Celebrating and Remembering

Yesterday we celebrated Smith's eleventh Birthday. It was the first time he ever celebrated his special day. He wasn't even sure how old he was. I baked a chocolate cake but we did not have any icing. The kids didn't care, it was cake !!! It was enough for everyone to have one slice and a couple of bites. I think next time I will have to make two. We only have one pan. Jeemy-Ska will be six in January (while I am in Texas) and in March, there will be seven of us having birthdays with five in the same week. Wow! Forget the cake pan, we're going to need another oven!! :)

Smith received a box of colored pencils and a Multiple use Art book that had drawing paper, construction paper, painting paper, writing paper, and stickers. He was so happy with his new gifts.

The birthday celebration was rather low key because it was a Monday and the first day back to school after being off for nine days. The kids were a little tired. So was I. Later in the evening, Angeline came to me and kept trying to tell me something. She seemed very concerned and I could not understand what she wanted. I took her to Lucner and asked him to translate. Angeline said, "Ms. Vicki Jean, you forgot to play the donkey game." Oh, bless her heart. She thought it was part of the plan. I told her I was sorry, I forgot. We would do it another time. That bothered me for a while. I guess I really need to pay more attention and plan ahead.

Today is my Grandmother's birthday. She would have been 90 or 91. I can't remember which. I do remember her, though. I miss her very much. When she died, so did a part of me. It took me a long time to get over the sadness of losing her. She was one of the most significant people in my life. She meant a lot to our entire family. Everyone loved her dearly. I would like to honor her with this link to a special song that she liked very much. I know she is happy in heaven and smiling down on us who will one day see her again. I love you Grandmother. Happy Birthday!

I was going to add a video but could not get it to upload properly. So, here is the link to the song by Mercy Me called I Can Only Imagine.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2FS5GYvg6uU

The music is beautiful, the words are powerful, and the concept is worth considering. It keeps me humble. (after viewing, click the <- Back button on your browser to return to Blog). Have a blessed day!

On A Mission

First let me say that we survived Hurricane Noel without much damage here in Bayonnais. The majority of the disaster affected the Dominican Republic and the western part of Haiti which included Port Au Prince. The last time I checked the news, there were 81 reported deaths due to mudslides and heavy flood waters. There were also 14,000 people who had lost their homes. Some cities were still recovering from the floods in early October so the constant heavy rains only added to their grief. There are still many areas that cannot be reached at this time so the number of deaths may rise over the next few days. We were very blessed to get through the storm untouched. Our roads were even worse than before and the schools were closed, but other than that, all was well. If you would like to keep up with what is happening, just check with the website for the Haitian Times and get the local news updates. http://www.haitiantimes.com/
Okay, so here was the plan: I would get up earlier than usual and try to tackle the fun job of cleaning my room after the rodent fiasco. This is what one half of my room looked like before I started:

I decided it was best (and easiest) to start with the empty water bottles that spilled out of the plastic trash bag after I flung it across the room when I found my first surprise. As I neared the corner of the room I noticed that the spiders had started weaving another web so I went to get the broom. While looking for the broom which was being used by the housekeeper, I was side-tracked by Jina who needed to find her other sandal. We went on a hunt and finally found it outside on the step of the front porch. Jeemy-Ska was on his way to take a shower but his towel was still wet from the night before. I went to get him a fresh clean towel which was in a bag, under the bed, of the guest/office/supply room. Off to the showers he went. I found the broom and continued to work. Sweeping, dusting, sorting, organizing, lifting, sweating, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, and more sweeping. Then it was time for breakfast.
After breakfast I did more of the same, with more distractions, (Smith fell and cut his lip, Marc had a stomach ache, Angeline had a fever, Aquel needed nail clippers, Ismalene needed the tweezers, Jeemy's button fell off, Noula wanted to read aloud from her book; all of which required my attention or assistance), with more determination, and continued to try and see my plan through. Then it was lunch time. I was not quite making the progress I had hoped for so I ate rather quickly and resumed again. I found things under the beds, behind other boxes, in the wrong boxes, trash mixed with toiletries and other misplaced items. Soiled clothes mixed with the clean clothes and clean clothes in the laundry box. I stripped all the sheets off, discovered that the slats on the bed were loose, then got my hammer and hunted for the nails. Finally found them and made the repairs. I saw that there were some things that would be better to hang on the wall so I hunted for the concrete nails (which was a job in itself) and proceeded to find a place for each one of them. More cleaning, organizing and so forth until I got the call for dinner. Again, I ate quickly, and tried to get back to my plan. I worked until I no longer had the energy to stand up. At the end of the day, this is how my room looked: Yep, not one thing changed. The kids, however were very happy. Their rooms were so clean and organized. They had a place for everything and now know where things should go. They were very happy to have fresh clean sheets on their beds. (It was a difficult task to get them all washed and dried with all the rain we've had but we finally had a day of enough sun to make it happen) They even kept walking in and out of their rooms just to look at it once more. Just so you know I was not making this up, here are a few pictures of their rooms: The girls room. They were so happy to have a place to hang their kilots (underwear) rather than the middle of the school yard where 500 other kids could see them. They also have a place for their backpacks and their own clothes bin.Uniforms in one place, church clothes in the wardrobe closet and scarves on the wall rack. Laundry buckets in the corner for wash day. Wonder how long that's going to last?

