A New Kind of Day

These past two weeks have been ones that have changed our lives. Never before have we been this close to such catastrophe and huge loss of life. We have seen person after person be affected... can't find a friend, haven't heard about a brother, buried their cousin, now housing their homeless relatives... everyone in Haiti knows somebody who was there at the quake. For us, we didn't lose anyone we knew, but our friends did. Our house wasn't destroyed from beneath us, but it shook hard enough not to let us forget that thousands did. The world isn't in chaos in north Haiti, but it did change.
From Wednesday morning after the quake things haven't been the same. Kris left early Wednesday taking with her medications, bandages, and our daily routine. There was a void when Kris left that someone or somebody had to fill. It turned out that we all had to come together to continue on. Kathleen and I began to homeschool Elijah and Anna from 7:30 am (usually we were a little tardy...oops) and finish at 3ish.
We started each morning with some singing hymns and reading about different countries in the world (first picture). They didn't complain too much, but I am sure that they will be glad to have their mom back after my tone-deaf attempts at carrying a tune. It is a good thing my beautiful wife was there to help me. After that we would read aloud to the kids. I would read history with Eli (we learned about communism, Vietnam, Korea, etc), then they would do math, french, grammar, science, and we would read some of the subjects with them. I have never read aloud so much in my life! It is a skill to be able to do that for a long time. They got a break at 10 in the middle of their subjects and then lunch is at noon. After lunch they do spelling with Kath (second pic... they are not always smiling). The day would end with them finishing whatever subjects they had on their list. They were working hard to get done before their grandparents get here so they could get some days off. They did a great job! It was good to hang out with them most of the time. Granted they are still 12 and 8 and brother and sister, but kath and I love them all the more after a week and a half of teaching. (The last two pics are Eli and Anna hard at work)
When we were done in the Thede's house we would come home and hastily plan our English class and head to that at 3:55. We have been teaching beginners on Mon/Wed, Intermediate on Tues/Thurs, and have English Club on Friday afternoons. Our English classes are going well and we always enjoy them once we start teaching, but I am not going to say I always skip to class. The students are great and we really feel more at ease with them. It is great to be making new friends. We get done teaching class at 5:30 and then get dinner ready. Both of us were usually pretty tired having put in a full day of teaching. We hang out and then go to bed at 10ish.
Eli and Anna finished school and now the Team Season begins today with the arrival of Kris's parents and another couple. We have no idea what our days are going to look like now, but we know that they will be put to good use! Tomorrow Bill and I are again working on getting water to the medical clinic... sounds like fun to me.
Have a great Day!

Something we read in church this morning:

Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.

Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.

Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.

Psalm 90:12,14,16

What do you say?

Yesterday in English class we had more students than we've had since the beginning of our second session. It was our advanced level class, so it was encouraging to see more familiar faces that had been in our first level class last time around. We taught about some usual stuff...distance words (far, farther, farthest) amount words (some, more, most) and quality words (good, better, best), other vocabulary (which we enjoyed acting out for them--hit, punch, kick, slap, Chris even threw in headbutt as a bonus word) and others. We read from the book of James about not judging people by appearance, and they practiced reading aloud and explaining the meaning of what they were reading. It was a good class overall.
After class we usually stick around for 15 minutes or so while people pay for class, ask questions, and greet us. Yesterday a woman I hadn't seen since December was there. Her name is Lilianne and I think she is probably in her 30's or low 40's. I greeted her and told her we were happy to see her, and then asked her the question I have felt compelled to ask people the last week, Eske ou gen fanmi nan Port au Prince? Or..do you have family in Port au Prince? I don't know why I always ask this, I guess I just want to acknowledge that the earthquake happened, and that I know it has affected them. The last few people we have talked to about it have shared that yes, they have family there, (mostly everyone does) but they are okay. They have come to Fauche to live with them, since their house was broken, but they are ok. A few have lost a friend or a brother-in-law, but most are relieved to report that they have found their families. It was not so with Lilianne. Standing in the church talking in the midst of a small crowd of students, she told me that she had lost a friend, some others, and her husband. We were speaking in Creole, so I thought, did I hear her right? So I asked again, your husband? And she said, yes. Her husband. And most of her family was there, in fact. They had looked for them but weren't able to find them. What do you say? For some reason I just couldn't believe it. Here she was, in English class, so calm and if I hadn't asked, I wouldn't have known. I gave her a kind of abrupt hug, and told her how sorry I was and how I wished I could help her, but knew I couldn't, and how we would pray. Even back at home after class I kept thinking how I must have heard her wrong! The thought even crossed my mind, Is she just saying that to try to get something from us? I just couldn't accept that she would suffer such great loss. The people here seem to be suffering quietly. They go about their days and keep on, but we know they are dealing with loss as well as rearranging their lives so their family members can come live with them indefinitely.
So, please just pray for Lilianne and people like her! Pray they will hold on to their faith in God if they have it, and if they don't that they will find it. God's comfort is the only thing great enough to care for them right now. thank you!
I know that was pretty heavy, but I wanted to share it. So on a lighter note, this picture is of Chris holding our picture frame which has totally been covered with mold! Yuck! It's been so wet here that things are just turning white and some are growing these lovely green spots. They're kind hard to see in the pic, but you can see from Chris's reaction that it's not good! But nothing a little Clorox won't kill. We love Clorox in Haiti. Thank you so much for your continued prayer. Chris's dad is in Haiti right now, going to the field hospital that Dr. Kris is working in this morning! It is awesome to see how God has made a way for him to come, and not only that, to work with Dr. Kris! Last night he stayed with some missionaries we know, Carl Gilles and Dan and Joy Irvine. We were able to talk with him on the phone and it was such a cool thing, knowing he is down in Port au Prince and getting ready to help. We are still praying about the possibility of joining up with him next week if we can help, and if we can find a way to get down there. But for now, it's back to school! Anna and Eli are doing well, and have shown a lot of strength this week with their mom gone. Our next blog will show some pictures from our school days. We are working on some action shots today. Love to you all!

