What Haiti Meant to Me – Special Guest Bloggers

On our recent trip to Haiti, we had 3 students on the trip. Nick, Savannah and Amanda. I asked Amanda and Savannah to be guest bloggers this week and write about what Haiti meant to. Here are their responses:

The trip to Haiti was memorable and life changing. See all the children’s faces light up when we arrived was amazing. Like when we went up to the parachute village, their faces just lit up because they knew we were coming to help and bring the things they needed. I learned the difference between wanting something and needing something – Savannah 9/5/2010

The trip to Haiti was life changing. Since then I have learned the difference between wants and needs. It was heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. The people have nothing, yet they have so much faith. In all, the Haiti trip was amazing. I am eager to go back and I am inspired to help Haiti in any way I can – Amanda 9/5/2010

What are you doing to develop the next generation of leaders?

Monsoon Soccer… Bring Joy to Deaf Orphans in Haiti

During our recent missions trip to Haiti, we visited an orphanage for the deaf. We sang songs with hand motions for them, they signed songs for us. We played with bubbles and balloons (more on the balloons in another post). But we also played soccer. In May 2010, Pastor Matt Mashburn and I visited this same orphanage and left a couple soccer balls. They still had those balls and decided to play a pick-up game with the Blancs.

During the match, the rains started…and boy did it dump! Hence the advent of West Pines Church Monsoon Soccer. Everyone was laughing and watching.

Seeing the joy and laughter of deaf orphans…PRICELESS

I’m blessed to have the privilege to witness the match of a lifetime. Savannah, Amanda and Nick, you guys make us proud.

The Challenge…A Call to Action in Haiti

You are hereby challenged…

By viewing this blog, you cannot turn away from answering this challenge. It may not be for everyone, but everyone must choose to act or turn away. There is no other choice.

Let me open by saying I have never done this before. I tend to get involved in things I can solve on my own. That way I control and can see the result of hard work. God has finally forced me into something so big, my old ways of self achievement will no longer due. In fact, the only way this can be achieved is through God. It’s too big for any one person to tackle.

So here I am:

1. A FAILURE: in that I cannot meet this need through my own efforts/resources/talents.
2. HUMBLED: Through my inability to meet the need, God has humbled me by forcing me to seek your help.
3. SLEEPLESS: I lay awake at night worried for the orphans of Haiti, knowing that my house is big enough to house 100+ orphans. Every garage in the USA is better than most facilities a Haitian orphan lives in. This haunts me.

Because of my inadequacy, I am here. Challenging you to join us. We’re leaving it all on the field to solve as much as we can, but it’s not enough. The needs are too great and our abilities to limited. We need your help. I ask that you check out the below items before going further:

• For more information on what our church is doing in Haiti you can check out the Haiti 2010 Missions webpage here: http://westpines.org/#/ministries/missions-haiti-2010 Please watch the 2 videos on the page.

• I ask that you listen to Pastor Robey Barnes’ message from 8/30/10 recapping our recent trip and challenging the West Pines family to join the battle. You can download the podcast here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/haiti-2010-part-2/id370290780?i=86606016 or listen to the message here: http://westpines.org/media.php?pageID=7

In my last blog post I wrote about results and that they matter. Our partner organization, GCA www.GCANet.org has 22 orphans in desperate need of sponsorship. I have personally witnessed GCA’s facilities, met the orphans, and have sat on multiple occasions with the leadership of GCA to discuss stewardship, finances, accountability, and the GCA vision for the future. I can confirm that 100% of support goes directly into the orphanage. There are no “administrative fees” or other skimming. It all goes to staffing, food, shelter, medical care, school, clothing and services supporting the effort. Sheri and I have resisted supporting other organizations, because of a lack of trust and accountability. GCA is the first organization that I can confirm your sponsorship will directly support a real orphan in Haiti. As an on-going accountability check, we plan to travel to GCA and Tou Tou’s Orphanage one to two times per year. The purpose is to identify and address the most pressing immediate needs, plan to meet future needs and verify accountability. If we find a problem, you will hear about it. That is my personal promise to you. So here it is…

