Find not too frequent updates from the Livesay family here
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Haitian Countryside
We're missing Haiti and waxing nostalgic tonight while looking at old videos of our kids and of the last four years. This is from late 2006 and shows the absolute beauty of the Haitian country-side and the joy of the Haitian people. It's been fun watching this stuff tonight.
Lord -
We lift the needs of the people of Haiti to you tonight. We ask for your love to be evident to them. We ask for your peace to be made known in the darkness. We ask for deliverance from physical pain and suffering. We ask God, that you remove obstacles that would delay them in rebuilding and healing. We ask that anything done to "help" them be done wisely, respectfully and most of all - with Your love. Amen.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Noah Report (for the Aunts and Grandmas)
This is child #5. He turned six in March. We talked to him for almost a year about going to school. Every time it ended in teary-eyed pleas to "never make him go." He started yesterday, after much drama and angst. (and prayer) Today he had this to say:
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Bam!
Thank you so much!
The 5K match will be granted by Homebound Missions, thanks to all of you. Watch for it to be added to the Chip In meter soon.
The meter is at 22K (exceeding what was required for the match by $1,300!) and a few folks have also donated by mail. We will get a total for the mailed in donations and let you know that soon.
You have now donated enough to purchase 10 houses and 10 more will be given by Maxima. S. A.
20 Families will be helped ... please stay tuned for details on those families. If you would pray for them that would be even better. This process will take some time. Identifying families and sorting out land issues will happen for the next 50+ days.
By mid June we hope to begin to buy and build. We will be accountable to you and report in as they are purchased and built.
Oh, and Paige also owes you all 13.1 miles on June 6th. :) She is preparing to keep up her end of the deal. If you still wish to help the house number grow, the chip in meter will be up and operational until June 10.
Mesi Anpil tout moun!
The 5K match will be granted by Homebound Missions, thanks to all of you. Watch for it to be added to the Chip In meter soon.
The meter is at 22K (exceeding what was required for the match by $1,300!) and a few folks have also donated by mail. We will get a total for the mailed in donations and let you know that soon.
You have now donated enough to purchase 10 houses and 10 more will be given by Maxima. S. A.
20 Families will be helped ... please stay tuned for details on those families. If you would pray for them that would be even better. This process will take some time. Identifying families and sorting out land issues will happen for the next 50+ days.
By mid June we hope to begin to buy and build. We will be accountable to you and report in as they are purchased and built.
Oh, and Paige also owes you all 13.1 miles on June 6th. :) She is preparing to keep up her end of the deal. If you still wish to help the house number grow, the chip in meter will be up and operational until June 10.
Mesi Anpil tout moun!
One Very Bad Hour
Sometimes I wonder why it was that God thought we could handle 7 kids. Or 6 or even 5. I know someone out there is thinking, "You did not end up with 7 kids by accident - your planning (or lack-thereof) is how you ended up with 7 you idiot!!!
I know this sounds ridiculous, but after the adoption of Hope and Isaac and that year and a half of having four children -- we don't recall exactly how the other three ended up in our house.
Every mother has had an hour like this one - sometimes entire days go like this - thankfully we compacted most of the today's drama into one long hour.
I arrived home from an intense counseling session fairly exhausted ... mental toast. I wanted to go lie down and rest but I began to try to connect with the kids. I plopped down in the middle of them.
Paige and I chatted about the counseling while Lydia pushed and fought and tried to climb back inside the womb. Isaac told detailed stories about video games, Noah fretted about what was to come later in the day and Hope quietly listened. Phoebe had come with us to counseling so she had her needs met with full parental attention on the long car ride and the errand stops. She sat quietly listening too.
Troy had gone to help Chris tow his broken down truck to the mechanic.
Lydia began to play with my hair. Playing with my hair means in 14 seconds she is pulling my hair out from the root. I ask nicely, "gentle Lydie" - no change in approach. I ask nicely again "please be gentle" -- YANK, sharp pain from the hardest pull yet. I say "Lydia you are hurting me. Please Stop!" She screams bloody murder. Mad. This child hates being told anything other than "yes".
I send Isaac and Hope and Noah out to jump on the trampoline. I try to get Lydia to calm down. I wonder aloud what you do with a two year old that literally will not receive correction without getting angry and screaming? Paige and I chat a bit and try to get inside of Lydia's head. What causes her tantrums and anger?
I think it seems possible that God meant to send Lydia as an only child - but the day He made her He got really busy and sort of lost track of where He was in assigning personalities types, it seems likely He was in the middle of some sort of world crisis - and that caused a bit of a mix up. Some other family accidentally got a really docile, sweet, compliant child as their only kid. The rest is history.
I settle Lydia down and cuddle with Phoebe for a minute. Paige gets ready for tutoring.
Screaming comes from the trampoline. "What is wrong?", my heart races thinking someone has been hurt badly. Noah says, "I am angry. They are teasing me. Hope is squeezing my shoulder." We talk it out. We discuss that Hope does not have the authority to discipline Noah when she feels he is out of order. We talk about how much Noah wants to be like Isaac and that it is flattering to have someone look up to you like that. We ask that older brothers and sisters allow the younger brother some extra grace today, he is nervous about school. We calm down.