An Interesting Week

Hey everyone. Chris and I have now completed almost a week as full time school teachers. Our two students are doing well. They miss their mom of course, but are working away and doing better this week. Homeschooling is such a big job! I don't know how moms do it by themselves, and with more than two kids...wow. We are all still waiting, holding our breath to see how the earthquake is going to continue to affect Haiti and our Haitian friends and neighbors. Life continues to go on here, which is a good thing, although it seems strange! Today I was hanging our laundry on the line and it was such a beautiful day...sunny and cloudy, with all the mountain edges looking spectacular against the sky as always, and I saw a helicopter speed past overhead, going south, and it was just a weird feeling. Knowing that it was probably bringing supplies (which is a praise!) but to people who are still suffering greatly. This picture above is from a funeral we attended yesterday. It actually wasn't for anyone involved in the earthquake, but the dad of both our Creole teacher, David, and one of our students. As you can see there were a ton of people there. We could only stay for an hour (we had to get back for class) but the whole time we were there different groups of people did special music. It was interesting. We learned from our class later that people who do not attend church do not get a funeral at all. They don't have funeral homes as we do in the States. They were very interested to know what happens when someone who doesn't know God dies.
We learned yesterday that Chris's dad will be coming to Port au Prince on Thursday for about 10 days to work in a field hospital somewhere down there. We aren't sure if we will be able to see him, but are hoping and praying that we will. We are waiting to hear from a mission that is driving down there every few days if they have space for us, and from Ron when he arrives, if there is anything we would even be able to do where he is. Dr. Kris continues to do well and work hard at clinics in Port. You can read more details on their blog: www.portmargot.blogspot.com. Cory has been updating where she is and other info. She seems to be doing well, though she told Cory it just seems unreal. Please keep praying for her. She isn't sleeping great and being in such a high stress/traumatic environment has got to be so draining. (The wood picture is of the same charcoal still in process...our compound has been filled with the aroma of it for about a week now)
I (Chris) worked on the diesel generator with Bill a few days ago. It was having trouble starting because the starter wasn't working quite right. They were having to manually engage the starter, but they didn't push it in far enough each time causing the gears on the starter and the gears on the flywheel to just grind each other as you can see in this picture. So we filed the teeth smooth and put some graphite in the starter so the arm will engage without human assistance and it started up great. This is important because this generator powers our compound! We run it to either directly power everything including the church and clinic or we use it to charge a bank of batteries that are hooked to an inverter so we can power lightbulbs without running the generator. It is great to have Bill here to help us take care of such things :) Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement. They mean so so much to us. We are really trying to trust God as we go about our long days here right now. It's hard to be faithful in the little things. But we're so thankful to have each other, the other missionaries here, and the Haitians around us who demonstrate such resilience and who still sing loudly on Sunday (and at other times) praising God in the midst of such a storm. He's still good!

It's Not Over Yet

As you all know from watching the news the story of the Quake of 2010 continues to unfold in Port au Prince. Everything we have heard has been dire and sad, but there is a very strange disconnect being in the North and from the news coming out of the south. The 100 miles that separates Fauche and Port-au-Prince may not sound like much but here we feel about the same as if we were in the States. For the most part life around here has gone on as normal. The picture shows a pile of charcoal being made over the last few days. The markets are still full and prices haven't sky rocketed. Yet, some things remind us that not everything is normal. Cory went into Limbe on Saturday to get some gas and propane. He got the last of the propane and he said that the gas stations were all out of gasoline and diesel. With the shortage of gas came the shortage of tap-taps (the pickup trucks that 20 people get into to travel around) and more people are on the streets. Also the banks are closed. So everything may seem okay and normal but we know that change is on the way.
Kathleen and I have talked to Dan Irving (the missions director for Haiti) and said that we are willing to go where we are needed. He told us today that he is in contact with organizations involved in Haiti and that they may be setting up feeding/aide/camps up in the north so he would keep us in mind. Kath and I know that this week we will not be going anywhere, but we are prayerfully considering where God may have us go. We just want to be of use here! That is about all there is to report. Kath and I will continue homeschooling this week and teaching our English classes. Bill and I will be starting on running water to the clinic so that they can have functioning sinks and not have to carry water in a five gallon bucket. We will try to get some more pics to you this week.

