THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS 2018!

THANK YOU! As I began to write this year’s letter to thank you for being a part of T12, I had a hard time narrowing down all the things we are thankful for! Then it occurred to me I am most thankful for the HOPE given by each of you who gave financially, were sponsors, or part of a trip, volunteered and supported us in prayer! HOPE: without it, you have nothing; with it, you have everything!

Over the past 4 years, I have watched families slowly starting to believe that they can actually have HOPE that their basic needs, such as food and water, will be met. HOPE that their children will receive an education. HOPE that their families will stay together. HOPE that they can actually dream of a future. This is what you have helped T12 provide…. HOPE!

Take a look at the pictures below of 3 of the St. Fort boys taken in 2015 and again in 2018. The boys had not been able to attend school for 2 years, and their parents were struggling to feed them. The family had no hope. But over the past 3 years, we have watched this family not only survive but also THRIVE (see the family photo below)! You can see it in their faces. Thank you for giving them HOPE!

As we close out the year 2018, we feel incredibly blessed. T12 is running beautifully and making a difference in peoples’ lives! We are able to make a difference and provide HOPE only through your financial donations. Please consider a year-end (tax deductible) donation to help us meet our goal of raising $30,000 through a general donation or a student sponsorship. T12 runs on a very minimal operating budget that was gifted from a kind donor. Therefore, 100% of your donation dollars goes directly to Haiti.

Checks made out to Transformed Twelve can be mailed to: c/o Paige Mohs 2790 Silver View Drive Orono MN 55356 You can also donate on our website at TRANSFORMEDTWELVE.ORG Every gift is appreciated, and every gift brings HOPE! A heartfelt THANK YOU from all of us at T12. Jim and Paige Mohs - Founders, Wadson Maxime – Director in Haiti Teri Myhran, Rich Pointer, Jennifer Imsland, Sherry Gorman – Board Members

FALL NEWSLETTER 2017!

The Story of How T12 Began

It started with a trip to Haiti

In May of 2013, Jim and Paige Mohs had the honor of going to Haiti on a Mission trip. Both of them felt a strong stirring in their spirits that this trip would be life changing, but nothing could have prepared them for just how life changing it has been.

When they arrived, their eyes were opened to a world they had never seen before. A world full of loneliness and despair, starvation and illness, hopelessness and spiritual longing. Yet, at the same time, they saw a world full of love, community, life, healing, hopefulness, and spiritual joy! How could all these juxapostions exist in one place?

While there, Jim and Paige fell in love with two precious boys: Issac and CC. Jim and Paige then sponsored 15-year-old Guyvenson (Guy) from Cite Soleil to come to the US to attend high school (which led to their adopting him!!).

It was then that Jim and Paige knew they had a calling to Haiti. Over the next year, Paige continued to visit Haiti five more times. And rather quickly that calling began to take shape.

Relationships began to form

Along the way, they've been blessed with missionary friends in Haiti who have cared for them in beautiful ways. Jim and Paige now have many Haitian friends who have brought them to a deeper love for Haiti and its people. This includes Transformed Twelve's very special friend, Wadson—an honorable man who walks with Jesus in a way they feel humbled to witness.

Through all this, Jim and Paige began to see the need for helping Haitians of all ages with the opportunity to attend school, as well as help with their nutritional, and even spiritual needs. The first year of Transformed Twelve saw a total of 12 children and young adults were given that opportunity!

You're invited to join us

We invite you to come alongside us in serving the beautiful people of Haiti.

The entire Mohs family is deeply honored and blessed to be serving God in this way. Their prayer is to be faithful to His plans for Transformed Twelve and not their own plans. Jim and Paige's desire is for all to experience the abundance He has to offer in a life transformed.

If you'd like to reach out Jim or Paige to know more how T12 all began, we invite you to contact them personally. 

Blog #3 Impact Trip Team! Spencer Overturf

UNFORTUNATELY IT’S OUR LAST DAY IN HAITI AND MOST OF US ARE HEADING OUT IN A FEW HOURS. YESTERDAY WAS AN AMAZING DAY GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO VISIT GERTRUDE’S WHICH IS AN ORPHANAGE AND A PLACE FOR THE DISABLED MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY.

IT WAS AMAZING SEEING HOW HAPPY ALL THESE KIDS WERE TO SEE US AND HOW THEY JUST WANTED TO BE LOVED. AFTER, WE ALL WENT TO CITE SOLEIL TO SEE WHERE GUY GREW UP AND HE GOT TO SEE EVERYONE HE GREW UP WITH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS. WE ALL WENT IN GUY’S OLD HOUSE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 100 SQUARE FEET FOR HIM, HIS PARENTS, HIS TWO BROTHERS, AND HIS SISTER TO ALL LIVE IN. HE SHOWED US THE EXACT PLACE HE WAS SITTING WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE HIT AND HOW THE TV FELL RIGHT ON HIM WHEN IT HIT. I LOOKED OUT OF THE HOUSE WHEN WE WERE ALL INSIDE AND IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE PROBABLY ABOUT 30 OR 40 PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CROWDING RIGHT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE WAITING TO SEE GUY AGAIN. I DON’T THINK I HAD EVER SEEN GUY THAT HAPPY IN HIS LIFE. HE TOLD US LATER THAT DAY WHEN HE CAME BACK AND SAW HIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SAW IT IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAY FROM WHEN HE LIVED THERE. HE SAID HE COULD NOW SEE ALL OF THE GARBAGE AND POVERTY EVERYBODY WAS LIVING IN, IT JUST NEVER REALLY HIT HIM BEFORE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A DAILY LIFESTYLE. WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE SOCCER FIELD HE GREW UP PLAYING ON THAT WAS A FIELD WITH NO GRASS. IT ONLY CONTAINED ROCKS AND DIRT. HE TOLD US THAT WAS ALSO WHERE HE LIVED FOR 6 MONTHS WITH HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS RIGHT AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE HIT WHEN IT WIPED OUT EVERYONE’S HOMES. IT WAS BITTERSWEET SEEING EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WITH THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS AND ALL THE SANITATION PROBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE PROBABLY SOME OF THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE I HAD EVER MET IN MY LIFE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS JUST AMAZING. YESTERDAY AND THIS WHOLE WEEK WAS INCREDIBLE AND WAS TRULY A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE AND UNFORTUNATELY IT HAS COME TO AN END. I KNOW I WILL BE BACK HERE SOME DAY WITH GUY OR ANOTHER GROUP OF MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY BECAUSE IT’S JUST AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE.

