Archive for August, 2010
I apologize for not blogging sooner, though it has been on my mind every day. I returned home from Haiti with a few things needing to be done; first to finish restoring the bassinet, then my daughter’s baby shower, and my son’s birthday, but what really held me back most was extreme exhaustion. I am starting to feel much better today and have even been out walking this morning.
Our trip to Haiti was just fabulous. Heartline Ministries provided our accommodations and our meals and we could not have been served better had we stayed at a five star hotel. I will write more about that separately, so as to let anyone interested in knowing more about the guesthouse. The guesthouse was so awesome that we referred to it as home the entire time we were in Haiti. It just felt like home.
We were able to meet with most of our families and will share about each one of them. We also had the opportunity to take some of our families to the beach, which was lots of fun. Magnalie got to visit with her family, and my sister Debbie was really touched by the entire experience. She is already talking about going back.
The Haitian people really have a hard life, a visit quickly brings to the forefront how blessed we are. Our families are well, but their lives are very difficult and they persevere. I will try to give you a glimpse into their lives and maybe together we can help to make their lives just a bit easier. Please continue to pray for them. I hope through the blog you will get to know them more personally as I do, and that you will love them as a neighbor, sister or brother.
The girls are back from Haiti and we have so much to share. We had an awesome trip thanks to so many in Haiti who made it happen (Heartline Guest House, Job Lira, Julma…).
There are so many stories to tell and so much more information to share concerning our families. I cannot wait to start. I’ll get to it as soon as possible.
Our CONTEST has not ended yet as we still have 2 more books to give away. Hurry and get yours before they are gone.
Kathy, her sister Debbie and Magnalie are in Haiti for one week. They look happy at 3:00 in the morning.
Tyler, Magnalie and I visited Creation Church in Thompson, CT today. Pastor Chris and his wife Lisa invited us to launch a clothing drive that will take place on September 12. What was really special is that Magnalie was asked if she would like to sing. She sang Nicole C Mullen’s, One Touch.
It was the first time that we presented Homebound Mission’s as a family and it was Magnalie’s first time to sing at a church here in America.
We were also priviledge to stay after the service and visit at Frank and Charlene Langlois’s house for fellowship and a Baptism. There were many people there that we knew getting Baptised and it was really a joy to be a part of it all.
In just a few hours Magnalie, my sister Debbie and I leave for Haiti. We have packed every piece of luggage to it’s absolute maximum, with everything bulging. Debbie says she is praying for happy American Airlines people who are going to be so thrilled our luggage is stuffed with gifts for Haiti that they will just wave us through with a big smile. Amen.
I will not be able to blog until I return home on the 23rd. I will be sure to write about every detail of our trip when I get home. Thank you for checking out our blog and for caring about the work of Homebound Missions.
Tyler and I spent the evening in the ER and our time there looked like an episode of, Untold Stories From the ER.
Nurses gasping.
Strangers coming in to ask if they can see.
Crowds gathering in the hallway laughing. The patient can hear you!
” I need an X-ray” is overheard as the doctor talks to the nurse.
” I’ll need a hammer.”
Did she just say she needs a hammer? Hey, wait a minute the patient is awake and knows about your plan.
Some local anesthetic, ahhh what a relief. Did I mention the patient rated his pain at 8.
A couple light taps of the hammer, an even tug with the pliers. No, I am only kidding they used hemostats and miraculously the patient is all better.
Tyler was trying to fix my staple gun for me as I was working on restoring an old bassinet for my new grandbaby (coming soon). After many attempts to get it to staple he tried holding the safety valve with his finger. Wouldn’t you know it staples just fine when you hold that thing.
I saw him get stapled, he was still unaware and was trying to get the gun to staple into the wood, which it wouldn’t. A 1 1/4″ staple going into the underside of his index finger out the top through part of his nail bed.
Here is the God is so good part. The staple completely missed the bone. Even the doctor couldn’t believe it. It was sticking right up through the middle of his finger and didn’t hit the bone. Thank you Lord.
Today, Tyler is at work with just some minor discomfort from his tetanus shot.
Many of you know that our dear friend Job Lira lost his son, Rodlin in the earthquake. We were so fortunate that we only lost one, but this precious one has been on our hearts and we have been looking for something to do to celebrate his life.
Tyler and I had a couple of things that we thought could be used. First, we had Rodlin’s actual footprint (remember Operation Footprint) and then we had photos which we took every trip to document our families. All we needed was…
Cheryle Loader (my step mom) who volunteered to put a scrapbook album together for Job’s family. She brought it to me the other evening and all I can tell you is it was difficult not to break out in tears.
This is one of the very special gifts I am bringing to Haiti this trip. I will give it to Job and his wife Yvette and daughter Cassandra in the privacy of their home. A keepsake to remember not only Rodlin, but their entire family before the earthquake.
Today I ironed aprons that have been made for the nannies of Maison des Enfants de Dieu, an orphanage in PAP, Haiti that is sourced and supported by For His Glory (FHG).
Kim Harmon, the President of FHG asked us if we could help them in making aprons for the nannies as a uniform for them to wear at work. The nannies at FHG like to wear dresses and so we looked for a pattern that would look dressy as well.
A very warm Thank You to Edith of Abilene, Kansas for donating the fabric, Darlene Hurst of Pascoag, RI for cutting the patterns, and Debbie Sirek of Joliet, IL for sewing these lovely aprons together. Because of these ladies HM’s can deliver 38 beautiful aprons to the nannies.
We have learned since the making of these aprons that FHG now has 60 nannies and have purchased aprons to cover our shortage.
We are currently researching patterns to make new ones for all the nannies, but these will not be ready for several months.
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Our family has been blessed to learn about Dr S M Davis of Park Meadows Baptist Church and his web site called Solve Family Problems. Over the last few months we have learned so much from his clearly taught messages which cover everything from Anger, Parenting, Character, and Marraige.
This site was recommended to us and has become a family must have resource. We hope it will bless you as it has us.
Tyler and I had the opportunity to sneak away on a mini vacation to the Berkshires. We camped on Savoy Mountain, hiked into the State Forest to see Tannery Fallls, and biked/rollerbladed 22 miles on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail (ART).
We have been biking/walking/rollerblading the rail trails in RI for most of the summer, but the ART has been my favorite so far. There were wooded sections, mountain views and lakeside areas on a well maintained paved path.
Now it is time to get back to work as my sister Debbie, Magnalie and I leave for Haiti on Monday, August 16th at 2:00 am.