weekly highlights

This past weeks highlights:

1. Last Thursday I stayed the night at Greta...that was quite the experience. Lots of sweet things to say about it and I also would like to add that I will never take for granted my alone adult time. Seeing the kids for a full 24+ hour day was a lot to take in but with it came bedtime stories, tucking them in and seeing their faces first thing when I awoke. What I did not like was waking up when they woke up (5 am)....you win some, you lose some.

2. Friday I came back to base to find a monstrous water slide assembled and ready to be tested. I mean, this thing could make it into Carowinds. Its legit. I was not too thrilled about the extension ladder I had to climb to get into it but nevertheless I was happy to test the slide for safety and levels of fun. This was one of the most fun things I have done in quite some time, top part slide, bottom part slip n slide...win win. We played on that for a good part of the day, got soaking wet and then did it again the next day with the Greta kids. We had them over to base for beach day. Watching the little kids slide probably for the first time on a water slide was adorable. I have no pictures I am sorry to say. I wanted to make sure I was with the kids Saturday and not just trying to capture the moments, ya know? But it was really fun and just picture sweet Dave, sitting on the beach, belly out, in his teeny swimsuit, purple sunglasses upside down, holding his Barbie. Oh I could have gobbled him up. We had loads of fun playing in the sand and in the slip n slide. He even washed my hair for me with the soapy water. He's so thoughtful.

3. Sunday in Haiti is Mother's Day. Yesterday they all made cards in school for their mothers and bless my heart, 3 of them chose me to give theirs too. I am not going to get into the mooshy gooshy of that but it meant a lot to me, we'll leave it at that.

4. At some point this week, though I have lost track of my days, I got poop on my pants, this time a child's....Dave....that was fun.

5. This morning at 5 am I was awakened by a feeling on my leg. I smacked it and as I suspected felt something there. I turned the lights on, threw off the covers and low and behold, there was a scorpion in between my legs. From there followed a series of being paralyzed from shock, speaking in tongues, asking jesus ever so calmly why this was in my bed, trying to kill it with my shoe and crying because I was so tired. 15 minutes later it was dead and I was not getting back in my bed. I definitely got an earlier than desired start to my day and have already checked my sheets twice for one tonight.

6. Today was All Staff Fun Day at base so all our national and expat employees, around 200 people had the day off for fun. Myself and the Deputy Country Director were in charge of planning what is basically an adult field day. This went on all day and was just the most fun. Both of us, along with the Country Director had super soakers that we could shoot people with throughout the day. I had a feeling this would backfire.....so during the water balloon toss, Francois, one of our rubble guys...said he had a special game. He drew names "randomly" from a hat for people to sit in a circle. Ironically, our DCD, CD and I were chosen. As our chairs were being tied together I began to catch on. We were attacked. All our were staff armed with water balloons for about a 5 minute attack. All we could do was duck and cover. From then on it was a full out water war as people grabbed buckets of water and went crazy. I was soaked but definitely managed to return the favor to Francois.

7. I hate mosquitoes and would like for everyone to join me in praying against them and agreeing in faith that they will stop eating me. I am going to turn into one giant swollen bite. I hate them.

8. Last but not least......drum roll......you know how my leave date for Haiti is June 21st so like less than a month? Well, this week I got extended! I will be staying until the end of July now. I am so thankful to have more time here and am excited about whatever it is Jesus is doing- because I know its awesome, scorpions and poop included.

That is my crazy week. This coming Saturday we have a mass wedding (3 couples at one time) happening at base for some of our employees that yours truly is in charge of. I am sure I will have lots to say about that when everything is finished.  That is all. I am going to bed. Good Night!

mama said thered be days like this...

I think I need to change my blog title. Instead of Lafwa- which means faith in creole, I think it should be "you'll never believe what happened today" After all, most of my days feel like that. I come home and tell my fellow base mates, who are questioning the various things they see on my pants, what strange things that I just cant explain happened that day at Greta.

I will re-tell my day to you like I did to my friends at the dinner table tonight over, you guessed it, rice. :) It might sound dramatic, because that is how I feel about it, but I assure you its all true. I just can't make this stuff up.

It started off normal, walked to the breakfast area around 7 am, where I spilled coffee creamer on my pants. I went and changed only to spill coffee on my second pair of pants 10 minutes later during devotions. I decided to stay in those pants, knowing that I usually dirty them at work and I just refuse to create more laundry for myself.

