We had exciting plans for today. First off, we had a weekly staff video conference with BGM - a door to hope team at 11:00. Then, Mark and Melanie treated us to lunch at the BHM. And then we were headed BACK to the school to help disassemble one more bunk bed and hopefully Brynna to complete her registration/orientation process.
The staff meeting was good. I got to sit in on it. Since we don't have our internet hotspot yet, we used Chris' phone and the Haiti Digicel data plan he has on it. It didn't use up very many MB since it was a tiny picture on his phone. So, that worked out very well.
Then we headed out to the BHM for lunch. What a treat! As we were walking down the street we heard, "Chris, Jen!" and looked over to see the Dearing kids on the rooftop! What a sight! I wish I had time to grab my camera out to capture the moment, but it was also on the corner and you can lose your life quickly if you're not paying attention to the traffic. In Haiti, pedestrians are barely privileged to walk along the side of the street. They don't have the right of way ever. So, we are constantly taking risks to walk from place to place. Thankfully, it's not super busy on every road or corner. Just some. And the entrance to the BHM is one busy place.
Brynna got a burger and fries, I got a "Pettion Ville" sub sandwich and Chris got chicken nuggets. They were smaller than McDonalds nuggets, but he said they were very good and filling. Of course, I'm sure he got MORE to begin with (than McDonalds), but by the time I took notice - he only had 4 left. LOL.
We ran into Erin Corbett of Heart of God Haiti or better known as the "Orphanage in the Clouds". Please pray for us as Brynna and I may have an opportunity to help out at this precious ministry. More later as details are still coming together.
We then walked back up to the tap-tap "station" and picked the one with the huge crack in the front window. It only had two women sitting in it. We hopped in and took our seats. I sat in the fourth row back. Chris and Brynna on the third. Along came a huge, striped, mean and ugly wasp of Haitian descent. I am scared out of my mind of measly little US wasps. So, you can only imagine when I quickly and fiercely jumped OUT of the tap-tap what the two Haitian women thought of me. Fortunately, today I had worn my black "Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream" hat that earlier I had been ridiculed about and quickly handed it to Chris to eliminate the threat from my life. Of course, he did... as he promptly pulled something in his back. Please pray for a quick recovery of that. He didn't complain about it anymore that day, but I know it was a sharp intense pain.
After arriving at the school, they called a moto to take Chris to get tools that were not available at the school. This is a three tier bunk bed we're talking about taking apart. Put together by some over zealous American some years ago. There are screws in every corner from EVERY angle. While he's away, Brynna begins orientation with Athena and I get to read to the precious little 2 year old who is there. She's the daughter of one of the US Professors who is finishing up 2 months of working at the school. The baby's name is "Nila" and she's just precious. I read her Dr. Suess's "Fox in Socks" about three times before she finally laid her head back and fell to sleep. It was SO hard for me not to get too excited each time we reached the "Tweetle Beetles Battle" part. It's my VERY favorite part.
After an hour or more of Chris (and me) fighting with the bunk bed he ALMOST has it apart. But, it is relentless. He takes a break and moves on to take down a couple other important things then works back up his will to fight and conquers the bed like a SUPER HERO MAN! He was drenched in sweat. I don't know how he even had the energy to make it back up the steep, long hill to catch the tap-tap. But, maybe it had a lot to do with us calling in a to-go order from Nataleen for three pate's. (I really don't know how to spell it and have no electricity or internet at the moment to look it up, but it sounds like pat-aye for anyone interested).
We stop in at her house that is just in the middle of the village street and pick up our pate's and two "cocas" (Coca-Cola) which are dirt cheap here. I got a picture of her for you and the house and street that I'm excited to show you. If you're ever near Thomassin 48 - stop by! She's an amazing hostess and cook and the school is moving - so, she'll be losing a lot of business. :-( We paid less than $4.50 for the two cocas and three pate's that were bigger than all our faces and bigger than the white styrofoam carryout boxes! See the dogs on the roof in the fourth picture? They aren't happy with me.
We make it back up to the top and squeeze in to another tap-tap. I counted this time. There were 21 precious souls on this tap-tap. It couldn't have been a 15 passenger van. It was WAY skinnier than th y old, typical church van and much shorter. Chris proclaims, "Merci" and the tap-tap driver stops and lets us out at the BHM. He quietly paid for the older gentleman sitting next to him because he couldn't seem to come up with the money from his pockets. I don't know what they would have done with him if he wasn't able to pay. I'm sure it would have started with a lot of arguing. That seems to be the norm around here.
We meet up with Mark to get another big jug of safe drinking water. Simon had made sure we had one to start with and we were almost out. Chris was going to have to carry it on his shoulders. I was so worried about this because of the hard, physical day he already had endured. But, guess what?! The Lord provided another way. Just another practical way The Lord looked out for us. Simon was there at the BHM and we talked with him for a few minutes. He said he was coming up to our apartment in the next few hours and would drive it up for us without asking anything in return. He's our Haitian friend. He helped us make the connection to get this apartment to begin with.
Mark and Melanie invited us over to hang out, but we were completely wiped out from the day and I think just everything about moving was finally hitting us hard. We were worn. Plus, we stunk to high heavens. Ugh! It's a good thing you can't smell us right now. We are in a constant state of stink.
Back at the apartment we wash our hands and feet and arms and faces and devour our pate's. Mmmmm!!! They are scrumptious! Shredded chicken, tomato sauce, onions, just a little cheese, picklies (not to be confused with pickles... it looks like cole slaw, but has a Big Bang to it) all nestled in a shell of deep fried dough. Delicious! Just as Chris finishes the last of his a knock at the door comes. It's Simon. He's brought our water and screens for the front window. The landlord and Simon work till past dark to install it.
But, while it was still light we notice Brynna is walking around outside with her phone as she is Facetiming the Young family back in Tennessee! It was so sweet to see their faces and know they are doing well and that they miss us. It's so good to know and hear of people who are praying for us. Greg asked if it was okay to say that they missed us and at first I kinda laughed thinking it was a crazy question, but then I really thought about it later. YES! It's okay to say that. I'm afraid we NEED to hear that some. We need to know that our friends and families in the US miss us. It makes us feel loved. Important.
I brought two devotional books to work through while I'm here. One being "The Purpose Driven Life" which I don't think I've been through since 2002! What on earth am I here for? What a perfect book to work through. On the very first page, the very first scripture is: "A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree." Proverbs 11:28. I'm seeing day in and day out the shedding and ridding of our dependance on things. Thank you God for this reminder today. May we find ourselves planted just where you want us and for Your glory.
"Blessed are those who trust in The Lord... they are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8
No comments:
Post a Comment