Greetings to all our Family and Friends in the Name of the L-rd!
Thanks for joining us in Haiti … we can sure tell many of you were praying for our Team and the Saints there!
We had an amazing week … last Monday, we began the medical census in the poorest of areas – Jubilee Blanc. This involved the entire Team and many locals. We mapped an area around the community building … this is where Pastors Emory and Genada have held the feeding program. We started outward from there in concentric circles (supposedly :) ) to identify those homes with younger children. These children, along with one caregiver, were invited to participate in a clinic that would start a process to track their health and growth development. Each child was given a numbered arm band and put into vehicles for the trip to Pastor Emory’s, where we set up the clinic. It was amazing to me how many people you can get into the back of a pickup! I really had to disassociate my ‘safety mindset’ as we wound through the myriad of craters, pedestrian and ‘survival-of-the-biggest’ traffic with NO SEATBELTS or CHILD SAFETY SEATS!! I can believe we didn’t lose anyone … thank You, L-rd!
After the 2-3 hours of clinic time (thanks to Banning for keeping the kids entertained), we made the trip back.

There are many wonderful things happening there … even in the midst of the darkness and chaos. The kids are so precious and the parents seem to be more accepting of us since last year. G-d is opening doors and relationships are really blossoming!
We were fed well and enjoyed the great hospitality of our hosts! Mary, Rose and the other precious women really spoiled us … even Pastor Emory dished up some great breakfast meals!
Thanks to them all … and thanks most of all to You, L-rd! Ken

greetings to all ... I wanted to shoot off a brief note to all who read and pray. wow, what a week! I am sending a few pictures of some of the children we interacted with. It wasn't all about the children, but they were a main focus.

G-d blessed us with the privilege of assisting a number of precious Haitians and those Saints that serve Him there.

We held a medical census / clinic for 158 small children ... gave medical treatments to over thirty (adults and kids) ... provided physical and financial resources for many others ... served along with other Brothers and Sisters who devote their lives to Him ... and Loved on them all, through His Hesed Love and Grace! Thank You, L-rd!

Thank all of you! Your prayers and gifts were amazingly used by our Heavenly Father for His purposes and Glory ...

I will update you with more pictures and thoughts over the next few days ... stay tuned ... He is definitely not done with us yet! Hallelujah! with love, Ken

Thanks to Angela, Kris, Marylyn and Cody for reading our blogs. Its neat to know that someone is reading us. I want to say a special "Thank you" to Emily, Ryan and Nicole for the gift of money to help feed these 200 plus kids. We had several of the mothers with their kids here at our house while doing the hemaglobin checks. It was after the feeding time, so we knew that they missed out. (Although at the feeding program we feed only the children; even the older kids have to wait till the very end, so if we run out, it is the older kids who don't get fed.) So we took crackers and small peanut butter sandwiches out to them. Two mothers with very young babies wanted two (they point to their baby) I would say the baby cant eat, but they REALLY needed two. The mothers are very hungary also.
Love you guys
Grandma (Norma Jean)

Hello Everyone,

It's Thursday & I wish to catch you up on a few of the lastest actitivies I was involved in today. This morning Brian, Dave , Jall and myself went out on a fishing boat with some Hatian fishermen. It was quite an adventure. The boat was a homemade type wooden boat I would estimate 10 feet long. It had a homemade type sail with home made wooden poles for the mast. We did this to understand the plight of the local fishermen so we can better understand how they make a living. We learned it is a very hard way to make a living. These men dive down in approxmated 12 feet of water looking for fish or snails(they look like conk shells). I believe they can sell the large ones for 60 cents (US). They use a snokel & a mask & flippers. We all tried it. It's very difficuilt to see anything. They did find a few & a couple of star fish which they can use for bait if they fish using traps.If they see a fish they have a homemade spear that looks like a thin piece of re-bar with a shapend end. They try to spear the fish by thowing it at the fish. However we learned the better living can be made by the bamboo made traps. The traps cost about $2.00 each. I believe ORR has decided that we would bless them & purchase them some traps. It was not their boat so I believe they want to own their own someday. We had to sail to the far side of an island & it took over an hour each way. So as you can see it's a lot of effort for very little money. We did get sun-burned being such white skinned pansy's from Nebraska. Side note got back in time to help with the food program with the kids & would you believe we had just enough food for all the childen. Thank you Lord. Some of went on a tour of the worst damaged areas caused by the flooding. Would you believe a 14 foot high wall of water coming down your street. It's going to take years before it all cleaned up if ever.

