obey, walk, and remember

Yesterday started out normal:

Woke up at 5:30am,
noticed there was no power,
mentally prepared my body for no coffee,
got dressed,
walked next door to the mission,
did devotions with the kids,
did my devotions while they ate breakfast,
administered medicines,
got the mission kids off to school...

About 1 hour after that, things got interesting:

Jeremiah got pulled over by the Haitian police, was threatened with arrest...with Zoe in the backseat. For NO reason other than the fact that he is white and they wanted money.

One of our mission kids, JU, became very ill and lost the majority of the control over the lower half of his body. Insert a crazy hospital run that involved being send to three different hospitals because:

#1 - The hospital was full.
#2 - The hospital didn't have a doctor there.
#3 - The hospital doesn't treat children.

Please note that after viewing 3 hospitals...I NEVER want to have to go back to a Haitian hospital. Ever. And I don't think I will get over the sights I saw at some of them. Ever.

All the while, Ezra has come down with the virus that went through the mission last week, which has triggered major asthma attacks and coughing spells...and sleep has been very slim ...

Thankfully, the saga of yesterday had a good ending.

JU was diagnosed with cerebrellitis (not really sure if that is how you spell it?) a condition that can result after a virus that causes temporary neurological issues (like loss of control over extremities, headaches, nausea, etc.). There is no treatment for it, other than time allowing the swelling of the cerebellum to return to normal and the symptoms to go away. He is showing improvement this morning and we are very thankful!

Jeremiah wasn't arrested by the police.
He didn't pay them any money.
And Zoe was completely un-traumatized by the whole incident.

I wish I could say the same for her mother.

I don't write any of this to complain.
I knew there would be days like yesterday.
But knowing and experiencing are two completely different things.

Today my flesh just wants to curl up in a ball, order dinner out, go to starbucks, have friends over, go to a movie...anything that would feel normal again.

A very "normal" street here in Port-au-Prince

I was reminded of the words I have written in my journal, taken from the words of Rachel Jankovic's Fit to Burst:

When you need encouragement, obey.
When you are tired, walk.
When you feel lost, remember.

And so today, when I don't feel like it...I will obey, I will keep walking, and I will remember.

oh, Ezra (episode 2,031)

Setting: All of us sitting around the dinner table sharing what we love about life in Haiti and what we miss most about America.

Ella, Jeremiah, Eli, and I shares our things: We love the kids, avacados and mangos, how simple life is, how real the Lord feels, getting to take trips to the beach. We miss family, friends, church, Abby, eating out, and reliable electricity.

And then its Ezra's turn: "I really miss my cat, Astro. Remember our cat, Astro!"

Me: "Ezra, we never had a cat named Astro."

Ezra: Oh. Yeah. 



It's good to know that some things in life never change.

Photojournal: Kaliko Beach

We took a much needed family day and headed out to find the beach in Haiti last Friday. Zoe was under the weather (she has been battling a nasty virus this week...) but she was a trooper and we made the best of it.

First of all, I am so incredibly proud of my hubby for navigating around Haiti like its no big deal! Driving in Haiti (or any third-world country) is no little thing, and he has done it like a champ. 

Secondly, the beach was beautiful! It was very different from most of the American beaches we have been too...this one had gravel and rocks, no sand. I can't say I missed the sand, but the gravel was a little rough for walking on. Thankfully we had been warned, and so we brought water shoes and crocs. It also was full of creatures that we had never seen in real life before.

And oh, the mountains in the background...

So incredibly beautiful.

The obligatory squint into the sun picture.

This natural foot massage trail made me laugh...

The kids were thrilled with the variety of creatures they were able to see and catch!

Look, an octopus!

Why, oh why...is it so hard to get a good picture of all my kids, ha!

Water "taxi's"

Poking a dead jelly-fish =)

This picture perfectly sums up Zoe's 2 year old personality...

I love this boy. 

