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

 

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

LIFE IS SO HARD IN HAITI

          Do you ever wonder why we was born where we were ? Why we are so BLESSED as we were??  That makes us so responsible of what we do with our life. Yes, someday we'll have to give account of our stewardship on this earth. When I get that little nudging of the SPIRIT, do I ignore it or do what I can.  What a job I have to do, Lord give me the STRENGTH FOR THE DAY AND EACH DAY.
    I went to the states for a few weeks to check on my Dad and Mom. They are ok just needing more help and I'm here, but this is where I'm to be.  I also got to see most of the children and meet a new one . Niles Stull what a cutie, hope we can someday get to know him better. 

Stuart and Niles Stull - lots of action here.

Stu and Niles are very close to the same age - two busy two year olds. Ashley brought Niles home from Ethiopia last February. She is a very busy Mommy. Micah and his family was good. Very busy getting ready for springtime mulch sales. Jared and Carrie is doing great, Jared's new business  venture - selling cars is going good -, something he always wanted to do.  I got to enjoy several Birthdays while I was there.Where does time go?

Micah and Melissa's twins Gwyne and Gracie turned 4 -

Ashley's Sami turned 6

Philip called several times when I was in the states. Can a cousin of Dr. Jolius's stay at our house till he recovers? Also one young nursing mother was having some troubles. I'll start with the older man's  (Gaston) story. He lives way up in the mountains - where there is very little water. He was cutting sticks to make charcoal, which is a good money maker in HAITI  but it hurts all the trees that continue to get cut down. Most people cook with charcoal. A  splinter got in his finger, which he wasn't really aware of. Probably not much clean water and soap to wash with. Two weeks later the family brought him down the mountain almost unconscious to Dr. Jolius. His arm was very swollen and infected. Jolius took him to a hospital in Fond Parisien. He got  IV in and all the medicine that was needed for the man. Think what our hospitals do for us- we just don't realize. Philip went back with him the next morning because a team of doctors from the states was at Double Harvest which is close to us. When they arrived, nobody had done anything to Gaston. Jolius lost it, he just wailed and told people off, then went outside and  started crying. Lack of sleep and a tired doctor already. Philip and Joluis loaded up Gaston took him to see what the states doctors would do. They cut open his arm and hand several places called facsicotomy,  to relieve the pressure and infection. Double Harvest is just a clinic, not a hospital. So when the doctors left in 3 days they hired a Haitian doctor and nurse to care for him. After a week - suddenly they had other plans, and were leaving. Pocketed the money?? Jolius called Philip and didn't know what to do. His house was already full, Haitians take care of their own people usually.  Philip called me, could Gaston, stay here for a week??  When they went to pick him up, he came with IV's and night shift included. :) Philip was very busy getting up at 2 am and 4 am adding more medicine to the IV. He was changing his dressing once a day, which took awhile and Gaston was in pain all from a small splinter. His wife arrived and different family members come by to check on them and bring food sometimes. Philip had Jolius explain the toilet and encouraged them to keep the bathroom clean. They are used to a bucket bath. I think they get in the shower with a little pan of water and bath. :) I showed her how to turn the faucet on and off. Sometimes we find the faucet on. One day she called Philip didn't know how to turn off the kitchen faucet. Its been about a month and they are still here. Gaston is getting some better, but Philip is still concerned about several places on this hand. We encourage him to try to squeeze his hand, so it don't freeze up. I'm afraid he's not trying very hard, just don't want it to hurt.

Gaston hand when he first arrived - #OUCH

He was so cute when he wore his CURVE shirt from Fairbanks, AK

Philip doing the cleaning and redressing a time consuming job.

His wife sure takes good care of him-washing his feet.   

       

I walked home one day from market and found them both asleep outside, its always cooler on the cement floor.

