A trip report for Frontier Camp’s Twelfth trip to Haiti

Jan 4-13, 2017

The Backstory ... In 2007, Frontier Camp partnered with Pastor Gersan Valcin to plant a Christian youth camp in northern Haiti near the town of Limbe. At the time, the village was set in a rural, agrarian area that was steeped in voodoo. The past eleven years have seen the transformation of the village through the Gospel, as many first year campers made pro- fessions of faith and returned home to tell their families. This led East-West Ministries to plant a church in the vil- lage. Today, Jacob’s Well has grown into a ministry center complete with a Christian Radio and TV station, located in a now “Christian” village. This January, Frontier Camp sent its 12th team of summer staffers to Jacob’s Well. The purpose behind our continued trips is to encourage the local believers, strengthen leaders in children’s ministry, forge relationships, grow our own staff spiritually, and help Jacob’s Well become an inde- pendent Haitian ministry. With each successive trip, we take on more of a backstage role, and it is exciting to watch new Haitian leaders step up to the plate. For the Haiti 12 team, our main goals included training and challenging the Haitian staff, assisting in running a day camp at Jacob’s Well and a mobile camp in a nearby village, and helping with various work projects around camp. We thank you for your support and prayers and encourage you to keep praying for this ministry in Haiti. Days 1-2: Wednesday-Thursday—Packing & Travel

Our trip began on January 4th with a packing In the past, we have spent several days un- party to load all the supplies we needed to packing and prepping the site for camp. This bring into Haiti. The airline allows one 50 lb year, the village children went back to school checked bag per person in addition to a carry- earlier than usual, so we hit the ground run- on and personal item. Most of the checked ning as soon we arrived. Thursday evening baggage space is reserved for camp gear (like was spent unpacking, practicing Bible Drama, new rec equipment, work project supplies, assembling snack bags, orienting first timers camper snacks, etc.) Because of that, packing to the layout of camp, and moving into our is a huge puzzle, with the team working to cabins. pack each bag to exactly 50 lbs. During the packing process, we received news that team All the activity helpers double-checked their member Jack Watkins needed an appendecto- activity equipment while craft instructors Days 3-4: Friday & my later in the day and would not be coming. assembled sample crafts and gathered sup- We were terribly disappointed at the news, but plies, and the mobile camp crew met to final- Saturday—Day Camps also grateful that God protected Jack from a ize their plans. We ended the evening with our dangerous medical event unfolding in Haiti. first devo from Hans on the life of Joseph, and Our Friday and Saturday camp mornings then we headed to bed, full of expectation for dawned bright and early with breakfast at seven, After packing, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner our first full day in after which the team split into three groups. One supplied by camp and then loaded up Haiti! group (Jarvis, Katie, Caleb, Edie, Hardin, Faith, to spend the night hosted by Kingwood Bible Jordan, Amy, Elizabeth, Brittany, Alyse, and Church. Around 4:30 AM on Thursday, sev- Isaac) remained at Jacob’s Well with Betty eral camp friends showed up to shuttle the Valcin, Autumn, and Gillian. The second group team from the church to the airport for a 5:00 (Maris, Allie, Thomas, Virginia, Fharid, Mag- AM check-in time. Our flights were unevent- gie, Jan, Abby, Jamie, and Liz) traveled with ful, connections were smooth, and all our Pastor Gersan and Hans to a nearby church to luggage arrived safely in Cap Haitien. conduct a VBS-style mobile camp. Clearing customs in Haiti is always interest- Konrad and Noah ing. This year, the customs officials would formed the third not allow our team through customs until all group and spent most other passengers had cleared. They also of their time on work would not allow Pastor Gersan to join us projects, with inside the airport. (He usually helps with occasional breaks to translation and haggling over the customs solve maintenance tax.) Thankfully, Hans and the customs offi- issues around cials managed to settle on a reasonable sum, camp—like setting and we were off. Jacob’s Well’s Tap Tap up a water fountain (open aired truck) had broken down on the for the kids and fix- way to the airport, so we squished the team ing the pitball pit. into two taxi minivans and made the 45 mi- nute drive to the camp. Page 2 A trip report for Frontier Camp’s Twelfth trip to Haiti

