HAITI NEWS - LIFE ON THE ISLAND

THE BIG TOM WE ATE

fresh coconuts to drink and eat

wood table with dirt on top makes a nice raised cooking fire

Plantain getting ready to fry 2x -lots of oil for our joints

Preparing Mr. Tom

Oly our neighbor wanted us to take him to Hinche in Dec. to see his family home. Then Oly decided he'd go in August so Philip thought, we'll just take him. Well, his wife, Witzgard (their daughter) Oly, Philip and I went. It is a three hour drive up the mountain,curvy but nice roads. Our first stop was his father's house. The father died but other cousins and friends live there, this is where we slept.We then drove to Madam Oly's sisters house. It's a very lush area, grapefruit, lime, coconut trees. They quickly started a meal for us - killed the turkey and the whole bit. It started to rain, so Oly, Philip and I was ushered into a little room in the middle of a couple of bedrooms and they brought our food, fried turkey and fried plantains. No napkins and very greasy hands and Oly said to wipe it on the tablecloth. The tablecloth looked like a throw for a sofa, which  I couldn't wipe my hands on it. :) .Madam Oly spent the night with her sister, they probably had a slumber party! The rest us went back to Oly's  homeplace.  They gave us a room which served as our breakfast and lunch room the next day. Oly told me I could rest, (I hadn't did anything all day but sat and watched people work ):( it was 7:30. Some men friends of Oly's then trooped in the room and visited awhile. Rest ????  It started to rain on our bed which they had put on one pretty quilt with one matching pillow sham (no sheets) (I did take some along). We got the laundry tub on the bed to catch the rain, it slept with us most of the night. The room had 2 TV's and a small frig. with cold drinks, which everyone kept helping themselves too. Wiztgard thought we'd want to watch TV when the electric came on. :)  The wiring was very carefully wired together, the cousin came in and fixed the lights for us. It looked like a fire ready to happen. Had a good night and then the dining room table came in the room in the morning and we ate breakfast. Hard boiled eggs, Haitian spaghetti , (that's oil, spaghetti, little salamie, or tomato) avocado - juice out of who's ever frig. it was, sweet Haitian coffee.

Breakfast about ready

Our bedroom /dining room

Bassin Zim with Oly's and all the fellows that helped us girls climb over rocks.

We left our mess and dishes for a cousin to clean up after us. Off we went to Bassin Zim. A big waterfalls and very blue water when it isn't raining. Swim at your own risk, with underground rivers and tide pools. We arrived back at the house to eat once again  in our bedroom/dining room. We headed home, had a good trip. Oly's plan on us still taking them in Dec. I struggle with just sitting around and letting people do for us. Neither have I ever killed, dressed and cooked the turk either. :)


                                                                      One day we went to Soilette to check on Pat's house, get some things of Pat's and bring back a ram for Clint. It a sad day to see Pat's garden going backwards and the gate was hanging by one hinge. When we went inside the termites had made tunnels all around the ceiling and down the corners in the main room. Pat had made a little wooden cabinet on the wall, close to the stove, it was full of those guys :( Keith drove up recently and said the termites were all laying around dead someone must've sprayed. Yeah!!!!!

Massouck loading the ornery Ram

   The Ram was a wild one, he was tied in front first and I thought he'd kick out the window. Massouck moved him to the back. A Haitian lady who works for a lady whom the ram belongs to unloaded him. The crazy ram leaped clear over the truck side and we thought the lady was going for a ride, but she had a hold of the rope very tight. I think she knew the old ram. Thankfully he didn't break loose on the way down the mountain.
   Carlos a young man who helped at IFM took us and Keith  to the dentist one day in the D.R. Philip had a bad tooth that needed attention and Carlos needed his braces adjusted. Carlos, mother lives in the D.R. so Spanish is his 2nd language, which was very helpful at the dentist. It was a very modern office, got our work done. we went to find some lunch and grocery shopping. The D.R. has nicer veggies and better prices  then in Haiti.  Keith for some reason brought 4 big jugs of drinking water. Thank you Keith, we needed the water on the way home. We had to hurry to get to the border before it closed.  We stayed a little too long at the grocery, I believe too.  The little car decided to heat up on the way to the border, we stopped and added a gallon of Keith's good water.We begin again, it heated up again and, added another gallon of Keith's nice dlo. When we arrive at the D.R. they were still open and stamped us out, they said Haiti border was still open too. You really don't want to be stuck in between no man's land. We waited on a big nice pickup at the D.R. gate that was getting inspected  because of all his merchandise in the back. We proceeded to  Haiti gate, and it was locked. :( The big pickup pulled up behind us then another big bus. Well, the gate was locked for the day. There's a little door where people and moto's were still going through to the Haiti side. The big pickup called someone higher up I guess and we had to back-up and they unlocked the gate for him.  We thought whoopee we going to get through too,  but no they locked in right in front of us.    
                                                                                        

