Shawn was the biggest blessing to me in Haiti. He was like a father to me, always caring for me, making sure I was ok, protecting me, praising me for my hard works, always giving me fatherly love! He was totally awesome :) Like I said, when I was talking about Reza, the younger men protected me but couldn’t always comfort me. Shawn protected me and comforted me more than anyone there, even my mom. :) I had met Shawn once before our first team meeting and it went like this... I was going to the break room, at the church, and he stopped me as I was walking through the door, that your not supposed to go through unless you have certain permission. I was like woops! I know I'm allowed to go in but you don’t know that :) He did not know who I was so I just left. But you should have seen the way he looked at me! It was like he thought I was a crazy person or something :) very funny! So when we had our first team meeting I knew who he was because I had met him and my mom told me what a great worker he is a few times. He, however, thought it was the first time we met :) (which is funny to me, he forgot about the crazy person who tried to break in to the baby room) I was excited that someone I knew and had respect for was going on our trip, I wasn’t too sure how those 970 boys would be like. :) So now we are in Haiti. Its our first debrief and I, of course, am the first of our team to cry. :) I started crying about what was going on and expressing how disturbed I was, im sure i talked for a long time, but Shawn grabbed my hand to comfort me. Trevor was there and put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me as well. It made me feel much better to know that I had someone who could care and comfort me in Haiti, because I was sure uncomforted by the injustice. On Saturday Shawn was sitting next to me in the courtyard of the orphanage. He was holding Christline and I think like 2 other kids. I was freaked out because on Friday when we went to the orphanage there was another team and Megan's crew was there so there were enough people to have 1-3 kids a person. I had 1 little girl on Friday so on Saturday when I had 2 babies in my lap and 3 other little kids pulling on me I was wondering were everyone was and why they were not down helping with the kids. (I have to admit that I hate that attitude that I had, but it was truly what i was thinking.) I asked Shawn a couple of times, "where is everyone!?" He calmed me down every time but I somehow managed to freak out again and again. Little did I know that most of my team was at the Clinic. One person in particular, Ben, was there and he was talking to Arianna. He was listing to her story of how she had been sexually assaulted at age 14 and he shared the gospel with her. SHE EXCEPPTED!!!!!!! Im so happy that I have a new sister in Christ! At the time, sadly, I didn’t know what was going on, I was being selfish and whining about having to hold babies! I don't know if you remember wayyy back when we said what we were looking forward to when we go to Haiti, but the #2 thing I was looking forward to was holding babies! It was a twisted thing, and I let satin take something that I longed for so much and make it a thing I wanted to run away from! (he is so mean!) Then on Saturday I noticed, Samanda, the girl who had a hole in her foot and ants going in and out of it. I was of course distrot about what I saw happing to her and told Shawn. From then on he took care of her with a broken heart. On Sunday, when we were at the orphanage, he ran over to her to hug her and protect her. At one point in time he bent down and scraped the ants off her leg. When he looked up I was looking at him, be cause I noticed what he was doing and started watching him. He gave me this look and I don’t even know the words to describe it! But it just put the point across that he just wanted to die from the guilt, i would say, that was just rushing through his mind. I felt the same way and we were just filled with so much emotion we were clenching our fists and crying at the same time. I tried very hard not to cry in front of the kids at the orphanage, because they looked up to me and I didn’t want them to loose their joyful hearts. But I could not hold my tears in! I went up stairs with the girls and I held Arianna, Kedlene, and Bettina and while they were coloring I quietly cried to Jesus with all the pain I had for Samanda. On Sunday night Shawn was putting the finishing touches on the piñata. I noticed that he was all alone and asked if he needed help. I helped him and then Ben came. It was really fun working with those guys! They are both such wonderful men of God! On Monday Shawn helped give the kids, at Megan's school, flip flops representing the feet fitted with the gospel of peace. At one point in time there were about 45 kids getting flip flops. Shawn and Stephanie were very overwhelmed. We did not notice that there was a problem until it was too late. Then when we were at Megan's house Shawn was eating a sweet n salty. Little Michaelle was hanging around and Shawn gave her some of the pack. He said that she only liked the raisins and m&m's :) He helped me take a picture of Trevor, mom, Michaelle, and myself on the roof of Megan's house. Which was really a great thing! Now Zazou, Obed's friends cousin who is years old, came. This was the night we thought she was Ramces friend's daughter :) I was playing with Zazou. Shawn just sat and watched us he was blown away by how I acted. (He said that to me.) Then at the debrief Shawn said in front of the team, "Madison I cant believe your heart. How you love these kids! Your heart is so pure and beautiful! I was most definitely not doing the wonderful things you are doing now when I was your age." Then he praised my mom for the way she raised me. The whole team joined in at the end praising Trevor and us. It was a very special moment to me. Not in a boastful way, but in a, "wow people actually think what I do is good. People are paying attention to how I act? Im super loved!!!" (those were my thoughts.) On Tuesday night we brought the piñata!! We gave all the kids little party hats and played games. Then Shawn explained to all of the kids what his son, Brooks, did. Brooks sacrifices his birthday gifts, every year, and asks his friends to give him money to help orphans all over the world instead. Last year he paid for them to go to grass! (which is a realllllllly big deal!) He got them a chicken dinner with fruit! The kids hardly get to eat meat so its very nice to have chicken and they just love fruit! This year he bought candy, for a piñata, and all sorts of games and party things. On top of buying them another chicken dinner with fruit. Shawn went up there to explain it and said Brooks' name and all the kids started shouting!! “Brooks!!” They remembered him from the last gift he gave them. (look at this video of them saying thank you Brooks.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aWwM1Y-abk Anyways it made Shawn full of joy that the kids remembered Brooks and that his son was doing such a noble thing at such a young age. It was a wonderful moment for everyone!
Shawn telling the kids about their party.
He brought some band-aids, to put on Princess Samanda's hole in her foot. We both knew it wasn’t going to fix anything but we hoped it would keep the ants out for a little while and maybe she could have a moment free of pain. I would not have had the absolutely wonderful trip that I had had it not been for a lot of things, but Shawn was a big part of those things! Im very thankful for him and all that he did for me. I stop by to see him every weekend at church to give him a hug. It's wonderful to get to know him, his wonderful kids! Maybe soon I will get to know more about his wife. But his whole family is just splendid! I know Shawn has to work very hard all the time. If you wouldn’t mind saying a quick prayer to thank God for the wonderful gift Shawn is, and maybe that he will have a good day at work. Thanks!
Love, Madison!
P.S. the girls are coming next! :)
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