Faces of FFP: On a Mission

Chris Goodyear (center) and the FFP mission team in La Victoria.

"I didn't go on a mission trip expecting my life to be changed, but that's exactly what happened!"

Chris Goodyear didn't go on a mission trip because he felt "called" or was looking for a life-changing experience. He went because his daughter was going and the trip leader, Frank Speranza from Long Valley Presbyterian Church (LVPC), needed more male chaperones.

"I figured my job would be to watch over the kids and keep them out of trouble. As a long-time soccer coach I was very qualified for that task!"

During pre-trip meetings Chris started to get a feeling this trip might be different than he expected. "For starters, we were going to be building a church--and I hadn't even attended church in decades! And when past trip members shared their stories about oneness and community I didn't understand what they were talking about."

It wouldn't take long to find out. "I was blown away by what I saw at the airport in Santo Domingo. The members of La Victoria church (LVPC's partner community) gr
eeted us with banners and singing. Americans and Dominicans ran to hug each other as friends were reunited. To witness this connection ... well, right there it was, 'Wow!'"

"On our first day at the work site I experienced a whole range of feelings ... expectation, exhilaration, excitement, humility and fatigue. The community was much poorer than I expected with unpaved roads, no running water and houses made from scraps. As we worked hand in hand with our Dominican friends to put in the floor of the church, I started to see for myself what community looks like ... how everyone joins together to help each other ... and how 'play' between children is a universal language."

"I'm a naturally cynical person, especially when it comes to organized religion, but at our first worship in La Victoria I witnessed genuine outpouring of faith--unlike anything I'd ever experienced. In the unabashed sharing of love for God I felt within myself gratitude and joy. And I felt God banging on the door of my heart saying, 'Let me in!'"

"As we spent ten days working, playing and worshipping together, I watched two very different groups of people join together in oneness, bound by a common goal and shared faith in God. And I was now part of this group."

"This experience was a turning point in my life. I learned so much from the Dominicans. I saw what working hand in hand looks like. And I realized that God hadn't deserted me. He had been there all along waiting for me to turn back toward Him. When I returned home I joined LVPC and am now an active member. This year I plan to return to La Victoria for my third mission trip!"

"I didn't go on an FFP mission trip expecting my life to be changed ... but evidently God had other plans!"

Faces of FFP: Why I've Dedicated My Life to FFP

Kristin Hamner, FFP's DR director, and Pastor Alejandro share ideas for future projects in Batey San Joaquin.

"You help me be the pastor I've always desired to be!" 

Dear Friends,

After nine years of serving as a missionary in the Dominican Republic, I've grown accustomed to being asked questions like, "Why do you stay with FFP when you're so far from family and friends?" "With your new Master of Divinity degree wouldn't life be easier in the US?" and "Haven't you been there long enough?"

I have standard rehearsed answers that include things like completed projects...clean water...quality education...and improved medical care. But sometimes even I need to be reminded about why I stay. 

Recently my friend and colleague, Pastor Alejandro called me. A member of his congregation in Batey San Joaquin had broken a bone during construction of the community center. The man needed orthopedic surgery but neither he nor the congregation had money to cover the cost of it.

Looking for help, Pastor Alejandro's first call was to me. I contacted FFP's directors Ken Culver and Wendy Patchin who immediately agreed FFP would cover the cost of the man's surgery.

When I told Pastor Alejandro the good news, he exclaimed, "Thank you! Thank you for helping us! I feel so blessed and privileged to work with you and Foundation for Peace because you help me to be the pastor I've always desired to be!"

Tears filled my eyes. This is why I stay! 

Every single day--in ways that often go unseen--I am part of an organization that helps equip amazing pastors like Alejandro who dedicate their lives to improving life in their impoverished communities.

Yes, I could live a much easier life in the US. But the Lord has given me gifts and skills to use right here, working hand in hand with Dominican pastors to help truly transform communities. And there is no place I'd rather be.

I'm not asking you to give up your life to join me (although you're welcome to), but I am asking you to make a donation so FFP can continue saying "Yes!" to the many people who desperately need our help, like Pastor Alejandro.

Your contribution will directly help our staff build up pastors, congregations and communities. Will you please say "Yes" today? 

I thank you, and Pastor Alejandro thanks you.

