4 weeks!

Hi dear readers! Thank you for still reading! I'm loving life in CA and enjoying my time with friends. My sister spent a sweet weekend with me a couple of weekends ago where we walked around my neighborhood and the beach, shopped, and ate some delicious food with friends.  I'm starting to feel more comfortable at work and am thankful all of my coworkers have been very kind and helpful.

I was able to work into my contract a week off in June/July to go to Haiti! I'll be gone June 25-July 2, with Kaitlyn (my fabulous former roommate in Haiti) and some of her friends. As a team we are hoping to raise enough money to build a house for an Haitian family. These are pre-fabricated houses that Child Hope has been building for Haitian staff members and friends in our community who lost their homes or had significant damage in the January 12, 2010 earthquake. A lot of money was donated for these homes soon after the earthquake and Child Hope has been able to build numerous ones with the money, but the money has run out so we're trying to raise it to build one while we're there. By "we" I actually mean them...the ones capable of this. It would be fun to lift a hammer and hit some nails and sweat a bit more than I normally already do while I'm there, but I imagine I'll be busy doing medical stuff.  Our Haitian staff and masons will be working on building this house with the American team members.

First of all, please pray for our trip. Pray we will have humble hearts to serve our God and the Haitian people, and each other. Secondly, if you are interested in donating for the building of the house or for other needs of the ministry, you may click here to see a cool website that one of the team members, Lauren, designed. There is a link on it that will take you to a fundraiser page where you can designate the money for us to build a house.

We are so thankful for people who want to partner with us to love the Haitian people! 

I'm in California! I have a job! I started last week and had my first shift all by my lonesome (without a preceptor) on the floor yesterday in a children's hospital in Southern California. I am super excited to be working, to be busy, and to have a purpose, after feeling very unproductive the last two months. Although resting can be grand, and oh so necessary, there is really something wonderful about doing something you have been trained to do, earning a living, and having a purpose. Oh yes, and the Sun! Yeah baby!

My parents and I drove here over a period of a week. My dad had business to do in a couple different cities in California so we made stops along the way where we stayed with his former boss and good friend, as well as my grandparents. We had some great laughs and bonding moments, especially when we were tired. 

The last day that my parents were here we stayed with my friends Jamie, Loni, Darren, and Carolyn, who I know from their numerous visits to Haiti. They have a beautiful house on the water, not to mention are just loving, welcoming people. Jamie, Loni, and I rode bikes around Balboa Island after church and dropping my parents off at the airport. I love being able to be outdoors, where its not rainy or too hot to move. To my utter delight, my former roommate in Haiti, Kaitlyn, was passing through So Cal so I picked her up and we chatted into the night. Last weekend I went to a meeting at Jamie and Loni's house for a (MdL's) Camp in a Box meeting, where I was reunited with numerous friends who'd visited MdL in Haiti over the years. I think I shocked a few people by walking into the house. I had never seen these people outside of Haiti or looking so clean!

Being here doesn't make me miss Haiti and my kids any less though. I stayed with friends last week that I met in Haiti last fall, John and Michelle. Reminiscing about the kids with people who know and love them and together stalking other people's facebooks with the kids' pictures has been therapeutic. Sharing that passion with others helps me feel like a person who fits, rather than the misfit I sometimes feel like when I am away from Haiti. It might not make sense to you, but its hard to fit back into the first world after being away for awhile. Anyway, Michelle and John were fabulous hosts, who took me to the beach and showed me some of their favorite restaurants in the area. Michelle and I also participated in some serious "Just Dance" sweat fests. You Need to check out this Wii game. You'll think you're such a good dancer, even though you really may not be.

Where am I?

I didn't want to post anything until I had figured something out for certain. Well, what in life is really certain? 

I left Haiti early in February. I never, at any point, stopped loving what I do there, stopped being amazed by and adoring my kids, or stopped loving the country as a whole. I was just exhausted and needed a break. I'm visiting my family and friends in the Seattle area, as well as working as a nanny for a couple of families. I have also applied for a nursing license to work in California. There are a couple of traveling nursing jobs that I am interested in, which means I would work at a hospital for 13 weeks, then after that I can either stay (if they like me, the job is still needed, and I like them), or I can go to another hospital or back to Haiti. Praying, praying...I need that nursing license first before I can move forward with anything, though. I appreciate your prayers for me to be thankful in the midst of the waiting and for me to be aware of how God wants to use me here, in Washington, right now. Help me to be fully present Lord in the now.

January in Pictures

 Makenlove

 One of the four newest boys, Tiyou. 

 Stanley, who moved into the boys home in January with his little brothers, Wilson and Tiyou. 

 Emmanuel, Yvenel, and Lukenson

 Schneider, who also moved into the boys home in January.

 Lukenson playing marbles

 

 Wilson

 A couple of my buddies at the feeding program

Yvel, one of my favorite kids who attends the feeding program and hangs out in our neighborhood.

 I have a huge soft spot for this girl, Katrina. We've been through a lot together. She put a rock in her ear years ago, but she's becoming a little mother hen for the youngest girls.

 Oh, Daphne. Oh, Daphne.

 Adniaka, the girl with the worms in my last post. 

 Adniaka and Katrina

 Daphne

Reasons to Love....

....Haiti

1. Haitians love to tease. LOVE to tease. Nothing seems to be too private or embarrassing for them to not use as ammunition. The same joke can be told over and over again, in exactly the same way, and it can still be hilarious. Some examples of endlessly repeated jokes: "Ou manje anpil (You eat a lot)", "Ou gen kolera (You have kolera)," and "Ou malad? Eske ou gen diare? (You're sick? Do you have diarrhea?)." Years ago I fell down the stairs at the boys' home (I am a self-professed complete klutz) and they still laugh at me with me about it. They have taught me how to laugh at myself and to not take myself so seriously.