Gaston sure tells us a lot but we are not sure what all he's telling us. He's about 70 years old. don't know how long they'll be with us. Just wish we could understand each other more.
  Vonise the young mother with the very enlarged breast is very much a concern. Last year Philip took her and her husband to the hospital she was in labor. They live very close to us. Her husband came to Philip and had him look at her breast, very enlarged and dimpled. Said it had been like this for about a month. Philip decided to take her to Double Harvest  this is when the doctors still were there. The doctors treated her for mastitis but wasn't sure. I arrived home about a week later and saw this young mother with a very enlarged breast. I said Philip who is this and what's wrong with her. He told me this was Vonise, who he took to Double Harvest. Oh my, I said she should be better, she wasn't even nursing on that side. we didn't know where to start, we talked to Jolius. We decided to take her to IFM where he works at. There's an gynecologist Doctor there. We were there for most of the day. I just don't quite understand, the blood work was done early in the morning.  Philip had some done too and it was done. So we asked and pushed around a little bit. It was done just no one to organize and let people know and the doctor, to let them be on their way. How do you try to help ??? The Doctor wanted her to have several different -x-rays. One Jolius didn't think they did in Haiti. Well where do we go next. Talked to Simeon about the big hospital at Mirebalais. A free hospital but a very busy, plus its a 2 1/2 hr. drive. Simeon had a young woman there at least 2 times with a bad hernia and they hadn't got anything done yet. We decided to call Bernard Mevs Hospital - part of Miami University in FL. Teams arrive there weekly from the states. We made a phone call no answer but Scott called us back - whew- bring her in. They actually have a Breast Cancer unit. I'll insert here, Philip was taking classes at CAM for 3 weeks so I'd be the responsible person, for this job. OH! If I just could get this Creole figured out. We loaded up one morning her husband Erold and Vonise , very carefully driving through Port and without much conversation. Philip told me to call this Scott when I got there, maybe he could tell us where to go.We entered the iron gates after the security officers peered at us. There's not much parking space and lots of people walking and laying around. Parked the truck someone said something to Erold - so I had to pull the truck up tighter to the next vehicle so others could pass by. I then called this Scott, he answered. Wohoo! He said he'd be right with me, where was I? He arrived and told me to wait, the nurses weren't there yet- 15 minutes or so. Mostly so- but he came back and took us across the street to the cancer clinic. Picture this big kinda nice looking building - no screens in the windows - one huge free standing fan- some dusty drywall in the corner-florescent   light fixtures in various stages some had bulbs some did not -  desk, file cabinet in the middle of the room- nice chairs over against one wall - ladies in various ones getting chemo it looked like- other side of room - one nik intensive care unit- boxes and a nice cart with IV-bandage etc. across from the cart chairs of different sizes and sorts with men and women perched on them. The big fan then stops at some point, the street current must've quit. The reason I'm describing this is our thoughts  are so American directed , no its not a nice CLEAN AIR CONDITIONED ROOM its a third world country. Just to let you get a feel. Oh, yes there's a bathroom, no the sink doesn't work so buckets of water are in there one for flushing the toilet- please put T.P. in trash- septic isn't U.S standards - the other bucket has a spekit on it to wash hands- soap is on the nurses desk in middle of room. Dr. Vincent arrives -lives in Haiti but an American Breast Cancer doctor. He then sits on a chair and comes along to each patient and checks out their breast problem, no screen of course. Yes, I know its so different then our culture. Dr. Vincent is puzzled he said, he talked to them a long time in Creole. Then I got nerve up (doctors can be ever so intimidating)  and explained where we'd been because I didn't know how much  they had told. He thought maybe an infection or maybe a problem from this Chikunguya virus . He wanted a chest x-ray and a ultrasound done,  call him when they were doing the ultra-sound. We go back across the street and wait and wait. Remember the language barrier. Finally Erold goes to some different areas, they send him off somewhere else. He  pays some money, I ask to see the slip of paper and he keeps showing me the $ amount of the tests.  I think about then Scott came along and I asked him where we should be, he showed us. The x-ray tech called Vonise and I jumped up went inside to see if I could get the scoop. I asked do you speak English, yes he did. I said well, I 'm suppose to call Dr, Vincent when they do the ultrasound, he said don't call yet instead of its in another building. Are you a Nun he asked?  Sigh, just don't quite get it.    We went back outside not knowing where we're suppose to be, remember the language barrier. Erold gets up and goes in a office of some sorts then takes Vonise in there. I tried to asked with hand motions to see if she is laying down? Yes, he said. I had the phone all ready to punch call, I didn't want to let Doc down you know- maybe he'd be so impressed he'd think HEY SHE'D  COULD BE USEFUL AROUND THERE SOMEHOW.  I always get a tingling feeling when I'm close to hospitals - I want to help. Well, about then the Doc shows up glances over at me and Erold, the wife isn't there. He trots inside and I'm not sure what all is in that office but somewhere along the line Vonise had her ultrasound done. Dr, Vincent had talked to them and they had this slip of paper for an antibiotic.   I spied Dr. Vincent gathered my courage and went over to ask a few questions, the next step. He said  the x-ray and ultrasound was clear.  Asked us to get  the antibiotic and come back on Monday, to see if she had any change. He was still puzzled and would do a biopsy if no change. We left and I decided maybe Erold didn't have money for the antibiotic, because he didn't pick it up at the hospital pharmacy. Erold, Vonise rode out with Philip and I when we left the house to get the antibiotic. After several tries at  hole-in the wall pharmacies we found the antibiotic. Monday found us back at the hospital, we tried to pull in the gates, and I guess the area for parking was to full. So, Erold help me turn around on this narrow street . Picture a narrow street, people waiting to get by me in their vehicles and people walking to and fro, I was breaking out in a sweat.  Then I had to turn in another iron gate which they would only open one-half of it. My truck wasn't angled right and Philip's mirror was rubbing the other gate. A man got the mirror pushed in then I backed up, (as more traffic waited) I got straighter and squeezed in, sweating good by this time. Went in the clinic - no electric no fan. Doctor finally arrived and sat in the middle of the big room at the desk. He'd have patients come up and look at them there. :(  He decided to do a biopsy on Vonise after she signed the consent form. A consent form ??  I held Vonise's hand while the procedure was being done. I say OUCH, EVEN IF IT WAS NUMB! It will take about 4 weeks to get the results, so Dr. Vincent is treating it as benign cancer right now. Such a young mother, two children to care for, haul water for eating, bathing and laundry. Yes, and no laundry machine. Her husband seems to care and help good. I laid in bed that night wondering how I could help. Their laundry gets very clean when hand  washed, better then what my machine does. I thought I could take some hot hardboiled  eggs and get the laundry. When I arrived next morning not real early, the laundry was done and she was looking good. Tuff people.

Passion Fruit or Grendia bloom opening

We have grendia plants coming up in the garden. They make the best fresh juice. The first several blooms aborted. Hope we can figure out what's wrong, it took almost a year to bloom. the fruit is round, green and smooth. When its ready to juice after its been picked  awhile, it turns a yellow wrinkles up and is ready to juice. The Haitian say you use your blender (which is a fine mesh colander) and work the pulp with a cup to squeeze it thru the mesh. You add sugar and water with the pulp which is high in vitamin C. Yummy. I've learned you can do it in a vita-mix with water turned on low. The neighbors like for me to blend theirs too in the vita-mix . :)   

Open bloom

  God gave us another beautiful Sunrise over the mountains today. Please pray for Philip and I as we start a new day SERVING IN HIS KINGDOM. May we ever be faithful. Blessings and Prayers to all of you as you SERVE HIM WHERE YOU ARE. Philip and Bethany

Philip planting a tree by the well