A few people have commented recently that our blog posts are
becoming less frequent. This is not due to lack of interesting things to
share (we live in Haiti, need I say more!) - just the daily life here occupies us more and in different ways than it did in the states. On any
given week we are welcoming new teams, juggling responsibilities at the
guesthouse, spending time daily with the 17 girls and carving out me/us time
when we can :) For those of you who haven’t been here yet, here is a
little snippet on how a house in Haiti operates ... we receive electricity from
3 sources - city power (though not consistently or on any type of schedule),
battery inverter (very cool if you ask me!) and a kick-butt Kubota
generator. If this wasn't interesting enough, our water also comes from 3
sources – city water (mostly on the weekends, but sometimes an occasional
Tuesday like today), rain water and truck water (complete with a Christmas tune
or two). All water is kept/cleaned in the cistern and used for showers as
well as dishwashing, but we buy treated Culligan water in the 5 gallon bottles
like you see in the states. When the opportunity arises, it is really
interesting to share part or all of this with guests as from their vantage
point it looks-and-feels very similar to a home in the states … all part of our
“new normal” here! My hope is you don’t
read this blog as a complaint of how tough our lives are here or dare I say “our
lives are more difficult than yours” – if anything, the home we get to
live/work in is a reprieve from the daily struggles we see people face each and
every day. There is a lot that it is
hard about living in Haiti and lots of meat’y tough questions that we grapple
with (especially today – more later), however we are so thankful to be here
shining God’s light in a dark place (though hopefully not literally dark – we bought
more diesel!).
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Gifts from Haiti
This morning a guest shared how
much he appreciated the gift that Gerritt/I are willing to be here and
serve teams like his while they are in Haiti. While I appreciated the
compliment, it also got me thinking about what gifts Haiti is/has been
giving me. There are too many to count, but some that come to mind are:
*Laughter. Whether it is with our 17 girls, guesthouse staff or something funny that get us thru the toughest days - it is truly the best medicine.
*Being teachable. This includes being flexible to what God has in store each day (not what the planner in me has in mind), looking @ life thru anothers' lens (including but not limited to my hubby!) and quite literally learning new things like how to make banan fri for the first time the other night (thanks Louise!)
*Love. This word has some many definitions and encompasses so much. 17 girls who have experienced so much hurt in their short little lives but give Love, God's love for me even when I don't deserve it, Gerritt's constant love for me when he sees me at my worst and so much more.
*Friends. The friends we have met on missions trips over the years are such a gift to us now that we are here full-time. Many of them have given so much time and energy as we settle in, asking nothing in return. Their presence literally brightens my day. Both of us wish our dear friends back in the states could be here every day with us, but we also know they are always a email/FB/skype away :)
*Laughter. Whether it is with our 17 girls, guesthouse staff or something funny that get us thru the toughest days - it is truly the best medicine.
*Being teachable. This includes being flexible to what God has in store each day (not what the planner in me has in mind), looking @ life thru anothers' lens (including but not limited to my hubby!) and quite literally learning new things like how to make banan fri for the first time the other night (thanks Louise!)
*Love. This word has some many definitions and encompasses so much. 17 girls who have experienced so much hurt in their short little lives but give Love, God's love for me even when I don't deserve it, Gerritt's constant love for me when he sees me at my worst and so much more.
*Friends. The friends we have met on missions trips over the years are such a gift to us now that we are here full-time. Many of them have given so much time and energy as we settle in, asking nothing in return. Their presence literally brightens my day. Both of us wish our dear friends back in the states could be here every day with us, but we also know they are always a email/FB/skype away :)
Monday, June 18, 2012
New normal
Before moving to Haiti, we knew that our "new normal" would be so incredibly different than anything we had ever experienced before - however we knew that throughout, God would be constant and we would cling to him more than ever. Here is just a taste of what our "new normal" looks like ...
*Going to the grocery store and passing by men with LARGE guns who keep the store/lot safe but also passing by the lady with two arms, no hands and the biggest smile I've ever seen :)
*Living at a guesthouse with the largest bathroom either of us have ever had and an amazing balcony to enjoy sun rises/sets - overlooking families still living in tents 2+ years after the earthquake.
*Bittersweet rain: when the entire city is covered in dust, but knowing the families in tents will be wet and covered in mud for days afterward.
*Feeding a dog that I think outweighs me 3 chicken hot dogs every morning and thankful that God finally gave me a dog (yeah!!) and equally thankful that God gave us Mr. Brown as our 4 legged security system in addition to barbed wire walls and a locking metal gate.
*Going to the grocery store and passing by men with LARGE guns who keep the store/lot safe but also passing by the lady with two arms, no hands and the biggest smile I've ever seen :)
*Living at a guesthouse with the largest bathroom either of us have ever had and an amazing balcony to enjoy sun rises/sets - overlooking families still living in tents 2+ years after the earthquake.