THE LOCKED HAITIAN GATE

Philip said he stay the night with car and we could go to IFM for  the night. Keith called Pete Garber at IFM and he said he'd come get all of us the car wasn't that important.  Meanwhile a policeman comes to talk with us and he recognized Keith. He said you took me in the ambulance once at IFM. He said tell your chief at IFM to call this number he'll tell us if we can unlock it for you. They had the key but couldn't unlock. Pete arrives, Keith has him call the BIG CHIEF UP IN PORT. The man says who's this and I guess Pete explained everything. The gate was unlocked and we drove away, but still not stamped back into Haiti. We spent the night at IFM since it was so late.
 

THE POLICEMAN THAT RECOGNIZED KEITH

                           Thank you Keith for being our hero twice that day. Yes, we did go get stamped back in before we flew to the states.Also, on a side note Carlos had to leave IFM for treatment, he found out he had some type of leukemia. Please remember him in your prayers.
  We flew to the states the first part of September and enjoyed 5 weeks with family and friends. Three of our children and their families  came up to MI for a big weekend with us in the MI cottage. Such  a special time together. we went up to the locks at the Soo and watched many ships coming through the locks. The trees were starting to change on the way up to MI and it was fabulous on the way back. Something we don't see in Haiti the seasons changing.

Soo Locks MI

     We  had another big surprise Ashley our dear daughter, flew our  oldest dear daughter and little daughter in for the weekend in OH. Nathan and Kendra had moved to Remond OR and brought a house recently, so we knew we wouldn't be seeing them in Ohio. What a fun surprise!!! We kept busy for several days. Even enjoyed a late fall swim in Jack's pool , because of such beautiful weather. The time in the states went so fast - just like a blur- but we enjoyed everyone and every minute. Family times together means so much more to us, when its far in between times. 
  The middle of October found us back in Haiti. Keith Martin and the neighbors Oly' had took good care of our place. Thank you!!!
 Bric on the following Saturday we arrived back has Bible Study, potluck, volleyball and ultimate frisbee.  Had an enjoyable day.  The following Friday, a young couple from Christian Witness Mission and his brother wanted to go to market to check it out for teams coming to their house this winter. We all walked in from our house and I didn't think market looked to busy (Friday is one of the busiest days) but I quickly changed my mind. We shopped in the fabric then Philip headed home to get the truck and we was going to meet out by the church to show Ryan's where to park for another time. We started to walk out but there was big trucks nose to nose trying to pass (no one wants to back up to help untangle the situation, just keep honking your horn - the biggest honker wins ) and the people was so tight you couldn't move either. I got lost from Ryan's. I could imagine how quickly someone could get trampled to death. It got so bad the pushing and shoving, a lady helped me climb up on a wheelbarrow load of bagged charcoal and then helped me stand up on the other side of the mob. Some tall gal was literally running through and pushing for the fun of it.  The mob opened a little and the lady told me to kouri-run- I didn't go anywhere too fast, as my dress caught on the wheelbarrow handle. :) I caught up with Ryan's and they looked glad to see me. Whew - what a mess. We waited on Philip and he was delayed , so walked on to the Tin Market, to look around for a while. It was a big day of walking,pushing and shoving, not something I want to repeat.  Sunday after church we were resting and someone rang our little bell. Philip got up went out on the porch and came back in said a lady needed to go to the hospital, she was in labor. He went over to the house and I guess they couldn't hardly decide whether to go or not. Philip finally ran back upstairs and wondered if I wanted to go. We backed the truck out to the road and she was squatted down by the container, looking like we'd better go fast. Several ladies came along which didn't even help her climb in the truck.  I don't know if they were friends or going along for the ride. The lady was panting pretty hard and I was wondering if we'd make it. I looked down at our first-aid box and mentally went over what was in it. We headed towards the hospital where Philip has took other ladies only to find out we was going to a Clinic which was actually closer to our house. I think the extra bumpy mile ride  helped  move the labor right along. :)  We make it and took her inside to find out a doctor was on her way.  The doc who could speak some English. She said maybe in 3 hours, she'd deliver. Well, not sure how long it was, but the lady was back at her house that evening with a little baby. Don't know if she walked or rode a moto to get back home. Ok, girls are we wimpy or what?  You just never know what a day may bring.
  The following week started Bric Crusade  Meetings - Tuesday through Sunday evening. John Rumble came to preach at those. What a blessing it was for all of us missions that got to attend. John, Debbie Rumble, their daughter and family Aaron, Wendy Lavy and Keith Martin came for lunch on Thursday. What an encouraging visit. Wendy and Debbie gave me some food items from the states - yum - chips, bacon, butter,  cream cheese to name a few things. Since Wendy, lived here for 2 years she knew what is so expensive and what we get hungry for. :) Thank you girls for thinking of us.

