There are days when I think this place is just one of many. I get used to things, and the days go by. Then you have days like today when you realize I’m in a foreign country. Nothing much different, except the people....
Had a long clinic day today, the whole day just had a different atmosphere – 50-60 patients but I’ll just mention a few people that made me realize – I’m not in my own country.
While seeing a patient, I started hearing this racket outside, people yelling, some laughing, some running... I look out the window and I see a woman half trying to run, held back by another one and a younger man running after them with a stick, and actually hitting her with it. Needless to say, I was shocked to be seeing that – a man actually hitting a woman in public. I went out to calm down the situation and to give the man a talking to! I got there and told him “pa fe sa!” (don’t do that), than turned to see the situation. They kept saying she’s trying to run away, she doesn’t want to be there. They showed me her very swollen left foot and I knew she really needed to be seen. I talked to her calmly and she actually looked up at me and calmed down – for a second. I realized we’d have to by-pass our usual check-in routine. I told one of the family to go make her file and said as soon as I finished the patient I was in the middle of seeing, I would see her. I went back with calm behind me, which lasted about 2-3 minutes. I finally asked my patient if she’d wait so I could see the woman outside. Bringing her in by force, I finally had her sitting on my exam table, calmly looking at me. By then I realized she had some mental problems, and that gentleness brought the best results. Putting my arm around her and talking to her seemed to calm her. I asked her what the problem was and when her mother started showing me, she actually helped, pulling down the appropriate clothes and showing me her foot. It was rewarding to calm someone that honestly, seemed like a wild animal, and yet could calm down and look you in the face, and thank you very politely for a glass of water. For some reason, she really touched my heart. Her mother said she hasn’t been normal since she had a seizure at age one, and yet at times she’d look at you so ‘clear-minded’. What is in a person’s mind when she can’t express her own will, but has one, and others take that right to make the decision away from her? How do we react when we don’t get to do what we want to? How much do we allow others to make their own decisions – especially the more helpless that we may think don’t know how to make it? Do we give them dignity, or beat them with a stick, and confuse them even more?
Another sad situation, and some people you can pray for if you remember is the Julien family. A mother came with a 7 yr old son a week or two ago that is sick and malnourished. She had another 9 yr old along but didn’t consult. Well, she brought that one today, with herself. She just struck me all of a sudden as the poorest of the poor here. The father died when the youngest was small. Have you ever watched a movie where the mother is dying from poverty? She’s trying her best but just can’t quite make it? That was this mother’s demeanor, sick herself, but trying to keep her boys well – and her son raging with a fever. She said she lives with her sister, but when her sister gives the boys food, her husband gets mad and yells at them. They are heavy on my heart today – what am I going to do with them? I can just see the mother dying and leaving the boys orphaned. I sent her for some tests but she’ll need food to survive too and get some strength back. But if I give her rice, will she and her boys get it or will others eat it? Thankfully I have some rice given by another mission that I was able to give to her, as well as some protein shakes for the 3 of them, and energy drinks; But long term??
On a happier note, I finally had a small 5-6 lb 3 month baby come back having gained an appropriate amount of weight with milk. She’s too young for the Mamba program so I’m giving her milk. She did great.
We finished at 4:30, happy ourselves that we had some protein shakes at the clinic to keep us going. After supper, I (apparently the only truck driver at Canaan today) was asked to drive to Montrouis to get some gas for our generator. Interesting drive, as at one point I was forced to stop while 6-10 vehicles decided to follow the first one and use my side of the road to avoid a huge pothole or ditch that reached onto the road. So I sat hoping none of the semis and buses would hit my mirror or truck, culminating in one small vehicle at the end of the train who was polite enough to stay on his side of the road and got a major jolt as he hit the ditch, almost getting hung up cause it took about 2/3 of his right tire. And all this observed and guided by a bunch of teenage guys looking and trying to make SOME of them stop for me. No luck, but a nice little show.
It's felt a little bit like playing out a movie today.
Now I have to stop cause my battery is about dead.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
A Haitian Wedding
You want to know what a Haitian wedding is like? If not, you can save some time and not read this blog, cause I tend to go into too much detail. This will be only about the wedding, so don’t worry about missing other stuff.
Met ElFabre got married on Sat. He’s one of the guys here at Canaan that’s in the local administrative position. He’s been engaged since before I came (over a year ago) but he kept saying a woman wants a guy to be able to give her a nice home, and things, before he can marry her. He’s been building his house over this year.
So the wedding was set for 3 o’clock. One of my questions was, knowing that punctuality, or rather the lack of it, is a sure thing, at what time this wedding would actually begin. Knowing it would be late, I didn’t even plan to be ready before 3:30. Even then, I’d see everybody still walking around in work clothes. And if asked if they were going to the wedding, it was either a “sure” or “I don’t know”. This continued till after 4 p.m. and still, if asked what time the wedding will start, they’d still say 3 o’clock.
