April was a blur!

May 6^th already! The first of April seems like yesterday! It has been a crazy month here at the mission. We had a team of 47 Canadians here for 2 weeks working on various construction projects and we had a bunch of medical teams that were able to go out on Mobile Clinics.  At one point we had over 130 volunteers here. That made it very hard to find quiet. The first day everyone was gone I remember walking into the guest house and seeing only 3 people sitting quietly… I though it would never be that quiet again! It was sooo nice. (Please don’t hear that I hated the Canadians and medical volunteers… I know this is Gods plan and volunteers are wonderful. They did amazing work while they were here, it was just something I’m not use to yet.)

 So here we are in May and I have now been in Haiti for 3 months and thought I would update some new Haitian experiences since my 1^st month here.

Haitian experience #8: Tap-Taps

I finally went on a tap tap! I have actually been on many times now. The first time I went on it was only about a minute ride to a friend’s house in the next village over. The next day I got to experience it with Lindsay for her first time and we went out for lunch with some friends after church. When getting out of the tap tap at the restaurant all of us bumped our heads on the way out and the Haitians laughed at us. I have learned something about paying when you get off the tap taps though, always have exact change or else you will get charged the white price (which is double the Haitian price-still very cheap) 

Below is a picture of Lindsay and I in front of a tap tap.

Haitian Experience #9: A wedding and a Funeral

Someone once told Diana to go to a wedding and a funeral and this will help you learn about the culture. I had the opportunity to go to both this past weekend. On Friday one of my really good friends Volcy who I really connected with at the beginning of my time here, he translated at the ward when it was at the high school and I would visit a lot and he was down there. Anyways he got married on Friday and it was quiet the experience.  The bridesmaids and groomsmen dance down the aisle to songs like Power of Love and Beauty and the beast.  The couple walks down one at a time and it probably takes 30-45 minutes for the whole bridal party to walk down the aisle.

On a sadder note another one of my really good friends Grandmother passed away a couple weeks ago and the funeral was Saturday. It was very different from back home.  One of the things that was different that there were tons to camera and video cameras, as way to remember the persons last moments in world.  This was a fresh wound for me as I just recently lost my grandmother. It was a very sad day.

Haitian experience #10:  Tuesday Night Worship                       

Tuesday night has become my favourite night of the week. Every Tuesday night there is a worship service from about 4:30pm-7:00pm. It is a wonderful time of being still and listening to God.  After only a few months here I know a handful of songs in Creole, which makes me very excited. So last week I had requested a song I really like. I thought Claudel had forgotten to play it and right at that moment I heard the into to the song and everyone began to dance… I loved watching the Haitians singing and dancing to this song. After that song they played 2 more of my favourite songs and the dance party began…  a couple of the hope house girls pulled Lindsay and I intro the aisle and a Congo line began and we were dancing and spinning! I was so out of breath and sweaty but the time the music stopped but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Liberte… nan nom Jezi! I am free… in Jesus’ name!

Lavi’m pa ka pase mal… paske Bondye vivan! My life can’t go bad… because my Jesus lives!

Jezi veri bagay yo! Jesus turns everything around!

First week of the month surgery has started up again and the ward will open for the next few weeks. I will hopefully get to go visit some sweet patients and practice my Creole. Speaking of my Creole… it has come a long way! I hit a certain point where I was like hey I think I’m getting this now. I still have a lot to learn but I am excited that I am able to communicate to the Haitians. They are very encouraging when you try to speak to them in Creole. Sometimes I walk in to the kitchen and just stay Mesi anpil! which means Thank you very much! And the ladies say ohh your Creole is soo good! If they only knew I don’t know much more then that. It means a lot to them when we come and take the time to learn their language.

Rainy season has arrived and after only a couple rains I could notice the colours changing… the plants were growing and the mountains were turning green. It rains almost every other night and I am very thankful for this because it cools down the nights for sleeping. Summer has also arrived make it very HOT during the day. On Sunday afternoon my thermometer said 45/112 in the sun!  For this I am even more thankful for the cool nights. My cool is not the same as it use to be. I looked at the thermometer last night when I was cold and it was still 25/77…don’t make fun… when you are use to HOT that is cold.

I am loving life in Haiti and enjoying the simple things. It’s the simple day-to-day things in life that make me smile.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouragement!

Love, Blessings, Spinning and Dancing,

Leeann

A Rough Night!