The Challenge:

1. Sponsor an orphan for $55/month through GCA. Go to the GCA webpage and complete the form: http://gcanet.org/help/orphan/index.html
2. Buy an orphan a bed: $100 buys a bed. Currently the 22 kids at Tou Tou’s sleep on the floor. $2200 donation solves that problem permanently. Buy one, a few or all.
3. Donate for the bathhouse: We need $5,000 to build a proper bathroom and shower facility. Donate all or part.

• Note: For items 2 & 3 please make donations through West Pines Church at this address: http://westpines.org/#/secure-online-giving Make sure to e-mail pastor Matt Mashburn at mattmashburn@westpines.org and let him know what you’re supporting.
• Note #2: all donations to GCA and West Pines may be tax deductable – see your accountant for further details.

If you decide to accept the challenge, please leave a comment or e-mail me at steve.mackey@luminosityglobal.com. Even the smallest donation makes a difference and will go directly to support Tou Tou’s Orphanage.

I challenge you to help us meet these needs. They are real and will make an immediate and on-going impact to the lives of the orphans of Haiti. Will you join us?

Savan and an orphan from Tou Tou’s Orphanage. This child has minor downs syndrome.

Two of the

orphans at Tou Tou’s with their craft project (a note book they decorated) we did as part of the VBS:

One orphan boy, watching as we leave, hanging onto the balloon a team member gave him:

Results: Making Things Happen in Haiti’s Hopelessness

In May 2010, I traveled to Haiti on a quick overnight trip to do some fact finding and get boots on the ground to assess and plan a team trip later in the summer. During this trip, we were introduced to Tou Tou (head of GCA’s security) and an orphanage that an old teacher of his was running. GCA has dubbed this orphanage Tou Tou’s Orphanage. There were 10 children, all true orphans, that were displaced from Port-au-Prince by the earthquake. They were in very bad shape, living in one room with no doors, windows, etc. Read more about the May trip here.

From This:

Flash Forward to August 2010, in 3 months, the kids have been fed, the signs of malnutrition are almost completely gone, they have energy, have learned several English songs, the builds have been (almost complete) refinished and expanded, they have doubled the # of orphans to 22, and have the funds to build a proper bathroom and shower facility.

To this:

Results matter. We have seen results through GCA in Tou Tou’s Orphanage. The West Pines/Crossway team was able to bring additional food, conducted a VBS, teach some English, and witness some very painful things in the 2 mornings we spent with these kids. As I tweeted on return, “my heart is branded”. After Haiti, I will never be the same. There’s so much to do, but we made a difference for few.

Over the next few weeks I will be posting more specific events and stories and may have some guest posts. Please continue to read and spread the word by sharing with others.

Haiti Missions Trip 2010

Well it’s finally here! We leave tomorrow for our first West Pines Community Church missions trip to Haiti. In May, Pastor Matt Mashburn and I did an overnight fact finding trip (video here) with Great Commission Alliance Network (GCA) and were shocked at the magnitude of need in Haiti in general. Of course we’ve all seen the CNN Haiti reports, but the scale of tent cities are not comprehendible based on what you see on a news report. The sheer number of homeless is staggering, the heat, and the lack of hope were much larger than I had anticipated.

Given the magnitude of need: Housing, healthcare, food, clean water, education, government, etc. it’s difficult to identify how to help. Our strategy is to focus on one thing and do it well. We have chosen for this trip to serve at a small orphanage that was out placed by the earthquake. They moved to an abandoned house with nothing. When we were there, the children were malnourished, there were 10 children and 2 care givers sharing 6 pillows on a concrete floor, no restroom/shower, some of the kids had no shoes, underwear, shorts. With the help of GCA, they now have beds, the children are fed and clothed. There’s still much to do, but they’re on their way back. We’re going to be doing a 2-day Vacation Bible School (VBS) in which the children will learn some English, have several activities, participate in learning some new songs, and have the Gospel delivered during the 2 days.

