Goodbyes do not get easier.

Hard to start the day with goodbye hugs. The cloudy gloomy weather matches my mood this morning but a part of me overflows with gratitude.

• Thankful that my children know and love our family members.
• Thankful that our families support our ministry.
• Thankful for the visits from my folks and Cory's mom.
• Thankful for the small everyday moments like washing dishes together as well as the bigger projects and shared memories.
• Thankful for the four generations of my family who's lives changed with visits to Haiti and interacting with the Lord's people here.
• Thankful for our support team who make if possible for us to continue to live and work in Haiti and the representatives of our team who though effort and commitment come to visit us.
• Thankful for the wonderful Haitians who help us host and showcase the Lord's work to visitors.

Yes, the goodbyes hurt and it takes us a while to adjust to life without family close by every year. But the positives and joy of welcoming family and friends for visits still out weigh the pain.

The fragility of life cannot be hidden in Haiti. To frequently we hear of unexpected deaths to remind us that tomorrow is not promised or guaranteed to anyone. 

While we do not dwell on this part of life it does serve as a powerful reminder not to take for granted the time we are given to interact and make memories with the people in our lives. 

So His Hand's Team 2012, thank you for the wonderful visit.  Thank you for the hard work and good laughs. Thank you for the memories. Let us know if you wish to return for another visit. 

May the Lord continue to use you and bless you. Kris, Cory, Eli and Anna

Folk's last day. February 28th

Tomorrow life will start to return back to our 'normal.' But only a couple weeks before we host a 10 person team from Warsaw, IN  and Battle Creek, MI.

Very thankful that the Lord blessed me with great parents who visit a month a year and share in our daily lives here. We enjoy not only working on projects and making memories but just sitting around at night and being able to chat. This trip Grandpa brought his I-pad so many memories of giggles, highs and lows with spelling games, angry birds and bejeweled.

Washing an old pillow

The sheds received some cleaning and organization this week which will be helpful for Cory and the next team. The hospital gurney returned to the emergency room. Today Cory worked with some diseases banana plants as well as preparing some healthy plants for a man near Port Margo.

Tomorrow morning Eli and I will wave good-bye as Cory and Anna leave to deliver the folks to the airport and do a bit of shopping in Cap Haitian. Will work on school the rest of this week and put in some time on the new book. Andy turned in the first few pages of translated scrip that I need to type into the computer.

If all goes well Dad and Mom should arrive in Michigan early afternoon on Thursday.

Eli will move back into his bed room and Kodiak, the cat will no longer enjoy free entrance. Nor will Kodiak enjoy additional folks feeding him throughout the day.

Anna may put him on a diet as she believes that if he dropped some weight that he would be less tempting for someone to kidnap him and eat him. Even with a diet because he ate well as a kitten he would remain bigger than other local cats so not sure the diet will accomplish much other than make him beg.

Happy Birthday Mical and John!! Hope you both enjoy your special day. Thinking of you guys.

Saturday February 25th

A very nice Saturday especially since everyone felt well!

The second set of benches for the gazebo joined the first set. Dad and Eli worked on the ER gurney, thankful for completing the job.

 It looks much better.

Then they moved on to replanting some baby star fruit trees for Cory.

House cleaning and the making of chicken vegetable soup also completed Saturday morning.

Cory and Dad worked on organizing the back shed. Many banana bunches finish ripening in the shed. They also picked the ripe ones to be shared with the Kid's Club members today.

I talked Eli and Anna through making a daffodil cake for my mom.

Generally she does not get a birthday cake for her birthday in April so we celebrated early. Turned out very nice.


Mom, Eli, Anna and I also organized the video collection organizing them into sections: French Christian, French secular, English/non-French Christian and other.

 This will help Cory on Sunday selection for Kid's Club and Thursday night community movie night.

Today we will attend Fauche church and enjoy more family time. 

Naps are also on today's schedule as the drums played all night, stopping at 5 a.m.

Please pray for Haiti's government as the prime minister resigned this week after only 5 months in office.