I was going to right a nice long blog updating you all on what is has been going on in the last week or so… But…

Tonight has been a rough night for me… I found out that one of my really good friend’s Grandmother passed away today. My friend is an interpreter on the mission and his mother is one of the kitchen ladies. This hits close to home for me… it just  hit me like a ton of bricks. I came back up to my room and looked at the date and realized it is 6 months tomorrow that my grandmother passed away. I’m hurting inside because I know what my friend is going through and it sucks. Also in the last month my family back home fixed up and sold my grandmothers house. I think I haven’t grieved the same been here because I can’t go visit her anyways but just thinking now I can’t share stories and pictures with her when I get home really hurts.  

As I sit here I struggle to find words to write… I don’t want this to be a totally depressing blog. I think of all my Haitian friends who have lost loved ones and they continue to be strong and praise God. Honestly that is not the first thing I think to do in a time like this. I’ve learned so much from the Haitian people. I do praise God that my Grandmother was a faithful woman of God who I will see again some day in Heaven.

Pray for my friend and he and his family go through this tough time.

Love, blessings, and Grandmothers,

Leeann

Ps. I will write another blog in a couple nights with some much needed updates.

God is the Ultimate Healer!

It has been a crazy emotional week for lack of better words!

We have an incredible medical team here this week who are working very hard and truly love each patient they see.

Pray for Nelise. Not only is she the Johnsons housekeeper but sister and daughter to 2 of our other Haitian staff. She was in a motor accident monday morning on her way to work. Arrived at the gate with 1 broken femur, 1 broken tibia, 1 broken wrist and lung bruising. She had surgery monday morning and is in our ward doing well but will be in pain and recovery for a long time.

Pray for Fritz-Also known as broken man here on the mission who is the brother in law to our main Haitian Triage nurse. He arrived with 2 broken femurs, 2 crushed/broken wrists and multiple wounds. After and 8 hour surgery last night he is in the ward doing well. Praise the Lord for the amazing medical/surgical team here this week and His perfect timing. Pray for the 18 patients in the Patient dome this week.

This week is also our first week with a prosthetic clinic...and Dr. Chase has fitted and made multiple prosthetic's this week. Today a patient who was operated at MOH serveral weeks ago will try on her custom made prosthetic and learn to walk with it.

I am so excited what God is doing here at the Mission of Hope!


Love, blessings and Healing,


Leeann

Best Weekend Ever!

This past weekend was probably the best weekend I’ve had since I’ve been in Haiti.

It started on Saturday afternoon after lunch I had nothing to do so I felt the urge to get off the Mission and do something. My friend Sadrac was heading home as I asked him if I could go with him and meet up with Diana who was at the other Sadrac and Wicky’s new place. Michelle joined us too!   

There is something about walking outside the mission gates, there’s a feeling of freedom and excitement because you are doing something new and different. This time was especially exciting because I was going to go on a tap tap for the very first time. Lindsay was at the beach so I was disappointed she wasn’t experiencing this with me. So we stood outside the mission gates and Sadrac waved down a tap tap. The tap tap came to a stop and I was doing all I could to keep my excitement inside. We looked inside to see one full tap tap, we said we would catch the next one… but before we knew it people were squeezing over to make room. Michelle and I squeezed our bums on the bench and Sadrac held on to the back with the guy who collects the money. Since we were only going to Source-Matelas we were only on the tap tap for no more then 2 minutes. We gave the man one Haitian dollar (there are 7.5 Haitian dollars in a US dollar) and jumped off the tap tap. We talked through the village to get to Sadrac and Wicky’s house. We sat in the front room of their new place Wicky played guitar and the rest of us sang along.

After a while we decided to head out on a mission. Diana usually helps with the lesson in kids church so being palm Sunday naturally we needed to go find palm branches for the story. We grabbed the machete walked back into a forest more or less where we could find palm branches. It was very entertaining watching the guys climb the palm trees to get the branches, they soon gave up and we decided cut branches off of smaller trees.

This was the first time I had really walked around a village and it was an awesome moment for me. I was soaking it all in… I am actually in Haiti. I loved just walking around the village, watching the children playing in the river. As we walked by the houses the children came running yelling, “White people, white people” in creole of course.

We walked back to the mission with palms in hand, I’m sure it was a sight to see for people driving by. We arrived back the mission just in time for super.

Here is a link to some pictures from the day! CLICK HERE!

Every Saturday night is girls night at Diana’s all the Jr. high girls go up to Diana’s after dinner. Lindsay and I joined in on the fun.  We paint nails, do a short devo and watch a movie. This week’s feature was ‘A Walk to Remember’.  This is just a fun night of winding down and getting to know each other on another level.

