hear my cry

It hasn’t been as easy to find the time to post about some of my stories and experiences as I thought it would be, but not a day goes by that I don’t think about the kids in Haiti. It’s almost strange how three weeks can cause your heart to expand and love those children so quickly. It sometimes aches to miss them and want to hold them, but the memories of their smiles and precious faces bring me an incredible amount of joy as well.

 

I think about the afternoons and evenings at the baby house, and I can still hear in my mind what it sounds like when the nursery becomes chaotic and dozens of toddlers are fussing and crying all over the second floor. I was amazed because after I had been there for about a week and started to really get to know my kids, something strange happened. Out of the clamor and commotion on the floor above, any volunteer will tell you that you can often distinguish your child’s cry from the rest. Somehow, in the midst of the overwhelming uproar of children’s howls and screams, your ears become sensitive to the plea of the child that you know.

 

I have to wonder if it is somewhat like this with God.

 

What I mean is that there are billions of us here on earth. From the heavens I’d imagine that we look like a colony of panicked ants, scurrying around through our busy days, hectic schedules, and unpredictable lives. If we were honest we’d admit that we are all a mess, and we are constantly crying to God with our pleas for help, sharing with Him our anxieties, fears, joys, sorrows, and doubts. How in the world does He hear us all? How can He possibly be attentive to all of our prayers? Is it even possible?

 

I can’t pretend to understand completely, but in a small way I felt like God was showing me that it is possible. He hears us because He knows us. He knows each and every one of us on an intimate and personal level, because He made us and formed us from the inside out. He knows us better than we know ourselves because we are His. And He undoubtedly hears our cries. What a beautiful thing.

 

I’m comforted that if even I, who knew these kids only for a matter of weeks, could hear their cries, God even more so hears them and answers them in their times of distress and trouble. I am so thankful for a God that has compassion and love beyond what I can comprehend. Continue to pray that He comforts them, surrounds them, and heals them from the inside out.

 

And be encouraged that when you pray, God does hear you and answers you in His infinite might and wisdom. He knows you and listens for your voice. Thank goodness for our faithful God!

 

“ You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call you, for you will answer me.

Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.”

-Psalm 86:5-10

back home

They tell you it will be weird going back home, a little bit of a shock…and it is.

 I wasn’t ready to leave, but I knew that I never fully would be. I imagine it would be impossible for me to reach a point where I didn’t want to hold my kids or make them smile just one more time. It’s starting to hit me now how much I miss them. I went through last night and showed my mom the hundreds of pictures I took from the trip, and now even she misses them. You really can capture a lot in a picture. Being home now though, I have no regrets about my trip and I wouldn’t change a thing. It was the most fulfilling three weeks and I’m glad that I can at least say that.

Traveling yesterday was fine, but still a long process that I could do without. I forgot that traveling internationally means a whole lot of waiting in line after line….security, customs, immigration, security again, re-checking baggage, you name it. I’m also the first to admit that I’m a little challenged when it comes to navigating airports. At one point a man directed me to a map, not knowing that maps actually look more like complicated puzzles to me…I am my mother’s daughter. I got a lot of walking in and found the places I needed to be, and after some bad weather and plane delays I finally landed in Dallas. I departed the plane with the goofiest grin that I couldn’t get off of my face because I was so excited to see and hug my parents. I took off with my embarrassing smile…booking it in the wrong direction. Didn’t take me too long to realize it though, and I turned around and found my folks. Man it felt good to hug them again.

I’ve experienced my fair share of culture shock being back, but that was something I expected. It hits you quickly as the aerial view of the impoverished, scattered slums of Haiti are juxtaposed with the affluent, neatly planned neighborhoods of America.  Also, in one of the airports I was sitting behind a boy who kept showing me his Toy Story doll. He was an energetic little fellow, chatting it up and restlessly standing and walking around from chair to chair. Anyways, the mom looked back at one point and I asked her how old her son was. When she answered and told me he was two, I think my mouth dropped a little bit. My mind immediately flashed to the two-year-olds I just spent three weeks with, all of whom haven’t learned to speak yet, and many that can’t even walk or much less jump around even if they wanted to. Not to mention, they were all about half of this American boy’s size. It was pretty unreal.

Waking up in my bed this morning was bizarre. I’m not usually very coherent upon waking up, but I noticed two things immediately. First I was shocked at how dark it still was at 6:00 a.m. I had forgotten that the whole world doesn’t start getting bright at about 4:30. Second, it was almost eerie how silent it was. I wrote a post earlier about all of the sounds in Haiti…and it truly is insanely quieter here. Kind of nice, but I also really miss the noises. It is just such a different feel.

I just got back from a jog, and the paved roads of my neighborhood were definitely refreshing. I found myself looking up significantly more rather than staring at my feet, trying to avoid holes, cracks, and drop-offs. Again, it felt so quiet on my run, almost empty compared to the mornings of passing countless friendly faces in Haiti. I finally passed a couple walking their dog, and I think I greeted them a little extra loud and excited, Haitian style. But everyone else I passed were people zooming by in cars, probably making their drive to work in the comfort of their own vehicles. It made me realize how much industrial revolutions and advancements in technology transform things. We don’t walk everywhere on foot here greeting each other and waving to everyone in our neighborhood, and it’s simply because we don’t have to. Just about all of us have access to our own vehicle, and if we are walking somewhere, a lot of times we are also in the middle of a conversation on our cell phones or maybe even plugged into our ipods. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the comfort of my car and music just as much as anyone. But I’m just noticing that it’s vastly different here. I feel like most of these fancy luxuries that we have access to have robbed us of a sense of community and living life together that I felt was present in Haiti. They’ve changed things that I don’t think we even realize have changed anymore. I hope that makes sense.

There’s so much I couldn’t blog about while I was in Haiti because of both lack of time and reliable internet, so I’m sure over this week or whenever I’ll update occasionally with random posts, whether it be stories I can’t stop thinking about or reflections as I have a lot of time to think now back at home.

I’m grateful that I made it back safely, but it’s definitely a slow and strange transition coming home. I’m a little bit glad though of all of the things I now notice, and I almost hope it does take awhile to reach the day when it feels completely normal to be here and not in Haiti.

Again, thank you all for your prayers and for those of who made this trip possible. I can honestly say it’s one of the most amazing journeys that God has taken me on in my life. I’ll hopefully post with more pictures soon…love you guys and am glad I have been able to share at least a little bit of my experience with you!

so long, farewell

I only have a few minutes, but we're at the house with internet (rare) so I thought I'd make a quick post. It's my last night here, and I'm just spending my last few minutes with each of my kids. It's definitely harder on me than it is on them, because they have no idea what's going on. I don't think these kids realize how lovable they are...they don't make it easy to leave, that's for sure.

