Vanessa went through a successful surgery yesterday (Thursday). Please continue to pray for her as she recovers and begins therapy.
We miss her here and know she will be back when she is able.
Yesterday and today, the foundation is being poured for the church/school in Canaan. By poured...don't picture the big concrete truck you would picture in the states where the actual pouring is being done in no time. Instead, picture the mixer part of the truck taken off the truck, shrink it into the size of maybe a 10 gallon drum and put it on a stand. Then add to the picture a man with a shovel and 1 gallon jug, scooping concrete and water into the drum. On the other side, a bucket brigade of 5-10 people carrying 2 gallon buckets of concrete to the guys with the 2 x 4 smoothing out the concrete.
I promise to have pictures soon. Again, the resiliance and innovative haitians continue to amaze us!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Yesterday proved to be an unexpected eventful day. We had plans to clean the guesthouse, finish laundry, bake cupcakes for the monthly Good Samaritan birthday party, and do necessary ministry work.
Vanessa started the day by checking the water tanks on the roof to see if we needed to pump water in order to do laundry. To get to the water tanks we have a ladder in our dining room (yes, our dining room) going up to the roof. When she was coming back down, she decided to skip a few rungs. Please don't try this at home.
So, we were due for our first trip to the hospital in Haiti. In the meantime, Jeff had come down with a stomach virus (our high school nurse, back in the day, called it an intestinal virus, but I prefer stomach virus). So, Drew became nurse to Jeff while I took Vanessa to the hospital, our 3 kids were on their own for the morning, which means as much movie time as you want.
The American/Haitian hospital is definitely Haiti style...triage in a small building with only shower curtains for a door, waiting room on benches outside in shade or sun depending on how long you wait. x-ray machine from the year ???? This hospital has American doctors that travel in and serve here short term. We are so thankful for them, their knowledge and the cultural norm they brought for us.
Vanessa broke her elbow. The American doctors who looked at her x-ray, recommended that she fly back to the states, she will most likely need surgery. Please pray for Vanessa as she deals with the pain this weekend, for travel, for clear answers over the next week. Please also lift her up in prayer for the disappointment she is feeling with not being able to be here to see the church/school building in Canaan go up and to do the medical clinic she promised in two weeks to those she serves in Canaan. That need will still be here when she returns, it's a huge blessing to many haitians in Canaan.
Today, Jeff is much better. Vanessa is having a good bit of pain and having trouble getting comfortable to sleep.
thanks so much for your prayers!
Vanessa started the day by checking the water tanks on the roof to see if we needed to pump water in order to do laundry. To get to the water tanks we have a ladder in our dining room (yes, our dining room) going up to the roof. When she was coming back down, she decided to skip a few rungs. Please don't try this at home.
So, we were due for our first trip to the hospital in Haiti. In the meantime, Jeff had come down with a stomach virus (our high school nurse, back in the day, called it an intestinal virus, but I prefer stomach virus). So, Drew became nurse to Jeff while I took Vanessa to the hospital, our 3 kids were on their own for the morning, which means as much movie time as you want.
The American/Haitian hospital is definitely Haiti style...triage in a small building with only shower curtains for a door, waiting room on benches outside in shade or sun depending on how long you wait. x-ray machine from the year ???? This hospital has American doctors that travel in and serve here short term. We are so thankful for them, their knowledge and the cultural norm they brought for us.
Vanessa broke her elbow. The American doctors who looked at her x-ray, recommended that she fly back to the states, she will most likely need surgery. Please pray for Vanessa as she deals with the pain this weekend, for travel, for clear answers over the next week. Please also lift her up in prayer for the disappointment she is feeling with not being able to be here to see the church/school building in Canaan go up and to do the medical clinic she promised in two weeks to those she serves in Canaan. That need will still be here when she returns, it's a huge blessing to many haitians in Canaan.
Today, Jeff is much better. Vanessa is having a good bit of pain and having trouble getting comfortable to sleep.
thanks so much for your prayers!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Beyond Mountains are Mountains
On Team July I, we had a very talented young man. As a high school student, he plays several instruments, plays in a band and writes songs. Upon returning from his trip to Haiti, his way of processing all he had seen and learned was pouring his heart out into a song. Below are the lyrics and the song Tim is now singing.
