Haiti 2012

Greetings from Haiti!

Yes, I'm still here. I noticed I haven't written on here since around New Years. Since many of you have followed my Kornelsen Adoption Saga emails, I guess there hasn't been that much else to say here.

I am still playing the waiting game. I'm thinking I must have a major lesson in patience and trusting God to learn here! The letters that we finally were able to apply for in January, after the Embassy "learned" how to do the procedures are still sitting in BC, waiting to be sent - 3 months later!!!! The only consolation I have is that I know they have been written. The frustration is in, why aren't they sending them, since it takes 3-4 weeks? I know why, but it still is frustrating, because someone didn't do their job!!! They had a confusion on Chania's name, and were putting everything on hold till it was confirmed. The problem was, nobody knew they were waiting on that. But I wrote a confirmation this weekend, to be sent tomorrow, so hopefully that will clear up the issue. And HOPEFULLY they will send a copy electronically, so I don't have to wait the full 3-4 weeks. I think Chania's adoption is waiting only for this.

Chania, 8 months old.

For those of you who didn't know, Caleb's adoption got signed Feb 6 and less than a week later I got all the paperwork. I still need to make him a Haitian KORNELSEN passport, but I'm kinda waiting for Chania's to do them together.

I took both of them into Port a few weeks ago and got a medical done that had to be done by a specific doctor since it was for the Canadian immigration. These forms get sent to Canada to be reviewed by a doctor there, and they told me it takes 6 weeks. Sadly, at the rate we're going, that shouldn't be a problem getting them back on time.

Caleb, 24 months

The weather's been getting warmer, and we've started going into the pool more this week. For awhile, believe it or not, the water was just too cool. I haven't taken Chania in for a long time, because she was having so much trouble with Bronchiolitis. But thankfully after hitting her 6 month mark, she hasn't had a bad episode. Before that, she seemed to have it every month. They say they outgrow it but can keep getting it up to 2 years. I've also been more diligent in suctioning her if she is too stuffed, and that has helped tons!!!!

Yesterday, The Canadian Embassy put on a 'meet and greet' here at the bar at Club Indigo. They've put "wardens" in each area and this was so those of our area could get to know each other betther. So basically a 60 km range maybe of Canadians were invited and some of the Embassy staff of course. The Ambassador and his wife were there too. Had never met him before; I was always dealing with the Vice-Consular. It was fun. First drink was on the Embassy.

Caleb had fun playing with his friend Olivia Rolling, but Chania on the other hand wouldn't go to any stranger, except for Ed Cashman (Vice Consul). We've met several times, and he knows my kids. :)

Canadian Ambassador Henri-Paul Normandin

On Wednesday, the President here signed a new law, initiating Daylight Savings time and yesterday (Sat) he announced it to the country, affective TODAY!!!! Talk about quick work!! I personally can't see why. The light doesn't change THAT much. I guarantee a lot of people had no idea about it. Apparently Haiti has tried it before in differnet administrations, but it's never been very successful. I'd be surprised if it were now. But I suppose it's more useful in the city than here in the country, where people rise with the light and go to bed when it gets dark, since few people have electricity. I don't think this will change those people's lifestyle much. :)

Another thing that has happened here in the last couple months is an English Christian church was born. They've named it Montrouis International Fellowship. I do believe there was a need for this, because there are so many English speaking people in this area. Even if you're involved in your ministry, it's just good for missionaries and anyone to go get an English message and worship once in awhile. I'm hoping it will cut down on so many missionary problems. Watching all the other missions around here, I've been amazed how Satan attacks everyone! And usually it is in relationships, often if not usually with other missionaries. Instead of binding together, the opposite so often happens. That is definitely something to pray about when you pray for "missionaries".

I've been really enjoying going to these. Didn't know how much I missed it. And God has been speaking to me a lot through this.

The Red Cross has been setting up these huge tents in the (my) backyard. (I can't see the sunsets now :( ha!) They've even 'built' a couple small buildings/lean-tos. I expect this week they'll be having a huge seminar or something. Can't believe they would have so many people working for over a week setting up, just for a 4 day seminar, so maybe there's information I'm not privy to. I do kind of hope these tents won't be here for very long.

The Reeves family (my neighbors) moved away from here last week. They found a house in St Marc. It's so empty without them. Poor Caleb has been missing them SO MUCH! Every day, often after climbing in my bed in the mornings, waking me up, he'll turn up his hands and shrug and say "where Justice?". Justice is his age, and they played together SO MUCH. He's trying to compute why people he knows aren't around. He'll to that with other friends lately too. One being Naomi, who's teaching at Canaan. She comes and spends the night almost every other week, so she's a "regular" here, especially when she leaves a towel or something that Caleb recognizes as hers. "Where Yaomie?" Then he'll answer is own question "Yaomi bye bye", or whoever he's talking about. It's kind of sad :( He's definitely feeling it, not having playmates around. Still, he's able to play by himself too and that's good. I just have to spend more time outside with him. Before, the Reeves' nanny would watch him sometimes too, so I could do things inside.

As you can tell, my babies are my life right now, so that's what I write about (lol). They are growing so much, and I'm really blessed to be able to spend my time with them now. Caleb is picking up on a lot of words; my he's gonna be a jabber box! Chania at 8 months, is finally learning to roll from belly to back!!! Took her awhile. She sits well though, and now that she's learned she can move herself, she's picking up fast. Sitting, she'll lunge toward what she wants. Not so safe on the bed/couch anymore! I love watching Caleb's reaction when she reaches out for him; he turns all gentle and lets her do whatever she wants. Even laughs when she grabs his hair. She loves to eat, and gets so impatient when the spoon isn't right at her mouth the minute she's swallowed!

OK, by now you're probably thinking making it up for not writing for so long by writing a long one isn't worth it :) so I'll let you go. Ha!

Thanks for reading, and please say a prayer for Chania's adoption to be finished quickly and for me to have patience!!! Thank you!

Elsie Kornelsen