It was an incredible last weekend, and Haitian church this morning was such a unique experience. I think once I get home I'll blog about everything when I have more time! Until then...we're about to head home and I'll have to see if I can pack everything in my bag to fit...hope so!

My flight leaves at about 10 in the morning, so we'll leave our house at 7:15 or so. Pray for safe travels if you think about it, and that everything goes smoothly in customs and the airports! It just stopped raining so we're going to walk home...love you guys and a longer update is soon to come!

reminded by a child

I came to Haiti with hopes of serving children in need. People tell you to expect the unexpected, but really that statement makes zero sense. Once you expect something, it’s no longer unexpected…so technically it’s impossible to expect the unexpected. My point is that I never expected that the eight children I’ve worked with would end up showing and teaching me possibly even more than I have shown them myself. I had to do an exit interview yesterday where I tell the staff here about the progress of all of my kids, and during it I came to the realization that through all of my individual kids I have been shown and reminded of so much. This could get lengthy, but I’ll try to sum them up below…

First is Shonnie. She’s one of my younger girls who has only been at the orphanage for maybe a month now and definitely has a special place in my heart. She longs to be held and is content as long as she is touching you, or basically as long as she knows she is still in the safety of your presence. Once she is left alone, she immediately feels out of her comfort zone and absolutely wails out of terror. It’s extremely hard, but I have to let her cry in order for her to grow and to realize that she is safe and ok. Shonnie reminds me that while I sometimes avoid pushing myself beyond my comfort zone, it often takes that step of faith in order to grow, to learn, and to become a stronger person. And most of the time, you realize things really will be ok.

M-man is one of my favorite boys. He is a little shy, and whenever I pick him up he clings to me like a monkey. Literally his arms and legs wrap around me so tight that I could not use my arms at all and he would be just fine. M-man has reminded me to hold tight to the people you love in life. Don’t take them for granted, but embrace them, and never miss an opportunity to show them how important they are to you.

D-Love has the biggest eyes out of all of my kids, and most of the time during our hour together she simply looks around at everything with both eyes and mouth open wide. D-Love reminds me to stop and soak in the wonderful things around me. I think in almost any situation you can look around and realize that you are blessed abundantly. God blesses us continuously, but sometimes the blessings are subtle…so approach life with big eyes, never overlooking a chance to thank Him for what He’s given you.

J-man is a boy who has completely stolen my heart. He is just one of the cutest, sweetest little boys I have ever spent time with, and I normally try to grab him after dinner so I can hang out with him twice a day. We read together, and sometimes he’ll babble words and sounds that are adorable. Or sometimes he’ll walk around and bring things to show me. He always goes for my nalgene…every day, and I think one day he might be a camp counselor. His new favorite is when I push him around in a car, and when I walk away he just looks back at me pointing and smiling so I’m forced to come back. It’s funny though, because if you had asked me my first week who my favorite kids were, I don’t think I would have said that he’d be one of my favorite boys. A lot of times he keeps a tough, pensive look on his face…he always looks focused or concerned. At first I thought it would be tough to get to know this kid and enjoy the hour with him. J-man reminds me that we can be quick to judge based on appearances and outward things, but most of the time we are wrong. Give people a chance, try to acknowledge when you’re making a quick judgment, and make an effort to get to know others’ hearts and where they’re coming from. Most of the time both of you will be better off because of it.

J-son is my happiest baby by far. He is a precious little boy and just about anything you do makes an excited grin stretch across his face. He is my constant, and I always know that no matter how long the day, his smile will encourage me. He reminds me that while there are reasons in life to be sad, there are even more reasons to rejoice and celebrate. And when you do, when it’s truly evident on your face how plentiful your joy is within, there’s a good chance that you’re bringing joy to those around you as well.

Bennie is another favorite. He is absolutely adorable but struggles emotionally at times. You can tell he gets nervous easily because he grips everything (my hair and skin included) and sometimes rocks himself back and forth. But sometimes I’ll spin him around, throw him in the air, or tickle his belly, and he lets go. Finally his gorgeous smile stretches on his face, and his eyes completely light up and squint at the sides. His face transforms, and in that moment he looks as though he doesn’t have a care in the world. Bennie reminds me of the fact that a lot of me wants to try to control my life. I have a tendency to hold on to certain things or ideas, and I have a hard time completely surrendering them over. But when I realize I am not in control, and when I realize I have a loving, sovereign Father whose ways are higher than anything I could comprehend…it’s then that I let go and truly experience peace and joy.

Jeffy, as you probably know by now, is my fighter. What a transformation it has been with that kid. He has become profoundly better at walking now…but it’s still not a piece of cake. He loses his balance easily and falls every ten steps or so, but I’m continually amazed at his ability to pick himself right back up and keep walking. Jeffy reminds me to keep moving forward. There’s a quote about “it’s not about the number of times you fall, but the number of times you get back up”…something along those lines, I may have butchered it. Anyways, it’s almost become a cliché saying, but never have I seen that mentality illustrated so vividly as I have in the life of this child. He inspires me more than I thought was possible for a two-year-old to inspire me.

Findy is another little boy that I have. He’s easy to love, and is generally a pretty cheerful baby. He is cute…but all of the volunteers will agree that he has the face of an old man. It may sound funny…but Findy reminds me that you can gain a lot of wisdom from youth, children, and even babies. God can teach you through any life, young or old, and that’s definitely something I’ll walk away with from this experience.

Yesterday I took a group picture all of my kids that I’ll try and post when I have some time. It’s pretty funny, because I think I am the only one smiling. It was hot, and apparently they don’t like being all together at once…so just about all of them (except J-son, my constant) are crying…or perhaps bawling is a more accurate word. But it will be fun for you to see them all anyways, so I’ll try and do that!

It’s my last full day with the kiddos. It’s weird to say that, and I think I’m in denial that I’m leaving. Thanks for thinking about them or praying for them when you do. They are precious kids and I’ve absolutely loved getting to know them. I’m going to soak up these last few days here…and hopefully they don’t go by too fast.

sounds of haiti

Disclaimer: This post is not so much a typical update as it is a random observation.

It is never completely silent here in Haiti.

I woke up early this morning and thought about the fact that now that I’ve really adjusted here, there’s sort of a rhythm to this place. Perhaps it’s cheesy, but in my mind it’s almost like there’s a constant soundtrack playing on repeat…I’ll try and explain.