And this one.

thursday thoughts with bits of tid (otherwise known as tid bits)

Haitian pizza is topped with goat cheese. We've discovered that eating it with mustard or vinegar helps cut the "goat" flavor.

Kids are kids are kids are kids...no matter the country, background, or environment. Some things are just universal. Aka: lying, picking noses, and drawing on yourself.



I go through much less lotion here. Way less.

I am not the hero.

Air conditioning is overrated.

Clean water is not to be taken for granted.

We are taking a day trip to the beach tomorrow!

The jump rope is one of the best toys ever invented.

This week has felt like a "new normal" week.

Today's weather was gloriously breezy.

Our home school had a really really rough week. I don't think the heat agrees with the brains of my children. Or mine. Thus, after consulting with our rather good looking principle I have decided that a four day school week is perfectly acceptable this week.

I need a hair cut. I am trying to talk Jeremiah into doing it it...but he refuses. A pedicure and massage would be nice too. (a girl can dream...)

I have had several scripture verses blow my mind this week. In the best possible way.

Our neighbors dog had puppies. After several long nights with extremely loud yipping, I am considering suggesting puppy nuggets for our next dinner.

Kidding, kidding.

Maybe?

Happy happy Thursday!

photojournal: muscle crew weekend

It has been over 2 weeks since we had a visit from the Detroit Muscle Crew, and I realized I had never posted any of the pictures from that time. (I told you Haiti has the special ability to warp time...)

It was a great weekend and a lot got accomplished including a new concrete entrance to our mission, a new swing set for the kids, electrical work, new benches for our highly used gazebo, a security system installed, plumbing work, painting, a much needed total room re-arrangement separating the boys and girls into different floors, a dermatology clinic and check ups for all the children.

Of course, the kids loved all the extra materials and had fun creating things of their own...

Danois sat and "created" for hours. 

I found this basketball hoop created by one of the boys.

Our new smooth driveway into the mission!

Ah, the swing set...it has already been enjoyed so much.

On the last full day of the crews visit we did an outdoor hotdog picnic with all the kids. They kept saying "we get to eat outside?!" So much of their life is routine that I love when we can change things up for them. You can tell that they loved it!

The boys enjoyed watching the crew cutting down trees in order to clear a section for a soccer field...dInner and entertainment!

I love these dirty stinky boys feet =)

Bettinie

Chika

Mark, the slowest eater ever...although he certainly doesn't look like he misses a meal =)

Nickinson thought it was "finger-lickin" good!

Not Me Monday

I do not take pictures of the weird meat that our local grocery "store" sells.
And I'm never surprised that I have the option of adding sheep or various animals feet to our meat choices for dinner.

I do not take pictures of Haitian public "transportation" because I still can't get used to seeing 35 people jammed into/onto a vehicle designed to hold 15.

Oh no, I would never draw attention to my non-Haitian status like that.

I have not cussed more (in my head of course...ahem) these last 5 weeks in Haiti than I ever have in my life.

Oh no, I am a way better missionary than that.

I have not missed fast food so much that I was literally drooling at the thought of a french fry.

Oh no, I am way more healthier than that. I never eat or desire fast food.

I did not decide that it was worth the $17 to buy the carton of Breyers ice cream. Who cares if they only send the that-didn't-go-over-too-well-in-America flavors to Haiti. I like birthday cake peanut brittle cranberry mint chip pumpkin pie ice cream.

Oh no, I am way more careful with our money than that. And the lining of my stomach.

And I did not eat the entire carton of ice cream (over a period of days, people...not at once) without sharing even one spoon full with my children.

Oh no, I am way less selfish than that.

And I most definitely did not wake up today thinking it was Monday. Which it isn't.

Oh no, I am way more in control of my brain cells.

Nope.

Not me.

this

Meet Jon Kerry...

Yes, his name really is Jon Kerry.
Cracks. Me. Up.