2. Haitians kiss each other on the cheeks in greeting, making me feel super welcome and cared for, even if I've just met them.

3. Haitians take care of their family members. It may be burdensome for those who are in poverty, but they want to help their parents and siblings and other members of their family with their needs. Large numbers of people may live together and look out for each other.

4. They sing without reservation. I love to sing. Enough said.

5. Haiti has no shortage of drama or adventures to keep you on your toes. Just when I think I can predict what my day might look look like, BAM! something happens to make my head spin around.

6. Along the lines of Number 5, Haiti has made me learn that I KNOW NOTHING. I moved to Haiti thinking I knew a lot about humanity, how to love people, and how to solve problems. Every day I learn that this is not the case. As frustrating as it can be, it makes me rely more on the Holy Spirit to live my life and to be in ministry.

7. Even though Port au Prince is heavily populated, I've often run into people I know at the market, on the street, or in restaurants. That rarely happens to me in the states. Haiti feels very small in comparison.

8. Running. Its hot, its sweaty, its dirty. I never know when I might trip and land on my face, causing all the people cooking, walking, or driving on the streets to stare and laugh at me.

Post-op Report

I apologize for the late post in telling you all that finally Sophiana had her surgery on January 28th. The surgery lasted longer (3 1/2 hours) than her surgeon had anticipated it would as there was even more swelling than he had expected. She is continuing to have some dizziness/balance issues so we are praying that those are short-term complications and she can return to school this week. Thank you for your prayers for Sophiana and for making this surgery happen! She is very appreciative of all you have provided for her. Soon I will post some words directly from her.

Warning: Not for the Squeamish

Two weeks ago the boys' home gained four new little boys into its home and the girls’ home welcomed two new girls into it. One of the little boys, Schneider, with the approximate age of 7, had apparently been living on his own for at least a year in a nearby tent city. The other three boys and the two girls lived in a tent outside of a nearby house. Their grandma was taking care of them over the last year as their parents died during the earthquake.

A few days after they moved in, Ashley, who is back working with us, de-wormed the new boys. The day after that a couple of our little boys exclaimed to me, “Schneider is pooping worms!” “Oh,” I said. “Well, at least he’s getting rid of them!” Later that day I passed out worm pills at the girls’ home. Here’s a few of their reactions: “I am not taking that! I don’t want worms coming out of my nose or mouth or butt!...Years ago I took that medicine and I pooped worms at school. I was so scared that I ran out of the bathroom and forgot to pull my skirt up. Everyone made fun of me!...I’m not skinny like (insert name), so I don’t have worms.” After some coercion and punishment doled out by a nanny for one girl, all the girls had chewed or swallowed the dreaded pill. I took one myself to convince a few to take it.. It tastes like dirt and you could probably use it to write on a chalkboard. Estaline and Dave, whose mom works at the girls’ home, both begged me for pills when they saw me giving them to the girls, thinking it was candy.

On Friday morning, Ashley and I decided Adniaka, the two-year-old newest girl, needed an IV because she had been vomiting and having diarrhea over night and refused to drink liquids. After a few unsuccessful attempts, we stopped trying and she began to drink a bit. We let her sleep for a bit then she woke up to vomit. Ashley grabbed for a cup and held it in front of Adniaka’s mouth. I was about to run for a towel when I was stopped short by Ashley. “What the…?” she exclaimed, with a horrified look on her face. She held up the cup, where a very long worm was curled around the bottom of it. We looked at each other in horror, made gagging sounds, laughed, and then I called for Bill, who was in his kitchen, to show him the evidence. His first words: “You need to save that for Susette. She’ll want to see it!” We obliged and kept the cup on the coffee table until she returned. I left for awhile to check on some of our other kids and when I came back Susette declared that she’d measured the worm and it was 10-inches long!

Throughout the afternoon and evening she began to drink more and ate a bit. That night though, she slept on a cot in mine and Ashley’s room so we could keep an eye on her. Early in the morning she began to cough and she coughed for most of the next hour. Each time she coughed Ashley or I grabbed a flash light and knelt down at the cot to see WHAT she was coughing up. Neither of us wanted to wake up to see a worm lying next to Adniaka or one lying in bed next to either one of us. Thankfully God spared us from that nastiness.

The next day Susette found me to tell me that Adniaka had coughed up another worm at the girls’ home. I accidentally left my phone over there so Chabine, one of girls, grabbed it and took a picture. Thanks, Chabine, so kind of you!

During church on Sunday one of the girls looked for me and said that Adniaka was throwing up. I found her outside with Ariana. Thoroughly grossed out, Ariana told me that Adniaka had coughed up another worm IN THE AISLE OF THE CHURCH. Fritz was so kind to offer to pick it up and I did too, but Ariana mustered the courage. I gathered myself together (holding the laughter inside- I admit, I might be sick thinking this is funny) and walked in with her because she asked for the moral support and to guard her so no one could see what she was doing in the middle of the church.

The following day I heard from Katrina, one of our younger girls, that Oline, slightly older than her, was changing Adniaka’s diaper and saw a worm crawling out. She freaked out and Katrina grabbed some toilet paper to pull it the rest of the way out. Since then no other worms have been seen.

 Katrina, I am proud of your ability to deal with grossness. You are on your way to being a good mom or medical professional! Oh Haiti, you never leave me with a shortage of stories to tell!