*Bittersweet rain: when the entire city is covered in dust, but knowing the families in tents will be wet and covered in mud for days afterward.
*Feeding a dog that I think outweighs me 3 chicken hot dogs every morning and thankful that God finally gave me a dog (yeah!!) and equally thankful that God gave us Mr. Brown as our 4 legged security system in addition to barbed wire walls and a locking metal gate.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Minus one appendix
For those of you who may not have heard.... On May 22nd, Gerritt (me) had his appendix out... in Haiti.
If you had asked me as we were heading out on this big huge adventure what I feared, I would have told you the ONE thing I was afraid of was having a medical emergency that required surgery in Haiti. Nothing else.. just surgery in Haiti. God really has a sense of humor doesn't He??
So... timeline...
Sunday at 6pm - severe cramping - think I am constipated. at 8 - cramping worse despite intense pushing that is somewhat productive. at 10 - vomit and there is slight blood - now very worried - call friends here to recommend hospital - call other friends to help us get there since we have no idea where we are going. Karl and Ann Olsson tell us about Bernard Mevs Hospital, and Chris Nungaster from HIS Home for Children accompanies us along with her Haitian driver James. Late Sunday night - spent at hospital - crazy stuff going on around us - indications are unclear - need a CT which opens at 8 Monday am. SO thankful for the rotating teams of volunteer US and Canadian medical professionals who could hear our explanation and respond in English. Around midnight send Chris and James home in our truck - sleep on the floor of admin reception area which is quiet and has A/C.
Monday - pain still bad - get CT - vomit after procedure from the contrast. Have not eaten in almost 24 hours so not very nice. No one to read the CT. Send to Miami and wait... and wait.... vehicle after vehicle drops off dreadfully injured or disfigured people. At times Julie and I stare right at each other b/c there is no where else to look. Call Chris who graciously sends her driver to take us back to our truck. Go home around 2 pm to crash. Sleep - take lots of ibuprofen - leave for hospital at 5:30 am.
Tuesday - get to hospital - pain worse - presents more and more like appendicitis - start prepping me for surgery- no food no water no nothing - 2 bags of IV fluids. We are starting to greet the American volunteer staff like old friends. CT results back from Miami- confirmed. I'm on the O.R. table at 1 pm. off the table at 3. More on anesthesia later.. By 5pm I am alert though still numb in areas. I get some pain meds at 7 pm and sleep in 2-3 hour stints most of the night.
Wednesday I wake and am able to get to the bathroom myself, walk the hall, and make bad jokes. I really don't feel the need for pain meds, and I have 3 tasks, drink a little with no nausea, eat a little with no nausea and either have a bowel movement or pass gas, which I did both. So at 1pm our dear friend Jeremie (who is an excellent and cautious driver) drops everything to meet us at the hospital and drive us home. And by 2 pm, less than 24 hours post op I am in my own bed resting relatively comfortably.
It is now more than a week later. My follow up appointment at the hospital Monday was great, Each day I am able to do more with less fatigue, though my appetite is still rather suppressed which is very strange for me. I have intentionally until now omitted Julie's involvement in all these steps since that would make this entry 3 times longer than it already is. She was FANTASTIC. Advocated for me without being pushy - took copious notes - took care of all the details of my care (in Haiti your family/friends provide food/linens/personal care etc at the hospital) It goes without saying I would have been lost without her.
Looking forward to a more mundane post next time! THANK YOU to everyone who prayed, called, sent notes, expressed concern, etc. The outpouring of love and support was humbling and even a bit overwhelming. We have no doubt we are not alone in anything we do or experience down here. You are all in our hearts. - G
If you had asked me as we were heading out on this big huge adventure what I feared, I would have told you the ONE thing I was afraid of was having a medical emergency that required surgery in Haiti. Nothing else.. just surgery in Haiti. God really has a sense of humor doesn't He??
So... timeline...
Sunday at 6pm - severe cramping - think I am constipated. at 8 - cramping worse despite intense pushing that is somewhat productive. at 10 - vomit and there is slight blood - now very worried - call friends here to recommend hospital - call other friends to help us get there since we have no idea where we are going. Karl and Ann Olsson tell us about Bernard Mevs Hospital, and Chris Nungaster from HIS Home for Children accompanies us along with her Haitian driver James. Late Sunday night - spent at hospital - crazy stuff going on around us - indications are unclear - need a CT which opens at 8 Monday am. SO thankful for the rotating teams of volunteer US and Canadian medical professionals who could hear our explanation and respond in English. Around midnight send Chris and James home in our truck - sleep on the floor of admin reception area which is quiet and has A/C.
