Transplanting...

House just visible on the ridge..about 1/3 from left side.

After ten days back in our old comfort zone working with a medical team and visiting Fauche, we returned last Wednesday to Délice.

Each trip moves a bit more of our belongs to the mountain.

And with two days of packing up the old house at Fauche very few of our household items remain in their place, except those that will be remaining in the north.

Road on right. Just see the house, coffee plantation and fort ruins just to the left of the tree. 

As the memories swirled around along with dust as we packed, I continued to feel and acknowledge the mixed feelings that come with a major transition.

I'm thankful for a support team that continues to pray for us during this time and know that without each of you the stress would be much higher and the process more difficult.

Our children learned the 'R.A.F.T.' principle at a young age. Reconciliation, Affirmation, Farewell, + Thinking ahead.

During last 7 months our normal ministry focuses of agriculture and medical education rarely received our time or energy. Building a house remains draining but we try to remember that this is a season.

A necessary season: we recognize that we need a strong, safe, restful place from which to serve the people of Délice, develop the station/farm, and receive visitors / friends.

Small moments of ministry-connecting occured with the crews working on the house; interacting with the TWC staff and Agape house kids. But mostly we work to build the base and think ahead of the day when we can start in earnest to interact with the surrounding communities and start planting the land.

Many of Cory's trees and plants need a time of rest after transplanting. You do not see much or any growth. The tree sits apparently idle for months at a time without growth.

Then suddenly when the conditions are right, the tree starts to grow new branches and leaves. In time the flowers and fruit appear making all the waiting worth it.

So please pray for us while we put down our roots.

We hope to start on the inner house walls next week.

Delays are common in Haiti so we try to hold any predictions loosely but in the next 1-2 months we hope to move into the house.

Pray for the Lord to continue to use us and to be preparing the way for effective ministry in the future.

Good-bye for now... Reflections.

For every happy countdown to family visits is the bookend sad countdown to the inevitable good-bye.

My mind Friday gave me an extra day of peace by tricking me into thinking it was Thursday but that bubble popped at bedtime when I lost my 'extra' day.

The last three days have been rainy, foggy, drippy, so not much work on the house but filled with family time, school, cooking, office work, college application projects and memory making.

Kitchen sink view. Looking toward Port-au-Prince

Tomorrow my folks head out...but I will choose to savor this last day. While feeling and acknowledging the sorrow I will focus on the praise and memories.

How many times during the months we were apart last year did I think...I wish I could just sit for a few hours or enjoy a meal together.


I will enjoy the four meals we have left. I will cherish looking across the room and just being together.

I'll smile to hear them laugh and share stories with the grandkids.

I will intentionally enjoy this day, these moments. I will be thankful for the extra days that Eli will spend with us as well!!

Kitchen sink view.

I appreciate the effort, money, and time it took for them to come and spend time with us. I know that when I look at the widows in the new house I'll remember the precious time that three generations worked together putting in those windows and smile.

I know that my folks will be ambassadors for the new ministry in Délice in a more powerful way having stood surrounded by booya [fog]; shivered in the cold wind; painfully bounced up the mountain road; and marveled at God's handiwork while gazing at the amazing views from here.

As I pray for broken and estranged families, even some missionaries, I remain so grateful for the support of our family members, those who can visit and those who cannot. I know in part this is due to the faithful prayers of generations past-for the future generations to remain true to the Lord.

I know part of it is also due to the faithful prayers of our support team and partners. Thank you. This part is always hard but our hope is in the Lord and that as He promised one day all tears will dry and no more painful good-byes will be endured.

So I start this Lord's Day with praise. The glory and honor go to Him. To worship Him through the whole range of emotions that today and tomorrow will hold.

Frustrations turn to Praise

Yesterday started with many frustrations: cows in the garden; news that after waiting a week for the dump truck to bring up supplies, they may not all fit on the truck; that after paying double to transport cement up the mountain by motorcycle, the masons could not work until the block came up on the truck.....

So I decided not to think about the house, I gave it all the Lord [reminding Him that it was ultimately His house, His money, His time].
My focus then turned to Thanksgiving cooking: pumpkin pies done, pumpkin bread, turkey legs roasted and processed, dressing preparation done, corn casserole, achocha pickles made [blog to come on this ancient Incan, but new to us vegetable]. Anna also made bread and cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

The end of the day ended with many praises:

• one cow issue resolved; they were look alike cows, Cory was ready to fire an employee, thinking he was letting his cow repeatedly get in the garden. 
• dump truck made it up with ALL supplies, during the day and without rain 
• the motorcycles with cement would have needed to come up anyway
• welders made good progress on one of the 'roof hips'
• road crew smoothed out one bad spot and moved large crystals for me
• school and cooking done

And both welding crew and masons at work already before 8 a.m. this morning. 