So about 4:15, with most of Canaan still not dressed, Bobi and I went to the chapel. Inside we found the 5 bridesmaids in blue waiting, as well as Rosemay (Canaan girl) and the bride (all decked out in her bridal dress and veil). We thought ‘how strange that Rosemay is also dressed in a white bridal dress, though with a tiara instead of a veil’. We debated about that while we kept waiting till 5ish. I told Bobi that the bride looks different. I hadn’t met Adeline (the bride) more than a couple times in the last year but this just didn’t ring a bell. I even told Bobi ‘what if they switched with someone else’. I said this just doesn’t look like her and I don‘t believe it‘s her. It was weird. Then the party went out. People were actually starting to fill up the chairs.
Then Stephanson (from Canaan) comes in and stands waiting till Rosemay comes in dancing, and there started the elaborate wedding dance. It was really fun to see. I may never again be satisfied to see bridesmaids walking demurely down the isle!!! Apparently this wasn’t the longest or most elaborate wedding dance ever, but it was interesting to watch - all a story. The ladies would drop the single flower they carried and the guy would stoop to pick it up and stay down looking up, all in a continual dance. There was even a “fight” among two of the guys over the ‘bride’ and her choosing one over the other. I thought it strange that she went and said down without anybody, behind Rosemay, who I figured was the maid of honor but thought ‘oh well, this is Haiti - who knows how they do it’.
Stepanson and Rosemay, the first in the wedding dance
Then the tempo changed, and lo and behold, the real bride walked in. Sister Gladys came in with her and the wedding proceeded with less minor differences. They stayed sitting, even for the vows, and only knelt for the prayer and rings. It was kind of cool, when they answered “yes, Pastor” for the vows, afterward the pastor asked the congregation what they had said, and everybody answered “yes Pastor”. It seemed more like the witness that everybody is.
The danced was performed again with the exit of the bridal party, but not as extensive.
So here’s the custom regarding the bridal party and the white dresses:
You have the godmother, which was Sister Gladys (and the male counterparts). She sits with the bride through it all. Some people’s opinion is they like to pick people with money, rather than someone close to the bride, which could be why they had a problem finding someone to fill the spot. They even asked me to do it, but that was a firm ‘no’ from me. I don’t even know the bride.
Then you have a queen, which was Rosemay, and the reason she was wearing a white dress with a tiara. The other girl in white dress and veil is the princess and the rest of the girls are bridesmaids. Apparently this is the custom for every real wedding. They have their guys of course, who are the king and prince. By dress you couldn’t tell who was the bride.
They served a plate of food prepared in a take-out plate, so serving went fast. They had over 100 people there, I’m sure. There wasn’t much of a dance afterwards that I know of, though that is usual. No gifts that I saw.
Bride and groom, queen, princess and bridesmaids
Godparents with bride and groom
Not conducive atmosphere at all here at Canaan.
And now, hopefully they will live “happily ever after”.
Met ElFabre got married on Sat. He’s one of the guys here at Canaan that’s in the local administrative position. He’s been engaged since before I came (over a year ago) but he kept saying a woman wants a guy to be able to give her a nice home, and things, before he can marry her. He’s been building his house over this year.
So the wedding was set for 3 o’clock. One of my questions was, knowing that punctuality, or rather the lack of it, is a sure thing, at what time this wedding would actually begin. Knowing it would be late, I didn’t even plan to be ready before 3:30. Even then, I’d see everybody still walking around in work clothes. And if asked if they were going to the wedding, it was either a “sure” or “I don’t know”. This continued till after 4 p.m. and still, if asked what time the wedding will start, they’d still say 3 o’clock.
So about 4:15, with most of Canaan still not dressed, Bobi and I went to the chapel. Inside we found the 5 bridesmaids in blue waiting, as well as Rosemay (Canaan girl) and the bride (all decked out in her bridal dress and veil). We thought ‘how strange that Rosemay is also dressed in a white bridal dress, though with a tiara instead of a veil’. We debated about that while we kept waiting till 5ish. I told Bobi that the bride looks different. I hadn’t met Adeline (the bride) more than a couple times in the last year but this just didn’t ring a bell. I even told Bobi ‘what if they switched with someone else’. I said this just doesn’t look like her and I don‘t believe it‘s her. It was weird. Then the party went out. People were actually starting to fill up the chairs.
Then Stephanson (from Canaan) comes in and stands waiting till Rosemay comes in dancing, and there started the elaborate wedding dance. It was really fun to see. I may never again be satisfied to see bridesmaids walking demurely down the isle!!! Apparently this wasn’t the longest or most elaborate wedding dance ever, but it was interesting to watch - all a story. The ladies would drop the single flower they carried and the guy would stoop to pick it up and stay down looking up, all in a continual dance. There was even a “fight” among two of the guys over the ‘bride’ and her choosing one over the other. I thought it strange that she went and said down without anybody, behind Rosemay, who I figured was the maid of honor but thought ‘oh well, this is Haiti - who knows how they do it’.
