Growing up as a child, for my Mom Christmas was an exciting event. But growing up in the very bottom class in Haiti without a father would require that she get in line to get a gift for Christmas. Since Santa Clause’s gifts have always been limited, being in the back of the line would often make her fall short of the year’s dream. When this happened, the hope of getting a gift for Christmas would be delayed until the following year. 
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This blog was written by Cheyenne Teletcia Davila. She is a student at Baptist University of the Americas and was part of the BUA team that went on First Fruit Haiti's second mission trip.  “Let me be filled with kindness and compassion for the one, the one in whom you love and gave your son. For humanity, increase my love.” I had the lyrics to this worship song stuck in my head our whole trip to Haiti. When we got there, I saw so many people on the streets just living their lives, trying to make money for their families, people just walking, kids playing, and it suddenly became real to me. I was in Haiti. I was in a place that I had heard about many times and usually I heard about it because disaster had struck there. I remember being in eighth grade and hearing about an earthquake that had hit Haiti and seeing people trying to raise money to help the country in this time of pain, grief, and loss. Never in my wildest thoughts did I ever think that seven years later I would be in the place that I had just heard about or sort of felt sorry for. And then I get off the plane, we’re driving around the streets and I see these people and they’re real and they’re beautiful and now suddenly they’re not just some people in some faraway place that I feel sorry for. Now there is a burden in my heart for them, now there is prayer in my heart to God, “God break my heart for what breaks yours.” So while we’re on this trip my heart broke because we we’re welcomed with open arms by the First Fruit guest house, by the churches we got to help, and everywhere that we went. “Help me to love with open arms like you do, a love that erases all the lines and sees the truth. Oh that when they look in my eyes they would see you, even in just a smile they would feel the father’s love.” Our second night we were asked what we wanted to pour out while on the trip and I said that I wanted to be a light; I wanted the people to see and feel Jesus in who I was. But as the trip went on I realized that the people of Haiti poured out love on us and showed us agape love, showed us sacrificial love. Before going on this trip, people asked me, “Why would you want to go there?” Haiti is not a wealthy country, but it is rich in love. Whether it’s the way that everything was done to make sure that we were taken care of, or how the kids waved and smiled and grabbed your hand, or how two boys from the youth came to help us paint one of the churches we did VBS at. There was one group at the youth day that took the time to teach a few members of the team some words in creole and it was moments like that that I saw the Father’s love. “Let all my life tell of whom you are, the wonder of your never ending love.” I am not rich, but I am definitely fortunate to live where I live and have the things I have. I’m not going to lie, I take things for granted. Things like the AC, electricity, hot water, things we just assume we’re supposed to have, like it’s a right to have those things, but there are people around the world that go without them and yet they are so grateful for everything. Haiti was a beautiful experience where I realized how blessed I am, and that now is the time to start blessing others because it’s not right for me to just keep it to myself. I want my life to show Jesus and I want to display the kind of love that He does for me every day. Haiti gave me the desire to give even when I don’t have, because that is what the people there did for us. I thank God for the opportunity to serve and be served. I learned so much just from the love that was poured out by the people of Haiti and by the amazing people that went with me and I hope that one day I am to go back and serve.
