Saying good bye to my children & Tony’s out of luck continued…
April 12th, 2007
I’ve been saying good bye to each of the children in my heart. They don’t know I’m going yet, but I just hate to think of crying when I go. I’ll wait ’til I’m on the plane or even at home. The Lord is merciful, and I am grateful for such a wonderful experience here. Though I may never see these little ones again “Mwen timoun…” I will remember them always, and greet them in heaven joyfully.
So, Jojo took Minnie and I to the Market last Saturday and we shopped around we saw Denise so we took some milk to Willtosso after we were done. On the way there we stopped and got Tropica and King Cola for Jojo. He showed us his house and we met his Grandmother, I was thirsty again so I bought us all a second round of drinks, this time it was something similure to Tropica, but a little different. Every once in a while Jojo would bring up Tony, and try to tease me. It was still funny, then just as we were coming out of town who do you think is riding his bicycle with a handful of cds? Well, it was him, on his way to drop some music off somewhere, but he just had to stop because he saw me. I quickly put my sunglasses on. Jojo, thinking it was a good joke still decided to translate for Tony. the conversation goes as follows -
Tony: “Mary, mwen femal…paske anpil anpil anpil renmen ou…”
Jojo for Tony: “He says he missis you very very much, you make him hurt because he does not see you”.
Me: “OK, um, tell him there is no school so I do not walk by”
….
Jojo for Tony: ” He says he is taking English classes so he can talk to you. He says he loves you very much and wants your email address.”
Me: “Tell him I will give it to him on Tuesday, but I’ll only be his friend.”
….
Tony: “ohoh mwen femal anpil anpil anpil” (gesturing with his hands over his heart)
Jojo for Tony: “He says this will make him hurt a lot”
Me: “tell him I’m sorry, but I won’t write him any other way” (not that I planned to write him for sure, but I could see where things were going.)
…
Jojo for Tony: “He says OK. He says “what if I want to come to see you?” He needs to get a Visa. To get a Visa, he has tried all of the ways, but he has to wait a year or get married to an American.”
Me: “Tell him the way my family believes he needs to ask my Father first before he even writes to me.” (This was where I was sure he’d try to talk me around and I would just leave it at that, but he didn’t.)
Tony: “Oke, mwen ekri ou papa,”
Jojo: “hahaha” for Tony:”He says he will write to your Father, can he write him at your address?”
Me: “Um, yes”
Jojo for Tony: “He wants you to give me your email address today to give to him”
Me: “no, I will ask my Dad first.”
Well somehow the discussion ended with Tony suggesting we get going so we don’t all have to stand in the hot sun.
Jojo laughed all the way home… Pretty much, I tried to reason with him, but he got started on this “what if you marry Tony” thing and we went on for quite some time. Then finally he said “You won’t marry Tony, because he will get his Visa and say soo-long, I found another woman”. I was like, “exactly”. Then we got home, and Jojo told Cedeiu and Roberto the big joke and they laughed and teased me about my engagement. I’m glad I am tolerant of teasing, because I seem to get myself in enough scrapes that I deserve it…
It didn’t end here, Pat was told about it before I even reached the house, and she flew off her handle, only because she wasn’t feeling well, so I thought I was in a bigger mess then I was, but she did request that I not give Tony my email. Poor Tony. Well, Thym thinks it’s pretty funny and on Tuesday when Tony tried to give him a letter to deliver to me, he refused it and came home to tease me about it. The big joke is that I will be kidnapped on my way to the airport… Thym asked me this morning “If I ask you something will you tell me the truth?” I said “sure”, he said “OK, why are you scared of Tony?” I said “haha, I’m not, grandma is.” I’m not right? Well, no, but I wish I had more sense when it comes to saying “NO” to people that I really cannot have even a friendship with.
Sunburn, Tony and why can’t he just leave me alone?
