My Last Post from Haiti

Dear Blog Readers,

This is my last official post from Haiti. I'll be writing one more entry next Sunday from the States. Can you believe that? Lord willing, I'll be home for the Bluffton fireworks on Saturday night, and I'm scheduled to help with lunch on Sunday. By Sunday evening, my blog and my Haitian adventure will be over.

This week, I tried to take pictures of my everyday life. I went to work everyday, shopped for butter and paint trays, conversed with my community, went to church, ate at a restaurant, babysat, swam, did housework, and generally lived as you all live...just in Haiti. Going to work involves riding my 4-wheeler instead of driving a car. Shopping in Les Cayes means dealing with beggars and bargaining with the vendors. Conversing with my community means Germans, Canadians, Haitians, and Americans. Going to church means packing a flashlight and toilet paper...just in case. Eating in a restaurant involves picking between the two that are safe and finding something on the menu that they actually have in stock. Babysitting includes looking for tarantulas and eating mangos for a snack. Swimming, thankfully, is just swimming - except you generally have an audience, and housework is universal - except I have to heat my water on the stove, line dry every piece of laundry, and sweep chewed up pieces of almond off my porch left by the rats. So much the same, yet so different.

But, one thing is for certain: God is the same here, there, and everywhere. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Spirit is ever present and ever moving. Praise God for His faithfulness!

http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/June20094?feat=directlink

Blessings,
Abby

Recreos and Waterfalls

Dear Blog Readers,

I've been telling Grace that Haiti is kind of...boring. When it gets dark, there is just not much to do. I tend to read and watch old episodes of the A-Team on Hulu, but I was worried that Grace would be bored in the evenings. Alas, she has assured me that Haiti is anything but boring. And I quote, "I climbed a waterfall, for goodness sake!" [Grace is awesome. She is full of incredible awesomeness. Awesomeness flows through her veins and makes up the majority of her aura. Her nickname down here has become "The Awesome One" and she has become an instant celebrity...mostly owing to the fact that she is awesome and little bit because she is white. The End. God Bless.] As I left for but a moment, Grace proceed to write the previous entry in my blog. I think I'll leave it...

In any case, this week started out with Grace feeling less than awesome. Being the poor guardian that I am, I wasn't paying too much attention to her eating and drinking habits. On Monday morning, I was eating my toast in the kitchen when I heard this little voice say, "Abby, I think I'm going to faint." Grace is on the floor, completely white and clammy with cold sweat. I got her back into bed, but every time she stood up, she felt nauseated and lost her color. As it turns out, she was dehydrated. Sometimes, I forget Haiti is hot. I stayed home with her Monday and forced her to drink water and Gatorade. (Grace is NOT an awesome patient. I had to nag her for hours to finish one glass of water. Ridiculous!) By Tuesday, she was feeling better. However, on Wednesday, we were both feeling a little sickish, so we stayed home from Bible study and listened to Bluffton service. Thursday, feeling much better and ready of an adventure, we followed Christophe to the waterfall. It was a really lovely day. I think Grace enjoyed the two hour 4-wheeler ride as much as climbing the waterfall itself.

On Friday, we went to work in the morning and watched the Pfister kids in the afternoon while Rich and Amber attended a kindergarten graduation. Then, we had the pleasure of listening the the Bible School program. Saturday, I took Grace to Port Salut for the first time. We ate lobster on the beach and enjoyed the sun. Today, we went to Renault for the last time. Molly had left a box of toys and candy for distribution, so we took them to Renault for prizes today. If a child could say a memory verse or sing a Sunday school song, they got an extra treat from the goodie box. It was so much fun to watch the kids get bubbles or a jump rope, but more than that, it made me feel proud and grateful to have been a small part of teaching a child about Jesus, to have helped feed hungry bodies and souls. Renault has been a highlight in my Haitian adventure.

I'm going to be working hard this week at Child Care making sure Marie Lucie has everything she needs before I leave. I'll be copying files, writing requirements for the children for next year, working on time sheets and mileage accounts, instructing the Pastors on backups and backpay, and whatever else needs to be done.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/June20093?feat=directlink

I'm also on the Stateside job hunt for the next two weeks, and I need to get all my things around to distribute to the other missionaries. I'll be coming home with some clothes and....well, that's about it. It will be fun to give all my things new homes. All in all, this week will probably go fast!

Many blessings,

Abby

The Family Visit

Dear Family and Friends,

We are now two full weeks into June, and I’m just getting my first blog of the month done. My Dad and two sisters were here from June 3 to June 8, and Grace is here until I leave on July 4th. Speaking of leaving....

My time in Haiti has been a blessing. I’ve learned so much about God, His plans, His timing, His ways. I’ve also learned a great deal about myself, how little I am, how much I’m blessed, how for granted I’ve taken my community and daily conveniences. It’s been a hard time, filled with loneliness and frustration, but it’s also been an amazing opportunity, overflowing with new experiences and new friends. I’m leaving in July and I won’t be coming back. As my time in Haiti draws to a close, I’m left feeling grateful for the time I’ve spent here and anxious to see my family and friends again, to hug my grandma and kiss my niece. Hopefully, I’ve been a good student of this experience and will take the life lessons I’ve been taught home with me. God is God. God is faithful. God is good.

When I compiled the pictures from the last two weeks, I had over 900! I’ve only uploaded 135, but I’ve captioned each one so you can follow the last 14 days of my journey.

Thank you to each and every one of you who has sent me an encouraging email, lifted up Haiti and the missionaries here in prayer, or followed my journey on this blog. I appreciate your support and ask that you continue to pray for the next stage of my life. I’m oddly nervous to return to the States but at the same time ready, relieved, and excited.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/June1And2Family?feat=directlink

Much love,
Abby