Screaming comes from the house. Lydia has bitten Phoebe. I say to no one in particular, "You're kidding me right now, aren't you?" I break that up and scold one who is instantly enraged for being scolded and I kiss the other and tell her I am sorry. I change both of their diapers.
I hear crying in the kitchen. Noah is going to a preschool program in ten minutes for the first time ever. We have been working toward this day for a year. He says he never ever wants to leave us. He says school is hard. He says the teachers will be mean. I ask him why he thinks that? He says Isaac told him there was a mean teacher. I assure him that the teachers will be so awesome and he will love it. He weeps quietly. I pray with him. I cry too.
Troy gets to the house to pick up the kids that need to go to tutoring/preschool and off they go.
I start dishes and laundry and think about how complex these kids are and how each one of the seven is so so so different from the other. I wonder if God had a lapse in judgment when he assigned this crew to us. I think about that Mother Teresa quote, "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." I mirror her feelings.
I ask Lydie if she wants to take a bath. Her hair has some sort of lotion product in it and it appears that you could use her head to grease a cake pan if you want to. I run the water. She strips down and heads to play in the tub. I quickly try to finish the dishes.
Phoebe comes to tell me she pooped. Poop would have been nice. What she produced was pure liquid, up the back and down the legs. I clean her up and wash her with wipes but she smells rank so I suggest she join Lydia. She happily hops in the tub with her little sister. I go to throw the nasty clothing in the with the load I had just started. I come right back to the bathtub to find Lydia dumping a cup of water on her head. The same water that Phoebe had apparently had her second liquid poop blow-out in. Pouring. it. on. her. head. I screech and scare both girls. I say "get out get out get out". We go to the other bathtub to have a new bath.
Troy comes back. Troy sees - the dishes are done, the laundry is started, the girls are both bathed and in clean clothes. He believes I have had a very wonderful and productive hour. He thinks "Wow, my wife rocks." (I don't actually know if he thought that.)
As soon as he reads this he will know it was not really like that. :)
~t.p.l
I know this sounds ridiculous, but after the adoption of Hope and Isaac and that year and a half of having four children -- we don't recall exactly how the other three ended up in our house.
Every mother has had an hour like this one - sometimes entire days go like this - thankfully we compacted most of the today's drama into one long hour.
I arrived home from an intense counseling session fairly exhausted ... mental toast. I wanted to go lie down and rest but I began to try to connect with the kids. I plopped down in the middle of them.
Paige and I chatted about the counseling while Lydia pushed and fought and tried to climb back inside the womb. Isaac told detailed stories about video games, Noah fretted about what was to come later in the day and Hope quietly listened. Phoebe had come with us to counseling so she had her needs met with full parental attention on the long car ride and the errand stops. She sat quietly listening too.
Troy had gone to help Chris tow his broken down truck to the mechanic.
Lydia began to play with my hair. Playing with my hair means in 14 seconds she is pulling my hair out from the root. I ask nicely, "gentle Lydie" - no change in approach. I ask nicely again "please be gentle" -- YANK, sharp pain from the hardest pull yet. I say "Lydia you are hurting me. Please Stop!" She screams bloody murder. Mad. This child hates being told anything other than "yes".
I send Isaac and Hope and Noah out to jump on the trampoline. I try to get Lydia to calm down. I wonder aloud what you do with a two year old that literally will not receive correction without getting angry and screaming? Paige and I chat a bit and try to get inside of Lydia's head. What causes her tantrums and anger?
I think it seems possible that God meant to send Lydia as an only child - but the day He made her He got really busy and sort of lost track of where He was in assigning personalities types, it seems likely He was in the middle of some sort of world crisis - and that caused a bit of a mix up. Some other family accidentally got a really docile, sweet, compliant child as their only kid. The rest is history.
I settle Lydia down and cuddle with Phoebe for a minute. Paige gets ready for tutoring.
Screaming comes from the trampoline. "What is wrong?", my heart races thinking someone has been hurt badly. Noah says, "I am angry. They are teasing me. Hope is squeezing my shoulder." We talk it out. We discuss that Hope does not have the authority to discipline Noah when she feels he is out of order. We talk about how much Noah wants to be like Isaac and that it is flattering to have someone look up to you like that. We ask that older brothers and sisters allow the younger brother some extra grace today, he is nervous about school. We calm down.
Screaming comes from the house. Lydia has bitten Phoebe. I say to no one in particular, "You're kidding me right now, aren't you?" I break that up and scold one who is instantly enraged for being scolded and I kiss the other and tell her I am sorry. I change both of their diapers.
I hear crying in the kitchen. Noah is going to a preschool program in ten minutes for the first time ever. We have been working toward this day for a year. He says he never ever wants to leave us. He says school is hard. He says the teachers will be mean. I ask him why he thinks that? He says Isaac told him there was a mean teacher. I assure him that the teachers will be so awesome and he will love it. He weeps quietly. I pray with him. I cry too.
Troy gets to the house to pick up the kids that need to go to tutoring/preschool and off they go.
I start dishes and laundry and think about how complex these kids are and how each one of the seven is so so so different from the other. I wonder if God had a lapse in judgment when he assigned this crew to us. I think about that Mother Teresa quote, "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." I mirror her feelings.