Cory loading the truck with bricks and cement to get the work started on the walls. 

Sunny start to the day. 

Praising the Lord for the progress and His many blessings. 

Thinking of our families and the Thanksgiving celebrations today.

So very thankful for all the people who pray, support, and encourage us. 

Praising the Lord that our friend's baby is a bit more alert while they continue to wait for answers about the seizures. 

Praising the Lord for His goodness and faithfulness.

We will share a traditional Thanksgiving feast tonight with some special people. 

Prayer requests as the work contiues

New lower location for driveway

Monday Cory left early for a shopping trip in Port-au-Prince. He went to two hardware stores for building supplies and a bank. The air conditioning wasn't working so it was even hotter in the bank than outside and no fans running. By 3 p.m. he knew he would not be able to come up the mountain so he did a bit of grocery shopping and headed to the Ortlip Center to overnight.

The next morning found him in a smaller town open-air type market early for a bit more shopping before the drive up the mountain. He made it just in time for lunch with us.

House site view from neighbors...zoomed in

The crews continued to add to the rock and gravel piles for the house build. The road crew has basically finished a short section of driveway adjustment closest to the house.

Wednesday we heard that the building supplies were loaded on the dump truck but we were not sure if it would be arriving on Thursday or Friday.  7pm on Thursday we heard that the truck was on its way!

Due to arriving just after 10pm on Thursday, unloading of the truck did not occur until early Friday morning when some of the work crew arrived: 2x4s, 100 re-bar, 80 bags of cement, composite floor deck [Q deck], metal beams for the roof, walls and for support for the floor pour.   With many hands the unloading occurred and the truck back on the road by 8 a.m.

Cory and a couple of the guys worked to arrange the supplies and arranged  the metal roof rafters for painting. Friday afternoon as many of the metal bars were painted as the two gallons of primer would cover.

Early next week the mason crew should come up to work on finishing the lower level walls/columns; set up for the floor pour; and pour the floor.

This week also consisted of school work, house work, supervision of fence repair, looking into generators, celebrating Cory's birthday.

Prayers:

• Next week's BIG job of pouring the floor. Wisdom to do it right, no delays, no injuries.
• Getting the timing right and preparations completed for the welder's visit
• Additional prayer and funding for the project. At this point we plan to continue as far as the funding will take us on the build. Just under $6,000 has come in for the Station/Farm Development project. We've been able to transfer some of our general support funds into the building project. Please pray for additional partners in this new work. Project Giving. You can also check progress at the Délice tab at the top of this blog.
• That the weather will cooperate
• 
  

Conference week #2

Most days this week have included: school, packing, laundry, dishes, volleyball practice [formal or informal, for Anna], office work, and yard/garden work.

Cory visited the gardens across the river with Yvon on Tuesday while Gener and Djordy mowed and worked on the  clinic yard to have it looking good for conference.

Jack fruit makes very good juice

Most of the new garden trees are doing well but some were starting to suffer a little from the dry weather. The soil in the gardens ranges from excellent to so bad that I have asked myself "is there something toxic here where even the weeds hardly grow even after plenty of mulch has decomposed?" The soil is improving but it takes time.


The local peanuts were mostly harvested but dry weather also hurt thier yields and corn is wilted.

A neighbor was letting his young calf graze in one of the gardens. He has been talked to already and we repaired the fencerow again that he had partly burned and trimmed.

Wall is going up along the road side of campus as well as some field fence on the other sides. This week, after years of rumors and little else, they started working again on the road from Limbe to Port Margot.

Wednesday the leaders started to arrive for the district conference.

So far we've been able to share jackfruit, bananas, starfruit, and tomorrow morning - velvet apple.

The first two fruits had about 75 seeds each so we will soon have hundreds of jackfruit seeds to share with other missions and nurseries.

A Lychee tree that doesn't fruit here due to lack of a cool season is provididing many air-layered trees to plant at Delice.

Anna completed three weeks of her school year and organized her books for next week.

New hospital and clinic entrance

They plan to play a volleyball game at Port Margot next week. She's working hard on her jump serves.

We enjoyed 1.5 inches of rain last night which the plants/trees needed and it cooled the muggy air down nicely for sleeping.

