Bryan Nikkel

Bryan Nikkel with the Pella Christian group in Pignon, Haiti

I just wanted to write to you about an experience we had today (Sunday).
Towards the end of the day, after a 4 hour church service, a walk about
town and a visit to the orphanage, we were on our way back to the hospital
complex. As we were driving on the dirt and stone road (gravel would
be a generous term) we saw an old woman sitting along the side of the
road and scooting herself along as though she could not walk. There were
many people around and as far as I could see, none of them were paying
her any attention. Tim immediately stopped and said “We need to
help this lady.” We managed to find out from her that she was going
home which was just across the street and down a hundred feet or so.
At the rate she was traveling it would have taken her 20 or 30 minutes
to cover the distance. So we picked her up and brought her home.
Her home was a typical Haitian home – a single room cinder block
house with a concrete and dirt floor. What was different was that
she had no door and hardly any belongings inside. She had no bed,
she slept on the concrete floor. It was very dark but we could make
out a small folded blanket and a very few other items around.
Evidence that she had made a small fire next to where she slept
still remained. It wasn't clear if this might have been for cooking
some meager amount of food she may have had or just to keep her
warm. Some of the group were discussing how she could benefit from
a P.E.T (a three wheeled vehicle the rider can propel by “pedaling” with
their arms instead of their legs). About that time, some other members of
the group announced that she actually has a P.E.T. but she can't use it because
it's a child sized version and the pedals hit her knees. A quick assessment
determined that we could make it work for her if we moved the seat back.
So we loaded up the P.E.T in the back of the truck and headed for the Iowa
House where all the tools are stored. It only took a few minutes to make
the adjustments and test it out to make sure it was still stable with it's new
configuration. While we were doing that some other team members gathered
up some food for her and as we left we grabbed a mattress from storage and
added it to the load in the back of the truck. When we got back to her home
and brought the things to her, she was overwhelmed. Tim got her on the P.E.T
and gave her a training run – out her door, through the yard and out into the
street. A large gathering of spectators had come to see what all these white
people were doing with this old lady who was an outcast in their world. Tim
and some team members brought her back into her home and offered to pray
for her. She excitedly said yes and got tears in her eyes as they prayed over her.
One of the Haitian boys traveling around with us who acted as an interpreter for
us said the unfortunate thing was that someone would probably steal the mattress
we brought for her by morning. For that reason we also could not give her very
much food because it would just be stolen. We resolved to check in with her again
in the morning and see what else we can do for her. What an extreme opportunity
God gave us to be the hands and feet of Jesus for this woman and all those who
witnessed our work. To God be the Glory!!!
There is much more to this story - please ask us about it when we get back.

Blessings from Haiti,

Bryan Nikkel


THERES MORE: Some of the members of the group went out to this lady's
house and picked her up in the truck Wednesday afternoon and brought
her to the hospital and bathed her, washed her hair, gave her a fresh set o
f clothes and took her back home. This lady smelled SO BAD people were
backing away from her as they carried her in- but the love and compassion
this group showed for here was so amazing to see. I'm sure she hadn't been
bathed in months maybe years, her hair was matted and full of scabs............s
he was truly an outcast and had no one to care for her. This is truly what
showing God's love is all about! Thank you to all in this group who were
the love and light of Jesus to this woman.