It begins each morning, oh let’s say around 5:30 when the noises trigger my tossing and turning in my bunk bed. Outside my window there’s a constant chirping of birds and bugs of different sorts, but around this time is when the roosters apparently come to life. The play button has been pressed. From here it progresses, and sometime within the next hour you can expect to hear the toddlers and older kids wake up. You never know exactly what that sound will be; sometimes the kids are crying (about who knows what at 6:30 in the morning) and other times they wake up with an energy and enthusiasm that I’m not sure I have ever personally experienced so early. On a good morning the kids are singing, chanting, or spurting our random bits of Creole that I unfortunately cannot translate. The neighborhood seems to come to life with the banging and clanging of people cooking, cleaning, and preparing for the day ahead.

The next predictable sounds follow when we make our daily walk from the house we sleep at to the main house. This is when you hear the sounds of cautious steps and slipping gravel, indicating the inexperience of American girls in flip flops trekking down steep slopes also known as Haitian roads (accompanied by occasional laughter at near wipeouts and close calls). Cars and motorcycles honk and politely toot their horns to let you know they’re coming, and in this country pedestrians yield to vehicles. They don’t have the triangle signs like we do…you just quickly learn. And most of all, you hear the sounds of greeting and good mornings in Creole from just about everyone you pass. It’s an enjoyable little hike.

At the main house, we joke about how we hardly notice the perpetual sound of crying babies anymore. It’s actually more noticeable if we come to the house and it’s quiet, and only then do we wonder if something is wrong. On the second floor behind every door you hear kids wailing, screaming, throwing tantrums of various sorts, and just being kids. We take a kid every hour to the third floor where the balcony is, and on the balcony you hear just about anything. Sometimes it’s volunteers “oohing” and “aahing” over their babies, laughing as they tickle their bellies, and praising their attempts at standing or walking. Other moments you’ll hear the voice of volunteers scolding their children and reminding them not to fling large objects at other babies or eat smashed particles of raisins and other unidentified foods off the ground.

The ringing of the bell always indicates a meal, and mealtimes are surprisingly sometimes the quietest parts of the day. It’s around the table that we rejuvenate and rest from the constant attention it takes to care for children. You can still hear the kids on the floor above us, but like I said…we hardly notice it anymore.

At the end of the day, it’s chaotic commotion on the second floor. You can tell from the noise that there’s something about getting ready for bed that makes the babies go crazy. We walk into the babies’ room after dinner to grab a kid and watch the sunset, and it’s one of the most rowdy places I’ve ever encountered. Nannies are snatching up toddlers every which way as they change their diapers, powder their little bodies, and throw them into some jammies. The other toddlers are running around and fighting for their lives in there. It’s pretty comical.

As the night winds down, we’re driven back to our house and always greeted by the excited sounds of jovial kids in the playground. It’s a different noise being around kids who are actually old enough to talk back to you and say hello or ask you what your name is. It’s a warm, sweet ending to the day being welcomed by such bright and cheerful faces.

Now I sit on my bed, and again we’re back to the beginning…the constant chirping of birds and bugs of various sorts outside my window. We’ll turn on the box fan in here to muffle out some of the noise, and I’ll fall asleep to its familiar hum. Day in and day out, with some exceptions and additions of course, it sounds just about the same. And that is the best that I can describe the unique and delightful soundtrack of Haiti.

We’ll end with a bonus track:

It started pouring down rain again this afternoon, and I mean it poured hard. It creates a different mood on the balcony, and the sound of the downpour is actually kind of powerful. It was ironic because I read a part in Job this morning that related perfectly:

“At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; He thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds back, he holds nothing back. God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.”

–Job 37:1-5

On that note, good night everyone! Love you all..

eye-openers

These past couple of days have been amazing. The weekend overall was such a blast and also a perfect amount of rest. Here are a few eye-opening happenings and/or highlights to update you on:

1) On Sunday we walked the most incredible hike to this area of waterfalls. I was literally doing circles looking around at how beautiful my surroundings were. I didn’t take any pictures that would do it justice (I feel like there’s not even a panoramic setting that could come close to being able to do that), but it felt like we were tucked in the valley of this incredibly lush and green mountain that should be on postcards. We followed a trail to the first waterfall, and with every waterfall you could climb up over it to find more waterfalls. A few of us ventured a pretty good ways, and if we had time I would have loved to keep going!

It was pretty humorous because we drew the typical crowd of Haitians that were curious of us white folk. These precious girls followed us as we walked back, and it was humbling to have a 7-year-old Haitian reach her hand out to help me make my way down some boulders. The kids laugh at us because they practically leap down the path like it’s nothing while we stumble our way to the bottom. I’m sure it’s a funny sight to see.

2) Our hike also increased my respect for the local Haitian kids here. First, we passed kids who hike down to this water with huge buckets to do their laundry. Immediately I was convicted for ever complaining about doing laundry. Never again.

Not only that…the Haitian girls that walked back with us from the waterfall were walking back with jugs of water to take to their homes. It’s impressive enough that these 7 and 8-year-old girls were hiking to get drinking water for their families, but then Becca and I offered to carry the water for the girls while they walked with us. Now I’m no bodybuilder of any sorts, but I figured I could do what any 7-year-old girl can do, right? Becca and I laughed at ourselves because I can’t tell you how quickly those gallons of water became pretty stinkin' heavy. I think my most strenuous chore growing up may have been cleaning the kitty litter. I never realized how easy I had it.

3) On a completely different note, this Sunday I saw a mom drop off her baby at the orphanage. It was a rare situation, because her baby was born earlier that morning. The mom was dropping it off because the baby was extremely premature and it was basically her only chance for her newborn to survive. The baby was hardly any longer than the length of my hand, and I was so shocked at the sight of a human being so small. I can’t explain how unreal it looked. The baby is in an incubator and I think doing fine considering the circumstances.

Beyond that, it’s been a great beginning of the week. Mondays usually seem pretty long, but today was one of the best days I’ve had here so far. We got a new group in from Alabama today, and it’s a team of 7 people that will be here for a week! It’s fun to have them and it will definitely be a cozy fit in the house at mealtimes. We have to take car rides back and forth from the houses at night, and let’s just say we had 12 people squeezed into an SUV tonight…I actually love it. It’s kind of a challenge to see how many people we can fit!

