My life in Haiti - Aug '04 to Feb '06

Sunday, January 22, 2006

these feet were made for walking

and that's just what we did!
Yesterday morning at 6am Sandra, Karen & I walked to Borel and back and then decided to walk to Verrettes as well! In total we walked 9 kms yesterday all before 10am! (We drove it today and clocked it on the odometer) It was 12544 steps on my pedometer but it must have miss counted or something cause it said it was only 7.6 kms on the pedometer but 9 kms when we checked in the truck. I had even reset the odometer so that it was easy to tell. It was approx 4.4 kms to Verrettes one way and 4.6 kms to Borel round trip. We took just under an hour to walk to Borel and back, came into the house and ate breakfast and then Rose-Martha asked when Sandra & I were going to walk to Verrettes with her - we said, how about tomorrow morning - then Karen said, why don't we do it right now and we all agreed. Rose-Martha & Maudeline joined us on the trip to Verrettes - we walked down and then took moto taxis back home - it was quite the site - 5 motos in a row all the drivers had on t-shirts for Rene Preval - one of the candidates for the presidential election here in Haiti. Maudeline & Karen also had them on and Rose-Martha had on a Preval hat. Only Sandra & I weren't decked out in Preval gear. It took us approx an hour to walk to Verrettes and then Sandra & I sat in the shade and people watched while Karen and the 2 girls took moto taxi's to Fedna's to check in on her cause she was sick.

pic of the day

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Thursday, January 19, 2006

pic of the day

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I did it!

Well - I made 8700 steps on the 17th and yesterday I broke 11,000!!! I was SO excited especially since at lunchtime I was way behind. Sandra & I took a walk down the canal and after the canal road turned into a rabbit trail we turned around and decided to come back along the road - We were gone about 45 mins but we went a long way and also were walking at a good
pace. I have really enjoyed my walks with Sandra and will miss them when she is gone. Today I didn't do very well as I have been having some dizzy spells and so haven't been out of my chair as much - I was 2500 at lunchtime and at 4pm when I checked - it had reset and I was only at 79! ~after that I just took it off cause it was too disappointing to see only 79!








how many steps taken:11333 how many kms walked:7.1 how many calories burned:252.5


I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

7700 and counting!

That is how many steps I have taken today in 12 hours. Yesterday (all day) I only had 6500 so I have already beaten that. (Though I spent 2.5 hours at the hospital so I didn't get much walking done then!) Since I spend most of my day in front of the computer I have to be conscious of getting in steps. I hope to break 10, 000 tomorrow and then just keep going from there! So far - I have walked the equivilant of 4.73 kms!!!!

Will let you know if I break the 10,000 mark!!

(it is only 7:45 so hopefully will get in lots of steps still today!)

later...

pic of the day

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Monday, January 16, 2006

pic of the day

What an amazing sight! Posted by Picasa

Saturday, January 14, 2006

pic of the day

I LOVE this photo Posted by Picasa

Thursday, January 12, 2006

pic of the day

This photo is overlooking the Artibonite Valley (which is where we live)

The road below is what we drove along to get to this fort in TiRiviere. Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

pic of the day.

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Tuesday, January 10, 2006

just another day.....

Another Haiti first! Today, (when I am the only one in administration left on the compound!) Cecile comes up and says that the new kerosene stove we bought them (and only gave to them like yesterday!) has flames shooting out of it and the flames are going higher than the pot and making everything black. My first logical thought was - turn it down! - well turns out they had never touched the volume to start with - so I went down (knowing NOTHING about these new stoves!) and there in the corner of the front gallery is this stove with flames coming out everywhere! and it is sitting next to the propane stove & two propane tanks! So first things first - GET THE PROPANE TANKS FAR AWAY FROM THE OPEN FLAME!!!! Then I called over our security guy and asked him to try and turn it off - No luck - flames still coming out. We (okay - so maybe it was only Odner!) took off the pot and moved it away and I called Karen! The staff were all telling me to throw water on it but not knowing anything about kerosene, other than it is a flammable gas, I wanted to wait till I asked someone who knew more about it than I did. I also knew that throwing water on it wasn't going to turn off the flow of kerosene coming from the stove! So I get ahold of Karen and she is trying to talk to me and drive in Port au Prince at the same time, while following closely behind Nicolas who was in our truck in front of her! Luckner tells her to tell me that it is okay to put a little bit of water on the flame and then try and shut off the valve to the tank. Easier said than done! First off - it was hot and flames are coming out all over so I didn't want to get too close. First dose of water did nothing - it just boiled and steamed as soon as it hit the metal! Then I threw the whole bowl of water on top and it stopped the flame but the flames coming out the bottom and side where the knob is was still going strong - so another bowl of water and finally all flames are extinguished. But (isn't there always a but!) I could still smell the gas and had to figure out how to close the valve from the tank. The knob was HOT so using a rag, I tried turning but it turns both directions so couldnt' figure out if I was opening it more or actually closing it and of course, anyone who has actually used the stove kept saying that they didn't know which way to turn it! Just turn till it feels like it won't turn anymore!! Right - best piece of advice I have ever received!

