So I'm sure that many of you have heard of the cholera outbreak in Haiti. I'm also sure that many of you (who aren't friends with me on Facebook, anyway) kept on checking here to see if I am okay. However, I haven't updated in quite some time so sorry if I made you worried.
This is to say that I am alright. This is also to say that the cholera outbreak is slowing down and is not nearly as bad as it was on the first two days when news first hit the States. Also, it would be very difficult for me to get cholera (even if it was in the PAP area) and cholera is very treatable. Therefore, no need to worry about me! We're all good.
That is not to say that life hasn't been nuts here, though. It's been all kinds of crazy town.
We had the largest amount of people staying here in the history of the Guest House a few days ago. The number was 47 (including staff.) The highest it had ever been before that point was 40, I believe. Two days before this occurred, our generator broke. Now, our generator breaking isn't TERRIBLE if we get city power every night. However, city power is not very reliable and so, as we expected, around 6 p.m. we'd start to lose power. We had a few smaller generators to power things like pumping water and to get electricity to the dining area and lobby... but that was about it.
Luckily, though, for those first two or three nights, we got city power around 10 p.m. It would charge the inverter system and we'd have power all day until about 6-7 when it would start to wain.
However, on the day when we were the FULLEST EVER, city power never came. So we had 47 people sleeping in hot rooms, without much water, and fumbling around in the dark. It was absolutely nuts.
Things have definitely slowed down by now, though. The Guest House purchased a new generator yesterday big enough to power the three buildings it needs to (which is super exciting!) Also, we got city power yesterday at 4 p.m. and it's STILL on. It's a miracle! Further, we just have one group staying in the Guest House now and one group coming in tonight and going right back out tomorrow. Things are calm(er), and it feels good.
Also in the midst of this craziness, Tom Vencuss, the man who will be replacing Mike once his contract ends, was here this week to kind of learn the ropes and see what all happens behind the scenes. He's a very cool guy and I think I'm definitely going to enjoy working with him. He was a huge help this week and a positive energy to have around.
I should also take this time to announce that I will officially be working/living in Haiti through the end of July of next year. I have been offered a position as the new Assistant Volunteer Management Coordinator for the UMVIM Haiti program and I've accepted. It's my first big girl job with my first big girl title. It feels good!
Lastly, I got to see almost all of my boys last night. It was such a joy to be reunited with most of them and to have a chance to play around and be silly again. Recently, if we've seen them they just want money but they don't want to hang out and play. Last night, though, they were their old, goofy selves and I really enjoyed spending some time with them. I'm so glad that even though the boys have moved off campus, we still remain good friends with them and their families. It's quite the blessing.
Anyway, it's yet another busy day at the Guest House so I should probably be off. I hope you're all swell.
Beth
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Santo Domingo, por favor!
Things have been CRAZY here. CRAZY.
We have 19 teams coming through our UMVIM program this month (AHHH!) and right now we're in the middle of it. There have been teams and out and going all over Haiti. It's been fun but... crazy.
Anyway, in the midst of this, we had to take 3 days off to travel to the Dominican Republic. Actually, we could have traveled anywhere, but we absolutely had to leave the country in order to actually leave the country in the long run. You're not allowed to be in Haiti for more than 3 months without leaving so we left before Mike's time here would "expire."
So we took a bus to Santo Domingo.
BEST IDEA EVER.
I mean, it was a little strange getting there. It's basically an 8 hour drive to get there and you stop 3 times in the middle of it to do all the documentation of leaving Haiti and going into the Dominican. What was especially weird about this, though, was that the "stewardess" on the bus actually held our passports for us and did not let us keep them. It made us quite uneasy at first, but once we realized it was all part of the system, we were a bit more relaxed - although it still felt strange for someone we didn't know to be controlling our passports...
Once we arrived in the Dominican, though, it felt like a whole new world.
No earthquake destruction, poverty was a lot less obvious, the cities had actually been planned and laid out in a logical, grid-like manner, and (once you get to the bigger cities anyway) they had American chain restaurants! Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Baskin Robbins - oh my!
When we reached Santo Domingo, we hopped in a cab and arrived at our hotel. We stayed in a 16th century building. It was the coolest thing EVER. Here's the link to our hotel.
The next day was our big sight-seeing day. I was so glad that we ended up taking one full day in Santo Domingo. We desperately needed a break and it was the perfect way to "get away" and be around something different. When you live here, you don't realize just how much seeing destruction and poverty everywhere really starts to affect your emotional health until you leave it. Just the change in scenery was de-stressing. Again, a MUCH needed break.
As part of our sight-seeing, though, we explored the walking street. I ended up buying a painting (that was much more than I really wanted to spend) and it's AMAZING. I've always wanted to be one of those ladies that has a house with all kinds of unique pieces of art around it, and this is the perfect beginning. I love it.
Then we explored some other parts of town and hired a guide to show us all the historical sites in the afternoon. I didn't realize how important Santo Domingo's history was/is to the western hemisphere - but apparently it's quite important. Columbus landed there and began to colonize it but never actually lived there himself. However, he built a mansion there (with the intention to live in, but again - never ended up living in) which his son eventually lived in. It's a beautiful house.
Besides that, shortly after Columbus first arrived, the first church built in the western hemisphere was built there. In fact, it still stands today. It's also (as expected) beautiful.
Last night, though, as our final "hurrah" we decided to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe in Santo Domingo. It was a slice of heaven and it took us "home" for a short while. It really was the perfect ending to a perfect day and a perfect mini-vacation.