Monday - pain still bad - get CT - vomit after procedure from the contrast. Have not eaten in almost 24 hours so not very nice. No one to read the CT. Send to Miami and wait... and wait.... vehicle after vehicle drops off dreadfully injured or disfigured people. At times Julie and I stare right at each other b/c there is no where else to look. Call Chris who graciously sends her driver to take us back to our truck. Go home around 2 pm to crash. Sleep - take lots of ibuprofen - leave for hospital at 5:30 am.
Tuesday - get to hospital - pain worse - presents more and more like appendicitis - start prepping me for surgery- no food no water no nothing - 2 bags of IV fluids. We are starting to greet the American volunteer staff like old friends. CT results back from Miami- confirmed. I'm on the O.R. table at 1 pm. off the table at 3. More on anesthesia later.. By 5pm I am alert though still numb in areas. I get some pain meds at 7 pm and sleep in 2-3 hour stints most of the night.
Wednesday I wake and am able to get to the bathroom myself, walk the hall, and make bad jokes. I really don't feel the need for pain meds, and I have 3 tasks, drink a little with no nausea, eat a little with no nausea and either have a bowel movement or pass gas, which I did both. So at 1pm our dear friend Jeremie (who is an excellent and cautious driver) drops everything to meet us at the hospital and drive us home. And by 2 pm, less than 24 hours post op I am in my own bed resting relatively comfortably.
It is now more than a week later. My follow up appointment at the hospital Monday was great, Each day I am able to do more with less fatigue, though my appetite is still rather suppressed which is very strange for me. I have intentionally until now omitted Julie's involvement in all these steps since that would make this entry 3 times longer than it already is. She was FANTASTIC. Advocated for me without being pushy - took copious notes - took care of all the details of my care (in Haiti your family/friends provide food/linens/personal care etc at the hospital) It goes without saying I would have been lost without her.
Looking forward to a more mundane post next time! THANK YOU to everyone who prayed, called, sent notes, expressed concern, etc. The outpouring of love and support was humbling and even a bit overwhelming. We have no doubt we are not alone in anything we do or experience down here. You are all in our hearts. - G
Sunday, May 20, 2012
As Julie posted earlier, we are still taking it day by day. We are on special duty with the girls since the Director is off for at least two weeks undergoing medical treatment in a city about 3 hours drive from here. We anticipate her return around the end of the month.
Here's a random sampling of just the general goings on that we get to be a part of on any given day. One day about a week ago we spent nearly the whole day running back and forth between the Ministry of Immigration complex and the various services around it ( Bank, roadside ID photo booth, photocopy dude etc.) to complete the final paperwork for Julie's Permis de Sejour application. This document is our permanent residency, and kind makes us all official here. It is occasionally frustrating to run into the variability of standards here when dealing with the government. It really doesn't matter if you went online ahead of time and looked up all the paperwork requirements and carefully assembled your package making sure to not miss anything. If the person on the other side of the table wants you to redo your photo you go across the street and redo it. If they say you need an official letter requesting a Permis de Sejour (even though you will fill out a lengthy application to obtain your Permis) you get a letter form someone.
The day before yesterday - Friday (which was a school holiday - Haiti's Flag Day) we had a great morning taking our girls to the Quisqueya Chapel property, and had a great time on the playground swings and running around the open field with bubbles, a frisbee, and a soccer ball. It was great to see the girls have some space to run around. It was also fun to all go out again all together in the big 15-passenger van that was given to us. By that afternoon back at the girls' home things got a little rowdy, there was a food fight during lunch, and the rest of the afternoon was spent disciplining unruly girls with sassy attitudes. You take the good with the bad I suppose.
A normal day - if there is such a thing - consists of getting breakfast out and our house guests off on their days, then taking care of guesthouse responsibilities in the morning. Around 1pm or so walking down to the girls' home as they are returning from school to help manage lunch ( i.e. wash your hands "yes Gerdinia, with soap", and everyone sit down at the table and pray before eating) then helping get homework done. Playing video games on my iPod Touch is a high value motivator for the youngest girls to be the first to finish so they can be the first to play. Each day the girls have about 2 hours of homework to complete. Usually 2 subjects of written work, and 2 subjects of memory work. There is still alot of rote memorization in the Haitian school system.
So that's just a smattering of what we might or might not be happening on any given day. There are also the unannounced drop by visitors (It is culturally totally acceptable to knock at someone's house without warning just because you were in the neighborhood - even if you weren't) the houseguest special requests, and the list of things we'd "like to get to soon" that pop up to keep each day interesting. We still say every day we are 110% glad we are here, and 110% convinced this is exactly where we are supposed to be. That's one thing that keeps us sane when things are hard and we feel like we have no clue.
