It is soooooo sad to say goodbye here. It has been an emotional day!

We all finished up our projects or new little jobs today, then went partying with Luckner, Rose Lore, Girlancia and all the students at the trade school who are studying English. We had cake, cold drinks and wished Mariah a Happy Birthday in 3 languages. Luckner went on the air wished her a Happy Birthday and played a song for her and some Newfie music for us. We had a great time.

Birthday girl and massage parlour

Birthday girl with Baby Jonathan and opening gifts

Celebrating birthday at Luckner's

English class celebrating Mariah's birthday

We don’t leave tomorrow morning until 7:30 AM so will say goodbye in the morning…..it will be hard! Many tears will be shed and wishes to return will be shared.

We will be travelling in the truck and there will be a fight for the back as it always is when we travel. I am sure we will share the fun.

That’s our trip this time around…we have loved our time here and been loved by the kids, Karen, Mariah and staff.

Three young songsters

After church we enjoyed a rest period then joined the children and house mothers to celebrate Mariah’s birthday, Now that was a high energy and high volume hour or so.

Bday girl with Jofky, Sandra & Jonathan

Enjoying the birthday bash

Jonathan sleeping with Sandra

After that we visited Project Help mission in Borel (where Karen lived for 9 years while renting one of their houses and started the orphanage in another house she rented there). While some watched the soccer game others took a tour and learned some of the mission and a lot about solar energy used for pumping water.

Project HelpOn project Help

On project Help

Solar powered well pump

The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the children and the beautiful sunset. Each day leaves us more aware of the brief time we have left to enjoy the giggles and hugs of our small Haitian friends. We will miss them more than words can express and are already thinking ahead to next years trip.

Sunset

Can't travel like this after Tuesday

On the road to Pelig

The group minus 1(holding the camera)

 Fishing from the dam

View downstream from dam

Lake above the dam

Practise was held for the lesson at church tomorrow. Karen and Antoinette had decided to act out what Antoinette will be teaching on tomorrow – two of the ten commandments. ‘ Do not steal’ ‘Do not lie’. They asked Naomie and Jim to assist. Antoinette is going to be the voice of Satan and Jim the voice of God. Karen feels that Jim needs to do a lot of practice tonight so he can be ready. He needs to say several times this word – “Non” “Non” “Non”. Karen is not sure if he can remember all those lines and be able to do all that in Creole. He might end up having to do it in English “No” “No” ‘No”.
Sandra was entertained by Dieunel and Judel for a while. A walk along the canal is on for the older kids and some blan yo at 4:30 PM.
We hope to play a game tonight when all is ready for tomorrow.

Time to relax finally

Evening on the canal

A note about last night…we went down to Radio Creole 104.7 FM (Luckner’s Radio Station) about 9:00 PM. There was quite a lively and animated discussion going on about soccer. There was Luckner, his assistant, Arice, and several guests all involved in this discussion. One man was very animated and interested in getting us on the air…he kept giving us the ear phones and trying to share the microphone and finally he came back to me (Sandra) and asked if I spoke Creole or French and when I said no he moved to Shondi and she said “un peu” so he was talking long and animated in her face and I saw Wagler (assistant to Luckner at the school ) move in closer to Shondi and then he leaned to hear what the man was saying to her and then Karen appeared and sat beside Shondi. Rose Lore, too, was on route to rescue Shondi if needed. I laughed and knew that they knew something about this man that we didn’t. He went off to use the bathroom and we were gone when he returned. It was interesting.

Enjoying the debate at Radio Creole

Those that know Timote, we saw him at the Radio Station last night. He was pleased to see us and we to see him.
We heard from Seth. His surgery was Monday past. He is in the middle of the painful healing process. We are all hoping and praying that he is back on his feet and as good as new before much longer.

When you drive the highways here you see that houses are built right to the edge of the roads. It is convenient because most people do not have their own transportation. Most of these houses are to say the least substandard to our values but some are actually pretty nice here.

Roaring down the highway? by the canal

When you travel away from the roads the houses become very poor. Most are made of sticks and mud with a thatched roof and mud floor. Some have tin roofs. The only source of water is a community well or the canal. Either one means carrying water a long distance. Very few are made of cement blocks. When we travelled up to Antoinette’s church yesterday the conditions were very bad. The Church where they worship has a mud floor and no roof. It is perched on a hill with a great view of the valley. There were 18 boys playing soccer on a very small cleared area with a ball made of wound rope and rags.
I think everyone who comes to Haiti leaves feeling we have way too much in North America. It makes me want to help where and when I can.

Some Housing

We were all busy today as usual. Many tasks were preformed today. Shondi and Sandra were painting benches from the school which I had repaired. Jim as usual was improving the computer/internet. As we do everyday we spend time with the children.