Stepanson and Rosemay, the first in the wedding dance
Then the tempo changed, and lo and behold, the real bride walked in. Sister Gladys came in with her and the wedding proceeded with less minor differences. They stayed sitting, even for the vows, and only knelt for the prayer and rings. It was kind of cool, when they answered “yes, Pastor” for the vows, afterward the pastor asked the congregation what they had said, and everybody answered “yes Pastor”. It seemed more like the witness that everybody is.
The danced was performed again with the exit of the bridal party, but not as extensive.
So here’s the custom regarding the bridal party and the white dresses:
You have the godmother, which was Sister Gladys (and the male counterparts). She sits with the bride through it all. Some people’s opinion is they like to pick people with money, rather than someone close to the bride, which could be why they had a problem finding someone to fill the spot. They even asked me to do it, but that was a firm ‘no’ from me. I don’t even know the bride.
Then you have a queen, which was Rosemay, and the reason she was wearing a white dress with a tiara. The other girl in white dress and veil is the princess and the rest of the girls are bridesmaids. Apparently this is the custom for every real wedding. They have their guys of course, who are the king and prince. By dress you couldn’t tell who was the bride.
They served a plate of food prepared in a take-out plate, so serving went fast. They had over 100 people there, I’m sure. There wasn’t much of a dance afterwards that I know of, though that is usual. No gifts that I saw.
Bride and groom, queen, princess and bridesmaids
Godparents with bride and groom
And now, what do Haitians do for a honeymoon?
Some go straight to their houses without a honeymoon trip, but if possible their parents will bring them food for a week. Others do go on some sort of trip. I don’t know what this couple did, since what they really wanted and asked for was denied. Can you guess what that was? Probably not, so I’ll tell you.
They wanted to come stay in the guest room here at Canaan that is on top of the girls’ dorm and be served by the people of Canaan for a week. That brought an emphatic “NO” from Sister Gladys, but I’ll admit I feel a little bit like chuckling about it, trying to imagine that. There’s been a “honeymoon couple” here at Canaan once in the past and some of the little kids couldn’t figure out why they slept till noon, and some other little kids tried to enlighten them -“You know what they do..”
Some go straight to their houses without a honeymoon trip, but if possible their parents will bring them food for a week. Others do go on some sort of trip. I don’t know what this couple did, since what they really wanted and asked for was denied. Can you guess what that was? Probably not, so I’ll tell you.
They wanted to come stay in the guest room here at Canaan that is on top of the girls’ dorm and be served by the people of Canaan for a week. That brought an emphatic “NO” from Sister Gladys, but I’ll admit I feel a little bit like chuckling about it, trying to imagine that. There’s been a “honeymoon couple” here at Canaan once in the past and some of the little kids couldn’t figure out why they slept till noon, and some other little kids tried to enlighten them -“You know what they do..”
Not conducive atmosphere at all here at Canaan.
And now, hopefully they will live “happily ever after”.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Hi,
Here we've had our busy weeks, as usual . It never ends. I guess that's a good thing.
Last week, we had a team of 4 here that we really enjoyed. Except they weren't really a team - more like friends returning, since 3 of them had been here last fall. Mark was here for a few months, and Travis and Amy had come to visit him during that time. They brought Paul this time, who grew up in Turkey, and that was an interesting subject of conversation for a lot of us here. He even sang a chorus in Turkish on Sunday.
Sat. was Canaan's 18th birthday, and it's a day they take to celebrate what God has and is doing here. True to form, there was a lot of work prior to it. A lot of the buildings got a facelift - the chapel inside and out (for those that know it, it's no longer pink!), the Shikoon, the kitchens, admin building, etc. In the morning, EVERYBODY went down to the road, and everyone got to meditate on why they're here, whether they really want to be here and why. So everybody had to say something, if they wanted to go up to Canaan again. It was a good reminder.
Then in the afternoon/evening, we had a service where a lot of other people were invited. It's suppose to be a time of celebration, and they had like different singing competitions, and solos, etc. (I got to be a music judge for the first time in my life!) Throughout the weekend there were other competitions, like sports, etc.
That night another team came in - our second biggest ever - 28 people (I think). I didn't know it before but they had a doctor and some nurses in the group so I had help at the clinic today. That was great because we broke the record again today (probably third Monday in a row) with 62 patients.
This week we're doing camp!! A lot of kids are here from neighboring churches, etc, (probably 30 -40) and the Canaan kids are doing wonderful taking care of them. This is a new thing for Canaan, but we wanted to do more to teach the kids to reach out to other people too. The team from the US is also helping with activities. They're a great team for that, since they have a camp for kids themselves (Bear Lake Camp).