It rained this afternoon (only the second time it's rained in Haiti since I've been here). It was refreshing considering it’s about 15 degrees cooler on the balcony when it rains. We all hung out with our babies under the covering and it was really kind of cozy. A good excuse to snuggle with the kids and spend some quality time with all of the volunteers…

My kids were all great today. Jeffy is continuing to take more steps! He laughs a lot more these days and is constantly improving. J-man is also so much fun. He had a good ol’ time in his new favorite Fisher Price car today…and his smile is adorable. He is one of those kids who I hate putting back in the nursery when the hour is up. Some of the kids are fine, but others kind of crumble and cry when you leave them. It breaks my heart. M-man, D-Love, and J-son were all great as well. These kids are awesome.

You can keep Shonnie and Bennie in your prayers. They are two of my favorites, but two that I still worry about sometimes. Shonnie still screams whenever she isn’t touching me or being held. She has come an incredibly long way since day one…she used to not even laugh or smile, but she still has some sort of detachment issues. I’m hoping she continues to improve emotionally. I think Bennie has some of the same issues. Sometimes when babies have been hurt or abandoned by people in their lives, I guess they begin to disassociate themselves from people. He rarely makes eye contact, and it’s like he tries to hold back from smiling. I make it a goal to never spend a day without getting him to smile…but it just breaks my heart that he obviously has some deep rooted issues that affect him more than I know. I love this guy so much, and just pray that he continues to heal.

God has blessed me so much here through the beauty of this place, the miraculous lives of the children, the devoted hearts of volunteers, and just the opportunity to see and serve in a world outside of my own. I hope he continues to open my eyes to His character, His love, and His sovereignty while I am here.

Sorry it was a bit lengthy…but today has been wonderful…hopefully a trend that continues throughout the week! Have a good night!!

pandemonium

What a great day it’s been so far! It is my first non-work weekend here, so we woke up (relatively) late, ate some breakfast, did some cleaning around the house, and then headed into town. If I could describe Haitian shopping in one word, it would be “chaos”. For sure.

Our first stop was a place called The Lookout. The name makes sense. It’s a place with a decent amount of shopping and an incredible balcony area that looks out over Port-au-Prince. The view is breathtaking, and we could even see the beautiful Caribbean waters!

This was my first encounter with shopping in Haiti, so I made my fair share of rookie mistakes. My first purchase was an overpriced shirt that I found especially cute, and in my defense I did lower the price by about half! In retrospect, I still spent too much and failed to pay attention to the size of the shirt. Let’s just say it will make an adorable maternity shirt one day! Some of the girls say it will look really cute with a belt around it. I think they are being kind. I somehow also got suckered into buying a less than attractive bracelet thing, and that’s when I grabbed Alecia and Becca to walk with me. Strength in numbers.

I like to think I improved quickly in my bartering tactics. The Haitians are hilarious though and persistent to say the least. For those of you who know me well, I struggle with being blunt…but I think today’s experience brought me a long way. There were several times that I couldn’t control myself and busted out laughing because they shove these ridiculous goods and trinkets in your face to buy, and even when you blatantly refuse they go on about their paintings, how you need to come look, how they need money, how they will give you “special price”…it’s hysterical. I think I made some of them mad by offering ridiculously low prices, but it's all part of the game...and usually when you start to walk away they give in anyways! We didn’t linger at the Lookout for too long, but I found some neat paintings and a couple other small things. The artists really are incredibly talented, and they had so many to choose from that it was extremely difficult to pick out what I wanted! My indecisiveness got the best of me at several points.

Our next stop was the Baptist Mission. It’s a really neat place that I’m glad I got to visit, and we sat down to buy some lunch and refuel. I had the first turkey sandwich I’ve had in awhile, and it tasted wonderful! I was glad to have a lunch without rice. After eating, we headed back out to brave the streets once more. I knew this would be my only day of shopping in Haiti, so I tried to have a game plan, but it gets pretty easy to loose focus out there! They had a larger selection at the mission, so we found some fun gifts and souvenirs. The funniest part of the day was at the end of our shopping excursion when somehow Becca and I were the only two Americans together. We were looking at vases or something, and I kid you not…there were about 10 or so different salesmen basically circling us and trying to lure us to their stands. The plus side was we got some really great bargains out of it! But by the end of it all when we had a pile of an embarrassing amount of goods in our hands, we looked at each other and said, “what just happened??” It was rather amusing. Joyce, our driver for the day, literally pulled up next to us in her car and had to help us escape the pandemonium. I like to think that we boosted the Haitian economy a little bit today. What a hysterical experience.

On the way home we stopped briefly at a farmers’ market type place. There were tons of fresh vegetables and different kinds of meat (smelled a little awful). We didn’t buy anything, but it was a cool thing to see.

We’re now relaxing at the house. It’s really warm here today…so it feels good to just lay down and nap or read. We have dinner in a couple of hours, and we’ll probably enjoy a movie or do something low-key tonight. It was such a fun day overall. I came back from shopping with only $3 in my pocket, but don’t worry mom…I thought ahead and left a safe amount of cash back at home so I couldn’t spend my whole stash of spending money!

Tomorrow we have church, and I’m excited to see what that is like here. I can’t believe I only have one week left with my kids. I know I will miss them and this place a lot. I’m praying that next week I will not only soak up every opportunity here but also pour out every chance I get. Pray that He’ll equip me to serve and love in a way that brings Him glory. I hope I’ll continue to learn and grow through this next week as well!

Love you guys, and hope you're all enjoying the weekend!

"One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord are loving."

-Psalm 62:11

the best medicine

Good morning! It's now 6 a.m. in Haiti, and I just woke up with the roosters. I wrote a post yesterday that never posted because of technical difficulties around here, but luckily it saved! Here is a post from last night (Thursday)…

There’s nothing like a good laugh. Today we had quite a few laugh out loud moments, so I’ll try to share a few with you. It’s possible though that you had to be there…so I do apologize if I enjoy this post more than you do!

First, all of my kids were in a great mood in the morning. Jeffy was one of the boys I had, and he was wonderful today. He spent some time swinging and was especially giggly, so I knew we were off to a good start. Then I thought I’d branch out and try giving him a bath since I never had before…and as soon as I put him in, he was literally squealing because he loved it so much. He splashed around, laughing out loud the whole time…and a few of us couldn’t help but laugh as well. It truly is contagious.

Later, things got funnier when a bunch of us decided to take a walk with our kids. I had J-son, one of my happiest babies with me. Holly also decided to take a baby, and was SO ecstatic because she never gets to take the small babies with her. She strapped herself up with one of those baby carriers, and went on and on about how great these carriers are… how they’re life changing, they’re totally hands-free, etc…so needless to say she was the most geeked up about it. Unlike the rest of us, she laid her baby with his face towards her because she liked having him close up against her chest. ANYWAY—literally just as we were leaving, Holly is telling the staff who all is heading out, and her baby projectile vomits all over her!! The best part is, she can’t escape it because she has this child strapped to her. Never have I seen a 4-month old vomit that much…and as disgusting as the situation was, it was also one of the funniest moments of the day. We’ve laughed recalling the story about 5 times today already. It will take awhile for that one to get old!