Blog #2 from Impact Trip Team! By Jonny Schmid

Jonny Schmid

It is day five of the Haiti trip and I am having a great time.  The Haitian people are amazing.  They impress me with their smiles and constant joy.  So far we have met most of the Transform 12 kids; they are great.  They love to play soccer and try to talk to you.  The little ones always are asking for a ride on our shoulders or for a piggy back ride.  We have also visited a village in the mountains and spent time with the kids there as well.  Soccer has been interesting, the heat and the lack of practice makes it harder to compete with the Haitian boys.  It has been a blast and the way these people keep smiling even through what they have endured and what they live in is incredible.  I can say I have learned a lot from this experience. 

Impact Team First Blog! This boys heart....

CHRISTIAN BABO

SO IT IS MONDAY 21, I HAVE BEEN IN HAITI FOR 3 DAYS NOW.  THE HAITIAN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO AMAZE ME WITH THEIR HOPE AND JOY.  THE KIDS HAVE THE BIGGEST SMILES I HAVE EVER SEEN.  THEIR LIFE IS NOT COMPARABLE TO ANYONE IN AMERICA’S LIFE, BUT THEY ARE HAPPIER THAN ANYONE I HAVE EVER MET.   TODAY THE TEAM WENT TO A SCHOOL IN THE MOUNTAINS, NEAR A CITY CALLED KENSCOFF.  WE TALKED WITH THE KIDS, WELL AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WHEN YOU DON’T SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE.  IT IS A SCHOOL OF 75 PEOPLE THAT WAS OPENED RECENTLY; BEFORE THE SCHOOL WAS OPENED THE KIDS HAD TO WALK UP TO 2 HOURS TO GET TO SCHOOL AND BACK.  YET THESE KIDS JUST KEPT ON TRUCKING, AND KEPT ON LIVING.  THEY DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE.  I MET THESE TWO KIDS, DIDN’T CATCH THEIR NAMES, AND THEY TOOK ME DOWN TO THEIR MOM AND THEY JUST WANTED ME TO HOLD THEIR HAND AND TAKE THEM PLACES.  I FELT AS IF I WAS THEIR PROTECTOR.  THEY WOULDN’T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT ME.  HOWEVER, WHEN IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE, AND WHEN I SAID GOODBYE THEY JUST COLLAPSED ON TO ME.  IT BROKE MY HEART.  IT IS AMAZING TO THINK THAT THESE KIDS CAN BE SO CLOSE TO ME AND THE REST OF THE TEAM WITHOUT HAVING KNOWN US BEFORE.   THESE KIDS HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT LIFE, AND HOW TO APPROACH LIFE.  I FIND IT SO PETTY AND STUPID THAT I COULD BE SO ANGRY BY NOT HAVING SOMETHING LITTLE LIKE WIFI OR, NOT HAVING WHAT I WANTED TO HAVE FOR DINNER, YET THESE KIDS ARE SO HAPPY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE SO LITTLE. 

Meet the Transformed Twelve Students

Highlighting four sisters Madeline, Djoulie, Dieufanie, and Merline

On our trip to Haiti in May of 2015 we met a family of four sisters in Cabaret.  We were visiting Cabaret to meet all the kids who were not able to go to school and to spend some time with them.  These four sisters, Madeline Joseph (13), Djoulie Simon (11), Dieufanie Jean (8), and Merline Jean (3), came running out of their house to play with us all!  After a few minutes however, they noticed that most of the other kids were dressed in their best clothes.  The oldest called out to the other three and they all left.  A few minutes later they came back dressed in their Sunday best!  It was so sweet to watch how engaged these girls are and how they love and take care of each other.  These girls are now part of Transformed Twelve and are so excited for the opportunity to go to school!  All four of them now have big dreams for their future and are working hard in school to make those dreams a reality for themselves.  Madeline dreams of becoming a doctor someday, Djoulie and Dieufanie both dream of becoming nurses, and little Merline likes the color blue!  All four of these girls still need sponsors.  Visit the Sponsor a Student page on our website to get more information about how you can become a sponsor and help to continue their education.  Below is a picture of the four of them headed off to school in their new uniforms and gorgeous smiles!

January 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake - As told by Guy Mohs

On a lovely Tuesday morning, I woke up as usual to go to school, and I looked outside. The weather was nice and the sun was brightly shining. At school, my friend Jedson and I were talking about what we were going to do after school. I said to him, “Hey! Would you like to come to play soccer with me after school?”