 Thursday we received troubling news about our adoption paperwork but thankfully we mobilized our prayer teams and received more hopeful news late on Friday.

Details here.

As we plan to spend more time after next week up at Délice than here we're packing up most of the house now.  We've managed to fill the house with lots of stuff in the last 10 years.

Note to self - "when putting boxes up in the attic/above the drop ceiling, where you can't see....make a list of what you have stashed up there".

I was surprised when Cory handed down the non-Christmas boxes and counted 15 of them! Not all our stuff...as we have items in storage for Eli, Kris's folks, Cory's mom, and our friend Cathy.

F will be thrilled when he gets home with the 2 BIG boxes of legos.

Potting newly rooted Lychee branches for Delice

Every item is then carefully scrutinized and weighed against the effort to get it up the mountain: go, give, trash, deal with later, or stay in the house.

The 'go' items are then packed and placed on a list so that we can decide trip by trip what moves up when. Books will mostly stay here where they should be dryer until our house is built.

I find along with dealing with physical things I am also dealing with memories, dreams, and mental stuff.

The room we decorated for F that he's never seen..
The plans we came with vs. the things we accomplished. Memories so many good but mixed with the painful ones. The friendships we will always treasure and some rascals that we will continue to pray for.

Rains, cow, trip three..prayers.

Our area and the north continues to have rain on and off, every day for the last 9 days. Total at the mission for November is 33.5 inches, nearly half of it falling on Nov. 8. We have heard 22" for the Cap Haitian area.  Several of the Wesleyan churches in and around Cap Haitian have many members suffering from the flooding and mudslides.

As we suspected, the court day for F's family did not happen last Tuesday; we have not heard a new date. Praying for forward movement.

Cory had to deal with cow damage again this weekend. Being a repeat offender, the cow was turned over directly to the local livestock authority. At least the peach palm trees weren't killed and the two most damaged are probably only set back about a year. The cow "guardian" and then the cow owner came to discuss the payment of damages and negotiate the release of the cow.



 While important to impress on people respect of other's gardens, fences and property, one must also think of being neighborly, forgiving, and a good witness. It was good to have ripe peach palm fruit to share with the owner and authority. Fruits were passed around to friends for sampling and positive comments made. We have a good relationship with the owner and the fee was paid so things appear to be OK with them. We haven't seen the guardian since his first visit and hear he is upset.

 
Eli would appreciate prayers: Calculus test tomorrow morning at 8 am with final Monday night 6-9. Major research paper to work on along with lots of other-physics, computer science, engineering class and exercise. We and Eli thank you for your prayers

Travel: On Wednesday we plan to hit the road again with three major goals: 2 days of missionary team meetings on LaGonave; visit to national church land to advise about agricultural possibilities; and third visit to South Haiti to help pick a location for a base to continue to distribute hurricane Matthew assistance.

We will likely be gone a week for this trip. Sunday travel will be limited due to Presidential elections, the second attempt.

We sent out a short questionnaire to the pastors of churches affected by the flooding in the north. Once these return we will be able to better know how to help.

H. Mathew moving north

The night remained quiet, too quiet. Doesn't feel right that with a dangerous life threatening storm starting to cover Haiti that the weather is so calm here before the storm. Most Haitians acting normal yesterday only adds to the unreal feeling.

After a restless night of alternating prayers with troubled sleep, the normally pleasant sound of rain pattering on our tin roof started at 4:30 a.m.  Today that sound stirs up my emotions and memories.

Our first hurricane in Haiti occurred a couple weeks after we moved to LaGonave in Sept. 1998. The worst part of Hurricane Georges for me came when we, along with many Haitians of our town. went to see the new ravine path cut by the flood waters. We did not stay long as watching hundreds of people standing on a freshly eroded bank, with houses partially destroyed, while the muddy waters continued to eat at the dirt beneath their feet horrified me.

I think the greatest stresses to missionaries and family right now are that people didn't listen to the warnings. Talking to people who seemingly don't understand the great danger of the situation is hard. Fatalistic people who live from day to day doing what they can and often adding to any plans 'Lord willing', who feel they don't have choices frustrate expatriats who plan ahead. We were raised knowing the Lord is all powerful and can save people...but we also were raised with the idea that we need to do our part. Stress for not being able to do more.

Second...the rain on the roof is making me feel guilty for having a strong tin roof.

