My apologies for the extreme infrequency of my posts lately. Preparing for marriage can be a little consuming. In fact this will be my last post on this site. My next post will be found on the blog currently belonging to Bobi, at http://web.me.com/bobibender/Site/Welcome.html
I know, sharing a blog with someone......marriage truly is life-changing.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Flying Solo in Haiti
It has been an eventful few weeks since my last post. On October 21st I flew to Missouri with Bobi so I could witness our parents meeting for the first time. We also met with some caterers and made some major decorating decisions while I was there. I do so love being part of decorating decisions. On the 25th I had to say good-bye to Bobi at the Kansas City airport and travel back to Haiti. That was obviously a very difficult thing to do, but we both felt that I needed to spend these few weeks in Canaan.
So here I am. Things have been good since I've been back. The kids seem to magically be more responsive to discipline. I think part of that is due to me learning certain weapons I can wield in the school, and that carries over to stuff in the yard as well. I mentioned to someone yesterday that this if the first time I haven't had one of the kids mad at me. That changed this morning, but it was nice for a minute or two.
We are working on doing something special for the kids for Christmas. The large majority of the kids have parents here in Haiti, most of whom live in Port-au-Prince. Some of them come and visit their child once or twice a year, but many of them do not. We are going to invite all the parents to come here for a school banquet before Christmas. Those who want to come will also be encouraged to take their kids home for a week or two. That would be a special thing for lots of the kids. The kids who don't have that option would be taken to a couple nicer spots in Haiti to spend some time. All in all it would be something that I don't think the kids would soon forget.
So that's what is happening here. Two more weeks here in Haiti and then I head home to take care of some things. :)
So here I am. Things have been good since I've been back. The kids seem to magically be more responsive to discipline. I think part of that is due to me learning certain weapons I can wield in the school, and that carries over to stuff in the yard as well. I mentioned to someone yesterday that this if the first time I haven't had one of the kids mad at me. That changed this morning, but it was nice for a minute or two.
We are working on doing something special for the kids for Christmas. The large majority of the kids have parents here in Haiti, most of whom live in Port-au-Prince. Some of them come and visit their child once or twice a year, but many of them do not. We are going to invite all the parents to come here for a school banquet before Christmas. Those who want to come will also be encouraged to take their kids home for a week or two. That would be a special thing for lots of the kids. The kids who don't have that option would be taken to a couple nicer spots in Haiti to spend some time. All in all it would be something that I don't think the kids would soon forget.
So that's what is happening here. Two more weeks here in Haiti and then I head home to take care of some things. :)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Three-Month Review
Tomorrow marks the end of my third month in Haiti. I'll attempt to give a summary of my experience here. Obviously a lot of what has happened has been affected by the whole meeting my wife-to-be scenario, but I'll try to look beyond that a little for this post.
The first few months here have left me with mixed emotions about a lot of things. I love the people I work with here, whether they be volunteers from various places, or the Haitian workers who put up with us volunteers. I hope that as I work on learning Creole I can get to know them better and better.
I enjoy my work in the school as well. There are times of frustrations with not having the supplies that we need or not being able to run as "tight" of a school as I am used to, but nothing that is overwhelming. I spend most of the school day working with the kids individually on things they are struggling with, and I find that fulfilling, and even fun at times. This is not to say that I do a great job explaining things clearly to them, but I'm working on that.
Then there are the kids..........what to say about the kids? I love them. I truly do. They drive me nuts. They truly do. As individuals I like every one of them. They each have their own personalities and quirks which are really fun to learn. On the flipside of that is how they occasionally act in groups. Attempting to do devotions or Sunday School with the younger boys is not pleasant. Therein lies the difficulty of attempting to be friends with the kids, but at the same time being able to discipline. Up until now I have attempted to go the friend route, but it may be that I need to start doing more disciplining. At times things can be incredibly frustrating when the kids show no respect for the workers here or each other. For example, last week we had one of the little girls get hit in the eye with something thrown by one of the boys. She is currently in Miami receiving medical treatment and may not regain sight in one of her eyes. It's an extreme example, but you'd be amazed at how many times I've had to tell the kids to stop throwing things even since this incident.
Teams that visit for a week or two don't experience the negative side of dealing with the kids for the most part. I anticipated that there would be challenges, but it has probably been more trying for me emotionally than I had expected. It makes me wonder if I am truly cut out to do what I'm doing. I hope that by the time next summer rolls around I can answer that question.
That's all for now I suppose. I've noticed that my blog has become a little humorless so I'll try to remedy that with the next post. Perhaps a post of my overall odor and how I don't even notice it anymore.
The first few months here have left me with mixed emotions about a lot of things. I love the people I work with here, whether they be volunteers from various places, or the Haitian workers who put up with us volunteers. I hope that as I work on learning Creole I can get to know them better and better.
I enjoy my work in the school as well. There are times of frustrations with not having the supplies that we need or not being able to run as "tight" of a school as I am used to, but nothing that is overwhelming. I spend most of the school day working with the kids individually on things they are struggling with, and I find that fulfilling, and even fun at times. This is not to say that I do a great job explaining things clearly to them, but I'm working on that.
