poem

Go to the people.

Live among them.

Learn from them.

Love them.

Serve them.

Plan with them.

Start with what they know.

Build on what they have.

Y.C. Yen

I follow a blog written by a Canadian man living and working in Haiti. From what I've gathered he is working at a nursing school/hospital in Saint Marc. He shared this poem on his blog recently and I really, really like it. My initial thoughts are, "Yes. With them. Not for them or to them, but with them."

Funk

You know those days where you just feel off? You know, when you can't pinpoint something particular that's wrong, but nothing really feels right either. I'm having one of those days.

Actually, I'm having one of those weeks.

I've been an emotional mess this week. I've cried a fair number of tears. I've moped around the house in my pajamas. I've snuggled my baby close with the excuse that he needs me to hold him, when really it's me that needs to feel him close. I've cocooned myself inside my house and today it feels like I could stay here for months.

Nothing is wrong with me, but I can't sleep at night. Food doesn't really sound good (and that's saying something because this girl likes to eat!). I just want to sit in bed and do nothing. Facebook isn't even that appealing to me.

I don't know why this funk has settled in, but I hope it finds its way out as well as it found its way in.

Isaac's Dedication

We presented Isaac to the church and dedicated him to the Lord at church on Sunday. Here are some pictures of the special event.

love this face

Prayers for the Week

It's been a while since I posted our weekly prayer requests, but I'd like to get back into the habit. Here's what we're praying about this week.

• Thanking God that Isaac and Britney are both healthy again. Isaac was very, very sick shortly after the new year, but we're all healthy again!
• The first medical team of the year saw nearly 1100 patients in 5 days of clinic! We praise God that so many people in our area were able to receive medical care during the week. 
• The second clinic team arrived yesterday and start their busy week in the clinic today. Pray that they will have wisdom to treat the patients that come.
• Arold's visa application was accepted at the US Embassy, and he has an interview set for February 14h. We are very excited to be so close to the end of this process! We pray that God's favor would continue to be on us as we prepare for the interview and their final decision.
• We have hired a woman named Gerlise to care for Isaac while Britney is at school. We're thankful for her strong work ethic and that she and Isaac are getting along so well. 

Update on going back to work

So, last Monday I posted a very sad post about how I didn't want to go back to school. I actually wrote that post on the Friday before. I cried and cried over the weekend about leaving my little baby with a lady I barely know. (I'm sure I still would have cried if it had been someone I knew well.)

Well, I thankfully got all my tears out over the weekend. Monday rolled around, and I was dry eyed. I got myself ready, said goodbye to Isaac who was happily playing with the nanny, and then went to school. I teared up as I was leaving the driveway, but I didn't cry. And when I got to school my students were so excited to see me that I almost forgot to be sad about leaving Isaac. The kids asked me if I was strong with Creole now (I laughed and said NO!), how Isaac was doing, and when I was going to bring him to school. Then they told me how happy they were to see me. It was the same conversation over and over again. It was so good for my heart to hear my students ask about Isaac and tell me how happy they were to see me. It was also good for my emotional well being to have adult conversations and interact with people who don't blow spit bubbles or puke all over themselves and me after they eat.

Unfortunately, I haven't been back to school since last Monday because we're waiting on an ATV part. It should arrive today with the team and I'm hopeful it will be installed in time for me to take the ATV to school on Wednesday for my classes. I'm ready to get into a routine!

Public Service Announcements

One of the things I think Haiti does really well is Public Service Announcements. When schools are going to be closed or the "city is hot," meaning there are riots, everyone seems to know about it... and fast. The radio and television stations are utilized to make these PSAs, but also cell phone networks play a big role.

It may be hard to believe, but most Haitians have a cell phone. Not everyone has electricity and even fewer people (in my limited knowledge/humble opinion) have running water, but it seems that nearly everyone has a cell phone. And if they don't, someone who lives next door does. The Haitian cell phone market has some pretty cheap phones available, and the cost of one text message or talking for one minute is very cheap. Receiving texts and calls is always free, on any carrier in Haiti, so you never worry about using all your minutes when you answer a call.

Anyway, back to these PSAs I was telling you about. The government especially is good about sending out PSAs as text messages. During the election year I got about a million and one election related messages and automated phone calls each week. It was ridiculous. Now, I regularly get messages from KwaWouj (Red Cross), IBESR (something to do with kids, I know adoptive families have to send paperwork there), LISSA (the lottery), and several other organizations.

Most recently I've received messages from the Red Cross telling about a vaccination for kids under age two and how to get information on AIDS (a big problem here). I really appreciate that the Red Cross and other organizations utilize this form of communication to get info to the masses.

Hard Day

Today I'm leaving Isaac with the nanny and going to Gramothe to teach two classes. I really, really, really don't want to leave Isaac. I've only been away from him for a total of 2 hours over the course of his short little life, and today I have to be away from him for 2 hours plus travel time. I can't tell you how much that breaks my heart.

I just keep telling myself I love my students. I love my students. And also, Moms leave their kids to go to work every day. I can do this. Isaac can do this.

Pray for us today. As much as I love my students, I hate leaving Isaac even more.

my favorite men

I love these two more than I can say.

3 years

It's been three years since Haiti was rocked by an earthquake.

My husband was at his electrician's school far down in the city when the earthquake hit, and walked home through the chaos. It took him 3 or 4 hours. He sometimes talks about what it was like that day, but mostly he holds me tight and says he never, ever wants to experience an earthquake again.

The New Year

I wanted to write a nice post wrapping up 2012 and looking forward to 2013, but here it is January 10th (happy b-day Mandy) and I've got nothing written... or even thought out. So will Isaac sleeps in my lap, I'll slowly peck out some thoughts.

The year 2012 was a year of watching and waiting for God's faithfulness. We were newlyweds learning what it means to be married and merge two lives into one. We became parents. We watched our bank account closely and saw God provide for our needs time and time again. We were blessed with new supporters, consistent renters, a property management company that rocks, and new opportunities for ministry. God was faithful to his promises to never leave us and to provide what we needed.

As we look to 2013, we know that God's faithfulness will continue to be a theme in our lives. I' also looking forward to a new theme. I just don't know what it will be yet.

A (not so) Awesome List

• Isaac went to Grandma and Grandpa's house and learned to throw a full blown fit. Awesome.
• The Kindle my friends at St. Mark Missionary church so generously gave to me a couple years ago took a spin in the washing machine while I was at my parents' house. Awesome.
• Isaac boycotted naps this afternoon/evening for about 4 hours. At one point I swaddled him and laid him down, and he ninja kicked his way out of the swaddle and then laughed at me. Awesome.
• I lost my mom's new camera when Isaac and I were visiting for Christmas. The last place I saw it was on the couch and on Christmas morning it had completely disappeared. Awesome.

• Worst of all, Isaac has brochialitis (I don't know if that's different than brochitis). :( Completely not awesome in any way.