Bonswa, li fè chò nan Hait (Good afternoon it is hot in Haiti)
The heat has descended upon us. When we first returned in January it was so pleasant and actually had to have a small blanket at night. Now it's back to sleeping as scantily clad as possible and trying not to move. "Winter" here doesn't last long, unlike the midwest... We hear Michigan has snow right now...can't even imagine snow at the moment. The metal shed tends to make one feel like they are living in a pressure cooker....
We are in Port au Prince for a few days and I always enjoy walking here. Just returned from my walk, I love the people here. Men, women, children on the way to and from school, vendors selling mangos. I passed 42 people (it's the accountant in me that can't stop counting) and only one did not respond to my greeting. Many people look very sober and sometimes stern but the moment you greet them, a big smile and a friendly response follow. Made me stop and wonder how many responses I would receive in the US?
Mangos are everywhere! They are literally dropping off trees everywhere you look. They don't lie on the ground long, people gather them and either eat them or sell them to others. They are so delicious and we discovered there is a certain type of mango here that isn't stringy... They are all delicious but one wonders how people manage without dental floss:)
The other day while driving on a road (really a path) off the main throughway I saw the most humbling thing... A young girl of about 5 or 6 was hanging two large tubs of clothes on a barbed wire fence to dry... my first thought was "How can she do that, at her age and she'll hurt herself on that wire". I felt a rush of sadness... here she was working so hard, at her age.. not out playing and having fun...then I looked again. Most people here put their clothes anywhere to dry, on rocks, trees, grass whatever is available. This young girl was using the wire fence but it's how she was hanging them. She was hanging clothes and grouping them by colors...dancing with a shirt like it was a partner... and singing! Speechless...
Just had a few teams here and as usual had a great time showing them the Haiti we have come to love. The first group was made up of many first timers and what an experience to watch God working in their lives. We worked in three different areas of Jacmel setting up medical clinics and working with Haitian Drs. The team really stepped up to the plate and worked so well together. We had a triage station then on to waiting area for the Drs. (while waiting you could have your fingernails painted) then the Dr. visit, trip to pharmacy station and then a small gift and prayer station before heading home. It was wonderful! After the Dr. visit you could then go out and play Duck Duck Goose or Ring Around the Rosy. In three days the team ministered to over 400 people in a clinic setting. They also visited a few areas where they met with children and did VBS activities. Love watching the children reduce the "blans" to blubbering puddles. There was a small boy of about 18-24 months that stole my heart. His mom brought him and his younger sibling in. This small child had an adults t-shirt on which mom had twisted into two knots on his back and it really looked cute but sans pants of any kind. He was having a ball, playing with a soccer ball on the floor with dirt all over him and laughing. This is Gods' grace in action and we are the privileged ones to view these glimpses of His love for us.
Last weeks' team worked with David on the mother/child clinic in Leogane. All big strong men and David worked them hard:) They moved alot of rocks and dug a large trench for a latrine. Their favorite time was providing lunch for the workers. There are a number of families still living on the site in tents that have been helping out. They will then be paid at the end of the job so they will have money to move to another location. A young mother with three children, one being a small baby of about 8 months touched everyones' heart. The small ones here really fight heat rash and some are just covered from head to toe. Sweet little one always smiling but looked like he should be suffering. Grace... My favorite, watching grown men color with children...
Grace is something God has been revealing to us constantly here. David was turning right into the compound the other day when a tap tap decided to make a new right lane and ran right into him. All the folks on the tap tap jumped out and proceeded to "yell" at David. Normally (in our prior life) David would have been yelling back and flipping out. Instead he just kept smiling and waving his arms to indicate the path of the vehicle. I was walking (okay I was near running) to the front of the compound to "quiet" him and realized God had the situation under control... He always does, I just tend to forget that.
We have finally gotten the tenants out of our home in Michigan. It's been such a struggle, we have worked hard to remain positive and not be distracted by worry. Please join us in praying that God brings forth good people to lease our home in a timely manner. Also pray that they have left it in good condition..
Thank you all for your continued emails and prayers. Sometimes thank you just doesn't seem to cover it...please know that we pray for you and are grateful to have such great people sharing our journey. It's funny but at times when things happen I find myself thinking...so and so would love that or would have laughed at that. You are never far from our thoughts. If not for you, we would not be here. May God continue to bless you and as we all remember his resurrection this week we can rest assured that we are indeed saved by His grace.
Blessings,
David and Madame David :)
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