Days Gone By

So who updates their blogs these days anyway?? Obviously not me, seeing as it's been since October since I've last written one word. It's one of those things that constantly niggles at the back of my mind. To be quite honest, I never feel like our life has that much worth reporting. But if you want to read my ramblings, read on!

I know when I last wrote that Ti Goave was a pretty exciting place to live. Thankfully, soon after that post, it became boring again! Whew. It's so nice to just get out whenever we need to without wondering if today is a day for demonstrations or not. Makes me think of other countries that are constantly shut in. We are blessed beyond anything we can imagine. Just a quick overview month by month of what has been happening.

In the middle of November, we found out that my mom's cancer was not going to be curable. We headed back as soon as we could get tickets, not knowing how long we would be there. We arrived on my birthday, and I will forever treasure hearing her tell me 'Happy Birthday' that one last time. My entire family was able to be there those last two weeks with her and we are so thankful for that. We all had time to have one last chat with her, and tell her that we loved her, and would miss her. Thanks to all who prayed for us during that time. I know that some are taken suddenly and don't get the opportunity to say good-bye. I think-I know-God knows just what each one of us needs. He is faithful and even though it hurts, the thought of seeing her again someday definitely takes the sting of separation away just a bit.

We flew home from Ohio on December 9th and had only a couple weeks before our crazy busy winter schedule started. We did celebrate Christmas and New Year's by sharing the holidays with Darv and Joanna Seibel's family and whoever else was around to remember the season. Jo and I joke that we don't really celebrate any holidays here in Haiti-we don't celebrate the Haitian holidays because they don't mean a lot to us, and we don't celebrate ours because they don't mean a lot to the Haitians! This year, we did a Christmas party for the employees. We went to a local restaurant where the lady in charge had fixed a FEAST! We didn't eat near all the food, which is a record where Haitians are involved. It was a fun night with several games and gifts. One of the employees wife was newly pregnant and terribly sick. She happened to sit next to me and every few seconds she would spit into a little glass baby food jar. When they brought the food, she quickly escaped to the other side of the roof(where we were eating) and stayed there until we left. Poor thing, she felt truly horrible. Clint had a flu bug, so he didn't feel any better. He didn't eat one single thing and when he got home, promptly got sick. Memories!

Three of the employees who work at the goat farm

This is only part of the Christmas party feast!

In January, we had several different sets of visitors. Justin Yoder came the middle of January and spent three weeks helping Clint around the farm. That was a huge boost in tying up several loose ends. Doug and Justin Flora came early before the GB team got started and spent a few days with us. We managed to squeeze in a day to the beach amid all the work.

Quality time reading books

The beginning of February brought Clem and Bev Bowman and their family to help with a soil conservation conference. Mike and Joanna Martin from Fond Parisian, Haiti also came with their four boys to help as well. We didn't have room for every one at our house so Mike's stayed down at Darv's. The conference was three days long, in a different location each day. The guys left early each day and arrived home after supper.  During the day, we had three adults and eleven children in the house! It got a little loud at times, but everyone did really well and we had a great time. We loved every minute with special friends around! Three days after Clem's left, Ken and Velma Stull and Kris Peters came to be with us for a week. Ken worked his magic in our kitchen and I now have very lovely cupboard doors and two drawers! Of course, you can't keep Velma and Kris busy enough either. They painted our living room and entry way and all the cupboard doors. I think there were only a few moments during the whole time that we were not working! We enjoyed them being here so much! Come back so you can relax sometime:) The day that Ken's left, Dad and Mom Bower came for ten days. Every day spent with family is special... Especially for our girls. Their love for Grandpa and Grandma knows no bounds!

I'm sure these two were talking farming.... (photo credit: Justin Yoder)

Everything is fun with a friend or two

Ava and Sophia

Painting, painting, and more painting!

Oops, that came as a surprise even to her!! We
had a good laugh!! 

Ken, hard at it

There is more than one way to get the meat out
of a coconut. I guess this is the woodworkers' way!

Glorious sunset from up above Ti Goave. God, you are truly
GREAT!

Always happy to help Grandma!

In March we tried to slow down and breathe a little:) I really don't remember what happened that month! Random things kept us busy. We went to Santo Domingo for a couple days in an attempt to find some goats to buy for breeding stock at the farm. It was a successful trip; we didn't purchase any goats but were able to make several contacts with farms who have beautiful goats available. Clint is trying to better the genetics in his herd and the cost to import a goat from the US can be quite expensive. We are hoping this will be a better alternative.

Morning chats with Massouck out on the wall

These girls would play together every day if they could...
and have a tea party every day too.

