God is so faithful!

Nixon and I were so blessed by some friends visiting us this weekend. We met Carol and Bob about 3 years ago and we just hit it off. Though we've never even lived in the same city, we have genuine affection for each other. We've always prayed for each other and remembered each other. Sometimes Nixon and I will think of them and pray for them. They are those kind of special people that we run into in life sometimes.
Out of the blue they called and said they were taking a few days off from their ministry work and were coming to Jacmel. We enjoyed the pleasure of their company on Saturday afternoon (I was so glad I felt better) and then I had the pleasure of making dinner for them on Sunday evening.
We talked, shared our hearts with each other(our passions), caught up on life, and even had a beautiful time of prayer together.
It is so funny that we met during a very distasteful experience 3 years ago and our relationship with each other has just grown in such a God way despite the fact we are so far away from each other and are really quite different from each other.
God is so amazing, strange, and good. We felt so blessed this weekend, so special, and so loved.
We were reminded of God's tender care and heard his voice echo, "you are my treasured children, I will never leave you or forsake you, just trust Me."
Lord, there are no words to express my gratitude. Thank you for "visiting" us this weekend in a very special way. We love You so much Lord. Blessed be Your Name in all the heavens and in all the earth.

On the Mend

I feel so much better today. I woke up at 8:00 am and made my neglected guest, Tammy, some french toast. Poor thing, she has been having to cope with left over pancakes and cold cereal. Not what I ussually like my guests to eat.
I cleaned up a bit and then made my husband some food as well. After that I just couldn't handle any more so I went to bed. After sleeping for three hours I got up to make some lunch for my guest. I also unexpectedly ended up having worship rehearsal in our home. I enjoyed that very much. Afterwards, my guests had brownies and drinks. I really love having guests, especially Haitians for some reason.
I have to admit that I was terribly wiped out afterwards. I managed to make my husband some dinner and then felt pretty miserable again. I then made myself an oregano leaf tea and still did not feel good. I felt so tired and warm so I took a shower again but still didn't feel any better. I finally figured out that my inhaler was not working. Nixon and I both have chronic bronchitis. Mine was probably expired since I really don't have many bronchial problems since I moved here. As soon as I took a couple of puffs of Nixon's inhaler, I felt a lot better.
Thank you for all your prayers and your love. Thanks Dave, for your encouragement. I am definitely on the mend.

Sick in bed for two days

This is for you Dave. :)
Can some of you gals relate to when you feel so sick that the world looks gray. Suddenly, misplaced shoes, dirty laundry, the sun shining, a husband's hovering all mean just one thing?.....LIFE SUCKS!
No, it is really not the end of the world, I am just sick for only like the second time since I have been in Haiti. Reminds me of when I was young. I would hardly ever get sick but when I finally got sick, it was pretty bad.
I have hardly any apetite, am pretty grumpy, feel really gross, sneeze constantly, cough constantly and sleep constantly. If you're thinking "she must feel better cause she is on the computer", you're wrong. But I am pretty sick of being in bed.
I am reminded of a young missionary leading a Bible Study saying, "when you complain about stubbing your toe, thank God you have a toe to hurt". Lord, I thank you. I say this as I reflect on all the days when I have not been sick. LOL! I don't think i did that right.
So, how did i get this really bad cold? Well, maybe it was staying up late every night last week preparing for our Church Conference VBS. Or maybe it was sweating for 3 hrs straight twice a day this weekend. Or maybe it was staying in those 90 degree plus classrooms with zero ventilation. Add in beautiful sweaty kids carrying God knows which germs, ...Voila! Or maybe it was just sniffing Gwenn's killer gross disease festering mattress. LOL!

Days off

Days off

The ministry decided to give us all one day a week where we could hopefully take a "day off".

Two weeks ago, the week of VBS in Chabin, was our first "day off". Nixon was very reluctant to not going to Chabin since he and Naomi were doing worship and he was also translating the lesson, and some more. Sometimes he really hates getting "too busy" but loves being used.

Anyway, he finally agreed. Norma and I were going to stay back and SCRAPBOOK, which we ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO DO! (Wish you all could see it, it is done, for now).

Nixon slept in a little and then got up and went to check things downstairs. He found muddy water in the cistern below and found muddy water in all the showers and toilets. OH NO!

Our poor team had bravely dealt with the dirty water situation. You guys are great! Nixon spent the whole morning with Wiskey, who was "passing through". They drained the cisterns on top of the building, scrubbed the cisterns out, and then put clean water in. What a chore!

My big black chocolate kiss was busy for the rest of the day.

This week was our second "day off". We have a team of two in town and so I got up to make breakfast for them. Then I cleaned up the house a bit. Nixon got up early to get some things done too. I am not sure what time it was, i think around 11am, when Danny came in and said something about my "day off". Ha! I had forgotten. I made lunch for the guys downstairs and worked around on the second floor, after taking a delicious little nap. I am so glad Danny reminded me of my "day off".

All in all though, I think a day off is a great idea (hopefully it will not remain just an "idea").

I could use a little more "baby making" time. LOL!!! TMI!

An "I love being able to help" story

The Story of Ricardo
Wiskey accompanied Ricardo to Port Au Prince

Nixon and Ricardo, after he got scrubbed clean

Ricardo brushing his hair, after being ordered around to look decent (poor baby)

Ricardo came to the house looking pretty "iffy". Nixon then

decided he just could not go anywhere looking like a

homeless boy, it wouldn't be safe.