I plan to post pictures of the short event tomorrow. I have a ton of photos so get excited.
Anyway, tomorrow we hit the ground running and the pace will keep up for the next 2-3 weeks. Although it may be stressful at times, it is so cool to see all the dedicated, spirit-filled folks who come through here and to see how much work is done for God's glory. I am constantly in awe and so grateful for the opportunity to participate in God's great plan for Haiti.
Love to all,
Beth
We have 19 teams coming through our UMVIM program this month (AHHH!) and right now we're in the middle of it. There have been teams and out and going all over Haiti. It's been fun but... crazy.
Anyway, in the midst of this, we had to take 3 days off to travel to the Dominican Republic. Actually, we could have traveled anywhere, but we absolutely had to leave the country in order to actually leave the country in the long run. You're not allowed to be in Haiti for more than 3 months without leaving so we left before Mike's time here would "expire."
So we took a bus to Santo Domingo.
BEST IDEA EVER.
I mean, it was a little strange getting there. It's basically an 8 hour drive to get there and you stop 3 times in the middle of it to do all the documentation of leaving Haiti and going into the Dominican. What was especially weird about this, though, was that the "stewardess" on the bus actually held our passports for us and did not let us keep them. It made us quite uneasy at first, but once we realized it was all part of the system, we were a bit more relaxed - although it still felt strange for someone we didn't know to be controlling our passports...
Once we arrived in the Dominican, though, it felt like a whole new world.
No earthquake destruction, poverty was a lot less obvious, the cities had actually been planned and laid out in a logical, grid-like manner, and (once you get to the bigger cities anyway) they had American chain restaurants! Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Baskin Robbins - oh my!
When we reached Santo Domingo, we hopped in a cab and arrived at our hotel. We stayed in a 16th century building. It was the coolest thing EVER. Here's the link to our hotel.
The next day was our big sight-seeing day. I was so glad that we ended up taking one full day in Santo Domingo. We desperately needed a break and it was the perfect way to "get away" and be around something different. When you live here, you don't realize just how much seeing destruction and poverty everywhere really starts to affect your emotional health until you leave it. Just the change in scenery was de-stressing. Again, a MUCH needed break.
As part of our sight-seeing, though, we explored the walking street. I ended up buying a painting (that was much more than I really wanted to spend) and it's AMAZING. I've always wanted to be one of those ladies that has a house with all kinds of unique pieces of art around it, and this is the perfect beginning. I love it.
Then we explored some other parts of town and hired a guide to show us all the historical sites in the afternoon. I didn't realize how important Santo Domingo's history was/is to the western hemisphere - but apparently it's quite important. Columbus landed there and began to colonize it but never actually lived there himself. However, he built a mansion there (with the intention to live in, but again - never ended up living in) which his son eventually lived in. It's a beautiful house.
Besides that, shortly after Columbus first arrived, the first church built in the western hemisphere was built there. In fact, it still stands today. It's also (as expected) beautiful.
Last night, though, as our final "hurrah" we decided to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe in Santo Domingo. It was a slice of heaven and it took us "home" for a short while. It really was the perfect ending to a perfect day and a perfect mini-vacation.
I plan to post pictures of the short event tomorrow. I have a ton of photos so get excited.
Anyway, tomorrow we hit the ground running and the pace will keep up for the next 2-3 weeks. Although it may be stressful at times, it is so cool to see all the dedicated, spirit-filled folks who come through here and to see how much work is done for God's glory. I am constantly in awe and so grateful for the opportunity to participate in God's great plan for Haiti.
Love to all,
Beth
Sunday, October 3, 2010
This is Long Overdue
H’okay so. My dad went home yesterday. :( But it was a good visit while he was here. He significantly improved the internet and it was good to introduce him to some of the friends I’ve made here. Good times mos def.
However, he unfortunately missed one of the best parts of this week.
We’ve been working on this for about a week and a half now. Mike and I decided to use some of our Mission Fund money to give every member of the staff a scholarship for their kids. We based the amount on how many kids they had and divvied up our funds. Then, Ruth, the new manager of the Guest House, talked to Pastor Paul (the President of the Methodist Church of Haiti) and he agreed that the Methodist Church of Haiti would match our scholarship amount.
Yesterday afternoon we got to hand out our scholarships. I cannot even fully describe (as I can’t with many things that happen in Haiti) the joy that overcame so many of our Guest House friends. For many, the amount we gave was able to pay for half of their child’s schooling for the entire year. For one man, with 4 kids, we were able to pay ALL of their schooling because they go to a cheaper school.
That man, Ysmeus, took Mike and I aside at different times and thanked us each profusely. To him, the amount we gave was nothing short of a miracle. While thanking me he was on the verge of tears and could not stop saying “Mesi. Mesi anpil. Mesi anpil anpil.” (Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very very much.) So I want all of you who gave to know that, once again, your money is making a significant difference in the lives of many Haitian families.
Also amazing this week is that Mike and I typed up a work site status report about how much has been done at each site we’ve opened up. It was AMAZING to see what progress had been made since the program first began. I am in awe at how awesome the body of Christ really is. I am also so thankful for the willing volunteers who gave of their time, energy, and love to help rebuild Haiti or continue projects that were stalled by the earthquake. Because of you, many of these communities have a new sense of hope. I love our volunteers!