Thanks for your contining prayers

Rich DelSenno

Fulfilling sorrow

Most of this trip has been nonstop running for me. Meetings here and there, translating for the clinics and resolving disputes about wether or not a child lives on one block or another. While i am here i tend to run from my emotions because it's easier to function. That's why I'm glad the team is with me. On one hand i would have gotten more logistical things accomplished but i would have missed so much. Hearing the stories the team shares each night encourages me to fully engage no matter how difficult. On tuesday I stood at the front of the line letting the kids walk one by one to get there plates of food. as we got towards the end someone told me one of the boys had been pushing in line so i explained to him how that behavior was unaceptable. As i was chastising him i was told we were out of food. I asked myself how to explain to him that it was'nt because of his pushing that he could'nt eat. He went hungry that night and i was able to make sure he got some food the next day. But the next day we turned away even more. The need is great but more for people willinng to give themselves away to the poor. We need people to love the children who eat and those who go hungry. Hopelessness is insatiable, unless we combat it with hope. The depressed state they live in will starve thier spirits and do more damage than th lack of food.

At one of my meetings i met a team of young people from the states and asked them if they would like to join us at todays feeding. As i stood at the head of the line again letting children go one by one to eat, I noticed the faces of this team. I was soon reminded of my emotions which i try so hard to ignore. They seemed shocked by the condition of the children. After we finished I went for a few more meetings and told the team they could go with me or stay and play with the kids. They all chose to stay and play but they seemed apprehensive not really wanting to get close to the kids. When i returned they were all fully involved in all kinds of games and activities with the kids. I was encouraged by thier service. They were willing to face thier fear and share in the sufferings of Christ. I need to do the same. Share in others suffering of others so they are not hopeless and alone.

Brian

Hello from Phylis, The US seems so far away in so many ways and I already wonder how I will readjust. What a blessing and honor to have a little boy come up to me to be held and then just clung to me. Jesus was there! The children are so eager to be held, rub their heads or just hold their hands and I know Jesus is there! I cried today. Two young men came to our census today with their younger siblings and were so incredibly gentle and caring for them. You just do not see men having much of anything to do with children in Haiti. When I saw the kindess in their faces I was overcome with emotion and wished I could have communicated with them how much it moved me. It brought hope to me to see that and I know Jesus is at work here.

Here are pictures for Norma Jeans Blog.

If you could only be here!!!!!!!

Hi from the Island of Haiti,



This is when I can truly say "I wish you were here!!!! I wish you could see the multitude of kids who crowd around us everywhere we stop. I wish you could see the multitudes sitting along the sides of the streets waiting for someone to come by and purchase some of their very worn clothes or shoes for sale, or food that has been sitting out all day in the dust. I wish you could see the streets that are "dirt" streets, but now since the flood waters have left, are turned to dust. I wish you could see the motorcycles, bicycles, cars, and trucks all trying to avoid the men, women, children, dogs, goats, chickens and pigs walking along the same narrow streets. I wish you could come to the feeding center with me and see the multitude of kids nosily waiting for us to come with the five gallon bucket of white rice, and another five gallon bucket of some kind of "bean soup" to pour over the rice. Have you ever heard over 200 kids yell at the same time because they want something to eat!!!!!! Pastor Granada plays with the kids and keeps them busy by singing songs of thanksgiving to Jesus, but they are very hungry, so basically they want to EAT. And I wish you could see kids eat when they are REALLY HUNGRY!!!!!!!! Not a drop of food left, and sometimes you see a younger child share some of his treasured rice with another child who did not receive any (33 kids today did not get any food--we ran out!) We could do nothing but throw up our hands and say "no more". I am reminded of the words of Jesus "You saw me hungry, and you fed Me; you saw me naked (and yes, some of the kids were naked) and you clothed Me". I ask the Lord for the heart of Jesus to see these kids as He sees them, to love them as He loves them. and and to be able to show that love to them. Thanks to all who have prayed and given so this trip could be a reality.



