I'm gonna need some bigger tweezers!

I had been here for maybe a week. Things were going well and nothing catastrophic had happened, so I was fairly comfortable in my daily activities.

And then one morning I was in my skirt ready to go clean my would-be office and Monique stopped me with an intersting look on her face. She said somethingI didn't understand in Kreyol and pointed to a girl with blood on her face.

"Bwa," she said. That means "wood". I thought she got cut by a branch or something, so I took a closer look.

On my way over I told her it was okay in Kreyol and that it was only a splinter in English, then I saw it. This piece of wood was about 3/8 of an inch in diameter, sticking straight out of this little girl's temple, only a little stub as far as we could see.

My reply in English was, "I'm gonna need some bigger tweezers."

And they brought some big tweezers! Me and Monique had to take turns trying to pry the little sucker out of there. All I could hope for was that the other end of the bwa didn't have gray matter on it.

Half an hour later, after pulling, cutting, pulling and cutting, squinting and wondering what in the world we were doing, there came a "splinter" between 2 and 3 inches long.

We gave her a few stitches and I was finally able to get around to eating breakfast.

Then the day began.

And that was just the beginning. Wait until next week, it only gets crazier.

My Apologies

I hope that few, if any have been waiting for me to update this thing. In all the first times I could get on the internet when I moved here, I had so little time, I could only e-mail.

Well, I hope to get back into this and share a few more specific stories than those I do in my e-mails. Hopefully they're a good supplement to the updates you get already. I also want people to get a little more of the humor of this life in Haiti than what I can describe in a short and very important update.

Love you all so much and hope that you enjoy the following stories. They're a window into the strictly random nature of this country and her people. As random a my life was even in the States, I actually feel very at home.

More soon...

-C

Home Sweet Haiti

I am finally here.

Thank you.

We are working hard at many things, me on learning Kreyol and organizing my thoughts and resources for school. Things are s l o w sometimes and then get really fast, but I am enjoying everything from the beans and rice to the bucket baths to the makeshift conversations with my new neighbors in my broken Kreyol.

I love it. I love it all. (except the mosquitos)

Chris

Down to the Wire

Well, Family, I'm moving in a week. There are still a lot of details, a lot of little things I need to take, a lot of planning ahead to do so that I take everything I need.

I've been able to spend some time with Dee these last few days she's been in town. That's been good and reassuring. It is a comfort to be given some insight into daily issues by her. Up to this point I have just been a little intimidated by the idea of going at it alone. It's not so bad now. And she's a quality friend to have around anyway...

Most of my goodbye's have been said. Friends have moved or gone on vacation before I leave, so we've parted a bit early. It's funny how normal the goodbye's are now. I have left the country so many times that now it's just a "yeah, see you later." No tears. No mushy last moments. Just see-you-laters. I like it that way. That's evidence of kinship in the Spirit.

I'll let you know how things are going in the next couple of days.

Love you all.

Illinois Tour 2008

I got a late start yesterday because of some very complicated problems. I'm having a rough time. I believe it's because Satan is working harder to make this impossible. I'll tell you what, I'm not having fun right now, but you can bet that I have no intention to quit or slow down or give up, as painful as this has been. Hey Satan, we've already won and you don't have a chance!

God is teaching me a lot about perseverence and provision. Not to mention prayer!

I'm in Decatur today after passing through and meeting with churches in Jacksonville and Springfield. I'll be here for the day and in Paris tomorrow and heading to Moline on Friday. Pray for fruit!

Love you!

Change of Plans

Well, as can be expected, I have been given a new set of plans to go by on my move to Haiti. Dee and Wilkly are having a baby around the beginning of next year and she plans to remain in theU.S. until that little baby comes.

This effects me because I am now going to Haiti to adapt to new modes of language learning, since I depended on Dee and 9-year-old Ashley for that in the past. I will be starting and doing school with a much more independent status as well, since this was Dee's area and is now my own.

Praise God for His timing, though. You know, His provision here is impossibly ignored. As Dee is occupied with Lonia and now Little Baby Dorce, God has provided another worker to help pick up the slack. By no means will I fill anyone's shoes, but I'll certainly give it my best shot.

God is not only blessing this ministry, but He's building it. It's a privilege to be a part of it.

Love you all! Pray like crazy!

Driving

I've been driving like crazy these last few days. I'm in Carthage, MO right now after a 3 hour drive from Pomona, MO where I am speaking at a camp. It took a 5.5 hour overnight drive to get there on time Monday morning.

The contacts I'm making are quality. I've been making so many phone calls and sending so many e-mails that I am glad to be able to finally meet a few of these people in person. Fnds are still slow coming, unlike the blessings in general. I have so many reasons to smile, but I have to be honest in saying that I've been tempted to buy a few hats and have myself a pity party. This is taking a lot of perseverence, and it's going to tae a lot more of it.

So keep praying, as I'm sure you have been. I can feel it. The houses still need to sell, still need to find funds from somewhere, still need to arrange quite a few things for next months move.

Love you all.