Monday, February 23, 2015

Countdown calendar

21. Haiti is located in the Caribbean.

Pray that people would see them as individuals, not just a group in a certain place.
20. Native Haitians were called "Taino," meaning "The Good People."

Pray that we would still see the "good" despite the changes that have taken place in history.
19 The Taino called their land "Ayiti," meaning "Land of Mountains." Now we call it "Haiti."

Pray for the people who live in the mountains, that they would be ready to learn from us.



18. Haiti is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean.

Pray that we would be in good physical shape to climb the mountains.
17. Haiti’s highest peak is the Pic la Selle at 8,793 feet high. Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs is 14,114 feet high. Mauna Kea in Hawaii is 13,796 above the ocean.

Pray that we will have energy to play with the children in the mountains after we have hiked to the top of them!



16. Haitians use a language called "Creole." This is a mix of lots of different languages.


Pray that we would be able to communicate with the people in Haiti clearly and effectively.
15. Haiti's national sport is Soccer. Haiti first competed in the national cup in 1974.

Pray that we would be able to have fun in Haiti!
14. Only half of Haitians can read and write.

Thank God for being able to go to school and learn.  
13. A typical worker in Haiti makes $2.75 a day. A person in Colorado earning minimum wage makes about $65.00 a day.

Thank God for all of the things that you have!



12. Haiti has the highest percentage of orphans  in the Western Hemisphere. (The side of the world we live on.) Before the 2010 earthquake the number was estimated to be 430,000

Pray that we could share lots of love and affection with some of these children.
11. 7.3% of Haitian children die before they reach Simon's age. (5) In America that percentage is 0 .7%.


Thank God for your good health, and the medical resources that we have in America.
10. Haitians enjoy cock fighting. They feed their roosters raw meat and spicy peppers soaked in rum to make them tough. The winning rooster can win up to $67.00 for just one game.

Pray that we would respect the cultural differences of this place, and not impose our American opinion on them.



9. Haiti is almost completely deforested because of competition over land, charcoal mining, agricultural practices, and feral goats overgrazing.

Goats! I love goats! Pray that I get to see some!
8. Deforestation has caused flash flooding and mudslides. Topsoil has washed into the ocean, leaving muddy brown ring along the coast.

Pray that we would see the beauty in the people, and in the country, despite the abuse it has suffered.
7.Haitians primarily practice Catholicism. Others are Protestant. Most of them practice Voodoo alongside these other religions.

Pray that Christians would respect the rich culture of this place, while also clearly teaching about Jesus and the freedom he offers them.



6. Haiti has an island called "Tortuga Island."  Tortuga means "turtle" in Spanish.  It was a pirate stronghold many years ago.

Pray that we would learn about the history of this nation while we are there.
5. Life expectancy in Haiti is 50 for men, and 53 for women. That is about the age of Grandma and Grandpa.

Pray that people in Haiti would hear and accept the freedom of Christ before their time on earth is over.
4. The Citadel is a fortress located in Northern Haiti. I will be at the same place as the Citadel.

Pray that we can use this part of history to share the love of Christ. He is our fortress in the storms of life!



3. I will be in a place called "Cap Hatien." It is also called "Le Cap."

Pray that  we are safe on the airplane and during our stay in Cap Hatien.
2. The nickname of Le Cap is Le Paris des Antilles. This means "The Paris of the Antilles."

Pray that we would also become fond enough of this country to call it by a nickname.
1. Haiti used to be called "The Pearl of the Antilles by the Settlers who lived there in the 1700's. It is now the poorest country on our side of the world.  (Western Hemisphere.)

Pray that we would see the "Pearl..." in this place, and offer it the riches of Christ.