We have steady power again (and the lights, fans, and internet to go with it!). Adam and the guys had a productive trip to Port-Au-Prince yesterday and got the electricity up and running last night.
The three men working on this with him have been an awesome help - I don't know how it would have gotten fixed without them. Rick, Bill, and Mark have also done some repairs to the well and generator. Adam and I were BLESSED to have them here this week!
We all remarked last night how the Lord orchestrated even small incidences to work it all out for us to have electricity once again. Praise His name!
Today is surgery day in the clinic so there will be clinic stories to come!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Lights Out
Well, since yesterday morning, we have had all sorts of problems with the electricity. I don’t know all the many details, but I do know that nearly every step of the process has given out at some point: the generator, the batteries, and the inverter. I think currently the problem is that the inverter will not receive the charge from the batteries.
While discussing this yesterday afternoon the ladies agreed that if we had to choose, we would rather have running water than electricity. Adam, Rick, Bill, and Mark were able to get that going (showers, yeah!), but not the electricity.
These guys worked on this from sun up to sun down. They tinkered with the inverter, they tried switching to the inverter from the other house, they even prayed for the original inverter 
before reattaching it. 
Sadly though, everything has failed to work and we were left with no power once the sun started to set.
So last night we had a beautiful candle lit dinner and our time of devotion and worship by candles and flashlights.
*The flash on the camera makes the pictures look so light, but don't let the camera fool you - it was dark!
While discussing this yesterday afternoon the ladies agreed that if we had to choose, we would rather have running water than electricity. Adam, Rick, Bill, and Mark were able to get that going (showers, yeah!), but not the electricity.
These guys worked on this from sun up to sun down. They tinkered with the inverter, they tried switching to the inverter from the other house, they even prayed for the original inverter 
before reattaching it. 
Sadly though, everything has failed to work and we were left with no power once the sun started to set.So last night we had a beautiful candle lit dinner and our time of devotion and worship by candles and flashlights.
*The flash on the camera makes the pictures look so light, but don't let the camera fool you - it was dark! Adam and the men who have been working on the inverter went to Port-Au-Prince this morning to get it repaired.
The solar panels are providing electricity now that the sun is up, but it goes off about every 20 minutes and has to be restarted. (It is taking forever to post the blogs today because I have to write and load pictures between the blackouts!)
The clinic continues through it all. The tough Americans volunteering in the clinic are pressing through. It actually doesn’t faze them a bit. They said that even without electricity, this is still a better set up than some of the clinics they’ve held on other trips they’ve taken to Haiti – no dirt floors and no chickens running around the exam area!
In the past year and a half the electricity has never completely gone out all over the mission like this before, especially not to this degree. We hate to have the people on the team have to deal with this inconvenience too, but it is fantastic to have help to fix it. They have been great sports about it though. I even heard one of them comment last night that doing the things by candle light was fun. This group didn’t come here for a vacation, but to work for the Lord, whatever that entails.
November Team
A group of seven, a primarily medical team, arrived at the mission early Saturday afternoon and oh, the eventful time we have had since then! Saturday was pretty standard arrival day, then Sunday we went to a church in a nearby village that they have been visiting for years. They were singing when we arrived and it was a pretty moving experience for some of the team. It was an honor for Adam and I to share that with them.
After the church service they held a clinic in the second floor of the church. It was supposed to last a couple of hours, just for the church members and their families. How amazing it was to see how that church membership multiplied! By the end of the evening, the team had seen at least 180 patients!
Doctor Ken, 2 nurses: Carol & Mary Ann, and the pharmacist: Sandy began working at the mission clinic yesterday. We will share more stories later, but I witnessed a pretty humorous event with a little girl who had an ironic phobia. Apparently she was afraid of white people. She walked around the corner to visit the nurse, realized the nurse was white, and ran off screaming. I mean seriously screaming her head off. Everybody in there couldn't help but laugh at it. They finally got her settled down with a piece of gum. Bless her heart for being afraid, but it was still funny.
After the church service they held a clinic in the second floor of the church. It was supposed to last a couple of hours, just for the church members and their families. How amazing it was to see how that church membership multiplied! By the end of the evening, the team had seen at least 180 patients!
Doctor Ken, 2 nurses: Carol & Mary Ann, and the pharmacist: Sandy began working at the mission clinic yesterday. We will share more stories later, but I witnessed a pretty humorous event with a little girl who had an ironic phobia. Apparently she was afraid of white people. She walked around the corner to visit the nurse, realized the nurse was white, and ran off screaming. I mean seriously screaming her head off. Everybody in there couldn't help but laugh at it. They finally got her settled down with a piece of gum. Bless her heart for being afraid, but it was still funny.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
another success story
A young lady named Bernadette is the latest to receive the sewing machine that she earned through the sewing class. Adam picked it up in Port-Au-Prince for her this week and we delivered it to her this morning.
Prior to the sewing class, Bernadette's only form of income was selling candy and cookies by the side of the dirt road. This didn't offer her much hope or chances for changing her future.
She enrolled in the trade school and put forth the effort to educate herself and work towards a better life.
Bernadette graduated this summer, but did not have enough money at the time to purchase her machine. It took a little while for her to learn the trade, but she has gotten better and better. She is an exceptional seamstress now. I love the work she does; her purses are neatly stitched and have creative designs.
I gave her an extended contract to work through the summer, then another contract that went through yesterday. With these extra opportunities she was able to still use our machines and supplies and have her bags sold through the mission. That worked out great for her. She sold more than enough to buy her sewing machine with about $40 remaining in her account to buy fabric and sewing notions. She is now ready to get her business started.