I ask Lydie if she wants to take a bath. Her hair has some sort of lotion product in it and it appears that you could use her head to grease a cake pan if you want to. I run the water. She strips down and heads to play in the tub. I quickly try to finish the dishes.
Phoebe comes to tell me she pooped. Poop would have been nice. What she produced was pure liquid, up the back and down the legs. I clean her up and wash her with wipes but she smells rank so I suggest she join Lydia. She happily hops in the tub with her little sister. I go to throw the nasty clothing in the with the load I had just started. I come right back to the bathtub to find Lydia dumping a cup of water on her head. The same water that Phoebe had apparently had her second liquid poop blow-out in. Pouring. it. on. her. head. I screech and scare both girls. I say "get out get out get out". We go to the other bathtub to have a new bath.
Troy comes back. Troy sees - the dishes are done, the laundry is started, the girls are both bathed and in clean clothes. He believes I have had a very wonderful and productive hour. He thinks "Wow, my wife rocks." (I don't actually know if he thought that.)
As soon as he reads this he will know it was not really like that. :)
~~~~~~~
If you read this blog to read about Haiti. You just got punked. Check back tomorrow.~t.p.l
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
We are the World
Compliments of the Heartline Hospital Haitian Children's Choir -
Okay, so they have some work to do.
Okay, so they have some work to do.
truly serving
In recent months I've been so encouraged to watch groups from multiple countries and religious backgrounds work together for the good of the Haitian people. Over and over we saw great cooperation with other medical groups. A beautiful thing took place as we worked together and attempted to offer the patients the very best options available. Sometimes that would mean bringing a patient to Merlin, a UK surgical group. Other times it meant going to the Medishare/Miami Field Hospital to seek out their specialists. Many times we would help by taking the patients from their locations for a few weeks of recovery in order to allow them the space to take surgical cases from Heartline. It just worked. Rarely was there any ego or posturing. Multiple times a week I would stand back and listen to Dr. Jen compliment her colleagues on their work, always thankful for any advice or help they could offer, always willing to return the favor. It felt very special to be a small part of it and to be observing such unusual and inspiring cooperation.
On the flip side I saw a lot of really gross egos doing really gross ego things. There were times when you could just tell you'd picked the wrong time to show up - some giant big-deal doctor would walk up and dismiss you with the flip of his wrist, letting you know that he had no interest in hearing about your patient. He was far too important for the likes of you.
Reading this NewYorkTimes article from earlier this month prompted this post. (Please read it.)
I get a stomach-ache reading that this stuff happens. I probably should not be surprised - but I am.
When helping someone becomes about you - your fame - your notoriety - your glory - your publicity - your ego ... it is time to find a new line of work. I am ticked that anyone would put their own desire to "claim" a person over actually helping the person. I would love the New York Times to do a follow up story on this.
Truly serving people means you lay down your ego. We all struggle to do it at times. I don't think there is a person that has not wanted to be selfish at times or noticed a tendency to put their own agenda first .... but the true servants are the ones that do it quietly, without thanks and without publicity.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of people quietly going about their business serving Haitian people by putting the Haitian person first. They don't have an agenda or anything to gain. These are the true heroes in Haiti. I am praying for them tonight. I am praying for the Dorothy Pearces of the world, the Pat and Melinda Smiths of the world, the Gladys and Henris of the world...and so many others. I pray that they continue to allow the unselfish love of Jesus to shine through them - and be an example to us all.
On the flip side I saw a lot of really gross egos doing really gross ego things. There were times when you could just tell you'd picked the wrong time to show up - some giant big-deal doctor would walk up and dismiss you with the flip of his wrist, letting you know that he had no interest in hearing about your patient. He was far too important for the likes of you.
Reading this NewYorkTimes article from earlier this month prompted this post. (Please read it.)
I get a stomach-ache reading that this stuff happens. I probably should not be surprised - but I am.
When helping someone becomes about you - your fame - your notoriety - your glory - your publicity - your ego ... it is time to find a new line of work. I am ticked that anyone would put their own desire to "claim" a person over actually helping the person. I would love the New York Times to do a follow up story on this.
Truly serving people means you lay down your ego. We all struggle to do it at times. I don't think there is a person that has not wanted to be selfish at times or noticed a tendency to put their own agenda first .... but the true servants are the ones that do it quietly, without thanks and without publicity.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of people quietly going about their business serving Haitian people by putting the Haitian person first. They don't have an agenda or anything to gain. These are the true heroes in Haiti. I am praying for them tonight. I am praying for the Dorothy Pearces of the world, the Pat and Melinda Smiths of the world, the Gladys and Henris of the world...and so many others. I pray that they continue to allow the unselfish love of Jesus to shine through them - and be an example to us all.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tweet and RT Sivouple !
Thank you to each and every person that has chipped in to the housing 1/2 marathon fund. We are only $2,714 away from receiving the Homebound Missions 5K match. The houses are $2,500 each. With the 5K you all are giving, plus the 5K match, plus the Maxima House for House match we are looking at another 8 houses on top of the 12 we had as of Sunday night. (6 you already helped with and the 6 they already gave us!) (20 total houses is just $2,714 away.)
Troy and John will be trying to identify the families that will receive the homes. Please be praying for discernment and wisdom ... so many people have legitimate needs and this will not be an easy thing to decide. Land is also an issue and it will be easier to give house to families that have a small piece of land to put them on. We are also exploring other land options for those that don't already own.