The boys room. Uniforms and bins in place. Beds neatly made. Each one has their own laundry bag so they are happy because they don't like their clothes to touch the other ones that are more soiled than theirs. Who would have guessed?

The boys really like their wardrobe closet. They had never seen anything like it and it makes them feel very important when they are retrieving their Sunday best for church.

I know, some of you may be wondering; where was the housekeeper? Well, because of all the rain (again, blame it on the rain) she was way behind on the laundry. It was more important for her to catch up then to assist me in my efforts.

So, this was not the mission I had planned, but it is just as well. The kids are the main (eleven) reasons why I came to Haiti. I also have a place in my heart for the many others I have met in the past six months. I can always try again tomorrow. If not, I'm sure there will be eleven more reasons why it didn't happen. I am very blessed today.

Today and tomorrow are school holidays. The kids have been out of school all week because of...yes, the rain. Here are the kids with the Watchman's wife and their children getting ready for movie night. Tonight's special feature is E.T. for the fifth time. Since the beginning, they have watched every movie, by choice, in English with English subtitles trying to learn the language. This time they have decided to watch and listen to it in French. Some of them are picking up some of the words and the movie is making more sense to them. It actually sounds almost normal to me. I still miss the popcorn. :-)

Haitian News Link

Hi there! This posting will be short and sweet. Just wanted to let you know about a link I learned of today. It is an online Haitian Newpaper based in New York and it covers the local news as well as political and social. There are some very good articles in there right now that would give you a lot of information as to how this country is doing and what is going on over here. Also a few good pictures to view as well as some music videos of a Haitian concert held in New York. Definitely worth a look for those who are interested or just curious. I will write again later.
Link: www.haitiantimes.com God Bless!

Remember When.......?

The kids were enjoying a friendly game of soccer when the rain came down once again. They decided, what the heck, let's just keep on playing.

Game On!!!
Everyone trying to stay on their feet.
Smith is really having a blast. His laughter is contagious.
The girl with the jug in her hand was just trying to carry some water home. The girl with the red rag on her head grabs her for support. Aquel hangs on to the back of the girl with the red rag. They all came tumbling down. It was hysterical! I was laughing too much to capture the moment.
Abela applies a mud mask.
Going for the goal...and.....he.....scores!!!!!!!

I can remember days like that when we were kids. Slipping and sliding in the mud and loving every minute of it. Our clothes and hair were covered in it but that's what made it fun. It was always the cleaning up part that was not so fun. First it was the cold water from the water hose to rinse off the majority of the mess. That is when the discovery of small scrapes and cuts would come to our attention. Then it was the removal of the gritty clothes and into the warm shower. Washing the matted hair took longer and so did combing it out. The final step was to clean up the mess of the clothes and the mud in the tub. But in the end, it was always worth it. Afterwards, I always felt refreshed. Maybe that 's why people pay the big bucks to have a mudbath at private spas? They should just save their money and go play out in the rain.

As for the kids here in Haiti, the clean up is not as involved. Just a trip to the outdoor water faucet. Rinse off, strip down, wash off the excess, and then run to the house for dry clothes. No need to be modest; it's Haiti!!!