Love to all, with Thanksgiving,



Mom and Grandma and Norma Jean

feeding program Haiti

Dear friends & family,

Thanks for praying. We do feel your prayers. This is my first trip to Haiti. I did'nt know what to expect. I know now why they call this county one of the poorest county in the world. Today something happen that broke my heart. In addition to having the medical clinic each day we help the missionaries with their daily feeding program. Today about 200 hundred children showed up to eat. I helped with the dishing up of the food. When it came time to feed the children they lined up & we gave each child a plate full of rice. I noticed that there were more children in line than the number of the plates of food dished up. The sad thing is that over 30 children had to be turned away because they ran out of food today. This happens from time to time they say but why did the Lord allow me to witness this first hand? I hope their will be enough tomorrow.

Rich DelSenno

Made it to Gonaives

The morning started at 5:00 eastern time as we got up to take the last variable temperature shower for a week. After checking the hotel room four times headed to the hotel lobby to wait for the shuttle. After a quick coffee or juice we headed to the airport with a full shuttle. Brian talked with the Haitian driver while Ken talked to the families sitting in front and behind us. One family was from North Dakota and the other was from South Dakota. They were both coming back from Caribbean cruises. We were able to pick up our tickets and get through security without a hiccup. We had about an hour and half before boarding so I took a nap. The flight boarding process was an adventure. As long as you don’t care about personal space and realize you can push your way to where you need to go as long as you don’t look someone in the eye as you push them. The flight went fine it was the shortest of the trip. Phylis, Norma Jean, and I had the privilege of sitting in the last row of the plane. We were the last ones off the plane so we were the last through customs and about the last picking up our bags. Leaving the airport we met up with Emory and picked up the rental Montero. We then headed to meet Kim, Mary, Jall, and Banny. After a sloppy joe lunch we packed the trucks and headed to Gonaives. This is an adventure. It is close to three hours drive on rough roads. Phylis, Norma Jean, and Rich took it well riding with Brian driving. I am again amazed while driving to Gonaives by mud huts and countless people walking. We see children carrying jugs of water on their heads or multiple jugs by hand. It is so much different than my normal surroundings. It breaks my heart because I can do nothing that will have lasting effect. I struggle with it always of how I can show people Gods love. I have heard many times that it is not about the 99 but about the 1, but I have not gotten revelation of this. I continue to walkthrough it and I know that the Lord it completely faithful. That He who saved me will give me what I need and bring me to the place He wants me. So I anticipate tomorrow and the adventure it will bring.

Only by God’s grace,

Dave

Haiti tommorrow

We have confirmed tickets into Haiti at 8:45 sunday morning. Relieved, excited and tired but ready to hit the ground running. Had dinner together in sunny Ft. Lauderdale (t-shirt weather). Hope you all got shoveled out ok.

thanks again for your prayers and support.

On our way (sort of)

Well here we are all ready to go. Only problem is the 7 inches of snow we got in Omaha. Our flight was cancelled and was not going to be rebooked until the 23rd thankfully God had different plans and through a friend of Ken Gruber's we were able to get a flight this morning and get into Port au Prince only a day later than planned. Praise the Lord for that. We are now in Dallas awaiting our connection to Ft. lauderdale. The only possible hiccup is that we have not yet been issued boarding passes for our flight into Haiti. We will know in a few hours if we are able to get them. Thanks for praying. We are all very excited to get to Haiti and begin our week. He holds the time and we are content and thankful to wait on Him. Please continue to check this blog throughout the week as all of our team will take turns bringing daily updates.



gratefully,



Brian

Welcome to the Omaha Rapid Response (ORR) Blog...

Welcome to the ORR Blog! This is where you can come to see updates direct from the field of our various relief teams. Right now, as we speak, we have a team in Pakistan, building homes for widows and orphans left homeless after the 2005 earthquake.

This coming Friday, the Haiti team will be leaving for Haiti, providing disaster and humanitarian aid to the poorest of the poor. Check back at this blog and our website, http://www.omaharapidresponse.org , for frequent updates.