This week we've gone over to Chris and Leslie several times. They both came down with fever. Friday afternoon we went and I did a malaria test, and that's what it was! Both of them at the same time! So to give them a free night to be sick together, Bobi and I brought Olivia (14 months) home with us for the night. She's such an easy child to babysit. Went to sleep with no problem. Was sitting and chattering at 5 a.m. though, but I ignored it and next thing I knew I awoke and she was sleeping soundly. I think she needs to come over more often. She didn't want to go with us when we said we were going home. And once there, she didn't want anything of mommy and daddy, and cried when we left. Maybe she needs a bigger social life too. :)
Tomorrow we're doing a little special for our Medika Mamba people - we're serving them a lunch, and with it we want to take a little time to share the gospel. Please pray that things will go well. It's a bit hard to organize something like that here.
OK, and if any of you are still skeptical of our Medika Mamba, look at these pictures of the same child. Guess how many weeks different??? 2 WEEKS! Yes, this difference is after two weeks of Medika Mamba, and loving care. Note the difference in his arms and chest! A missionary couple that just started a small orphanage took him in.
.JPG)
OK, I have other things to do yet online tonight. We came to Club Indigo, and it's getting late. I haven't been able to get online for several days, so it's catch up time right now.
Here we've had our busy weeks, as usual . It never ends. I guess that's a good thing.
Last week, we had a team of 4 here that we really enjoyed. Except they weren't really a team - more like friends returning, since 3 of them had been here last fall. Mark was here for a few months, and Travis and Amy had come to visit him during that time. They brought Paul this time, who grew up in Turkey, and that was an interesting subject of conversation for a lot of us here. He even sang a chorus in Turkish on Sunday.
Sat. was Canaan's 18th birthday, and it's a day they take to celebrate what God has and is doing here. True to form, there was a lot of work prior to it. A lot of the buildings got a facelift - the chapel inside and out (for those that know it, it's no longer pink!), the Shikoon, the kitchens, admin building, etc. In the morning, EVERYBODY went down to the road, and everyone got to meditate on why they're here, whether they really want to be here and why. So everybody had to say something, if they wanted to go up to Canaan again. It was a good reminder.
Then in the afternoon/evening, we had a service where a lot of other people were invited. It's suppose to be a time of celebration, and they had like different singing competitions, and solos, etc. (I got to be a music judge for the first time in my life!) Throughout the weekend there were other competitions, like sports, etc.
That night another team came in - our second biggest ever - 28 people (I think). I didn't know it before but they had a doctor and some nurses in the group so I had help at the clinic today. That was great because we broke the record again today (probably third Monday in a row) with 62 patients.
This week we're doing camp!! A lot of kids are here from neighboring churches, etc, (probably 30 -40) and the Canaan kids are doing wonderful taking care of them. This is a new thing for Canaan, but we wanted to do more to teach the kids to reach out to other people too. The team from the US is also helping with activities. They're a great team for that, since they have a camp for kids themselves (Bear Lake Camp).
This week we've gone over to Chris and Leslie several times. They both came down with fever. Friday afternoon we went and I did a malaria test, and that's what it was! Both of them at the same time! So to give them a free night to be sick together, Bobi and I brought Olivia (14 months) home with us for the night. She's such an easy child to babysit. Went to sleep with no problem. Was sitting and chattering at 5 a.m. though, but I ignored it and next thing I knew I awoke and she was sleeping soundly. I think she needs to come over more often. She didn't want to go with us when we said we were going home. And once there, she didn't want anything of mommy and daddy, and cried when we left. Maybe she needs a bigger social life too. :)
Tomorrow we're doing a little special for our Medika Mamba people - we're serving them a lunch, and with it we want to take a little time to share the gospel. Please pray that things will go well. It's a bit hard to organize something like that here.
OK, and if any of you are still skeptical of our Medika Mamba, look at these pictures of the same child. Guess how many weeks different??? 2 WEEKS! Yes, this difference is after two weeks of Medika Mamba, and loving care. Note the difference in his arms and chest! A missionary couple that just started a small orphanage took him in.
.JPG)
OK, I have other things to do yet online tonight. We came to Club Indigo, and it's getting late. I haven't been able to get online for several days, so it's catch up time right now.
God bless!!
Elsie
Saturday, March 28, 2009
March 2009
Hello, hello
This has been quite an interesting couple weeks... I feel so much happened that I won't recall it all. When will I start journaling again?
This has been quite an interesting couple weeks... I feel so much happened that I won't recall it all. When will I start journaling again?
The Medical team went well and we saw lots of patients. We had 4 doctors and 3 PA students/Nursing Assistants. We did a new venture this time since we had a big group, and half of us went to do a clinic in Arcahaie. Talking to the pastor in whose church building we saw everyone, on the phone in the morning, he said there were over 200 people waiting (we had told him 50) so he had to send some away. All in all, it went well.
These are cute triplets that came for a checkup.