Lastly, I should note that I’m currently in Les Cayes with Donette, Ablamy, and Davidson. This is our mini vacation for three days. It is so wonderful to see them again, although it was quite the trip to get here today. Bryan, Mike and I got in the D-Max (one of our trucks) at 5:50 this morning and drove to the bus station. When we got to the bus station, we realized that the van we were going to bring to Donette and Ablamy’s was stolen! Arrg. We’ve been having bad luck with things being stolen out of the back of that truck so we’re probably going to have to purchase some sort of net that we always keep back there.
Then we started the ride. It was a four hour trip in a crammed bus… although it did have air conditioning. However, about a half hour from Les Cayes, the bus got a flat tire. We had to pull over and wait. However, it turns out that there wasn’t just a flat tire. Something else was wrong with the wheel and break line. So we stood around for about an hour and waited for them to fix it or Albamy to come. A replacement bus came for everyone to take the rest of the way, and Ablamy came right after it to pick us up.
Now I am safely at Donette and Ablamy’s new home in Les Cayes. It’s a neat house with lots of room. It needs some fixing up, but for the most part it’s quite nice. I’m a fan. :)
Anyway, I’m off. I don’t know if I’ll update again soon, but (as always) I’ll try. Love to all of you!
Beth
P.S. Obviously I wrote this yesterday but just figured out how to post it. I’ll post again when I return with what all has happened since then. :)
However, he unfortunately missed one of the best parts of this week.
We’ve been working on this for about a week and a half now. Mike and I decided to use some of our Mission Fund money to give every member of the staff a scholarship for their kids. We based the amount on how many kids they had and divvied up our funds. Then, Ruth, the new manager of the Guest House, talked to Pastor Paul (the President of the Methodist Church of Haiti) and he agreed that the Methodist Church of Haiti would match our scholarship amount.
Yesterday afternoon we got to hand out our scholarships. I cannot even fully describe (as I can’t with many things that happen in Haiti) the joy that overcame so many of our Guest House friends. For many, the amount we gave was able to pay for half of their child’s schooling for the entire year. For one man, with 4 kids, we were able to pay ALL of their schooling because they go to a cheaper school.
That man, Ysmeus, took Mike and I aside at different times and thanked us each profusely. To him, the amount we gave was nothing short of a miracle. While thanking me he was on the verge of tears and could not stop saying “Mesi. Mesi anpil. Mesi anpil anpil.” (Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very very much.) So I want all of you who gave to know that, once again, your money is making a significant difference in the lives of many Haitian families.
Also amazing this week is that Mike and I typed up a work site status report about how much has been done at each site we’ve opened up. It was AMAZING to see what progress had been made since the program first began. I am in awe at how awesome the body of Christ really is. I am also so thankful for the willing volunteers who gave of their time, energy, and love to help rebuild Haiti or continue projects that were stalled by the earthquake. Because of you, many of these communities have a new sense of hope. I love our volunteers!
Lastly, I should note that I’m currently in Les Cayes with Donette, Ablamy, and Davidson. This is our mini vacation for three days. It is so wonderful to see them again, although it was quite the trip to get here today. Bryan, Mike and I got in the D-Max (one of our trucks) at 5:50 this morning and drove to the bus station. When we got to the bus station, we realized that the van we were going to bring to Donette and Ablamy’s was stolen! Arrg. We’ve been having bad luck with things being stolen out of the back of that truck so we’re probably going to have to purchase some sort of net that we always keep back there.
Then we started the ride. It was a four hour trip in a crammed bus… although it did have air conditioning. However, about a half hour from Les Cayes, the bus got a flat tire. We had to pull over and wait. However, it turns out that there wasn’t just a flat tire. Something else was wrong with the wheel and break line. So we stood around for about an hour and waited for them to fix it or Albamy to come. A replacement bus came for everyone to take the rest of the way, and Ablamy came right after it to pick us up.
Now I am safely at Donette and Ablamy’s new home in Les Cayes. It’s a neat house with lots of room. It needs some fixing up, but for the most part it’s quite nice. I’m a fan. :)
Anyway, I’m off. I don’t know if I’ll update again soon, but (as always) I’ll try. Love to all of you!
Beth
P.S. Obviously I wrote this yesterday but just figured out how to post it. I’ll post again when I return with what all has happened since then. :)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Prayers
It's becoming much more difficult to come up with a title for these things... especially when I do a catch up post from a whole week. (Sorry!)
I've been fairly busy recently as my dad arrived in Haiti on Thursday. Therefore, I've been hanging out with him and also enjoying some of the movies he brought me from my mom. :) Sorry I've neglected the blog!
Life is as it usually is in Haiti - VIM teams to plan for, various documents to create, and kids to send to school.
As school begins on October 4th, our office has been handing out a TON of scholarships. I was so thankful when my dad arrived with a $1400 donation that I was able to add to our mission fund. Otherwise, we would be VERY low on funds to give to the various families that come to our door. Thank you if you contributed to that fund. Thank you if you're praying for those who receive assistance from that fund. You will probably never know how much you just impacted a life - but please take my word for it when I say your support is a significant blessing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Of course, there was one scholarship that we handed out that made me smile more than any other. Thanks to people giving money specifically to send Robenson and Peter to school... we were able to pay their entire way. Seeing his mothers face when she realized that she wouldn't have to pay a dime for schooling... that she wouldn't have to worry at all about that expense was... amazing. I was thinking about that today and recognizing that if we had not stepped in to help, Robenson's mother would be in a pretty desperate situation. Three kids (one a baby), no income, no leads, a limited education, and a leaky tent. I do not know what she would have done (although some likely responses may have been prostitution, putting up some (or all) of her children for adoption, or putting Robenson into the restavek system) but I do know that it would not have been good. How awesome is it that because God has blessed us financially we are able to bless others in such a significant way?