Hard to Believe

You've probably seen enough pictures of Haiti the last few days. We are safe and about 100 miles away from where the earthquake epicenter is. Yesterday when it hit we thought there was a helicopter riding really low in the area. We quickly realized it was an earthquake as the house was shaking and we heard the Thede's yell for us to come outside. It was pretty crazy. It took us a bit to realize that this could have been devastating for people nearby. We soon learned that it has been.
Isn't it so hard and sad? We don't quite know what to do. You probably know a similar feeling.
I'm sure you have seen pictures and news on tv and online, and have seen the devastation in Port au Prince. We are so glad to hear so much aid is being sent to Haiti. It's awesome to see the response of people. Dr. Kris left today to ride down to Port and offer her medical abilities and her translation of Creole and English. It is especially important that she knows medical Creole. As the phones are down, we won't hear from her for a little while, and don't know where she will stay or when she will be back. Please pray for her, and for her family as they wait to hear. Especially for Anna and Eli. (Ok, we just heard from her! She is safe, at a guesthouse in Port with people she knows, and going to work at a nearby hospital tomorrow.)
Today Chris and Cory put together a slideshow of pictures of Port au Prince to show to people here. They have nothing but radios to tell them news, so they hadn't seen anything yet. We went down to the church around 3 and showed a few Youtube videos and some pictures, telling them some news as well. The church was crowded, with people hanging through the windows and sitting outside. It was so strange, watching the Haitians as they saw pictures of the broken palace and people laying in makeshift hospitals. So many of them have family in Port and they can't get a hold of them. There is no way for them to know if they are safe, I can't imagine that kind of fear and the agony of waiting. They wanted to hear news and see pictures, though it felt a little strange showing the pictures. Pastor Jonas stood up afterwards and we sang a song, said a Psalm together, and prayed. It was a strange service. As we left Chris said, "what a strange way to be used."
We are sick with not being able to help directly. We are so close, but it seems so far! We still don't have a clear idea if people like us could even help down there. The city is full of people, and without medical training, strong Creole, or loads of food we don't know if we would be help or in the way. But that doesn't change the heaviness of our hearts! Today as I was trying to help Anna and Eli do school (We let them have the morning off...and all got under blankets and watched a movie...) I was holding back tears at the feeling of "stuckness" I felt. but I've been focusing on how important it is for us to be here with Anna and Eli, and how God knows exactly where we need to be and why. More importantly its not about us! (how long will it take me to learn that lesson in my life?) so we're praying for the people who have been devastated and for our neighbors who have no news of their families. At church this afternoon it was such a real privilege to just be with these people, some we know, others we didn't. They're so valuable and we pray that God can use this tragedy to reach people. In one minute our lives can completely change and we don't have time to wait to come to God and believe.
Thanks so much again for your concern and prayer! We're overwhelmed by it! And so so thankful we can communicate with home! Be looking for ways that God will work in this. Love, Chris and Kath

Kids and Pics

Kids here love having their picture taken! They especially enjoy pictures of just them...and as soon as you snap the picture they will rush you to see it. They love to see themselves on the screen of the camera and even more after you put them on the computer. Kids are apart of our every day, always coming to our house at random times. Recently
I (Chris) repaired a volleyball with two holes using some superglue and a plastic bag! We try to always be welcoming, but it is hard to be continually welcoming to kids that seem to come and just ask for things. But they are great overall. Once we start talking to them we really do enjoy their smiles and playful natures.
This week we helped again with the kids program on Sunday afternoon. Jean-Pierre (below) tried to make us sing a song in English in front of fifty kids but he failed to do so :) haha He also said that Kathleen and I would be having a baby soon... or at least we think that is what he was saying in Kreole! haha We have both gotten better at laughing at ourselves while in Haiti... which is important. It is great to hear the kids laugh and to see them munch away on crackers and receive gifts that they get when they attend (below are the bags of crackers, soap, whistles, candy, berets, etc...). The children come up and
sing a song or say a bible verse and get a treat in return. It is cool. Yesterday we watched "3-2-1 Penguins" an animated film with a lesson in it. Cory had to translate the whole thing because it was only in English. Cory did a great job!
We played "Phase 10" with our new neighbors (the Baileys) last night after dinner for a few hours and I lost big time! Bummer, from winning to losing in the last hand :(
So here goes another week! Thanks for the coffee Tom!
Thank you for reading and have a blessed day :)

Kids Programs and Other Stuff

This week marks the beginning of our second set of English classes. We had a really nice December break from teaching and I think we're ready to get started again. We tried to start yesterday, but it was raining and not one student showed up!