He makes really great faces.
Silly faces.
Angry faces.
And my favorite, the "you-are-a-crazy-white-lady-face."

Jon Kerry and I had our moments at first.
And by moments I mean that...ahem...I really didn't have much patience for him and his lack of listening skills.

He made it clear that the feeling was mutual.

But this morning, after 3 days of caring for his fever with medicine, extra water, cold cloths, and prayers...He looked at me with his big brown eyes and I found my heart open up wide to him.

This.
This boy.
These kids.

I'm not living a glamorous life with a grand mission and huge goals. I'm not planting hundreds of churches. I'm not baptizing new believers every week. I'm not writing a book. I'm not speaking at a conference.

But this.
This Jon Kerry.

(and Samanza, Kervins, Moise, Sam, Mono, Bedengy, Chevinsky, Edney, JJ, Appoloste, Widley, JU, Lourvens, Lovens, Danois, Josue, Nickinson, Junie Anna, Esterline, Juliene, Enolika, Bianka, Cinlove, Gina, Gabriyana, Marc, Chika, Bettinie...)

Tucked inside their brown eyes...these are the needs I have been given to meet.

Sweet shy Gina.

Somehow, by offering the Lord my meager fish and loaves life, he is taking it and using it...

And this is enough.

the heap (brain spaghetti)

I have started 4 different posts this morning. I get a train of thought going, and get a paragraph or two written, and then (crickets chirping)...nothing.

And so, instead of a nice coherent and orderly post...I give you my brain spaghetti.

This is the first morning in over two weeks that I haven't gotten up at 5:30am. Jeremiah took the "early shift" at the mission for me so that I could have a morning at home. To linger, drink that second cup of coffee, take as long as I want on my quiet time, and actually see my kids wake up...

It's been glorious.

Although, I admit to missing the mission kids. They have already burrowed a special place in my heart and I love my morning routine with them. 

I plan on doing "a day in the life" post one of these days...

Not that any day is actually the same here, but we do have a pretty consistent rhythm going.

I went out with my friend Anachemy (the director of the school at the mission) to the grocery store yesterday. It is the first time I have been outside of the mission in over a week and the first time I have gone out by myself anywhere in over a month. It felt incredible. 

I laugh when I remember my life in America where I ran to numerous places all day long by myself. 

My creole is coming a long. I can now say hello, goodbye, how are you, my name is, I don't speak creole, how do you say ________ in creole, sit down, share, please, your welcome, how much, and of course the very important phrase of "I don't have any money", ha. 

I am responsible for purchasing fresh fruit for the mission and I buy it from a local lady who doesn't speak a lick of English. Therefore, I have also learned all the names of the fruits in creole and am working on numbers. We smile and nod a lot. 

Jeremiah is a natural when it comes to languages and is kicking my bootay in the language department! The kids are slowly absorbing bits and phrases. They have the counting down great, thanks to the jump rope games they play all the time with their friends at the mission.

The Detroit muscle crew left on Monday...and I am just today feeling like I have recovered. It was a busy busy weekend, but a great one! We got a lot done at the mission, including putting in a swing set for the kids! Pictures to come, of course. 

Ok, enough of my brain diarrhea for one morning. 

I will leave you with my favorite picture from the past weekend. I had just finished painting all the girls fingernails and toenails on Saturday afternoon...16 little sets of toes and fingers. Afterwards, the girls were sitting and giggling and then they ended up in a heap...

L to R: Bettinie, Samanza, and Gabriyana

A beautiful heap of smiles and giggles and happy hearts.

I'm so grateful to get to be a part of this. My blessings pile up and up.

the balcony

We have an upstairs balcony that overlooks the busy street below...

Shoe shiners,

Ladies selling fruit,

Kids coming and going from school,

endless tap-taps (the Haitian version of a taxi),

Dogs,

Goats,

Chickens,

Motorcycles,

and much more passes by all day and night long.