Then there are the kids..........what to say about the kids? I love them. I truly do. They drive me nuts. They truly do. As individuals I like every one of them. They each have their own personalities and quirks which are really fun to learn. On the flipside of that is how they occasionally act in groups. Attempting to do devotions or Sunday School with the younger boys is not pleasant. Therein lies the difficulty of attempting to be friends with the kids, but at the same time being able to discipline. Up until now I have attempted to go the friend route, but it may be that I need to start doing more disciplining. At times things can be incredibly frustrating when the kids show no respect for the workers here or each other. For example, last week we had one of the little girls get hit in the eye with something thrown by one of the boys. She is currently in Miami receiving medical treatment and may not regain sight in one of her eyes. It's an extreme example, but you'd be amazed at how many times I've had to tell the kids to stop throwing things even since this incident.
Teams that visit for a week or two don't experience the negative side of dealing with the kids for the most part. I anticipated that there would be challenges, but it has probably been more trying for me emotionally than I had expected. It makes me wonder if I am truly cut out to do what I'm doing. I hope that by the time next summer rolls around I can answer that question.
That's all for now I suppose. I've noticed that my blog has become a little humorless so I'll try to remedy that with the next post. Perhaps a post of my overall odor and how I don't even notice it anymore.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Chapel in the Cafeteria
Sunday morning church was a tad interesting this week. With the chapel currently serving my classroom we had to hold the service in our dining hall. It actually worked out splendidly since we had government power to run the ceiling fans. Anyhow, we crammed into the dining hall and went through a fairly normal service. Things got interesting as things wound down.
An older couple from the community came forward because they wanted to be saved. Obviously an exciting moment. As they began talking to Pastor Henri it became clear that they had been living together (for 28 years) and weren't married. They aren't exactly breaking new ground there, but for Christians in Haiti that is unacceptable. Sexual immorality is a huge problem here, not only from a spiritual standpoint, but also on a life or death level, since so many people live in poverty and have trouble supporting children, even in a home with both parents. Pastor Henri simply told them that he couldn't pray with them until they had resolved the living together situation. The obvious solution was for him to marry them first. So in front of 70 kids, a few members of their community, and a visiting team of guys from Florida, this couple got married. Approximately 20 seconds after saying "I do" they also prayed with Pastor Henri and were saved. Big day.
Of course the fun didn't stop there. As soon as the couple turned and went back to their seats Pastor Henri set his sights on Bobi and I. Bobi was more than willing to play along and had already come over and was standing by me with a fairly sizable smile on her face. Pastor Henri began to speak of another couple in attendance who may want to seize the opportunity to join together in holy matrimony. Now let me say that I gave some brief, but alarmingly serious, thought to taking care of business right then and there. Pastor Henri asked if anyone would object to Bobi and I getting married, and was met with only a weak "yes" from Jojo, one of the younger boys. However when he asked if anyone was in favor, he was met with resounding cheers and the banging of tables. Peer pressure at its best. Despite the excitement and rare opportunity to go ahead and marry the woman I love, I simply said "pa kounye" (not now) and the service ended. Such is life here in Haiti.
An older couple from the community came forward because they wanted to be saved. Obviously an exciting moment. As they began talking to Pastor Henri it became clear that they had been living together (for 28 years) and weren't married. They aren't exactly breaking new ground there, but for Christians in Haiti that is unacceptable. Sexual immorality is a huge problem here, not only from a spiritual standpoint, but also on a life or death level, since so many people live in poverty and have trouble supporting children, even in a home with both parents. Pastor Henri simply told them that he couldn't pray with them until they had resolved the living together situation. The obvious solution was for him to marry them first. So in front of 70 kids, a few members of their community, and a visiting team of guys from Florida, this couple got married. Approximately 20 seconds after saying "I do" they also prayed with Pastor Henri and were saved. Big day.
Of course the fun didn't stop there. As soon as the couple turned and went back to their seats Pastor Henri set his sights on Bobi and I. Bobi was more than willing to play along and had already come over and was standing by me with a fairly sizable smile on her face. Pastor Henri began to speak of another couple in attendance who may want to seize the opportunity to join together in holy matrimony. Now let me say that I gave some brief, but alarmingly serious, thought to taking care of business right then and there. Pastor Henri asked if anyone would object to Bobi and I getting married, and was met with only a weak "yes" from Jojo, one of the younger boys. However when he asked if anyone was in favor, he was met with resounding cheers and the banging of tables. Peer pressure at its best. Despite the excitement and rare opportunity to go ahead and marry the woman I love, I simply said "pa kounye" (not now) and the service ended. Such is life here in Haiti.
Monday, September 28, 2009
My apologies for the lack of recent posts. Things have been a bit crazy with my recent trip to the States. I returned yesterday with a bunch of stuff for Canaan and a fiance as well. Bobi and I officially got engaged on Wednesday the 23rd, so needless to say our trip went well. Hopefully I'll have time later this week to post again. Farewell.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
A little concrete work
Marcus is tired. Today we poured some concrete on a new roof which will expand the living quarters for some of the older girls here. Pouring concrete here in Canaan is quite an experience. Everyone gets up early and a mixer is brought in. Almost all of the kids make a line so they can pass these old, rickety buckets full of concrete. I had the honor of being one of the guys filling the mixer with buckets of sand, concrete, and gravel. As far as I can tell that was the worst possible job. My coworker was the other American male missionary, Josh. Needless to say we aren't used to such work in the Haitian heat. We survived, but just barely.