Love and Blessings,
Kristin 

Kristin Hamner
National Director, Dominican Republic

Testimony from Haiti Trip #3 (2/7-2/13)

By Susan Sciarratta, Woodside Presbyterian Church, Yardley, PA

As we prepared to re-enter the United States on February 13, I reflected much on our past week’s work in Haiti and Jimani. What stood out most was the juxtaposition of goodness and evil, life and death, beauty and ugliness, laughter and tears, heartbreak and hope, in all that surrounded us. The monotony of tents against the majestic backdrop of the Haitian mountains…a newborn set of twins sleeping a few feet away from a dying grandmother….the abundant food and medical supplies with no system of distribution….the little girl rescued from being trapped underground for two days, whose aunt told us that she would have been better off dead along with her mom and baby brother…the boy with the distended belly smiling as his mother bathed him…the traumatized Haitians refusing shelter in a building for fear of the aftershocks.

I learned to say three phrases in Creole: Good morning/afternoon, How are you, and God bless you. That was truly enough to touch people. God’s grace and His Holy Spirit filled in the blanks when words failed. Not surprisingly, the language barrier lent quite a few comical moments. I approached an older gentleman and greeted him with my best Creole. He didn’t say much. Then my friend Lynne came up and said, “Hi!” The man responded -- in perfect English -- “Hey, where are you guys from anyway?” It turns out he was from Florida and was in Port au Prince at the wrong time. I really enjoyed praying with him because he actually understood what I was saying. Also, I had a nice conversation with three young women who had escaped their university building during the earthquake; we spoke through Isidro (FFP staff) who speaks both Spanish and Creole. I enjoyed being in many such conversations where combinations of Spanish, French, Creole, and/or English were volleyed back and forth.

My favorite work project was building five private shower stalls at the Love A Child camp. I worked with Emily, Branko, Pastor Bronny, Isidro, JJ, and a couple of Haitian volunteers. A truly global effort! Not only was it great to complete this project in less than a day, it was gratifying to see the showers being used immediately after we completed them. It was a simple way to restore a little dignity to our Haitian brothers and sisters.

As I conducted my work, I felt like a soldier of Christ on the battleground of good versus evil. Armed with my breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sword of the Spirit, and some copies of Creole scripture, I went from tent to tent with a big smile and a heavy heart. The best part of my trip was sitting with the refugees at their tents, listening to their stories and then praying with them. We were so blessed to have Vicki and Anide with us, who could translate between English and Creole. I know that God did not send me to Haiti because of my biceps or brawn or background in First Aid, but the blessing that I could be to my Haitian brethren in just being present. The gift of presence cannot be overrated. We were so affirmed when one woman said, “Today is the first day I feel like a human being.” It was not the tent, medical care, or food that she received, but the nourishment of God’s love provided by a simple human touch.

This place truly was a battleground. So many tragedies and evils abounded; the helicopter crash, the two traumatized Haitians who jumped to their death following an aftershock, the renegade group leader who undermined our mission at the ARC camp, the feelings of defeat and worthlessness that so often plague missionaries. But ever faithful, God reminded us of His holy presence, His completeness, and His redemptive grace. I have never seen the night sky so brilliant as that first night in Jimani. God, you took my breath away. You gave me the holy privilege of building up the body of Christ, one tent at a time. You showed me amputated limbs and broken bones lifted up to You in worship and praise, one month after the earthquake. Unbroken spirits. The hypnotic rendition of “Breathe” sung by our FFP friends in Spanish, which lifted me so high. We came face to face with You in every person that we touched. You provided us a cloud of witnesses from Vermont to Ecuador, and together we ran with perseverance, restoring Your goodness, with eyes fixed on our Lord and Savior.

I don’t know how the story will end. I pray that hearts will be softened throughout Hispaniola. I pray that the world will not soon forget the plight of the Haitians. And I pray that this devastated country will be rebuilt on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Testimony from Haiti Relief Trip #1 (1/31-2/6)

By Warren E. Wilhide, Sr, WEWilhide@cs.com, Hilltop Church, Mendham, NJ

What an experience! What a life changing experience. In Haiti, I saw such need in situations where you are able to truly help others, and where there are many critical opportunities all around you. Help is needed now – the sooner, the more meaningful.

Of course, this trip included some hardships such as hot temperatures without air conditioning, dust and dirt, Johnny toilets (or none), 8 days without a shower, and being involved with things of such importance, that using a bathroom was often forgotten until things became urgent. But, what rewards come from knowing you are making a difference to people in their time of great suffering and need.

The team I was part of for this trip were mostly medical professionals, mostly from New Jersey. I felt very fortunate to have been accepted for this trip (as a civilian). I offered to do anything I could to assist or support the medical people, or jobs no one else wanted to do. Believe me, there was plenty of meaningful work for everyone. The night before our 6 hour bus ride to the Haitian border, we all helped salvage wood from old pallets, to take to Haiti to be used in construction of latrines. On the way to the border (with 5 armed guards), we stopped to pick up a group of doctors and nurses from a Presbyterian church in Greenville, SC. Our combined team was a fantastic group of dedicated people. Also, the Foundation for Peace leadership and coordination was superb. I shall always remember everyone involved.