April 10th, 2007
I’ve been proposed too! Gosh, you’d think I’d be delighted right? Tony works at the local radio station and has been trying to get my attention from the first week I walked with the children to school. This is the kind of man who’s first introduction was translated by Pepe - he speaks less English then I do Creole, and mind you he can say “good morning” and “he needs a friend” - knowing some creole, I could understand a little more then was translated. Tony is 26 and lonely, just like all the other men over here, right…? Well, I avoided him as much as possible and managed to get by with out saying anything a couple of times, then just a couple of times saying good morning Tony. I felt sorry for him because I was being rude. Then one day he told Thym he was in love with me, which I heard when Thym and I were discussing a crazy man who thought I was Melinda. Later Thym had more to say, and that is that Tony asked if he would teach him English. It was a good laugh becuase Thym responded “You’d have to pay me a lot of money!”
To be continued… (I have just been summoned to the downstairs to fill in for a worker who did not come today)
Milk for Willtosso, I think my hat is cool! Twins are so neat…
April 6th, 2007
I got this cool hat at Market last week, it’s straw and has pink stripes running through it. I’ll post a picture when I get home, but for now my camera isn’t working. Haha, I got a great sunburn, after I got the hat, so maybe I should have been wearing it!
Willtosso is the name of the 3 month old baby that lives about 2 miles from here. His Mamma came to us for help a couple of weeks ago because she couldn’t feed him. The orphanage is so full right now with kids that are in the adoption proccess, we really can’t take any more until they go home. Anyway, my family has decided to sponser the little boy to buy him milk until he is 1 year old at least. He’s really cute, but needs prayers… He is malnurished, but not extreme. His Mamma has two little girls ages 3 and 7. Their Papa was a good man that went bad and beat their Mamma, he left her for another woman and took all of their valuables. She is left with nothing more then a 10 by 10 foot cement house (which is falling apart) and 2 months rent left/payed on it. She will have to get a job, and her little girl is not in school. It cost about $12 American per month to send a child to school. If I come back in September to teach school, she will be one of my students. The school that the Church wants to start is for the very poorest kids to get 1st and 2nd grade education. I would teach English.
Right now, we have 4 sets of twins at the orphanage! They are so much fun, I would like to have twins someday.
Whistling, it’s rude… Thym is going to make a CD!
April 6th, 2007
Hey, thanks to everyone for the comments, emails and chats. It’s been nice to keep up with people at home and online!
Thym (pronouced Tim) is going to record some songs in Kreyol for me. I had the idea when we were singing one evening after dinner, and thought maybe I could find some recording software on my computer. Well, I’ve got some and we’re going to try it. Thym sings good and plays guitar and keyboard like a Haitian! I’ll be producing them from home and giving them out to let people know about Thym and his ministry. He’s a dedicated Christian with a desire to evangelize the world. At 21, he leads a bible study of teenage boys - 13 of them, preaches weekly on the local radio station (Sunday nights). He feels the Lord is calling him to attend a bible school in Florida when he is finished with Highschool in two years. (There are 16 grades in Haitian schools if you can afford $12 US a month). I have enjoyed getting to know him, and have been encouraged to see what the Lord is doing in his life. His older brother Cedieu loves spanish and has a dream to go to Mexico and preach. I love the passion of the Haitians to go get it done!
Whistling is rude. You know me, I like to whistle, so I just do… I found out a few days ago that it is rude to whistle in Haiti and people think you are uneducated when you do! Oh well, I’ll still be whistling, but maybe not so much…
Mesi Jezi! Ou se Senye!
I’m Singing in the Rain - M’ap Chante nan Lapli… Church Service
March 26th, 2007
Greetings to my friends in Idaho and readers elsewhere!
Have you ever been to a Church service in a partially completed cement building with a leaky roof? Where there enough chairs for everyone, and was there standing room? Last night was the last revival service for the guest preacher, he’s preached for 1 hour + every night for a whole month. The man is a great preacher, he uses a lot of expression and talks with his hands. He even walks down the isles at times. You might catch him laying down in the middle of a serman - to make a point. He can be seen jumping up and down or bent over like an old man, you might see him try to fly or walk on clouds. I’ll admit, it’s a little hard to understand why he’s doing these crazy things when I don’t speak the language, but I’ve learned to catch on to the jist of it by paying attention and listening for words I do know.
