I've returned safe and sound to Ohio. It's snowing! Someone reminded me it's the first day of Spring!
Three flight legs, sitting next to three very interesting people...a businessman from Puerto Rico, an attorney from Chicago who specializes in Education and Healthcare Law (right up my alley!), and a human resource manager from Wadsworth. All such interesting conversation that I didn't work except towards the end of the Miami-Chicago leg. But, oh so worth it!
Wonderful to spend good conversation and catch-up with Linda over excellent sushi at Mizu. And hot water and heat and my beautiful home with my toasty bed to climb into...ah, such luxuries!
It didn't take me long to start gathering items to pack to take back to Haiti, though! With only 72 hours here I have to make every minute count!
More later, I'm snuggling under my covers anticipating a very restful night (no disco out my window!)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Exams are finished; the school closed for Spring Break until April 1. This is the first week without a mission team on campus since the beginning of February. All to say, it's very quiet on campus. Today was the second day of break, and the electricity and internet were on Spring Break, too. Only had both or either, part of the day, so I headed home earlier than usual hoping to have internet at home to work. But, just as it's been all week, it is intermittent, as well. So, I will type as quickly as I can while it's working!
I have been able to walk to and from work this week since no team is here. I so enjoy being on the streets, with the community.
Yesterday, after Evelyne and Anay came to my office to practice for the ACT exam, Evelyne walked me to the street near my neighborhood through an area of Ouanaminthe I'd never been in. I couldn't get over how it is literally wall to wall, house after house, with people living in such close quarters. This was the second time this week I was in a new section of town - new to me! Sunday after visiting Evelyne's church with she and Evens, I went to Clarel's to meet and visit with his mother and him. Junior Filsto came by. We had a lovely visit. Here is a woman who has never been to school, yet has such a wise way about her. So elegant, too. I just fell in love with her. Afterwards, Junior and Clarel walked me home, and took me through yet another section of Ouanaminthe.
Monday after work, Clarel and I went grocery shopping at Bon Marche (the Ouanaminthe market). As a thank you for having me over on Sunday I bought his mom eggplant, fig (Haitian tiny bananas, that are so, so sweet and delicious) and cabbage. Then yesterday, Clarel showed up in my office with a bunch (still on the branch) of fig. A thank you gift from his mother, to thank me for the groceries. The generosity and love of the Haitians is precious and so humbling to me.
Here's a photo of Evelyne and her sister cooking in my kitchen (I love these girls!!):
The last of the college requirements for Clarel, for Madison Area Technical College will be mailed next week when I get back to the states for the Board Meeting. The requirements are in at North Shore Community College for Clarel, Tisma and Junior. Now we wait, upon the admissions committee, upon the Lord. These three students graduated in 2012 from Institution Univers.
For our Philo students, all but one financial aid "package" has been submitted via internet. The student has not yet provided all the information to me, therefore I cannot submit it. It was laborious, 1 to 2 hours of computer input per student, after the gathering of information, which I've been working on over the last three weeks. It feels good to have them in the hands of the colleges. Now we wait, upon the admissions committees, upon the Lord!
The last of the requirements are in process of document compilation for Florida Gulf Coast University, that being the transcript evaluation reports for the three girl students, and then them taking the ACT on April 28.
Now that the financial aid packages have been sent, I will now be applying for independent scholarships and grants, a perpetual process from now on, moving from this year's Philo to the Rheto (12th graders) as soon as the administrators determine who will be on the "top students" list for 2014.
We still need financial sponsors to "vouch" for six of our seven students to the U.S. Embassy. Partial financial commitments are welcome too! Contact me for more information. Thank you for your consideration!
I have been able to walk to and from work this week since no team is here. I so enjoy being on the streets, with the community.
Yesterday, after Evelyne and Anay came to my office to practice for the ACT exam, Evelyne walked me to the street near my neighborhood through an area of Ouanaminthe I'd never been in. I couldn't get over how it is literally wall to wall, house after house, with people living in such close quarters. This was the second time this week I was in a new section of town - new to me! Sunday after visiting Evelyne's church with she and Evens, I went to Clarel's to meet and visit with his mother and him. Junior Filsto came by. We had a lovely visit. Here is a woman who has never been to school, yet has such a wise way about her. So elegant, too. I just fell in love with her. Afterwards, Junior and Clarel walked me home, and took me through yet another section of Ouanaminthe.