The day ended with our “talent show”. Perhaps it should have been titled a comedy show. I feel like I got to know a lot of the volunteers on a whole new level! We had anything from chin lip singing, dancing, a girl playing the air cello, fists in the mouth, banana eating contests, a banjo song, nostril tricks, and an impressive acrobatic stunt by me and Becca (slightly biased on the impressive part…sorry). We might not be the most talented group of individuals, but we laughed harder tonight than I have in awhile!

Man, it’s been a good day. I’m so excited for tomorrow and the weekend too! We’re heading to Todd and Margie’s house for breakfast and bible study/prayer in the morning. We usually make our own breakfast, so that will be such a treat!

The kids I work with really have been doing great. It’s so funny to think back to day one and compare how much better I know them all now. They are all very different, but all such special kids. I grow attached to them more and more as their personalities continue to come out. I know I don’t always do a good job of keeping you posted on all 8 of them, so I’ll try to work on that in upcoming posts! I don’t want to overwhelm you with details though, so I’ll try to keep hitting the highlights. Thanks for keeping them in your prayers though. They definitely need it.

Love you guys, and thank you for all of your thoughts and encouragement! This week has flown by...and I'm so excited for the weekend! I think we get to go into town and do some shopping, so I'll let you know how it goes!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." -Proverbs 17:22

ups and downs

It feels like a lot has changed around here. Two of the volunteers, Jamie and Anna, left this afternoon. They've both been here for awhile...and Anna finally got to leave with one of the babies here so that she can get back to the states and have surgery, so that was a real blessing. It broke my heart watching Jamie say goodbye to her kids. She loves those kids so much, and both the volunteers and her kids are going to miss the heck out of her! We also have two new volunteers that got here in the past couple of days. It feels strange but nice not being the new girl anymore!

It was such an up and down day with most of the kids. Jeffy was in a good mood this morning, and that was refreshing! I found a swing that makes him laugh a lot...so we enjoyed that and worked on his walking a little bit more. He has a stitch on his chin though, so sometimes he bumps into that and cries. It is really sad, but he still impresses me with how tough of a guy he is.

I found out today that I am the first volunteer Shonnie has had, which explains a lot of why she acts the way she does. She is my extremely quiet/timid girl who at first would only lay her head against my chest. In just a week she has already come so far. She still freaks out if she isn't touching me...but she sits up now and even laughed today! It's cool seeing her improve little by little. She is one of my favorites.

J-man is hilarious. I woke him up today and a cookie was stuck to his face...those kids sleep on/through anything. We read some books today, and it took me back to my childhood. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Goodnight Moon, and The Lady With the Alligator Purse never get old. I might have enjoyed the reading more than J-man did...here's a picture of J-man. Looks kind of like a model in this one...what a stud.

Bennie was in a terrible mood today. I think I caught him right after a nap. But I grabbed him again after dinner, and he was a whole new person. I got a cute picture of him in his jammies!

We went on a walk with a lot of kids, took some bubble baths, and even did the Cupid Shuffle at one point. It was a pretty typical day at GLA.

I don't think I've mentioned Todd and his family before, but it's really great having them here. Todd and his wife Margie are here with two kids that they have adopted from the orphanage, and they've basically come back to hang out with kids and help out wherever needed. Todd spent a lot of time on the balcony with us today, and it was encouraging to hear him tell us what a difference we make in the kids' lives through the simple things like holding them, nurturing them, or praising them. Their family serves us in so many ways, and they do so much to boost our morale.

We got to go to the STORE tonight! It's a treat around here...so we basically ran through this mini-convenience store and snatched up every American food that we've been deprived of and craving lately. (Yes, I've only been here a little over a week and I already miss certain foods.) I looked like a fool trying to figure out how to pay in Haitian goudes, but overall it was a successful trip.

I've been feeling a lot better lately...I went through a mini-slump where I just felt under the weather, but I feel pretty much back to normal. Continue to pray for everyone's health...especially the kids. I can't tell you how many snotty faces and boogers I wipe off every day. Coughs and fevers are pretty typical.

It's been a random blog...but my mind is a little all over the place! We're probably going to go splurge on some of the popcorn and chocolate we just bought, and maybe have movie/game night. At some point tonight Becca and I have a practice scheduled for our talent show too. I'll let you know what we decide on...

Have a wonderful night..love you guys!!

Here's me and Alecia on a walk. We felt obligated to take a "mom" picture. I feel a little bit like the girl in 10 Things I Hate About You with the carrier on!

answered prayer

Today was picture day. All of the kids get their pictures taken once a month to update their parents, and it was a little on the crazy side trying to changing them in and out of clothes and getting them all through. But in the midst of the hectic morning...God gave me a perfect moment of encouragement. I feel like He has completely answered my prayers from last night.

I went to get Jeffy for his pictures...the boy I posted about yesterday. I was a little worried because he had just been crying and was not looking in any kind of mood to undergo a photo shoot. Recap: he is the boy who has some great physical challenges and has adapted to the point where he doesn't walk but instead scoots around using one side of his body. We have been working on this, but it has been hard to monitor his progress.

The point of this story is that while we were taking his pictures, we were trying to lure him with toys and such to get a smile out of him...and Jeffy stood up by himself on the table and WALKED towards me! I cannot tell you how shocked and excited I was!! This may sound small...but honestly it brought tears to my eyes. I have never seen this boy stand on his own, much less walk, and both happened right in front of me. It was just the boost that I needed, and it was such a reminder to never underestimate what He can do. I'm so proud of that boy...he is such a fighter.

Another high point of the day: J-man (different boy) repeated me saying "I love you". He might not know what it means...but it was adorable nonetheless!

Beyond that, picture day kind of consumed our time. I'm glad that tomorrow will be back to regular schedule!

Becca and I are now off to make our hot tea. Lately we've been spending part of our nights drinking tea out on the balcony in our rocking chairs. Once we get past the fact that our room is apparently next to some sort of sewage system and therefore we get occasional whiffs of toilet bowl stench up our noses...it is quite an enjoyable experience! We will make the best old ladies one day.

Thanks for your comments and prayers! Love you all!!

P.S. We have a talent show coming up this Thursday. Get excited. Feel free to post any comments to remind me of talents that I might possess...as of right now, Becca and I are either singing, stepping, or performing an acrobatic stunt of some sorts. This could be interesting.

patience is a virtue

I have now been here a week, and God’s already shown me that I have a long way to go when it comes to loving others as He loves them.