Lyrics:
I come a broken man, to a rich and wealthy land
full of lost and hungry people, and you meet me here
your face shown in their eyes, for them my soul cries,
but Lord when we leave, will home recognize me
Through their hungry smile and their abandoned eyes,
and their desperate kiss, oh Lord why?
We've gone so wrong, Lead me
My worlds no longer mine, its lost in all these signs
but oh Ill stay strong, until you meet me here
every time i take a bite, how I think of their hungry nights
so dive into my heart and keep this world apart
So ill stand strong in you, to be the body that moves,
and Ill stand strong in you lead me.
http://soundcloud.com/timehrhart/beyond-mountains-are-mountains
Lyrics:
I come a broken man, to a rich and wealthy land
full of lost and hungry people, and you meet me here
your face shown in their eyes, for them my soul cries,
but Lord when we leave, will home recognize me
Through their hungry smile and their abandoned eyes,
and their desperate kiss, oh Lord why?
We've gone so wrong, Lead me
My worlds no longer mine, its lost in all these signs
but oh Ill stay strong, until you meet me here
every time i take a bite, how I think of their hungry nights
so dive into my heart and keep this world apart
So ill stand strong in you, to be the body that moves,
and Ill stand strong in you lead me.
http://soundcloud.com/timehrhart/beyond-mountains-are-mountains
Monday, July 18, 2011
Canaan project
The foundation on the church/school building in Canaan is almost complete. Today Jeff went to meet with the haitian workers there to go into the next step of finishing the foundation. The pre-existing church tent came down last week! What a cool transition and the timing is impecable...the tent was just about in shreads, they have moved to the second school tent for church which will also soon be in shreads.
For the next few days, the guys (Vanessa and I may pound a few nails too) will be building the trusses for the church/school. It's been really cool to see God bringing this all together using so many different people. From funding (this money has come from all over) the project to working on it, it will be amazing to see it finished and who will have been involved by then. We had our last team spend a day shoveling rock & dirt for backfill in the foundation, but there is still a ton to be filled in...yesterday a friend from another organization came to Jeff and asked is he had any physical labor for an unskilled (in the construction field) team of 15...BACKFILL in Canaan! What a blessing to have this help!
Next week ??? (I need more of Jeff's input on this one)getting ready for team July II who will spend the entire week building the church/school.
We hear the team preparing to come is very excited to be part of it, they are all working together in different roles to get funding, supplies, and support one another. A team working this well together before the trip is going to be awesome to see in action here. In our service at PAP Fellowship yesterday, we were reminded that yes, tasks and good works are good and are part of sharing the message of the gospel, but can't replace sharing the gospel with others. Our prayer for this team is that while this is a big task and a great deed, that we would allow God to speak through us to someone who needs to hear His message!
We're also excited to see how God will work in each team member while they are here, how he will change lives in team members as they serve.
For the next few days, the guys (Vanessa and I may pound a few nails too) will be building the trusses for the church/school. It's been really cool to see God bringing this all together using so many different people. From funding (this money has come from all over) the project to working on it, it will be amazing to see it finished and who will have been involved by then. We had our last team spend a day shoveling rock & dirt for backfill in the foundation, but there is still a ton to be filled in...yesterday a friend from another organization came to Jeff and asked is he had any physical labor for an unskilled (in the construction field) team of 15...BACKFILL in Canaan! What a blessing to have this help!
Next week ??? (I need more of Jeff's input on this one)getting ready for team July II who will spend the entire week building the church/school.
We hear the team preparing to come is very excited to be part of it, they are all working together in different roles to get funding, supplies, and support one another. A team working this well together before the trip is going to be awesome to see in action here. In our service at PAP Fellowship yesterday, we were reminded that yes, tasks and good works are good and are part of sharing the message of the gospel, but can't replace sharing the gospel with others. Our prayer for this team is that while this is a big task and a great deed, that we would allow God to speak through us to someone who needs to hear His message!