School started here on Monday. Things went fairly well. I'm having a little trouble figuring out exactly what my responsibilities are. I'm a little concerned that the staff turns to me too quickly, but that is somewhat normal for visiting missionaries (or CCV's......Cross-Cultural Volunteers) from what I can tell. I get along well with the staff and I'm confident everything will work out.
School got out early on Friday so I spent the afternoon helping Bobi in the clinic. The clinic has two local nurses who do a fantastic job with limited resources. Bobi has been helping manage the clinic while Elsie (who usually does it) has been away. She also helps in the pharmacy a fair amount. I helped sort through medication and update a few records. The clinic handles 40-50 people a day. People generally come very early to get a good spot in line, but some sit outside the clinic all day waiting to be seen. Sometimes they get a bit impatient and the nurses have to put the smack down a bit. It's fun to witness those times.
So all in all things are going well. I will actually be flying back to the States on the 19th to spend some time with my family and Bobi's family. I know I won't be able to see all of you, but hopefully I'll catch up to a few of you.
Until next time......
School started here on Monday. Things went fairly well. I'm having a little trouble figuring out exactly what my responsibilities are. I'm a little concerned that the staff turns to me too quickly, but that is somewhat normal for visiting missionaries (or CCV's......Cross-Cultural Volunteers) from what I can tell. I get along well with the staff and I'm confident everything will work out.
School got out early on Friday so I spent the afternoon helping Bobi in the clinic. The clinic has two local nurses who do a fantastic job with limited resources. Bobi has been helping manage the clinic while Elsie (who usually does it) has been away. She also helps in the pharmacy a fair amount. I helped sort through medication and update a few records. The clinic handles 40-50 people a day. People generally come very early to get a good spot in line, but some sit outside the clinic all day waiting to be seen. Sometimes they get a bit impatient and the nurses have to put the smack down a bit. It's fun to witness those times.
So all in all things are going well. I will actually be flying back to the States on the 19th to spend some time with my family and Bobi's family. I know I won't be able to see all of you, but hopefully I'll catch up to a few of you.
Until next time......
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Day in the Life
Several people have asked what I do on a daily basis. I wish I had a good answer, but it is never the same. Here is a rundown on how I spent my Monday.
Woke up at 6:30 to go down and do devotions with some of the younger boys. They are somewhat attentive, but generally end up chit-chatting with each other while we talk, which is completely normal for kids their age. After devotions we had breakfast, which was bread and eggs. After breakfast Bobi decided that she needed to go to St. Marc to buy supplies for making Medika Mamba. Usually she gets shipments of the mamba from a factory in the northern part of the country, but they have been late for the last month or so which has forced us to make the mamba ourselves.
At 9:00 Bobi and I went with Jean Wesseley (one of the older guys here at Canaan) to Saint Marc. It takes about 30 minutes by tap-tap. A tap-tap is a pickup truck loaded down with people traveling to and fro. It can occasionally be an uncomfortable ride, depending on how many people are jammed together. On this trip I set up shop on the back bumper, so it was a good ride.
We arrived in Saint Marc and jumped on a motorcycle taxi which took us further into town. We went to the local cell phone store and then to the grocery store. At the store we cleaned out their supplies of peanut butter and vegetable oil. We threw it all in a couple bags and jumped back on a motorcycle. The motorcycle I was on had the driver, Bobi, me, and our huge bag of peanut butter weaving through city traffic back to the tap-tap station. We jumped off the motorcycle and climbed back into the first tap-tap we could find heading back home. We were the first ones on so we had a little sugarcane while we waited.
When we got back to Canaan we mixed the peanut butter and the oil with sugar and milk to make the medika mamba which gets passed out to malnourished kids. We had that done by dinner. After dinner I put in a movie for the kids, which happened to be Little Giants. A fine choice. I sat with the kids and watched the movie for awhile before heading up to Bobi's house with Josh (an Ohio native) to get on the internet for a bit. Two hours and three sent emails later it was time for bed.
So that is a somewhat typical day. Admittedly not the most exciting thing I've ever written, but hopefully it gives everyone a bit of an idea of what happens around here. If I'm not hitting on the interesting stuff please let me know.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Woke up at 6:30 to go down and do devotions with some of the younger boys. They are somewhat attentive, but generally end up chit-chatting with each other while we talk, which is completely normal for kids their age. After devotions we had breakfast, which was bread and eggs. After breakfast Bobi decided that she needed to go to St. Marc to buy supplies for making Medika Mamba. Usually she gets shipments of the mamba from a factory in the northern part of the country, but they have been late for the last month or so which has forced us to make the mamba ourselves.
At 9:00 Bobi and I went with Jean Wesseley (one of the older guys here at Canaan) to Saint Marc. It takes about 30 minutes by tap-tap. A tap-tap is a pickup truck loaded down with people traveling to and fro. It can occasionally be an uncomfortable ride, depending on how many people are jammed together. On this trip I set up shop on the back bumper, so it was a good ride.
