HAPPY EASTER and an update

We have had some major issues with both electricity and internet, so the following post was done off line.  Just wanted to do a quick update on our last few weeks...
But first Happy Easter.  May you be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all He has done for you and for me. 
 

Greetings from Haiti,

We lead an interesting life, to say the least.  We are either going slow and moving along, or we are in a whirlwind and trying to keep our feet on the ground.  That is sort of what it’s been like the last few weeks.  But then I guess that is life for all of us, isn’t it?

We had a great team here for a week.  Not for us, but for another mission.  But they are a fun group and we enjoy having them!  Pam and Luke are great team leaders!!  The day they flew out on MFI, our group of 4 came in on MFI, and FOR MFI.  They came to do the roof to cover our container.  As with anything you do in Haiti, there were a couple of “hitches”, but they were worked out.  The four who came were a blessing.  We always enjoy Dan and Heather (MFI workers)… and the other two were volunteers with MFI.  So thankful Heather was along as encourager and cook.  (And we shared in their evening meals…a blessing for us!)  The guys worked with all of our Haitian workers at the airport to get the job done.  They were a great unified group.  Just to give you a hint… they worked ON THE ROOF, in 90+ temps, and hot sun.  And one of the ladders they used was a Haitian “put together” ladder.  But they did great and everyone enjoyed them being here.  

 Our container above and our hard working crew below (minus the team leader!)

While they were working at the airport, Don was working at the house.  He had been trying to find a block maker who still made lintel blocks…none could be found.  So Don used his expertise from being a journeyman molder in the foundry YEARS ago.  He made his own mold and then made his own blocks.  They turned out great!  All his training and work years ago is still a blessing here in Haiti!  And the work on Vero’s house continues.  

 Don working hard at making both the mold and the blocks!

  We are still having rain almost daily or nightly.  Which means we are quite saturated.  Everything growing well and all is green.  It can also cause some problems.  The huge trees we have in our yard (which our son, Dale and I planted way back in 1991) have grown so big and the huge branches are causing problems for our roof and the roof at the dorm.  Don hired a fellow to come and “trim” those branches off.  He brought a couple of helpers along.  But he was the only one up in that tree.  A lot of the time he was up at or above 60 feet.  Now, consider…he had a small extension ladder to get up into the tree initially. But he simply climbed the rest of the way.  With NO rope tied to him in case he slipped.  I had a hard time watching this, so took a few shots and left for the airport.  He was still up there and working hours later when I got back.  He did all his cutting with a machete.  And some of those branches were pretty thick.  Then they loaded up all the cut wood and made three trips out to the IDADEE orphanage with it.  They will make charcoal out of it for cooking.  

This first photo shows the fellow diligently at work, chopping with his machete...the close up to show you he really is up there!

 All of that work using just a simple machete.  No chain saws here!!

 And three huge loads of wood to make charcoal for the IDADEE orphanage!

And finally on to Savanah and the situation there.  I guess I was a bit amazed at things.  Why is it that when the Lord tells me to do something, and I do it, and then it works out, that I’m amazed?  I think that when I initially contacted the Canadian consulate, I honestly didn’t think they would respond.  When they did, I did praise the Lord and thank Him, though.  And after working through the logistics needed, now the final papers have reached them.  Prayerfully the lawyer has taken the papers he has into them, also.  So, we are in the mode of waiting yet again.  BUT it is with real hope that we KNOW things are moving.  This is Easter week, so they won’t move as quickly as we wished, but we are still praising the Lord that they ARE moving.  Savanah had her final passport photos taken and sent with the papers.  They don’t encourage smiling here…oh well, at least they have the final one.  So, pray with us that this final step will move quickly now that we know what had been holding it up.  We fully believe that God is still in charge and things will work in HIS time!

Haitians are encouraged to NOT smile for passport photos... and she complied!

 

So there you have our “weeks at a glance”.  We are praying for you, as we hope you are praying for us.  I am still clinging to God’s word in 1 Thessalonians 5:16~18, “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus!”   These verses are something we should all remember on a daily basis.  