Which reminds me to ask for a prayer request. Since Robenson got sick, I've been spending a lot of time laying awake at night worrying about what might happen to that family when I leave. I never EVER want Robenson, Peter, little Amanda, or their mother (Lomene) to get that sick again and not be able to pay for proper medical care. I also never want that family to get a point where they have to stop sending a child to school because they cannot afford it. Therefore, I am in the process of trying to get Peter and Robenson into a child sponsorship program. I have a contact and he is working on gathering information for me, but it is still unknown if sponsorship is even going to be a possibility or not. Please pray about this. Pray that this family gets the consistent support they need - if not through child sponsorship, through some other means.
Also, as of right now, I plan to sponsor Robenson myself, but I would love it if one of you would be willing to sponsor Peter if they get into a sponsorship program. Or, if a church or youth group wanted to sponsor Peter - that would also be really, really cool. Pray about it, and if you're interested - please let me know.
Lastly, as some of you already know, it is possible that I will be extending my time in Haiti AGAIN because I may be getting a full-time (big girl) job. I will probably know for sure about this mid-late October. Please also pray for guidance for me as I discern further what I am called to do. It would be a big step and I don't want to do it if it's not what God wants me to do, too.
I know I had more to say - including all the neat stuff I've done with my dad. (We went to the look-out and the beach!) However, I am absolutely exhausted and in great need of a shower. Therefore, I'm signing off. I hope you're all well, though. Please send me an update on your life if you have time. I'd love to hear from all of you!
<3 Beth
I've been fairly busy recently as my dad arrived in Haiti on Thursday. Therefore, I've been hanging out with him and also enjoying some of the movies he brought me from my mom. :) Sorry I've neglected the blog!
Life is as it usually is in Haiti - VIM teams to plan for, various documents to create, and kids to send to school.
As school begins on October 4th, our office has been handing out a TON of scholarships. I was so thankful when my dad arrived with a $1400 donation that I was able to add to our mission fund. Otherwise, we would be VERY low on funds to give to the various families that come to our door. Thank you if you contributed to that fund. Thank you if you're praying for those who receive assistance from that fund. You will probably never know how much you just impacted a life - but please take my word for it when I say your support is a significant blessing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Of course, there was one scholarship that we handed out that made me smile more than any other. Thanks to people giving money specifically to send Robenson and Peter to school... we were able to pay their entire way. Seeing his mothers face when she realized that she wouldn't have to pay a dime for schooling... that she wouldn't have to worry at all about that expense was... amazing. I was thinking about that today and recognizing that if we had not stepped in to help, Robenson's mother would be in a pretty desperate situation. Three kids (one a baby), no income, no leads, a limited education, and a leaky tent. I do not know what she would have done (although some likely responses may have been prostitution, putting up some (or all) of her children for adoption, or putting Robenson into the restavek system) but I do know that it would not have been good. How awesome is it that because God has blessed us financially we are able to bless others in such a significant way?
Which reminds me to ask for a prayer request. Since Robenson got sick, I've been spending a lot of time laying awake at night worrying about what might happen to that family when I leave. I never EVER want Robenson, Peter, little Amanda, or their mother (Lomene) to get that sick again and not be able to pay for proper medical care. I also never want that family to get a point where they have to stop sending a child to school because they cannot afford it. Therefore, I am in the process of trying to get Peter and Robenson into a child sponsorship program. I have a contact and he is working on gathering information for me, but it is still unknown if sponsorship is even going to be a possibility or not. Please pray about this. Pray that this family gets the consistent support they need - if not through child sponsorship, through some other means.
Also, as of right now, I plan to sponsor Robenson myself, but I would love it if one of you would be willing to sponsor Peter if they get into a sponsorship program. Or, if a church or youth group wanted to sponsor Peter - that would also be really, really cool. Pray about it, and if you're interested - please let me know.
Lastly, as some of you already know, it is possible that I will be extending my time in Haiti AGAIN because I may be getting a full-time (big girl) job. I will probably know for sure about this mid-late October. Please also pray for guidance for me as I discern further what I am called to do. It would be a big step and I don't want to do it if it's not what God wants me to do, too.
I know I had more to say - including all the neat stuff I've done with my dad. (We went to the look-out and the beach!) However, I am absolutely exhausted and in great need of a shower. Therefore, I'm signing off. I hope you're all well, though. Please send me an update on your life if you have time. I'd love to hear from all of you!
<3 Beth
Monday, September 20, 2010
Do Good-er
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
These past few days I've been a bit down. I just got into a bad mood and found myself feeling super cranky. It felt like much had gone wrong, and I had two super stressful days - one after another. Beyond that, I didn't really get a "day off" yesterday which added to my bad mood. I needed some fun time. Some down time. However, there was work to get done so that didn't happen.
However, in the midst of my frustration today, I was supremely blessed.
We found out that Robenson does NOT have TB (and we literally did a "Mesi bon dieu!" (Thank you, good God!) cheer with his mother yesterday over it.) However, he did have the UTI, anemia, and a severe respiratory infection. Therefore, he still needs to take antibiotics. We gave him some more money for medicine today.