This blog is written by Serenity Ortiz. She is a student at Baptist University of the Americas and was part of the BUA team that went on First Fruit Haiti's second mission trip.  If you would have told me that I would ever go to Haiti or even out of the country I would not have believed you. I have always been the type to just stay in my own comfort zone and do what I am used to. When I saw that my college, Baptist University of the Americas, was going to Haiti, I immediately felt this tug at my heart and I knew it was from God. It was this tug that I could not have ignored because it was such a strong feeling. I had never been on a plane or traveled without my family, but this step that I was about to take was going to change my life forever. As the anticipation was rising and the day was coming closer and closer, I had this feeling of peace the whole time. Many people would ask me, “Are you not afraid to travel all that way? In a place you have never been before?” and my honest answer was always, “No.” because I knew God was going to be with me the whole time and His will would be done. The team got to Haiti and stayed in the First Fruit Guest House. I could not have asked to stay at a more welcoming and loving place. Everything about this guest house was so amazing, I felt at home and it made my experience even more impactful. The people of Haiti changed my life forever and it was something I was searching for because I knew this came from God. We visited two churches, Delmas and Pernier church, and both were so welcoming the children were so loving and touched my heart in a way I can’t explain. They were so attentive to what we had prepared to teach them and so inviting. We also had youth day and the youth really made me see things in a different way. The way they participated and the questions they answered were so genuine, making an impact in me. Haiti is such a beautiful place to be, and ever since I got back, I have been talking about it nonstop. I learned so much in twelve days that I don’t think I could have learned anywhere else. The love for God that I saw in these churches made me so happy and just in awe. I am counting down the days waiting to go back because God made a special place in my heart for the people of Haiti. Throughout this mission trip God showed me that stepping out of one’s comfort zone is okay because He will be holding our hand through it all. I also felt that God placed it on my heart to go back and teach English to the children of Haiti. This is just the beginning of a new journey in my life and I cannot thank the BUA team, First Fruit Haiti, and the people of Haiti enough because I found my passion because of you all. I will continue to keep Haiti in my prayers and I will be back soon! Romans 10:15 How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! Serenity Ortiz
After two to three decades of First Fruit Haiti working with international organizations or other institutions, the summer of 2017 was the second edition of First Fruit Haiti's mission trip and we were honored to do it with Baptist University of the Americas. BUA is the first university that we have worked with from Texas. This blog was written by one of the BUA students that was a part of the summer mission trip, Ellijah Espinosa.  Unfathomable. This is the word I want to use to describe my first international mission trip in Port Au Prince, Haiti. More and more the anticipation grew, beginning in the Austin airport up until my phone read “no service” as we landed in another country. I always thought of going to another country as a very distant thought, one that I never gave that much attention to. So to finally be in a third world country ignited all my senses at once and downloaded into my core an overwhelming and unchanging reality. I couldn't change the channel this time or turn my eyes to a much more favorable location, because all around me was this blinding reality of poverty. Leaving the airport, I was immersed into a world full of different faces and different ways of life. The pictures I had once seen in many magazines and other media coverage were now in the forefront of my eyesight and I couldn’t blink. The first experience of riding in Pastor Miradieu’s truck was extremely bumpy but not too much to handle, I actually expected worse, so my expectations were fortunately not met at all. The traffic in Haiti can be extremely overwhelming for some people because there are no lights, stop signs, or things of that nature. It’s just being very maneuverable with your vehicle and learning “patience” in the words of Pastor Miradieu. The extreme loudness of the country is displayed on the roads; Just imagine listening to a multitude of large and small commercial and residential vehicles and motorcycles all backed up on one single street everyone performing on cue their specific honks as if it were a grand symphony. Even one of my friends from there shared with me on one of the days how when he returns to the United States, one main thing he misses from Haiti is the noise. The guest house we stayed at provided by First Fruit Haiti was incredibly welcoming and comfortable. They made extra effort to provide air conditioner to their American occupants. They provided basically all of our meals and they were always filling and warm. The 12 days that I spent in Haiti taught me several lessons and left a burden to return and serve there in the future. In Haiti, I was a part of a mission team from Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio to serve in key projects including VBS, Youth days, pulpit supplying, worship, and service opportunities. These experiences all had important things that ministered deeply but there was one specifically that I want to share that took place on August 3rd, 2017 in Pernier at Calvary Baptist Church. We arrived at the church around 10am and began making preparations for our long detailed day ahead of us. When worship began we started singing a couple of songs and the amazing thing was the response from the youth. As soon as they heard their familiar tune, “Gadon Bondye” which I probably butchered very badly with my TexHaitian in the words of Pastor Pha. The young people began to jump and dance around as if it was a Pentecostal church, but it was Baptist. So I realized if this is how a Baptist service in Haiti is, how would a Pentecostal one be? Later on we went through our program and made three teams out of all of youth there. I had the best team in my opinion which was called “Nou se Champions”! We taught “Big Booty” to the youth and had them learn it in their own language; they caught on so quickly and included us in their group with great sweetness and love. They started to give us an impromptu lesson of how to say everything that was on our plate. Chicken, meat, rice, soda, and plate accompanied with our numbers from one through ten in Creole. After our meal with our group we began playing a game with them and as I was about to get up and let them play in creole, I got a thought, “I can do anything that I put my mind to in Christ”. I told myself I can learn this game in this language and have fun by putting down all my walls of safety and bracing for a new cultural experience. I was flabbergasted with the fact that I had lasted so long in new territory and realized with God all things are really possible. Matthew 19:26- Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Ellijah Espinosa