Again.... have a blessed Easter and take time to thank the Lord for His sacrifice for YOU!!  

An update

Greetings,

Well, where to start.  Those of you who have children living far away, will know the feeling of that separation.  And I do pray about this all the time.  Sure do miss our kids.  But when they have problems, it's a whole lot harder being so very far away and not being there to even give a hug or comfort to them.  That has been a huge burden on me these last few weeks. (But I think all moms can relate!)  Add into that some problems here.  Nothing major, but when you're down, everything seems major.  Then, add into that, the frustration of this one signature needed for Savanah to go home to her new family.  Well, in my frustration...

I got mad.  I wrote the Canadian Embassy and explained the whole situation here with Savanah and that Guerline (her adoptive mom) has sent the papers to them 4 times and they only got it once and then lost it.  I asked several questions.  Got one back from them saying you have to talk to someone else, and they gave me an email address for them.  I emailed the same letter to them... and their reply was very quick.  I had asked if I got the papers and had them HAND DELIVERED would they accept them.  They said yes and gave me the time and days I can get it there.  I immediately sent that and a letter to Guerline and said FAX those papers to me through MFI.  Gave her the info to do it.  Emailed Larry @ MFI and told him what was going on.  He said, "Get them here and they will be on Thursdays plane for you!"   This was all yesterday morning.  I ran over to the dorm and told Pam and Luke, (our team) and tried my hardest NOT to cry. (and I didn't).  WOW, the response from the team was awesome!!  They are praying.  Then we left for the airport and Pam and group left for home (via MFI).   

So many, many people are praying, and I'm having such a hard time not crying.  But I won't believe it until I am actually on the plane with her.  And it MAY BE that she will have a Canadian passport...so we could possibly go through the states.  Which is what I was wishing.  I'll be checking with Guerline on that one.  Truth?? I'm afraid to believe it is happening.  I have been here so many times before.  So pray for me, okay?

OH, got home and there was another email from Guerline and one from Larry.  Guerline said fax didn't go through.  Only to page 7, then it quit sending it.  Then wrote again and said someone from MFI called and said YES, we got ALL 16 pages.  Then Larry wrote and said, Got the papers and they are in the pilot bag for Thursday's flight.  Now making arrangements to send it to Port to Remy to take to the consulate on Tuesday morning!!  PRAY!!!

Vero went back to Hensch (however it's spelled)... and saw an American specialist today.  She gave her a prescription for the same meds Dr. Bibiana got her and told her to get an exercise bicycle to exercise her legs.  We went on line and ordered one for her.  Walking is not what she needs, she needs to use her legs more in the cycle mode.  She IS feeling a lot better already from being on the meds from Bibiana.  She had been having some problems breathing and now she is doing great with that, too.

So, even in my frustration, the Lord was working.  And we brought 4 people home with us to spend a week.  They came in to put a roof over the container at the airport, for MFI.  Dan and Heather (from MFI) are good friends, and they brought 2 fellows who seem to be really hard workers.  We had hired two of our workers to work with the guys.  But yesterday they all said they want to help MFI out and they had agreed to split whatever pay these two were given, if they could help.  We really do have some neat workers. 

This morning we were to get up and leave by 6:15 AM to get to the airport by 7.  Well, it's still dark, but figured that wasn't much of a problem.  But the generator, that normally has been turned on at 5 or so, never came on.  Changed our departure time to 7:15, so the guys could eat and get some coffee in them.  So loaded up Dan, Heather, Leo and Nathan and headed out.  Picked up some of our guys on the way.  I'm including some photos with this, so you can see what happened the first 20 minutes at the airport.  I got the pictures and left.  Heather and I would have just been in the way out there.  But those guys were running full steam already.  We're praying the skies stay clear of rain and that the sun isn't extremely hot.  The way they are working, it will take no time at all to get this done.  

 

 

So... with all of this, I'm asking your all to pray...for Savanah's paper, for Vero's legs, and for the guys working on our container!!  And please also pray for me as I really AM learning, slowly, to trust and wait on God!!

Have a super great, God blessed day!!