            “Yes, I would like to come but after I finish my homework,” said Jedson.

            “Sure, meet me at my house at 5:00 when you finish.”

When I got back home from school, I sat down in my living room and turned my T.V. on to a show about music videos. I took out my workbook and started doing my homework. I was enjoying  the sounds of the singer’s voice when I suddenly felt everything around me was starting to shake and I heard a lot of people’s voices screaming and crying outside. It was an earthquake! I froze. I could not move anywhere and a large  entertainment center fell on me. The front of the T.V. hit my left arm, and I felt extreme pain and was terrified that I would die. There was a soccer field close to my house. It was the only place people could go to be safe because it was a flat land with no buildings.

I ran as fast as I could to the soccer field even though my arm was hurting badly. I did not think about my pain--I was only thinking about saving my life.  On the way to the soccer field, I saw a lot of people dying and buildings crashing to the ground. All the sounds of the panicked voices and the destruction of the town grew louder and louder. As I ran, I felt the ground under my feet shaking. I was bouncing back and forth, trying to keep my balance. When I got to the field, I saw many people already there safe.

Unfortunately, I could not find my family, but I did find some of my friends. I said to one of them, “Benzaza, how is your family? Are they okay?”

“Yes, they are okay. How is your family?”

I responded sadly, “ I don’t know.”

I felt scared, because I couldn’t find my family. A couple hours later, I found them. I was so thankful that my family was okay. We were extremely happy to find each other, but they were worried about my injured arm. They thought it was broken, but it was not.

With many other families, my family and I decided to live in a tent  on the soccer field for a long time. After three months of living in a tent, my parents decided to  return to our home, because our house had not fallen down. My brothers and I didn’t want to go back home with them because we were afraid another earthquake would happen again. We stayed for another three months living in a tent after my parents returned home. I felt alone, very stressed and extremely scared, because I was only ten years old living in a tent  with my siblings and no  parents to take care of us.

On some days, I would wish that I could still play soccer, but I could not because the soccer field was like a village full of people living in tents. One day I was talking to one of my friends, "Marc, Don’t you want to play some soccer?” I said.

“Yes, but there are a lot of people staying here, including us.” He responded.

After three months after our parents had left us, dangerous fighting started happening in a neighborhood near the field and families began leaving the soccer field village scared for their safety. My brothers and I thought it had become too dangerous for us to stay living there so we also left the tent village and returned home to live with our parents.  My friends and I were hopeful that if enough people would leave the field due to the fights, that the soccer field would be empty again and we could  play soccer as  we once had. Eventually everyone left the soccer field. Finally, we could have fun playing soccer like we did before the Earthquake.

On that day of the earthquake, I learned an important lesson: Someday you might wake up and feel like it will be a normal day, but you never know what kind of crazy thing could  happen.

Year in Review!!

IT’S OFFICIAL . . .  T12 was granted nonprofit status June 4, 2015!  With that, it appears God intends to move us forward in extraordinary ways.  But before we tell you about that, we’d like to share with you a recap of the last 12 months. 

Last summer 2014, we found ourselves going from helping one Haitian child with an education, to quickly adding 2 more, which then turned to 4.  Finally, by March 2015, with the help of our first open house and those people who stepped up to make a difference, we were fully sponsoring 12 students to attend school.  This included covering costs for their transportation, at least one meal a day, uniforms, and any medical needs. 

In May, we took our first team of 6 women to Haiti on an Impact Trip, and it was impactful!  We visited the school of one of our sponsored children, as well as a couple of the homes of the students. We held a day camp for our T12 students, which allowed sponsors to meet and get to know them. We also got to play and interact with children in a neighborhood with a high population of kids who do not have the opportunity to attend school. Many times, we volunteered in a burn clinic. We visited a beautiful waterfall and got to drive through the mountains, a beautiful experience that was unlike anything you would imagine.  

But the highlight of the trip was that we traveled to Kenscoff – a small village in the mountains.  This is the home of three T12 students.  These children walk up to three hours a day in order to attend school.  As we later learned, the village had operated a school that, at one time, had educated about 150 students. After the earthquake in 2010, the village had been hit hard by cholera and was forced to shut down three years ago due to lack of funds.  It was so humbling to be there in that small mountain village and hear the people talk about their village, their people and their dreams to re-open their school.  The trip concluded with a stay at the beautiful resort Kaliko.  It was truly a transformational trip, the first of many we are sure of.  

In June, after receiving our nonprofit status, T12 held its first board meeting; the first item we voted on was to partner alongside the village people of Kenscoff and raise financial support to re-open the school.  We are so excited as we move forward and watch God move mountains to make this dream for the Kenscoff people a reality. 

That brings us to today.  From 1 to 2, then 4, and finally 12, and now another 72. That adds up to 84 children; God has entrusted us seven-fold!  Thanks to all who have helped in this past year through prayer and volunteering of your time and financial donations.  We would not be where we are without every one of you.  

 Excited about what God is doing with T12? Here are a few ways you can get involved:

 ·       SAVE THE DATE:  JOIN US FOR A HAITIAN STYLE DINNER:  T12 will be hosting an informational dinner Friday, September 25th.  Invitations going out soon.

 ·       VOLUNTEER:  If you are interested in volunteering with T12, we would LOVE to have you! Please send us an email at info@transformedtwelve.org

 ·       SPONSOR A CHILD: BE ON THE LOOKOUT…. Our new students will be added to the website shortly!