Guilt: for having a strong house;  internet to know the danger and stay in touch with family and friends; for having food in a dry house and safe drinking water; for having our family be safe; for electricity; guilt for being born into a privileged life; guilt for not doing more to spread the word about the storm...and about the Lord's saving love with those who could die......

A long day and days lay ahead for Haiti's people. Thank you for all the prayers. The Lord will work through this in many lives...all who experience it will be changed in one way or another. Having been through many crises in the past I know His love remains steadfast- He will hold us through the pain, the anger [some at Him for not changing things], the guilt, as well as through the joy and peace found in strange places.

Specific Ways to Pray for Haiti--Hurricane Matthew

Homes:
  Unlike many places there are not shelters set up for evacuation. Folks near the sea or rivers or in flood plains often have nowhere to go. Many still live in homes made with sticks and mud with dirt floors and some remain in tents. Even those with block houses in low areas can see flash flooding or be hit with a storm surge of 9+ feet. Poor folks put rocks or blocks on their roofs to try to stabilize them in winds....but these, along with pieces of sharp tin, because projectiles in a violent storm.

Vital Supplies:
 Living day to day means many people cannot store up food or clean drinking water. Lots of rain means contaminated wells, rivers and ocean, which leads to a lot of sickness after the storm passes. Many people will loose these supplies in flooding, along with medications or important documents.

Medical: Many people in the next few days will need medical help due to injuries occurring from  flooding and high winds. But there is also the normal medical needs- mothers delivering babies, severe illnesses, household accidents, needed surgeries...and the storm will make getting medical help very hard. People already in hospitals can be at risk as well..with power outages, wind, rain, staffing issues.... Longer term will be illness from contaminated drinking water [GI and skin issues] as well as increased mosquito born illness from lots of standing water.

Roads: Many Haitian roads were already in poor condition but with heavy rains, erosion, and landslides, driving becomes very dangerous. In the past Route National One-the main road between Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitian in the north was closed for months-and this is the way that fuel is brought to North Haiti. Driving through rivers is common in many areas and flash floods will kill, as can driving through water not knowing if the road remains intact underneath.

Animals: The potential loss of livestock is also high which will impact the food sources and financial health of families for months to years to come. Few will have safe places to put their animals and if they dare to let them roam loose-so that they can reach high ground, some may be stolen.

Gardens: High winds will damage many banana plants, fruit trees, and other crops needed to feed the people in the days to come. Flooding will remain for weeks killing more plants and trees. The high waves and costal storm surge will expose land to higher salt content damaging the soil for a long time.

Crime: As in most areas of the world, a few desperate people will try to take advantage of this crisis to advance themselves by stealing and looting. Local law enforcement will be overwhelmed trying to help people and keep peace.

Politics..next Sunday the redo vote of Presidential elections was to take place. Protests continue leading up to the vote...only the Lord knows what will happen between now and then.

Rarer...some people attempting to cook with charcoal in homes could suffer from smoke, or who use generators in enclosed spaces could be poisoned....in the past some who try to walk through flooded cities can accidentally be electrocuted.

International airports in Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitian will be closed between 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.

At this time predictions are the the eye of H. Matthew will be closest to Haiti at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning. Path could still change.

Many ways to pray. Will try to keep folks updated if our internet continues to work. Praying that after the storm the Lord will show us where, when, and how best to help. Please join us. We want to be used by the Lord to help, showing His love in the midst of crisis.

Surrounded by His loving arms, held in His mighty hands..knowing He is our fortress, our refuge, and able to calm the storm if He choses and if not...He will help us through every minute of the stormy gale.

Cory's Travel Schedule USA trip Nov. 5-10. Emma update.

Thursday,  Nov. 5 Arrive Miami 5:49

   Pick up rental car, drive to hotel in Homestead

Friday, Nov. 6. Visit a fruit farm?, then the Fruit and Spice Park

    Drive to Brooksville.

Brooksvillle Wesleyan Church Mission Conference!

Theme for the Weekend is 'LOVE IN EVERY LANGUAGE'.

Schedule:  Friday Nov. 6th 7:00-8:30 PM- "Missionary Round Robin" There are five 

    individual stations where the missionary guests and local missions from our community 

    present a 15 minute segment about their work.
        

Saturday Nov. 7th 9:30 AM- "International Coffee & Tea Tasting" with guest speaker Cory 

    Thede and special music from guests from one of our Florida Wesleyan Haitian sister churches.

                                Afternoon - shop to fill luggage for Haiti.