Days 3&4: Camp at Jacob’s Well This year at Jacob’s Well, the Haitians had the bacon, low ropes, crafts, and sports. Soccer of Joseph and the example that he set of being Saturdayfive directors who wereDay responsible Camps for set- was a huge camper favorite and took over the faithful and obedient to God, despite his cir- ting up the activity areas and conducting sports field. Crafts utilized lots of pipe cleaners cumstances. The Jacob’s Well team panto- training for the new leaders. They were also and popsicle sticks to make fun games like tic mimed the story while Daphne, one of the in charge of managing the daily schedule and tac toe boards and pipecleaner/pencil flowers Haitian directors, read the passage in Creole, camp program, and they stepped up beauti- and lizards. Low ropes played lots of teambuild- and Gillian translated acting cues in English. fully to the challenge. It’s exciting to watch ing games with the jump ropes and colored dots. Afterwards, Smith, another one of the direc- tors, gave teaching points for the lesson and these leaders making “camp” their own! On the first morning, the Haitian staff engaged the kids in a question and answer arrived around 8 AM and received a time to make sure that they understood. It is Jacob’s Well t-shirt and a staff lanyard. thrilling to watch this generation Soon after, approximately 200 kids started of young staff- lining up at the front gate, bursting with ers—many of excitement! Each camper received a wrist- whom were as a part of the check-in process and saved as campers then went through a hand washing station at Jacob’s Well— manned by the FC team before joining their now sharing the Good News with cabin. Each day ran on a slightly different schedule, but generally consisted of an activi- the next genera- tion of campers. ty or two after check-in, a Bible drama, Any “waiting” periods during the day became a lunch, and then another activity or two before chance for the counselors to lead their campers the final Bible drama of the day. Following in Bible verse memorization. It was common to Bible drama, the kids lined up to receive a hear campers reciting or singing verses as a snack bag on their way out the gate. group on their way to the Each member of the team was assigned to next activity. After Bible help facilitate an activity, though whenever drama, campers from each possible, we were encouraged to take a back- cabin were given a chance ground role and allow the Haitian activity to stand up and recite the leaders to take charge. They did an excellent memory verse for a prize job. Campers rotated by cabin group through (glow stick bracelets or long-time Jacob’s Well favorites, like ar- candy). This year’s Bible chery, BB guns, nine-square-in-the-air, steal Drama centered on the life Days 3&4: Mobile Camp in Calbache What is mobile camp? Just what it sounds course of two weeks by the Jacob’s Well Hai- do it! They managed to pull together a last mi- like, camp on the move! Using Jacob’s Well tian staff) and almost 375 children, mostly un- nute, unpracticed drama for the first installment as a base of operations, we pack bags with churched! Such an incredible opportunity for the of Joseph’s life, and then added practicing dra- camp equipment (all the important stuff, like spread of the Gospel. ma to their list of things to do in the evening. rubber pigs, soccer balls, and jump ropes) We had only planned for around two hundred Just like at Jacob’s Well, the Haitian counselors and travel to nearby villages and towns to children, but the team took the larger numbers in worked with their campers on Bible verse mem- train leaders and help facilitate day camps. stride. Mobile camp overfilled the church and orization, and after each drama, Gersan ex- The vision remains the same as for camp at churchyard and spilled over into a nearby soccer plained the teaching points for the lesson. Jacob’s Well, but our outreach has expanded field. With so many new leaders, the first day On Saturday evening, mobile camp in Calbache exponentially, and there is room for contin- was slightly more challenging. But by the sec- came to a close with a “thank you” from the ued growth and new opportunities each year. ond day, once the new leaders understood the It’s an incredibly exciting new endeavor and pastor and an invitation to come back and offer flow, camp began to run smoothly. Each day, camp again for the kids! Hosting mobile camp an awesome outgrowth of the ministry at the campers rotated through four activities, in- Jacob’s Well. opened the eyes of the pastor and the leaders to cluding parachute games; field games: relay the brokenness of the community surrounding This was our second year facilitating mobile races, sack races, and jump rope; steal the ba- their church. We are thankful for all of the chil- camp, and we were excited to partner with a con; and crafts. The church provided lunch for dren who had the chance to hear the Gospel and new church, Evangelical Church of the 23rd the campers, while the FC team was bused back are beyond excited for the Psalm, set in Calbache, a very poor neighbor- to join the Jacob’s Well team for a many new opportunities hood bordering the town of Limbe. The Hai- quick meal. Then they headed back to that taking camp mobile tian program director had worked at Jacob’s Calbache to finish out the day! Last allows us! Well in the past, while the church supplied year, the Haitian counselors who were a thirty three counselors part of mobile camp performed the (trained Bible Drama for the kids, but this year, over the the FC team discovered that they were expected to A trip report for Frontier Camp’s Twelfth trip to Haiti Page 3