We arrived in Saint Marc and jumped on a motorcycle taxi which took us further into town. We went to the local cell phone store and then to the grocery store. At the store we cleaned out their supplies of peanut butter and vegetable oil. We threw it all in a couple bags and jumped back on a motorcycle. The motorcycle I was on had the driver, Bobi, me, and our huge bag of peanut butter weaving through city traffic back to the tap-tap station. We jumped off the motorcycle and climbed back into the first tap-tap we could find heading back home. We were the first ones on so we had a little sugarcane while we waited.
When we got back to Canaan we mixed the peanut butter and the oil with sugar and milk to make the medika mamba which gets passed out to malnourished kids. We had that done by dinner. After dinner I put in a movie for the kids, which happened to be Little Giants. A fine choice. I sat with the kids and watched the movie for awhile before heading up to Bobi's house with Josh (an Ohio native) to get on the internet for a bit. Two hours and three sent emails later it was time for bed.
So that is a somewhat typical day. Admittedly not the most exciting thing I've ever written, but hopefully it gives everyone a bit of an idea of what happens around here. If I'm not hitting on the interesting stuff please let me know.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Hot Seat......Special Edition
Today we will not be introducing you to one of the kids here at Canaan, but instead you will meet one my fellow workers here in Canaan. Bobi has many roles here, including girlfriend (of me if you hadn't guessed), so she obviously needs a lot of prayer. Let's begin.
Me: Hey Bobi.
Bobi: (giggles) Hi.
Me: How long have you been in Haiti?
Bobi: 11.5 months.
Me: And what have you been doing here in that time?
Bobi: Working with a malnutrition program that currently helps around 60 families...........and meeting the man of my dreams.
Me: Tell me more about that...... so when did you know I was Mr. Right?
Bobi: When I picked you up from the airport. (laughs)
Me: When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Bobi: Several things.....a teacher, an actress, and a fashion designer.
Me: What are three words I should use when describing you to people?
Bobi: Outgoing, content (her choices), and magnificent (my choice)
(at this point in the interview we almost accidentally kissed in front of around 30 impressionable children)
Me: What is the biggest challenge to dating here in Haiti/Canaan?
Bobi: There are always people around and you feel a little bit like you are in a fish bowl, or a zoo cage.
(at this point in the interview a little boy named Winchel came and sat on Bobi's lap)
Me: How do you feel about baseball?
Bobi: I happened to play some t-ball and was even good enough to be put in the outfield. (she's cute when she's delusional) I like going to games to watch other people watch the game. I also like the chocolate frosties.
Me: You often refer to yourself as an otter, tell us about that.
Bobi: There are different animals for different personality types. The lion, the otter, the owl, and the golden retriever. The otter is the one that likes to be the center of attention, likes to make people laugh, and likes to be the life of the party. They are usually extroverts and aren't always as funny as they think they are. I happen to like you because you aren't an otter, but are still genuinely funny. (good point)
Me: What has been your biggest struggle living here in Haiti?
Bobi: The constant emotional stress, which comes from always trying to handle situations that are beyond what I feel comfortable handling. (she does a great job helping in the clinic and fearlessly handles those situations.....and always with a great attitude......in other words, she doesn't let the stress affect her demeanor when working with the local people)
Me: What's your favorite color? (We haven't covered this yet)
Bobi: Green........color combo is brown and pink
Me: You have beautiful eyes.
Bobi: (looks away....giggles) (I'm good)
Me: Last one, and thanks for coming on..........how excited are you to meet all of the strange people that read this blog?
Bobi: (opens arms wide) I'm really excited!! Really!!
So there is a little about Bobi. She is special in a thousand different ways, and I look forward to many of you getting to see that first-hand.
Monday, August 24, 2009
A.C.E.
The school here at Canaan will be occupying most of my time over the next few months so I suppose I should give a quick rundown on how it operates. As I mentioned in my last post, we had a week-long training session here last week, so I have a decent grasp on how things work........I think.
The Canaan Christian School uses a program called Accelerated Christian Education, or A.C.E.. This program uses small segments of curriculum called Paces which allows students to work at their own......well, pace. The students come into the classroom and report to their own "office" where they work on their Paces for the rest of the day. When they have questions or want to check their work they raise a little flag and the supervisor or assistant goes and helps them. Given the environment that we're working in here in Haiti I think this program works fairly well. I'll report back after working in the classroom for awhile.
During the week of training I got to work with some of the older guys here at Canaan while we served as supervisors. I was glad to finally get a chance to bond with them a little bit. One thing I have found in my few weeks here is that my mood is strongly affected by my interactions with the kids on a day to day basis. I can have a craptacular day and have it salvaged by a brief bonding moment with one of the kids. On the other hand, I can have a great day by most standards, but if I feel like one of the kids is upset with me I can get really down. Hopefully I will learn to handle those sorts of things better as I am here longer.
This weekend marked the first time I had been somewhat homesick. Obviously I have missed family and friends throughout the past few weeks, but this was the first time I had an urge to be home and live a typical American day. I suspect those days will pop up from time to time and that's ok. Overall it has been a good month here in Haiti and I feel good about where things are headed.
I promised a special Hot Seat appearance and it is forthcoming. For a preview of the participant you are welcome to follow the link to Bobi's blog which is directly to your right.