         

 Saturday Nov. 7th  6:00PM- Missions Rally featuring a panel discussion about missions 

      leadership training and development.
         

Sunday Nov. 8th  9:15AM,10:50AM, 6:00PM- Missions Rallies with special guests Jim and 

     Karen Pickett in both morning services and Sherri Beck in our evening Faith Promise 

     Celebration.

Monday, Nov. 9th Drive to ECHO for 8:30 a.m. staff prayer.

               Stop at some fruit tree nurseries on the way back to Miami.

      Return rental car at airport.

Tuesday, Nov. 10  Leave Miami 12:30        Arrive CAP 2:23 p.m.

Thank you for remembering not only to pray for Cory but for Anna and I as we hold down the home-front. Postponed election results now due out on Thursday when Cory will need to travel to the Cap Haitian Airport. Eli is on emergency phone standby incase we run into trouble!

Emma's condition remains severe. She woke enough yesterday to talk to the family and they agreed to hospice care. "We are so grateful for the love, prayers, and supports through this time....we grieve as a family and enjoy our last moments with one of the most incredible ladies we have ever known". Please continue to pray for Dr. Tim and the family.

Busy days.

Sunday Eli went forward to accept a card and farewells from the church family.

Yesterday we enjoyed a day-visit with friends and a short visit with F. Details here.

Very thankful F's in a great place, surrounded with love. His foster family are good people; friends we will work to stay in touch with and travel to visit when possible.

Anna woke up, thought it was 4 a.m. and prepared for the day.

After a while, she realized that the real time when she woke up had been 1 a.m.

After a full day of friends she slept in the car, slept sitting on the couch at a friend's home, and as soon as we arrived home feel asleep again.

She did wake up briefly at 12:30 a.m. when I went to investigate why the living room light remained on [[Eli forgot], and therefore, brushed her teeth and fed the cat.

She woke up at 7 this morning set to finish up a bit of school, clean her room and finish getting the guest house prepared for this afternoon's arrival of the Forge Haiti Experience 2015 Team!

Cory plans to spend the morning in the gardens; I'll keep Eli and Anna busy with packing, cleaning while trying to get some office work done.

The team will fly into PAP this morning and then head up north.

We're planning a early supper for them this afternoon.

Thankful to return home last night to 2 more e-mails with appointment times and one asking for open times [the dentist].

Think Kody knows something big is coming. The rest of us keep commenting how it does not feel like we're leaving on Friday.

Maybe we're in denial.

Know we're all trying to focus on the positives but very aware of the bittersweet feelings of transitioning Eli to the USA.

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

Team Day and prayers

Well our Warsaw Team of 5 should begin the air heading our direction.

Cory and Jean Pierre left a bit ago heading for Cap Haitian to fit in some shopping before the airport run.

Enjoyed a light rain last night that totaled less than an inch. We did not really need rain but it will help the newly planted peach palms and flowers.

Anna's feeling better. She decided not to play on the school's volleyball team as she does not attend the school but Jean Pierre informed her that they already obtained permission and she should play in Saturday afternoon's game.

Cleaning, organizing, paperwork and school filled the end of last week and yesterday. Our updated adoption paperwork sits signed, notarized, and copied. Only a family photo needs to be printed and added to the pile so that it can be mailed to the USA.

Looking into tickets for the trip to the USA. Permission granted to purchase once we find the right flights. Sobering to realize there will be only 3 return tickets.

Cory's grandfather passed away yesterday. Thankful for good hospice care which kept him comfortable. Please be in prayer for the family.

Jean Pierre checked on the Konsey II books and they arrived in Haiti. No news yet when they will clear customs but knowing that they will need to be picked up the same day they clear we will prepare the storage areas.

Please continue to pray for Haiti's government and people.  Multiple areas with protests. We hear that the public school teachers, mailmen and doctors have not been payed the last couple of months. Tensions remain high between Haiti and the Dominican as well due to immigration policies. A general [national?] transportation strike may occur on Monday and Tuesday.

[pictures from the peach palm garden walk/location]

Will try to blog later but if it's raining like last night may not be possible, then expect the first team blog sometime tomorrow, Lord willing.

Thankful List

I'm reminded of many things to be thankful for today.

Health: Although Anna's stomach has been a problem since last night she's feeling a bit better and keeping down fluids. Cory caught a cold but Eli and I remain well. Praying for a friend who's ultrasound showed many locations of cancer no longer responding to chemo and a second one who's now on a treatment to help his liver function, secondary to liver cancer his plasma which should be a light yellow, now appears blackish with toxins.