Troy and John will be trying to identify the families that will receive the homes. Please be praying for discernment and wisdom ... so many people have legitimate needs and this will not be an easy thing to decide. Land is also an issue and it will be easier to give house to families that have a small piece of land to put them on. We are also exploring other land options for those that don't already own.
Monday, April 26, 2010
House for House Run for Haiti
Hi Everyone- This is Paige
It's been crazy to watch this all unfold so far. Already reaching the goal is a shock - and so cool! Thank you to everyone who has donated & also to those who have been praying. It' been amazing & I know it is not over yet.
The reason that I chose to have the money that I try to raise go to houses - is that I will know some of the people the houses could go to. I get to help with the Women's Program twice a week and when we have a lady in labor I get to be a doula and help with Kreyol and a lot of those women have become my friends.
I want to tell you about this - Homebound Missions is a ministry that helps out other ministries and they offer material and financial aid to other ministries on the ground. They call themselves the missionaries to the missionaries. Homebound Missions has come forward and are willing to do a matching grant for us. The grant they have offered is for $5,000.
So I'm hoping to raise another 5,000 ( two houses) to get that big grant. If I can raise another 5K by June and they give me 5K (2 more houses) - that will be 4 houses we buy and 4 houses that my friends at Maxima S.A. will give us! 8 more houses as a result of raising 5K more. Right now the meter stands at $15,702. That is a lot of money! If you guys will help me to get to $20,702 then Homebound Missions will give the five thousand that they promised.
Thank you to everyone who has donated & been praying. It means so much to me to know that so many people care about Haiti.
Love,
Paige
It's been crazy to watch this all unfold so far. Already reaching the goal is a shock - and so cool! Thank you to everyone who has donated & also to those who have been praying. It' been amazing & I know it is not over yet.
The reason that I chose to have the money that I try to raise go to houses - is that I will know some of the people the houses could go to. I get to help with the Women's Program twice a week and when we have a lady in labor I get to be a doula and help with Kreyol and a lot of those women have become my friends.
I want to tell you about this - Homebound Missions is a ministry that helps out other ministries and they offer material and financial aid to other ministries on the ground. They call themselves the missionaries to the missionaries. Homebound Missions has come forward and are willing to do a matching grant for us. The grant they have offered is for $5,000.
So I'm hoping to raise another 5,000 ( two houses) to get that big grant. If I can raise another 5K by June and they give me 5K (2 more houses) - that will be 4 houses we buy and 4 houses that my friends at Maxima S.A. will give us! 8 more houses as a result of raising 5K more. Right now the meter stands at $15,702. That is a lot of money! If you guys will help me to get to $20,702 then Homebound Missions will give the five thousand that they promised.
Thank you to everyone who has donated & been praying. It means so much to me to know that so many people care about Haiti.
Love,
Paige
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Weekend Things
We've just completed a weekend with absolutely zilch planned and not much more accomplished.
Saturday Paige and I headed out for a run in the morning. As a newer runner she is doing a walk- run interval but getting stronger by the day and decreasing the walking portions. She hopes to run at least 80% of her 13.1 miles in June. I told her to adopt my plan -- the goal is to cross the finish line on two feet. There is no room for legalism. Not for us anyway. Cover the distance.
Her cheeks turn bright red and her heartrate soars into the 180's as she works to follow the plan set before her. She asked me to be her trainer, I hope it does not prove to be the demise of a very solid mother-daughter friendship. :) She says, "No - I want to do this - sometimes you just have to remind me of that." When she gets home from Youth Group tonight she has some really cool news to share about a NEW matching grant. I'll say nothing more - she wants to tell you.
I ran a few more miles than Paige and returned home to a somber Livesay tribe. "What happened?" - I asked. Troy gave me a look to tell me that I better not make a joke and said, "Hermie was found. Dead. In the toy box."
The beloved Livesay children's pet- a Haitian Hermit Crab found on Wahoo Beach in November of 2009 and smuggled out of Haiti post earthquake by Vivien and Paige - died in Waco, TX of not-so-natural-causes. It turns out that if your hermit crab is left in the bottom of your toy box without water it will eventually fall out of its shell and perish.
Let that be a lesson unto you.
I tried to convince Isaac Hermie had a good run. What other hermit crab crosses the Caribbean by air and eventually becomes a Texan? Isaac was too sad to enjoy any of my dumb jokes. Troy organized a burial service and Hermie was laid to rest. It was all very lovely and crab-honoring ... until later that day when Lydia was bored and decided to try to unearth Hermie.
Troy's solution to the sorrow was to announce a trip to PetSmart. Inside of PetSmart all Livesay children begged for dogs, birds, cats and any type of more legitimate pet. (One parent knew that would happen but refrained from saying "I told you so".) Not to be deterred, Troy kept redirecting their attention to the $5 Hermit Crabs.
Lydia especially loved the rat running in the wheel and squealed with delight, "puppy, puppy, puppy!!!" Yes Lydie, that is a sick little rodent puppy with a long nasty tail that chews in the night and makes sounds that cause your spine to tingle. The kids pushed hard for a guinea pig or gerbil. Troy made generalizations and blanket statements about what types of people have rodents for pets. Some stereotypes are based in reality he said.