Dad and mom leave for the USA on Wednesday, hoping to arrive home in Michigan on March 1st.

The Haiti His Hands team plans to share at the Allegan Wesleyan church on March 11, in the morning service that starts at 10:30.

Rat, Lizards, IV Math, and Cory's Trip

Life always turns interesting when Cory leaves for a trip and yesterday followed the pattern.


Cory and Gener left at 5:30 a.m.

Mom started not feeling well late afternoon on Tuesday and by yesterday morning obviously needed an IV as any water she drank caused epigastric pain and her hydration status needed fluids.

So after Eli emptied the rat trap that snapped in the night and went to help Grandpa paint the ER gurney I wandered down to clinic to find a nurse and purchase the IV supplies. [Kodiak only lends moral support as he does not go after rats.] Thankfully the pharmacy had a few IV solutions in stock, and I put in an order for more!

Miss Ermadine selected the supplies needed and walked up the house to put in the IV. Anna spent the morning working on some school work while keeping an eye on Grandma, helping out and learning practical IV math. How many drops a minute. How many drops in a cc? How long will it take for Grandma to receive 1/2 a liter of Normal Saline?

Eli and Anna needed to remove two lizards from the bathroom that Kodiak brought inside. The second one remained healthy enough to express its displeasure at being caught.

In the afternoon I walked down to the pharmacy before French class to purchase more IV's incase we needed to run them at the current rate of 1 liter every 3 hours. Turning in our French homework of 6 questions each we produced some very perplexed faces and head shaking by our teacher. But we learn from our errors right? Better to try and fail than not try at all. Next week he let us know we will be working on conversational French.

Mom felt a bit better by supper and Eli made her some tomato soup. We started some additional medications and slowed down the IV for the night. This morning her improved hydration status should allow us to remove the IV. So other than being tired she's feeling better.

The nurse left the one small roll of tape at our house in the morning but in the afternoon they needed to ask us for the solo roll of tape for the hospital! They kept a bit and sent up the end of the roll back to us incase we needed it during the night. So very thoughtful!

No rat in the trap this morning. Sunshine powering up our batteries. Cory called last night and reported a good day of agricultural talks. Because he would be driving in the dark to return home this evening he plans to remain for an additional night and take the opportunity to visit some friends of ours this afternoon who live close to the conference site.

Anna's 11th Birthday.

Anna celebrated her 11th birthday excitedly- today she could write her birthday as her first name both frontward and backwards. 21/02/2012.

She celebrated by only working on school work in the early hour before the rest of us got up out of bed.  Then after breakfast she painted a bit and then played some computer games.

Lunch consisted of spaghetti. Grandma prepared before coming to fill Anna's request of a golden retriever on her birthday cake. Grandma decorated it this afternoon under Anna's supervision.

Cake followed supper and then gifts. Anna received a few DVD's including Princes Diaries II which we are watching now. A book full of information on animals, a bracelet, and a mood indicator book.

Anna's expression comes from cool candles that come 10 in a row-you light one end and they self light the rest of them.

No local school because of carnival but lots of activity.

 Today we heard both loud singing and cheering from the school yard. At one point the children chanted 'run, run, run' as they raced.

Tomorrow Cory heads out to the central plato.  Today he via computer he chatted about moringa.

 The medical records cupboard received another coat of varnish.



Thankful that Paola is now safe. Thank you for the prayers.




No new word on the accident victims but continue to pray for them and their families.

 I continue to hear how well the medical and missionary staff pulled together to help in every way they could.

Please pray for missionaries and medical personal when ever they come to your mind.

Feb. 18th. Desk cleaning!

Team going out.

Desk cleaning really did not become the morning's goal until after we started our normal Saturday cleaning.

However this past week when Cory took the team to the airport he picked up some items that came by ship.

Among the items he bought and shipped some chemical mix that we hope will stop the termites from eating our nice table, boot-boxes, desks and other wood.

We find powder under the table daily.

Looking for damage. 

For Cory to inject the liquid mixture into the desks they needed to be empty. No small task.