We're also excited to see how God will work in each team member while they are here, how he will change lives in team members as they serve.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
One little baby shoe
After the last few comments about not having power, "let haiti be haiti" yada yada...I've had to be away from the computer for just about a week. Until tonight, we hadn't had city power since last Saturday night...a whole week. We were able to run a small generator and run two extention cords into the house some for a few hours of power to have light in the evening a bit and to return necessary emails and check in with a few board members, but our time was limited and the connection was always bad. I couldn't load pics. The kids only watched a little bit of Saved by the Bell when we could charge the computer battery. We couldn't wash the mountain of sheets and towels left by the last team. Everyone in the family took a turn to hand washed clothes this week except the 13 year (I won't mention any names). I have pics of Jeff and Drew to prove it. We had a few inches of water left in our tanks when the power was restored and we were able to pump more water so we could continue to have running water in the house. We laugh about not having power and water, we may get a little frustrated, but I can't bring myself to complain.
I know too many people who never have power. I know people who only have power during the day from a 5" x 7" solar panel so they can listen to the news on a small radio. I've walked into homes where the only source of cooking is a small stand on which to set one pot over charcoal. I have met people who can't afford to feed their children.
Wednesday when a few of us (mainly myself) was getting a bit grouchy about the pile up of things to be washed, God sent a reminder to our door in the form of a young mom. Those of you who know me well, know my heart for children. I have really developed a burden for moms and their young children since being here. I see so many just doing their best to provide and take care of their kids and struggling to make it.
A few years ago when my sister talked of her adopted children from China...how hard it must have been for their mothers to make the decision to give them up, I couldn't understand. In my naive, judgemental mind, I thought, "how could a mother ever give up her children?". Sharon, now I understand. Now, I get it. But I don't.
This young mother said she heard there was an orphanage at our house and she was looking for medicine for her sick baby, actually came to ask us to take all three of her boys. 7 years old, 4 years old, and the baby just around a year. She has no husband. She lives in a tent with someone else. And now is so desperate giving up her children a better future is her best option, she asks if I would take her baby on the spot. Stunned in disbelief, I understood. Yet I didn't understand. I have no idea what this mother goes through on a day to day basis. I have no idea what these children endure. I have no understanding of what it feels like to feel like giving up my children is my best option, yet I get it. Poverty is complicated. We can't understand all that goes with it, all that is the result of it.
As I stood there in front of this mother asking for help, I had to turn back to a decision made months ago that our children's homes would only take kids who were truly orphaned and tell her "no, I can't take your children, but I'll take your friend's phone number in case I find someone who can". The mom's response, "I will pray that God brings someone".
After we sent her away, and I began processing what just occurred, I became very angry at God. Why was He showing me this? Why was this asked of me? Why do these people suffer? What does it mean to truly be orphaned anyway? that your parents are both deceased or that dad is not around and mom can't do it and is going to give her kids up regardless of whether I say yes or no? Angry. Broken. Hurt. Confused. What was I supposed to do? If I say yes, when will the next one show up at our door? If I say no, it haunts me to think about where they are a few months from now. I'm caught somewhere in this gray middle of "what would Jesus do?" and being realistic about the number of kids we can care for and the ramifications of saying yes everytime and in all situations.
The following morning upon returning to the place I stood in front of that mom and said "no", there was ONE LITTLE BABY SHOE. I haven't been able to pick it up and do something with it, until now. I will pray for this little baby and his brothers as I look at this ONE LITTLE BABY SHOE until God sends someone to help.
I can't say how this whole thing affected the other adults in the house that witnessed the same thing I did, but for this mom, it left me broken and seeking God's all surpassing wisdom and grace.
I know too many people who never have power. I know people who only have power during the day from a 5" x 7" solar panel so they can listen to the news on a small radio. I've walked into homes where the only source of cooking is a small stand on which to set one pot over charcoal. I have met people who can't afford to feed their children.
