Well unfortuenetly today is are last full day. I am going to miss Haiti so much. I know for a fact these people that I've met will never leave me. I'm already excited about my next trip and I still have a full years wait. First thing this morning we had mass. After mass we gave out 200 chickens. We also dedicated a house this morning. As for as the rest of this morning it was pretty laide back but I gave out soccer balls to the compound kids and they were thrilled. Later this evening we went to the beach. The waves were rough but it was so gorgeous the water is crystal blue. I had an amazing time at the beach. Tonight we had a party at Becs bakery. I'm going to miss the children so much ! I know I'll think about them alot. They are such great kids but don't have all the oppertunitys we have. It so sad to hear these kids storys. They have really been through alot but they are strong children.
                                                                                         

         Well, this very blessed week is finally coming to an end. I am very sad to announce that tomorrow we are leaving Haiti. Words cannot express how fortunate and happy I am that I had the opportunity to come to such a place. Today, we started out the day by going to a two hour long mass said in Haitian. After mass we gave out 200 chickens to everyone who came. Again, the happiness of the people over something so simple overwhelmed me. After the chickens, we had a relaxed day. We dedicated and visited two houses and then went back to the compound. We played with the haitian children and then went to the beach. The beach was absolutely stunning and I cannot believe Haiti does not have a billion tourists. We basically had this beautiful beach to oursleves.
Mom and everyone else who was wondering, we did give out all of the skirts. We gave out the skirts to the poorest of the poor. I wish I could have taken a picture of the looks of the pregnant ladies faces' when I gave them baby skirts. I can guarentee, all the work put into making the skirts has been worth it. Thanks for reading and following our blog.
                                                                                            -Emma

     Well it is very sad to say that our week is coming to an end, but this has been a great trip and a very succesful one.  As I am typing this the wind is starting to pick up and it actually feels cool outside.  Everybody right now is outside on the porch talking about all of the experiences this week.  One very big thing was when we surprised an older lady that we were going to build a house for her.(FYI to all who have been to haiti it is across the street from Mr. Maturan's house) Then last night we had a huge feast, mass, parade, dancers and tree planting all with hundreds of people and the bishop because of the well that was drilled in memory of Ronny Sternfels Sr. at Sacred Heart Church.  Then two nights ago we made a surprise visit to Fetline's house and delivered mattreses to her family which was an incredible experience, fetline and her family were so happy, I was litteraly tearing up with joy.  Right now as this week is coming an end I feel very sad to be leaving, but I can't wait to get home and to share so many stories with all of you.  Thank you all for all of the prayers.

GOD BLESS,
Joseph
P.S. Tomorrow we will be handing out 200 chickens after mass.

         Today was a very interesting day. We all went into the crazy town of Jeremie to check on a water well, visit an orphanage, and visit a prison. I expected to see pure depression and poor upkeeping at the orphanage. Fortuanelty, the nuns take excellent care of all the children and they were all well fed and happy. They were full of smiles as they sung songs for us and played with us. They all captured my heart and made me want to adopt them all. I wanted to play with the young babies but we were like aliens to them. So, therefore; they cried by the looks of us. Unlike my visit at the orphanage, the prison made me feel like I stepped into a world of misery and destruction of the soul. We handed out playing cards, food, and peanuts to them. There were not many woman but the number of boys my own age made me cringe. It made me wonder what they could have possibly done to be put in such a place. After we got back, we bought bread at a bakery and fed children. It is highly pleasing to see these haitian children get simple bread because they are so grateful for it. My cousin, Therese, has to have the biggest heart I have ever come to know. She is constantly giving out food and making sure she has some with her at all times. Even if a child looks full, she feeds him. Well, I am going finish the day by playing with the beautiful children whom I will miss a lot.
                                                                                                                 -Emma

         Well, first off, thank you all for the wonderful, encouraging comments. I am sorry for not being able to write last night. We got back to the compound late because we delivered mattresses to a poor family with three kids who were all sleeping on hard cement. The family we delivered to had no idea about it, which made the whole thing even more memorable. The father was over excited and completely filled with joyfullness and gratitude. The mother is mute but her eyes could tell us more than words ever could. The kids were extremely happy and we gave the boys a soccerball, which made them smile. Hatians' smiles are smiles from the soul.
          Today, we spent the morning distrubiting to families. We all spent a lot of time working on bags for 318 families. I am glad to say it was a success. After the disturbation, we went to fix a well. At the well, I met a Hatian boy. After talking to him for about fifteen minutes, he proposed to marry me. I guess you can call me mrs.Irrestibible. 
           I saw two albinos on this trip so far. It broke my heart because I do not see how their skin and eyes can last throughout this heat; and by the looks of it, they were not exactly lasting. One albino girl was nearly blind and living in severe poverty. So, if everyone can pray for these albino haitians, I can guarntee a special spot in Heaven for you. 
           In the afternoon, we went open a well in memory of my grandpa, Ronny Sternfels. The people of the area were filled with so much happiness that they prepared a huge festive for us. We went to a long mass with the bishop and plenty of speeches of gratitude and thanks from the people. They sat us on the alter and introduced us indivually. The entire mass will be on Haitian television. After that they put on a parade and even planted a tree. They then supplied a huge feast for us with their finist meals. They did all of this for us just for opening a water well.
I just wish more people could experience this. I can feel his trip molding me into a better person. God bless you all. 
                                                                  -Emma