I’ve posted before about a boy I work with who has some pretty substantial physical challenges in his life. Part of working with him and loving him means that I should push him and spend time focusing on his weaknesses so that he can improve. In an ideal world, we would work diligently and practice until perfect. But it’s tough. It’s uncomfortable for him, and for a two-year-old boy it is especially frustrating. And as much as I wish I could say it isn’t…the frustration can be mutual. I want for him to be able to overcome his limitations, and when it doesn’t magically happen immediately, my optimism can quickly vanish. It’s easy to want to give up.

An hour of each day spent with this boy has been a perfect opportunity for God to remind me of His patience and mercy. It is impossible for me to count the number of times God has forgiven me, or even the number of times that He has disciplined me and yet repeatedly I fail to attain perfection. Again and again I fall short of His glory, but He doesn’t love me any less because of it. Not once has He given up on me either. It has been a humbling experience to see how easily I can receive God’s patience, but how difficult it can be to show the same patience to others.

I think (and I hope) that I’ll approach my time with this kiddo with an entirely different heart. This boy is precious, and is ultimately a child of God. I have a chance to show him at least a glimpse of God’s love, and I can’t forget that “love is patient…” I pray that God will grant me the patience needed, and that even if this boy doesn’t perfectly conquer his physical challenges, he will know and feel that he is truly loved regardless.

Thank goodness we have a God who is so gracious. He has taught me so much, and I know He will continue to do so. These kids are wonderful, and your prayers for them mean more than anything. Love you all…

“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant…”

-Psalm 86:15-16

we're alive

Last night was probably one of the worst nights of sleep I’ve had here so far. I have no idea why, but a lot of us couldn’t sleep well. We laughed about it because everyone in our room (me, Becca, Jamie, and Alecia) woke up at 1 a.m. thinking it was almost time to get up. Despite the restless night, we woke up at 7:00 determined and ready to embark on our hike.

Oh my goodness. As with most things on this trip, the hike was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was probably the most difficult but most amazing hike I have ever been on. I wasn’t feeling so great this morning, so at the beginning of the hike I was really nauseous. But I knew I’d regret turning back, so we pushed on and once we passed a certain point I felt fine!

I can’t explain how cool it was walking up the mountain. I feel like I experienced the Haitian culture on a whole new level. We passed a lot of people who live on the mountain, and I am so impressed with the way they walk up and down the mountain every day like it’s nothing. A lot of the people who live up there don’t see white people very often at all…so it was pretty funny watching them all come out of their huts and literally out of bushes/crops/trees to just watch us. We gave some extra candy and food that we brought to a lot of the kids, and some of them let us take pictures of them. We passed anything from farmers and people doing laundry, to goats and cows just grazing. Eventually we stopped at this church, and it was really cool hiking and listening to them sing worship on the way up. It might sound kind of funny, but I really felt like the mountains were singing praises! The church was about ¾ or so up the mountain, and it was a great place to stop before we were completely wiped out. By that point most of us had already run out of water, so we rested and just had some quiet time before we headed back down.

Overall the hike up took about three hours, and on the way down we made it in about an hour. I don’t think I have ever sweat so much in my life…but I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go! We took tons of pictures…and although they don’t do it any justice, I’ll try to post some so you can get an idea of how wonderful it was.

At our stopping point, Alecia was reading out of James where it talks about how trials and tests of faith produce perseverance. Hiking a mountain was the perfect metaphor for how God pushes us and stretches us, and ultimately we experience His love and blessings on a whole new level. All of us agreed that even our decision to come to Haiti was a test of our faith, and how God has proven that He never leaves us. In fact through this experience, I know all of the volunteers will leave here having learned more than we could have expected and that through the challenges that we face here we are learning perseverance and reliance on God each and every day. We are all in such different places and experiencing completely different things, but I hope wherever you are that you can see how even in the trials God is not only with you but is also teaching you and growing you as his child.

I think it’s safe to say that we are all pretty exhausted now. We are in the process of taking MUCH needed showers and just relaxing! We’re beginning a movie marathon with Marley and Me, so I’m excited to just hang out and hopefully rejuvenate from the week! It's raining now too...so perfect movie watching weather if I do say so myself.

Love you guys, and I am so thankful for you all!!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

James 1: 2-5

On the way to the hike, we stopped to hang out at this abandoned house. Here we are mentally preparing for the hike ahead of us...literally.

Good picture spot. We look tiny here..but the picture is actually pretty cool when it's bigger!

sweet saturday

Sleeping in today felt great. I still woke up at about 7:45, but it was a treat nonetheless! Those older kids outside our rooms are a great built in alarm clock...let me tell you. We didn't have anywhere to be today until lunch, so me and some other volunteers walked down to the main house to workout a little bit. They have a workout area with some equipment...but equipment is somewhat of a generous term. It felt great outside though, and it's a beautiful place to spend the morning.

After lunch all of the volunteers work with the kids who don't have any volunteers assigned to them right now. It's fun to get to see more of the kids and give them a chance play outside too. I worked with a boy, Jor-man, who was hysterical. He loved playing in the water, and he would run around the balcony when I chased him. He laughed constantly and was one of the most interactive kids I have worked with so far!

Today I got to sit with 3 of my kids as they chatted on web cam with their adoptive parents. It's something they do at the orphanage as a fundraiser, and the parents get to donate to have a certain number of sessions where they basically Skype with their children. Most of the kids can't talk, but it's a really cool opportunity for both sides, and I know the parents absolutely loved seeing their kids. I can't imagine how hard it is to wait patiently for the adoption process to finally be over with. It was also so neat for me to be able to see and talk to some of the parents who will eventually be with the kids I am working with. It made my job seem that much more real as I got to see the wonderful families that I am hopefully preparing these children to be loved by. The parents all seemed so great, and it gave me such hope for the precious children here. They have such bright futures waiting for them. God is so good!

Dinner was wonderful....it was this great soup with potatoes and vegetables! Vegetables are scarce here...so we definitely celebrate when they're included with meals. We are having a water drinking contest tonight to prepare for our hike tomorrow. We are setting a goal to hike to the very top of this pretty substantial mountain, and I am legitimately a little bit nervous...but hey, you're only in Haiti once right?! We'll be fine...but if you want to pray that we make it up there and back safely, then I won't stop you.