I took a few minutes this week to document my sweet two year old,

who is endlessly entertained by the view below...

She loves to yell out "bonswa"  (hello) to select passerbys,

and has even been known to blow a kiss or two.

thursday thoughts (on Friday yet again)

We are gearing up for a visit from the Detroit "Muscle Crew" this afternoon. We will host approx 25 people (electricians, plumbers, painters, etc.) over the next 4 days for a non-stop fix-broken-things-spruce-things-up-construction extravaganza.

I'm not sure what to expect...except that I've been told life is turned upside down whenever our mission gets a visit from the muscle crew. It should be interesting!

After 4 days and 5 nights of absolutely no city power...when I heard the power click on at 10pm Tuesday night Jeremiah and I literally got up and did a happy dance in our bedroom.

You'd have laughed at us.
Which is ok, because we wouldn't have cared.
It isn't so much the loss of lights that is hard...in fact, I happen to like doing things by candelight here. You are much less likely to be surprised by a cockroach by candlelight.

It is that with no power we can't pump water up to our rooftop reservoir.
Therefore, no power = no water.
Also, no power = no fans.
Which thereby = no sleep.
No sleep = grumpy Mommy.

It is amazing to me how much I am learning that circumstance CANNOT dictate my attitude. My true source of power is Christ and he is allowing me to see beyond the comfortableness or uncomfortablness of my circumstances and find my strength in Him.

I just wish there was an easier way to learn that lesson, ha!

We finished up our first full week of school. More to come on that later...

I have forged a relationship with a local Haitian lady who supplies our family with fresh fruit several times a week...mango's, bananas, pineapples, melons, and avacado's. So good! We are all enjoying the local produce.

We had transitioned Zoe to a big girl bed shortly after moving here. However, the last two mornings she has been found wandering the downstairs in the pitch black at 5am in the morning. Therefore, we have revoked her big girl bed privileges and she is going back in the pac-n-play!

Yeah, I've been slacking in my picture taking...this is a throwback to vacation =)

One last thing...

I made the mistake of going on pinterest for the first time since moving here.
Big mistake.
BIG.
Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins.
Halloween costumes everywhere.
Savory soup recipes.
And on and on and on with the glorious Fall ideas...
Why must everything be about Fall?

And must all you facebookers keep posting things like "loving this Fall weather!" of "Needed my hoody at the bus stop this morning" or "What should my childs halloween costume be this year?"

People, you need to just stop reminding me that there is life outside of my hot Haiti bubble. Since the world revolves around me, I am kindly asking you to oblige and refrain from any more glorious fall postings. Thank you ever so much.

Happy Friday!

role reversal

On our first visit to the mission with our kids in tow, we met Kiki, who was finishing up making a homemade guitar.

Of course, after seeing this, our Ezra was completely obsessed curious with this idea for a new project and kept asking question after question for how he could make his own...

The next day we were back at the mission and Kiki was waiting with his charming dimplish grin with a surprise for Ezra: He had made Ezra his own guitar. 

During the course of that very same first week we spent a lot of nights in the "living room" of the mission as our house didn't have any power. The mission kids asked us every night why we were sleeping there and not at our house. 

Upon hearing our reason, one of the boys, Lengee, offered his fan to me,"You take fan from my room for you!" 

I am here to pour into them and they have already poured into me.

the better late than never photojournal: Vacation (the end)

It feels a little funny to be posting these now...almost a whole month after vacation. 

It feels even stranger to look at these photos and think that was my life just a short month ago. What a different world I am living in now.

I digress...

For remembrance sake (because Lord knows my memory is gone...) a few pictures of our last days of vacation:

I love how Popee is the only adult at the "kids" table, ha!

Ezra's Sonic the Hedgehog birthday party!

With chocolate pie instead of cake =)

This boy loves him some origami. Weird-o. In an -i-love-you way, of course.

Now its back to my reality...

Happy Monday!