And now we've offended a new group of readers.
We left the store with two crabs ... Zero rats, gerbils, or rat-puppies.
Because he hates having his hair picked out, Isaac has let his dream of a large afro die (so much death) - so we went to get a haircut on Saturday. I flat out asked the guy on the phone "Do you know how to do 'black' hair?" I even went as far as to say, "I don't expect that you do - that is why I am asking." I must have caused him to let pride gain the upper hand because he said "Oh, I am certain I can do it."
Yeah, NO. Wrong. Answer.
We will go tomorrow to have a black man repair the damage done by Mr. "I am certain" white guy.
Today we went to church, had our friend from Haiti over for lunch, tried very hard to carry on conversation and remembered that entertaining with children is not easy, fun, or wise. Noah wouldn't let Troy talk to our guest ... he loves the sound of his own voice so very much. After the guest left the kids got a lecture about interrupting, monopolizing conversations, being rude, and acting like ... children!! It reminded me of the time I lost my temper at Noah and said, "Noah Matthew, you are acting like a four year old!" A little voice came from the back seat, "But - I am fo-ah Mama."
It is tuck-in time now and I must be sure the crabs and children are accounted for and mostly clean.
In the background noise of my head I'm continually praying for and thinking of Haiti while simultaneously trying hard to just "be" here and enjoy silly moments in PetSmart and awkward moments in hair salons and just cementing these memories we're making in Waco, Texas.
Yee-Haw.
Saturday Paige and I headed out for a run in the morning. As a newer runner she is doing a walk- run interval but getting stronger by the day and decreasing the walking portions. She hopes to run at least 80% of her 13.1 miles in June. I told her to adopt my plan -- the goal is to cross the finish line on two feet. There is no room for legalism. Not for us anyway. Cover the distance.
Her cheeks turn bright red and her heartrate soars into the 180's as she works to follow the plan set before her. She asked me to be her trainer, I hope it does not prove to be the demise of a very solid mother-daughter friendship. :) She says, "No - I want to do this - sometimes you just have to remind me of that." When she gets home from Youth Group tonight she has some really cool news to share about a NEW matching grant. I'll say nothing more - she wants to tell you.
I ran a few more miles than Paige and returned home to a somber Livesay tribe. "What happened?" - I asked. Troy gave me a look to tell me that I better not make a joke and said, "Hermie was found. Dead. In the toy box."
The beloved Livesay children's pet- a Haitian Hermit Crab found on Wahoo Beach in November of 2009 and smuggled out of Haiti post earthquake by Vivien and Paige - died in Waco, TX of not-so-natural-causes. It turns out that if your hermit crab is left in the bottom of your toy box without water it will eventually fall out of its shell and perish.
Let that be a lesson unto you.
I tried to convince Isaac Hermie had a good run. What other hermit crab crosses the Caribbean by air and eventually becomes a Texan? Isaac was too sad to enjoy any of my dumb jokes. Troy organized a burial service and Hermie was laid to rest. It was all very lovely and crab-honoring ... until later that day when Lydia was bored and decided to try to unearth Hermie.
Troy's solution to the sorrow was to announce a trip to PetSmart. Inside of PetSmart all Livesay children begged for dogs, birds, cats and any type of more legitimate pet. (One parent knew that would happen but refrained from saying "I told you so".) Not to be deterred, Troy kept redirecting their attention to the $5 Hermit Crabs.
Lydia especially loved the rat running in the wheel and squealed with delight, "puppy, puppy, puppy!!!" Yes Lydie, that is a sick little rodent puppy with a long nasty tail that chews in the night and makes sounds that cause your spine to tingle. The kids pushed hard for a guinea pig or gerbil. Troy made generalizations and blanket statements about what types of people have rodents for pets. Some stereotypes are based in reality he said.
And now we've offended a new group of readers.
We left the store with two crabs ... Zero rats, gerbils, or rat-puppies.
Because he hates having his hair picked out, Isaac has let his dream of a large afro die (so much death) - so we went to get a haircut on Saturday. I flat out asked the guy on the phone "Do you know how to do 'black' hair?" I even went as far as to say, "I don't expect that you do - that is why I am asking." I must have caused him to let pride gain the upper hand because he said "Oh, I am certain I can do it."
Yeah, NO. Wrong. Answer.
We will go tomorrow to have a black man repair the damage done by Mr. "I am certain" white guy.
Today we went to church, had our friend from Haiti over for lunch, tried very hard to carry on conversation and remembered that entertaining with children is not easy, fun, or wise. Noah wouldn't let Troy talk to our guest ... he loves the sound of his own voice so very much. After the guest left the kids got a lecture about interrupting, monopolizing conversations, being rude, and acting like ... children!! It reminded me of the time I lost my temper at Noah and said, "Noah Matthew, you are acting like a four year old!" A little voice came from the back seat, "But - I am fo-ah Mama."
It is tuck-in time now and I must be sure the crabs and children are accounted for and mostly clean.
In the background noise of my head I'm continually praying for and thinking of Haiti while simultaneously trying hard to just "be" here and enjoy silly moments in PetSmart and awkward moments in hair salons and just cementing these memories we're making in Waco, Texas.
