Our Family Circus

Sunday, we will be taking off to Atrel!   Yep, we will pack up after being her for 4 weeks and take a 2 week trip to Atrel.   Our home is located on the mountain so it is not only lovely but it is cool!   In fact, it is so cool that we do not have air conditioners and we close our windows at night (well I do, I am sure My Dear wished we didn't close all of them.)   In Atrel, we will living with another family in our ministry.   They are the only family serving in that area.   They have five children so that is a major perk for our kiddos!   But the climate is dry, dusty, and well, it is hot there!   She told us to bring the coolest clothes we have and good walking shoes. We will go each day to live along side of a Haitian family.   It will be a sink or swim saga as we learn to communicate with them and their family and to work along side of them.   There are no washing machines, ...

The girls decided they want to do laundry like "real Haitians."   They set to work along with a rope that was left behind by one of the teams.   When the teams leave it is like Goodwill and the girls score all kinds of goodies...or at least goodies to them.   I did have to cut them off on taking insect repellant.   We are over stocked!         They washed and hung clothes to dry and had fun.  When they dried, we folded and put them away.   But I learned the folding and putting away part is not near as fun!  My favorite book as a little girl was a Little Golden book called Little Mommy.   It was rereleased a few years ago and I bought every copy I saw to share with little girls in our lives.   One page looked a lot like this one but with a washboard.      My Dear had an overnight trip to Miami.   He flew back with a team of teens, than...

For the past two weeks, My Dear and I have traveled a rocky road to Creole classes.   Seat belts are not mandatory for passengers to wear but today I put one on just to stay put in my seat!   Each day on this walk, we see children dressed in their uniforms heading to school.   Some of them walk alone but younger students walk with an older sibling or with their mama holding their hand just like in the states.   There are some children who are not in uniform.   They carry water buckets, brooms, or just stare at the vehicle as it drives past.   You see not all children in Haiti are gifted with the opportunity to go to school.  School is expensive and having a uniform just adds to the cost.   School is an honor and a privilege and those children who do not get to go to school long for the opportunity.   Many of them will be the first in their families to go to school so it is an honor for the entire f...

The way we "hunt" and "gather" is a bit different than in the states but still very much the same.   Fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased from local farmers at market.   This would usually require negotiating prices particularly because we are "blan."   Blan is the Creole word for white but it is used for all foreigners.  Thankfully our missions sees that our time and negotiating skills are better used working on the mission so someone does our shopping for us.   We simply turn in a shopping list for market of what fresh fruits and veggies we want.   If it is available in the garden on the mission, we get it from there, if not, they get it for us and keep a running bill of what we owe.   I appreciate the onions, peppers, and eggs magically showing up! They are fresh with the dirt still on them and looking less than perfect in size but yummy in taste.  The girls and I are fine with fresh fruits and veggies but our guys are not and wel...

Friday is our laundry day!   Several of us share 2 washers and 2 dryers here on the mission.  Friday is my turn to claim the laundry room.  Last week, I actually got 2 days since someone was away and I could use the machine on their day.   We had traveled a week before getting here and we had brought dirty clothes with us...it just happens. The water pressure is low and we have only cold water to wash in.  Let's just say there is no H.E. on the appliances.  The generator on the property goes off at 4 p.m. unless the hospital needs it to stay on.  Sometimes it comes back on the local electric company but otherwise we are running on batteries that only allow for small doses of energy to be used....not washers and dryers. I took several trips up and down the stairs from our home to the laundry house and was pleased with the work.   I learned I had to stay on it and watch the clock to get it done in time....learned that is. Well we put th...

This post written by My Dear....enjoy! I went to a Haitian church today.  It began at 9 a.m. and was over a little after 11 a.m.  There was a lot to take in.  Before the service started a young lady (older teen) gave out awards to the church members for things like attendance and bringing your Bible.  I saw teens helping to lead in the service.  This was followed by a hymn or two. You have to enjoy those hymns.  There is such good theology in them.  Next I saw the children’s choir (ages 7-12) sing a special. The children are involved in the service.  Then there was a congregational reading. The entire church read God’s word together. There was another song and the visitors were welcomed. Visitors were asked to stand so we could be seen, no hiding in this church. The children’s choir sang another special.  Another young man, I’m guessing an older teen, gave the announcements. (More teen involvement.)  The...

Last Sunday, Baptist Haiti Mission hosted a luncheon, barbecue style for our neighbors and staff of BHM. .   The Mission is over 70 years old and most of our neighbors have homes hidden behind tall walls and heavy gates.   This is the first time that anyone remembers having a time for our neighbors to come in and see what we are about,  it also allowed us, to hear what their suggestions are for the mission.  Many of these folks were not church attenders.   Because they are upper class, they speak English and French.   This made it MUCH easier for our family to meet new people since we had just moved into the country. Here are some pictures from the fun, tiring, chicken filled, rewarding day. .  Colby is sharing a little bit of love with Baby Annie.  Activity is just get started at the playground.  Mamas and their babies.   Baby Annie's daddy works with our mission and for World Vision.  Lizzie and Dolly certainly...