ONE WEEK AND WE ARE STILL ALIVE!!

Bonswa! Well, it is setting in that we are really in Haiti! Yesterday was Kath and my first creole lesson with a school administrator named David. We learned (well we went over) the Hatiain alphabet which has 11 vowels, 3 half vowels, and 20 consonants. For anyone having trouble adding, that is 34 letters – ours has 26 ;) Most of the consonants sound much like they do in English until you put them with vowels. We were told that the consonants purpose was to get the vowels to speak. So there are not many words that end abruptly rather they have a softer ending made with a “ou” or a nasal “n” sound. Lord willing we will pick it up!!

I have also found the medical clinic to be pretty third world. When you have a kid come in with a fever and a stomach ache in the U.S you will usually just assume it is a virus that has to run its course. So you give them some symptom reducers like Tylenol or Advil and tell them to drink a lot. Here you never just assume it is a simple virus. Essentially every kid and adult that comes in with a fever, chills, etc. is sent home with some chloroquine to treat Malaria that may reside in their bodies. As far as symptom management, well these people live in survival mode and not really comfort so they tough things out pretty well. Dr. Kris has made several diagnoses that seemed great to me, but then she would say “but we can’t do that here, so we will do what we can”. It is different than in the states to say the least, but at the same time the patient doctor interaction is very similar. People come in sick wanting to feel better and trusting in the doctor. So Kris tries to help them with the tools she has and the knowledge she possesses.

Life here is interesting. After the first week we are feeling more and more settled in. It has been a great first week. God has provided for us in a large part because of your prayers and emails! Thank you all so much. This week has given us hope for the rest of our time here. We can make it in the heat, inconveniences, and different food. The kids are great. Luckily sports are an international language, volleyball is played with your hands, and soccer is played with your feet. It is nice to be able to connect in some way!! So we still don’t know exactly what God has in store for us but we are excited to find out.

(the first picture is Kathleen standing on the stairs that lead to the roof of the building where the church meets 4+ times a week)

(the second picture is me being "komik" with our group of kids that play with us every afternoon)

Have a blessed day!