"Our pharmacists"
It seems everytime the team comes, I get to learn one more "doctor skill". This time it was dental. Dr Ric's father is a retired dentist and before coming he gave Dr Ric a quick dental lesson and some materials. Then he in turn taught me. So if need be, I can now fill a tooth! Of course it's just temporary filling but it can last up to a year or two.
Filling the first tooth ever with Dr Ric's help.
We've had a really good Mamba week this week. It started last week with Peterson coming. He is from St Marc and our missionary friends there brought him. They had no idea he was like that, living in their own neighborhood because the family was ashamed to bring him out so they kept him strictly at home. He is two years old. He has since been taken in by our friends there who have this year opened an orphanage. Thankfully he is being taken good care of now. He came back this week and had gained a whole kilo more than the expected, which is 5 grams per child's kilo per day. Yea for Peterson!!
Then this monday this little 10 month child came to see us at the clinic. Note her swollen feet, hands and face. Her cheeks are bulging. But her chest and arms are skin and bones. This is a serious stage of kwashiokor. Thank God, there's hope for her. She also came with what sounded like croup and asthma.
Little Jufta also came on Monday. We were told she's over a year. Later her mom remembered she's not a year yet, she doesn't remember her age (very common here). No matter... you can tell right away she's very thin. Her arms and legs were so small. She actually looks better on the picture than in real life.
Another child in the initial stages of kwash.
We have over 40 children in our program right now. Somehow lately the word has spread, which we are real glad for. Some need it so bad. We had one child in Arcahaie this Friday (still haven't uploaded the picture) who is 2 years old and weighed only 6.25 kg (about 13 pounds). That's the weight of some newborns!!
Another special occasion last week was a visit from Karen from Victoria, BC. She's been coming every year. Made me feel like an old timer to have people come back for the second year since I've been here! (Karen's in the middle)
Another child in the initial stages of kwash.
We have over 40 children in our program right now. Somehow lately the word has spread, which we are real glad for. Some need it so bad. We had one child in Arcahaie this Friday (still haven't uploaded the picture) who is 2 years old and weighed only 6.25 kg (about 13 pounds). That's the weight of some newborns!!
Another special occasion last week was a visit from Karen from Victoria, BC. She's been coming every year. Made me feel like an old timer to have people come back for the second year since I've been here! (Karen's in the middle)
Bonnie, Bobi, and I took her to the airport last Sunday. After dropping her off, we headed to the grocery store (a must every time we go to Port). On the way we decided to stop at a restaurant we'd always wanted to check out. We stopped, got a layout and prices of the place and decided to come back later for lunch if we felt like it. Well, as we put the key in the lock to open the door, it broke on us. Imagine how that left us feeling!! Now what do we do, in Port, just us three girls??
There were a couple guys from the restaurant that came and started taking the door apart. Not comfortable with that, we called Steve (owner of the truck) but couldn't get him on. We then called Chris, at Clean Water for Haiti, who gave us 3 phone numbers of people in Port. One of them was for a man named Kurt. I have a huge respect for this man now. He and his wife have lived here in Haiti for 10 years. He has a mechanic shop and does mechanic work for missionaries. He has an amazing heart. Even on a sunday after noon, he came where we were and helped us out. And this is a man that when he wanted to come to Haiti, no mission would take him because he was never able to learn to read and write because of a hearing problem. So they came and are working on their own now. (Don't ever limit what God can do through your own limitations!) He was able to get the key out, but we decided not to try to find a shop to make a new key, since there would be the risk of it not fitting anyway, so after getting hold of Steve, we messed up his afternoon too, by his bringing a second key to us.
So while waiting for him, we had lunch at this place. And a good leizure lunch it was and as we were paying for the bill, Steve drove up. No waiting time afterwards at all! (that tells you either how good the roads are or how long it took to eat :)
Today, Bonnie, Bobi, and I took the day off and went to our "lighthouse beach" again. That is one amazing beach! Totally isolated and the clearest aqua blue water anywhere.
OK, this is getting long and it's getting late. Generator will go off soon. Such is life here. Please continue to pray for us. There are so many needs, and blessings here - with the people from the community, all the kids and staff here at Canaan, and also among us "Americans" who serve here. Pray that we can bless the people here always, and not be a hindrance to the work.
God bless!
Elsie
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Hello everyone!
I'm back in Haiti after 3 weeks of a wonderful vacation. I always knew Costa Rica was a beautiful country but I was even more impressed this time. Even the houses are nicer now, the people seem SO well to do. OK, I realized always before I went there from North America. Funny how your view of something is clouded by what you're used to seeing, or by what you compare it to. Compared to Haiti, CR is "First World". When you don't see any starving children, when you see everybody dressed well, when you don't wonder if someone can afford the products on the grocery shelves.... that country is rich.
