Bullets of Busy

• Troy is kissing the auto part that arrived just in time to save our buns with a team that arrives tomorrow. Working out transportation for teams is always an adventure (which is the nice way to say it is always a big hairy mess). We have a large truck on loan, we're using it while other missionaries are out of the country. We are paying them for the miles we put on it ... but Tipap dropped motor oil all over the air filter a few weeks ago and then NO replacement air filter could be located in the USA or Haiti. The clock ticked toward July 29 and Troy's nerves were beginning to show. We wondered if 12 people and 26 bags would fit into a six passenger car if we removed all the seats and stacked people like wood. We've seen crazier things packed into small vehciles. Then, like manna from Heaven, this glorious item arrived to the island - it matters not how it got here --- we're just happy it did. And now, the team that never knew how close we came to not having transportation -- once again has transportation.
  

• Today we hopped in that borrowed truck to go pick up the 20 chairs we ordered to go with Beth's new giant table. We headed north. A friend from out that way called to inform us that he had stopped to check on our chairs. It turns out the man who made them finished them last week, knew we would be coming, yet decided to sell them for a little quick cash in the last day or two. Even though we paid him in full six weeks ago. And he promised them to be finished by July 1st. So, no chairs for Beth. That kind of thing does not even give a rise in heart rate anymore - TIH - and that is how it works here. Deal with it or go slowly insane.

• Randy (World Wide Village) arrived with two Teen Challenge Board Members today. They are here until Monday. We're hoping their trip will be productive. They are two houses away and my kids will be raiding their rooms for candy/treats when they leave. Or, maybe before they leave.

• A team from Michigan arrives tomorrow (the team that once again has transportation) and Troy will be taking them south to Petit Goave on Thursday. They come back to Port next week to work with Heartline for a day before they head back home. Troy sort of needs to be in three places at once from Thursday until Sunday ... I will enjoy watching him figure out how to do that.

• Thursday the greatly anticipated arrival of a super star named Paige takes place ... along with my sister Tina. Isaac, Hope, and Noah have not stopped talking about it for two days. It happens to be my birthday and I find the timing of their arrival to be a perfect gift. The poll on the blog seems to indicate that I will now be in my late thirties. Bummer. I'm not suggesting anything. But your vote could change me back to my mid thirties, the way I prefer to think of myself.
  

• Friday we are going to complete a 15 mile training run. (Yes, scared.) My left hip hurts thinking about it ... but avek Jezi epi avek glace nou kapab (with Jesus and ice we can) ...I hope so anyway.

• Noah was our entertainment on our failed ride to go get the chairs today. He was waxing theological with all sorts of observations about God. The highlights were quickly written down before we forgot ... Here is what we learned: 1. When Noah gets to Heaven he is planning to bow down to God (he demonstrated for us in the truck). Seems so logical for this particular child, it warmed the cockles of our sweaty hearts. 2. He is hoping that God has both hot water and a swimming pool. But, if he had to guess he figures maybe hot water is realistic but not the swimming pool. He really liked that hot water at Britt's wedding. He thinks that Florida is really onto something offering that to its visitors. 3. He is very anxious to "see what cuh-whoa (color) God is". When I asked what color he *thinks* God is he said, "ye-woh" (yellow) in a matter of fact tone. Then we went on to other topics. A few minutes later he said, "The weason I say God is ye-woh is because He is a twezow (treasure) and a twezow is usuawy (usually) gode (gold) and gode is like the cuh-whoa (color) ye-woh." Who knew I had such a deep thinker on my hands? Also, any speech pathologists heading this way?

• Troy is mostly known as "Mr. Choy" here in Haiti. The "Tr" combination of letters is not an easy combination for native Creole speakers. Mr. Choy is going to start a reocurring column on the blog called "Mr. Choy's Texts" - in this column he will share some of the best (funniest, oddest, etc.) text messages he has received. I am hoping he will get to this in the next few days. They are truly wonderfully entertaining. Right now we get them from people we have never heard of ... his cell phone number seems to be making the rounds. Incidentally, I am Madame Choy. No one texts me.
  

• A pregnant lady showed up at my house late morning. She was looking for the Women's Program and ended up four blocks away at my house. I still don't get who directed her our way. I had her hop in the truck with me and we went over to the right house. I talked with her a bit and learned she is due at any moment (two days ago technically) and that she thinks it is a girl (but does not know that) and that she does not want to keep the baby. I wrangled John in and asked him to do his thing. Troy has shared with me some of what John says and I always thought it sounded great and was so important. But sitting and hearing John say it today - I felt deep sorrow for the 19 year old mom. John does not want people placing babies if he can help them find a different way. All of you who know John know he is one peculiar dude ... but when it comes time to be serious and deep --- he shows up. I love that about him. I listened as he explained to her that the baby would not see her, would not know her, would not speak Creole, might never come back to Haiti, etc. etc. Then he said "That's not good, right?" (Sa pa bon, no?) He tried to help her think of ways to keep the baby. She said she understood all of that but that she could not keep this baby. John told her to go get her papers and come back to talk again. Maybe something will change for her in the coming days. John asks them to come back a few times in order to keep them thinking things through for a longer period of time. Toward the end of our conversation she let it slip that her Mom does not know she is pregnant so getting the papers out in the countryside might not be so easy right now. So many here lead such heavy lives. Be praying this young mom makes the best decision for herself and her baby.
  

• Thank you THANK YOU for continuing to sponsor the Medika Mamba Marathon ... 66 days until race day. Things are looking really good for making the 26K goal. The Chiropractor is out of the country for four more weeks, I am praying I can stay injury free during this time without her help.

• That is all.