Saga of the Rodents - Part II

I could have written this story the next day after the last posting but I really needed to have a major attitude adjustment first. My quest to hunt scavengers began shortly after dinner. (I first had to decide if it was better to search on an empty stomach or eat first and risk losing my dinner over what I found. I decided it was better to be full in case I was unsuccessful. It's not like I could go to the refrigerator later on and just zap something in the microwave.) Anyway, once again, I will spare you the gory details.
My first discovery did not take long but the cleaning up took longer. Then there was another, and then another. It was getting later and I was getting tired. My fatigue turned to frustration. My frustration turned to anger. Then I found what I did not want to find and that was the nest. There was the Mama mouse with her four newborns at the bottom of a large box of my blankets and they were still moving. Aacckkk! Okay, no details but they were disposed of. Three hours later my anger was escalating. I could still smell an odor but could not find the source. My room, which was already a mess, became a chaotic pile of everything that I had to lift, move, drag or toss here and there, to get to what I needed to get to. Finally, I found the source and had to deal with that as well.
Four hours later and my anger became more intense. I was angry that no one listened when I told them a month ago that we needed to take care of the problem immediately. Angry that they did not take the multiplication factor seriously. Angry that they waited nearly three weeks to get the poison. Angry that I had to find and deal with a total of twelve rodents in a week's time and five of them were still alive. Angry that there are still one or two more that are invading the kitchen and living room area. Angry that I could not be resting peacefully in my bed and then thought of a hundred other things to be mad about. Yes, I admit it! I lost my happy thoughts! That made me mad, too! I finally finished at around 11:00 p.m. and climbed over the piles to get into in bed. Oh yeah, did I mention that the generator and lights were turned off at 9:30 p.m. and that the finding of the last rodent and the worst clean-up happened with a flashlight in one hand? Yeah, that was the best part! I have to say that I really did sleep well knowing that my room was rodent-free. I'm glad to say I did not lose my dinner. I wish I could say I'm glad it's over. We still need to catch the other two, or three, or.....???? I really don't want to do that again! I know I will be very busy for the next two weeks trying to get my room in some kind of order again. What a mess!!!!
Thanks for allowing me to get this off my chest and to update those who were actually interested in the drama. My next posting will be a little more focused on the real stuff that is going on. Got a little side-tracked.
I feel better now. :) Love to all!

Another One Bites the Dust...(or Tootsie Roll)

Well, when I first came to Haiti I was a bit squeamish about having an encounter with the foreign(er) creatures of nature. I was never fond of spiders and snakes and anything that moves quick, has too many legs, bites or is slimy.
My first run in was with a very large spider (as big as the palm of my hand) that found its way to rest on my arm while I was sleeping. I managed to jump to my feet from a horizontal position. Not an easy task since I have a pedestal bed. I also smashed him to smithereens for scaring me like that. It took another hour for my heart to calm down enough for me to get back to sleep.
My next surprise was accidentally stepping barefoot on a tiny tree frog that was in my shoe sending me across the room where I slammed my knee into my dresser. One day I came upon a large 4" grasshopper in my laundry basket that clung to my hand. I sent him flying into the next room (since we don't have ceilings yet) and traumatized a couple of the boys. Another time a large cricket jumped out of my backpack and onto my blouse. Well, it was only a cricket. I can handle those. After that, I became more cautious with my surroundings and suspicious of anything that resembled a creature.
Yesterday, as I was about to sit down to work on my computer, I just happen to notice something moving on the seat of my chair. A closer look revealed a very ugly looking walking stick!! Ewe! Where did that come from? He wasn't walking anymore. He didn't look much like a stick, either.
Now this brings me to my topic of the rodent situation. In my last posting I shared that we found one casualty. I rejoiced when I discovered a second one the next day. When a rodent dies, they have a very distinct odor. If you have ever had the experience, you know what I am talking about. Well, this odor caught my attention because it was in my room. I quickly found where he was resting (in peace?) and disposed of him. However, the odor continued to linger. Now, I was not sure if it was just lingering or actually another dead mouse. I looked several times in several places without success...until last night. OOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!! I finally found him! He was resting in pieces and had some other creatures that were enjoying the feast. It was not a pretty sight! I had to quickly remove the contents of the box while trying not to breathe and take it outside. After all the excitement died down, I returned to my room. Now, another full day has passed and the odor is still lingering. What that tells me is we have another situation. I know I need to find it immediately but I am not too thrilled about actually finding it. I'm still a bit queasy from last night.
I also know that we still have the Mama running lose because we keep finding her evidence in the living room. I already have a Tootsie Pop baited and waiting for nightfall. I just hope it does not end up in my room. I especially hope that it is only the odor and not actually a dead rat. I'm pretty sure it's not just an odor. Wwaahhh!! :( Stay tuned for the Saga of the Rodents....to be continued.

Potpourri News

Hello once again! We have been busy as usual. So much has been going on at once so I decided to just touch on a few different topics and fill you

in on some of the news.

We are currently in the process of adding another classroom to our new addition to the school. The classrooms were just getting too crowded. It will still be a simple structure until we can get more funding to construct a solid building with the ability to add on a second story in the future. For now it will just be wooden posts and a tin roof.