Bench facelift

Something is looking good

Mr Computer and Internet

We presented several of the dresses that were made and donated by students of Stephanie Dean-Moore at Hants East Rural High School.  The others will be given to children in the community.

7 Princesses in new dresses

A hairdresser came today and gave Mariah a beautiful new do.

Mariah's new doo

The other night, I (Shondi) had forgotten to bring my flashlight with me and was the last to go to bed. I eventually found my way to my mosquito tent and crawled in – the first time I’d ever gotten in without first thoroughly checking it for bugs and/or surprises. I was reading my kindle soon after and saw something move out of the corner of my eye and then felt something touch my arm. I jumped up so fast and let out a huge scream – only to discover the supposed ‘creepy crawly’ in my tent was actually one of my ear plugs that had rolled out from under my pillow!

Organizing Karen's cupboards

A few nights before that Mariah was the last to go to bed and came flying out screaming there was something in her bed. Karen heard it downstairs and came looking to find out what was happening. Sandra being the brave one went to investigate and had to remove the 4 blankets she had on her bed (remember the rest of us don’t even use a sheet) and then saw it so used a blanket to pick it up and throw it away BUT the spider hit her arm and she danced and screamed too. Finally we all settled down again but Dickie hasn’t seen the spider since so we are waiting for it to make another appearance.

More time with Mariah’s class today, and one little fellow (who is always a handful) crawled under the gate to the field while we waited for the man to come and unlock the gate. Shondi and Sandra were watching the kids and when we saw him we both laughed and said we would tell Mariah we had thrown him over the gate when she returned. The look on her face when she saw him in there running around was priceless.

Computer, Internet Expert (with a lot of help from Tim)

Dickie has been playing tricks on Martha and Germaine – leaving a snake on one of their bags, putting a spider in the laundry and in the blender, etc. They got him back last night by loading up his tent with corn flakes. He had to take everything out to get rid of them. They said that the wind must have blown the corn flakes in there!

Karen is moving faster today…much faster…. her foot still isn’t healed but it is hard to keep her down for long. We were the objects of her grade 7 English Class as they learned about family so we represented sister, brother in law, niece, cousin, mother, daughter, father, sister in law and others. Sandra had to write on the board because Karen sat on the desk to rest her foot. We had conversations with the students as they had to come and ask us questions. One nice young fellow asked if Sandra wanted to sit towards the end of class…guess he thought that white hair meant she was old. At 4:00PM we had an English Class at Luckners Trade School and again we were involved in the class.

Off to English Class at Trade School

After English Class we went to see the church that Antionette and her husband are building in the country and we saw a lot of Adams (naked men) along the way! We’re not usually out and about at that time – just before dark – I guess maybe that’s bathing time?!

Front of church - Antoinette and Benoit

Inside of the church

Antoinette and Benoit

We got rid of the last 2 goats and now just have to send the photos to those who bought them.

Goats are gone

Jim is very busy doing computer work so we will wait until he is done before we send them out. Jim does get out of the office some BUT he does spend the bulk of his time there.

Shondi & Sandra went to school to help with the parachute and playdough and cookie cutters for Mariah’s class. We had fun time on the field then back to class. The children did really well with their playdough and no one ate it. There was a new student there and the kids thought it quite amusing and then were impressed with his playdough skills.

The parachute

Dickie perfects his play dough skills

Mariah got her braids taken out and we went off to Verrettes to get relaxer for her hair and for other needed things at the Pharmacy. There is always a fight for the back of the truck…everyone wants to sit out there.

Losing the braids

Antionette came back to work on Karens’ foot and leg and gave Sandra a good massage on her bad leg too.

Tuesday brought the construction crew to the roof of the Security Tower and it was interesting to watch them take the concrete up in buckets.

Pouring the roof

Shondi did the payroll and paid the employees, helped with Mariah’s class and disappeared for a long time and no one knew where she was.

Payday

Dickie painted shelves for the children’s bedrooms and went to Mariah’s class to see the kids.

Cabinet Painting

Jim played soccer with Mariah’s class in the field, and worked on computer all day again.

Mariah's class

Karen was at the school office and taught English to grade 8, albeit on one foot.

I had the awe full task of having 2 babies to myself….Jonathon & Sandra and then Ti Luc and I played for an hour or so before we walked along the canal.

Everyone watches the video on the camera at the same time.

Sunday morning service

Morning service

Karena ready for church in new dress

Sandra carrying Sandra to church

Shondi carrying Karen

Mariah and Jonathan ready for church

Mama and her beautiful daughter

We spent a lot of time with the children playing and teaching rollerblading. They are a joy to be around and are very appreciative of any attention.

We Skyped with Blair, Danielle, Molly and Lexi in Kingston today. Without the new Internet Server this was previously impossible. You can hear Karen hoot and holler everytime an email goes out and one opens all in the same day.

