PAINTING, PAINTING, AND PANTING!!!!!!!

  Bonjou to all; Blessings on your day today as you serve Him- today and forever - SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD....Matt.6:33

  The weather cooled for a few days and the humidity lowered, but its back to the normal- breath taking. I should become more Haitian and carry a small towel draped over my shoulder to dry my face periodically. Its been raining quite a bit and we've had several downpours. The mosquitoes are gathering in numbers.  Stanley told us when it rains so much, many people get sick. Imagine what it would be like sleeping on the floor with water running through the house.

Wiquens our neighbor helping hoe in the garden- wanted to help pay for some of school supplies- He wants to be a doctor someday- bright boy!!

  School is starting so that means shoes, books, school uniform, and tuition. Many boys & some adults are coming by  and asking  for money to help them with school. It makes me think of a scripture the \Haitians must use Matt.6:34-Take therefore no thought for the tomorrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself....I know its a little out context- but maybe you get the idea. Well, Philip just gives them work instead just handing out money. They hoe in the garden, clean out the water channel, and move the piles of leftover sand. He pays them at the end of the day. At the end of one day, a boy arrived late he was hungry, and needed money for  school things. Stanley told us to tell him it was disrespectful to come so late, give him a little money for food and tell him to come back in the morning. When he arrived in the morning, he had another buddy with him :) They worked fairly good, it was a very hot & humid day. They came the next day with another buddy, and worked hard all day. It was another very hot & humid day too. They said no more buddies, they all lived together. Two of the buddies grew up in an orphanage together at Kenscoff. One of the boys parents couldn't care for his needs, so they put him in the orphanage. His family then all died in the earthquake. One of the boys came to work one day and Philip went to check on his weeding. Here he had pulled out most of Philip's special beans to make a cover crop and add nitrogen. So what didn't  you understand when I explained yesterday about pulling the weeds around the beans??? 

Many hands make light work

Taking a painting break little lunch in the shower Raymonds gave us

The house from the outside just some of the walls primed-Philip hoeing around the bananas 

   Two weeks ago Pat & Cheryl came to stay a few days. They did some shopping and helped us paint on Saturday. We were upstairs painting. I climbed down off my ladder and Oly the neighbor climbed up. He started to paint like crazy. Pat was laying on the floor trimming and was getting a shower of paint spatters. I looked at Pat & Cheryl and didn't know what to do???? Well, needless to say Oly turned out to be a good painter and he needed a job ( remember school was starting soon and he has 3 to send to school). He lost his job last May??  Oly and Gario painted for about 2 weeks. Philip and I touch up a little here and there.  We need to finish up one more bedroom downstairs. It sure is brightening up everything - good-by old gray cement. The upstairs ceilings are done. The bathroom walls are done and the pantry walls need a little touch up. Philip wants to seal and finish the bedroom and main room floors before we do the topcoat of paint on the walls. My kitchen is turned upside down, it is scattered outside and inside. Just like camping! Do we have to eat???

Wiztgard braiding Madam Charisier hair before school the next day- quite the hair-do

Charisier reading his paper and charging his phone

Dr. Jolius home from interning and using his laptop upstairs because his street power was off.

  Many areas of our place get utilized -if it rains the porch get used for braiding hair- or if its too dark at the one outside receptacle  to charge  something or to work on our laptop, we come to the porch too. No problem that's what we here for to help out.
  Stanley & Julyne are still here. We're getting along good. Our Creole ought to improve but it is not coming along real fast. What a chance to have your teacher live right with you. He's very busy. Stanley is teaching English at a college 3 days a week in the morning and afternoons he teaches Creole at Bric or Global Mission. When he is here some in the mornings, he'll fix us some food. Julyne's sister comes some and cooks to. That  really helps me out . Julyne is about the same. Two weeks ago we had an anointing service for her. Her 4 siblings came. It was a very special service. Her faith is so strong. Her father who lives in Miami sends money to the siblings. He decided to not send anymore money, unless Julyne goes to the Priest where she could get healed. Julyne's mother died when she was 16 years old. She raised her siblings  the youngest would have been 3 years old. Many nights they went to bed hungry, because she choose to keep herself pure and not sell her body for food. Somewhere in her life someone - her mother ?-taught her about Jesus and she still has a very strong Faith. I've walked by her room and hear her singing IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL-!!!!!

She really enjoys it when Philip sings to her- she picks up the tune and sings along!

A good day last week Julyne came out on the porch and peeled veggies for Stanley -Her upper arms aren't as big around as my wrist-She's a very beautiful sister  inside and out !!

Her siblings and Stanley holding the cup. They had a one year anniversary party-prayer and testimonies (  of her surgery when the Docs opened her up and closed her up and said we can't do anything - she probably has 1 or 2 months to live.)

My kitchen - which is actually the girls dorm- notice the mixer is on the wash machine- :)Making Memories !!! Oh to the right of the picture is Philips pants hanging - this room is part bedroom  too, at the moment--

Philip keeps so busy !!!!! One day Charisier called on the phone - he lives very close by...Philip can you take me to hospital to pick up my cousin? Yes, I can are you ready to go ? Usually it could be a hour later. Away they went. Philip turned one way and Charisier said where are you going - I don't know where we're going you tell me!!! :)  They were gone for the most part of the day. This cousin cooked and laundered for Charisier and Joluis when they were at College. She was coming down a mountain trail from her house and collapsed. Some Haitian found her and carried down the mountain (which is very steep and gravelly). They took her to IFM clinic and they took her by ambulance to General Hospital. She had an appendicitis. Philip felt so bad for her when he was driving back on the rough roads. Ouch! One Sunday afternoon Charisier called, could we go pick up Joluis? He's Charisier brother and was going to school to be a doctor and was coming home from interning for 10 month in northern Haiti. Joluis, if you remember helped  us purchase our land. We had a little trouble finding him, he wasn't familiar with the area and he didn't know exactly where he was. :)   You always go prepared with a book and water, you just never know what a trip will bring. Life continues to be interesting !!!
  One morning all the dogs were carrying on ! Here they were barking at a cow, which got excited and saw a little boy- Watson. The cow  started to  paw at the boy. Watson got a few bumps and was sore for a few days.
    Blessing to all and thanking God for all our dear brothers and sisters- thank you for your prayers and financial  support-- until we meet again- Love In Him Philip & Bethany

the beautiful sun setting over the many little homes