Thursday, July 22, 2010

When you can’t sleep you post………

I must have gone to bed too early, 2 AM, wide awake, and now, after perusing Facebook and emails, I'm drinking my morning coffee..it's 3AM. But that's okay, I can enjoy the peace and quiet that only seems to happen this time of day.

We had a bunch of rain yesterday. It cooled things off, but it sure makes life miserable for folks. We happened to be coming home from a jaunt to Montrouis when it started. People riding tap taps had to brave the rain on the back of pick up trucks, people on motorcycles, trying to see beyond the rain hitting them in the face and then those walking with their wares on their heads, trying to get home from the day of selling at the market. I suppose the walk in the rain was not bad if they made enough to cook a meal once they got home. Most market people come from the mountains, so it isn't just a block or two and home. It's a climb and usually an hour or more. As we rode through seeing these sights, I was again reminded of how blessed I am, and how hard life is here for people. I'm not saying life isn't hard everywhere else, but my eyes and heart tell me it's hard here!

We are going to Port in the morning, although it's already morning, but you know what I mean, morning when everyone rises! We have to deliver medical supplies to another mission, and p/u our truck papers so we're legal when we come back into the country, PLUS, p/u my Haiti drivers license. Isn't that interesting, ten years here, just got the nerve to drive on the highway!!! So, it's time to get a license so the police won't quibble. Not that they do,it's okay to use a US license but, you never know when you'll get one guy (or gal) who wants to give you a hard time about not following the laws of this country. As lawless as it is, there are laws and sometimes, there are those who want to enforce them. That's not wrong and if we are going to be here (and obviously we are), we need to comply.

I'll never forget the time we got to the airport to leave the country and they weren't going to let me leave because I didn't have a proper stamp in my passport. They sent me to an office, the office sent me back to the airline agent, the airline agent sent me back to the office. Finally, I pleaded and they said, "Okay, next time have it right." Next time we did. We found out you have to purchase a Haiti ID, Permis se de Jour. And, every year you have to have it stamped (at a nice fee) but with it, you pass through the airport without question because the law is that a foreigner cannot stay here more than three months without penalty. With our permis' we can stay indefinitely. There's one thing Gary and I never forget, we are foreigners here. No one has to be nice to us and all the people we don't help don't care whether we live or die. The people we help love us, (most of the time).

Having Aaron with us this short stint has been interesting. He has done so well, no complaining about heat or anything for that matter. He has loved playing with Junior and Olivie, and they have learned a lot of English from him. We leave Friday and I'm sure there will be something he'll want immediately upon setting his feet on US soil. We have to spend the night in FL, so he'll get to eat something good and my guess is, it'll be MacDonalds!

For Gary and I, we've been so busy these three plus weeks, we've barely had time to think. Well, maybe Gary more than I. He's had all the structural things to do trying to make this house safer since the break in and things that needed fixing. I did get the office, bedroom and kitchen to a place where I can stand it once we return in September and not have to think about "organizing" (agonizing)jobs. That's an accomplishment for me! The heat only allows you to work until noon. After 12, it's too hot to think about anything. I know everyone in the States is dealing with heat as well but when you don't have a way to shut it out and no air conditioning, there's only one reprieve and that's to sit in front of a fan. Like right now, at 3:45 AM.

As far as I know we have two girls coming in on the 13th of September to work at El Shaddai for two weeks. We have Crystal coming from Canada for nine months as well. So, we are beginning our year with a house full. We also have four teams booked already, so if anyone reading this would like to come to Touch Ministries for a mission trip, please contact us asap, our calendar is filling up fast.

More news, we got a Rottweiler pup. Right now he's at the Chris and Leslie Rollings who also got a new pup (thank God for their willingness to puppy sit). He doesn't have a name yet, but we are working on it. A dog is a good deterrent, except it takes Rotts a long time to become useful as a watch dog, so we might get a Haitian dog as well when we come back. They are ruthless when they are fed and cared for but I found them to be fickle as well. Libby left me for a Haitian family and now she's ailing badly. I doubt she'll live much longer. She was hit by a motor cycle and she's getting skinny. I'd have taken her in but she left and I've not seen her again.

Since the signal is so good, I'm going to try to put pictures on here and sign off. Two cups of coffee and I'm getting weary. Something is wrong with this picture, the coffee is supposed to wake me up. But, now it's almost 4 and it's nearly time to get up. Better push past the wearies and get myself charged up. Need to get into the Word.

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