We had some awesome family time. The first week, Bobi came home with me, and some of us went to the Arenal volcano area (sadly the most she got out of the volcano was hearing it rumble a few times. It was drizzling most of the weekend!). We had a great time anyway, spending most of a day in natural hot springs. The next day we did zipline-ing - zooming through the air chained to a rope is quite exhilarating.
A Friday to Monday weekend with the whole family was also wonderful. We went to a camp in the mountains and had lots of fun - sports, sharing time, eating, etc. Some of us even did a scary canopy obstacle course. OK, that was scary! Imagine walking on a rope, holding onto another rope above you. At one point they meet in the middle, like a knot and you have to figure out how to cross the knot. You have to balance your body over a knot high in the air! Another scary part was walking on a 2-3 inch board with NOTHING to hold onto - ok, I couldn't do it by myself.
I haven't been able to upload a lot of pictures but am starting. If you want to see them, you can click on the photos link on this site. This is my public photo albums.
Ok gotta go since I'm at Chris and Leslie's right now. Thanks for all your prayers and support. Please continue, as there is so much to do here and responsabilities that are always a challenge.
Elsie
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Canaan
Hello,
You can say it - it's been awhile. I think I'm slacking. But if you knew the speed of our internet, maybe you'd be more compassionate.
Having said that, though, I apologize for the long silence. It's not that things haven't been happening - maybe too much is happening. The last while I've been trying to make an online inventory list, so it can only be done in the evenings, and honestly, it's not conducive to work, being online here. Between the slowest internet ever, and kids, it's taking me forever. And now I'm afraid I've messed it all up and it's too slow to go back quickly and check. So not to go crazy waiting to see if I wasted so many evenings, I came here instead.
Stephanie, the nurse replacing me is coming in tonight. I'm excited - both to see her (we clicked well the week+ that she was here last July) and because it means I leave day after tomorrow. It feels kind of unreal. You get so into a routine of things, it's strange to think of it being different. However, since so many days of my 3 weeks off are already planned, I'll be back in no time.
Plans are: Bobi is meeting me in Miami. We're renting a car for one night, and hitting the town! (Gotta make the most of one evening and night in the US!) Her family is there in their mobile trailer so we're staying with them. We'll see what else we do - shopping, eating out, maybe a movie.....
then Friday morning Bobi and I fly to Costa Rica. She's spending a week there with me. The first weekend we're heading to the northern part of the country, to a volcano, zipline, .. we'll see what else. Two nights, relaxing... it will give her a chance to see quite a bit of the country.
The next weekend my whole family will be together - we haven't been since 4 years ago, so really looking forward to that. The last weekend (4 days), some of us have plans to go to a nice beach. Somewhere in between that, I want to 'just me home'! And do all my business. ... Yea, it's going to be too short.
Now for some Canaan news...
This next weekend (all of which I'll miss) is Carnaval week. This is a rough, demonic Haitian holiday week, and a lot of churches plan camping time to get out of the cities. So, many of them knowing Canaan, they've asked to come camp here. We're expecting 300 young people at least. God has put a wonderful vision upon S. Gladys' heart - why not open this time and start something new? So we're inviting young people around here also and we'll have like a crusade - times for preaching, worship, etc, but also times of games, where they'll compete - soccer, basketball, sack races, singing, Bible trivia, etc, etc. There'll be prizes and trophies. What a time to reach out to the Haitian youth!!!
Please pray this weekend. This is huge! This may become a yearly thing. Together with that, please continue praying for the neighborhood of Sou Boy, that I mentioned in the last blog. Spanish classes have started as well as some others. For many things they want to do, we still need instructors.
Clinic's still picking up. Yesterday we had over 50 patients, which is more than ever (without doctors being here). I have two girls from the World Race team helping me these days, which is really nice, since Bobi's gone. Continue praying for me please. I still get overwhelmed sometimes by what I'm doing here (after a year, you'd think I'd be used to it, right?). Then a young boy comes in with a motorcycle burn injury of a couple weeks ago, and it has become a crater almost an inch deep and wide, and looking ugly. I took it upon myself to put in some anesthesia and debride it. I'm worried because he didn't come back when I told him to.
On the upside, they're working on the new clinic building - for now the foundation, but it's encouraging.
By the way, if weather dictates when you come visit, always make it Febuary. We're having wonderful, windy weather. Makes you forget about all the hot weather of the summer.
OK, there's lots calling to me today yet, so till another time....
Elsie
You can say it - it's been awhile. I think I'm slacking. But if you knew the speed of our internet, maybe you'd be more compassionate.
Having said that, though, I apologize for the long silence. It's not that things haven't been happening - maybe too much is happening. The last while I've been trying to make an online inventory list, so it can only be done in the evenings, and honestly, it's not conducive to work, being online here. Between the slowest internet ever, and kids, it's taking me forever. And now I'm afraid I've messed it all up and it's too slow to go back quickly and check. So not to go crazy waiting to see if I wasted so many evenings, I came here instead.