 ·       DONATE:  As we seek God’s direction, we find more investments to overcome the barriers to education.  Any dollar amount helps us meet those needs to ensure children have access to education and families stay together.  Tax deductible donations can be made by mail or online by visiting our website transformedtwelve.org  

Wrapping it up.

Our entire team has returned from Haiti safe and sound. While everyone is physically unscathed, each of our team members is working through their own emotional and spiritual battle. As is the American way, society expects the transition back into our reality to be seamless, however, each of our team members needs to take time and process their experience in their own way. One of the most difficult concepts to grasp for many when seeing the reality of a third world country is that seeing a different way of life does not make ours bad. At Transformed Twelve, we believe that one of the beauties of Impact Trips is the prompting to question reality, and ultimately expand our world view. God challenges us to follow Him even when it is difficult in order to understand His plan, and while this truth can make it easier to transition, coming home is still by no means easy. Focusing on our accomplishments is one way we like to process the transition home, so here are some T12 updates from the trip that we would like to share with you.

There is a school in the mountainous village of Kenscoff that once educated 150 kids from the surrounding area. This school was shut down 3 years ago due to a lack of available funding in the community, which then caused all of the students to decide either to end their education or walk over an hour through the mountains every day to another school. As a team, T12 had the opportunity to visit this former school and speak with community members about the status of the school itself, community attitudes towards education, and potential student enrollment. After conversations with many leaders in Kenscoff, including the village pastor and a former schoolteacher, it was obvious that the community was fully committed to providing an avenue for education close to home. Following further conversation, Transformed Twelve has decided to partner with the community of Kenscoff and reopen the K-5 school. Many of the teachers still live within the community, as does the principal, and as of right now there are already nearly 50 students signed up for the fall semester. God truly opened doors and we believe he will continue to provide for the needs of The Kenscoff School Project. Stay tuned for more information about how to get involved with the school and the students!

Additionally, T12 has hired a Haitian School Director, Josue, to supervise the Kenscoff School Project both throughout the reopening process and everyday operations moving forward. Transformed Twelve is thrilled to have Josue joining the family, and we can’t wait to see the big things God has in store. Josue has previous ministry experience, is a man of God, and has a true heart of compassion for all of the T12 students and potential students in Kenscoff. Transformed Twelve is truly blessed to have Josue join our incredible team in Haiti.

The Kenscoff School Project has lead to plans for T12’s next Impact Trip. We plan for this to be a men’s trip lead by Transformed Twelve’s founder Jim Mohs, with a heavy focus on getting the school ready for the year. Some of the many projects included on this Impact Trip are: hanging chalk boards, building room dividers, fixing benches and desks, and spending time with the community of Kenscoff and teaching them how to care for a school. The dates for this Impact Trip are not finalized right now, but we are tentatively planning for late September. If this is a trip that interests you please feel free to contact teagan@transformedtwelve.org and stay updated on our Impact Trip page.

Overall, our first Impact Trip was a huge success and we are so thankful for all of you that have been supporting us whether it be financially or through donations or prayer. We can honestly never do it without you!

Josue, Kenzie, Teagan, Paige, Wadson in front of the Kenscoff school!

Cabaret Kids

Hey everyone!  My name is Lauren Patterson and I just graduated from the University of Minnesota on Sunday.  I joined the team down in Haiti on Monday afternoon and we have had an amazing week!  On our last day of service work we had many impactful things in store for us.

Kenzie S., Kimberly, and I all spent our morning in the burn clinic.  As a future nurse and someone who is passionate about caring for people this opportunity was especially meaningful to me.  To be able to experience first hand providing medical care for people who otherwise would not be able to receive care for their burns is so incredible.  It is so hard to see people come in with their burns improperly cared for and to watch them go through such agonizing pain.  But it is also so comforting to know that because they walked into that clinic there is a good chance that they will be able to get the help that they need to fully recover.  The older woman who came in on Monday with her whole face and the top of her head burned has been coming back in every day this week to continue to get her burn treated, which is great to see!  Today when she walked in she could open her eyes, whereas when she came in the first day they were so swollen and had so much scar tissue over them that she could not open them.  The head nurse of the clinic was telling us that if this had happened back in the states she would have instantly been brought into surgery and put under to perform all of the removal of scar tissue, and then would have stayed in the hospital on very strong pain medication.  It is so crazy to me that this woman is doing this on very minimal pain medication and riding a moto to and from her house every day for treatment.  It is very hard to watch, but I know that she will heal so much better because of the pain that she has to go through now.  Experiencing working the burn clinic was so inspiring and really confirmed in me my calling to become a nurse and do work in another country for people that truly need my help.

After our morning in the burn clinic we were able to visit Daphne, a woman who has received a micro loan to create a business for herself raising chickens to sell.  This woman impressed us all!  She is so smart and has found a way to provide for her family.  She came up with the idea herself to create a business to earn money and she has been teaching others how to do the same!  She is teaching them how to save their money and be responsible with it as well.  Daphne is able to pay for her children’s schooling, she even has a child in college!  She puts her children before herself which is a really cool thing to see in Haiti!