After the movie was over Lindsay and I headed down to the guesthouse to make a cakes for the party we were planning in the Village the next night! As mentioned in previous blogs we live next door to wonderful people… on one side is Claudel, Madame Claudel and their three children and on the other side is 6 guys who work on the mission as the interpreters. The time has come for the guys to move back into their village so we decided to have a going away party. We are going to miss them so much. So we made a chocolate cake and a vanilla confetti cake only to wake up the next morning to our cake being served for breakfast.  Lindsay and I were shocked and laughing all at the same time. We took it away and put it in a safe place. Thankfully not a lot of the cake was eaten.

Sunday morning we went to church and had a wonderful morning at kids church! The kids enjoyed the story with props and Wicky sang with them. After church, Lindsay, Michelle, Wicky and I headed into Cabaret for lunch. This was Lindsay’s first time on a tap tap and it was exciting to experience it with her, I was just as excited my second time as we were going to be on it for longer then the day before. When we arrived in Cabaret we all jumped off the tap tap, one after another Lindsay, Michelle and I bumped our heads on the roof, the Haitians all laughed at us. We walked to Yolty’s and had some yummy goat for lunch, a new experience I have come to love. After lunch we went on a hunt to get cell phone cards and change American money into gouds, both tasks we completed without any trouble.  We then headed back to Wicky and Sadracs house so Lindsay could see their place. We sat there for a while and then started to walk to the mission and got picked up part way there by Wakine, Sadracs friend who drove us the rest of the way to the mission and  up  the hill to the village.

Lindsay had to do some work and I continued to make the arrangement for the party. We were trying to get Pizza but there was no pizza to be found so we got BBQ Chicken from Cabaret. The party started around 8pm and it was perfect, We had food, cake, coke, music and good friends! It was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend!

I will attach pictures from the party later!

Love, Blessings and Tap Taps,

Leeann

Construction

Construction has started full fledge here on the mission… As I sat outside earlier and I could hear the noise of big machinery working away and I know that is going to be the “new sound” and the “new quiet” here at the mission. Needs changed after the earthquake and we are building to meet those needs. As I sit here an think about it all I can’t help but think about the spiritual construction God is doing in Haiti. God takes us through experiences to mold us, construct us into what he wants us to be and to fulfill his purpose. Similar to here at the mission, many prayers have been answered. We did not pray for the earthquake but we will soon be able to complete the hospital, which is an answer to prayer. We have had doctors and surgeons here performing surgeries and the church is filled with true worshipers of him.

Last week was an exciting week at school. Last week there was 2 football players from the Philadelphia Eagles come to help and visit the Mission of Hope. On Tuesday they took time out their busy schedule to talk to our class. The kids were able to ask questions and get autographs; we all enjoyed it!

On Thursday our class of 8 plus Michelle left campus for a well-deserved beach day. The kids have a reward system for being on time for school, Diana rings the bell at 8am and they have 5 minutes to get to class. If everyone arrives before the 5 minutes is up they get to put a bell in the toy bus. The same happens after recess, so they have the opportunity to get 2 bells a day. Once we get 50 bells we go on a field trip. I was happy to arrive when they had 38 bells in the bus. It was a perfect day for the beach. We spent the morning by pool and the afternoon by the ocean.

Friday was a different story. It started raining after dinner on Thursday and continued most of Friday morning. Diana had gotten sick after returning from the beach, which made me supply teacher on Friday… It was scary but I made it through.

This morning as I was getting up and getting ready for the day I listened to my neighbours singing and worshiping. I didn’t want leave. I feel truly blessed to have met these guys! If I wasn’t neighbours with them I would have gotten to know them as well as I have. It truly was the sweetest noise!

This evening like every Tuesday I went to the incredible worship service down at the church. After church we went to visit Job and Smider who I will talk about in another blog soon! They are two special need orphans who live here at the mission that have stolen my heart. I ended my night by riding up the hill on the front of the ATV with Michelle in the driver seat and Lindsay and Diana on the back; all of us were wearing skirts!

I will blog again soon!