Day 5: Sunday—Church & Last Day of Camp On Sunday, the mobile camp crew joined the day of camp. While the lack of water caused a alongside the Haitian staff. Our conversations team at Jacob’s Well for the last few delays, the day ran remarkably tend to be short—language limitations being day of camp onsite! The morn- smoothly. After a final activity and dra- what they are—but we did our best to learn Cre- ing started with a surprise: the ma—performed by the Haitian staff this ole, and they did their best to learn English, and cistern pump broke during the time!—the campers said goodbye at the we managed to communicate. Seeing them pour night, leaving camp without gate. Five campers remained behind into the kids is such an encouragement to us, and water. The kitchen ladies some- because they wanted to learn more about we pray that we were an encouragement to them how still managed to feed over the Gospel. We stayed in the back- as well. 300 staff and campers all day. ground, watching, while the camp Following breakfast, we headed leaders explained the Gospel and into the village for church. We asked the children questions to were blessed to worship make sure that they understood alongside our Haitian broth- before they each made the deci- ers and sisters, many of sion to believe. We are grateful whom were also camp lead- for these new young brothers and ers. As soon as church fin- sisters in Christ! ished, we hurried back to After the campers left, all of the Jacob’s Well to start the last Jacob’s Well camp staff gathered together for a circle of prayer and closing thoughts from Hans. Then we spent a couple minutes getting final photos with our new friends. As much as we all love working with the kids, it is a blessing and pleasure to get to work Day 6-8: Monday-Wednesday—Rain! And Work Projects