After visiting Daphne our team headed over to visit with the Cabaret kids who are not able to go to school.  There are many children in this neighborhood whose parents don’t have the means to send their children to school.  We wanted to see how many kids there were who are not going to school and spend time with them to show them that they are loved!  We heard many stories from the kids as Wadson and Josue translated for us about each of their home situations.  It was really amazing to be able to spend time with these kids.  When we first arrived they all were clumped together and all very shy.  We started by singing a song similar to Simon Says but in Creole and soon enough the kids were holding our hands and jumping all over us!  Many of them knew we were coming and had dressed in their best clothes for us, and many of the others even ran home to change into their fancy clothes!  It was so cute to see how much they wanted to impress us.  There is one little boy in particular named Toto who cannot speak because of a problem with his tongue.  He also has a problem with one of his legs where both his ankle and knee are twisted the wrong way and it has very little muscle.  We talked with his mother for a bit and it seems as if there are some surgeries that he could get to help him, but their family does not have the money to do so.  There is a special school that Toto went to for a while to teach him sign language, but once again his family does not have enough money to continue to send him.  Because of this Toto has a very hard time communicating with anyone.  He is such a happy and smiley boy, but it is so hard to see all of the struggles that he faces every single day. It’s situations like these that T12 is seeking out to see what God’s will is for the future of the organization. I hope to see Toto as a T12er in the near future!

We got to spend a few hours with the kids here, coloring and playing games, we even got to walk around the neighborhood complex and see the small water tower that supplies the neighborhood and see Josue and Bethanie’s homes.

Finally we had to say goodbye to the kids, and we went back to Global to pack up and head to Kaliko for our mini beach retreat to end a fantastic and God filled week!

-Lauren P.

Daphne explaining her micro-loan opportunity to us.

Praying for Daphne and her projects.

Getting the kids warmed up for some fun with a song!

all smiles!

Fútbol

Coloring away in the hot sun.

3 sister and Lauren!

Breathtaking smiles and a breathtaking view!

She hung with these buddies all day :)

Checking out the community and their water supply.

New friends

The heat was getting to us a little I think... ;)

Nap time is the best time.

Sweet friends

I think Grace lost? 

Time for a refreshing treat!

Teaching the kiddos to play some American games.

A sweet meeting of Guy's mom Bethanie and Lauren.

Resting time!

All lined up for something! not sure what? 

Catching some shade.

Let the hair braiding begin!!

The whole gang!

Some quick market shopping.

A bittersweet goodbye.

sweet moments together.

and we ended our day by the pool relaxing for the weekend. End of ministry for the week. Sad it's over but happy it happened. Thanks for reading!

Kenscoff School Visit Continued...

Chrisla, her father Jean Baptiste, and Kenzie.

Real relationships were made here.

The T12 team in action at the school!!

Our super seniors!!

The beautiful doors at the church/school.

Hiking back up...yea it was harder than going down...we were hoping that would change...darn.

Goodbyes being said.

Heading back to the base, this drive was breathtaking. Thanks for taking the time to follow our journey. 

Kenscoff School Visit

Little recap of the day as told by Teagan:

Today we visited Kenscoff to bring some T12 kids back to their home and to visit the school that has been closed for three years. T12 is looking into what it would take to get it back up and running. We were so welcomed by the community and God really provided opportunity for us there today. The hike was long and difficult but God truly blessed us and kept us safe especially our vehicle!

My word of the day is UNKNOWN. 

Driving to kenskoff people on our team felt sick and they were silent. When someone would talk it would startle others. The unknown of today's trip was unsettling. The unknown is the moment the enemy sneaks in. I was so proud of my team after the initial shock of the unknown. The day took a turn on the way home and the minute we got in the car the laughing and talking and being silly began. Praise God for energy bursts. God took the enemy out of the unknown so we could be in a place to embrace it in the processing. The views we are seeing on top of this mountain are out of this world. It is the closest I have ever been to touching the majesty of God. Today I understood that word...majesty. It's a really cool word you guys :)

The unknown of who we will and will not see again is the hardest for me. Watching goodbyes and experiencing them are emotional. An obvious statement, but a real one. We just have to trust that God gave us sweet moments and He is doing good with them whether we realize or not. It's in His hands whether we see them again or not. And it's in His hands and yours what you choose to do about it. 

I pray that we never loose our wonder. I want to wonder forever. I don't want all of the answers. Because I know God will surprise me everyday with the unknown. 

Looking out over the land from the mountin raises so much unknown within us. But it is good. I love the unknown. It's why I live my life the way I do. God calls us into the unknown. That's how we know it's good. Amen. 

Teagan Paige Mohs 

The views today were surreal.

Hiking where the roads won't allow our car.

So cool! We were floating in the clouds.

Visiting Chrisla's Teacher's home.

Kenzie, Chrisla's sponsor, Chrisla, and Chrisla's Teacher.

Almost there!

The Kenscoff school we visited.

The Santis Home.

The whole gang in front of the Santis home.

One of the teachers from the school with the list of kids that have shown interest in attending the school again!

These views though...

Play time is so fun.

Precious moments.

The school and that view!!

Morgan and Chrisla.

Infront of the church and school!

SISTERS.

Josue, Paige, Abraham.

Chrisla and her sponsor.

Morgan's Post - Day 4

Hello again everyone! It is me Morgan! A lot has changed since the last time I have “talked” to you. We have arrived in Haiti and God has done some incredible things. We have stood under a waterfall, visited multiple schools, met and spent time with all of the T12 kids, and so much more. 

    Last night we made our PB&J sandwiches, laid out all of our miscellaneous necessities, and set our alarms in preparation to wake up around 6 am to take the trip out to Kenscoff to visit a school. After just 6 short hours of sleep we woke up and got ready to go. As we sat on the porch waiting for our wonderful driver, Josue, we got an unexpected text message. Our new car decided that it did not want to take the long drive. After all of the choas with the car trouble, we were able to rearrange our schedule for the day. This opening in our day gave Kenzie S. and Lauren the opportunity to help out at the burn clinic. They had a heartbreaking, but incredible time and are looking forward to helping out again on Thursday morning. 