April found Clint studying at ECHO, learning more about fruit trees in the tropics. He really enjoys learning and studying, so this was a fun time for him. Also, he loves meeting new people:) Phil and Beth spent a couple days with us; one day we went to Bassin Bleu. This is a beautiful waterfall in Jacmel that you have to hike to. It's not a hard hike and it's totally worth it. Absolutely beautiful even if it is cold enough that you don't want to spend too long swimming in it. Mia celebrated her 2nd birthday on the 4th! Happy Year, sweet girl!!

Mia Gabrielle

Happy 2nd Birthday, Mia!

May brought several different visitors which always keeps me, and Clint, busy. Caleb Jenkins came and set up Quickbooks for the program. That has been a bit time consuming as we have learned how to use it; but it becoming much faster as we learn more. Alicia and Edlyns Newcomber came and stayed with us girls for a few days; that was a huge highlight for us! Both of our husbands were going to be gone for a couple days and I just happened to be talking to her right before they both left. I told her to come keep us company, so she did. It was good for the girls to have a young boy to play with for a change, it gives them a little break from babies and princess:) And I loved having another girl around for a couple days!

Edlyns, Ava and Mia

June was spent sewing and getting ready for furlough. And what a furlough it was!! It was very anticipated by all of us and went much too quickly! We decided this year we would spend time with each of our siblings at their houses. First stop was Clint's sister's in Kansas-Orin and Melinda Mason. The trip started out with a great big delay. Flight delayed going out of Miami into Dallas... then canceled, had to overnight in Miami. Next day we were an hour and a half late leaving Miami which made us miss our connecting flight out of Chicago. But only by about 5-10 minutes. We arrived in Wichita, KS 28 hours after originally planned! We had two and a half wonderful, busy days there and then drove to eastern KS to be with my sister-Matt and Renee Edgecomb for another two and a half days. After that we flew to WA to be with Clint's brother and sil-Laban and Bethany. We enjoyed every single minute (minus the delays:() with each family. It went so quickly but was so worth it! After six days in WA, we flew to Ohio for ten days--the remainder of the three weeks. I don't say this lightly, friends and family are a BLESSING!!! Some highlights were: worshipping at church, bbq's with friends, July 4, ice cream, quality time with siblings, among many more. I sure did miss my dear mom....

Walks down to the canal were a great time! 

Can't beat ice cream on a hot day!

July 4th.... Fun with friends 

This finally brings us to July.... up to date and current!! We came home to an extremely dirty house! We can't shut it up completely from the outside weather so there was dirt and dust everywhere. Cleaning came first and then unpacking! Ava's birthday was Sunday, the 12th. Darv and Joanna's family came in the evening to help us celebrate with popcorn and cake. Four years old is a fun age so far:) Yesterday we took a huge load of grass and feed up to Soliette for our goats up there. If you think of it, pray for Soliette. That area hasn't had rain for seven months and looks like a dessert. The last two plantings have been lost and even one of the springs in the area has nearly dried up. These people have next to nothing to begin with, now they have nothing to live on and nothing to sell. It makes my heart ache. To top it off, as we neared Ti Goave, it started raining so hard we couldn't see the road clearly. This morning, the rain gauge said one inch and seven tenths. It's so hard to understand God's ways sometimes.... I trust Him, but I certainly don't understand. If we could see the whole picture, I'm sure it would be as clear as crystal! Our God, HE IS FAITHFUL!!

A favorite spot to play

Pig Project

Chicken Project

Checking the goats

Happy 4th Birthday, Sweet Ava!!

Hunkering down in Ti Goave

Life in Ti Goave has been anything but boring lately! Normally our town is quite calm and unruffled but lately there is much political tension. Apparently the magistra and the deputy, which would be the equivalent to our mayor and another high standing official, have stolen a lot of money from the town. The president of Haiti has visited a couple times and found that the money given for certain projects was not used in the way it should have been. However, the magistra and deputy certainly have several nice houses and cars. Or so the story goes. Regardless, there are manifestations more days than not. Manifestations vary, but generally involve large groups of people burning tires, stopping traffic, and occasionally stopping a big truck by parking it across the road and letting air out of the tires so that no one can pass. Of course the police become involved as well as the BIM-special forces- by firing tear gas into the air and occasionally firing shots to get the crowd to dissipate. It's all quite exciting! I used to go out and about without thinking but now ask the neighbors if it's ok. It's nothing to be scared of, but I feel it's wise to be cautious, especially with two little girls in tow. Things got really bad one week, someone got shot, another person's car was burnt and that is what it took to get a meeting with the big wigs. After that, the magistra was supposedly stepping down. So our town returned to it's peaceful, quiet self. For about a week and a half that is. Then on Wednesday last week things started getting hot again and by Friday, we were stuck at home. The manifesters decided they wanted our area to be more involved in the ruckus so they brought all the commotion up. We heard gun shots repeatedly all day long and got the drift of tear gas once. After the police shot the tear gas, people ran up past our house to get away from the fumes. We just sat on our roof with our neighbor for awhile, watching and listening. We are praying for things to get figured out and soon. It really hurts our local economy. None of the vendors dare venture out to sell and people don't go to the market to buy. Finally on Saturday, things settled down and life went back to normal admist all the rocks in the roads and the remains of burnt tires in the streets. Today, Sunday was normal as well; but we hear things will probably escalate again tomorrow.