Yee-Haw.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Marie Rose Lundi
The woman pictured above is Marie Rose. She is a beautiful lady, a woman of great strength... a mother, a daughter, a friend - A courageous and tenacious Haitian woman.
Here she stands looking at what was once her home. The home to the left of hers still stands.
On January 12, 2010 at 4:53 pm she was walking on the street not far from her home near "La Ville" (downtown). Her four children were home, in a second-floor apartment she rented of a three story building.
The earth shook. For 45 seconds the ground trembled with great force.
She ran home as quickly as she could. There she found that the building she called home had collapsed and her four children were buried somewhere within the fallen cement blocks and contents of the house. Time stopped. Marie Rose felt and experienced unimaginable thoughts - things most of us will never ever comprehend or experience.
With the help of neighbors she was able to locate her youngest child Emmanuel, her three year old son. He had suffered severe facial injuries. Her other three children were unreachable, lost in the massive pile of cement, re-bar, and rubble.
The choices Marie Rose had for recovering her other children were non-existent. The man-power to move large blocks of cement did not exist. She had to make a choice to focus her attention on finding Emmanuel help. She had to walk away from three of her children - she had to make that choice uncertain if they had passed away or were possibly still suffering.Emmanuel eventually found help on the USNS Comfort Ship. It was on the ship that his first
surgery took place. Emmanuel was discharged from the ship into the care of Heartline's volunteer medical team. He has been at the Heartline Field Hospital for several weeks now and has had at least two plastic surgeries to continue to re-build his nose.John McHoul and Dr. Jen Halverson visited her former home with Rose Marie recently - and John shared this:
"Pulling up in front of the house, Dr.Jen and I sat quietly as this usually amazingly upbeat woman looked at the fallen house and then looked straight ahead as she took several deep and agonizing breaths, before she got out of the truck."
The neighbors, who clearly knew Rose Marie, stayed back until she approached them. It was not until she approached them that they asked about Emmanuel. "Is he alive? Is he okay?"
"She tentatively climbed up and onto the rubble that was once her home and now was the place where the dead and decaying bodies of her three children still remained. The rubble had already been gone through by people looking to take whatever they could find and scattered among the cement blocks and steel were clothes, broken plastic chairs and a broken TV and not much more. I glad that the mama didn't look deep into one of the crevices and see the withered arm and hand that we saw in a hole among the blocks. The entire body could not be seen as it was buried beneath tons of cement blocks."
"It must have been a helpless feeling as there was nothing in the debris that could be reclaimed. She had lost or had stolen from her everything of value that she had in the house. No pictures, no special items of sentimental value."
Marie Rose lost a lot on January 12th, 2010. She lost her apartment, her place in this world. She lost three beautiful lives, her flesh and blood. She lost every single "earthly" possession that she had worked to acquire. She lost her sense of "normal". She lost friends. She lost her very way of life.
In spite of all of this loss, Marie Rose lives on to support the healing of her son Emmanuel. Marie Rose lives on to thank God for what she still has. We've seen her do that each night as the patients share in a time of prayer and singing together. Marie Rose lives on with many questions about the future. She lives on as an example to us all of what resiliency and strength and unexplainable peace might look like.
Marie Rose is one story out of thousands. We have much work to do to try to find a piece of land to help Marie Rose rebuild. Marie Rose has much work to do to continue in raising her son and healing the deep pain of so much loss.
There are things we can do for Marie Rose.
We can pray for her. We can ask God to grant her on-going strength and miraculous provision. We can also give of our resources. We can be obedient and generous and find avenues to donate to help rebuild lives and homes.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Paige's Goal - Update
You might have noticed in the previous post from Paige, she posted a goal that she thought was somewhat balanced between challenging and obtainable.
Thanks to the generosity of good people, in 30 minutes the goal was reached. :) So -- maybe not such a challenging goal after-all!?? Since then a lot more has come in. Paige is totally excited, thinking that twice her original goal is very likely by race day, June 6, 2010. She is going to leave the goal the way it was and just see what happens. Please consider sponsoring her even though she is over 100% of goal.
The neatest development of all has been an offer made by Maxima S.A. They have offered a house for house match. This is a factory that had been producing products and employing people for a long time - they are in Haiti - and now, post- EQ they are producing pre-fab houses. They are creating many jobs by doing all of the work in Haiti - you may have seen them when former Presidents Bush and Clinton visited their factory a few weeks ago.
This came from them last night: We are linking you to their site to see what the houses look like. We are estimating that each house will cost $2,500. For every ONE house that Paige can raise funds for, Maxima S.A. will give her a house!
As of the posting of this update - WITH YOUR HELP - Paige has enough to purchase FOUR homes and Maxima S.A. will GIVE her FOUR more -- Eight Houses and Eight families helped.
We're really excited to see where this goes. Amazing things have happened in less than 24 hours. Thanks for joining in and not only encouraging Paige -- but more importantly, helping the people of Haiti begin to rebuild.
We will keep you posted as we're able to identify the families that will be receiving new homes. A link to the Chip In Meter for Paige's race is also being added to the left side of this blog. Thanks for chipping in!
T & T & P
Thanks to the generosity of good people, in 30 minutes the goal was reached. :) So -- maybe not such a challenging goal after-all!?? Since then a lot more has come in. Paige is totally excited, thinking that twice her original goal is very likely by race day, June 6, 2010. She is going to leave the goal the way it was and just see what happens. Please consider sponsoring her even though she is over 100% of goal.