I just left the nursery, and instead of grabbing one kid to watch the sunset, Becca and I thought we'd be brave and sit in the nursery with the whole gang. Needless to say, we were quickly bombarded by toddlers...I felt like I was an animal at the petting zoo, or maybe a jungle gym. Either way hopefully you get the point. My chaco is literally tighter right now because I was dragging a girl as she hung onto my shoe strap. Goodness gracious.

Overall it's been a great, relaxing Saturday, and I'm excited for tomorrow! Besides the hike...it will be a good time to rejuvinate for next week. Love you all and have a wonderful weekend wherever you are!

Here's what tomorrow has in store for us. Wish us luck!! 

today's forecast: partly cloudy with a chance of squirts

So a lot of the volunteers aren't feeling so great lately. It isn't anything serious...but it's not too pretty either. Martha, the girl I traveled with, got really sick last night. Pray that she and the others feel back to normal soon! It's tiring enough working all day with children, so I can't imagine feeling sick on top of it...especially in a foreign country. A lot of the kids here are pretty sick too. I have held a couple of babies with fevers, and it breaks my heart that they don't have someone constantly caring for them or nurturing them until they are well. Luckily I have been feeling great so far...but I'm knocking on wood as we speak.

Besides that...it really has been a great Friday! Each Friday we start the morning by having prayer time with all of the volunteers. It was such a good time to reflect on the week and be real with each other about how we are doing. It was good to have that intentional time with everyone for sure.

The morning went by so fast with the kids. First I worked with Jeffy...and I knew it would be a little bit of a challenge. The poor guy apparently fell sometime yesterday and he split open his chin pretty badly. His lip and the side of his chin are swollen, so understandably he wasn't quite in the mood to work on much. It made me realize that I took for granted the fact that I had parents to tend to all my bumps and bruises growing up. You can pray that he will heal quickly and be back in good spirits soon.

I worked with Shonnie again today too. She is the baby that I'm a little bit worried about because she literally just lacks any enthusiasm at all. For awhile she sat with her head on my chest like normal, but slowly I got her to sit on the ground with a toy...without even crying! It sounds small, but it was actually a huge step. Also...she always has the same blank expression on her face, but I discovered today that if you kiss her feet it makes her smile!! Who knew?? It's funny how the small things can be so exciting.

The others were great. We went on another walk, and it's fun to pass the locals and see a glimpse of what a day in Haiti looks like. They are all really friendly, and hardly anyone passes you without greeting you. As usual we attracted some younger boys who wanted to mooch off some of our cookies and juice...

We ended the afternoon early to do some cleaning on the balcony, and somehow cleaning with rap music makes everything a little more fun. I think Becca and I bring out the goofy side in each other...and the other volunteers probably think we're the two crazy Texan girls. ALL of the volunteers are from the north (Oregon, Pennsylvania, Canada...you name it) so they get a kick out of our accents. I didn't even realize mine was that strong!

Dinner was the TASTIEST pizza I've had in awhile! The cooks here are funny too. After lunch I was pretending to do an exercise routine (not realizing they were behind me) and they got a pretty big kick out of it. I'm sure they know me as the strange American girl or something...

I can't believe week one is pretty much behind me. I'm excited because apparently we get to sleep in on Saturdays! We're planning on going on a hike on Sunday too, and I can't wait to see more of the beautiful mountains! I'll try and take some good pictures.

Thanks so much for your prayers. God continues to amaze me and teach me things every day. Never have I viewed Him as my strength and my refuge more than through this experience. I'm praying for miracles at this orphanage, and I know He will take care of these babies.

Love you all! Have a good night!


P.S. Bill Clinton is in Haiti right now, and I actually saw him when we went into town!! Becca will tell you she did too...but she really didn't. That stinks.

Me and Jeffy...a grin was about all I could get out of him today!

M-man and one of Becca's girls chomping on some Bon-Bons  (cookies) during our walk! 

With the kids after dinner...they are precious in their jammies.

This one is from a couple of days ago, and it's one of my favorites! He is one of Becca's boys, and he makes this face anytime you ask for a kiss. Tell me that's not one of the best things you've ever seen.

lunch break

We just got back from the trip into the doctor's office, and we have a little bit of time before we start working again with the kids. It was really fun to get to go into town, and driving in Haiti is always interesting. The drive was basically a bumpy trek down steep, winding roads with all sorts of things going on throughout the town. The streets are lined with little shops, people walking to and from work I suppose, and stands to sell anything from juice and candy to purses and sneakers. There's also a ton of artwork for sale, and the paintings are beautiful.

It was neat to see a lot more of Haiti-more beautiful mountains and a little peek at the gorgeous blue ocean, but it is definitely shocking at the same time. We passed a few areas that were slums and I really felt like I was looking at a scene out of Slumdog Millionaire. I was reminded of how we easily forget that not everyone in the world lives like we do.

We had six kids in the car with us, and five of them sat in the backseat on our laps. It was me, Becca, and Jamie who got to go and help with the trip, and it was definitely a cozy ride piled back there. The kids were so cute and somehow fell asleep in our laps despite the crazy bumps and rocky ride. Once we got to the doctor's office, the kids did great and it really went by pretty fast. The doctor just did a basic check up to see how they're doing developmentally and what not. We bought some of these tasty banana chips (I'm sure they have a name...I just wouldn't know how to pronounce it, much less spell it) for a snack on the way home, and we drove in silence just soaking in the scene of life in Haiti. It was a really cool experience.

Later...

It cooled off a little this afternoon, and it was really relaxing with the kids out on the balcony. I got to spend a lot of time with Shonie today, and I'm just praying for her health and healing. Most of the time she just plops her head on my chest and lays there with deep breaths. It's kind of sad because it almost seems like she is just giving up. But I'm fighting for her...and I actually got her to smile today. It was the first time I have seen her smile, and it was a wonderful feeling for sure.

I just got finished hanging out with Bennie, and he is always such a fun little guy. He is doing great and surprises me each day. D-Love and I went on a walk too and bought some Tampico juice on the way. It's funny because the local kids always come up to us and ask us to take their pictures or give them a dollar. They know what they want, that's for sure.

It's about to be dinner time and then we'll head back to our house for some down time. These past couple of days have been so fun with the kids and the volunteers, and I can't believe it's going to be Friday tomorrow. A new volunteer is coming to the orphanage tomorrow, so pray for her travels and her first day here!

long days, fast weeks

I cannot believe tomorrow is already Thursday. I had so much more strength and joy today. It's definitely getting easier with each day.

I started the morning off working with Jeffy, my oldest boy. He is a wonderful kid, but will definitely be a challenge. The muscles on the right side of his body are extremely weak for some reason, and he has adapted to the point where he really only uses his left arm and leg for everything. It's hard to get him to work on his right side and he can get frustrated, but I'm really hoping that he'll make progress. 