Monday after work, Clarel and I went grocery shopping at Bon Marche (the Ouanaminthe market). As a thank you for having me over on Sunday I bought his mom eggplant, fig (Haitian tiny bananas, that are so, so sweet and delicious) and cabbage. Then yesterday, Clarel showed up in my office with a bunch (still on the branch) of fig. A thank you gift from his mother, to thank me for the groceries. The generosity and love of the Haitians is precious and so humbling to me.
Here's a photo of Evelyne and her sister cooking in my kitchen (I love these girls!!):
The last of the college requirements for Clarel, for Madison Area Technical College will be mailed next week when I get back to the states for the Board Meeting. The requirements are in at North Shore Community College for Clarel, Tisma and Junior. Now we wait, upon the admissions committee, upon the Lord. These three students graduated in 2012 from Institution Univers.
For our Philo students, all but one financial aid "package" has been submitted via internet. The student has not yet provided all the information to me, therefore I cannot submit it. It was laborious, 1 to 2 hours of computer input per student, after the gathering of information, which I've been working on over the last three weeks. It feels good to have them in the hands of the colleges. Now we wait, upon the admissions committees, upon the Lord!
The last of the requirements are in process of document compilation for Florida Gulf Coast University, that being the transcript evaluation reports for the three girl students, and then them taking the ACT on April 28.
Now that the financial aid packages have been sent, I will now be applying for independent scholarships and grants, a perpetual process from now on, moving from this year's Philo to the Rheto (12th graders) as soon as the administrators determine who will be on the "top students" list for 2014.
We still need financial sponsors to "vouch" for six of our seven students to the U.S. Embassy. Partial financial commitments are welcome too! Contact me for more information. Thank you for your consideration!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
I awoke to cloudy skies and cool breezes, and looked out my window thinking it may be a cooler day with the cloud coverage, as it's been warmer and more humid the past couple days. By the time I got up and into the kitchen I heard rain begin to fall. I looked out the kitchen window and sure enough rain had began falling. I walked out on my veranda and began praising God for the rain, as well as gave the security guard two thumbs up and indicated it was for the "lapli" (rain)! We need it so badly; no rain since December. Not one drop. But now we have it coming. Just a light shower, yet so welcome!
It has made my decision for me, though, whether to walk or drive to church. I'll now drive!
A few updates: The three Philo students who were unable to take their TOEFL exam in February due to improper ID, were able to take the exam yesterday. They literally came straight from Cap Haitien to my apartment afterward to sign and complete college paperwork I was holding for them while they were in Port au Prince (PaP) for a week , trying to secure their passports. They came back from PaP without passports but they were able to use their Baccalaureate ID cards as their ID (we took a chance that they would be allowed, as one TOEFL worker said they could so Pastor Dave registered them, "by faith", that the worker indeed was correct giving such information - you just don't know!!). When they arrived to my apartment we were in the middle of Bible Study so they joined in with us. Then afterwards, as they told us about their experience in PaP, I asked them if they at least had some fun while they were in PaP. They answered "No, it was frustrating!" I asked them why? They explained that the whole week was frustrating because everyday they spent all day trying to secure their passports. Oh, then I understood their repsonse. I could relate to their frustration, as my memory is still fresh from trying to get my car registered and licensed. Once you have to deal with the logistics, or lack thereof, of the government system you do not forget it!
The three students now have college papers in hand for parents signatures with some essays to write, and I have signed papers ready to scan to the colleges on Monday. So they are "back in the game" to be considered by the colleges. We are in crunch time for acceptance letters for all seven students and finding benefactors to assist with the students out of pocket expenses, so please be praying for these matters. It is crunch time, because it's time to begin the Visa process with the US Embassy. Another prayerful matter.
Last week some "funnies" to share with you about living in Haiti: Last Sunday after the mission team lunch, we discovered a chicken in the administrators bathroom, which was funny in itself, but what really set Pam Mann and I off laughing exuberantly was the chicken laying the egg in the shower stall!