But it is still quite obvious, in looking back at the situation, that if I had not stepped in and said that I would pay the initial $100 to get him the medical attention he so desperately needed that instead of celebrating his recovery I would be mourning his death. I am also thankful that Mike decided that we could take over the rest of his medical expenses through our Mission Fund. That also means that thanks to many of you, Robenson lives today.
In fact, today, in the midst of my frustration, we saw Robenson. Seeing him instantly made me smile and he came over and handed Mike and I letters. Oge translated mine for me. It was a thank you letter thanking me for helping him with all of his medical expenses and for stepping in when his mother did not have money. At one point the letter literally says, "It is because of you that I have life."
Wow. Not many people work in places where they get the opportunity to literally save a life... but I am so blessed to have that opportunity. I know that I am still not totally aware of all the reasons why God sent me here and kept me here... but every so often I get little glimpses and it's... amazing. How blessed am I to be called in such an awesome, extreme way?
Beyond that, this afternoon Mike sent me an e-mail to make me feel better with the quote at the top of this blog with a simple "Blessings and thanks for all that you do," underneath it. I definitely needed to hear that and it was another excellent reminder of my call. I was able to take a deep breath and recognize, once again the abundant good that I have been able to accomplish.
Which, speaking of abundant good - I realized today that we have given out money from the Mission Fund 40 times - 19 of which were scholarships. I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you who have donated to our Mission Fund. Your dollars are making a real and tangible difference in the lives of many Haitian families. There are quite a few folks resting a bit easier in their tents tonight thanks to your generosity and love.
Also, I wanted to say thank you for your continued prayers and words of encouragement for me. I feel your prayers surround me all the time and I am so grateful to know so many amazing, supportive brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you for being the awesome blessings that you are.
Love,
Beth
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
These past few days I've been a bit down. I just got into a bad mood and found myself feeling super cranky. It felt like much had gone wrong, and I had two super stressful days - one after another. Beyond that, I didn't really get a "day off" yesterday which added to my bad mood. I needed some fun time. Some down time. However, there was work to get done so that didn't happen.
However, in the midst of my frustration today, I was supremely blessed.
We found out that Robenson does NOT have TB (and we literally did a "Mesi bon dieu!" (Thank you, good God!) cheer with his mother yesterday over it.) However, he did have the UTI, anemia, and a severe respiratory infection. Therefore, he still needs to take antibiotics. We gave him some more money for medicine today.
But it is still quite obvious, in looking back at the situation, that if I had not stepped in and said that I would pay the initial $100 to get him the medical attention he so desperately needed that instead of celebrating his recovery I would be mourning his death. I am also thankful that Mike decided that we could take over the rest of his medical expenses through our Mission Fund. That also means that thanks to many of you, Robenson lives today.
In fact, today, in the midst of my frustration, we saw Robenson. Seeing him instantly made me smile and he came over and handed Mike and I letters. Oge translated mine for me. It was a thank you letter thanking me for helping him with all of his medical expenses and for stepping in when his mother did not have money. At one point the letter literally says, "It is because of you that I have life."
Wow. Not many people work in places where they get the opportunity to literally save a life... but I am so blessed to have that opportunity. I know that I am still not totally aware of all the reasons why God sent me here and kept me here... but every so often I get little glimpses and it's... amazing. How blessed am I to be called in such an awesome, extreme way?
Beyond that, this afternoon Mike sent me an e-mail to make me feel better with the quote at the top of this blog with a simple "Blessings and thanks for all that you do," underneath it. I definitely needed to hear that and it was another excellent reminder of my call. I was able to take a deep breath and recognize, once again the abundant good that I have been able to accomplish.
Which, speaking of abundant good - I realized today that we have given out money from the Mission Fund 40 times - 19 of which were scholarships. I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you who have donated to our Mission Fund. Your dollars are making a real and tangible difference in the lives of many Haitian families. There are quite a few folks resting a bit easier in their tents tonight thanks to your generosity and love.
Also, I wanted to say thank you for your continued prayers and words of encouragement for me. I feel your prayers surround me all the time and I am so grateful to know so many amazing, supportive brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you for being the awesome blessings that you are.
Love,
Beth
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Time
These past couple of days have been mostly good. The best part is that they've been a bit slower pace allowing me to have time for me and time for God.
Two weeks ago my UMCOR friend, Lauren, invited me to go with her to the Ibo Lele hotel in Petionville to eat dinner and go swimming. It sounded divine. The one thing I really miss about being in the States is going out for coffee and a good chat with friends. Therefore, I was really excited about a makeshift coffee date.
However, as I believe I wrote in here a few days ago, Lauren is still in the States recovering for a severe kidney infection. (Please continue prayers for her healing!) I thought about forgetting the plans and trying to schedule some other time to go once Lauren returned, but that idea kind of sucked. I already knew that day/time would work, and I REALLY needed time away from work and hang out time with a friend. So I asked Oge to come with me - it killed two birds with one stone as it gave me a friend and a driver!
We went to the Ibo Lele, ate lunch, and had great conversation. It was a good choice bringing Oge along - he's good people. It was also just so relaxing. Beautiful day with a nice breeze and an absolutely gorgeous view of the city from their dining deck. I had some friends hand me "self care" money before heading back to Haiti and this is the first time that I used it. Thinking about it now, I am in tears over how grateful I am for that fund. I don't think I can fully express how much I really needed that "coffee date"... but I did and I am so grateful that I didn't have to worry about the expense. I know some good people.
