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| photo Taken January 5, 2010 |
Our three Haitian kids stood in front of the Palace a year ago today to be photographed, a week later everything changed.
Quotes pulled from: NYTimes article A Year Later, Haiti Struggles Back.
“The events of Jan. 12 destroyed hundreds of church buildings. But did they kill our churches? Ah, no. Au contraire. We don’t need roofs to pray. God is our cover. " "People are resourceful", the pastor said, “but they carry their losses inside like nagging sorrows.” “In moments like this, with destruction all around, with electoral crisis in the air, with cholera in the water, people have only God,” he said. “God is Haiti’s only uncorrupted leader.”
(Rev. Enso Sylvert)We're not telling you anything new, but Haiti is very much marking time by this disaster. We've only been home a few days and most conversations with friends here include "avant tranbleman'd te a oubyen apre?" Before or after the earthquake? When so many lives were irrevocably changed in that instant it became the permanent time marker for all who experienced the terror and increased struggle that began that day. 2010 felt like the longest year ever for most everyone in Haiti.
The kids did great on day one of school. Hope made me laugh when she was telling me that she met a friend that - "Guess what mom?! She has power all the time!!!" Rather than compare clothing, toys and electronics, kids here compare how often they have electricity and water. Hope is lamenting our no power situation in the evenings. The other night she came to the side of our bed to ask when it might come back on ... my new answer is, "probably in five minutes". Everyone here prefers to have a fan blowing mosquitoes off during the night. Poor Lydie is getting slaughtered, the evil bugs love her. Her cheeks look like she's having early-onset-acne issues with clusters of bites. Troy is trying to get the inverter fixed but until then we're roughing it. (Roughing it being a relative term. We're pretty sure that many in Haiti would love to have the kinds of problems we have. Perspective is everything.)
We are hearing there will not be a second round of elections until February. That means more time without drama. John's assistant, Junior, had the best answer when asked by the expats when the announcement is going to be made. He said, "You'll know when they announce it." TIH.
Women's program (early childhood development) yesterday was fun. Getting to know the first three teen moms in the program a bit better was even more fun. Being with Dokte Jen and Beth and the two Sarah's that are visiting and Agathe was fabulous too.
This morning Beth and I got to run five miles together. :) It felt great and polluted and obstacle filled. It felt normal.
We're trying to find our stride and get the kids settled back into this way of doing life .... more news here when we can. Thanks to each of you that have been praying and encouraging. We're grateful for you.
Tara for all of us
~~~~~~~~~~~
The kids did great on day one of school. Hope made me laugh when she was telling me that she met a friend that - "Guess what mom?! She has power all the time!!!" Rather than compare clothing, toys and electronics, kids here compare how often they have electricity and water. Hope is lamenting our no power situation in the evenings. The other night she came to the side of our bed to ask when it might come back on ... my new answer is, "probably in five minutes". Everyone here prefers to have a fan blowing mosquitoes off during the night. Poor Lydie is getting slaughtered, the evil bugs love her. Her cheeks look like she's having early-onset-acne issues with clusters of bites. Troy is trying to get the inverter fixed but until then we're roughing it. (Roughing it being a relative term. We're pretty sure that many in Haiti would love to have the kinds of problems we have. Perspective is everything.)
We are hearing there will not be a second round of elections until February. That means more time without drama. John's assistant, Junior, had the best answer when asked by the expats when the announcement is going to be made. He said, "You'll know when they announce it." TIH.
Women's program (early childhood development) yesterday was fun. Getting to know the first three teen moms in the program a bit better was even more fun. Being with Dokte Jen and Beth and the two Sarah's that are visiting and Agathe was fabulous too.
This morning Beth and I got to run five miles together. :) It felt great and polluted and obstacle filled. It felt normal.
We're trying to find our stride and get the kids settled back into this way of doing life .... more news here when we can. Thanks to each of you that have been praying and encouraging. We're grateful for you.
Tara for all of us
Wait with hope for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Yes, wait with hope for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14