Later I grabbed M-man, one of my precious shy boys. I gave him a bubble bath with one of the other kids, and it was great to see how by the end of it he really came out of his shell a lot and enjoyed the bath. He is a sweet boy who I hope continues to open up.

Findy was another boy I worked with and took a bubble bath as well. He makes the funniest facial expressions, and when he wipes the smirk off his face and laughs, it's wonderful.

Jam-man is one of my youngest boys, and I took him out on a walk with Becca and one of her kids. He is absolutely precious and I definitely have a weakness for this guy. Truly he is such a happy baby, and I always think of how wonderful he will be in his new family. He passed out on the walk and took a hard nap in my arms. Walks are absolutely beautiful. I will miss that when I leave here.

One of the girls I worked with, Shonie, is pretty new to the orphanage. Her brother is here also, so we get to work with them together. Today she just held onto me when I grabbed her and laid her head right in my chest. I think at this point she simply needs to be held, and I truly felt like I could sit there with her like that for the entire afternoon. Sometimes when the hour is up it just seems too soon.

I had such a great time with Bennie (another boy of mine) today. He is an adorable guy who loves being held. I put him in a swing and watched him crack up as I spun him around. It's almost like he tried not to laugh but couldn't hold it back. He has the best laugh too. I grabbed him after dinner too to come on the balcony and watch the sunset. It was an absolutely great way to end the day. I am growing more and more attached to this boy.

It is encouraging to know that the majority of the kids already have adoptive families that are just waiting for the tedious process to finish. I love knowing that I'm preparing the kids to be loved by a family of their own. The families will be so blessed by these precious children, and the babies deserve such wonderful homes. It's something I cannot wait to happen for them.

Walking into the room of toddlers and having countless babies look at you with wide eyes and their arms up in the air to be held is a feeling unlike any other.  I've never wished that I had 100 arms more than every time I walk into that room. Each time we hold them it's a step further in the healing process for these kids. What a cool thing. And at the end of the day...they might not have moms and dads in their lives right now, but they have a Father in heaven who loves them more than I can ever imagine. Thank goodness for that.

This has been long. I could write so much more...we laughed so much today and had a great time with the other volunteers. Tomorrow morning a few of us are going into town to the doctor's office with some of the kids, so I'm sure that will be an interesting experience! Until then...thanks for your prayers that get me through each and every day. 

Good night!!

Here are some of the kids who went on the walk. My guy, Findy is in the middle!

This is Shonie, my younger girl. Such a sweet baby to cuddle with.

Bennie and his gorgeous smile!! 

Watching the sunset with Bennie...what a laugh!

first (wonder)full day

I made it through my first full day, and I didn’t even get pooped on. Apparently that means I’m off to a good start! 

It was quite an eventful morning. There was a piñata for the older kids, so we got to spend some time at the toddler house and watch that. The kids were so excited, and watching the nannies swing at their own piñata was one of the funniest things I have ever seen! They were hysterical making fun of each other.

After the piñata broke, the kids were out of control and dog piled going for the candy. It was the coolest thing though because I watched a girl open a single piece of Dubble Bubble gum and break it up to share with the kids around her. There have been several times when I’m just amazed at how the kids take care of each other. They all get along so well.

Afterwards I got to meet the 8 kids that I’ll have over these three weeks! I have an awesome group, and it feels good to finally be working with them. I have six boys and two girls, and it’s fun getting to know their different personalities. A few are extremely shy, and others giggle constantly. It’s great. I can’t post their names on the blog…but I will try to upload some pictures and will use nicknames for them. They all have such different needs, whether it’s learning to sit up on their own or mastering walking. A lot of them also just need food and nourishment. But more than anything you can tell that the kids simply cherish the attention and quality time spent with them.

It’s great watching the other volunteers work with their kids. They all have huge hearts, and I can tell that you truly do fall in love with the kids you work with. They steal your heart pretty quickly.

Dinner was delicious tonight, and we ended the night holding some babies and watching the most incredible sunset I’ve seen in awhile. It was the perfect ending to a long day. We were talking about how all of your stress and fatigue disappears when you hold the babies. They are the sweetest things, and the joyful smiles on their faces are contagious.

Continue to pray for these babies…that their overall health and wellbeing would continue to improve as they prepare for adoption. Pray that we can love them diligently and have the strength to serve well!

 

I’ll try to keep posting frequently…but daily posts might be kind of difficult with the internet here. And pictures are quite a task…so bear with me!

P.S. I found out that my name means “Soap Suds” in Creole. Needless to say, the older Haitian girls found it pretty funny when I introduced myself.

views from the balcony

     

Here are some pictures of the view from the balcony at the toddler house. It's gorgeous!!

a friendly flight

Here is my little friend from the plane! She was hysterical...and friendly to say the least.

Below is the flight attendant who she snapped a picture of. The picture was apparently taken against his will, and he did not find her obsession with photography as humorous as I did.

sweet relief

I made it!!! I'm sitting on my bunk bed safe and sound with Miss Becca...hallelujah!

The traveling went surprisingly well! I was pretty terrified deep down that I'd be arriving in Haiti alone. I was immediately relieved in Miami when I met a group of about 10 people traveling to a different orphanage in Haiti. I basically latched onto their group...they were a great bunch from Ohio and they taught me some card games. Good times. THEN I met Martha, a girl my age who was traveling to the same orphanage as me! I was so excited. Martha's in nursing school and she's pretty incredible!

I don't even know where to begin...it's great here!! And BEAUTIFUL. Driving in Haiti is ridiculous...I thought I was going to meet my death before I even made it to the orphanage. Kidding, kind of. 

The volunteers here are awesome! It's going to be great working with them. We all ate dinner together (the food was tasty!) and we got to play with some of the kids for a bit after dinner. They are absolutely adorable...and they all want to be held so badly. I'm so glad Becca is here to show me around too! We went and kissed the kids goodnight together, and I'm pretty sure that's going to be one of my favorite parts of each day.

I find out who my kids will be tomorrow! I'm so excited and ready to spend time with them! I could ramble on forever, but overall I'm so relieved to be here and looking forward to these next few weeks!

Random funny story on the plane:

I met a 7 year old girl from Haiti who sat in the seat in front of me. She was hilarious, and kept me company for the majority of the flight. Anyway...she saw that I had a camera, and asked if she could take "some" pictures. Let's just say at the end of the flight I had about 75 random pictures from inside of our plane. I'll try to post some funny ones on here if I can figure out how!!