Wednesday when a few of us (mainly myself) was getting a bit grouchy about the pile up of things to be washed, God sent a reminder to our door in the form of a young mom. Those of you who know me well, know my heart for children. I have really developed a burden for moms and their young children since being here. I see so many just doing their best to provide and take care of their kids and struggling to make it.
A few years ago when my sister talked of her adopted children from China...how hard it must have been for their mothers to make the decision to give them up, I couldn't understand. In my naive, judgemental mind, I thought, "how could a mother ever give up her children?". Sharon, now I understand. Now, I get it. But I don't.
This young mother said she heard there was an orphanage at our house and she was looking for medicine for her sick baby, actually came to ask us to take all three of her boys. 7 years old, 4 years old, and the baby just around a year. She has no husband. She lives in a tent with someone else. And now is so desperate giving up her children a better future is her best option, she asks if I would take her baby on the spot. Stunned in disbelief, I understood. Yet I didn't understand. I have no idea what this mother goes through on a day to day basis. I have no idea what these children endure. I have no understanding of what it feels like to feel like giving up my children is my best option, yet I get it. Poverty is complicated. We can't understand all that goes with it, all that is the result of it.
As I stood there in front of this mother asking for help, I had to turn back to a decision made months ago that our children's homes would only take kids who were truly orphaned and tell her "no, I can't take your children, but I'll take your friend's phone number in case I find someone who can". The mom's response, "I will pray that God brings someone".
After we sent her away, and I began processing what just occurred, I became very angry at God. Why was He showing me this? Why was this asked of me? Why do these people suffer? What does it mean to truly be orphaned anyway? that your parents are both deceased or that dad is not around and mom can't do it and is going to give her kids up regardless of whether I say yes or no? Angry. Broken. Hurt. Confused. What was I supposed to do? If I say yes, when will the next one show up at our door? If I say no, it haunts me to think about where they are a few months from now. I'm caught somewhere in this gray middle of "what would Jesus do?" and being realistic about the number of kids we can care for and the ramifications of saying yes everytime and in all situations.
The following morning upon returning to the place I stood in front of that mom and said "no", there was ONE LITTLE BABY SHOE. I haven't been able to pick it up and do something with it, until now. I will pray for this little baby and his brothers as I look at this ONE LITTLE BABY SHOE until God sends someone to help.
I can't say how this whole thing affected the other adults in the house that witnessed the same thing I did, but for this mom, it left me broken and seeking God's all surpassing wisdom and grace.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Yeah, I love God's sense of humor. After my last statement in my last blog entry of me "letting Haiti be Haiti", we lost power...complete power with a team of 14 + 3 translators + our family of 7. When I say we lost power, I don't mean just no electricity. As I have previously mentioned, when we have no power, we can't pump water into our water tanks so eventually running water will be no more. I mean no fans at night = heat and mosquitos. I mean coffee for 20ish people done in our camping perculator (thanks MOM and DAD D). No power also = grumpy husband. Yeah, God's got a sense of humor.
Any way, Team July I actually got to experience some of this and they just rolled with it, which I love! Everyone showered by flashlight. The guys bucket showered. So, we couldn't live in our normal comfortable way, I don't think anyone would say they suffered anything.
Sunday, we took a tour of PAP. One change I have noticed over the past 2 months, the Presidential Palace is being torn down. From the very top all being carried away. I am hopeful and I think our Haitian friends would say this is representative of a new start of government for the Haitian people.
Team July I did a children's program Monday with a bible story, playdoh time, games, and hygiene education. All were great and we so appreciate. This team is a piece of the puzzle in AWAKENHAITI'S long term ministry both in Canaan and Good Samaritan Orphanage. Canaan is a lot to take in. It can feel overwhelming, but we do what we can where we know God has called us to focus.
We are looking forward to another day of time with the children in Canaan. We hope today encourages the families there and that they will see God through activities today!
Any way, Team July I actually got to experience some of this and they just rolled with it, which I love! Everyone showered by flashlight. The guys bucket showered. So, we couldn't live in our normal comfortable way, I don't think anyone would say they suffered anything.