On Tuesday we had a Haitian American named Gardy come to our final team meeting to talk about growing up in Haiti and teach us some basic communication skills (words, mannerisms, etc.). We asked what it was like being a kid growing up in Haiti and what the kids perceptions are of us coming would be. He gave a one word answer: HOPE

HOPE – that’s what Jesus offers. That’s why we’re called to serve these orphans. That’s the Great Commission.

Please pray for the team, the orphans, and that God’s plan for Haiti. Also pray for Sheri, Savannah and I as we travel and serve together as a family.

What are you doing to help the poor, homeless, orphans, single moms? The problems are big, yes, but there’s something you can do to help just one. You know what it is, just do it.

Make sure to checkout Melissa Mashburn’s blog post on Haiti and follow us on twitter for live-from-the-scene updates:

Sheri Mackey

Pastor Matt Mashburn

Benny Salas

Pastor Robey Barnes

Pastor Jon Elswick

Me

We’re all using Twitter Hash Tag #WPHaiti if you’re not on twitter and want to know what’s happening, go to www.twitter.com and in the search box, use #WPHaiti to read all that’s happening.

Remembering Tunisia: One of My International Incidents

As everyone who knows me knows, I’m a risk taker. I will take risks to achieve an objective. In one case, the objective was to go to Tunisia on vacation with a British travel agency.

I was in the US Air Force stationed in England at the time. In the military to take vacation, you must provide a physical address for where you will be while on vacation. It’s a simple rule, but one I did not and for some reason could not comply with. So I lied. A little white lie – I mean who’s going to be hurt, by my not being honest in where I’ll be while on vacation? Mistake #1

Fast forward a few months. We’re in Tunisia enjoying the Mediterranean sun and culture of a Muslim country. After a couple days I fell ill and ended up in a hospital for 3 days. This was before the use of cell phones throughout the world and communications were still run by manual switchboard operators in hotels – none of which spoke English. I was stranded. Meanwhile, Sheri and Stephen were running all over the country having a blast. Out of Sight, Out of Mind.

Once I recovered from the death march caused by poorly prepared food, I decided to make a call back to base and try to get those 3 days converted to “sick leave” to save my vacation. Mistake #2 I left a message on someone’s answering machine, which when calling from pay phones in 3^rd world countries is not advisable. Mistake #3. The message was cut off and all they got was that I was in the hospital. This triggered a sequence of events that to this day amazes me.

My boss called my brother (who I gave as an emergency contact during Mistake #1),

who called my mother,

who called my mother-in-law,

who called the US Embassy in Tunisia,

who called the US Embassy in London,

who called my base commander and we all know where that crap rolled to…

When I finally made it back home, I showed up at work and was escorted directly to the base commander’s office. It almost ended with an article 15, but instead they opted for a Letter of Reprimand (LOR), which for an E-6 is a big deal.

If I had been honest and done the work of providing an address, not been greedy over 3 vacation days, and acted with integrity, none of this would have happened. The lesson learned is that I was self-centered and was willing to take (what seemed like) a minimal risk to get what I wanted the way I wanted it. Instead, my actions caused serious problems for my family (all they knew is that I was hospitalized in Tunisia Africa), the embassies having to deal with my family, the base commander having to explain why one of his troop’s whereabouts was unknown, to my boss who didn’t ask too many questions.

My one little white lie turned into a really big deal for a lot of folks. I was not allowing any authority to rule over me and I paid the price. Today I work much harder at submitting to authority and measuring the risk of my decisions more closely by seeking counsel, prayer, and discussing things with my wife.

What decision have you made out of rebellion that came back on you? Did you learn anything?