Flash forward 5 hours later. Its almost 12:30- lunch time- and my boss has left for the bank. Its just me myself and I while the kids are still in school and I have the office alone. I turn up my music and think I am finally going to get this work done Ive been needing to check off. Slowly but surely my little kindergarten bumpkins start to trickle in- they got out of school early today. I kiss them, squeeze them and send them to the lunch tables, but as usual, a few refuse to leave. (I'm convinced this disobedience is simply because they just love me so much they want to stay and not listen to anything I say). I manage to get 1 of 3 out the door and close it behind me to ensure no other kids come in. I get the last 2 kids, take them to the door and...to my surprise... it wont open. I thought maybe one of the kids was holding it closed but nope, no one there. A few minutes later I concede that I am indeed locked in my office with 2 boys under the age of 7. Oh me oh my. The all glass door quickly gives away my predicament as many of the kids gather to watch.

(Anderson and Fritz. These are their "sad" faces once we realized we were stuck.)

In the meantime, everyone decided to walk by, ask me why I was stuck in the office, insist they were the 16 year old boy that could free this white damsel in distress, offer to slide me water under the door (no idea how that could have worked out), cry because they thought I was stuck in there forever (Dave) or just laugh at the blan that cant open the door. (Blan means white and is also often confused as my name.)

Long story short I called our construction guys over and an hour and a half later they cut the door handle off and we were freed. It was quite the ordeal. I spent the time trying to keep their little hands off of everything, entertain them, ration out my last granola bar between the 3 of us, and aid the construction workers in my release. I never again want my freedom to depend on my tool skill set. I had no clue what I was doing despite my 4 hour ordeal from Friday where I locked myself out of my house and had to break in. Potato, potato the situations felt the same and the moral of the story is I now have a reputation of getting locked in and out of things. Dont worry, we all survived, some of us barely. I was doing ok until one of the boys farted.....

 

(Our wonderful construction men trying to get us out.)

Twenty minutes after my freedom, my pants prediction came to pass. I left work with blood that wasnt mine on my khakis. Dont freak out. It was only a nice cut on the toe. Nothing a giraffe band-aid and a few kisses couldnt fix. But still. My pants.

I think thats about it for the day. I did not cross anything off my to-do list but that is ok, there is always tomorrow for that. Or maybe Thursday but not Friday because we have the day off. Happy Flag Day. :) Oh, AND, silver lining, besides Jesus and cute babies that wear me out and test my patience, I got a 12 pack of diet coke today. Hollaaa!

I hope none of this sounds like complaining. I wouldnt choose anywhere else to be in the world, except maybe when I was locked in my office. I still wake up every morning glad this is what Jesus chose for me. Some days are just days and you gotta love the ones that give you the best blogging material. So enjoy my crazy day, I am going to sleep! Here is to a better tomorrow, one with clean pants and doors that stay open.

home sweet home

Well, in case you didnt notice, I am back in Haiti. After 10 wonderful days in the States with family and friends I have made my way back "home". It definitely feels bittersweet and I imagine life usually feels that way when you go from one great thing to another. I will say this sweet little face below made the switch a whole lot easier. Good grief. I encourage you next time you are feeling grumpy, complaining, discontent or just normal to find this photo and look at that boy. I love my Dave.

 



Besides eating all my favorite foods and taking long hot showers, my time at home was extremely refreshing. I could go on and on about the amazing family and friends I am blessed to have. It makes things easier, possible and enjoyable when you have a support system behind you, praying, encouraging, bearing your burdens and joys. With that said I am ready to get back in it. I think I have gained a lot of perspective just by being removed for a few days and can see things with a bit more clarity and grace. I did forget however 1. how hot it is here 2. how many mosquitoes there are and 3. how much I have come to hate rice.

All those things aside and my dire need for diet coke today, I wouldnt trade these babies, this experience, this calling for all the diet coke and mellow mushroom in the world.

Pray for me today as I switched out my bottle of perfume with a can of deet. Regardless of how much longer I am here or what all I do, I know each lesson, each child, each day is just covered in purpose and grace. And I will come back and read that sentence on the day when I am so hungry, so tired, so hot and so frustrated. Because I know those moments will come, I have had PLENTY.

So, thats it for now. I am still recovering from travels yesterday getting back into rhythm so I am going to bed. Good Night!