Bonswa…
David and I are in the room/office/home in Port au Prince packing up to catch our plane back to the US tomorrow. So many mixed feelings, it’s not like we aren’t coming back but it’s hard to leave (except the ants, of course).
We emptied out the “shed” in Petit Goave yesterday and so many came to see us off, it was emotional. I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but leaving the shed was hard, it had become home. The hardest was Auglide, the two year old “queen” of the campground. She’s finally gotten comfortable with us and can even say our names. I can’t count the number of times I would hear a knock at the door, open it to find Auglide smiling and a number of the other kids behind the door. One of the kids would say, Auglide vle bonbon (wants a cookie) so…
We cooked a lunch for the work crew on Friday. The guys were excited and David kept telling them to work instead of trying to help me. I learned how to make enough rice (that doesn’t stick)to serve 60 people and that you need someone to help you carry the pots when you are finished. I was cooking with my friend, Verlin, in a unfinished room on the site. You would not believe how clean pans get when you use dirt and stones to scrub them. While cooking, paint was gently falling on me through the incomplete roof and after the wooden spoon caught fire I kept thinking of my mom and what she would think… I think she’d be proud
The ants have been in rare form this week, planning and carrying out numerous attacks on me. Never underestimate a creature that can carry something five times its size on their back…. I have more bites than I’ve had since we arrived, it’s their send off for me. Many are in areas there shouldn’t be bites, they are shameless!!! It’s not fair that they are almost invisible. I’ll be working on my strategy while in the states. I haven’t conceded yet!!!!
I soaked up all I could on our ride back to Port au Prince, a ride in a vehicle here is NEVER boring nor is there much chance to nap.. Saturday is market day so many are shopping or selling and I love watching the facial expressions on everyone. The bartering, bantering and occasional bickering, it’s all part of the shopping experience. I don’t think I mentioned the “pharmacy” in a bucket… You see someone walking down the street carrying a bucket that has been fitted with a mesh cage (similar to tomato plant cages) and strung to that cage are hundreds of bubble paks of pharmaceuticals. They walk the streets dispensing, gives a whole new meaning to home delivery I’ve been told they are mostly aspirins, cold medicines and antibiotics. Wheelbarrows full of cut sugar cane, if you purchase a stalk, the vendor will take his machete and within seconds peel and pack it in plastic.
The motorcycles here……thousands upon thousands of them. The bikes are used as taxis, you purchase a bike for about $1000 and proceed to charge each person roughly 70 cents for a short ride. How many rides until you’ve paid it off? The funny thing is they can get five people on a small bike (we’re not talking street bikes or dirt bikes like the states) and drop them in various locations. We’ve seen bikes with three people, three crates of glass bottles, 50 lb bag of rice and a goat tied to the side. It’s a sight to see! I pray that I won’t have to take a taxi, after watching them dart in and out of traffic and dodge holes and animals, it looks so scary!
The cholera outbreak seems to be worsening, please keep this high on your prayer list. It’s so sad, as the cure is rather simple but for many not accessible. Cholera is transmitted through contaminated food or water. It can be treated by rehydrating (oral hydration salts or just a mix of salt/sugar) and antibiotic if possible. It is hard to imagine there are people that don’t have access to salt or sugar or clean water. World Hope Haiti sent a truck out this morning with portable health kits and thousands of hydration salt packages to be distributed in various areas. Many here don’t understand the disease and are very frightened. I pray that God places peace in their hearts.
David and I were reflecting back on when we first arrived here. We took turns encouraging each other but honestly I didn’t think we would make it. I kept praying that God would give me a sign(a BIG illuminated one) that this is where we were supposed to be. The heat, critters, garbage, destruction and our personal living conditions seemed too much. Along the way, we shelved our expectations and began to honestly look for the reasons God sent us here. It was slow at first, but the haze began to lift. We began seeing Haiti and its people and not focusing on the event and our views began to change dramatically. Life here has always been a struggle (especially when we compare it to what we in US have) the country has been dealing with poverty and hunger for years. Yet, life here continues daily, people work, children go to school, women have babies, no matter how devastating the earthquake life goes on. Many people that have come to Haiti express what we first saw when we arrived. How do people keep going, why are they still having more children, when will things change? The feelings of sadness and pity we sometimes express. The Haitian people are living, this is their life… they have picked themselves up and continued moving. The admiration I have the Haitian people is immeasurable… Why would we feel sorry for them… probably because as humans we compare their lifestyle to ours. The majority of people we have met here are happy, the children are beautiful. They may not have nice homes, a vehicle, nice clothes or shoes but I envy their peace, happiness and faith. I believe this is what God brought me here for… it’s a lesson I need to keep learning. We are happier and feel more peace now than when we arrived… Thanks to God and all of you for the continued prayer support during this part of our journey.
We head back tomorrow with mixed emotions, anxious to see family and friends but we also need to raise additional prayer and financial partners. Our speaking schedule is almost completely booked. We have eight weeks to raise roughly $28,000 in donations and pledges in order to return to Haiti. David has many building projects scheduled for 2011 and the list of teams scheduled to visit Haiti is growing daily. We are looking forward to a busy year! If God has been laying our work on your heart, please consider making a financial contribution to help us reach our support goal. Remember any contribution made before December 31 will be a charitable deduction on your 2010 income tax return. You may send them to World Hope International, Attn: Contributions Lockbox, P O Box 17151, Baltimore, MD 21297-1151. Please remember to enter our constituent number 28163 on the memo line of your check. You may also donate by credit/debit card and if you have questions please call 1-888-466-4673 and ask for donor services. The quickest way to donate directly to our account is on-line at https://giving.wesupport.org/gift2/designation.php?GUID=0A797C5B-2B8A-4686-AB22-A52383315A6B&id=7327 . Thank you!
Blessings to you and may we all be thankful for Gods’ blessings this year!
David and Madame Beth
(alias Grandpa and Grandma…can’t wait to see her!)
P.S. The presidential election in Haiti is next Sunday, please continue to pray that the people make a good choice and that the votes are counted accurately. In the past, this has not always been the case. The votes are counted by hand so the results won’t be announced for several days.
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