Watson and Philip enjoyed the Crusades

The door Philip helped repair that the robbers tried to break in

 
 
  















                                                                    Thursday after the meetings we went to bed and about 2:30 in the morning we heard all this commotion, some yelling and a lot of men talking. The next morning a very  excited neighbor man,  came to get Philip and took him over to his house. Could Philip fix his door, he had worked on it before this. Here 6 robbers tried to break in his house that night. Not sure what they were after, if he had money or wanted his TV's ? The commotion we found out was they were chasing  the robbers or robber. Philip go the welder and equipment and drove over to start fixing the door.  Philip was working away and sweating away, and all the sudden the man ran in the back of his house came out grabbed some big rocks and took off running. I could see lots of people running by this man's gate. I went out to the road and looked down a way's to see a big crowd. About that time Massouck was arriving in the area and got in this mob and asked some people across the street if he could come in their gate. Here they caught one robber ( he was waving a gun around in the air) and they stoned him to death. Where Massouck was waiting  the people said some of their family :(  As Philip was finishing up the door, the neighbor man came back in the gate smiling real big and shook Philip's hand. Philip thought he was thanking him only to think later that the man was happy with killing the robber and was shaking his hand in like a affirmation. Oh what evil men can do!!! Friday night Clint's and Massouck stayed with us. Clints went home after the Crusade on Friday night and Massouck stayed another night.  He went with us to church on Sunday at Bric and we enjoyed a dinner with the mission. We took Massouck to a tap-tap station so he could go home before it got dark.  Massouck got real sick that week and we found out a friend tried to poison him. Jealousy?  Maybe because Massouck works  hard, is trying to become something and people trust him to take money down the mountain - ?? God knows  - Massouck is a boy who lived close to Clint's and after they moved, close to Pat's up at Soilette. Clint has taught him  how to raise goats, farm and just helped him out. His momma is dead and his poppa  lives in the D.R. I don't know, if he has ever had a relationship with his poppa.  He lived in a very small house with his aunt till the aunt's daughters got to old and then Clint helped him build a raised house with goats on the bottom. He loves Jesus, he was baptized last spring. He really misses Pat and Cheryl. A very special boy, who loves Jezi. 
  Sunday night of the Crusades a little boy came up to Philip with a bad burned face, he didn't seem to be in much pain. Dan at Bric asked him to come Monday morning and we took him to Global Mission close to CAM which deals in open wounds. They patched him up good.  He is healing real good. 

bean sauce splashed up on his face but the burn really  wasn't burnt too deep

 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  On Saturday night a bunch of us oldie white people went up to the beach at Kaliko. Had a good evening and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Kaliko Beach and the sunset

the little band that always plays and works at Kaliko during the day

                                                                                                                                                        On Sunday the 16th of November we meet Clint's at the airport to bring their truck back here for awhile. Brenda's mom is dying with cancer and they  quickly decided to fly home as she went down real fast the week before.  Prayers go to the family.
 So you ask what do you do all the time ??? Every day is different as you can see and you never know what might happen. :) It's been cooler a little :) They say winter is coming :) the nights are maybe 77 or 80 degrees nice but not the winter we know. The mosquitoes have been awful, but the wind is really starting to blow and Madam Oly said the mosquitoes ran away. :)   The Haitian start getting goosebumps with this cooler weather and I think it is wonderful, because I'm sweating as I write this.                                                                 Praying for  Brenda's family tomorrow as they go thru a funeral. Tomorrow is also Pat's death anniversary, Prayers go to Cheryl, her family and Pat's family.
  Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and May you be filled with Christ's Love as you Celebrate His Birth.... Love to all, Philip and Bethany

Those Beautiful Sunsets the Lord Provides

trimming of our favorite mango- an old tree- 

a deep conversation at church

- it's a block business and a stack of blocks was holding up the container at a precarious angle  

JD plowing a field with round plow shears - scraped the mud off with his machete 

NORMAL TEMP. MOST OF THE TIME

ALWAYS LOTS OF HUNGRY CHILDREN