Since the desks would be empty I decided that if we ever wanted to change the room around it would be a good time.

As a result, Anna's school desk now sits at the foot of her bed. I think that having both Eli and Anna able to work at their desks in separate rooms will be an improvement!

Anna found a small box worth of supplies that the Kid's Club children can use, along with several trash cans worth of trash.

WOW- One desk holds a lot!!

Both desks look much neater and organized.

The sunshine brings out the greens of the leaves as our afternoon breeze sweeps through the trees. Birds and roosters fill the air along with a few kids singing.

Saturday afternoon tends to be free time around our house. Tomorrow we look forward to church here at Fauche.

Enjoying family time: talks, memories, sharing Grandpa's Ipod, working and laughing together.

Kodiak likes boxes!

Feb. 17

Before

After a mostly sunny day the sky looks like rain and the temperature continues to drop. Today Dad finished a corner shelf for Anna's room and fixed a spot for her to hang up her clothes.

We worked on school and completed a few projects but if felt like everything took twice as long as it should of taken. A slow, 'I really do not want to do this" type of school day.

Mom's routine blood work from last week contained a questionably high result so I sent her back to the lab today for a retest. Thankfully the high result improved or this week the test worked better.

After

Team laundry completed and ready for next month's team. I hear a Ra-Ra carnival band in the distance. This weekend while secular Haiti celebrates carnival the Northern Wesleyan Youth will enjoy a weekend retreat. Pastor Rigo borrowed 4 DVD's for them to watch. He likes to keep them busy.

If at all possible we remain home and avoid travel the weekend and first of the week before Ash Wednesday as the roads can be blocked by crowds of celebrating people. At times vehicles can be damaged by rowdy people. A couple of years ago Cory and Anna drove slowly past a carnival parade on the other side of the road. Some of the folks carried fake weapons and wore scary masks.

Cory transplanted some tiny Artemisia plants today. This week Anna, Eli and myself all took Artemisia leaves because we felt under the weather. As this impressive medical herb contains antibiotic, anti-parasite, antiviral and anticancer properties we figure it helps fight whatever is bothering us.

Please join us in praying for safety for people during the carnival system.

Feb. 16th --First Day Post Team

Life starts to return to 'normal' following the departure of the main body of the 2012 His Hand's Team yesterday. This year we transition slowly because Mom and Dad remain with us for another two weeks. Two more loads of sheets and towels washed, dried and returned to the House of Hope. 

We continue to have cool weather with the sun only occasionally peeking out between the clouds. Anna enjoyed her clean, organized room surprise yesterday. She recently discovered that she enjoyed reading behind a large box holding the dental chairs. So we moved her dresser for a nicer, cosy reading space and the box behind her bedroom door. 

School schedule resumed although it will take us a few days to get totally back into the routine.

In less than a month will take a partial break from full school days as we host a combination team from Warsaw, Indiana and Battle Creek, Michigan.

Cory sent out E-mail copies of our latest newsletter today while the snail mail copies headed to the USA. He also put away the stuff can came by sea and is out spraying for bugs.

Dad worked on a bunk bed for the nurse's call room and made a stepping stool for the doctor's clinic room. Mom painted and varnished between helping with school.

Feb. 15th.

Today is a bit overcast and it seems a little like someone has let the air out of our ballon.  The team left this morning, Anna and Cory are still gone and so it is just the four of us here..Eli, Kris, Larry and me.

With the team leaving, the motor of the saw off to Michigan, the production of wooden objects has been curtailed.

 Larry did make a corner shelf for Anna, room, a rod to hang her clothes and fixed the door hanger of her room.  Grandma and Kris cleaned and rearranged Anna's bedroom as a surprise for her when she returns.

 Eli worked at some school studies and Grandma also sanded a bit for her varnishing projects.

 Sheets from the team were also washed and hung out to dry.

Last evening we had a team wrap up, just hearing various team members share about the things they learned during the last two weeks.