 “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain Those words have never rang more true than during this past year for me. I was able to travel to Haiti twice and stay at the First Fruit Guesthouse with the Estinvil family both times. First in March with a missions group, and the second time in September on my own. The purpose of my second trip was to become better acquainted with the various aspects of the First Fruit ministry and explore how I might fit into the fold. As Mark Twain so eloquently put it in the quote above, travel challenges your view of the world. To get out of your comfort zone, your little corner of the earth, and see how others in the world live adds significance to your life far beyond the value of your financial, professional or social worth at home. It challenges your worldview and gives depth to your understanding of the human experience in places far different from what you have known. In September I was able to observe and learn from the Estinvils about how they empower and equip their fellow Haitians to grow through women’s ministry, youth ministry, education, agriculture and church ministry. They have dedicated their lives to finding creative ways to support their fellow countrymen to rise out of poverty. The respect and deference they receive from those in the communities they serve touched me deeply. Their dreams to critically assess the social, health, and spiritual issues that Haitians have to fight against at a grassroots level impressed me. They warmly welcomed me into their home and family life. I felt like I was a part of something more, something greater than me. Over the past nine months I’ve started working with the Estinvils on an exciting new Microsavings project and drawing more group bookings to the guesthouse. I also have a passion for education in Haiti, specifically at the schools they are involved with. As I continue to explore my desire to empower Haitians (specifically women and children) to rise out of the poverty through microfinance, education and job creation, and as I work towards a future in career missions, it is an honor to partner with the Estinvils and their ministries. “When we understand people, made in the image and likeness of God with creative capacity, it changes absolutely everything about the way we understand wealth and poverty.” – Michael Matheson Miller Sara Geis   About nine months ago I started thinking of going to Haiti to visit my sponsor child Jordine in Anse Rouge. Almost everyone was discouraging me, they all thought Haiti is dangerous if you are a blond, young woman who is traveling alone. But I was determined to go, for I believed that God wanted me to go and was also guiding me along the way. I booked the ticket in faith, before I even knew where I was going to stay or even before my visit was confirmed. The next day however, the visit to my sponsored child was approved. Still I had no place to stay. A few months later though I ran into an American girl in Holland who knew people in Haiti. Christian people, who had a guesthouse where I could stay according to her. Seriously, how often do you run in to Americans in Holland who know Christian Haitians? A meeting arranged by God if you ask me… Well, I contacted the family she was talking about, they were very friendly and welcoming me for the time I was planning to come to Haiti. I was so happy that I didn’t had to stay in some random hotel! I started emailing with Dula, the lady of the house and I took a look on their website. They appeared to have several ministries in Haiti as ‘First Fruit’. I really wanted to see for myself what Haiti is like, get to know the people and also to see what is really needed. Dula promised me I could come and see a few of their ministries while I stayed at First Fruit Guesthouse. I was so happy, because this was really an opportunity for me to learn more about the work of First Fruit! E-mails I got from Dula were closed with ‘we are praying for you’. I almost couldn’t believe that strangers at the other side of the world were really praying for me, but the minute I got to know family Estinvil, I knew that it was true that they had prayed for me. I stayed 5 days at the guesthouse, which were maybe the most incredible of my entire life. I was treated like a daughter and got the best food available. I even got black beans when I told Dula I really like them, although in Haitian culture it is not common to give black beans to guests. We talked about a lot of things, I felt like I could talk with them about anything. The pastor and Dula took me to church, to one of their schools, to their farm and they told me a lot about other ministries they have. Also they have big plans for the future, things they want to do for the people in Haiti and other ministries they want to start. The community is safe in the hands of the Estinvil family, they are a true blessing for the people around them. I was blessed to witness that for a couple of days, and there was never a moment that I didn’t feel safe. Almost immediately when I arrived home in Holland again, I started thinking about when I can come back. I still have not figured out what gift I have to give to Haiti or what talent God wants me to use to help the Haitians. I miss Haiti so much, I really hope I can come back soon. I hope I can visit First Fruit Guesthouse again! In the meantime, I cherish my memories and my pictures and I am trying to be patient, trusting God that He is going to let me come back one day. Many, many blessings, Krista
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December 2021
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