, Jim, Logan and I are currently meeting with WMI Haiti - the org. that will help us bring clean water to St. Louis du Nord and then heading to the airport for our flight up north. Gotta run! Will try and get some pics uploaded!

Thank you for the prayers, we continue to need them! Love to all the families and friends from us all!

Day two

I cannot put into words what is in my head. I do know however that there is a lot of beauty and a lot of beautiful people in Haiti and we cannot forget them. The Church has to continue in fact it needs to increase it's effort here and rally more Churches around the globe to bring an end to corruption and bring new fresh ideas to help these people regain there independence with an opportunity to live a life like we enjoy every day. I love and miss you Alice, Jimmy, Justin, Mom, Dad and all my family and friends. Please pray for our friends here in Haiti.

Jim Gregorich

Progress

Roof going on

Administering First Aid

Thank you Lindsey for your gifts of first aid. She saw some infections and first aid needs on the children near the house project. She scheduled a follow up appointment with them Monday. - tim

We are on the way to the home building site. Nice and cool at night on the mountain. We have been trying to learn some creole phrases to communicate with kids. Have to text entries for today. Sorry for short entries

Checking out the view

Landed safely

Received word from Tim that the team has landed safely in Haiti. Keep them in your prayers as they connect with our contacts there and begin their work.

Here we go

We are set and ready..pray for us and our friends in Haiti. I love you Ally! Take care of the boys andd Mom and Dad

Jim Gregorich
V.P.& General Sales Manager
Tempaco, Inc.
2050 Tall Pines Drive
Suite B
Largo, FL. 33771

Airport

Everyone has made it to the airport. You don't realize how much supplies and clothes we are taking until you try to check it all in. It's really a lot of clothes. The people who receive it will be very thankful.

I think we are all pretty excited. Just some down time in the airports then hit the ground running. First stop is to drop 7 bags off to Saul who helps 100 kids living in the tents.

Tim