    When the girls returned, we loaded our team, Josue, and Jennifer into a 5 passenger car. Yes, you did that math correctly. We loaded all 10 of us into a car that is supposed to fit only 5. It was very much like a clown car driving around Titanyen unloading and reloading ourselves. Our first stop of the morning was a preschool that Global Outreach - Haiti started. We got to spend their break time with them out on their playground singing songs and playing games. This was especially wonderful for my mom and me, because we were pleasantly surprised by the smiling face of our Anachemie, who we sponsor. We were so happy to get to spend more time watching her exuding her independence and joy, while leading her classmates in songs. Next we visited another school that held 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classes. The principal gave us a lovely tour of their classrooms and kitchen. The children in the classrooms all welcomed us and sang us songs. We had a lovely time this morning learning more about education in Haiti and spending time with the young students. 

    For the second half of the day we got to visit some elderly. Our first stop was to see Marie, an over one hundred year old lady that many of our team members have met on previous mission trips to Haiti. It was incredible to see her face again and hear that she is so happy to be spending time with us. We also got to visit a man named Edmond that has a smile that could light up the darkest of rooms. It was so nice to see familiar faces and hear stories from the elderly that we got to spend part of our day with. 

    Finally, my favorite part of the day, we got the opportunity to visit Anachemie’s family, the Salnave’s, house in Titanyen. There we got to meet Ciecien, the mother, and she showed us their home. While we were there, Anachemie returned home from school and we sat and talked with her and her family about their dreams and goals for their futures. My mom and I are so grateful for the opportunity to personally meet the child we get to sponsor face to face. We love that we cannot only support Anachemie through the opportunity of education, but through our personal relationships. 

    We are so blessed to grow up in the United States and have the opportunities that we have. I just pray that we can all take some time to look at all that we have and be thankful for it. I want to thank everyone that has been supporting our team through their thoughts and prayers. I ask that you guys continue to do so, as we hope to be able to make the journey to Kenscoff in the morning. 

-Morgan

Kimberli & Morgan with the Salnave family.

Lauren made it here safe and sound! Praise the Lord! It looks like she is jumping right in.

Morgan and Grace.

These faces are beyond precious.

Just cheesin!

Deep breathes get you through the day!

Kenzie S. and her friend! 

All the children lining up to return back to their classrooms to learn!

A kitchen in a school we were able to visit.

All loaded in!

Visiting Marie on a hot hot day!

So beautiful at 104 years young :) and still praising Jesus.

Hugs all around.

Morgan and Kenzie.

Some sassy ladies.

Kenzie and Edmond praying together.

Some of the girls in Titanyen with our friend and fearless captain today Jennifer.

Thanks for your patience on the photos!

Kenzie S - Day 3

    Hello everyone! Today is our third day in Haiti and it has been amazing! My name is Kenzie S and I am a senior at Orono! This is my third time in Haiti, and I am soooo happy to be back. Last night before bed, we had a three hour long conversation about our day and we were all crying because we were laughing so hard. It was an amazing way to unwind and just get to bond as a team again. (Minus Lauren… we are so happy she is here now! Safe!)     

    This morning Paige and I got up and went to volunteer in the burn clinic. Next year I am going to be a nursing student at Point Loma Nazarene University, and I absolutely loved the opportunity to spend time actually doing things that I will get to do in the future. When we got there, it wasn’t super busy so we helped the missionaries with the stocking the supplies room! After a little while a bunch of people started showing up. I was handed a pair of scissors and told to go cut off the bandages and help start washing the burns! I couldn’t believe that they trusted me to do this and it was such an honor! At one point, there was this little girl named Miley that came in. I was told she has been coming for a year already, but her burn looked like it happened yesterday. She was really calm when she came in, but that changed really quickly. After I cut of her bandages, she was told to sit in a tub and start washing her wounds. Because she has a fever and infection, washing out her burn hurt a lot more today than it usually does. She instantly started crying and screaming. Her dad was washing out her burn at first, but he started having a hard time watching her cry and scream, knowing he couldn’t do anything. She had to start washing her burn herself then, screaming in between each time she poured the water on her. I sat down next to her, and just started rubbing her back and arms but she didn’t even falter… she just kept screaming. It was really hard time watch her and her dad, and knowing I couldn’t do anything really just sucked. Paige was praying for her, and I just started crying and couldn’t stop. Every single time I looked at her dad, I just continued to lose it. We then had to dress her wounds again, and she kept screaming and kicking and biting. When we finally finished, we gave her a sucker. She asked for a second sucker, and laughed. She got off the table and hugged me, and I got to hold her for a while and she was laughing. Right before she left, she gave me a kiss and it really meant a lot to me. The rest of the day at the burn clinic went pretty smoothly, and I am definitely looking forward to going back on Wednesday!

    Next was camp with the T12 kids! However, we found out that the President of Haiti was coming back from visiting a city because it was Flag Day, a holiday here in Haiti. The road was closed because of this, so we took a little detour…. again. It was actually really cool because we got to see another part of Haiti that none of us had never seen before. We went to Wadson’s house, and met up with all the kids there. We hadn’t met the other kids yet, and it was awesome to get to meet them! We walked to the church with them and we got to sing some songs! Chrisla, the little girl my family and I sponsor, had a lot of energy. Teagan and Paige said they had never seen her giggle and dance and talk so much, and that was so awesome to see. It made me so happy! We got to see some of the kid’s talents, and that was also really cool to see! Benzaza showed us his bracelets and told us how he makes them and how he learned. Jolienne sang for us, and Isaac played his recorder. It was touching!