Sunday, we took a tour of PAP. One change I have noticed over the past 2 months, the Presidential Palace is being torn down. From the very top all being carried away. I am hopeful and I think our Haitian friends would say this is representative of a new start of government for the Haitian people.
Team July I did a children's program Monday with a bible story, playdoh time, games, and hygiene education. All were great and we so appreciate. This team is a piece of the puzzle in AWAKENHAITI'S long term ministry both in Canaan and Good Samaritan Orphanage. Canaan is a lot to take in. It can feel overwhelming, but we do what we can where we know God has called us to focus.
We are looking forward to another day of time with the children in Canaan. We hope today encourages the families there and that they will see God through activities today!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
"Let Haiti Be Haiti"
We decided a few months ago, we had to stop comparing everything here to the states and what we were used to. We had to stop having American expectations in a country that isn't America.
"Let Haiti Be Haiti", states it very well. This is my new moto! Spoken by Tony Brandt before his trip here in June. He said it because we were without city power for 4 days which meant our batteries (which provide power for our house when city is not on) could not be charged. The generator broke (which provides power to charge the batteries when city is off too long). So...no power means no lights of course, but it also means no fans which = sleeping outside which = mosquitos. This also means eventually we run out of running water because we can't pump it from the cistern to our tanks on our roof. I'm not sure he knew what he was saying when he said it, but none the less, he felt more prepared for the unexpected, the unexplainable, and the awesomeness of this country. There were moments of each in the week while the June team was here. City power came on 2 hours after that team arrived.
For me, it was spending an entire morning driving to 4 construction stores to get tap cons to hang shelves on concrete. Nope not one carried tap cons. A country that builds all of it's buildings out of concrete and 4 construction stores do not carry tap cons. I tried to get Jacques to explain it to me, but it's unexplainable.
For Dan and Tony, it was going to the construction store and not being able to get what they needed to hook up the power at the girls orphanage the way they wanted. There's no ordering. If they have it, they have it, if they don't, they don't.
For Jeff, it's picking up the part for the generator that was shipped from the states, having a man working on it one morning, then to have him up and leave it to go to work saying he'd be back that night. That was two days ago. Still no generator repair man. Unexplainable.
For Drew, it was getting yelled at by an old lady for throwing brush beside the full dumpster like everyone else does. Unexpected.
"Let Haiti be Haiti" this week...
Last week, I asked Drew to work on some landscaping around our outdoor patio in the yard. I love flowering bushes and lots of color, other than that, no special requests. Jeff walked in on the conversation and thus began the brainstorming.
Those of you that know Jeff well, know he is a visionary and can see the finished product before there is actually anything even there. You also may know, he doesn't do anything small scale. I decided it was best to step out of the way and let he and Drew go to town. So my simple idea of a few nice bushes turned into Pond/waterfall/fountain.
Digging began promptly on Monday morning. Stones were moved around the yard and put in place on Tuesday. Taken down and redone Wednesday after the liner was in place, now some of the stones could be secured with hand mixed concrete.
Pump...hmmm well one store (after driving 40 minutes to get there) sells the pump in one size, but the adapter in another size...don't have it. What store orders a pump in one size and the adapter for it in another size? unexplainable. No problem, they can make their own adaptations. They get the parts, set everything up, only the part of the pump that should pump water up to the waterfall doesn't.
Drew, risking getting stuck in rush hour traffic,shows up at MSC 10 minutes before closing knowing that getting the part would only take 2 minutes. But the shotgun-armed guard would not let him in saying they were closed, when there were clearly more customers in the store. The waterfall would have to wait another day.
Thursday, the final stones could be placed around the pond, the fountain is working, the waterfall is working, but still something missing.
As Drew was cleaning out our paint shed, he cames across a box of solar powered lights my parents gave us maybe 10 years ago, never opened. I guess you could say, we were saving them for something special. This was the missing thing, which meant some stones had to be shifted again. Finally the last light was in and the final stone was where it should be. Now all we had to do was wait for sunset.
At sunset, the lights came on, had dinner out by the pond/fountain/waterfall and lived happily ever after...awesomeness... Until the next time we are required to "Let Haiti be Haiti".