Quality is poor, I was trying to drive and take these at the same time, but
it gives you an idea!

 One day we drove out of Ti Goave in a rush. We were going north to a meeting and heard that that day was going to have a more intense manifestation. We didn't think to count but by the time it was all said and done, we passed about 8 places in a 10 mile stretch where there were remnants of burning tires on the road, rocks blocking the way, and in one spot, a big truck was getting the air put back in it's tires. Exciting!

About a month and a half ago, Clint had been invited to a workshop up in the north that would last for about four days. He chose to go, so I decided we girls would go to. We don't love to stay here by ourselves for that long. The day arrived to leave and Ava woke up vomiting. Hum, we didn't think too much about it, she had never vomited before in her short three years of life. We figured it was a flukey thing and went ahead and left. Thus began a 5 hour journey of more throwing up than I care to remember. Ava faithfully threw up about every hour to hour and a half while Mia also got her two bits in. Mia very rarely fails to get carsick and this was no exception. Especially on the hilly, curvy road we took to get there. I was so thankful to arrive around 2 p.m. There was a late lunch ready and waiting, rice and beans. I like Haitian food, but only on days when my stomach is NOT queasy. True to form, Ava seemed to be all better by around 4 p.m. However, by 5, I was pretty certain I was going to be the next victim. And so I was. Our accommodations were very basic, three twin beds, one small lightbulb, no fans, and bucket showers. As I lay in my bed, sick, I heard Clint come in our little house and say, 'wow, that's a big one! Maybe the biggest I've seen.' Ack! He proceeded to kill a rather large tarantula. This wasn't the first time that night I wished I had stayed home with the girls. Thankfully, my sickness only lasted a few hours; in the morning I was fine. Haitian food still had the power to turn my stomach though, as well as the girls', who had both woken up with fever! Well, that day wasn't horrible; the girls were drugged up. The next day, Clint woke up not feeling the best, and sure enough, by 9 a.m he was calling me to come pick him up; he was sick. So began the two and a half hour drive back to Blue Ridge where we had planned to stay the night in the Life Building. I drove while poor Clint suffered beside me. Mia was faithful in getting carsick and I couldn't take care of her while driving so Clint got to. That was an absolutely miserable trip, but I think we can almost laugh about it now! A couple weeks later he had a different seminar about five hours away, also a four day affair. I nearly chose not to go, remembering the previous time. But we gave it another shot and had a MUCH better, enjoyable experience that time!

We got home the second time on a Sunday evening. We didn't do much beside unload and take showers. While we were showering Clint kept saying that the water stank really bad. He warned not to get it in our mouths, just in case something was in the water. I inwardly thought it couldn't be and didn't worry much about it, but our water did smell awful. I did a couple loads of laundry the next day and they came out smelling about the same. After some checking, our cistern was clean but low and behold, Clint had to climb inside our 200 gallon tank on the roof to fish out a deteriorated frog! I nearly gagged and I'm certain Clint had to. The stench at that close of a range was worse than words can describe. It took several days for the smell to go away and several more until I actually felt "clean" after my shower.

Not all is doom and gloom as it sounds though! I get the privilege of taking formula to a set of darling twins every week. A couple of months ago, we heard a lot of wailing and weeping not far from us. Our neighbor said that a lady had died who had five days previously, birthed twins. He didn't know any more details than that. A couple Sundays later, one of the church ladies asked Joanna Seibel if she would like to come see these same twins! So we both went to see them that day. Jo got ahold of CAM and they have a special needs fund; they were able to buy three large cases of milk to give to these babies! Formula is outrageously priced here so this family is so thrilled! Since I can walk to their house, the formula is here and I have been taking a new can every 5-6 days. It's been so fun to see them growing! Their names are Jouri(you ree) and Jouranna(you rauna), a boy and a girl. It's also been fun to begin a friendship with the ladies that care for them. They call me ' Mama Let', their Milk Mama.

Clint continues to be busy at the Goat Farm. The barn is nearly finished and he has moved in all the goats. There are currently around 30, but they are actively buying more until they reach around 100 nannies. He borrowed a purebred Nubian buck to breed the nannies that he has now, so come January, we will have lots of cute, frisky kids playing in the barn as well. I love to watch them play and can't wait to take the girls to watch also! There about 100 little things that always need his attention at the farm so he is there a lot. Some days he has been there a couple hours and will call and say he is just now getting started on what he originally went to do! :)

At the farm

Our rainy season is here now, making our nights so pleasant I forget how hot and muggy it was in the summer. A sheet feels wonderful and if I can make it out of bed early enough, a jacket hits the spot! Winter here is pretty wonderful:) Although come Thanksgiving and Christmas time, it feels quite strange to not have at least a little cold weather.

