February Haiti Trip Report
We want to take a moment to report that things in Haiti related to Hands and Feet Project are going well. Randy had the privilege of joining a small team on a trip to Haiti in early February. Overall, the visit went smooth, with very few hiccups along the way. This was the first time we used a small, regional airline for our trip from Florida and within Haiti. There were some delays with flights due to weather, but God worked it all out so we were able to stay close to our initial schedule. We were able to see with many of our Haitian staff, the kids we care for, and all 6 of the daycares. We also visited some families in the community that we help in various ways.
It can sometimes be a challenge to manage work remotely, especially with a language barrier and travelling challenges. It was great to see things in person to confirm that things really are going well in Haiti. What a pleasure it was to see so many familiar faces of kids on our campuses! It was a short trip with a full agenda, so our time with kids was very limited, but enjoyable. Much of my time was spent with our Haitian bookkeepers as we work together to streamline processes and improve efficiency of our monthly finance tasks. We only spent about 24 hours in Jacmel, the city where we lived.
Haiti Travel News
For those of you who have been to Haiti, do you remember Fatina, the sweet vendor who sets up souvenirs and paintings behind Cyvadier Plage Hotel & Restaurant? She had her display set up in the usual place and was excited to see us. She has recovered from the health issues she had the last time we saw her.
We avoided all known trouble spots in Haiti, including the entire Port au Prince area. Our experience in Haiti seemed normal. People on the streets seemed happy to see us. We never felt like we were in danger. The people we visited were genuinely appreciative of the support they receive. They were very open to share their stories with us. Despite the challenges of life in Haiti, it was encouraging to see the hope and fortitude in the people we encountered.
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” – Psalm 127:3
Hands & Feet Project Update
The new executive director of Hands & Feet Project that we introduced you to in our previous update is doing well. She continues to learn about our past and plan for the future. Each leader has a unique set of skills and focus, and Letty is no exception to that. We are working on connecting with more people and sharing more insight into the impact that each supporter makes on our organization. Those who support us through prayer, giving, and even those with an encouraging word are valued and appreciated.
Hands & Feet Project Staff
For those of you who would like some insight into the lives and experiences in Haiti of 2 other people who were on the recent Haiti trip with Randy, here’s an mostly entertaining podcast episode from “Life Between Sundays” with Dean Cline and Sean Moore:
(Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-doesnt-waste-a-scar/id1841653478?i=1000750869105
(YouTube) https://youtu.be/y2OhhfniUN0?si=SMogeeVdBRSi0l9_
If you would like more insight about the band Audio Adrenaline and the formation of Hands & Feet Project, here is a link to another episode of Life Between Sundays where Dean Cline interviews H&FP founders and Audio Adrenaline band members Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss:
(Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/from-big-house-to-big-hearts-audio-adrenalines-life/id1841653478?i=1000735055381
(YouTube) https://youtu.be/e82vAp7P2WE?si=bxuy8iyoHu8RFISU
While we are talking about recent podcasts, Denise was a guest on a leadership podcast with Nathan Metz called, “In the Lead.” Nathan was a guest speaker at the Spiritual Emphasis Week at the Brooksville Wesleyan Village where we live in Florida. You can listen to the podcast here:
(Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-character-of-candor-w-jerry-batterbee/id1765780903?i=1000749956430
New York Travel Plans
We are planning a trip to New York towards the end of May or early June. We are waiting for final confirmation of the dates for a family event we will be attending. As usual, the trip will include an open house where we can get together and share more detailed updates about our work there. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible to catch up with what God is doing in your lives. We will share information about our visit dates once we know the dates and details.
Donations For Our Support
Thank you all for your generous support! We cannot do this work without you. We pray that each of you are blessed for the sacrifices that make. If you know other people who might be interested in supporting our work in Haiti, please feel free to forward our newsletter and information to them. The Contact page on our web site can be used to reach out to us.
For those of you who make donations for our support online, we are aware that the current web site is a bit uncooperative for that. Our page on the web site is not currently available from any navigation menus. We’re sorry for the confusion this has caused. Changes are coming, but they have not been deployed yet. In order to make a monetary donation towards our support, this link for McGarvey Family support can be used. There is also a Donate Now button at the top right of our web site that can also be used. We will let you know when changes are made.
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” – Psalm 55:22