Adoption: No news but we continue to faithfully pray for the process and our 'littles'. Praying boldly for the Lord to move mountains, make a way and fight for our kids. Praying for a family we know who after 7 years in the process is adjusting to the news that the Haitian children they love and have worked hard to adopt will not be joining their family. Praying for all involved.

Internet: Remains frustratingly slow and spotty. My computer will not allow me to access any of documents until it 'updates' but with our slow internet...it doesn't appear to be updating. Thankful for any kind of rapid communications that is not counted in days or weeks.

Safety: In all our 16+ years in Haiti we've not experienced a serious car accident among the team. Yesterday one of the new missionaries driving home from Port ended up being hit by a UN bus. Thankfully the Lord protected him in many ways [provided someone who knew him in minutes, an ambulance, a English speaking doctor from Canada, a CT scan that showed nothing serious...] Praying for a rapid recovery for him and repair of the vehicle.

Time with family: Reading a book that consists of a soldier's letters to home and his sweetheart during WWII. Very thankful for the 'bonus' hours we've enjoyed with Eli and Anna through homeschooling, and that they did not need to attend boarding school. Thankful that as hard as leaving Eli next year in the USA will be we will not be sending him off to war.

Next week at this time we will join a medical team in Cap Haitian for a week. We enjoyed a week with the Holy Cross Lutheran team last year in October and look forward to meeting some of the same folks and a few new ones.

Blessed by prayer.

Band practice 'music' fills the air reminding me that today is Monday.

In our house the book translation continues alongside of school work and computer work.

While we can use internet it remains very, very slow and unpredictable using a Digicel stick but I remain thankful for this small window of communication with the world.

[Also weirdly today my E-mails started to come into my normal E-mail mailbox? Had been checking on line since the internet system stopped working.]

Not happy that it will not update my i-photo making all my pictures unavailable. 

Yesterday, late afternoon Pastor Immanuel stopped in with a group of visitors to pray for us.

I don't ever remember in the USA being asked by a friend to go visit someone for a few minutes to pray for them.

Even when visiting someone in the hospital or at home recovering how often do Christians in the USA think to stop and pray? In my experience this is rare unless a pastor specifically makes a sick call.

They came to bless our family and our house. They did just that by joining with us, singing praises before and after the prayer. 

They asked for our requests and then all together lifted up their voices to petition the heavenly Father on our behalf. 

Once again I felt the presence of the Lord very close and praise Him for letting us live here among special people. 

Sadly, I've missed being part of a blessing many times by not including a prayer when visiting family or friends. 

In the USA I tend to say 'praying for you' but not 'Can I pray for you right now?' A down side of a culture that stresses independence and privacy perhaps? 

I grew up with this idea... as I think of the old poor man who'd come by our house on LaGonave when I was a child Ti Charles. His prayers moved me even then, even when I could not understand everything, the feeling that he touched the Lord in a special way always accompanied his visits. 

Lord help me to learn to pray like that! Teach me to prioritize prayer in all situations. Thank you for bringing good examples into my life to show me how! 

Youth Conference, national conference

With the women's conference, the noise level on campus goes up just because 300+ women and children are on campus.

With the 150 or so people here for the youth conference the noise goes up because they set up a sound system in the middle of campus under the trees where they meet with hope for a cool breeze.

Thankfully, when not meeting, the music choice pumping across campus [at a level that sounds like I have my music in the house pumped a bit loud] consists of bouncy praise songs in both French and English.

I prefer the live music or laughter that rings out when the group enjoys their own worship or fellowship.

We hope this helps the VooDoo group that drummed loudly all night one night last week to choose to accept the gift of salvation, the joy of the Lord and stay awake during the day so they [and we] can sleep at night.

This morning a cool breeze accompanies the music after a refreshing storm blessed us with an inch of rain last night. Thank you Lord!

Next week, the National Conference starts on the 7th and runs through the 10th. Pastor Dan Irvine asked the following E-mail that came today:

The National conference will be strategic in the election

of church leaders for the next four years. Please pray with us that

God would ordain and the Conference would elect those officers that

would guide the church to maturity in the areas of stewardship and

administration.

Dr. Dennis Jackson has begun an emphasis across Global Partners for

extraordinary prayer; and for Haiti, the National Conference calls for

extraordinary prayer. Will you join us in extraordinary prayer each

day this week for this Conference?

Please pray.

