New Friends at Soulfest

Newsboys

Soulfest 2015 was an incredible time, not only for us at MOHI, but for about 10,000 others who participated! I am grateful for 3 days of really beautiful weather, amazing volunteers and for the hundreds who came to meet us for the first time. Leah Fuller flew up to help us. It was like old times. She’s become like family to us. She also knows how to anticipate our needs and was just an incredible blessing to us. We are so thankful to Troy Gabriel and Alicia Hayes for not only volunteering throughout our time at Soulfest, but especially for helping us breakdown and pack up everything at the end. It was a VERY late night and I don’t know that we could have done it without their help.

Soulfest is a Christian music festival, held each summer at Gunstock Mountain Resort, near Lake Winnipesaukee in Gilford, New Hampshire. We were blessed to be ministry partners with them this year. While we did keep very busy selling Haitian coffee by the cup, tee shirts, tank tops and Haiti Made products, we also spent a lot of time meeting new people and introducing them to our ministry here in Haiti.

Setting up. Thank you Ross Dobson and staff at Sir Isaac for a great presentation design!

.

We enjoyed meeting some of the band members in the Artist’s dining area and special passes that allowed Alexis and AJay to be back stage during the concerts. I really appreciate the way the Soulfest Staff welcomed us with open arms and were quick to respond when we texted them with questions or needs.

Former Audio Adrenaline drummer, Jared Byers had lunch with Lex and stopped by our tent for a chat.

.

The most satisfying part of being at Soulfest was the time we spent in our workshops. With so many things going on at once (including FIVE different performing stages!), it’s unlikely that anyone would happen upon these missionaries doing a workshop in the backroom. However, because we were spending time talking with people, about 50 of those people actually came to the workshops to find out more about MOHI and trips to Haiti. Lex talked about his testimony and we shared some basic information about MOHI and missions trips. The attendees asked some really good questions, too.

All those who attended the workshops were able to enter their names to win a week of free room and board for two at MOHI in Haiti. Saturday evening, we drew ticket of the winner, Bridgette Boyle from MA. Bridgette came to our tent when she received word that she’d won. She was laughing and overflowing with excitement. Bridgette plans to bring her father with her and is getting a team together now to join her in Haiti. Congratulations to you, Bridgette!!! We look forward to working together soon in Haiti!

Congratulations to Bridgette Boyle who won a week-long stay at MOHI in Haiti for her and her dad!

.

Here are a few more pictures from our time at Soulfest:

The Haiti flag and Dikenz welcomed hundreds to our tent.

One or the MOHI banners was hung by the Inside Out stage

Our view each morning as we headed back to Soulfest

Lex and Jordan Alexander

Leah and Alexis

Lex and Co-Founder of Soulfest, Shawn Alexander.

Kevin, Shawn and Alexis

.

Back in Haiti…

Preparations for school, both administrative and campus maintenance, are in full swing. Class schedules are being created, staff shored up and maintenance tasks completed. We are so grateful for the incredible team of leaders who are running things in our absence.

Yesterday was an election day in Haiti. Church attendance was way down, but I’m happy to see that many still chose to attend the service.

Sunday morning in Thozin on election day

.

“Sanka, ya dead?”

“Ya Man”

This is one of my family’s favorite lines from the movie Cool Runnings. Sanka’s and his friends are part of the Jamaican bobsled team. When we go through an unusually tiring or stressful moment, inevitably one of us will pipe up with “Sanka, ya dead?” and we all reply (using our Jamaican accents, of course) “Ya, man.”

This was a “Sanka” kind of week, but it was incredible. Now, let’s see if I can get caught up on the emails piling up and so many other tasks that went undone this past week!

Our family will be busy getting ready for school in America, too. Alexis has a lot of details to attend to so that she can begin college Sept. 1. AJay is getting inoculated today and cramming on some of the summer reading. School begins on Aug. 31st for him at Minuteman High School. Both need to be moved into their new homes prior to the end of the month. Exciting and sad times for all of us. Would you remember to mention us in your prayers this month? Thank you!