Another thing that keeps us sane is all the love, support, and encouragement we get from our families, friends, supporters, ministry partners, and co-laborers here. Thank you so much to all of you. We really really appreciate it!
Many blessings from Haiti!
G+J
Here's a random sampling of just the general goings on that we get to be a part of on any given day. One day about a week ago we spent nearly the whole day running back and forth between the Ministry of Immigration complex and the various services around it ( Bank, roadside ID photo booth, photocopy dude etc.) to complete the final paperwork for Julie's Permis de Sejour application. This document is our permanent residency, and kind makes us all official here. It is occasionally frustrating to run into the variability of standards here when dealing with the government. It really doesn't matter if you went online ahead of time and looked up all the paperwork requirements and carefully assembled your package making sure to not miss anything. If the person on the other side of the table wants you to redo your photo you go across the street and redo it. If they say you need an official letter requesting a Permis de Sejour (even though you will fill out a lengthy application to obtain your Permis) you get a letter form someone.
The day before yesterday - Friday (which was a school holiday - Haiti's Flag Day) we had a great morning taking our girls to the Quisqueya Chapel property, and had a great time on the playground swings and running around the open field with bubbles, a frisbee, and a soccer ball. It was great to see the girls have some space to run around. It was also fun to all go out again all together in the big 15-passenger van that was given to us. By that afternoon back at the girls' home things got a little rowdy, there was a food fight during lunch, and the rest of the afternoon was spent disciplining unruly girls with sassy attitudes. You take the good with the bad I suppose.
A normal day - if there is such a thing - consists of getting breakfast out and our house guests off on their days, then taking care of guesthouse responsibilities in the morning. Around 1pm or so walking down to the girls' home as they are returning from school to help manage lunch ( i.e. wash your hands "yes Gerdinia, with soap", and everyone sit down at the table and pray before eating) then helping get homework done. Playing video games on my iPod Touch is a high value motivator for the youngest girls to be the first to finish so they can be the first to play. Each day the girls have about 2 hours of homework to complete. Usually 2 subjects of written work, and 2 subjects of memory work. There is still alot of rote memorization in the Haitian school system.
So that's just a smattering of what we might or might not be happening on any given day. There are also the unannounced drop by visitors (It is culturally totally acceptable to knock at someone's house without warning just because you were in the neighborhood - even if you weren't) the houseguest special requests, and the list of things we'd "like to get to soon" that pop up to keep each day interesting. We still say every day we are 110% glad we are here, and 110% convinced this is exactly where we are supposed to be. That's one thing that keeps us sane when things are hard and we feel like we have no clue.
Another thing that keeps us sane is all the love, support, and encouragement we get from our families, friends, supporters, ministry partners, and co-laborers here. Thank you so much to all of you. We really really appreciate it!
Many blessings from Haiti!
G+J
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Day by day by day by day by daaayyyy
This song popped into my head this afternoon and I was reminded of how God is teaching/growing/challenging us each day to follow/see/listen only to HIM. We are so incredibly grateful for all the prayers and advice that has been shared as we adjust to our new life in Haiti ~ they are being felt and appreciated!! Strides are being made with our 17 girls and it is not b/c of us, but what God is doing in-and-through us and them. Each day is a fresh start to show them God's love (and loving discipline) ~ I'm just starting to understand when dear friends have shared that becoming parents is the toughest job you will ever love. Some sweet moments include when they "get" their homework/studying, card games that don't appear to have rules but we were invited to be a part of it and there's lots of laughter/silliness, or you feel them watching you and you look their way to see a beautiful smile :) We still have many hurdles yet to conquer, but for every tough day there are more-and-more great special moments too.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
From Mr. Brown :)
Gerritt and Julie tell me a lot of people ask about me, so I'm writing this blog - written by them of course as I can't type!! My job at the guesthouse is to keep my people safe and I treat this responsibility VERY seriously. During the day, I can usually be found sleeping in my bunker (kinda like a dog crate in the states, but made of concrete) or on my leash out front but at night I get to roam the property. Sometimes the neighborhood cats tease me by hanging out on the walls around the property, but I usually scare them away by barking really loud. Ever since G&J came, I've had some fun adventures - Gerritt takes me on walks around the neighborhood which I REALLY like - lots of smells to sniff and I make sure to drink extra water so I can pee on everything ... then just last week, they let me jump into the back of their truck which I've been wanting to do ever since it arrived here in Haiti! Though I'm not very agile, so Gerritt had to give me a boost up :) All in all, it is a good life I have here - thank you for everyone that asks about me (and thanks to G&J who give me 3 chicken hot dogs for breakfast every day!!!!)
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