Last Days in the USA

Friday night we hosted Todd's children for the night. Lots of laughs and calories burned as we all danced to a video game. Good to tire children out before a sleep over.


Saturday morning the fun continued until all three generations of my family headed to the local county fair as members of my family have done for generations. After checking out the fair: animals barns and sitting though part of the 4-H sheep show we enjoyed one last meal together for this trip, Mexican.

Then  the good-byes started. Sigh.

Sunday we joined Cory's folks and headed off to connect with our partners at West Berlin Wesleyan Church.

Answered questions during Sunday school while Eli and Anna presented to the children.

Then we presented our pictures and stories during church ending up the morning with a good potluck lunch!

After loading up our items we headed to a park to enjoy the afternoon reconnecting with the team who visited this spring from Kentwood Community Church.  This team included Cory's mom, sister and niece. So again lots of laughter and fun between the cousins and 3 generations. Then more good-byes.


Once home we visited with a few more family members who dropped in to chat and say good-bye.

Monday: packing, laundry, cleaning, E-mail update, thank you notes, organization, haircut for Eli, and the arrival of our legalized dossier Dossier Done.

Today will finish packing, return library books, clean, send our adoption dossier to the agency, charge electronics and say more good byes.

Tomorrow our day will start at about 3 a.m. for those who can sleep. Airport #1 by 4:30 with departure scheduled for 6:30. If all goes according to Plan A we should be landing in Port-au-Prince [airport #5] with all our baggage about 4:30 p.m.

We plan to overnight at Irvine's which will cut off over 1 hour from our drive to the north. Lord willing we should be pulling into home on Thursday afternoon.

[Sorry, didn't remember the camera on Sunday.]

A Clinic Morning.

Early in the week Cory, Eli and Anna started discussing the idea of moving Saturday's 'normal' activities to different day as Cory would be traveling to LaGonave that day. Generally on a Saturday morning you can find the kids and I cleaning and finishing up any loose ends of the school week but by the afternoon they and Cory generally can spend some time playing computer/ DS games.

As my students worked hard to accomplish additional school assignments I did not mind changing Friday to Saturday. Then on Thursday afternoon I received a call from Pastor Rigo informing me that he needed a doctor to hold clinic on Friday. No school, no problem.

Well almost no problem. Just that morning Cory and I called the staff to make sure a doctor would be present on Friday morning to look at our arms where our TB skin tests were placed and write up the negative results for our adoption paperwork. A phone call confirmed the another doctor could/would be there early, before heading to see children in Port Margot, to read our results.

I checked my medical bag, organized my larger bag of stuff that used to sit in my clinic room and then we headed down. Cory returned to his day off after getting a blood draw for one more test and walked back down when the doctor actually showed up later.

I still enjoy patient interaction. Six clinic patients all over the age of 40, 2 new and 4 there for medication refills [one epileptic, one diabetic, others heart/high blood pressure]. One of the new patients suffered from a back strain while the other a urinary infection and high blood pressure. Time to pray with them and connect with the Great Physician.

One ER patient, the saddest case, a 20 month old in severe respiratory distress. Watching a child struggle to breath never gets easier but layered with the knowledge that we could do nothing other than pray and send the mother further down the road hurts.

 While he appeared to be unconscious, I did not check to see if he would respond to pain as I did not want to increase his respiratory rate or stress him more before the 30 minute trip to Limbèe.

His nostrils flared out with each breath. His muscles strained to take in the needed air. Without a stethoscope one could hear the wheezy sound of air being drawn through small confined spaces while with it I only heard loud rubbing sounds in both lungs. No normal air movement.

He did not respond at all to my gentle exam or speech.

Our empty oxygen tank and pharmacy laking any medications that could possibly help could lead one to despair. He had already received the one medication we could of given him a few hours earlier without relief. How much longer could he continue this strenuous effort of breathing?

The last time the other doctor sent a patient in respiratory distress to Limbèe they did not have oxygen either and had to travel an additional hour to Cap Haitian. As most folks know after 10 minutes without oxygen the brain cells start to die.

I prayed. I prayed his lungs would improve. I prayed his mom could find treatment for him in Limbèe and that the hospital there would have oxygen. I continued to pray for him throughout the afternoon, evening and now. I prayed for his mom and family. I pray that our clinic can find the resources needed to fill the oxygen tank.