Here is a link to some more pictures...Click here to see pictures

Love blessings construction and worship,

Leeann

The Body Of Christ

Just a few hours after writing my last blog, I was hit with a sickness… a bug.  A couple people had been getting over it the day before and apparently gave it to me. It was horrible… vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever and achiness. This is something us staff here on the mission lovingly call Haitian Sensation. Me along with many others continued to get this bug… for most it was a 24 hour thing but for others it was a few days. I thank God that the worst of the bug was gone very quickly although it lingered for a few days. On top of all this there was a bunch of people on vacation. When I think of all the sickness and vacation and all the work that was being done by others while some were either sick or away makes me think of the Body of Christ. We as Christians are all part of the body of Christ and work together. We here at the Mission Of Hope function as a unit like the body of Christ, some of us have smaller rolls then other but they are still vital to make everything run smoothly here at the mission. When someone is away or sick others compensate for them. Last week we experienced this big time and I praise God for my Mission of Hope family who helped me with the girls while the van der marks were away and when I was sick.  The staff did an amazing job at filling the gaps to make everything run smoothly.

Needless to say I am happy that the van der Mark’s and Diana are back, refreshed and go to have a relaxing week off. Pray for them as they jumped right back into their roles full swing.

Six weeks have gone by so fast and I don’t update this blog nearly as much as I want to… I fall into bed exhausted every night amazed at what happens in one day here at the mission.  I live with the medical team coordinator so sometimes her walky-talky goes off in the night.  The other I heard it… we had a police officer come the gate with abdominal pains and vomiting, we also had a child who was in a motor-cycle accident come in early this morning with a foot injury. While I sleep there are still people hard at work somewhere on the mission.  I don’t even know about half the work that goes on here at the mission but I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again I am very excited to be here in Haiti a part of such an awesome organization who loves Haiti and the Haitian people soooo much. Its not very hard to fall in love with Haiti.

Another update… If you remember me talking about my friend Gabby who had a skin graft done on both of his legs. He is doing so well. I went to visit him on Monday night; my visits last week had been very short because I was watching the girls. So Monday night I told him I would come visit him and play cards. While I was there he hoped up on a chair, he later got up and was walking. I was speechless! I was so excited that he was up and walking… he was just as excited that he was up and walking and mobile again. Now when I go down the ward I go into his room expecting him to be lying in the bed but sometimes hes up and about sitting in the hall. He seems to be healing well except one of his legs is getting infected as his foot was swollen yesterday. Continue to pray for him as he continues to heal and pray that his spirits stay high as he stays in the ward for a little while longer.

In other news… Lindsay, Jeanine and I are finally almost settled into our new place and I’m excited about our bar fridge that should be arriving in the next couple days. The last couple nights we have been able to go down to our apartment and just sit outside and chill. Its so nice just to have a space to go and relax and wined down after a busy day.  The apartments is still a mess, it slowly but surely will get organized and feel like home. I will post pictures when it looks a little better.

So that was my past week and a half! Crazy busy but I loved every minute of it because I’m in Haiti and that is where God has called me to be right now and I know that I know this is where I am suppose to be!

Love, Blessings and Haitian Sensation,

Leeann

One Month in Haiti

I have officially been in Haiti for 1 month now so I thought I would share some stories of my Haitian experiences.

Haitian Experience Number 1: Cockroaches

In my second week here I stayed at the Rumford’s house while they were away in Florida. I was there alone so I had been using just one of the bathrooms but when Lindsay became officially staff she came to stay with me. One night we were getting ready for bed and she went to use the other bathroom as she had used it that morning and her stuff was in there. She found cockroaches, I tried to be all brave and went and got my keens and threw it at the large cockroach… not a good idea… it jumped and I screamed. After a few minutes of that we decided to just close the door and use the other bathroom, the Rumford’s would be home in a couple days. The next morning in class the van der Mark children told me they could hear us screaming at 10pm. It was good times. Lindsay and I’s  first Haitian experience together.

Haitian Experience Number 2: Church of Hope

Haitian church is my new favourite… I look forward to it every Sunday morning and Tuesday evening. As I’ve said in my previous blog, God is at work in the lives of the Haitians and I am honored and excited to experience it.  That have also had kids church once since I’ve been here and there are about 400 children in a small semi covered room singing and dancing. Diana told a story with one of the interpreters and we gave out Candy! It was so much fun!

Haitian Experience Number 3: Tarantula’s 

I was sitting in the classroom on day, just minding my own business; teaching the girls. Out of nowhere came a tarantula sitting on the bin beside me. I think Bridgely pointed it out! I screamed and then I got the kids all worked up so we had to take recess so Teagan and Diana could catch the large spider. Diana and I ended up saving the day by trapping him and setting him free in the trees.

