What's Going On

 

Dolly's garden is growing.  We are enjoying the sunflower her friend gave her.   My Dear is working hard with plants as well.   He has many seeds started so to produce flowers and plants to sell at the shop creating more income to go toward reforestation of the country.   Do you know that Haiti was 60% forest in the 1960s?   Now, there is less than 2% forest here.   The area where we live is beautiful with trees and gardens but that is a small, small part of the country.   When the Ts arrived in Haiti, there was nothing here.   Seventy years later, it is a botanical garden.   A sweet reminder that the Lord is faithful if we are diligent and intentional with what He has called us to do.

The Lord has blessed our family with friends.   Friends move in and out of the country, but the Lord is faithful to give us who we need in the season we are in.   This precious darlin' loves animals and adventure just as much as our Dolly.   What a precious gift her friendship and love have been for our girl.   They wrapped walking sticks with yarn to create comfy grips as they showed me the awesome hike they discovered. 

 

This is part of my Friday.   I enjoy these precious folks!!   So many are eager to learn English.  They pay to attend classes taught by Haitians.   They desire to have the correct pronunciation and accent and want to learn from someone who speaks English as their first language.     They are a lot of fun and encourage me in my language learning as well and challenge me in English!  We use much of our time in conversation which allows us to get to know one another.  It also allows us to pray for one another.   This week, I met a lady Christelle.   She is a single mama who left her selling in the market to attend class.   She spent part of the class speaking with another man who is receiving an education in the states and is home for the summer.   He is helping with the class.   He left with tears in his eyes after hearing Christelle's story and how life is a struggle for her but he could see her determination to learn English and her joy in The Lord.   I am assuming he has not seen that kind of drive in the U.S. this past year.  The majority of the students in the free class are in their early 20s.   They make me laugh!!  I always leave with my daily allowance of hugs!  We probably have close to 20 people packed in the room each week.   I have a class for children has well, with others waiting for another class to be formed.  Many of the children on the waiting list, do not speak any English.  

 

See this big smile!  Miss B. has her first pet!   She loves animals as much as her sister but her sister had already collected a supply of pets that exceeded the desire of the parents.   Miss B's buddy moved back to the states and "Little Sleeper" needed a new home.  

This is what Sunday looks like for me.   Sunday afternoons are lesson planning preparations.  It is the end of the school year for us and although I enjoy learning with our kiddos....I am looking forward to a little break.   Although there are no "formal" graduation photos, Billy finished 8th grade and Dolly finished 6th.   Next year, we will have a high-schooler, a middle-schooler and an elementary student.   Overall, I love our time in our one room schoolhouse!

We currently have 2 chicks living with us.   Thy are wonderful exterminators!  This little guy was rescued from the middle of the road and was brought to our door and asked if we would care for it.  It will soon join its friend at the zoo with other chickens.

Billy got to spend about a week at the camp which is located on the beach.  This was a big deal for him (and us.)   Apparently work at the beach is better than work in the mountains!  We spent the day playing when we went to pick him up.   It was such a good day and a much needed break from our everyday.   Traffic was rough but we agreed it was all worth it!

The sewing ministry in Atrel is now making these cuties!   I enjoyed having them stop by for a visit before finding their new homes.   Two of these little darlings will be hitching a ride to the states as we come in.   They are not available online as of yet but will soon be on etsy.   If you would want to purchase one, message me or message Mountain Maid on facebook.   The dolls are made in a desert area that has experienced drought the past 2 years.  The ladies sew, dress, and name them and even fix their hair.   They love making these dolls.   Deborah who heads this ministry shared with me that one of her best sewers has a very small home that her large family lives in.   She has been saving her sewing money to build a new home for their family.   She has currently saved $200.   Praise the Lord! (at time of posting, all of these dolls had new homes but they can be ordered.)

 

Billy and Dolly have been helping with cleaning the cisterns.   What a fun way to help!   They transferred the fish from one pond to another and then had to catch them to return them to their original home.   They had a good time fishing, I mean working. 

 

 

My attempt to get a photo of Miss B and her buddy before their move.   It is always fun to photograph giggle boxes. 

We are moving right along.   My Dear has a renewed focus and finally feels like he is getting the operation of the Self-Help Project under control.   I appreciate getting to work along side of him as I work around our school schedule.  Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement.   See you in a few weeks!