The neatest development of all has been an offer made by Maxima S.A. They have offered a house for house match. This is a factory that had been producing products and employing people for a long time - they are in Haiti - and now, post- EQ they are producing pre-fab houses. They are creating many jobs by doing all of the work in Haiti - you may have seen them when former Presidents Bush and Clinton visited their factory a few weeks ago.
This came from them last night: We are linking you to their site to see what the houses look like. We are estimating that each house will cost $2,500. For every ONE house that Paige can raise funds for, Maxima S.A. will give her a house!
As of the posting of this update - WITH YOUR HELP - Paige has enough to purchase FOUR homes and Maxima S.A. will GIVE her FOUR more -- Eight Houses and Eight families helped.
We're really excited to see where this goes. Amazing things have happened in less than 24 hours. Thanks for joining in and not only encouraging Paige -- but more importantly, helping the people of Haiti begin to rebuild.
We will keep you posted as we're able to identify the families that will be receiving new homes. A link to the Chip In Meter for Paige's race is also being added to the left side of this blog. Thanks for chipping in!
T & T & P
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
From Paige Noelle
This is an appeal. I hope you'll help me. In case you have only been reading since the earthquake, I will tell you about myself. I am 15, the second oldest in my family, and lived in Haiti for four years until the earthquake caused me to have to go to Texas. I think being in Texas has been good and bad and easy and hard. I am excited for my family to get back home. Some days I really miss Haiti.
I've decided to run a half marathon. It is a way I can do something for Haiti from here. I'll be running it with my mom & my aunt Tina. This will be my first one, I'm very excited but also a little nervous. Like my mom did when she ran two marathons last year, I want to raise money for people in Haiti.
My goal is to get $500 per-mile.. so $6,500 is what I hope to raise. I want the money that I raise to go towards building houses, and getting a family or two back on their feet. I hope to be able to show you a rebuilt house and I will be making sure your donations go through a 501c3 so that you can have a tax-receipt too.
**Edit - The goal was smashed so quickly! I hope that you will still think and pray about getting involved - who knows how many houses we could buy!? ALSO - Maxima S.A. has offered to GIVE me one house free for every house I buy from them. They are making pre-fab homes and giving people jobs doing that in Haiti and want to help! They are giving me a house for house grant.
I love Haiti. I am looking forward to the day we get to go home. Haiti is my home, and I miss my home. I miss working in the Women's Program and I miss speaking Kreyol. I miss my friends.
I've never really been a runner before, I've run only a few times with my mom. It won't be easy for me, I have a lot of training and hard work to do. Now that I'm signed up for the half-marathon, I am excited to do this and be able to raise funds for people I love while doing it. My Mom is helping me train so I will be ready to race on June 6, 2010.
If you will sponsor me, there is a "Chip-In" meter to pledge any amount per mile that you wish. That money you give will go directly to Heartline Ministries and will be added to a major project they have going to raise funds for housing. With your help we can buy houses and Maxima will match what we buy and MANY families will be helped.
To sponsor me at:
$1 per mile please donate $13
$3 per mile please donate 39
$5 per mile please donate $65
$10 per mile please donate $130
OR more! Any amount is appreciated and will help my Haitian friends re-build.
Please sponsor me !
Love,
Paige
Texas Kid helping Haiti's Kids
The handsome little guy in the green is Jaden from Texas. Jaden is six years old. After hearing more about the earthquake he asked his mom and dad if he could do some fund-raising for Haiti. He took it upon himself to go around to neighbors and friends with his plastic red heart asking for change. In total he raised $64 for Haiti ... all by himself, age six. He was so proud to turn it over to us. We were touched by his desire to help and pretty impressed that he boldly asked others to get on board. We can all learn something from Jaden. :)Troy will hand deliver Jaden's funds to Haiti in a couple of weeks. The two Haitian boys (both 10 years old) pictured are at the Heartline Hospital recovering from severe earthquake injuries and much loss. Jaden's donation will help them. Please continue to pray for Rosemon (left) and Rony (right).
Noah & Jaden (both 6)
Noah & Jaden (both 6)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
adoption
Troy and I are in Houston with five of the kids. Britt and Chris are caring for Lydie in Waco.
We're so enjoying our time together. It has been very fun to see Phoebe in a new light. She seems pretty pumped about being with the "big kids" and having ditched Lydia. Even at three years old, she knows this is a special weekend and she was chosen to come along. Usually she is not very verbal at all. She never has been. She is talking more this weekend than we have ever heard. It is so fun, she sounds just like Elmo - it is marvelous. :)
We don't often write about it, but of our children Phoebe is the only one that has consistently shown some signs of attachment challenges. It is so interesting because she has been with us since she was just ten weeks old.
I've been reading more and more about the damage that can take place even in the womb during stressful pregnancies and the bond between a mother and a child is very real and something we cannot understand or fully grasp. Phoebe has residual hurts. Whether that stems from a stressful pregnancy, being left in an orphanage, or something else all together ... we cannot know. I love her and celebrate moments like this weekend when I see her blossoming and trusting and so so happy. I pray for healing in her little heart and that we can be for her what she needs us to be, both today and tomorrow.