Beyond that it's just been a little of this and a little of that. However, I do have an update on Robenson.
Robenson came by the Guest House today and asked for more money for medicine. He told me that he ran out of his medicine and needed more. I tried to explain to him that if he ran out of the medicine that means he's done and doesn't need to take any more. Once the amount the doctor prescribes runs out... then you're good! However, he was very persistent so I finally took him to Doug and Barry (our new UMCOR health guy who will be living at the Guest House for the next three months so I'm sure you'll hear a lot more about him) who both speak French to get the full scoop.
First of all, we found out what Robenson's diagnosis is. He said that the doctor told him he had anemia and a respiratory infection. Yikes. When we asked him about the medicine, though, he told us that he had only bought enough medicine for 23 days but that the doctor had prescribed antibiotics for 3 months. We all thought that sounded strange until a light bulb went off in Doug's head - Robenson probably has TB.
Now, we don't know this for sure, but we're hoping Robenson brings the prescription to us tomorrow so we can see what it says. If he does have TB, though, I am even happier to have spent the $100 to get him the medical care he needed. When I told Oge that update his eyes bugged out and he said, "TB!?!? TB makes you die... you don't play around with that." Yeah. Exactly. I hope that it is just a generic respiratory infection, but the symptoms and the prescription add up. Once I get confirmation one way or another, I'll let you know.
Beyond that I've just been taking some time to breathe, to pray, to contemplate. Sometimes in the busy-ness of this place it's hard to remember to take the time to listen to God. It's been good to reconnect and slow down a bit. I needed to slow down a bit.
As for now, though, I'm off to bed. Goodnight world!
Beth
P.S. Most recent photos can be found here. :)
Two weeks ago my UMCOR friend, Lauren, invited me to go with her to the Ibo Lele hotel in Petionville to eat dinner and go swimming. It sounded divine. The one thing I really miss about being in the States is going out for coffee and a good chat with friends. Therefore, I was really excited about a makeshift coffee date.
However, as I believe I wrote in here a few days ago, Lauren is still in the States recovering for a severe kidney infection. (Please continue prayers for her healing!) I thought about forgetting the plans and trying to schedule some other time to go once Lauren returned, but that idea kind of sucked. I already knew that day/time would work, and I REALLY needed time away from work and hang out time with a friend. So I asked Oge to come with me - it killed two birds with one stone as it gave me a friend and a driver!
We went to the Ibo Lele, ate lunch, and had great conversation. It was a good choice bringing Oge along - he's good people. It was also just so relaxing. Beautiful day with a nice breeze and an absolutely gorgeous view of the city from their dining deck. I had some friends hand me "self care" money before heading back to Haiti and this is the first time that I used it. Thinking about it now, I am in tears over how grateful I am for that fund. I don't think I can fully express how much I really needed that "coffee date"... but I did and I am so grateful that I didn't have to worry about the expense. I know some good people.
Beyond that it's just been a little of this and a little of that. However, I do have an update on Robenson.
Robenson came by the Guest House today and asked for more money for medicine. He told me that he ran out of his medicine and needed more. I tried to explain to him that if he ran out of the medicine that means he's done and doesn't need to take any more. Once the amount the doctor prescribes runs out... then you're good! However, he was very persistent so I finally took him to Doug and Barry (our new UMCOR health guy who will be living at the Guest House for the next three months so I'm sure you'll hear a lot more about him) who both speak French to get the full scoop.
First of all, we found out what Robenson's diagnosis is. He said that the doctor told him he had anemia and a respiratory infection. Yikes. When we asked him about the medicine, though, he told us that he had only bought enough medicine for 23 days but that the doctor had prescribed antibiotics for 3 months. We all thought that sounded strange until a light bulb went off in Doug's head - Robenson probably has TB.
Now, we don't know this for sure, but we're hoping Robenson brings the prescription to us tomorrow so we can see what it says. If he does have TB, though, I am even happier to have spent the $100 to get him the medical care he needed. When I told Oge that update his eyes bugged out and he said, "TB!?!? TB makes you die... you don't play around with that." Yeah. Exactly. I hope that it is just a generic respiratory infection, but the symptoms and the prescription add up. Once I get confirmation one way or another, I'll let you know.
Beyond that I've just been taking some time to breathe, to pray, to contemplate. Sometimes in the busy-ness of this place it's hard to remember to take the time to listen to God. It's been good to reconnect and slow down a bit. I needed to slow down a bit.
As for now, though, I'm off to bed. Goodnight world!
Beth
P.S. Most recent photos can be found here. :)
Monday, September 13, 2010
Bainet
So I should begin this entry by telling you that yes, I have showered and changed clothes. This will be important information as you read further. :)
Today was a busy day! However, lets back up a bit.
Mike visited Bainet, Haiti to drop off a team on Friday. The team was from his own Haiti Partnership organization and Bainet is the community of which Mike has volunteered in for the past 6 years. Therefore, he really wanted to travel with the team to make sure everything was good to go once they arrived. He brought Carlos, a 16 year old boy from the village, back to the Guest House to hang out with us for two days.
Carlos is a TON of fun. He doesn't speak any English (basically) and I don't speak enough Kreyol to communicate many full thoughts, but we still had a blast together mostly because he's so funny. He's just this funny, nerdy, goofy kid who does the most random stuff at the most random times. This is all to say that we got along great and I'd really love for him to come visit again.