Well, the rest of the story is, we had no gas for the truck last night so we walked to church. It’s about 3 miles give or take a little. Minnie and I walked with Cedieu and his Dad, and about half way there, the rain started. It poured! I just sayed “Alelujah” as the Haitian’s do, and started singing my crazy Creole song that says “I’m singing, I’m walking, I’m sleeping, I’m wet” Actually, it says whatever I want it to. Just start with I’m singing, and add whatever new words I’ve learned. Cedieu knows it pretty well now, so he sang along. We arrived at church dripping wet, and mean dripping. It took the first 2 hours of the service to stop dripping, then the last 2 hours we were just wet. Haitian’s like to get excited at church. They clap and dance and sing really loud. 250 people singing in a a packed room is pretty neat. I try to sing along, but mostly don’t know what I’m saying unless I’m reading it from the hymnal. You never know when a song will be in the hymnal, and nobody announces the page numbers!
American food - Hamberger and fries, Haitian money.
March 23rd, 2007
Haitian money is about 8 dollars to the US dollar. 1 Gourde is a fifth of a Haitian dollar, so 5 gourdes is a haitian dollar. 100 guardes is $20 Haitian, and $20 Haitian comes to about $2.50 US.
Chocolate… Port-au-Prince driving!
March 18th, 2007
I think the title says chocolate… Well, it’s something we don’t have easy access to. When we payed $85 for a gallen of chocolate Ice Cream, you would think we were serious (and anyone else who’d pay that kind of price) about our chocolate. Actually, $85 Haitian is really only about $11 US, but we honestly read the wrong price - we thought it was going to be $45, and I didn’t pay attention to our check out… Oh well, it was a lot of fun to eat on the way back on the bumpy roads. We got it all over our clothes, somehow Cediea and Ti bla didn’t get it on themselves, but we were the ones scooping it - that is pouring it, because it was melting so fast. We gave a ride to a guy up the mountain and I gave him some ice cream in a container, it was like a milkshake. He got it on his shirt. It was funny.
Port-au-Prince is amazing. Our driver Ti bla is good too. He drives with as much speed and as little space as he can. He doesn’t need to stop at the stop signs, just take a quick look to make sure the guy who is coming sees him. He’s really good on the horn too, - it’s a necessity. Coming around a corner, he blows the horn. Generally it doesn’t matter what side of the road we are on. I kind of like the way he makes the steering wheel spin this way and that way… I wish I coud drive like him!
Americans - Shaving Cream? Mangos are about to start!
March 15th, 2007
Howdy from Haiti!
It’s been a fun week, we had American visitors. Pat’s daughter Melinda, a city boy named David, a fellow named Scott who builds houses and his friend Allen. Allen was a real blessing to my Creole, he tought me how to say quite a few things and explained some of the grammer. He lived in Port-au-Prince 20 years ago with his wife and two boys. His southern accent and sayings were really fun too. Scott, he was southern too and always had a prank up his sleeve. We got him good though, cuz the last night we had a shaving cream fight… Pat started it! David’s first impression of Pat was a grumpy old lady, but he sure found out different. You should have seen me with that shaving cream all over me. Minnie stayed out of it, but I was a good sport. You know those cheeze cans that squirt out cheese? I was bad… I got ahold of that stuff since I didn’t have my own can of shaving cream. hehe.
Amanda’s uncle Bolivar tought me some Creole, Spanish and French while he was here for a few days, just before the Americans came. He’s from the Dominican Republic, and speaks fluently in 3 languages and OK in English. In the past 2 days, my Creole vocabulary has tripled. I bought a Bib la, which is a Creole Bible, and it’s really been helpful. I read it a lot with my English bible, and I am able to figure out what things mean. There are probably only about 100 words total in the Creole language, and concepts are basically what you come up with. M’ap Chante - I’m singing, M’pral chante ou sweya - I am going to sing tonight.