    Guy’s mom Bethanie made us Haitian food for lunch today. It was amazing! We spent that time eating with the children, and noticed that they seriously don’t say a single word when they eat. We all knew that this was a cultural norm, but most of us had never witnessed this before! The drive to the ocean was crazy. 15 passenger van packed with 25 people… and no air conditioning. The drive went really well though, until there were too many people trying to get to the public beach, whose entrance was before the beach that we were planning to go to. After sitting in the car for a while, we ended up turning around and prayed that Kaliko Beach Club would let us all in. We sat there while Paige and Teagan went to talk to the owner. They came back and we were allowed in! We all changed quickly and were soooo excited to get into the relatively cold water. We didn’t know this, but it was some of the kids’ first trip to the beach! The kids got right in and laughed like crazy. Chrisla was screaming “WA WA WA” and giggling and just couldn’t stop! She instantly started acting like she was washing herself, and we think it is because she hasn’t ever been in that geography or situation and just had no idea that it was for fun. All the kids were screaming and laughing and just so happy to be there, and it was a beautiful moment for all of us!

    This trip to meet all children and see what Transformed Twelve is doing has been an amazing opportunity and one I could not be more thankful for. Four of us girls are graduating in two weeks and being here means missing out on a lot of studying for finals and a lot of other things that are going on at school right now. Before we left it was a hard realization for some of us that we would be missing out on some of our final high school days. Being here now though I think I could speak for all of us in saying that even just this first few days is worth missing all of it. Haiti has been life changing for me and the fact that I am back here already for the third time is incredible. 

-Kenzie S

The gorgeous sunset.

Singing with the elderly.

Serving the elderly.

T12 Camp! ( Benzaza, Kimberli, Anachmie, Abraham, Kenzie K.)

A sweet moment with Grace and CC.

Singing and having fun!

A sneaky tick by Abraham!!

Being silly!!

Morgan & her little friend.

"Let's go eat!!"- Isaac

Zachary & Benzaza eating the delicious meal that was prepared for us!

Car sweaty selfie.

Here we go!! Beach time!

Benzaza & Zachary

Such sweet moments.

Chrisla & her sponsor Kenzie S.

Relaxin!

Anachmie and her sponsors Kimberli and Morgan!

Grace and her shoe tie buddy Abraham.

Kenzie tickled the trickster.

Such silly silly moments with such silly silly kids.

Happy birthday to our friend Bethanie!!

Let's go home!! :) Such a special day! 

Papiyon Jonn (the yellow butterfly) - Day 2

Hearing the word Haiti used to scare me a little bit. I was ignorant to the inner beauty that exists within a country that I used to imagine as dirty, underdeveloped and dangerous.

Two years ago my daughter Morgan spent a week in Haiti. It was a huge growing experience for both of us. I learned through her the beauty and joy of the Haitian culture. I also saw the depth of Morgan’s character and what an amazing person she is as a part of this world, not just as my daughter.

This year when Morgan asked me to join her in Haiti I was overwhelmed by the thought that she wanted to share this experience with me, especially at a time when many kids her age want nothing more than to finally be away from their parents. I am so grateful that I am able to be in Haiti with Morgan. I am humbled by the raw beauty and amazed by the unconditional love and joy that is so innate in everyone I have met.

In the short time that we have been here I have come to know and truly love the spirits of those I am traveling with. The girls have insights and compassion beyond most adults I know. They are incredible and mesmerizing to watch.

Last night our host, Jennifer, prayed over our dinner. What really stuck with me is that she asked for us to be able to listen for His words and prayed that we would know when we are needed and how to step in and help.

In spite of an exhausting travel day filled with obstacles I went to bed feeling completely at peace. I believe the delays and challenges we encountered offered me a view of Haitian life that I never would have had the opportunity to see otherwise. I fell asleep thinking about the yellow butterfly that arrived on the morning of Oliver’s memorial and stayed in one spot all day until late in the afternoon when we released yellow balloons…and then flew away. A yellow butterfly has shown up on every journey I have taken since that day…sweet dreams.

As we were walking to church this morning, I was holding hands with Morgan and Grace thinking about what Jennifer had said last night. I looked down and there was a yellow butterfly hovering around my ankles. Another one flew through our open air church while we were singing and one followed our car up a very long, very bumpy road to a waterfall at the top of a mountain.

I am listening, I have no more fears, I am ready.

-Kimberli

Walking up to church.

Josue leading us in worship.

Walking down to the waterfall wit some T12 kids.

The whole gang at the waterfall. After the car got a little overheated we took a nice long "stroll/hike" up a mountain. 

Climbing down to see the waterfall.

Victory after accomplishing the hike.

Going back up!

Our fearless leaders.

Hanging with the kids and coloring away.

Sorting donations after a long day!

Kenzie K's Post - Day 1

Well T12’s first Impact Trip has made it to Haiti! I am SO EXCITED to be back in this beautiful country!

My name is MacKenzie and I am a senior at Orono High School. I traveled to Haiti for the first time over the summer of 2013, and as pretty much everyone says, left a piece of my heart here. Ever since I returned home, I have been looking for the opportunity to return, and I thought the opportunity arose earlier in the year to come back in January. As per usual, God knew best, however, and showed me He had a different plan.