Stephanie, the nurse replacing me is coming in tonight. I'm excited - both to see her (we clicked well the week+ that she was here last July) and because it means I leave day after tomorrow. It feels kind of unreal. You get so into a routine of things, it's strange to think of it being different. However, since so many days of my 3 weeks off are already planned, I'll be back in no time.
Plans are: Bobi is meeting me in Miami. We're renting a car for one night, and hitting the town! (Gotta make the most of one evening and night in the US!) Her family is there in their mobile trailer so we're staying with them. We'll see what else we do - shopping, eating out, maybe a movie.....
then Friday morning Bobi and I fly to Costa Rica. She's spending a week there with me. The first weekend we're heading to the northern part of the country, to a volcano, zipline, .. we'll see what else. Two nights, relaxing... it will give her a chance to see quite a bit of the country.
The next weekend my whole family will be together - we haven't been since 4 years ago, so really looking forward to that. The last weekend (4 days), some of us have plans to go to a nice beach. Somewhere in between that, I want to 'just me home'! And do all my business. ... Yea, it's going to be too short.
Now for some Canaan news...
This next weekend (all of which I'll miss) is Carnaval week. This is a rough, demonic Haitian holiday week, and a lot of churches plan camping time to get out of the cities. So, many of them knowing Canaan, they've asked to come camp here. We're expecting 300 young people at least. God has put a wonderful vision upon S. Gladys' heart - why not open this time and start something new? So we're inviting young people around here also and we'll have like a crusade - times for preaching, worship, etc, but also times of games, where they'll compete - soccer, basketball, sack races, singing, Bible trivia, etc, etc. There'll be prizes and trophies. What a time to reach out to the Haitian youth!!!
Please pray this weekend. This is huge! This may become a yearly thing. Together with that, please continue praying for the neighborhood of Sou Boy, that I mentioned in the last blog. Spanish classes have started as well as some others. For many things they want to do, we still need instructors.
Clinic's still picking up. Yesterday we had over 50 patients, which is more than ever (without doctors being here). I have two girls from the World Race team helping me these days, which is really nice, since Bobi's gone. Continue praying for me please. I still get overwhelmed sometimes by what I'm doing here (after a year, you'd think I'd be used to it, right?). Then a young boy comes in with a motorcycle burn injury of a couple weeks ago, and it has become a crater almost an inch deep and wide, and looking ugly. I took it upon myself to put in some anesthesia and debride it. I'm worried because he didn't come back when I told him to.
On the upside, they're working on the new clinic building - for now the foundation, but it's encouraging.
By the way, if weather dictates when you come visit, always make it Febuary. We're having wonderful, windy weather. Makes you forget about all the hot weather of the summer.
OK, there's lots calling to me today yet, so till another time....
Elsie
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sou Boy
Hello,
This place is a beehive of activities these days. We've been blessed with a different team each week in Jan, and lots of work has gotten done here. The new team this last Sat consists of about 16 people, plus 3 or 4 that stayed over from the last team. They're leaving on Friday. Then last night we got 13 more, who'll be here till around the 21st. This last group is a group of young people that are in the "World Race". They go to a new country every month for 11 months and do all kinds of things at different mission places, etc. They came from the Dominican Republic and are in the second month. It sounds like such an interesting thing to do - there goes my sense of adventure.
At the clinic it seems to be picking up again. My new nurse was doing good but then I realized I let her go on her own too soon, so now I need to focus on training her more before I leave in 2 weeks. Then one of my steady "translators and helpers" Fabiola, left this last weekend - don't know if she's coming back. We miss her. Now I need to continually look for someone (I do still have one fairly steady one). One of the ladies from the team is a nurse so she's been helping me, which has been great, especially since yesterday we broke the record again in the amount of people we saw. Bobi's also leaving on Thursday so that'll make it busier for me. But again, God provides (He is ever faithful). Some people in this new group will be coming down to help.
Today we had a busy Mamba day. Bobi went around Montrouis the other day recruiting, and today we had like 23 people show up, despite the fact she only told 6 of them to come get checked. Sometimes word of mouth is best. Thankfully not all of them were malnourished, but we did admit 6 little ones to our program.
One new thing that is happening here, and it's exciting to think what God is going to be doing with it. It's about what's happening with the young people of Sou Boy. Sou Boy is the little village at the foot of our hill. Up until now they haven't been the most friendly - after all some of them are squatting on our land. But a bunch of the young people got it into their heads that they want an education, and they want to learn vocational skills, so they've had a few meetings with S. Gladys (about 150 people one time). We're looking into starting classes for: Spanish, English, mechanics, construction, plumbing, art, secretarial skills, typing, computer, etc etc (who wants to come teach???) We have this abandoned building in the middle of a field that used to be used for a school, but is in bad shape. S. Gladys told them we can use that but it's their responsible to get it ready. So the last few days I've been watching from a distance as about 10-30 young men (many between 18-22 yrs) are working there - chopping, sweeping the roof, burning brushes, etc. Tomorrow they're starting on the soccer field. It does my heart good to see their energy and passion to learn something practical. Not just that, but sunday a bunch of them came to church, and I saw a passion in some of them that was awesome to see. It's even challenging the kids here. Please pray for all this. We don't know how or who is going to be doing all this but the need and passion is there, and it's a start to changing Haiti - one person at a time.
