Haiti

Well Sarah palin saw Russia from her house. We see Haiti from our hotel. Beautiful, desperate, wonderful, sad. We finished the construction and painting portions of the trip. Tomorrow; KIDSsssss. Whoooohoooooo!!!



Mitch-el-team leader-o

Day 1 on the ground

A small pickup game of baseball, soccer, even basketball as we arrived at the Field of Dreams.  The inside of the building is where we started today, and will continue tomorrow.  Sanding the concrete walls to smooth them out and prep them for paint(sandpaper and stones rubbed on the walls)

The start of an emotional journey for many of our team.  We toured a low income area next to a different Child Development center.  Small homes stacked ontop of each other, stray wires pulled from the local electrical line, raw sewage running down the streets, and smiles on children’s faces as wide as can be.  The children and their families have already made an impact on our team.  Questions of “how do they stay so clean” “why are they so happy-they have nothing” “can I take this one home” J have been popping up all day.

Child sponsorship is making a HUGE difference here in the Dominican Republic.  We have seen these past 4 years, neighborhoods transformed, our church partners growing and seeing record attendances, and children who are no longer malnourished and are now doing well in school.  You may not be able to solve the whole problem, but YOU can make a difference in the life of ONE child.  ONE CHILD MATTERS!!

 

Mitch –Team Leader- Mission DR2010

Mission team on the ground

Full of smiles in the Dominican Republic!

 

 

Mitch – Team leader

Team in Miami. Ready to head out. 2 folks had flight delays and will catch up tomorrow. One has some motion sickness, but all are well and ready to serve! Dominican republic here we come. Follow along at missiondr2010.blogspot.com



Mitch - team leader

June update

click image to enlarge

Mitch and Charlotte Hildebrant
Missionaries to Swaziland Africa

Psalm 82:3-4 MSG “You're here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break; Your job is to stand up for the powerless….”

Kenya and back again- a short recap from Mitch-Team Leader

From Nairobi to Malindi- all for the kids.
With views of Mt. Kilamanjaro, impala, camels, and giraffes abounded. Kenya is truly a magical place. Mud huts, Acacia trees, and of course; Cashew Nut trees- what a diversity! We traveled the country with views of mud huts, zebras, horrendous slums, seas of waste running down the streets, and stunningly beautiful children. Hundreds of them, all with hope for a brighter future.
If you mention the name Barak Obama in Kenya- you are instantly famous, if you mention the name Jesus Christ-a thunderous applause will break out. Powerfully beautiful people in abject circumstances-open and ready to hear a message of mercy, hope and love. As always, we are the ones that benefit from such a trip-Americans come with much-and give some... Kenyans come with little-and gave us all. The receptions(entire villages of hundreds in their best attire come running, hundreds of children in their uniforms/tshirts reciting verses and singing songs), the tribal ceremonies, the countless gifts they poured out on us.. Warm Fanta soda, hand crafted baskets, chairs and of course ceremonial robes.
We had hundreds of pounds of tools that we carried-and needed none. Everything was done with our hands, buckets of water and sand carried on heads, and mud mixed by hand and foot to make the walls of the CDC's(Child Development Centers) Once again we are reminded that ONE CHILD does MATTER! Every child that receives education now has dreams, every child that is sponsored now has love, and every child matters!
The Mzungu's are home.. (white faces in Swahili)
Mitch-Team Leader

Poems by the children here in africa.

Why me
It's a cold morning, yet very fine;
No porridge, no tea, I take cold water.
No warm water, no soap for bath
Without soap with cold water I bathe
Shivering like bird in rainy season
I run to school. Is this my life? Is this my future. And why me?
Will I see. Will I read. Will I write.
Instead of abc and d I see stars
Instead of reading I sleep
Will I succeed?
Always punished because of unfinished work.
Is this my life. Is this my future?
And why me... Why me

No uniform no shoes
Walking barefoot in the hot sun. Who cares?
Putting on tattered clothes yet very dirty. Who cares. And so where is
my future. Absenteesm part of my life. No school fees no books no
pens. Sickness part of my life. Medication poor. Will I achieve my
dream. And where is my future. Total darkness. Total darkness. Who
cares. And so where is my future
Because of mission of mercy we have future
Because of your help we have hope
Because of your help we have access education
Because of your love we enjoy good health
Because of your love we eat balanced diet

Mitch-team leader

Read this..if you dare;-)

My dear friend Pam just sent this over to me. Incredible; wouldn't you
agree? Thanks so much Pam!

Stand - Marc Heinrich
Lord, I kneel at Your throne needing grace for the hour
Holding onto Your Word, knowing Yours is the power.
Pressing on for the prize, through the sorrow and pain,
May I always rejoice and delight in Your name.
I'll stand on Your promises.
I'll stand in the grace You give.
I'll stand when the dark-ness falls.
Upheld by Your right hand I'll stand.
Any thing I thought gain let me count it as loss.
May the fragrance I leave be of Christ and the Cross.
Any so-called success, any measure of fame,
May it glorify You, for the sake of Your name.
In my talents and gifts, in the Word I apply.
May humility reign in the strength You supply
And should I persevere in the faith You have sown
Then Your glory I'll sing when I stand at Your throne.
If You should mark my sin Lord, how could I stand?
You reach down from the cross Lord, and take my hand.

C 2007 Further Up & Further In Music.

Around the world in June?

Well, we are off and running.  Leave for Kenya in a few short hours.  Charlotte and I are hosting our last joint team with Mission of Mercy.  We are thrilled to see 5 radio stations, 40+ people from 5 states come together to serve our Father and His children.  We will be back just 3-4 days and then I am taking my final trip with Mission of Mercy; taking a team of 40 to the Dominican Republic.  I have been asked “why” we do what we do with Mission of Mercy… well, it is because God has children that need us, He loves them, they do not have a father, they NEED to see a Fathers love!  It comes down to EVERY single child. 

If you do not sponsor a child-WHY?  (ok, I am going to step on toes now)-I SO often hear folks say..”I just can’t”  “I don’t have the money”, “I would rather do XX than that(but XX never happens)” but in that same breath they share about what they are buying for themselves, the extravagant vacation, the new car, other wasteful spending etc… Look, I am not faulting anyone for spending their money(I used to be the WORST at this, I actually told a missionary 15 years ago that I will have them over for a meal because I can’t afford to financially support them-It has haunted me ever since…The Lord is still working on me); I am simply saying that all too often the excuse does not meet the truth. 

I say this with conviction-Sponsorship MAKES a HUGE difference in children, families, villages and countries!  We love these kids, not because we have to, but because God asked us to-and gives us the ability and skill to show them that love. 

This may be the “harshest” post of mine you have ever read-it is not meant to be judgmental, but if you are offended… talk to God about it, and why. J (said with a smile)

We hope to update everyone along the way of these two final trips, the blogs are:

www.missionkenya2010.blogspot.com and www.missionDR2010.blogspot.com  

 

Hildebrants to move to Swaziland: Couple preparing for missionary work | The Dickinson Press | Dickinson, North Dakota

Hildebrants to move to Swaziland: Couple preparing for missionary work The Dickinson Press Dickinson, North Dakota