A little more background on me: I have been working with Transformed Twelve as an intern for a mentorship program throughout this school year! I’ve had the most incredible experience and I love knowing that I am working towards something bigger than myself everyday. As this Impact Trip started being planned, Teagan and Paige were excited for the chance for me to return to Haiti and meet all of T12’s students. Honestly, I was extremely wary because I graduate from high school in 2 weeks and have a LOT to do before that can happen. God truly provided though and continued to show me that this was His plan. I am SO thankful to be here, and really can’t comprehend the fact that I am going to meet the 12 students I’ve been working with from afar in just 2 days!

Moving on to the events of the day, all I can say is this morning truly feels like at least 3 days ago. We began our morning at 3:45 AM and met at the Mohs house at 4:00 to drive to the airport. Once we got there, Grace had a small problem with her ticket, but everything got figured out, we got some breakfast, and then we boarded the plane to Atlanta! Our flight was very easy and before we knew it we were in Georgia. An hour and a lunch break later, we were on the flight to Port-au-Prince! The flight was easy besides one kind of creepy air pocket, and I even got some of that darn homework done (yay for graduating)! The Haitian airport is crazy, but we managed to get our 15 bags and jump in our van with Josue and Wadson, T12’s AWESOME directors! It was so cool for me to meet the men that I’ve been working with for T12 for such a long time.

Once we jumped in the van the craziness started. One of the roads was blocked because a huge dump truck got a wheel stuck in a drainage ditch, so in true Haiti fashion, we stopped and watched the commotion for a good 45 minutes. We then turned around and took a different route, which is when I passed out for half an hour (I’m sure a picture will be attached below, for which I apologize). I then awoke to us pulled over on the side of the road because we ran out of gas 5 minutes from Global Outreach, where we are staying. Wadson jumped on a moto to go get us some gas and we then FINALLY made it to our destination, only to have one of the windows on the van shatter as we stopped. This trip that should have taken an hour and a half took us a good 3. It was truly crazy.

The rest of the night was great, and we had our first meal prepared by the wonderful Haitian women here at Global. After dinner, we toured the compound (which is beautiful and amazing) and then got to meet ChristCapable and Isaac, the two boys that prompted T12’s creation!

Overall, I am just sitting here in awe of the fact that I am actually sitting here. I am looking forward to this experience as a time to stop and refocus. I keep saying: God, I am here, use me. Please keep our team in your prayers and ask Him that He would lead this trip. I cannot wait to see where this week takes us - God is so good and I am filled with joy.

Thank you for those that are taking the time to read this, please know we truly appreciate your support. Transformed Twelve has become a major part of my life, and for that I am so grateful - I hope this mission has a similar effect in your lives.

When sitting down to write this blog, God has shown me His love and joy, and I truly can’t say enough how excited I am! I do want to share with you what my team members told me when I asked them how today was, because I thought it was a whirlwind and a blessing from God that we are here safe even with some crazy obstacles along the way. Please enjoy!

Grace: “Shocking. It was long.”

Morgan: “We got to see a truck struggle.”

Teagan: “Overwhelming, frantic, and exciting”

Kenzie S: “Do I have to say something? Exciting.”

Paige: “Slow motion.”

Kimberli: “I feel peaceful.”

Thank you for your prayers and support! Keep checking for updates! God bless :)

our beautiful team of women.

Flight number one!

Road block number one...don't know how it ended.

another random road block.

passed out when we ran out of gas.

excellent use of the selfie stick while waiting for gas!

Morgan's Post

Hey all! My name is Morgan and I am a senior at Orono High School. I am lucky enough to be a part of the T12 May Impact Trip. It is hard for me to believe that in just three short days I will be back in the beautiful country of Haiti! I have been to Haiti once before in 2013, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to return. I can already tell that this trip will exhaust every emotion possible, as our team is made up of eight extraordinary women. I am eager to see how God will be using each and every one of us and our talents that He has created us with. 

Preparing for this trip has been a whirlwind of emotions. I have been all over the spectrum from feeling the overwhelming excitement that consumes everything you are thinking, to the crazy stress as I try to assemble everything that I will miss, being away from the hustle and bustle for a week. Thankfully my excitement outweighs the chaos of it all. One of the experiences that I am the most amped about is meeting Anachemie, the student I sponsor. I am delighted with the opportunity to spend time with her, and it cannot come soon enough.

On my first trip to Haiti I was taken with the beauty of its land and people. I am really looking forward to being surrounded by it all again. I cannot wait to see how God uses this trip to teach me more about myself and Him in these upcoming days. Please keep us in your prayers, we really appreciate it! Make sure to keep checking back to keep updated on what is happening and see some amazing pictures.

let the countdown begin

Things are ramping up here at the T12 office! Only one week left before we make our way back down to Haiti to see our friends. We are excited to be taking a team of women down with us this time. We are looking forward to doing some pretty cool things on our trip, including a camp with the T12 kids, going to tour some schools, playing with neighborhood kids that aren’t able to attend school, and other things of this nature. 

Some of our team members have volunteered to share with you how they have been led to go on this Impact Trip before we head down next weekend. During our time in Haiti we will be keeping you up to date on our travels and experiences right here on our blog so stay tuned for that.

Below is a list of donations we need by Monday, please consider donating anything you can! To add to that just a bit, we are also looking for boys/mens “church clothes”. Including nice pants (black, navy, khaki, etc.) and button down collared shirts (long sleeve or short sleeve is fine!). ALL sizes are great. 

Thank you all for your continued support!

-T12 Team