So then I asked Claudy to help me carry it over to the far side of the yard where it will sit and wait for Nicolas to return from Port. Then I got a propane tank and hooked it up to the propane stove and told the mommies to wait atleast 15 mins before lighting the stove so that all the gas in the air could evaporate.

Life in Haiti is never dull!!

pic of the day

Every day I am going to try and post a photo that I like from the vast collection of "Haiti pics" that I have collected.

Monday, January 09, 2006

confession time....

Okay, so I have to confess that I am addicted to Color Junction - this widget game thing that I have added to my personalized Google homepage. I am constantly playing it - thankfully it only takes like a minute to play. This is a screenshot of the game - this is the easy version, there is also a medium and hard level of play but they take more concentration and more time to play so I stick with the easy level but a larger gameboard so that I can finish quicker.

my frog friend

This is my little frog friend. Two nights ago, I went up to my apartment after dark (as usual) and there was no lights on outside my apartment. I reached for the door handle and jumped back as my hand had squished something slimy instead of a doorknob! Turns out it was this little guy sitting on my doorknob - after I squished him, he jumped onto the wall next to my door and kind of watched me. He did stay nice and still, allowing me to take some photos of him. I felt bad about squishing him but tried to tell him that a doorknob, in the dark, is not the best place to just hang out!

I am a bit more cautious now, and turn on the light before going to open my door!

T

sweater wearing in Haiti!

Today is an unusual day! When I awoke this morning at like 5am, I was freezing cold and I looked out onto my gallery and still being half asleep - saw my new all white curtains, and thought - what! SNOW!??. I then realized it was my curtains but I was still cold. I went to devotions this morning in a long skirt and a sweater! Now, it was only a thin sweater but it is black and still quite warm. I had it on from 7am till 11:15am (and by this time the sun was out!) It was 25C and I had a sweater on!

Not even the Haitian staff or my kids were cold this morning - but there was the blan who is usually sweating up a storm, sitting in a black sweater and still shivering! The kids thought I ws joking but I wasn't - I have been sleeping with a blanket on my bed since June! It is a thin blanket but some nights even it isn't enough - last night I thought about getting up and getting a second blanket but I didn't want to leave the nice warm cocoon I had created for myself! But I will be pulling out a second blanket tonight and keeping it on the end of my bed so that if I am cold again - it is nice and handy!

The temperature has now warmed up to 27C and the high is expected to be 30C so we will see what happens - but for now I have taken off the sweater and don't think it will be back on any time soon...

Friends

I realize often that I have wonderful friends - some that I have from BC and others that I have been blessed to meet here in Haiti when they come for short term mission trips.

I can think of 4 ladies that I have met here in Haiti with whom I have a lasting friendship.
These gals can understand some aspects of what I am doing and going through better than I could ever explain, we share experiences that have to be lived through to understand, and they are friends that I wouldn't trade for the world. We have a different relationship than I have with some of my other friends, but these friendships are just as real and important to me. I value their input into my life.

My friends from back home - the ones who have seen me through so much - they are worth more than gold! They have stood by me through thick and thin - through the good times and the bad, they have comforted me, laughed with me, and cried me. These friends are women who I would travel any distance for if they needed me. (and I do have guy friends whose friendship I value greatly but nothing is the same as a great girl friend!)

Friends are such a blessing - I love the fact that they know the real me and they can usually see right through any type of mask I might try to put on. They encourage me, they listen, and when needed - they talk.

Some of these friends are older than I, some are younger - age has no hold on friendship. From those who are older - I learn wisdom and in turn, I hope that I am able to pass that wisdom on to my friends who are younger. We have all been down different paths and we are able to share and learn from each other's experiences.

I thank God, my friend, for the blessing you are... for the joy of your laughter...the comfort of your prayers...the warmth of your smile.