We've been getting better acquainted with Bill and Elaine Bailey, a couple from Wisconsin who are now living next door. They are great, and it's been really fun talking with them and being part of their adjustment time, which we remember very well from just a few months ago! We also rearranged our house a little and are hoping it will give us the fresh start we need for these next four months. A little change is always nice. :) On Friday, we had the privilege of eating lunch with our Creole teacher, David, his wife and two daughters. (Dane and Lovenji) It was so nice. Their hospitality was amazing, and we felt so blessed by it! We ate pumpkin soup, since it was their Independence Day and this is their tradition, with casava bread and beef. We tried to impress David by talking in Creole with his family and are hoping we didn't embarrass him by not making sense, haha! But we were so happy to be in a Haitian home and getting to know them a little more. The next day, Madam David came to our house and brought a pan of baked pasta, a jar of homemade peanut butter, and three coconuts. Wow, we still can't believe their generosity. We are passing our Creole lessons on to the Baileys since we don't have any free evenings with English class, so we won't have David to our house twice a week anymore. But we are hoping to keep our friendship with him and his family. (and no, not just because they bring us food! :)
David also showed us his office which is right next to the Compassion school. He works for Compassion as the communications director. He and I are sitting in his office in the picture to the right. They are amazingly organized for not having a computer. Every kid has a file which includes their grades from years past and current, a picture, list of gifts they have received from their sponsors, what their goals are, and more. It was really cool to see a close up of what Compassion is really doing after seeing representatives speak in chapel at IWU and hearing about the program back in the States. We also got to see the under 5 Survival Program building. This is the most successful program of it's kind in the north of Haiti. When I walked into this room, I was taken aback. It was like stepping into a preschool room you would see in the US. There are toys everywhere, Christmas decorations, and carpets laid on the floor, which is a very rare site in Haiti. It was so exciting to see that something like this is available for pregnant mothers and moms with 1, 2, and 3 year olds.
On Sunday we went to a program for kids in the area put on by Jean Pierre (one of the men who lives on the compound and is very involved in the community), a few church members and a teacher from the school. It was great. The kids got to sing a bit, earn prizes by singing for the group or saying a verse, play a few games, and watch Home Alone 3 in French while munching on popcorn, crackers, and candy. While the group was too noisy to actually hear the movie, I have never heard such loud and crazy laughter from a group of kids! They erupted in laughs and shouts every time someone would fall or get hurt, which if you've seen Home Alone you know it's most of the movie! It was fun being in the midst of such chaos and to know that the kids were having fun and getting to do something out of the ordinary for them. There is something really cool about witnessing that.
Today, Chris is off in the garden with Cory somewhere, and we are going to spend the afternoon getting ready for class. Thanks for reading!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year...and Happy Independence Day to Haiti. :) We caught the ball dropping last night just in time, although the internet cut out the last 5 seconds of the countdown. (It went 10..9..8..7..6.....happy new year! oh well..) We spent the night playing games and hanging out with the Thede's and with a new couple that just came for the next three months, the Bailey's. We made pretzels and played with sparklers that Cory had gotten at the market for Eli and Anna. It was a good night! We were all (except maybe Miss Anna) very tired by the time we walked back home. The moon was full and made our little neck of the woods look simply beautiful. The sound of late night church services still singing in Creole and the outline of palm trees and mountains against the dark blue was awesome.

As you may know already, my grandpa passed away earlier this week. My parents and sister were able to spend the last day and a half with him and with the rest of the family, which we're so glad for. It's been very hard not being able to jump in the car or on a plane to be with them. We have been able to talk on the phone a bit and email which is good. I know this is part of being overseas and we will grow from it but it is not my favorite part that's for sure! I can't wait to visit my Grandma when we get home and give her a big hug. Please pray for her as she's going to try living on her own to start. Last year at this time Chris and I were just dreaming about all that 2009 was going to hold for us! We had just gotten engaged and had just been approved to go to Haiti together, and we were about to begin our last semester at IWU. It was a crazy year full of change. We've been married for 6 months now, 4 of which have been spent in Haiti. It's amazing to think back over all that we have been through. One thing we know from all of it is that God is faithful. We knew that was true and I'm sure said it and sang it, but now we know it so much more deeply.So there won't be any wedding magazines in my life this year (Chris is thankful for that one) but we are anticipating how we will experience God's goodness again, even when things are hard and we can't control our circumstances or surroundings. Bon Ane!!