The Canaan Christian School uses a program called Accelerated Christian Education, or A.C.E.. This program uses small segments of curriculum called Paces which allows students to work at their own......well, pace. The students come into the classroom and report to their own "office" where they work on their Paces for the rest of the day. When they have questions or want to check their work they raise a little flag and the supervisor or assistant goes and helps them. Given the environment that we're working in here in Haiti I think this program works fairly well. I'll report back after working in the classroom for awhile.
During the week of training I got to work with some of the older guys here at Canaan while we served as supervisors. I was glad to finally get a chance to bond with them a little bit. One thing I have found in my few weeks here is that my mood is strongly affected by my interactions with the kids on a day to day basis. I can have a craptacular day and have it salvaged by a brief bonding moment with one of the kids. On the other hand, I can have a great day by most standards, but if I feel like one of the kids is upset with me I can get really down. Hopefully I will learn to handle those sorts of things better as I am here longer.
This weekend marked the first time I had been somewhat homesick. Obviously I have missed family and friends throughout the past few weeks, but this was the first time I had an urge to be home and live a typical American day. I suspect those days will pop up from time to time and that's ok. Overall it has been a good month here in Haiti and I feel good about where things are headed.
I promised a special Hot Seat appearance and it is forthcoming. For a preview of the participant you are welcome to follow the link to Bobi's blog which is directly to your right.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Frat House comes to Haiti
Last week cousin Jason and five of his buddies from the U of I were here in Canaan. They fit in very easily here and made some pretty strong connections with the kids. The guys left on Sunday morning and by Sunday night some of the kids told me they already missed them. While they were here the guys did some concrete work and helped make some furniture for a new classroom. It was great to have them here and I look forward to seeing some of them back here next year.
Back to the classroom.......the bane of my existence. We have a group of 30 teachers/administrators with us this week learning about the ACE School of Tomorrow. We had three days to completely redo a room that could be used as a "model classroom". Sunday night we ended up working until 2:30am and then woke up early to finish things off before the group began their training. It was a borderline miracle to get it done, although that miracle will need to have some carpentry adjustments made tomorrow night.
More importantly than the previous paragraphs.....................I had a 20oz Mountain Dew on Sunday night. Mountain Dew does not exist in Haiti, but one of the lovely young women here at Canaan had a visiting medical team stow one away for me. Much happiness.
Tune in later in the week for a special guest (by request) in the Hot Seat.
Back to the classroom.......the bane of my existence. We have a group of 30 teachers/administrators with us this week learning about the ACE School of Tomorrow. We had three days to completely redo a room that could be used as a "model classroom". Sunday night we ended up working until 2:30am and then woke up early to finish things off before the group began their training. It was a borderline miracle to get it done, although that miracle will need to have some carpentry adjustments made tomorrow night.
More importantly than the previous paragraphs.....................I had a 20oz Mountain Dew on Sunday night. Mountain Dew does not exist in Haiti, but one of the lovely young women here at Canaan had a visiting medical team stow one away for me. Much happiness.
Tune in later in the week for a special guest (by request) in the Hot Seat.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Haitian Hot Seat Part I......Part II (The Return of Wesh)
Wesh has requested that he be put back on the Hot Seat, and since I believe him to be a fairly entertaining participant I've accepted his request. Our conversation continues..........
Me: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Wesh: I have eight sisters. One, Jennyflore, is also at Canaan.
Me: You have said several times in the last couple days that I am not the coolest American you know.........would you like to change your answer to that question?
Wesh: Definitely. My new answer is John-Marc (a guy from a group that visited last week)
(We will now take a brief break while I mop up my tears)
Me: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Wesh: I would like to go to Israel (the Jesus factor), Egypt (see the pyramids), Italy (see the Coliseum), Greece (see the artifacts), and Turkey (see Mount Ararat.....where the Ark landed).
Me: Which animal are you........lion, otter, golden retriever, or owl?
Wesh: I'm a lion because I am a hard worker.
Me: If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would you meet?
Wesh: I would like to meet King David because he was a good solider and a good king.
Me: Do you like my goatee?
Wesh: No. I think you should only have a mustache.
Me: Do you like playing Settler of Catan?
Wesh: No way, you guys cheated.
Me: Do you think you will make a third appearance on the Hot Seat?
Wesh: If it's possible, I'd like to.
Me: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Wesh: I have eight sisters. One, Jennyflore, is also at Canaan.
Me: You have said several times in the last couple days that I am not the coolest American you know.........would you like to change your answer to that question?
Wesh: Definitely. My new answer is John-Marc (a guy from a group that visited last week)
(We will now take a brief break while I mop up my tears)
Me: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Wesh: I would like to go to Israel (the Jesus factor), Egypt (see the pyramids), Italy (see the Coliseum), Greece (see the artifacts), and Turkey (see Mount Ararat.....where the Ark landed).
Me: Which animal are you........lion, otter, golden retriever, or owl?
Wesh: I'm a lion because I am a hard worker.
Me: If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would you meet?
Wesh: I would like to meet King David because he was a good solider and a good king.
Me: Do you like my goatee?
Wesh: No. I think you should only have a mustache.
Me: Do you like playing Settler of Catan?
Wesh: No way, you guys cheated.
Me: Do you think you will make a third appearance on the Hot Seat?
Wesh: If it's possible, I'd like to.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Haitian Hot Seat Part II
Today we will talk with Jeanise. Jeanise is 11 years old and has a somewhat spunky demeanor.