The Call – Haiti

Last week, I traveled to Mirebalais, Haiti with Pastor Matt Mashburn as part of a fact finding trip for a future West Pines Community Church (WPCC) missions trip with The Great Commission Alliance Network (GCA). While we were on the ground only 26 hours, there are too many stories to possibly cover in one blog post. So I will focus on where my heart is the most burdened: The Orphans.

2 Orphanages…

We visited two orphanages during our trip, one were refugees from Port-au-Prince with 10 children and a pastor’s wife trying to care for them. They are living in a rundown place (the pastor lived there 10 year ago and it has not been maintained since). The pastor is in Port-au-Price caring for the people there. The second was an orphanage with 40 children (20 of which are deaf). The pastor was/is in the hospital in Port-au-Prince battling complications from diabetes. Both are incredible stories of hope.

Heartbreak…

My heart is broken for the smaller group of kids (pictured above). They lost everything. There are signs of under nourishment. They are in need of better shelter, medical care, clothing, food, and basic living supplies. GCA has been providing rice and beans and is working on beds (they currently sleep on a concrete floor sharing 6 pillows), but they need some much more. WPCC brought shoes, toothbrushes, candy and soccer balls.

As we plan for a larger full mission trip, my heart is heavy. The needs are great and we are unable to provide even the basic items for just the 60 orphans we visited (not to mention the 1000’s in Haiti). At times I feel completely inept. I have this feeling of hopelessness. Luckily, I don’t have to do anything except allow God to use me as he feels fit.

Hope…

But…there’s hope! Sheri and I have traveled all over the world and it’s the same everywhere we go. Kids love life. They love to explore. They love to laugh, play, and experience new things. These 10 kids are no different. They were smiling ear-to-ear over having new shoes. They loved having visitors and were wide-eye-wondering about us. They sang songs and followed us around until we left. I love kids.

Encouragement…

Can be found in the pastor of the larger orphanage. This group receives neither government nor outside funding assistance. They have a church on site with about 300 people attending every week. The average Haitian makes $1.50 a day. Yet, this church and pastor have been able to provide for 40 orphans, plant 5 churches, and minister to the local community. If God can do all that through this church and pastor, imagine what God can do through West Pines Community Church! All we have to do is get out of the way and allow God do his work.

Action…

Now we’re called into action. Going to Haiti has changed me. God has shown me something that I cannot turn away from. I must do more. I must do everything I can to bring hope and care to these children in their greatest time of need. The world is focused on Port-au-Prince, yet there are orphans everywhere in Haiti (and the rest of the world for that matter). I must live My Life Manifesto out and this is an important aspect of that.

You may not be able to go to Haiti, but you can help. Help to sponsor one of the West Pines students; help by providing money for supplies;  most importantly help by praying for the orphans and that God will protect and provide for them.

One last thing..

This weekend 5/23/10, Pastors Robey and Matt will be telling the story of our trip and what the plans are for West Pines in Haiti. Please make every effort to be there. If you cannot be there, listen to the podcast when it becomes available on the website.

Will you join us in our call to partner with GCA and help the orphans of Haiti?

Links…

West Pines Community Church: www.westpines.org

Great Commission Alliance Network: www.gcanet.org

Haiti – the next step in long-term impact

In January 2010, Port-Au-Prince Haiti was destroyed by an earthquake of unimaginable magnitude (as thought of by death toll). See CNN’s special Haiti coverage here.

In response, like everyone, we wanted to know we could do. West Pines Community Church in concert with others, launched www.healingforhaitinow.com and coordinated the intake and logistics for delivery of food, medical supplies, tents, clothing and money. At that time, I blogged in this post about how to help in the immediate term. I later blogged about the need to help the orphans of Haiti in this post. I have twittered several messages challenging my followers to think about what’s next for Haiti. Does it stop with your $10 txt message? Not at West Pines. We are now planning our long-term Haiti efforts.