Our original schedule had us doing work pro- Nine-Square after correctly labeling each pit, and painting the new security light poles to jects over the weekend and running camp piece. The final group marched over one leg our list. Meanwhile, the trench Monday through Wednesday, but we had to of the mountain to dig trenches for new water digging crew transformed into a swap to accommodate an earlier school start piping to be installed at the well house, a task fencing crew, helped by a crew date for the kids in Haiti. This last minute made even more exciting by faulty joints in of Haitian boys who work change turned out to be for the best, because the existing water that led to a geyser! around camp in exchange for it started pouring soon after camp finished Thankfully, that emergency was solved just in meals. Sunday night, and the rain continued all day time for lunch. The sun finally broke through Monday, most of Tuesday, and finally let up In addition to work projects, we also put to- on Wednesday! The fencing on Wednesday. It was a great reminder that gether a choir consisting of Maggie, Amy, team started in on a new sec- we can trust God in all things, great and Noah, Elizabeth, and Jordan on her mandolin, tion that ran down a steep small, because His plans are better than our to perform three songs live over the Jacob’s slope through heavy over- plans every time. Well radio station, Radio Ciel FM 98.7. The growth, while the pitball Konrad and Noah had started in on work pro- rest of the team took a break to crowd around building crew also helped jects earlier in the week, gathering tools need- the radio at the pavilion to listen! organize the tool section of ed for projects, welding on the solar light After lunch, with no sign that the rain was the depot and a new team project, and rebuilding a rack for the kitchen. letting up, we paused on our outdoor projects started digging holes for the On Monday morning, we assigned the rest of so the team could change into dry clothes and security lights. the team to work project crews and headed worked beneath the pavilion, then spent some out into the rain in hopes that it would taper time fellowshipping as a team. Ironically, off toward the afternoon. One group planned despite all the water coming from the sky, we out a puppet show complete with a Gospel had no water for showers. By Tuesday morn- script and puppets handcrafted from leftover ing, the rain had lessened enough that we were craft supplies. One group started dismantling able to resume outdoor work projects. We the old pitball pit so it could be remade into a added cutting and gluing PVC for a new mani- puppet stage, while another group put away fold for the well house, building a new pitball Day 6-8: Work Projects ... Day 9-10: Team Bonding & Travel Home In the afternoon, two thirds of the team split off to Our last day in Haiti is usually spent doing some lunch, we loaded up again for some team bonding at run a play day in the village. The kids enjoyed the team bonding, as well as finalizing work pro- the beach. By the time we arrived, a storm had begun parachute, duck duck goose, and hand games. jects, cleaning up camp, and packing for our rolling in, so we walked along the shoreline, collected The team also transported the puppets and new return trip. This year, almost the whole team shells, and chatted with some of the local kids. puppet stage to the church where choir practice decided to wake up at 5:00 AM and hike Double Departure morning dawned early with a flurry of final was in session. Many of the choir members were Head mountain—the mountain directly behind packing and cleaning, then we said our goodbyes and also camp leaders, so Deborah and Liz were able Jacob’s Well. Some of the local boys who had loaded up onto the Tap Tap. Rolling out of the gate to teach them the puppet show and skit, and then been helping with work projects served as our for the last time is always a sad moment. We waved they performed it. The Gospel was clearly pre- guides. From the top, there’s an excellent view goodbye to all of the kids and promised that—Lord sented to a small crowd of kids, many too young of Jacob’s Well, the countryside, the city of willing—we will see them again. to come to camp! All in all, even with the rain, Limbe, and the ocean. It’s always worth the hike. we had a great three days of work projects, and Our connecting flights had been scheduled fairly We made it up and down in excellent time and close together, but the Lord answered our prayers for thanks to the then launched into final work projects. One plumbing safe travels and no delays, and we even made it group continued the solar light project, including through customs and security in Miami in less than an crew, we were setting poles in the ground and carrying security able to finish hour! Our final flight landed in Houston around mid- cages for the solar lights up the hill to the cross. night, and we were greeted by friends and family. the evening Another team started the packing process, locat- with showers! ing suitcases and returning all the camp supplies Though we are home, the work in Haiti continues and to the depot, while another team finished organ- those in Tse Guinea remain on our hearts. The next izing tools and Konrad showed the Haitian staff big project at Jacob’s Well involves the construction how to maintain the tractor and change out oil of a large guest lodge with the ability to house around filters. Meanwhile, the rest of the team headed 40 guests! This will greatly increase the ministry over to the village to host a soccer game and play opportunities at Jacob’s Well. We continue to pray— with the local kids. (They had been begging us and we hope that you will pray with us—for the con- for a match all week, and there are still conflict- tinued growth of the church, the local believers, the ing reports as to which team won!) After a late radio/TV station, and the Valcin’s ministry in Haiti.

Thank you for your prayer and support!

For more information about Jacob’s Well Ministries, go to: http://valcinministry.org/wordpress/jw/ or email [email protected].

BACK ROW (L to R): Konrad, Hardin, Allie, Fharid, Thomas, Faith, Katie, Elizabeth, Jarvis, Noah, Isaac, Caleb MIDDLE ROW (L to R): Brittany, Abby, Alyse, Maris, Amy, Virginia, Jamie FRONT ROW (L to R): Jan, Edie, Gillian, Autumn, Hans, Maggie, Jordan