This is a "tap tap". It is public transportation. When a person has

reached his/her destination, he/she can tap anywhere to be let off.

Ricardo

Last Friday I was walking back from church with Mandy. I ran into a boy who walked along with us as I was talking to Mandy (it often happens). Haitians find it amazing to listen to two foreigners speaking English. Go figure. Anyway, I turned to the little boy and said Bonswa, and reached out to give him a love touch. He immediately caught my hand in mid air and did not let go as we continued to walk together. I was halfway home so I decided to chit chat with him. I asked him if he was gonna start school soon, I don't remember his response. Then I asked him where he lived since I had not seen him before. He said he was with a woman in order to not go through misery. I asked if she was family and his response was no. I asked him if she treated him well, he said no. He said he was only with her in order to not go through misery. Then I asked about his parents and family and life. It turns out his mother had died, either in Gonaives or Jacmel and now he was just staying with a lady. I told him to wait out in front as I would go get him some food and then I sent Nixon out to investigate further.

Ricardo is 11 years old, from Gonaives, and wanted to head back to Gonaives where he has family. Nixon used the next few days to check out his story and even went out to where he was staying, in a little half built church not too far away. The Pastor of the church had gotten the same story from Ricardo and so Nixon agreed to give him money to send him back to Gonaives.

He showed up on Wednesday morning, as planned. Nixon came and told me that he did not want to send him as he was, in dirty clothes. I told him to give him a bath and I started searching around for clothes. I headed downstairs when I found some clothes, a little oversized but clean.

It seemed all Jon Robert, Wiskey, and Nixon were working together to scrub Ricardo down and get him ready to go. It was hilarious.

Nixon gave Wiskey and Ricardo money and Wiskey accompanied him to the Port Au Prince where he would put Ricardo on a tap tap to Gonaives, to the north of Haiti.

It is just one of those "feel good" stories that makes us glad to be able to be used.

We continue to pray that Ricardo is doing well in Gonaives. He has our phone number in case he should need to get a hold of us.

Lovin the Water

My husband loves the water. He doesn't necessarily like getting blacker than black but he loves the water. As I was takin these pictures I thought about how he has no idea how good lookin he truly is. LOL!

More of our few days off!

More pictures to the post below.

A few days off!

My best friend Norma came to Haiti to visit us. Nixon and I had been talking about taking a few days off so we decided to go to Wahoo Bay. Thanks to the Pye's, we were lent a vehicle instead of renting one. We went to WahooBay (in the St. Marc area) and then spent a day to just have R&R. I loved every minute of it. We were out on the beach and in the water ALL DAY! It was so yummy.

Then we drove to a place on the other side of Port. They had combos!, like burgers, fries, and hot dogs.

I did have a reality check moment as I was trying to decide what to get.

I saw a cuban steak sandwhich as a combo and asked for the perfect lunch. I almost heard the record scratch sound as she proceeded to tell me "we don't have steak". SIKE! (OR PSYCHE!--not sure how it is spelled.) Then why is it on the menu!? Reality hit,....I was still in Haiti.

Anyway, the little cafe at the Baptist mission had a spectacular view and we spent time looking at some beautiful and inexpensive souvenirs. The area was up in the mountains, had beautiful houses and it was nice and cool in temperature.

It as a great morning. Afterwards we went grocery shopping.

Nixon and I had left Jacmel at 6am on Monday morning and got back on Wednesday at 9pm. We made our few days off, COUNT! They were the best 3 days I have had in a while.

Pin~ata hazards

Pinata's are great ideas for parties, and they are so much fun! They are a great ice breaker if no one really knows each other, and they can also be a stress reliever.

Pinatas are supposed to be for the kids but the reality is that the kids will ussually never break the darn thing by themselves so you let all the kids hit a couple of times and then the adults get a go. I think that all us "adults" are just going "ok hurry up and go" imagining how "I" will be the one to hit the pinata the hardest and "shine" before all the others. It is like the monster in "I" comes out.

Danny had the "procedure" down. You get spinned, blind-folded, help the "hitter" tap to know where the pinata is and then leave them to it. The person "manning" the pinata pulls up and down, swings it, etc, making it even more difficult to bang. It is hilarious!

There are potential hazards that you should be aware of though, this coming from a mexican-american gal that has been to I dont know how many pinata parties.

1. The hitter must grip the batting stick firmly, cause once they figure out they can do an almost 360 degree turn and have more of a chance of hitting the pinata, the hitter will do it. It is like watching a lunatic baseball player trying to kill a bee.

2. You must set the firm rule for children to NOT RUN AS SOON AS THE CANDIES COME OUT OF THE PINATA. I have yet to see this rule be followed. The hitter keeps swinging and the kids rush into the "danger zone". I dont know how I've never seen an accident. Yet I have seen at least a dozen "almost disasters".

3. If the "hitter" happens to knock the rope out of the "pinata manner's" hands, he/she will proceed to madly beat the pinata into the ground(as if this is somehow success). The "hitter" must STOP when he hears the word.

4. And something I should have mentioned above, the "assistant" (spinner and blindfolder) to the "pinata manner", helps the "hitter" find the pinata and then run like a "bat out of hell".

I will add more potential "pinata hazards" to watch out for if I remember them.

Leann threw a pinata party for Danny's birthday. It was really really fun.

-Sandra