I am so proud of her! She is another beautiful success story of what God is doing through Lifeline in Haiti.
Prior to the sewing class, Bernadette's only form of income was selling candy and cookies by the side of the dirt road. This didn't offer her much hope or chances for changing her future.
She enrolled in the trade school and put forth the effort to educate herself and work towards a better life.Bernadette graduated this summer, but did not have enough money at the time to purchase her machine. It took a little while for her to learn the trade, but she has gotten better and better. She is an exceptional seamstress now. I love the work she does; her purses are neatly stitched and have creative designs.
I gave her an extended contract to work through the summer, then another contract that went through yesterday. With these extra opportunities she was able to still use our machines and supplies and have her bags sold through the mission. That worked out great for her. She sold more than enough to buy her sewing machine with about $40 remaining in her account to buy fabric and sewing notions. She is now ready to get her business started.I am so proud of her! She is another beautiful success story of what God is doing through Lifeline in Haiti.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Talking with American students
Yesterday was a new experience for some students in La Digue. They were given the opportunity to have a conversation with some children at an elementary school in South Carolina via web cam. Carol Claypool contacted me about having her students in a club called Hands to Haiti talk with Mark and a few students at our school. This was a great opportunity for the Haitian students chosen so Saintil, the mission school director, used it as a way to reward a student from 4th, 5th, and 6th grades at the top of their class.
From the time these 4 kids first walked in our home, they were excited. They had not ever been on a computer and were amazed at being able to see a live feed of people. There were a whole group of American children, a thousand miles away and they were having a conversation with them!
The children came up with their own questions to ask in order to learn about a very different culture. Mark did most of the talking and translated between the American and Haitian students. It was cute for Mark to try and explain tap-taps and taking a bath in the river. The American kids (and myself) playfully laughed when he asked if they ride to school on a horse. They wanted to hear him speak Creole and asked about Haitian food, their typical day, and their country.
It was a neat learning experience for everyone and I am so glad we could be a part of it!
From the time these 4 kids first walked in our home, they were excited. They had not ever been on a computer and were amazed at being able to see a live feed of people. There were a whole group of American children, a thousand miles away and they were having a conversation with them!
The children came up with their own questions to ask in order to learn about a very different culture. Mark did most of the talking and translated between the American and Haitian students. It was cute for Mark to try and explain tap-taps and taking a bath in the river. The American kids (and myself) playfully laughed when he asked if they ride to school on a horse. They wanted to hear him speak Creole and asked about Haitian food, their typical day, and their country.It was a neat learning experience for everyone and I am so glad we could be a part of it!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Soccer Field
This morning several guys from the village started working on the piece of ground directly opposite the driveway from our house. The plan is to have a soccer field there someday. The soccer field will be a place where children and others can come to play and fellowship and it will be flat ground that can be used for services during the spring conventions. 
The Indiana team from this summer had the burden to help more people living in La Digue and donated the money to pay new workers from the community. This is perfect because the men who desire to work and support their families (but have no opportunity) are given the chance to earn money themselves.
It is hard work excavating land with a pick and shovel. The ground has little hills, contains shrubs, roots, and rocks, and it is a vast area to work by hand. 
Adam has tried to get some heavy machinery in here for the project, but has not been able to find any that will come all the way out here. So we offered the project to some men in La Digue and they jumped on it. They don't care that it is strenuous work out in the sun. They are thankful to actually have a job and get paid pretty good for it. We are happy because the project is progressing and we are not simply giving the guys a handout, but are providing a way for them to help themselves.
The Indiana team from this summer had the burden to help more people living in La Digue and donated the money to pay new workers from the community. This is perfect because the men who desire to work and support their families (but have no opportunity) are given the chance to earn money themselves. It is hard work excavating land with a pick and shovel. The ground has little hills, contains shrubs, roots, and rocks, and it is a vast area to work by hand. 
Adam has tried to get some heavy machinery in here for the project, but has not been able to find any that will come all the way out here. So we offered the project to some men in La Digue and they jumped on it. They don't care that it is strenuous work out in the sun. They are thankful to actually have a job and get paid pretty good for it. We are happy because the project is progressing and we are not simply giving the guys a handout, but are providing a way for them to help themselves.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Church
The mission church is doing really well. It is crazy to think that we have seen the church nearly triple in size over the past 16 months!
We are impressed with Pastor Rony's leadership and burden for his congregation and the community. The church has many things going on besides the traditional 3 services a week. There are Bible studies, singing practice, and devotions in different homes nearly every day of the week.
Pastor Rony thanks us all the time for doing the prayer walks with him and helping, but he is the leader of the church and the one who is working so hard to see it improve. Adam and I are just supporting him and the work as they flourish as the body of Christ. 
God has been blessing the work in this church and we are so excited to be any part of it at all! Please pray for the church here and Pastor Rony. It is not easy, but progress is being made - praise the Lord!
We are impressed with Pastor Rony's leadership and burden for his congregation and the community. The church has many things going on besides the traditional 3 services a week. There are Bible studies, singing practice, and devotions in different homes nearly every day of the week.
Pastor Rony thanks us all the time for doing the prayer walks with him and helping, but he is the leader of the church and the one who is working so hard to see it improve. Adam and I are just supporting him and the work as they flourish as the body of Christ. God has been blessing the work in this church and we are so excited to be any part of it at all! Please pray for the church here and Pastor Rony. It is not easy, but progress is being made - praise the Lord!
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