We Have Only Today. Let Us Begin.

Haiti continues to take me on a rollercoaster of ups and downs. So much of what I do here is completely out of my hands and I find comfort at the end of every day knowing that God is the only one in control. I know more than ever that the only timing is the Lord’s timing.

This week I enjoyed my first Thanksgiving in Haiti. We had a wonderful celebration at Union School and all of my students enjoyed the festivities. As a school we decided to tone down the normal Thanksgiving meal and give the money we would have spent on the meal to some local charities. It was very heart warming to see second graders getting excited to lend a hand. Thanksgiving day was spent up at the school nurse’s house (Nurse Betty) where we had a Thanksgiving spread that would rival anything being consumed in the States. I kept the American tradition of overeating and napping and there was even the football game on in the background.

I was very fortunate to have enjoyed the Thanksgiving dinner as the next day I had to get an infected molar removed. After getting a double root canal on Monday during my lunch and prep periods at school, the infection did not setting down enough and as a result I have one less tooth in my mouth. The pain is residing, but it has not been the most enjoyable experience of my life and I am glad to know it will only get better from here.

These past few weeks have been all about the Lord’s timing as we work hard at H.E.R.O. This past week we made the final strides to prepare the home that will be used as a transition home for orphans coming into our program. Monday marked a disappointing day as our two first children did not move in as planned. After a twist of stories and some last minute thoughts of an aunt to the children, the two children remain living in sub-par conditions with her as she keeps them from entering the program. We know this situation is out of our hands, but it is heart-breaking to see it unfold this way. Now we wait patiently as the country of Haiti comes to a halt for the elections and not much can be done for a few more days.

The last thing I will leave you with is an experience I had yesterday with my good friend Kez from my church. Kez is a nurse here who does a million and one things. Because I had the day off on Friday I went along with her as she did ‘home’ visits to the children in several neighborhoods. By ‘home visits’ I mean more like tent, street, sidewalk, ravine, etc visits. It was incredible to see how her visits with a backpack of meds, a stethoscope, and a notebook of jotted notes on each child could do in a country like this. Along with the medical attention she brought to these people, was a sense of strong hope and love. It was a wonderful and intense morning. Here are some pictures to give you a glimpse into her life.

Remember to keep Haiti close to your heart.

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