Why you may ask is the oxygen tank empty? Did someone forget? Did someone mess up? No. The staff is dedicated. A staff who worked yesterday despite not getting payed for their labors in April because of lack of funds. A staff who continue to work not knowing when they will get paid. A staff who often suffer as I did watching that little boy struggle to breath, knowing more could be done if the equipment, medication or supplies could be found at the clinic. A staff who daily work to provide the best care they can for their community with the few resources available. A staff who put their trust in the Lord and ask Him to supply the needs, to change lives, to safe lives when nothing can be done medically. Please join us in praying.

Wet Good Friday.

Second hot chocolate morning in a row. Praying that the clouds lift over Cap Haitian tomorrow morning so that the Kentwood Community Church team [containing Cory's mom, sister and niece] can land for their one week Spring Break visit.

Yesterday morning after 15 hours of light rain our 6.5 inch rain gauge overflowed so we really do not know how much rain we received, only that the risk for mud slides was high. This morning Cory reports that the last 24 hours added two inches of rainfall.

Good thing that the Compassion kids from Port visited the Citadel on Wednesday before the rain.

They head out tomorrow morning leaving Eli, Anna and I time to clean and prepare the House of Hope for the team.

Wednesday morning's do-it-your-self project consisted of removing the second side of Anna's lower brackets so that we could then cement in both sides again.

Despite lots of warnings Anna continued to eat some hard foods-which she will now be avoiding!!

The one tube of 'glue' had dried up to a very thick paste but softened with manipulation. We re-hardened it using a magnifying glass and sunshine.

An emergency E-mail to Grandma Thede resulting in her finding a orthodontist to provide another 'emergency' tube that she will bring with her [NOT that Anna will be needing another!!]


Editing on the Konsey book continues. Cory spent yesterday at the computer doing office stuff and some work on the second book.

Eli and Anna alternated between school and cleaning. Next week will continue with bits of school sandwiched between team activities.

This morning we will join the church members for a service reviewing the 7 sayings of the cross. Throughout Haiti Voodoo celebrations will occur celebrating the death of Jesus.

With 50 families signed up for library cards Eli's Book Herder project plans to start loaning books on Tuesday afternoon-4 ish. Please be praying for this new ministry project.

Post-team glow and fatigue.

Team left the dark compound shortly after 5:30 a.m. after we enjoyed a last meal together.

They were checked in at the airport by close to 7:30 for their 9 a.m. flight to the USA.

We assume all is well!

If you went to camp as a kid, or take a vacation away as an adult you know what I'm feeling.

A great time with the team. Lots of interesting, positive, memory making experiences while getting to know old and new friends better takes energy.

Lots of energy!


Energy's expending with: the change of routine, making sure everyone's experiences go as well as possible, dealing with the multitude of small decisions needed to be made to feed and care for 7 or more additional people, answering questions and inter-personal interactions, additional language translation, shorter sleeping, and change in diet.....

Getting back to 'normal' also takes energy and time. Second load of team laundry in the washer and I plan to get a third in yet today, sheets as they dry faster than clothes or towels.

 I've spent some time putting tools and stuff back into their normal locations. I've started to sort some of the donated items so that they can be distributed soon.

Even our bedrooms require some straightening and cleaning as with the business of the team we just cannot quit get things put away like we do normally in my house.  Priorities shift position when the addition responsibilities of hosting fall on each of our shoulders.

Yesterday's older couple's kitchen.

Hosting teams = positive? YES!
Hosting teams = time and energy consuming? YES!
Hosting teams = enjoyable? YES!
Hosting teams = full time? NOPE!

We need to recharge. I know some folks can do this close to every day of the year and I'm thankful to have been blessed by many of them who run great guest houses! Thank you!

The Lord did not call us to run a guest house and therefore did not equip us with the personalities and skills to host teams full time. We realize this and make an intentional effort to limit teams and space them out so we can recharge and be ready to give 100% to the next group who comes for a visit.

We also know that many of you pray extra when we have teams and your prayers provide us with the extra energy and organizational skills we need to do a good job hosting visitors. Thank you!


So for the next couple of weeks I'll drop back to my normal level of blogging. We will spend more time on school, office work, translation, and preparing for the Kentwood Community Church team [Cory's mom's team] to come the day before Easter.

We want to thank again each person who supported this team with prayer. The sending churches. The families who gave up time with the team members so they could come. Those who stepped up and took on additional responsibilities to cover so that the different team members could come.

Still smiling at 92. 

Thank you. We enjoyed every one and every day of this team. Thank you for helping make this possible.

Thank you in the name of the Northern District of the Wesleyan Church of Haiti, for the Fauche community, for our staff and our family.