The long Journey from selling most of our possessions last summer to moving into our own house is almost finished. Kristie is so ready to have her own space and decorate, paint, spackle, or whatever her little heart desires. We have traded in our larger house for a smaller one… out of necessity. We are happy with it. The kids' rooms are painted and today we will start on the master bedroom. The house is still empty of furniture but we will soon remedy that… little by little. We were quoted $ 1000 US for a table and chair set by a carpenter… another case of the Haitian perception that all whites are rich.
My full time job seems to be setting up the house and working in Leogane two/three days per week. The heat just drains you. We probably sleep more than 10 per night, but the exhaustion is a constant companion regardless.
The food is great. We have been gorging ourselves on tropical fruit, avocados' (huge), coconuts, sugar cane, and the wide variations of rice and beans, peas, chicken, beef, fish… it has been good in that regard. Haitians know how to make food. I was hoping to lose weight.
People in need are taking its toll on our finances. I am afraid that I am not very good at turning aside from the problems of people we know here. Their kids can't afford to go to school, children are being shipped off to stay with relatives, and people are sick and need medicine. It is never-ending. I have to be more firm, but how? The only recourse I have is to rest on the fact that we truly don't have the means to help everyone. Case in point… I was in Leogane when a 15 year old boy comes up to me and timidly calls me by name. He said, "Do you have any work for me… I would like to go to school, but I have no money to do so. It has already been two years that I have been trying to find a way to return to school…" I sat there and considered his situation. It would probably cost $400 per year to send him to school. I have $400 and could pay for him to do just that. He looked like a nice young man. The problem is that there are thousands and thousands of kids just like him… some of them I already know. How can I give this kid money before some of the kids with whom I already have a relationship. Even if I could spare the money, it I spent all of my time trying to give kids work, or pay for their school, I couldn't live here. That being said… it still affects me to hear their stories. I care, and I would like to do something about it, but what? And so… I tell him to pray about it and I will too.
As I was rounding a trail near a small village, in the Leogane area, I came across the roof of a house resting on a twisted mess of rubble. At the far end of the roof was a tarp where an elderly woman was staying for lack of a better place. It was her house. Tyler Newman was with me. This little old woman walked out from behind the rubble with no clothes on her upper body. This is something I am used to seeing, so I merely talked to the woman and asked her about her situation. Tyler was looking intently away from the woman and seemed to be… almost holding his breath. She told me that she had several children, but none came to help her. She was still nursing an injury to her leg from the earthquake. I told her that I would try to return if I could do something for her. We are building a house for her sister already, but this old woman is not a part of any program. We shall see what happens for her.
We hope to soon have an address to send to you. We can accept care packages, but keep in mind that if it can fit into a large manila envelope it used to be that it was easier to get it without paying customs. All boxes will cause us to pay a customs fee, which is fine… just so you know. It is totally great to receive much needed items regardless of customs fees.
The kids are doing well. Naomi was bumped up into 9th grade for math, Brendan is in Kristie's class and will not raise his hand for anything, and Noelle is making friends fast, as she always does. They miss their friends from back home. The baby is having a good time, though he does not sleep well at night. He spends most of his time here mostly naked (with a diaper).
All is well…
In His hands,
Shane, Kris and Kids