May you each know how extremely valued your friendship is to me, how much I love, care and respect you, and how thankful I am that God allowed me to be your friend.

I may be many miles away - but you are always close in my thoughts, my prayers and in my heart!

T

Thursday, January 05, 2006

me & my hair extensions

I thought that I should post some photos of the extensions I got put in before I went home to BC in Nov.















This was me burning the ends of my braids - this had two purposes, would make them less likely to come undone (as opposed to just putting elastics at the end which can easily come out especially when sleeping) and also it cleans up the straggly bits that come from split ends in the
extensions. It was quite an adventure - last time I got extensions I didn't burn the ends and so this was a new experience for me. It took some practice to figure out how close to get to the flame but by the time I was finished I had it down pat! This was the finished product!









































Cecile & I with our braids

There was actually five of us on the compound with extensions at the same time - both of the mommies, Maudeline, Rose Martha (our two oldest girls) and myself.Plus we put in the left over extensions in Mirlande's hair (our youngest girl) there was only enough for about 10 braids but she was so happy and so proud of her braids! She had helped with putting in the extensions - she had held the hair for Maudeline after I prepared them to be braided into my head. She was quite the little helper and so I was glad we could make her happy by giving her some braids as well.





















So, that was my latest hair experience in Haiti - and I don't think I will be getting extensions put in again any time soon! It took Maudeline & Cecile probably close to 9 hours to braid the extensions into my hair (and alot of sore spots on my head from pulling when they were trying to get the braid nice and tight!) and then Amanda (who was visiting us for a month) and I spent probably a good 3 hours if not more putting in the elastics, burning the ends and making sure that they were all close to the same length. I enjoyed having them in and it sure made getting ready in the morning so much easier - you don't really have to fuss with them much - you wrap them at night (in a bandana) and in the morning you take off the bandana, finger comb them and you are ready to go -
Taking them out also took a long time - I think I did that over the course of two days at my sister's house. You have to unbraid the entire thing (or risk ripping out my own hair!) and that can make your fingers very sore!
All in all, I enjoyed having them in and would do it again if it didn't take so long to put them in and take them out. For now I will stick with getting my own hair braided into fun Haitian styles!

my guy...

my smiling man!





















I love Ronel's smile - after the wedding on Saturday we were hanging out at his house and he took a photo of me in my wedding "finery" so that I could show my sister the skirt I had bought here for the wedding. As I was looking at the photo, I decided to snap a casual photo of Ronel. He had been standing next to the column that holds up the overhang outside the house and as I turned the camera on him, he gave me this lovely smile. I really like how the photo turned out! Even better is the fact that his eyes are open - so many of the photos we have of the two of us or even just him - his eyes are closed!

This photo is a keeper for sure!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

family photos...

So here are the photos we had taken on Saturday of Ronel's dad's side of the family.


















This is Dieumaine (Madame Frankel - stepmom), Frankel (dad),
myself, Fanny, Dieuverti, Abdias & Nukel

















This one has Ronel as well. (as well as some cute little guy that walked into the photo while we were taking it!)


There are some missing siblings in the photo - a sister & brother weren't at the wedding
and one of his brothers (Verna) had left before this photo was taken.
(and that is just the siblings on his dad's side)
I will write more about his family and how many siblings once I know the spelling of all the names and also ages!

wow can they sing!

Ronel & I went to a concert Monday evening. It was put on by a choir that is made up of young people from this area (Deschapelles) who are all in Port au Prince, either going to school or working.

There was probably 25-30 members of the choir and it was quite the production. They sang beautifully and it was very well done. The church was packed and everyone was having a good time. After the choir sang 4 songs, they sat down and then a young boy came up (he was maybe 9-10 years old) The MC told us he was going to sing and boy, could he sing. He was fantastic! I was so amazed at the talent of this young boy! The whole place was on their feet applauding when he was done! At the end of the night, he came back up with a friend (another boy about the same age) and they sang a duo - again it was wonderful and they sang the song in Creole, English & Spanish - I was so amazed!

There was another young man (probably in his early 20's) who also got up during one of the breaks for the choir and sang. He first told us how he used to sing for Satan but now he sings for his Lord. He also sang wonderfully. Then a young man from Port au Prince who was here singing with the choir as a special guest got up and sang a solo and by the end he had all of us singing along with him.

It was an amazing night and I enjoyed it totally! I have not had that much fun in a long time and to hear these wonderful voices praising God together was so great! You knew that God was with us there and He was also enjoying hearing His children lift their voices in praise to Him.