We went for a tour of Deschapelles this afternoon. Our initial mission was to go to the Drugstore but it was closed.

On a personal note I have seen a noticeable difference in Haiti. By no means are things good but are at least going in the right direction.

Friday night visit to Radio Creole.

Dickie presented four woman with caps at Radio Creole

Radio Creole visit. Vladimy sang and prayed on the air

We (Richard, Shondi, and I) herded the goats from outside the house to the security for the night…..if not they would have been under Jim’s tent. We took the goats back to the school yard this morning, one lady came for hers and we still have 2.

Blan goat herders

Little goat herders

We roller bladed again this morning and they are all doing better but Deuinel and Djemima are doing really well and can skate by themselves. They will all be doing it by next week I am sure.

We all went shopping today at the hardware store (3 of them actually) in Liancourt and then stopped for chicken on the way home. Jim, Mariah and I were in the back of the truck and we were noticed by all the men (young especially, but old looked too)…it must have been either my white hair or Jim’s bald head, it could not have been the beautiful young Mariah who turns heads where ever she goes! This afternoon we readied the school for church tomorrow and Dickie put up clocks and calendars on office walls. Jim worked on internet at Seth & Jessie’s house.

Internet being added to asst missionary houseKids talking to Jessie and Seth on Skype

We wish Jessie and Seth were here with us and we wish Seth all the best on his surgery on Monday. Today Karen arranged for the children to be able to see them on Skype. Thanks to real internet service, at the moment, things went well. They could see and hear the children and vice versa.

The children had a video this afternoon and Mariah, Vladimy, JJ and Ti Luc went down to Luckner’s to watch a football (soccer) game on television. Dicke drove them down and Shondi drove home…a new experience for her.

Goats are back on compound for the night.

We are off to play a game…..hopefully!

PS. Karen here. This morning we had a visit from Jofky’s biological father who is blind. He asked to be able to hear his son. This was the first time since I took Jofky into this family. Jofky was afraid to leave my arms but he did look and listen. His father did the same as he did the day he brought him to me almost two years ago, he prayed for his son.

Jofky's biological father visiting him for first time since he came to HATS

Can’t close without a photo of the two Sandras.

Big Sandra and Little Sandra

Shondi just arrived from moving goats so she will take over.

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“…Men on a road with a load to tote heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo…”

There were no lonely goatherds today though, since there were a bunch of us on goat duty. Twelve goats arrived around noon and 9 were picked up before dark.

Arrival of goats

Thanks for my goat

In between pickups, Sandra and Vladimy tried to milk a goat to see if they could do any better than Dana. Sandra wasn’t very good at it, but Vladimy could be a real dairy farmer! The 3 goats that weren’t picked up will be ‘sleeping’ over with us on the compound. That should really make things interesting!

Newest goat milker

Hey Dana - take note

Jim and Dickie continued working on wireless internet for the compound. They were caught hanging precariously from a ledge on the second floor, since workers were using the only ladder.

Dickie

Jim & Dickie

Sandra and Shondi assisted Mariah with her class’s ‘recreation period’ and with lunch again. They sure are cute! They continued their sorting and organizing project. A ‘booboo’ kit was put together for Mariah to keep in her class. We have been called over to the school two days in a row to tend to booboos and ouchies, and it is apparently a common occurrence. So now enfimye Mariah can add nursing to her resume.

Sandra holding Shondi

Ti Luc and Karena

I’m off to water the goats, so have to sign off for now.

Today was warmer than yesterday and Shondi and I are both sun burned, Dickie is not feeling well and Jim is a little off his oats today.

We went to devotions on the compound today and it was a delight as always. Karen was not there to translate for most of it so they didn’t know what we said and we didn’t know what they said. We worshipped together though. Computer work and carpentry kept the men busy. Cleaning and reorganizing started our work day.

Dickie & Jim - carpentry work

Soon, however, we were called to the school to assist Mariah in the field with her class and then Shondi & I supervised the lunch hour…what a riot. I came home beat, that was a BIG job.

Mariah's class

Back to the classroom

This afternoon we brought out the roller blades and you should have seen the kids…..Mariah donned a pair of skates and demonstrated…..they all thought they would put the skates on and do what she did. They required a lot of help. It was so much fun but it was hot and hard work at the same time. I even had to help hold Karen up as she tried out wheelies.

Dieunel on rollerblades

Ti Luc rollerblading

Ismyis

Moise & Vladimy

Sandra holding Karen up

We went to Luckner’s radio studio for a visit and cold drinks, then home for supper. We had diri avek pwa kongo (rice & beans).

Off to Luckner's

Mariah is doing her class preparation work for tomorrow, Karen & Jim just visited the children’s home and said goodnight and dosed up the sick ones. Dickie is resting and Shondi showering.
Tomorrow the goats come so it should be an interesting day.