I played guitar one night at Church, which was pretty neat. I was supposed to watch Ketteline, but Thym gave me a look from where he was at the keyboard and nodded at the guitar that didn’t have a player… So, I left her with Minnie and went up front. It was fun, I couldn’t hear it at all and Allen was giving my looks to tell me if I was loud enough and on key. Scott gave me opposite looks, but I knew who was on my side. He had to tell the song leader to let him start the songs so we could do it in C, becuase those songs are crazy and go all over in different pitches…
One thing I am looking forward to is those Mangos. There is a huge Mango tree outside that is loaded with them, and they are about the size I am used to eating them. I think we wait until they get ripe though. 
Until next time, bye bye!
More needs - Baby Golson is scooting down the halls…
March 2nd, 2007
Dear everyone!
I miss you, I miss work and I hope everything is going well. 
Things are good here. Yesterday I washed clothes for about 5 hours, then in the evening took care of the premie twins while Minnie and Pat went to a church service. It was a nice day, and I really enjoyed being outdoors - on the roof especially.
More needs
Pat has found a source in Port-au-Prince for infant formula - the man she talked to has agreed to give her a significant discount at $350 for 6 cases of formula (equivilent in cost to $5 per 12 oz can US money). This much formula will last approximately 12 days for the 6 babies upstairs. Up until yesterday, the 6 babies downstairs who are barely over 1 year old have been on formula as well, but have been switched to Alaska (whole milk powder). It’s about a third of the cost of formula (still significant). As long as they don’t lose any weight, they will be able to continue on it after this.
Thank you so much to everyone who has purchased blankets and other supplies that are on their way! It’s so true that all is needed. If you feel that you can help this month with the formula, please send me or Pat an email. This source will be the most cost effective vs. shipping it here from the US, which wasn’t true before, so if you can donate money it will go a long way. (Other things are still and are on the list if you click on the Needs link above.) If you have formula to donate, please let me know as well. I’ll tell you how to ship them here. Pat’s daughter Melinda is coming on the 12 and I’ll be able to find out more about the best ways to ship things etc. I do have the address though if anyone wants it.
Ways to donate -
If you have Paypal you may now send the money to Pat’s email address at hchaiti@gmail.com
If you would like to send a check or Money order, please email Pat at hchaiti@gmail.com for the mailing address.
If you live in my home area, you may give money to my Mom or Dad to send for the formula.
(Tax receipts are available - )
Thanks!
Haitian frys - and Gerald’s Papa
February 24th, 2007
Greetings from Haiti Children’s Home!
Yesterday, before Pat returned, (she was on vacation in the Dominican Republic) baby Gerald’s Daddy came to see him. Now, Gerald is my baby. I claim him. He’s 13 months old and the only 1 year old who has not been adopted yet. Anyway, I went downstairs to give him his medicine (he’s been fighting a cold) and there was this kind looking man sitting on the bench in the playroom holding my baby! I smiled at him and he nodded and waved. I watched them for a minute, Gerald seemed fine, but he was’nt necessarily delighted either. Eventually his Daddy put him on the floor to crawl around, but continued to smile as he watched his little boy. Some of the other kids warmed up to the stranger, and I went and gave Gerald his morning hug and play with him a little. The Daddy just smiled. With several of the kids climbing on me, after a while I managed to get up and take Gerald to sit by his Father. The man introduced himself “Papa” and pointed at himself and Gerald. I smiled. “You’re his Daddy?” he just nodded his head with delight. I felt sorrow for the Man. Gerald’s Mother must have died shortly after his birth. The Man, probably still grieving for his wife found so much happiness in just being near is son. He seemed to be longing to just take his little boy with him no matter what happend, but at the same time knowing that it was just better this way. If he took Gerald home, would he even live long enough to learn to read or ride a bike? Would he even have a chance to go to school if he did? No, it was just better this way… but it hurt. I tickled Gerald and he started giggling. He was in a good mood and warming up to his Father some more. The man kept smiling and pretty soon Gerald reached for him. I handed him over and after a few more moments nodded, got up and left to play with the other kids. The last time I peeked in, Gerald was asleep and his Papa was just holding him. My heart was tugged at again.
Haitian frys, (as Minnie and I call them) taste like french frys because in a sense, they are. The same ingrediants anyway. The difference? The way you cut the potatoes. Simply slice the potatoes like potato chips only thick. Deep fry in oil.
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