Ava has been coming up with several funnies lately. I love this age. Mia is also a lot of fun. They love each other to death but can also be pretty fierce enemies. They don't let life get dull:)

Sweet Sisters

Ready for church

A depiction of life in Haiti when there was still slavery

Kiana and Ava-sweet friends

Home.... Sweet Home

Home.... Where the heart is! I was pondering this the other day, as we have been home from Ohio for about three weeks now. As I thought about it I realized how blessed I am.... I have numerous "homes". Going to my parents' house is home, going to Clint's parents' is home, going to several friends' houses feels like home, and of course, coming to our house in Haiti felt like home too. How amazing is that? Some people have only one place that feels like home, others none. Lord, help this home to be a blessing to others who enter it!

The weekend after we got back, we went to the wedding of a man who works for the soil conservation program. Ah... Haitian weddings never fail to entertain! We were told by the groom that the wedding would commence at 9:30 a.m. They were having the ceremony at his home in the mountains about an hour and a half away if we took the 4-wheeler. Either we are becoming Haitian or we were just being lazy, but we didn't arrive until 10:15. Of course, nothing was happening yet. The church was full of murmuring people. We were barely set down in the back of the church when a man approached Clint and wondered if he could go pick up the pastor who would be helping with the ceremony. Ha, ha! I had a small chuckle. This is why we didn't try to arrive on time! Clint went back down to where the truck had parked and proceeded to haul up a couple pastors and the speakers. After they arrived back at the church, the pastor had to go change and the speaker system had to be set up. By this time the day was really warming up. Our girls were becoming pretty fidgety.... The wedding finally began around 11:30. What followed was a church crammed full of people, barely any standing room left. This meant we couldn't feel a STITCH of air movement at all. Whew. I fed the girls several packs of cookies, gave them lots of drinks of hot water and finally sent them outside looking for Clint. He had lost his place inside when he went to get the men. The groom also happens to be a pastor so this ceremony lasted very long, at least an hour and a half. We girls were happy when it was finally over! In Haiti, instead of forming a line to congratulate the newlyweds, or even for them to come around to receive congratulations, everyone floods to the front of the church to offer them best wishes. We followed the crush of people forward where we were happy to congratulate them. I thought it was hot at the back of the church but it was worse in the front. The poor bride looked like she was nearly in a daze, with sweat beaded on her face. We left right after that because we were afraid it was going to rain and didn't want to get caught in it. Usually they serve a nice meal of rice and beans, chicken, and several special foods.

The newlyweds a couple weeks after the wedding

Our time spent in Ohio went fast, too fast really. We loved every minute of reconnecting with church family and friends. We are blessed beyond anything we deserve. It was a busy time and we tried to make the most of every minute! It was an encouraging, refreshing trip. Now it feels good to be back home in Haiti as well. August and September are our hottest months so we have fans going full blast trying to keep cool! Poor Mia has a bad heat rash that just won't go away... she can't get cool enough for enough days in a row for that to happen. I'll have to say, we felt like we had to come back to Haiti to 'thaw' out--Ohio was strangely cool while we were there. It WAS nice to have a few weeks free from sweating.

Last weekend we got to help 'Grandpa' Harold celebrate his 80th birthday here in Ti Goave. A couple of the ladies planned a big birthday bash for him. He thought only a few people would be there. It's not every day that you get to celebrate an 80th birthday here. Harold is 'grandpa' to many of us, and has lived here for several years. We also got to spend last week with Ryan, Kyra and family. It was wonderful to have special friends here for a few days!

Happy 80th Birthday Grandpa Harold!

Special visitors! Headed to go watch the sunset over the ocean

And now for more pictures....

I'm just readin' a few books Mom....

Excited?? YES! Ohio bound.....

'Now go to sleep, we'll soon fly the last little bit to Grandma's!(overnight in freezing Chicago)

Playing 'Doctor' with cousins. I walked by and
 overheard,  'Now Ava, drink your oxygen!' :)

Friends!!!

All they need is a puddle....

These things are most DEFINITELY more fun
 for the riders....  I nearly took out several displays.

Riding in the combine!! Ava actually loved
 it, contrary to the look on her face!

Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Ava!

Celebrating with Natalie, what could be better?!
 (one day and several years apart)

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma!

Friends....

Snuggling with Grandma

This girl could slide for days

Thanks God, for lifelong friendships!

Goat farm

These girls love to go...

Warm mashed potatoes licked off the beater, the only way they 'like' them

SHELVES for my cupboards!!!

Sweet sisters

Home, where my heart is, with these girls and their papa!