Sister Gladys is also leaving this week, and that means a few more responsibilities may befall me, esp. with all the people here. (Pastor Henri went to the States for a couple months - we miss him) Life continues to be interesting here. Thankfully she'll be back before I leave on the 19th for a much anticipated 3 wk. vacation with my family in Costa Rica. I haven't left the country since April, and I feel the need for a break. (don't get me wrong, I love the work here and it's going good!)
Ok, it's getting late, there's a lot of people around and I can't remember all the things I wanted to say, so I better go before I just ramble on.
Thanks for your prayerful support for me here!!!
Elsie
p.s.
please continue praying for a Medika Mamba vehicle - we've got more than a quarter of the funds that we expect we'll need, raised already. We went to look at a vehicle the other day - exactly what we need, but I think it's too nice. Funny how that's an issue, right? But considering we're serving the malnourished, poor, we don't want one that screams "rich". So pray we'll find the right one. And if God lays it on your heart to help financially too, well... you know :)
This place is a beehive of activities these days. We've been blessed with a different team each week in Jan, and lots of work has gotten done here. The new team this last Sat consists of about 16 people, plus 3 or 4 that stayed over from the last team. They're leaving on Friday. Then last night we got 13 more, who'll be here till around the 21st. This last group is a group of young people that are in the "World Race". They go to a new country every month for 11 months and do all kinds of things at different mission places, etc. They came from the Dominican Republic and are in the second month. It sounds like such an interesting thing to do - there goes my sense of adventure.
At the clinic it seems to be picking up again. My new nurse was doing good but then I realized I let her go on her own too soon, so now I need to focus on training her more before I leave in 2 weeks. Then one of my steady "translators and helpers" Fabiola, left this last weekend - don't know if she's coming back. We miss her. Now I need to continually look for someone (I do still have one fairly steady one). One of the ladies from the team is a nurse so she's been helping me, which has been great, especially since yesterday we broke the record again in the amount of people we saw. Bobi's also leaving on Thursday so that'll make it busier for me. But again, God provides (He is ever faithful). Some people in this new group will be coming down to help.
Today we had a busy Mamba day. Bobi went around Montrouis the other day recruiting, and today we had like 23 people show up, despite the fact she only told 6 of them to come get checked. Sometimes word of mouth is best. Thankfully not all of them were malnourished, but we did admit 6 little ones to our program.
One new thing that is happening here, and it's exciting to think what God is going to be doing with it. It's about what's happening with the young people of Sou Boy. Sou Boy is the little village at the foot of our hill. Up until now they haven't been the most friendly - after all some of them are squatting on our land. But a bunch of the young people got it into their heads that they want an education, and they want to learn vocational skills, so they've had a few meetings with S. Gladys (about 150 people one time). We're looking into starting classes for: Spanish, English, mechanics, construction, plumbing, art, secretarial skills, typing, computer, etc etc (who wants to come teach???) We have this abandoned building in the middle of a field that used to be used for a school, but is in bad shape. S. Gladys told them we can use that but it's their responsible to get it ready. So the last few days I've been watching from a distance as about 10-30 young men (many between 18-22 yrs) are working there - chopping, sweeping the roof, burning brushes, etc. Tomorrow they're starting on the soccer field. It does my heart good to see their energy and passion to learn something practical. Not just that, but sunday a bunch of them came to church, and I saw a passion in some of them that was awesome to see. It's even challenging the kids here. Please pray for all this. We don't know how or who is going to be doing all this but the need and passion is there, and it's a start to changing Haiti - one person at a time.
Sister Gladys is also leaving this week, and that means a few more responsibilities may befall me, esp. with all the people here. (Pastor Henri went to the States for a couple months - we miss him) Life continues to be interesting here. Thankfully she'll be back before I leave on the 19th for a much anticipated 3 wk. vacation with my family in Costa Rica. I haven't left the country since April, and I feel the need for a break. (don't get me wrong, I love the work here and it's going good!)
Ok, it's getting late, there's a lot of people around and I can't remember all the things I wanted to say, so I better go before I just ramble on.
Thanks for your prayerful support for me here!!!
Elsie
p.s.
please continue praying for a Medika Mamba vehicle - we've got more than a quarter of the funds that we expect we'll need, raised already. We went to look at a vehicle the other day - exactly what we need, but I think it's too nice. Funny how that's an issue, right? But considering we're serving the malnourished, poor, we don't want one that screams "rich". So pray we'll find the right one. And if God lays it on your heart to help financially too, well... you know :)
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