Once at our compound on the Dominican side of the border, I helped assemble many double deck bunk beds for our use. (Some of us still had to sleep outside). Everyone insisted that I get a bunk (lower), probably because of my gray hair. Across from our quarters, were other buildings holding several hundred injured Haitians. Many were amputees.

I helped unload boxes and supplies, and assist nurses who told me where to move things by medical category. I also made trips to their pharmacy area to pickup and deliver needed medicines. I was also able use Excel to assist a nurse in setting up a checkoff sheet for patient care schedule. In addition to numerous other activities, the one which was most rewarding to me was accompanying nurses (particularly Mauricia of Overlook Hospital) as dressings were being changed.

I greatly appreciated the opportunity to provide some comfort to these injured people and their family members who were (and still are) extremely concerned about their uncertain future. It was amazing to me to see how rubbing their arm, and giving a smile and a caring look seemed to transform both the patients and their families. For the younger members, I was able to show a few tricks, including my thumb trick, which made a positive change in atmosphere. Fortunately, I was able to do many of these support type activities on both sides of the border. I was happy with what I had the opportunity to do, but, it was really very minor compared to what everyone else was doing around the clock. Also, please remember that these were all volunteer activities by many people from countries around the world (many giving up their vacations to be here).

One of the needs I saw while there, involved the many very sad situations where people don’t know what happened to their family and loved ones. I remember hearing about one very anxious mother who greatly misses her 12 year old daughter, and has no idea if she’s dead or alive, or where she may be. Apparently, there is no system in place to have an overall database. After checking into this on both sides of the border with senior doctors, and Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins people, it appeared that nothing is currently available, but the need is acknowledged. Later on, I was directed to a young doctor from the Harvard Medical School who said that he and a friend are working on a system concept using I-phones, with their cameras, and GPS systems. He hopes to develop a new App (Apple I-phone application) to collect and transmit this information to build a centralized database. I got his cell number and passed it on to contacts at JHU. This is for a system that, while it may be too late now to help in Haiti, should be ready and available for the next disaster anywhere in the world.

Shortly before our team was to return home, we were informed that the Dominican government wanted all Haitians back across the border and into Haiti within the next day. This caused great concern to everyone (patients, family, and medical staff). We were told that after a certain time, the Dominican military and police would enter our compound and force people into buses and take them across the border and be dropped off somewhere. Through interpreters over many hours, the Haitians realized that for those able, it was in their best interests to be delivered across the border to the “Love a Child” medical facility. Within less than 24 hours, we had transported several busloads across. The Dominicans agreed to give extended time to the remainder.

I must also mention the very sad happening involving two men from Naples, Florida. Instead of just writing a check they came to help in person. One of the men bought a small helicopter, and with his friend, a pilot, took it to Haiti to ferry doctors and medical supplies between hospitals as needed. This was a big help. Unfortunately, on the night before our team departed, their helicopter crashed into a mountain, killing them both. What a shame! So many people from all over the world have sacrificed so much to help in this –they sacrificed everything.

At this point, I want to mention how extremely proud I was to be an American, and to be a Christian, and to be involved in critical help for our fellow man. It’s very difficult to describe how impressed I was with all of the many doctors and nurses I saw. It was fantastic to see how people from different countries, different hospitals, and different backgrounds were able to discuss options and quickly reach agreement on what would be best for the patient (without politics and self interest).

The world is changing rapidly with so many new technologies to connect us all. We are truly becoming one world, one people. We should all be involved to help our fellow man in time of tragedy. What happened in Haiti is not the fault of the Haitian people, as some have said – no more than 9/11 was our fault. The Haitian people have suffered from a history of colonialism, and bad governments. On the other hand, we have been blessed by our founding fathers, and our ability to fight for the good of mankind, and the progress of humanity.

I want to thank Harriet Muir for directing me to Dr. Ken Culver of Foundation for Peace, after I expressed an interest to her in volunteering to go to Haiti at this critical time. I also thank Ken for accepting my application although I lacked medical experience, and maybe being a senior citizen could present problems. However, I feel privileged in getting to go with his group who are doing many good things.
I took about 800 photos and some video, which I edited and assembled into a 45 minute DVD. Some of the photos were taken on what would have been Carol’s 76th birthday. She would have been proud to have been on this important trip with me.