Me: Jeanise, what is your favorite movie?
J: Ever After (Drew Barrymore.........I just don't get it)
Me: What is your favorite thing to do at Canaan?
J: Play soccer, especially beating the boys
Me: Who is your favorite singer?
J: Rihanna (the kids are constantly humming "Disturbia")
Me: What is your favorite book of the Bible?
J: Job (interesting choice from Jeanise)
Me: Are you a good dancer?
J: (emphatically shakes head no)
Me: How about singing?
J: MHM
Me: Do you like wearing make-up?
J: No
Me: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
J: One brother named Sonson
Me: What is your favorite food?
J: Rice (which is good since she gets plenty of it)
Me: Favorite drink?
J: Sprite (the caffeine free route)
Me: Jeanise, are you a hugger?
J: No.
Me: Kisser?
J: Yes (she's very forward)
Me: What would you like to be when you grow up?
J: Pilot, with American Airlines
Me: Jeanise, do you harass me about my IPOD?
J: NO. (She does)
Me: Do you like my music?
J: Sometimes.
Me: Jeanise, what is your favorite movie?
J: Ever After (Drew Barrymore.........I just don't get it)
Me: What is your favorite thing to do at Canaan?
J: Play soccer, especially beating the boys
Me: Who is your favorite singer?
J: Rihanna (the kids are constantly humming "Disturbia")
Me: What is your favorite book of the Bible?
J: Job (interesting choice from Jeanise)
Me: Are you a good dancer?
J: (emphatically shakes head no)
Me: How about singing?
J: MHM
Me: Do you like wearing make-up?
J: No
Me: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
J: One brother named Sonson
Me: What is your favorite food?
J: Rice (which is good since she gets plenty of it)
Me: Favorite drink?
J: Sprite (the caffeine free route)
Me: Jeanise, are you a hugger?
J: No.
Me: Kisser?
J: Yes (she's very forward)
Me: What would you like to be when you grow up?
J: Pilot, with American Airlines
Me: Jeanise, do you harass me about my IPOD?
J: NO. (She does)
Me: Do you like my music?
J: Sometimes.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Nuts & Bolts
This is the obligatory post dealing with the day to day conditions here in Haiti. First let me say that the conditions here in Canaan are far superior to what you would see in the typical Haitian village.
I sleep on a bunk bed in a mosquito net. I spend most of the night sweating and wondering what herd of animals are playing rugby in my ceiling. Visuals of the local wildlife have been fairly limited so that's a good thing. Most days are filled with trying to be somewhat productive while still trying to play with the kids. Very rarely is there power here during the day so everyone is pretty happy when 6:00pm rolls around and the generators get cranked up.
The food here is really good actually. My very attractive Mountain Dew gut is shrinking, but not because there isn't enough good food to go around. Sweating 24 hours a day might have more to do with it.
Saturday was my first real day out and about. A few of us went to Saint Marc to run a few errands and check on a baby that we had taken to the hospital a couple days before. To get to Saint Marc you have to walk down to the main road and find a tap-tap that will take you where you need to go. I learned that you definitely want to be sitting on top of the cab. It is by far the most comfortable place to be. Once you get to town you have to find a motorcycle that takes you further into the city. The key thing at this point seems to be getting the local rate as opposed to the anglo-American rate. We had to make some photo-copies for the clinic so we went to a place that turned on their generator and took 1.5 hours to make 500 copies. All in all it was a good day, and I was glad to get a few firsts out of the way.
Saturday was also the first time I had to say good-bye to visitors who left to go back home. Tyler, Melanie, and Katie had been here since May working with the Medika Mamba program. They made my first couple weeks very easy so I was sad to see them go. That is something I will have to get used to here.
That's all for now. Another edition of the Hot Seat coming soon.......featuring Jeanise I think.
I sleep on a bunk bed in a mosquito net. I spend most of the night sweating and wondering what herd of animals are playing rugby in my ceiling. Visuals of the local wildlife have been fairly limited so that's a good thing. Most days are filled with trying to be somewhat productive while still trying to play with the kids. Very rarely is there power here during the day so everyone is pretty happy when 6:00pm rolls around and the generators get cranked up.
The food here is really good actually. My very attractive Mountain Dew gut is shrinking, but not because there isn't enough good food to go around. Sweating 24 hours a day might have more to do with it.
Saturday was my first real day out and about. A few of us went to Saint Marc to run a few errands and check on a baby that we had taken to the hospital a couple days before. To get to Saint Marc you have to walk down to the main road and find a tap-tap that will take you where you need to go. I learned that you definitely want to be sitting on top of the cab. It is by far the most comfortable place to be. Once you get to town you have to find a motorcycle that takes you further into the city. The key thing at this point seems to be getting the local rate as opposed to the anglo-American rate. We had to make some photo-copies for the clinic so we went to a place that turned on their generator and took 1.5 hours to make 500 copies. All in all it was a good day, and I was glad to get a few firsts out of the way.
Saturday was also the first time I had to say good-bye to visitors who left to go back home. Tyler, Melanie, and Katie had been here since May working with the Medika Mamba program. They made my first couple weeks very easy so I was sad to see them go. That is something I will have to get used to here.
That's all for now. Another edition of the Hot Seat coming soon.......featuring Jeanise I think.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Haitian Hot Seat......Part I
Today is the first installment of "The Haitian Hot Seat." The hot seat will be occupied by Wesh this evening. Wesh is a very precocious 11-year old who is fond of asking me very interesting questions about American history. He is an extremely smart kid and actually helps as a translator down at the clinic. He has agreed to answer all of my questions as honestly as he possibly can. Let us begin.
Me: Welcome to the hot seat Wesh, how are you feeling?
Wesh: Good, I'm feeling good.
Me: Question #1. What is your favorite movie, and why?
Wesh: I have many favorites, but one of them is "The Forbidden Kingdom." It is very funny and I think Jackie Chan is cute.
Me: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Wesh: I want to be a pilot. When I first saw an airplane I thought it would be super cool to be a pilot.
Me: What is your favorite Bible story?
Wesh: David & Goliath. (he said this right after joking that it was David & Bathsheba)
Me: What is your favorite thing to do at Canaan?
Wesh: Eat. Especially mashed potatoes.
Me: Do you have any bad habits?
Wesh: I occasionally lie and cheat. (Have to appreciate his honesty)
Me: Who is your favorite actress?
Wesh: Angelina Jolie.
Me: What about Disney princess?
Wesh: (with enthusiasm).....Princess Jasmine
Me: Why should the people love Wesh?
Wesh: Because I am so smart and a cool guy. I am also romantic and fabulous.
Me: If you could have one superpower, what power would you choose?
Wesh: The power to make women fall in love with me. (Seriously, that was his choice)
Me: What animal are you most scared of?
Wesh: Tarantulas......well, all large spiders
Me: Finally.........who is the coolest American you know?
Wesh: You. (this answer was not coerced in any way)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
So It Begins
We are coming to you from the multi-purpose (eating, working, general loitering) building here at Canaan. I arrived without incident on Monday night and have had a good couple days since. It's been good to reconnect with some of the kids that I got to know in February, and also get to bond with a few new ones. They are helping me with my Creole, and making fun of me while doing it, which I find totally acceptable.
I will indeed be helping with the school here, but I'm not exactly sure what that will look like. Apparently Canaan is being looked at as a model for several other schools in the country so I will be involved with that somehow. My feeling right now is that I will be doing more administrative tasks than I had expected, which is fine with me.
Yesterday I helped out at the clinic. Tuesday is Medika Mamba day which means the people who are in the program bring their kids in to get weighed and measured. It's a little startling to see some of the kids. The kids at Canaan are well fed and well taken care of, but things down at the clinic are quite different.
Internet is a bit fickle tonight so that's it for now. Thanks for reading and thank you to those of you who are praying for me.
I will indeed be helping with the school here, but I'm not exactly sure what that will look like. Apparently Canaan is being looked at as a model for several other schools in the country so I will be involved with that somehow. My feeling right now is that I will be doing more administrative tasks than I had expected, which is fine with me.
Yesterday I helped out at the clinic. Tuesday is Medika Mamba day which means the people who are in the program bring their kids in to get weighed and measured. It's a little startling to see some of the kids. The kids at Canaan are well fed and well taken care of, but things down at the clinic are quite different.
Internet is a bit fickle tonight so that's it for now. Thanks for reading and thank you to those of you who are praying for me.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Soon, Very Soon
This blog will become more interesting next week. I make the move to Canaan a week from today, so my next post will come from Haiti. Many thanks to those of you who have been so supportive over the past few months........which would probably be all of you.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
My Viking Heritage
If things don't work out in Haiti I may have to move to Norway.
The family and I got back from our cruise last night. Here are the highlights and lowlights.
Highlights:
- Weather: We had sunshine the vast majority of the time which isn't the norm in Norway.
- Family Game-time: We owned the game room on the ship. I think its fair to say that several fellow passengers will be purchasing Settlers of Catan when they get home.
- Scenery: Pretty unbelievable.
- The Policeman in Honningsvag: He drove us around in his cop car while listening to Guns n' Roses. He also commented that "tourists are annoying......just like the reindeer."
- Animals: We saw reindeer on a hike and had a porpoise go underneath our kayaks.
- The British: Good people as far as I can tell.
- The Puppet Show: This is one of those deals where the guys dress in black and stand there controlling puppets. I didn't just like the show......I loved it.
- The pool area: Let's just say that it's best to avoid the pool area on a cruise primarily made up of Europeans over the age of 65.
- Lack of darkness: Is it a little bit cool to see the sun for 50-60 straight hours? Maybe. Is it good for your sleeping habits? No.
- The French & Italians: I don't care if you do make decent salad dressings, I don't like you. (admittedly this feeling is based on a small sample size)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Mission Tidbits
One of our classes at HEART had to to with cross-cultural studies. We learned a few things about culture shock, language acquisition, and cultural distance. I thought I'd share a few of the main points, since I found them pretty interesting, and this is my blog and all.
Would anyone care to guess the three most important characteristics of an effective long-term missionary? Did someone say "compassion"? No, that's ridiculous. Here they are......
1. Sense of Humor: The ability to laugh at yourself and your situation is extremely important.
2. Low goal/task orientation: This one was a little hard to understand, but I think the idea is that you can't be hung up on reaching certain objectives, either on a day to day basis or more long-term. The frustration and discouragement could be too much to bear for some people.
3. Fear of Failure (the lack of): I'm in trouble on this one. I generally don't like to get into things where the outcome is uncertain. I'll have to get over that. I think I can.
Phil, one of the leaders at HEART, just moved back to the States after 20+ years in Haiti. He says that only 10% of the people who commit to a stay of more than a year in Haiti actually fulfill that commitment. Let that soak in a little.
There are a lot of reasons why people leave the field. One of the major issues is culture shock, which many people have a tough time getting over. Culture shock generally hits twice. The first time is around the 6-8 week mark. Many people on short-term trips think they have experienced culture shock, but they have really only experienced cultural disorientation. The second, and more severe shock, comes during the 8th or 9th month. This second shock is where many people give out and end up leaving the field. Phil described it as a time where he just wondered what the heck he was doing in Haiti. I'm sure at some point I will have to deal with these issues, but when those times come I'll at least know that I am not alone and that they will pass. (I hope one of you is copying this and making a note to email it to me next March)
That's all I got. Hopefully it gives a little insight into some of the struggles that missionaries face. Turns out they mean it when they say they covet our prayers above everything else.
Would anyone care to guess the three most important characteristics of an effective long-term missionary? Did someone say "compassion"? No, that's ridiculous. Here they are......
1. Sense of Humor: The ability to laugh at yourself and your situation is extremely important.
2. Low goal/task orientation: This one was a little hard to understand, but I think the idea is that you can't be hung up on reaching certain objectives, either on a day to day basis or more long-term. The frustration and discouragement could be too much to bear for some people.
3. Fear of Failure (the lack of): I'm in trouble on this one. I generally don't like to get into things where the outcome is uncertain. I'll have to get over that. I think I can.
Phil, one of the leaders at HEART, just moved back to the States after 20+ years in Haiti. He says that only 10% of the people who commit to a stay of more than a year in Haiti actually fulfill that commitment. Let that soak in a little.
There are a lot of reasons why people leave the field. One of the major issues is culture shock, which many people have a tough time getting over. Culture shock generally hits twice. The first time is around the 6-8 week mark. Many people on short-term trips think they have experienced culture shock, but they have really only experienced cultural disorientation. The second, and more severe shock, comes during the 8th or 9th month. This second shock is where many people give out and end up leaving the field. Phil described it as a time where he just wondered what the heck he was doing in Haiti. I'm sure at some point I will have to deal with these issues, but when those times come I'll at least know that I am not alone and that they will pass. (I hope one of you is copying this and making a note to email it to me next March)
That's all I got. Hopefully it gives a little insight into some of the struggles that missionaries face. Turns out they mean it when they say they covet our prayers above everything else.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
H.E.A.R.T.
Yesterday I wrapped up my time in Florida at the H.E.A.R.T. Institute. Good times were had by all, except for Chester and Lambchop. Chester the goat and Lambchop the rabbit (confusing I know) sacrificed themselves so that my cohorts and I could learn the process of butchering. Speaking of my cohorts, I shared a cabin with Bob, Camren, Ryan, and a festive group of bats. The bats were annoying, the rest were not. I feel very fortunate to have been put together with such a great group of guys.
Here is a quick list of things I did at HEART that I had never done before.
1. Drilled a well, followed quickly by playing an Irish drum with the Mahoney girls.
2. Helped a baby goat learn how to get milk from it's mother.
3. Drank some of said milk (colostrum actually).
4. Made mint-scented bricks.
5. Ate goat liver and enjoyed it.
6. Drove past a clown museum. (that has nothing to do with HEART but was so creepy that I thought I'd mention it)
7. Became very fond of compost piles.
8. Scolded baby chickens, lovingly of course.
9. Attended a deaf church.
10. Put stitches in a severed pig's foot.
The list could go on, but those are some of the highlights. Like most great experiences, it wasn't the things I did that mattered but who I did them with, and the people I met at HEART were all great in a lot of different ways. Their hearts and hard work have left me better prepared for what lies ahead. I'm very thankful for that.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
But who will eat the cinnamon rolls?
This Friday will be my last day of work at Marquis Energy. Over the last six years I have been able to work with a whole herd of family members and another smaller group, a pack perhaps, of people who may as well be family. I count myself very fortunate. I have enjoyed my job 96% of the time and am very thankful for the things it has allowed, and is allowing, me to do.
Along those lines, I have been very humbled, even a little embarrassed at times, by all the support I've received over the past couple months. A lot of people have told me that I'm doing a great thing, but in reality I am on the receiving end of great things. I can only do this because people are willing to sacrifice on my behalf. That fact will not slip my mind anytime soon.
(Abrupt Topic Change)
So I was in Boston over the weekend to advise Vinny Del Negro on how to defend the pick & roll. What you saw in Game 7 was not what I advised. On the bright side, my sister-in-law Minhee happened to be graduating from Harvard Medical School while I was there, so that was nice. Also, my multi-talented brother managed to put together a delightful breakfast spread and prepare an excellent sermon on the same day, so the trip was not a total loss.
No more posts for a couple weeks, as I will be doing a little training in Florida. I hope your lives can proceed as planned.
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