The H.E.A.R.T Experience

While in Florida, we looked up acquaintances that Joe had met while on a mission trip to Haiti way back in 1988. Art and Suetta were a real inspiration then and over the years we've kep in contact mainly at Christmas time. After Haiti they went back to Florida and just recently moved to Lake Wales which was only an hour drive from where we were staying. We made phone contact and were invited to spend a weekend with them. They live on the campus of Warner Southern College where Art is employed. During a tour of the campus we were taken to the site of H.E.A.R.T (Hunger, Education And Resource Training) and this village simulates many of the aspects of life in a third world country where students learn to adapt to an environment without many of the modern conveniences to which they are accustomed. Many others come here as well before they head out to the mission field so they can get a feel for what it's like to live in third world countries. I will say it is very, very basic living here for them...laundry is done on scrub/wash boards and there is a wringer available if you want to turn it by hand, latrines, very rustic solar powered shower facilites, raised housing with nothing but screens for windows, etc. etc. There was a youth group staying there from Boca Raton the same weekend we were there.....we woke up to frost on the grass the next morning so I hope they stayed warm with no heating in the houses.......there is electricity there but it is used only for cooking meals and for running the computers in the classrooms where they have their classes. College students can earn credits by staying here for 3 months at a time.

Also on this campus was a sculpture called, "Love Essence" which showed Jesus washing Peter's feet. Very meaningful.....a wonderful campus.