  Well Today was amazing! We started off by another distribution It's so nice to see the smiles on these grateful people. After the distribution went up a mountain to dedicate a well. Many children watched as this took place. I gave the children pepperments and Emma gave them pencils. I had alot of fun meaning new kids at this well we also sung with them. Tonight we also had a dedication for the well in memory of Papaw Ronney. I can't describe in words this dedication. The people were so grateful it was unbeleivable. This dedication included a mass which was said in creole, a marching/dancing parade, food and many happy people. It amazed me how happy these people were they have so little and yet they gave all they had. I apologize for us not blogging last night everyone was exuasted. We also did a distribution and that night we went visit a family that Uncle David and Aunt Laura built a house for. This family had to sleep on cement floor so we brought them matresses. It was wonderful to see this family receive such a basic nessecity that they were so thrilled for.
                                                                                                                 Therese

     This morning started like most others in Haiti with the roosters crowing at about six o'clock this morning.  I then eventually got out of bed after being exhausted from the day before.  FYI we gave out family packs to exactly 160 families today so last night we were working very hard to get them ready.  When you are in Haiti you just don't stop but you don't want to stop either because you feel so much joy when you know you are helping others.  The last two days my dad and Mr. freeman were at Sacred Heart Church in Jerimie trying to install a pump and fortunatly everything turned out as planned and the well is running very good.  While my dad was doing that, me and Mr. David were painting Bec's classroom at the Numero Deux school.  Later on my dad Mr. Freeman and I went up to the catchmen system (which is designed to help protect a water spring and to have it more accesible to the people in the area).  Today was very succesful and productive.  Right now though I'm sitting at a computer listening to the crickets and bugs through the screened window.  Haiti is one of those things you can never possibly explain in words it is something you have to experience.  From the sunrise in the morning to the stars in the evening and then there are those children who you love so dearly and get to know each by name. Right now the generator has just gone out so I probally won't have power for long So goodnight and please keep us inyour prayers

    Well first thing this morning we went to mass and Father Joe mad a wonderful homily as always. Then I went down the road to help paint the school. After Joseph handed me a paint stick that he put together himself. I was painting the roof and the brush came off the stick and fell on my head and covered me in paint. The kids that were watching thought it was halarious. After that incident I attempted to paint again and the same exact thing happened the kids still thought it was halarious. After I gave up on painting I helped all the children wash there feet off at the water well near the school. It breaks my heart to see there unbeleivebly dirty feet that have no shoes while walking through rocks and hills. For majority of the day Emma and I entertained the children we taught them how to play down by the river, gave them ballons, and gave them peperments and picked up litter with them. Today we finished up the bagging for the distribution. The people at the distribution were so happy and grateful. i would like to thank everyone for there comments we can't figure out how to reply but please keep commenting we look forward to it.
                                                                                                                   God Bless, Therese

         I had yet another amazing day in an astonishing country. Today, we gave out distributions to some of the poorest haitians in the area that we are staying in. The bags that we gave out contained flour, beans, rice, rosaries, prayer cards, soap, necessary survival items, and skirts that were made by helpful people back at home. These people had to walk two miles to get here and two miles to return home. I felt sorrow for the many pregant ladies and old people who had to walk the distance barefoot to get here but I know these bags will help them tremendously. I feel like the kids that I met in the compound are mine and if I could, I would bring them all home with me. Therese and I gave out pencils and notepads to these kids to use at their school. They were overwhelmed with happiness just by a single pencil. The feeling that washed over me is unexplainable. It is like, I went my whole life so utterly ungrateful for single things like these. This trip has opened my eyes and helped me to see exactly everything I have been doing wrong.
       I attempted to paint the roof at the school today but after looking at my work compared to Mr. David's, I had to stop. The school in the area is heartbreaking. Everything is fallen and in deep need of repair. There are no doors and the entire school is made of stone. I wish I could snap my fingers and make it an actual building instead of something in ruins. At least the kids seem happy with it, but I guess they are not aware of how an actual schoolbuilding should look like. I wish I could write down everything that happened today, but I would be sitting onThanks for reading
                                                    -Emma