There are many things here that we don't understand, we can accept and try to mesh with, but don't understand. There are also many beautiful things here. We have to remember those things and laugh at the unexplainable and unexpected with our new moto "Let Haiti be Haiti"
For now, I'm going to "Let Haiti be Haiti" because I've been trying to upload a picture of the pond for 3 days and our internet won't let it. I'll try again another day because I still have American expectations.
"Let Haiti Be Haiti", states it very well. This is my new moto! Spoken by Tony Brandt before his trip here in June. He said it because we were without city power for 4 days which meant our batteries (which provide power for our house when city is not on) could not be charged. The generator broke (which provides power to charge the batteries when city is off too long). So...no power means no lights of course, but it also means no fans which = sleeping outside which = mosquitos. This also means eventually we run out of running water because we can't pump it from the cistern to our tanks on our roof. I'm not sure he knew what he was saying when he said it, but none the less, he felt more prepared for the unexpected, the unexplainable, and the awesomeness of this country. There were moments of each in the week while the June team was here. City power came on 2 hours after that team arrived.
For me, it was spending an entire morning driving to 4 construction stores to get tap cons to hang shelves on concrete. Nope not one carried tap cons. A country that builds all of it's buildings out of concrete and 4 construction stores do not carry tap cons. I tried to get Jacques to explain it to me, but it's unexplainable.
For Dan and Tony, it was going to the construction store and not being able to get what they needed to hook up the power at the girls orphanage the way they wanted. There's no ordering. If they have it, they have it, if they don't, they don't.
For Jeff, it's picking up the part for the generator that was shipped from the states, having a man working on it one morning, then to have him up and leave it to go to work saying he'd be back that night. That was two days ago. Still no generator repair man. Unexplainable.
For Drew, it was getting yelled at by an old lady for throwing brush beside the full dumpster like everyone else does. Unexpected.
"Let Haiti be Haiti" this week...
Last week, I asked Drew to work on some landscaping around our outdoor patio in the yard. I love flowering bushes and lots of color, other than that, no special requests. Jeff walked in on the conversation and thus began the brainstorming.
Those of you that know Jeff well, know he is a visionary and can see the finished product before there is actually anything even there. You also may know, he doesn't do anything small scale. I decided it was best to step out of the way and let he and Drew go to town. So my simple idea of a few nice bushes turned into Pond/waterfall/fountain.
Digging began promptly on Monday morning. Stones were moved around the yard and put in place on Tuesday. Taken down and redone Wednesday after the liner was in place, now some of the stones could be secured with hand mixed concrete.
Pump...hmmm well one store (after driving 40 minutes to get there) sells the pump in one size, but the adapter in another size...don't have it. What store orders a pump in one size and the adapter for it in another size? unexplainable. No problem, they can make their own adaptations. They get the parts, set everything up, only the part of the pump that should pump water up to the waterfall doesn't.
Drew, risking getting stuck in rush hour traffic,shows up at MSC 10 minutes before closing knowing that getting the part would only take 2 minutes. But the shotgun-armed guard would not let him in saying they were closed, when there were clearly more customers in the store. The waterfall would have to wait another day.
Thursday, the final stones could be placed around the pond, the fountain is working, the waterfall is working, but still something missing.
As Drew was cleaning out our paint shed, he cames across a box of solar powered lights my parents gave us maybe 10 years ago, never opened. I guess you could say, we were saving them for something special. This was the missing thing, which meant some stones had to be shifted again. Finally the last light was in and the final stone was where it should be. Now all we had to do was wait for sunset.
At sunset, the lights came on, had dinner out by the pond/fountain/waterfall and lived happily ever after...awesomeness... Until the next time we are required to "Let Haiti be Haiti".
There are many things here that we don't understand, we can accept and try to mesh with, but don't understand. There are also many beautiful things here. We have to remember those things and laugh at the unexplainable and unexpected with our new moto "Let Haiti be Haiti"
For now, I'm going to "Let Haiti be Haiti" because I've been trying to upload a picture of the pond for 3 days and our internet won't let it. I'll try again another day because I still have American expectations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)