Constructing the third classroom of the new addition outside of the original school building.
Here are a couple of shots of the plants in front of the house. From all the rains we had, they have grown quite a bit. A few have been trampled by the kids while playing soccer but seem to come right back over time. The kids are oblivious to the landscape during the heat of the game. Landscape in front of our home. If you look a little closer you can see a small peanut patch jutting out over the dirt in front of the landscape. (near the center of photo). Someone threw a few out in the yard and they grew. Not the best place but, they are there. We've only seen a couple of shells but the insects are taking over. There still is not any uniformity to the landscape but there is definitely lots of color. Only a nature lover can appreciate this shot. I'm sure the landscapers are shaking their heads. :)
Remember my posting of the scary adventure of coming into Bayonnais? Well, a lot of people had the same experience and it was said that one woman fell during the night. I was unclear as to whether she fell into a hole or off the cliff. Anyway, Actionnel organized a large group of people to go and try to make some repairs. Over two hundred showed up and they did the best they could with what they had to work with. The road is now again considered safe, however, I still have no desire to travel that route. I wish I had some before and after shots but this will give you an idea.Construction began at the base of the incline and continued on up and around the curve. Here are a few of the many who came to help. People at the top of the photo are looking at the higher part of the curve. Actionnel is right behind the arm of the man in the white cap on the lower right. Fortunately for them, the rain did not interfere with their efforts.
Filling in the deep crevices that made driving nearly impossible. A little further up is where we fell in. The cliff is on the left side. It's a long way down.
Chopping into the rocky side of the mountain in order to widen the road and level out the steep hill on the right.
I will have to check with David Nichols (who was visiting here from North Carolina) to see if he was able to get any photos of the completion. If so, I will share them with you.
Next we have a shot of the our bus stuck in the mud. The guys did the shopping and loaded the bus with a month's worth of groceries. It survived the roads from Gonaives to our house but just could not make it into the gate. We had to unload very quickly in the pouring rain and then leave it as it was overnight. (Quickly is an overstatement, considering the fact that it was dark, muddy and we had a number of large 50 pound bags of food as well as cases of water, cokes and other food). The next day it took about a half hour to get the bus out of the mud and back on the road. What a mess!
Below is the aftermath of where the bus made several attempts to get free. Notice the nice shade of green slime in the water? Something we see everywhere after the rain.
Several people have inquired as to how Angeline is doing these days after her accident with the motorcycle. I am very happy to say that her heel has healed! She lost about five of the seven layers of skin but it healed very quickly and she was up and around in about three weeks time. However, the other night we had another scare. She fell off the top bunk of the bed where she sleeps. I heard a loud thump (we have concrete floors)
followed by a very loud and long scream. Then she was calling for me. When I got into the room I found her on the floor holding her leg. I checked her out and determined that it was not broken. Put her back to bed and placed a large pillow next to her. The following morning, she had a very large lump on the outer side of her thigh. It was as hard as a rock. She was walking with a limp. Our watchman called another man who came with some home remedy to help her with her leg. What he actually had was a bar of plain soap. He dipped the soap in water and lathered his hands. He then massaged Angeline's leg starting from the thigh and slowly moved down to her knee, calf, ankle, foot and finally her toes. As I watched, I was thinking: I wish I could get a massage like that! Anyway, it took about ten minutes and he said she would be fine. After breakfast, I checked her leg and the lump was completely gone. Not only that but she was walking without any discomfort or limp. I was pretty impressed. So, here are a couple of pictures of our little darling, Angeline.
Angeline with her sweetest smile.
Here she is demonstrating her recovery by dancing.

Now to give an update on our rodent situation. It seems that my biggest concern has been realized. A couple of nights ago I awoke to a suspicious noise and discovered two baby mice enjoying a few Tootsie Rolls that they managed to steal from the bag in my room. They scampered away as soon as the light hit their eyes. I also discovered a half-eaten Tootsie-Pop that was on my dresser, which I was saving for an emergency craving. :) Since they did not go for the tomato laced with poison that the Haitians suggested, I decided to give them more of the same, (chocolate) only dusting them with rat poison. This morning we found one baby that has gone off to rodent heaven. I am not sure how many more are left but the twins saw one pass them by in the hallway. I've got more chocolate ready and waiting. Hopefully we will be rid of them in a few days. No photos for this story. I am sure you appreciate that.

I would like to end this posting with one of my favorite photos. It is a close up view of what I see every morning. This is one of the blessings of living here. I really love sitting on the porch in the cool mornings and getting lost in thought with this scenery. Enjoy! Hope to write again very soon.