A View from Haiti

I wish I could take a picture of the Sound here. The first thing that wakes me up in what seems like the middle of the night is the singing voices. And they are amazing. I can't understand what they're saying, but I can sense the joy in their voices. Then the sounds of the roosters, cows, goats, birds comes into focus. It is constant.
It has been warm. We have already done a lot, and met a ton of people whose names I struggle with. We sat with a class of girls just to speak English with them. We have been to the feeding center every day where they feed about 100 children 3 days a week. We have been out to the soccer field to play, and we have painted, swept, taught, fixed, sorted and gone. There is tons more to do, and in the short time that I have to write this I will never get it all in.

From Florida

(this is from the computer I'm on. I love to share)
Oh how I wish I had my own pictures to post today, but you'll just have to go with me on this one. Today was a travel day and I could absolutely bore you with the waiting, the lines, the rough air and the what not of traveling. But then You've all been there, done that, so I will just suffice it to tell you that we are safely in Florida. It's warm. It's sunny. We've eaten. Bed time just around the corner. There is internet at the motel. This is good. (I love conveniences) We leave for Haiti in the morning (6 a.m.) I am ready!

Conversations from the Corner

What I wouldn't give to be a mouse over in the reading corner. In quiet moments I can hear the discussions that go on over there. But when you only catch snippets here and there, well, that makes for interesting interpretations! The men sit around and read the paper, talk about politics, church, the weather, kids, health, sports, and business. Today, it's politics...Obama and Hilary. John McCain. You can be sure, in this Republican enclave that there isn't too much favorable to be said about Hilary and Obama. One day I heard an elderly gentleman talking about the telephone company. That always perks my ears up. It seems that an unamed phone company promised some good deal on cable tv installation. He didn't get what was promised. Whatever happened he was sorely disappointed and still pretty angry about it! Don't know if he was talking about Orange City Communications, though. (I seriously doubt it!)

I've heard lots about cancer, the state of Iowa football and basketball, Northwestern doings, church struggles!

Today, I read a review about a book that I thought I should have written had I'd been recording these corner conversations since I started here: Free for All: Oddballs,Geeks and gangstas at the public library by Don Borchert. Well, maybe I couldn't describe the drug dealers in the bathroom, but I could talk about obnoxious wanna be gangsta's on the internet. (no need to be racist here, but it ain't the dutch kids) Anyway, who'd a thought the librarian's job could be even remotely entertaining! I'll keep my ears peeled and I think I'll start my notebook now.


Last post till Haiti!

Moment by Moment

I can tell there's more stress in my life right now. I haven't been sleeping well. Last night I lay awake for a long time and then woke up many times in the middle of the night to hear the furnace running. Usually that means it's early morning since our thermostat is on set back at night. In this case, it just meant that 'baby, it's cold out there'. Even the dog didn't bother to get up in the middle of the night like he normally does. Ron told me though that he woke up once to find me sitting up with all his covers pulled off. He asked what i was doing and I told him I was getting baggies. And I did toss and turn and dream strange things. I dreamt that I was trying to get gas into the airplane and was having trouble with that. But this will soon go away. I am hoping to have a second or two to blog while in Haiti. I will definitely be sending an email or two while I'm there. Keep us in your prayers.

TECH Free night

Yesterday I didn't touch the computer (to blog or check my email or play games, etc. I was on it at work) nor did I have the TV on even once all day long. Wow! Was that a switch. Many years ago, when our kids were young we didn't even have a tv let along a computer and I managed to survive for a couple of years quite nicely, thank you very much. So this shouldn't be such a big deal, really. And I didn't really miss anything as it turned out. To say that there is nothing good for programming on TV right now is an understatement, but watching it every evening is a pretty big habit. So what did we DO with our spare time? Wow! We ate supper together at the table. We sat in the living room and talked. Then we both read our novels. (now I'm a reader anyway, and I usually squeeze that in between fixing supper and work but for Ron- well, he just doesn't.) We cleaned up the basement, worked on bills, and I finished getting stuff organized for my trip. It was a very pleasant evening and I think we'll make this more of a habit. A "One-Night-A-Week-TV-Computer-Free-evening" You might find us doing more amazing stuff. Like going to visit neighbors. Taking walks. Radical.

The Wait

I feel like life is in suspension right now. I am in waiting mode. Only 6 more days until we leave for Haiti. I am having regular night time dreams about it now! Every morning I get up and rearrange my packed stuff. When I can pack my underwear I will know that the waiting is almost over!

I have spent many hours waiting, actually, so you would think I am used to it. Or something. Impatiently I waited through my 14 month engagement period. I thought that would never end. I only wanted to be MARRIED! Impatiently I waited nearly 2 years for the birth of my first child. I thought I would never stop being pregnant. (and believe me, an eternal pregnancy is something you don't want to have happen) Impatiently (still with the impatient thing) I waited for my children to grow up. That long 20 + years period I didn't enjoy nearly as much as I could have because I kept wondering 'how tall will they be? Who will they marry? Where will they live?......, (mind you, it wasn't all impatience.There are many memories of good family times together) I have waited for our house to be built so I could finally move in; waited to finally get a job in teaching, waited for vacation, waited in the car, waited in line, waited for kids, waited for my husband, waited to be done, waited to get going.... Why I bet 3/4 of my time is waiting. And Still I am impatient. One of my favorite authors, Louis L'Amour said it: "life isn't about getting to the destination. It's about the journey" So I know that I need to relax and live these next six days in eager expectation, and longing, but not impatiently. For of all the things I am sure about, the waiting time seems miniscule now that I can look back on it. And who wants to just be looking back and seeing only how impatient I've always been? Sheesh.

February Resolution: Humility

The dictionary defines humility as 'modesty, lacking pretense, not believing that you're superior to others.' Sometimes my pride comes all dressed up like its humility and it's really just the mask I'm wearing. Self depracation and that refusal to look at the camera aren't really humility. i need to learn how to put that away and wear the real thing: humbleness in all its life like, serving giving, thinking-of-others first beauty. And if someone else even recognizes it, it's doubtful that it really is true humility.

Let me tell you, humility is NOT in my genes. I gravitate toward self conceit, selfishness every time. Just ask my brothers and sister. They know that I would think of myself first when left to my own devices. Putting away that ugly pride I wear requires me to deny myself, ( a bit of nakedness I fear), and that horrible desire in me to BE FIRST!

I am looking forward to this Haiti trip, but I know I I have to be careful not to let my education, my position, my country, status or whatever pre conceived notions I have about Haiti get in the way of being a servant first. I have lots to learn. That's why this month I am resolved about Humility.

" Do nothing from rivalry or coneit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself" (Phil 2:3)

" Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience."