HAITI LIFE

Haiti is booming with building houses all around us. The land is just getting bought up and the farmland is disappearing fast.  Everyday we hear many loads of stone or gravel getting dumped for another house. Some of these properties will get a foundation for the house all done or it will receive a big wall all around the property and then it will set for a year or more . It seems if a Haitian has some money and there's a death whether it been family or friend you will be entreated to help with the funeral. It's a terrible expense. So that being the case, people will start putting their money into buying  land and  building. So these houses started all around us, may not be completed for years.

This house started a few months ago right close to us and the empty lot next to us is their friends land .  On over a ways is a big wall, it went up just a few weeks ago.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Philip has been busy, building a phone charging building and trying to keep things growing in the garden. 

the phone charging station (inside the building ) it sits back from the well Thanks to Micah's friend who was in Haiti and gave us his leftover supplies from their project- Merci! Pastor Roz

Baby calf sure enjoyed some small melons and sweet corn tops in our garden- yes, the barb wire is now up surrounding the garden

The phones were getting charged on the outlet out there but none wanted to collect money for charging unless there was a building so the phones didn't get stolen. Madam Oly the neighbor told Philip how to make just one small opening to pass the phones through and a door with a padlock. The neighbors are taking care of it and so far I haven't seen them sit inside (hot) and pass the phones through the opening :) It's a small money making project for them. Oly was driving a small bus, which is now parked on our property and is needing new kingpins now. It has many issues and Philip welds on it occasionally. 
 Our little favorite friend Beckonlove moved to Brazil. His poppa went there 3 years ago and then sent for the family. We had the privilege to take them to the airport. 

Beckonlove was a sweet little boy

all dressed up in ties and Momma had her hair all FIXED too- wonder if everything looked the same after they traveled so long - the tie look and all :)

Philip driving Stanley's cycle to his house

 Stanley finally took all his things , the car , the suitcase and Julyne's lounge chair. Glad to not be responsible for the car anymore. One day I saw the children had climbed in the back of it and was playing . It had a cracked windshield but one day a rock was thrown and added another crack.  Philip helped him get it moved to his brother's house where Stanley lives -close to us.                                        We had a new baby boy born close by and we met the little fellow after he was a few hours old. Snyder is a little cutie.  

 

I got to go take a photo shot of Daphne the momma, baby, then her other children (for school she said) and the neighbor girl needed a photo. Daphne's helper wanted pictures so they had to change out of momma's clothes so she could wear them to for the pictures. Lots of clothing changing was going on for everyone for the photo shot.  Daphne's little daughter Miala is a character, she is three. She really likes Philip. She had a bad sore on her head, scabies, impetigo , her bathroom places are whenever, wherever and then no washing of the hands. Philip started some TCL and would bath her and clean her head. She started coming often and Philip would mention a bath and she quickly would take off her dress.  

Miala and her brother Watson

The family live in one small room and its very hot. The children just sleep on the floor on a few little blankets for naps - so I imagine that's where they sleep at night also. They seem to have many colds :(  Now Daphne says she needs 2 pictures of each of the children for school. Watson went to school just a little bit last year.  Its kinda a thing to say your child is going to school. They like to start them at three years old, not sure they learn to much.
  Philip finally got some bees and placed them in a hive in the garden. He placed them under a banana tree for shade and to hide the hive from some people that might think they need some. To get the bees took several days of going here and there and then they weren't quite ready - the usual deal. We still are waiting for some small bee frames.

man making bee hives at the university - little rough but they'll work 

 We have a friend Bucondo that has been helping us with Creole speaking and writing. His parents were both teachers. His English grammar is better then ours. He's  in college for a lawyer but he has many questions for Philip. His family are Christians but don't attend very often and he doesn't have a good understanding of the Gospel.  

Philip and Bucondo studying Creole 

He is helping Wiquens our neighbor learn English. His sisters have been shopping in the market for me. They live right by the market. I go in on my bike and get the purchases. I had someone bother me in market awhile back, so I really don't like going by myself.
  The pump continues to be very busy and even the cows have been coming for a drink. It's been very humid and hot. 

Hey, I need a drink too!!!

 The porch downstairs continues to be used for many things. A couple of nights ago it was used for making patterns. Jackneday and Johnny are taking sewing classes at the church.

Jackneday sideburns is a Haitian cool look......

a little doctoring for the afflicted

sliding fun when its wet- yes the walls become very dirty

a classroom

 Gaston and his wife left after living here for a month. His wife wanted to get back up the mountain to harvest her corn. So they moved Gaston to a cousins in Fond Parisien and he could go into the IFM clinic to get his hand redressed. The morning they left I missed the photo shot. They walked out at 6:00 am, he had a small straw mat tucked under his arm and she had a suitcase on her head with a big bags tucked under each arm. :) I do think she spoiled him just a little bit.   

 Gaston's  hand is much better and still healing

  We finally received results back after almost 7 weeks (the biopsy went to FL lab) for Vonise with the enlarged breast. It wasn't cancer, but the breast is still enlarged. Dr. Vincent is very puzzled.  The Dr. would like to put her on more medicine and do a deeper biopsy.  Philip and I took her on Tuesday waited around most of the day at the clinic, Dr. Vincent was in the states. A Haitian doctor (who I was impressed with) did take Vonise back behind a screen and examined her, gave her some dignity.  The breast is some smaller and he put her on more medicine. They want to see her back on Friday for a deeper biopsy. They told us to arrive before 7:00 am to get in line for a ticket then they'll start around 9:00 or 10:00 for surgeries. It was only around 105 degrees when we were there the other day-smile- street current wasn't on so the fan was just hanging out.
  We've had a little rain, but sure could use much more. It clouds up and rains somewhere, because it brings a little cool breeze for a little bit.
 The other weekend we enjoyed IFM children's home for Saturday afternoon ,all night and Sunday afternoon. We had five adults and seven children. Sunday we all went to BRIC for church, then ate at the mission for lunch.

Enjoying supper with IFM out on the porch

 Gario who used live with us disappeared. Pastor Enel and several was trying to contact him. He was living at the church in a Sunday school room. The last time Philip talked with him he was feeling  down. He really wants to come to the states, he found out it wasn't as easy as he thought. to get a visa, you need a secure job and or a wife to come back to, money in the bank. Someone in the states will also agree to take care of you. The last credential was taken care of but not the rest. Stanley rode with us one day to his families house to see what they knew about him. Gario's family was very friendly to us. Gario had went over illegal to the D.R. to get some work with his brother who is there too. We got to talk with him. The work isn't as promising as he thought but it sounds like he won't be coming back for awhile either.  

Gario's family and house

the momma's kitchen - water isn't very available in this area

coming to get water at the well- don't know if he will travel home with these all full 

  Time moves on,our dear friends we met a year ago from Double Harvest went home on Monday to Canada. Henry, Maria, Brandon and Trista Peters  were a joy to get to know this last year. We enjoyed many evenings with them, cucumbers in abundance from DH  and some good talks. Brandon really liked Philip. He had a condition  called Fragile X reminded me of a autistic child to a degree. The first few times he met Philip, he'd get right up to Philip's  beard REAL CLOSE-HELLO-  Philip got to where he'd grab him and get him. :) We enjoyed this past Sunday with them, we went to  church and then we ate lunch at the lookout.

On Monday, Philip went to pick them up, we ate lunch at our house and then took them to the airport. Brandon was wound tight. They arrived in Miami late Monday evening.  On Wednesday Maria was having knee surgery, then they'd travel to Canada Thursday. Maria had hurt her knee at DH, doctors come there to hold operations at the clinic. They forgot to bring the special tool for her knee, so they said to stop in at Miami they'd do it there.Blessings go with Henry's on their new journey.
 It seems with many Missions people come and go often, when you start to feel pretty acquainted they move on- :(  So thankful for our friends who continue to stay here.
 The weather  has been very warm but inside our house its usually 10 degrees cooler, today it's only 92 degrees in here. So glad to get inside out of the heat. :) :) Blessings to all of you, Philip and Bethany