It was good to hear Nathan and Nicole share about liking to be with the Haitian children, their views of Haitian life.  We heard again thoughts of how blessed we are with what the Lord has given to each of us and how now the responsibility is each person's response to what we have seen.

We heard some very big dreams for the campus and some very heartfelt thanks for the trip.  Today we feel as if some of our family has gone back home.

Team made it off OK then Cory and Anna picked up mail, sea container cargo and did a bit of shopping.
Two loads of sheets done, a bit of school, French class and more organization.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese for supper and then a quiet evening.

Pictures, Feb. 14th

Mme. Rosemary's House

Walking the Path.

Full Team's Last Day.

Valentine's Day started sunny but ends with a rainy finish.  Delivery of the delivery table occurred along with varnishing of a table for Kid's club and a medical records cabinet.

At lunch we enjoyed fancy decorated cupcakes after our potpie. And celebrated the Kling's 14th wedding anniversary. The cooks received some small gifts and large thanks from the team.

After lunch the team walked to the house of the third cook to present her gifts. Then headed down to see the local rice hulling location.

The ladies helped fry tortillas yet another learning experience for them. They did fine with the spring rolls yesterday and the cooking today. Gerda you can be proud!

The six team members heading out tomorrow packed their bags today and tonight we will have our final devotional time of sharing. Cory and Anna will bring them to the airport early tomorrow and then pick up some items that arrived by sea container before heading home. The newsletters will be delivered for the MFI flight on Thursday.

Eli and I plan to return to our school work-Eli begged off the last two days stating that it is more important to make memories while the team was here.

Will also work on a list of work projects and any needed supplies for the March team so that they can start to pack their bags.

Feb. 13, Full Team's Last Monday.

Cool and rainy day. A bit of wood work, scraping, cooking, laundry [by hand and drying slowly].

A few of us will be boycotting showers tonight-too cold. Last night the temperature in our kitchen dropped to 68 degrees.

I forgot to add yesterday that at the end of Kid's Club while the leaders remained in front of the group, John Pierre lead the children in prayer for my sister-in-law Beth. They prayed for her through chemo and continue to pray for her as she finishes up treatment.

Thankful that the Internet continues to work well even with over 5 inches of rain in the last couple of days.

Received an E-mail today from the shipping company Cory sent an order of pool pain to that contained a sad picture of a box, leaking blue paint. The paint covered the address so they wanted to know if it was for us. Not good..

Generator running as our solar panels did not generate much electricity today.

Team's Second Sunday.

Today we stayed on campus, visiting the Fauche church and Kid's club.

A short walk down the hill, arriving at church just in time for the Sunday school reports. Cory walked down a bit earlier and roped off a couple of benches in the middle of the church so that we could sit together. Sitting around me most can hear bits and pieces, as I translate parts of the service.

The special music and praise time touched us as the people sing enthusiastically and from the heart. The sermon based on the second chapter of Joel and how we need to repent and lead others to the Lord because the Day of Eternity is not far away.

Lunch consisted of squash soup and strogonaff. With left over Key Line Pie, chocolate cake every one enjoyed. Rain fell most of the afternoon delaying our Kid's Club skit. When the rain let up John Pierre came up for the sound equipment and reported that a few of the children had been waiting since before the rain started a few hours earlier.

So we headed down to the church with the animal hats. About 70 children enjoyed our song and then they joined us in singing Father Abraham. We enjoyed some of the children's special music and a the presentation of the leaders.

Left overs for supper. Thankful for the Internet working despite the rain.

Pictures from last 2 days.

Ride to beach.

Sewing class.

Medical records cabnet

Cleaning the church for Sunday.

Practice for Kid's Club skit

Saturday, Feb. 11th.

Saturdays generally mean a pancake start to our day and today was no exception. Sweet grapefruits and bananas also tasty.

More work on the delivery bed which is looking much better. Will see if the team in March can improve the second bed to a similar level. The men worked on the medical records cabinets and a table for Kid's Club until the saw decided to smoke and stop working. The Haitian electrician was due back to work on it this afternoon but we think that the rain showers delayed him.