Haitian Experience Number 4: Mice

After the Rumford’s arrived home I moved into a room at the guesthouse.  One night last week I was ready to go to bed around 10pm and I walked into my room and there was a little mouse sitting on the top bunk of my bed. I silently screamed and thought about what I should do. I went over to the van der Marks to get some help; Cheryl gave me some sticky traps to catch him with. I took those back to my room and in a few minutes I caught the mouse. He began to scream and I ran out of the room because I didn’t want to hear the mouse struggling. A lady from one of the medicals team came and helped me get him off the tray and set him free.

Haitian Experience Number 5: The Market.

This past Saturday I went into Cabaret for the first time with Diana and Sadrac (one of the interpreters. His friend is teaching him to drive so we went in his friend’s car. We went out for lunch to a place called Yolty’s then went to the Market. It was huge, people everywhere selling stuff, children coming up to you trying to get you to buy stuff from them. I wanted to pull out my camera many times but didn’t think it was a good idea.  

Haitian Experience Number 6: Animals in the Village.

Saturday I moved into what is called the Village of Hope. It consists of 4 buildings with 4 one-bedroom apartments in them each.   Right now there is only people living in one of the buildings, one is almost done and they’re 2 more still in the building process.  Sitting on my porch I can see cows, horses, goats, chickens and turkeys.  I hear them at night and the rooster starts at random hours of the night. I am getting use to the sound of roosters and soon it won’t even wake me in the night.

Haitian Experience Number 7: Rain

I thought I would touch on the rain since I’ve had so many people asking me about the rain. We experienced rain on Saturday night but in other parts of the country there was flooding. Pre- earthquake rain would break the heat and would be a joyous thing. Post earthquake rain took on a new meaning. There are many people in tents, not North American tents but tents made up of long sticks and a bed sheet on top. Needless to say these tents are not weather proof, after 5-10 minutes of rain the sheet and people inside the tent are very wet; some of which are amputees or injured which means open cut getting wet and infected. We here at Mission of Hope are okay as far as the rain but please pray for those who are in what we call “Tent Cities”

In my evenings, after dinner I walk down to the makeshift ward, which is in the High School. I visit a couple patents and their families as well as hang out with some of the Hope House kids who are at the ward periodically. This is also my form of exercise as it is about a 7 minute walk down the hill, coming back up is the exercise.

Some of the Creole phrases I know…

Koman ou ye? How are you?

Koman w rele? What is your name?

Sak ap fet? Whats up?

Bon jou/ Bon Swa/ Bon nwi Good day/ Good Afternoon/ Goodnight

On Ale! Lets Go!

Jezi se bon!  Jesus is Good!

Mwen Grangou! I’m Hunry

Woy! Is something you say when you are surprised meaning “oh my goodness!”

I moved into the Village of Hope on Saturday and I can’t wait for Lindsay to get back today so the three of us can get settled in. Yes three… things change everyday! The Johnsons now have a teacher, who lives with us her name is Jeanine, she is really nice. She is pretty busy getting things organized with the Johnsons so just pray for her and her transition to Haiti. Also pray as the three of us walking together and live together, 3 girls at 3 different staged in our lives.

Overall the last month has been incredible. We have awesome neighbours... on the one side is the Worship pastor and his 3 Children, they are very nice. Two doors down on the other side are 6 of Mission of Hopes interpreters. They are all very nice Godly guys who are going to be change their Nation for God someday! Pray for them!

I’ve met the most amazing people, Godly people with incredible stories. I feel so blessed to be here surrounded by so many people who love the lord and have such wonderful servant hearts! I am joyfully anticipating what will happen in the next 4 months.

Prayer Request:

-Pray for the van der Marks as they are away on Vacation this week to the Domincan Republic. Pray that they are having a wonderful week of rest.

-Also pray for Diana who is in Florida for the week with her parents.

-Pray for Grant and Sandy as they take on the new roles this week in the van der Marks absents.

-Pray for my time with the girls this week as they have been somewhat hard to teach, adjusting to their parents being gone and Diana being away too!

-Pray for all my new Haitian friends! 

-Continue to pray for Gabby! I go visit him often and play cards… he is healing very well! 

-Pray for Lindsay and her travels back to Haiti! Praise the lord her brothers baby arrive so she could see him before she left. She flew to Fort Lauderdale last night and then into Port au Prince this morning morning! I can’t wait to see her! 10 days has seemed like forever!

Love, Blessings and Wonderful Haitian Experiences,

Leeann