Start Academy back in session.

The first day of school went as expected: good.

We started our school year with pictures and prayer.

Desks needed some arranging and some books needed to be located.

Please pray that we find the missing biology textbook before Anna falls behind. We know Eli used it therefore it must be in this house but despite looking in the boxes of school books where it should be it remains hidden at this time.

Cory spent most of the morning getting our printer up and running in-between talking to folks who came to the door.

This week on campus the teachers of younger children will be receiving teachers training which means sharing electricity and trying to pump water in the middle of the day when the solar panels can provided the needed power.

Local schools will start in October so still fairly quiet on campus.

Praising the Lord that Mme. Fanny's son after 5 months in jail finally returned home last week.

Praying for:

• Mme. Pastor Emmanuel who continues to struggle with major health issues.
• LaGonave as they prepare for the Sept. 28th new hospital dedication and lots of visitors. 
• Community as parents and staff prepare for the start of the school year.
• Finding the biology book
• That we get an appointment with the US Embassy for our I-600a fingerprints. [It would be great if this could be on the same trip to LaGonave and to renew our visas.]

Snow Day. Really.

Yes, I declared today a school snow day. Home schooling perk-teacher can call school off when she wants.

Not obviously because snow closed the roads and we cannot physically get to school. But because Eli's feeling snowed under with work and today we will work hard to get him dug out.

Five weeks ago we started a new curriculum year which means adjustments. Reevaluating now to see what changes need to be made to keep Eli thriving and learning but not frustrated and overwhelmed with school work. He prayed the other day for balance and that is our goal.

Today Cory will be working with Andy, a local college student studying agriculture. Andy will also be helping us with the new plant book. Cory's also working on a Creole handout on seed storage as requested for LaGonave.

Yesterday we attempted to make homemade bread bowls to encourage Eli. During our trip to the US, Fall 2010 he really enjoyed potato cheese soup in a bread bowl. Yesterday he enjoyed pumpkin soup in a sourdough bread bowl.  Cory learned a lot and the family voted to try them again.

Living with hardly any prepackaged food can stimulate one to culinary adventures. Adventures often caused by the ever present need to substitute for items one does not have access too.

 My idea but Cory did the work. Such a versatile man who allows me to focus on school. Thank you Dear!

Eli and Anna planted 140 Moringa tree seeds while we covered some church history in the afternoon.

Last night before bed we received an E-mail from Irvines asking us to call for a medical consult.

While it is harder to consult by phone or computer without seeing a patient in real life often advice can still be helpful. Sounds like one of the visitors on a team received barotrauma from diving in the sea to his ear drum. So dispensed a bit of medical advice and added him to our family prayers.

Dec. 19th- winter weather.

A wintry day in Fauche..cold and rainy this morning. Not quiet as cold as yesterday morning when Cory took the thermometer out in the yard and watched it drop to 62 but does not look like the sun will be coming out any time soon to warm things up.

To fragile to travel to Haiti but by picture, 2010

Yesterday my 10 minute health talk at the end of Sunday school went well. I touched on being healthy mentally [not worried, not afraid, not angry or fighting, not intentionally sinning]; knowing what medications you've been on and why; hand washing [as well as covering your mouth with your arm when you cough]; learning what you can to protect your health; and how it's our responsibility as a Christian to keep our bodies [temples of God] as healthy as possible so we can do the work the Lord has for us to do.

In the afternoon Anna helped with Kid's club while Cory and I walked down to the hospital to pray with Pastor Phillip who brought his 19 year old son in the previous night with mental agitation. While we waited outside the room the man in the next room wanted to talk so I chatted a bit and prayed with him. After a short talk and prayer with Pastor Phillip [personally we do not know his son who had many visitors that afternoon so we just prayed with Pastor] Then we swung by the cholera area and prayed for a man and child there. So thankful that with all our recent rain only two folks hospitalized with cholera.

Today we will see how much school we can get completed after our 3 days of testing. I'm assuming from past experience that the work done during these 3 days of limited supervision was done in a patchwork fashion so will have some holes to fill. No French class for the next couple of weeks but we need the time to practice!

Then time permitting we may continue to plan our week of celebrations and baking. This week the church will hold special services every night.