Then Monday, I'm sitting at my desk and all of a sudden a flood of water (full force) came through my window behind me. MetPas (Hugues) happened to walk in my office right after it happened and said, "You have water all over" and I responded, "Yes, I had a flood come in through my window", in which he replied, "Shut your window". Ok, that was the logical thing to do! Not that a pipe or faucet obviously just let go and there's a problem outside my window!! The maintenance workers did cease the water flow. Yet, Wednesday it occurred again, but this time I was ready. I had moved my window in the pane from left to right so as to have the window open opposite from the "fountain", just as MetPas had suggested!
Thursday afternoon news arrived in the office that the road workers (our road is in the process of being paved to the end, to the Vo-Ed building - hopefully!) dumped 10 feet of rubble across the road out of the school, so as to not be able to pass. So, everyone leaving in vehicles that night had to take an alternative route, literally through the dumpsite, which is constantly smoldering, through the narrow side streets, not meant for vehicles, to the main road. And, it remains blocked, as of yesterday. So today and for the unforeseen future, the "alternative route" is how we will go to and from the school grounds. Never a dull moment in Haiti!
Enjoy your day, be blessed, and remember your life is a gift!
It has made my decision for me, though, whether to walk or drive to church. I'll now drive!
A few updates: The three Philo students who were unable to take their TOEFL exam in February due to improper ID, were able to take the exam yesterday. They literally came straight from Cap Haitien to my apartment afterward to sign and complete college paperwork I was holding for them while they were in Port au Prince (PaP) for a week , trying to secure their passports. They came back from PaP without passports but they were able to use their Baccalaureate ID cards as their ID (we took a chance that they would be allowed, as one TOEFL worker said they could so Pastor Dave registered them, "by faith", that the worker indeed was correct giving such information - you just don't know!!). When they arrived to my apartment we were in the middle of Bible Study so they joined in with us. Then afterwards, as they told us about their experience in PaP, I asked them if they at least had some fun while they were in PaP. They answered "No, it was frustrating!" I asked them why? They explained that the whole week was frustrating because everyday they spent all day trying to secure their passports. Oh, then I understood their repsonse. I could relate to their frustration, as my memory is still fresh from trying to get my car registered and licensed. Once you have to deal with the logistics, or lack thereof, of the government system you do not forget it!
The three students now have college papers in hand for parents signatures with some essays to write, and I have signed papers ready to scan to the colleges on Monday. So they are "back in the game" to be considered by the colleges. We are in crunch time for acceptance letters for all seven students and finding benefactors to assist with the students out of pocket expenses, so please be praying for these matters. It is crunch time, because it's time to begin the Visa process with the US Embassy. Another prayerful matter.
Last week some "funnies" to share with you about living in Haiti: Last Sunday after the mission team lunch, we discovered a chicken in the administrators bathroom, which was funny in itself, but what really set Pam Mann and I off laughing exuberantly was the chicken laying the egg in the shower stall!
Then Monday, I'm sitting at my desk and all of a sudden a flood of water (full force) came through my window behind me. MetPas (Hugues) happened to walk in my office right after it happened and said, "You have water all over" and I responded, "Yes, I had a flood come in through my window", in which he replied, "Shut your window". Ok, that was the logical thing to do! Not that a pipe or faucet obviously just let go and there's a problem outside my window!! The maintenance workers did cease the water flow. Yet, Wednesday it occurred again, but this time I was ready. I had moved my window in the pane from left to right so as to have the window open opposite from the "fountain", just as MetPas had suggested!
Thursday afternoon news arrived in the office that the road workers (our road is in the process of being paved to the end, to the Vo-Ed building - hopefully!) dumped 10 feet of rubble across the road out of the school, so as to not be able to pass. So, everyone leaving in vehicles that night had to take an alternative route, literally through the dumpsite, which is constantly smoldering, through the narrow side streets, not meant for vehicles, to the main road. And, it remains blocked, as of yesterday. So today and for the unforeseen future, the "alternative route" is how we will go to and from the school grounds. Never a dull moment in Haiti!
Enjoy your day, be blessed, and remember your life is a gift!
Friday, March 1, 2013
It's been a whirlwind few weeks week, from being blessed with back to back mission teams over a four week period, assisting Hugues in his healing period, getting all the outstanding documentation out to the colleges for seven Philo students, starting the students Bible study back up and running, trying to get the correct tractor parts sent to us, ordering Rotary International shirts and signs, to ordering Hugues new glasses, it's been, as I said, a whirlwind!
More over the weekend, I'm going to rest now!
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