Because Carlos was here we went to the beach again on Sunday. This time we went to Obama beach named (of course) after the President of the United States. Too funny. It was a nice, cozy beach, though and it was very cheap. Excellent time.
Also, we found out yesterday that approximately half of my boys were moving out of the tent city today. As a special "goodbye" Mike and I went to the Epid'or and bought a cake to share with them. It was so wonderful to give them each a big slice of cake and be showered with hugs and shouts of "mesi!" We even took some photos that I hope to upload soon, but my favorite shot is now my new Facebook profile picture. I'm very hopeful that even after the kids move they'll still come to visit fairly regularly, though.
Now. Today.
Well, as Mike is usually on a Haiti Partnership team to Bainet at some point during the year, he really wanted to spend some time in Bainet if possible. Therefore, we delivered him today and he'll stay through Friday when the team comes back to the Guest House.
I tagged along for the ridiculous journey as Mike and I had work to do (so we did it on the road) and I wanted to see the Bainet I had heard Mike and Bryan talk about so much. This is my documentation of what happened today. Enjoy.
So we were supposed to leave at 6:30 (which is when I usually wake up) so I got up at 5:45. Just enough time to roll out of bed, get dressed, and eat a quick breakfast. Although that all happened, we didn't end up leaving until 7:30. This was mostly due to various things on our checklist that needed to be completed as well as questions to answer. Also, there were approximately 5 people who requested to have our one empty seat to Bainet. Mike had finally given it to Boss Weche, the site boss for Bainet (as well as the majority of our other work sites.) However, one person who had talked to Mike about it a week ago but never checked in to be sure that it would still work just showed up this morning, ready to go. That was also interesting to deal with and we had to find alternate transportation for them.
We finally got on the road (Oge, Mike, Carlos and I) at 7:30 and picked up Weche in Carrefour around 8:30. We had been working in the car up to that point, and continued working after Weche got in the vehicle. So much to do before Mike went to Bainet and became much less reachable!
By ten my bladder was "bursting with hurtness" so we attempted to make a pit stop at a gas station with a bathroom. We stopped at a place that Mike said, "Oh yeah, this is my favorite place to stop with a toilet." However, he had not visited the toilet since the earthquake. It used to have this big wall around it and a door. Now, the wall is falling partially apart and there is no door. Also, the bathroom is actually an outhouse with just a concrete circle jutting from the floor. Mike went first while I kept guard and then we switched.
It was, by far, the nastiest toilet I had ever seen. It was wet and goopy all around the edges and it smelled LOVELY. Also, Mike had warned me that there was no toilet paper so that made it even more pleasant. I attempted to squat over it without having to touch anything to it but then... I lost my balance and fell... sitting on the wet, goopy, concrete circle. It was disgusting. (See, aren't you glad to know that I've showered and changed clothes, now?) The worst part was that I didn't even have toilet paper to wipe off with so I just had to walk around like that and go sit in the car... still feeling the goopiness on my tush.
What I found out from Oge and Mike was that I needed to "Haitian squat." Haitian squatting is when you stand on both sides of the concrete slab and squat down to do your business. When I found out that people did that a few of my fears were put to rest... I'm guessing that the goopiness came from mud on people's shoes at the ground outside the outhouse was quite muddy. At least, that's what I'm going to keep on telling myself.
After that fun little escapade we found out that the Haiti Partnership team did not have access to clean water as their usual water supplier closed up shop for a while. Therefore, they had almost fully depleted their 10 jugs of water that we had sent out with them. This meant that we needed to stop in Jacmel to purchase water for the team as well as hire a tap-tap to deliver it to them as there was no space in our truck for 10 more water jugs.
That was another interesting excursion because we ended up searching all over Jacmel for water jugs. We found lots of places that had water, but none of them had any empty water jugs to sell us. It was crazy. Finally, after about 20-30 minutes of driving all over the city, we found some water jugs. After that, though, it still took us another 20 minutes - half hour to purchase the jugs and arrange everything for them to be transported to Bainet.
Finally, we started the final leg to Bainet (after grabbing some street food for lunch which, thank God, did not make me sick.) The road to Bainet from Jacmel is a long one and it's totally unpaved. It's very rocky and, therefore, very bouncy. Not for the faint of stomach.
After you drive on it for two hours you finally arrive in Bainet. It's a beautiful little town in the country and had the same sort of energy that a campsite does in the States. Low key, relaxed, outdoorsy. Very nice area. I can see why Mike likes it so much.
However, after we arrived we did discover that some items had been stolen from our truck bed including all of Mike's work shoes which in total cost over $100. Big bummer to the beginning of his stay in Haiti. Luckily, though, none of the money that was in the back was included in the bags stolen. That is a huge thing to be thankful for.
The trip home was uneventful and much faster. Oge was very concerned about us getting back before dark so he drove as fast as he possibly could while still being safe. We ended up arriving back at the Guest House around 6:30. Long day.
Now I am exhausted and more than ready for bed. I hope you're all well and I'm going to try to post some pictures to Facebook soon!
Love,
Beth
Today was a busy day! However, lets back up a bit.
Mike visited Bainet, Haiti to drop off a team on Friday. The team was from his own Haiti Partnership organization and Bainet is the community of which Mike has volunteered in for the past 6 years. Therefore, he really wanted to travel with the team to make sure everything was good to go once they arrived. He brought Carlos, a 16 year old boy from the village, back to the Guest House to hang out with us for two days.