Yet more scraping of paint. Because this is a hot, tedious and tiring job we only work at it a couple hours of the day. Before going down to scrape the women and kid's did some schoolwork and cleaning. All but Anna who work up today with a fever and headache. We discovered that we gave away all our normal thermometers and only have a couple of old digital ones. So I borrowed one of the nurses personal thermometers to confirm that the older ones still work. The old one does work so we know that Anna's highest temperature today topped out at 102.4. Unfortunately her stomach is also giving her trouble.  She spent most of the day sleeping and trying to drink.

At 11:30 the team practiced the skit for tomorrow. I did take a few pictures but still cannot located where the program ended up putting them on my computer. I know that the children will enjoy this skit because it made us laugh!

The rainy afternoon found folks talking, working a puzzle, playing games, napping or cooking a bit. We will be enjoying some beef stew, fried breadfruit and sweet potatoes, wacky cake and key lime pie for supper. Cory put the satellite receiver back together.

JohnPierre retrieved 2 cases of vanilla that we mistakenly left at the store in Cap Haitian today. The team will take some back for themselves and as gifts.

Friday Feb. 10th.

Should of typed this up yesterday to help me remember better but will do my best now that our internet is working again.

In the morning the guys worked on making wooden cupboards for the medical records area. Both our mom's worked on repainting the delivery table and celebrated the purchase of one spay bottle of white paint to get in the hard spots.

A bit of school occurred followed by a small amount of scraping. Cory looked at our satellite dish and found that the receiver was missing a gasket therefore not waterproof. He took it apart and let it dry out overnight. A short rain shower this afternoon delayed putting it back together but as this blog shows-he got us connected again.

Early lunch as we planned to travel to the beach. Not only our team and the 3 guys who work with Cory went but also a bunch of their children. Both benches of the big truck were full up. We stopped at the Nazareth church to see the school and church. A sewing class was in session at the time working on two treadle machines.

Our beach time was enjoyed by all [so much that we forgot about the camera-sorry but here is a picture from last year]. Part of the road between us and the coast is now paved!! We passed a road crew working their way toward our home so we hope that they plan to smooth out and pave all the way to Limbée. We enjoy having fun with our neighbors outside of a normal work day or church.

The water a bit cool for some of us with occasional warm spots which all to fast moved on with the waves. Cory forgot his cell phone in his pocket....waiting to see if he can recover it or not. A family we know working with the Limbée University were also at the beach so we visited a bit.

Once home we showered off the salty and sandy reminders of our beach time and following supper watched an old Ma and Pa Kettle movie.

I would of posted pictures of the work but the computer decided to hid them from me. If I can find where they went I'll post at a later time. Want to get this blog posted so those of you who continue to check for news can have an update to read.

Thursday, Feb. 9th

Yesterday after cinnamon rolls, fresh bananas and grapefruit the work day began. The 'normal' tasks of school and laundry occurred.

The delivery bench received another coat of paint [the reddish brown coat is rustoleum] as well as a a new front.

The men worked on the main plumbing job on the to-do list of installing a 300 gallon water cistern on the roof of the clinic laboratory.

Now when the campus cistern is empty, which happens a lot of the time as the guest house, clinic/hospital, school and other campus locations all share that supply, the clinic will be able to use their tank.

A bit of scraping occurred in the waiting room but not much as people were busy with other jobs and yesterday's weather turned out warmer, 87 degrees and muggy.

After lunch break Cory drove the team across the river to visit some local gardens and some of Gener's family.

They visited a chair maker who graciously allowed them to take a look inside the house. After returning to the compound they also visited Cory's gardens.

Cory made an appointment for the technician to check out our internet system for Tuesday.

Last night when Cory checked our system worked just a few minutes on and off.

This morning it is working better but I wonder when it will go off again.

Our local electrician took a look at an old part that burned out last year and noticed the water damage. Cory thinks that is still the problem.

The team enjoyed fried breadfruit and sweet potatoes.