I wish it was a perfect happy world where the need for adoption did not exist, but we all know we're a long way from that world. In the United States and all around the globe children are waiting on us to respond. Adoption is not easy. The process itself is incredibly difficult and painful. Helping children heal can be a horrific thing to witness. But - I don't think that changes anything, I still believe we are called to respond.
Adoption is both complicated and beautiful. Each of my children are wonderfully complicated and beautiful. I grieve that my children spent 14 months, 9 months and 10 weeks institutionalized and largely neglected. I know that hurt them and is a permanent part of their story. But I rejoice that love heals many wounds. I pray for children waiting in institutions. No one will ever convince me institutions are an okay place for children. Every child deserves an opportunity to be cared for, cherished, loved.
Aaron Ivey is a good friend. Paige loves this song of his about adoption and it has been playing (blaring) at our house a lot these past few weeks. Every time Isaac hears it he says, "Mama, this is that song about fighting to get us home - right??" He loves that image of being fought for ... I do too. I have a Father who fought for me, and continues to fight for me. I want to do the same for my children.
Enjoy it - (it's awesome) and please, pray for the millions of children going to sleep tonight with no mommy and no daddy and no one to make them feel special and loved.
(This won best video at Attic Film Festival earlier tonight!)
We're so enjoying our time together. It has been very fun to see Phoebe in a new light. She seems pretty pumped about being with the "big kids" and having ditched Lydia. Even at three years old, she knows this is a special weekend and she was chosen to come along. Usually she is not very verbal at all. She never has been. She is talking more this weekend than we have ever heard. It is so fun, she sounds just like Elmo - it is marvelous. :)
We don't often write about it, but of our children Phoebe is the only one that has consistently shown some signs of attachment challenges. It is so interesting because she has been with us since she was just ten weeks old.
I've been reading more and more about the damage that can take place even in the womb during stressful pregnancies and the bond between a mother and a child is very real and something we cannot understand or fully grasp. Phoebe has residual hurts. Whether that stems from a stressful pregnancy, being left in an orphanage, or something else all together ... we cannot know. I love her and celebrate moments like this weekend when I see her blossoming and trusting and so so happy. I pray for healing in her little heart and that we can be for her what she needs us to be, both today and tomorrow.
I wish it was a perfect happy world where the need for adoption did not exist, but we all know we're a long way from that world. In the United States and all around the globe children are waiting on us to respond. Adoption is not easy. The process itself is incredibly difficult and painful. Helping children heal can be a horrific thing to witness. But - I don't think that changes anything, I still believe we are called to respond.
Adoption is both complicated and beautiful. Each of my children are wonderfully complicated and beautiful. I grieve that my children spent 14 months, 9 months and 10 weeks institutionalized and largely neglected. I know that hurt them and is a permanent part of their story. But I rejoice that love heals many wounds. I pray for children waiting in institutions. No one will ever convince me institutions are an okay place for children. Every child deserves an opportunity to be cared for, cherished, loved.
Aaron Ivey is a good friend. Paige loves this song of his about adoption and it has been playing (blaring) at our house a lot these past few weeks. Every time Isaac hears it he says, "Mama, this is that song about fighting to get us home - right??" He loves that image of being fought for ... I do too. I have a Father who fought for me, and continues to fight for me. I want to do the same for my children.
Enjoy it - (it's awesome) and please, pray for the millions of children going to sleep tonight with no mommy and no daddy and no one to make them feel special and loved.
(This won best video at Attic Film Festival earlier tonight!)
Just a link for Saturday
Kim and Patrick are friends we love and respect ... we hope you'll read their thoughts and pray for their family.
Praying for Haiti,
T & T & Tribe
Praying for Haiti,
T & T & Tribe
Friday, April 16, 2010
Weekend
Read Liliane's story on Dokte Jen's blog.
If you're in Houston, TX we'd love to meet you Sunday at Ecclesia Church.
Troy's travel back to Tejas was smooth and uneventful. Thanks for the prayers.
April 15 - tax day is now a distant memory. For the fourth year in a row, the Livesays have filed for an extension. We are nothing if not consistent.
More stories and photos from Troy's time coming soon ...
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Family
This is a photo of a family. A beautiful, strong family.
A mother, a father, and five of their six children.
The oldest son is 24 and has gone to school. He is their hope for a better future.
When he comes home from school he will join his mom and dad and brothers and sisters in a "home" with "walls" made of sheets and a "roof" made of woven banana leaves.
They might be able to cook some rice for dinner. They don't eat dinner every night. They need to be careful about their food and charcoal supply. If tonight is a night to cook, to eat, they will step outside of their "home" and cook in a large pot over charcoal just outside their front "door". If their neighbors need food, they will share.
When the sun begins to go down they will whisper to one another by candle light as they lie on thin mats placed on top of the rocks. Throughout the night the rain will fall and the sheets will be blown by the wind. They will move things around to try to avoid the steams of water that run through, under, and around their meager belongings. As hard as they try, they will not rest, they will not sleep.
The sun will rise, a new day will come, and they will survive another day.
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Paige:
I am so proud of you!!
MAXIMA S.A. wants to sponsor you:
For every house you raise money for, they will give you a house for FREE.
Go Girl !!
Love,
Stefan & Els
MAXIMA S.A.