Christmas decorations and Praises

A crisp clear sunny morning with the smell of hot chocolate in the air mingling with the sounds of birds, children and traffic.

Last week Thursday we traveled back home taking the public ferry from LaGonave.

 A smooth ride during which a pastor took the opportunity provided by a captive audience to preach the gospel.

After finishing his short message in Creole he stood close to us and started in English.

 I appreciated the fact that he did not assume we already knew the Lord and let him know we're already family members!

Rejoicing with the LaGonave folks in the release from customs of 2 new Land Rovers [in customs close to 3 years] as well as a container of equipment for the new hospital!

Keep praying for the 40 hospital beds.

Friday we jumped back into yard work and school but finished the day with family night and Christmas decorating.

Today we'll finish up our school week while the district pastor's meet in the guest house.



Will share some bananas and Christmas cookies with them while asking them to pray with their congregations for our adoption referral.

E-mail updates and Christmas / New Year's greetings heading out today!

Christmas here does not include: family get-togethers, snowy drives, Christmas carols on the radio [not for us as our house does not pick up radio well], shopping amongst busy crowds, Christmas parties with friends.

We will enjoy some special meals that we normally do not eat, make gift bags for our neighbors on campus and the staff, spend time as a family watching Christmas videos, exchange gifts, play games, and focus on our Lord and Savior, celebrating Christ.

Thankful we focus on how He came to Earth to open the door for us to join God's family!

Dec. 22 Kid's Club Party Day.

Looks like the sun will come shinning over the mountains any time and stay around for the party.

Cory's busy popping pop corn for the party. Thankfully other folks will divide it up into small bags. Not sure there will be enough for 1,000 small bags but hope each child gets one. Hard to estimate how many children will come.

Cory and Anna show the 1/2 way mark! Will be a bit healthier than Haitian popcorn...less salt.

They told the children to bring a lunch as the plan for the program is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Do not know what all is planned but Anna will report later today. Eli and I will spend some one-on-one time working on school. Cory will likely go for parts of the party and I plan on sending the camera with him.

The last couple days school ended an hour early or so because of special church services starting about 5:45 p.m. The theme verse for the week is Malachi 3:8 "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions." Interesting how many sermons we've heard on tithing in Haiti vs. the USA.

Tuesday the focus was on what can we give God in light of all He's done for us. Last night the focus was on Mary and Joseph and living our lives as they did so we can be used by the Lord.

Kodiak enjoying a sunbeam nap yesterday. As our winter afternoons more often than not include rain more than sun he's taking advantage of the opportunity. Or he did until Cory put a ladder up to the roof over the bedroom to cut off a mango tree branch touching the roof.

Praying for those in the military or Lord's service serving around the world away from family, especially the missionary college kids unable to return home. Safe travels for those who can join family.

Dec. 17th

Haitian Nativity I found in storage a few years ago.

The sun disappeared behind the clouds and soon to move below the mountains. Right now my Dad's family in Michigan should all be at my folks celebrating Christmas. One of those times one wishes for an instantaneous, cheap method of travel to zap one here and there.

Our day mostly consisted of cleaning and making some Christmas cookies. Good thing we doubled the recipe as it only made 1/2 as many cookies at stated. Guess our candy canes just turned out denser than they were meant to be. Taste OK but most will go into our Christmas bags of treats for the neighbors.

Anna took the cleaning to a whole different level than the rest of us. While Eli and Cory spent hours this afternoon creating civilizations and somehow interacting each on their own computer Anna and I sorted items from her room.

While we watched a Christmas video we sorted through a trunk of her old treasures. Our girl continues to grow up as seen by the 4 boxes of toys she decided to donate. One special toys and items no longer hold any appeal to her but the idea of other children getting a special bear or toy for Christmas brought a sparkle to her eyes and a smile to her face.

Last Sunday a young man between Sunday school and church took about 15 minutes to talk to those present about the need to protect the trees and prevent erosion. Andy attends Christian University of Northern Haiti, a private Christian four-year university on the other side of Limbe studying agriculture.

I thought when we chatted after church for a moment that he asked if he could talk to me for a few minutes after church on Sunday... well he just stopped by to confirm that I'm prepared to talk for 15 minutes tomorrow on health right before the church service starts. Well not exactly but I will be now that I understand.