Carlos is a TON of fun. He doesn't speak any English (basically) and I don't speak enough Kreyol to communicate many full thoughts, but we still had a blast together mostly because he's so funny. He's just this funny, nerdy, goofy kid who does the most random stuff at the most random times. This is all to say that we got along great and I'd really love for him to come visit again.
Because Carlos was here we went to the beach again on Sunday. This time we went to Obama beach named (of course) after the President of the United States. Too funny. It was a nice, cozy beach, though and it was very cheap. Excellent time.
Also, we found out yesterday that approximately half of my boys were moving out of the tent city today. As a special "goodbye" Mike and I went to the Epid'or and bought a cake to share with them. It was so wonderful to give them each a big slice of cake and be showered with hugs and shouts of "mesi!" We even took some photos that I hope to upload soon, but my favorite shot is now my new Facebook profile picture. I'm very hopeful that even after the kids move they'll still come to visit fairly regularly, though.
Now. Today.
Well, as Mike is usually on a Haiti Partnership team to Bainet at some point during the year, he really wanted to spend some time in Bainet if possible. Therefore, we delivered him today and he'll stay through Friday when the team comes back to the Guest House.
I tagged along for the ridiculous journey as Mike and I had work to do (so we did it on the road) and I wanted to see the Bainet I had heard Mike and Bryan talk about so much. This is my documentation of what happened today. Enjoy.
So we were supposed to leave at 6:30 (which is when I usually wake up) so I got up at 5:45. Just enough time to roll out of bed, get dressed, and eat a quick breakfast. Although that all happened, we didn't end up leaving until 7:30. This was mostly due to various things on our checklist that needed to be completed as well as questions to answer. Also, there were approximately 5 people who requested to have our one empty seat to Bainet. Mike had finally given it to Boss Weche, the site boss for Bainet (as well as the majority of our other work sites.) However, one person who had talked to Mike about it a week ago but never checked in to be sure that it would still work just showed up this morning, ready to go. That was also interesting to deal with and we had to find alternate transportation for them.
We finally got on the road (Oge, Mike, Carlos and I) at 7:30 and picked up Weche in Carrefour around 8:30. We had been working in the car up to that point, and continued working after Weche got in the vehicle. So much to do before Mike went to Bainet and became much less reachable!
By ten my bladder was "bursting with hurtness" so we attempted to make a pit stop at a gas station with a bathroom. We stopped at a place that Mike said, "Oh yeah, this is my favorite place to stop with a toilet." However, he had not visited the toilet since the earthquake. It used to have this big wall around it and a door. Now, the wall is falling partially apart and there is no door. Also, the bathroom is actually an outhouse with just a concrete circle jutting from the floor. Mike went first while I kept guard and then we switched.
It was, by far, the nastiest toilet I had ever seen. It was wet and goopy all around the edges and it smelled LOVELY. Also, Mike had warned me that there was no toilet paper so that made it even more pleasant. I attempted to squat over it without having to touch anything to it but then... I lost my balance and fell... sitting on the wet, goopy, concrete circle. It was disgusting. (See, aren't you glad to know that I've showered and changed clothes, now?) The worst part was that I didn't even have toilet paper to wipe off with so I just had to walk around like that and go sit in the car... still feeling the goopiness on my tush.
What I found out from Oge and Mike was that I needed to "Haitian squat." Haitian squatting is when you stand on both sides of the concrete slab and squat down to do your business. When I found out that people did that a few of my fears were put to rest... I'm guessing that the goopiness came from mud on people's shoes at the ground outside the outhouse was quite muddy. At least, that's what I'm going to keep on telling myself.
After that fun little escapade we found out that the Haiti Partnership team did not have access to clean water as their usual water supplier closed up shop for a while. Therefore, they had almost fully depleted their 10 jugs of water that we had sent out with them. This meant that we needed to stop in Jacmel to purchase water for the team as well as hire a tap-tap to deliver it to them as there was no space in our truck for 10 more water jugs.
That was another interesting excursion because we ended up searching all over Jacmel for water jugs. We found lots of places that had water, but none of them had any empty water jugs to sell us. It was crazy. Finally, after about 20-30 minutes of driving all over the city, we found some water jugs. After that, though, it still took us another 20 minutes - half hour to purchase the jugs and arrange everything for them to be transported to Bainet.
Finally, we started the final leg to Bainet (after grabbing some street food for lunch which, thank God, did not make me sick.) The road to Bainet from Jacmel is a long one and it's totally unpaved. It's very rocky and, therefore, very bouncy. Not for the faint of stomach.
After you drive on it for two hours you finally arrive in Bainet. It's a beautiful little town in the country and had the same sort of energy that a campsite does in the States. Low key, relaxed, outdoorsy. Very nice area. I can see why Mike likes it so much.
However, after we arrived we did discover that some items had been stolen from our truck bed including all of Mike's work shoes which in total cost over $100. Big bummer to the beginning of his stay in Haiti. Luckily, though, none of the money that was in the back was included in the bags stolen. That is a huge thing to be thankful for.
The trip home was uneventful and much faster. Oge was very concerned about us getting back before dark so he drove as fast as he possibly could while still being safe. We ended up arriving back at the Guest House around 6:30. Long day.
Now I am exhausted and more than ready for bed. I hope you're all well and I'm going to try to post some pictures to Facebook soon!
Love,
Beth
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