Next week, Pastor Matt Mashburn and I will be taking an overnight trip to Haiti with Great Commission Alliance to explore the facts on the ground and as another next step in developing West Pine’s long-term missions strategy.

I will be posting next week from Haiti. Both Pastor Matt and I will be updating via Twitter as the day develops. We will be using hash tag #WPHaiti on all Haiti related tweets.

Our twitter pages are:

http://twitter.com/mattmashburn

http://twitter.com/SWMackey

You don’t even have to join twitter to read about it. You can just go to the above webpages and the tweets are viewable. You can also read my twitter updates on this blog (right hand reading pane)

Please pray that God will protect us, use us to meet immediate needs, and give us the vision of how he wants to use Sheri and I and West Pines in Haiti.

Happy Earth Day

Well Happy Earth Day everyone

Last year I posted about the  Missing Dragon Flies on my run in the Everglades. Well today, I’m happy to report, they are back! Running in the worlds ONLY River of Grass, is an amazing experience. It’s a shame that we continue to harm this world treasure through, over watering our yards, using too much fertilizer, and releasing all types of crazy invasive plants and animals into the environment.

Next time you need to fertilize your yard, read the instructions. Don’t over do it. It ends up in the water and damaging the only River of Grass in the world (which happens to be across the street from my house).

Happy Earth Day 2010.

Our 2009 World Adventure

Sheri and Savannah on the Abercrombie and Finchbillboard in Times Square NY Dec 2009.

We have had an unusually busy year for travel and adventure. We’re excited for 2010′s adventure. Are you going to live your life to the fullest this coming year? You have to plan to do so otherwise busyness will rob you of the most important things.

In May Sheri and I celebrated our 20^th anniversary on a cruise to Alaska and a long weekend in Seattle. We went to Glacier Bay, watched Margerie Glacier calve and spent the day on deck drinking wine and then in the spa whale watching off the bow of the ship. We went kayaking in Sitka and saw a humpback whale about 150′ from our kayak and had lunch on the cliffs overlooking the bay watching the eagles. We saw John Hopkins glacier that is over a mile wide with 14,000′ peaks behind it. The scale of Alaska cannot expressed and must be witnessed to comprehend. After our cruise we enjoyed Seattle, went on the ferries and had a wonderful sunset dinner in the Space Needle.

In August we took Savannah on a Caribbean cruise. We visited Key West, Jamaica, and the Cayman islands. We climbed Dunn’s River Falls, swam with stingrays, visited a pirate museum and a turtle farm, and enjoyed the bluest of blue oceans. There is no other blue like the deep blue of the Caribbean sea.

This past weekend, we went to New York to attend The University of Cambridge’s 800 Year Anniversary Gala in Gotham Hall. The event was outstanding. The story telling of 800 years of history in 9 minutes was incredible. The theme of the key note speaker: “Cambridge is a verb” It’s less about the place and more about the relationships and how people are changed during their time there. We went to Ground Zero, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, discussed our history as a country, went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, spent time shopping, walking 5^th Ave., visiting the museum, Central Park and Times Sq. and Savannah and Sheri got on a giant billboard in Times Square. It was a wonderful weekend spent with Sheri’s good friend and us as a family.

In retrospect: I heard a quote from the lead animator from Disney’s A Christmas Carol,

“the wonderful thing about animated movie making is that you can make anything.

The curse is that you have to make everything.”

I wonder if God viewed having to make everything as a curse? Somehow I doubt it. I believe He enjoyed every moment. He created everything for our enjoyment and pleasure so that He would be glorified. We have taken great pleasure in our travels and adventures this year and are humbled as a result.

A movie doesn’t happen without a designer. How could everything on this earth (not to mention the universe) happen by random chance? I challenge you to answer that question? If you don’t have an answer, you’re not truly enjoying the adventure of life and the master piece of this place we call Earth.