We sit in the common area of the Walls guesthouse where we’ve perched for most of the afternoon. Traffic roars and buzzes outside the walls that surround us. Ceiling fans spin above our heads, but barely disturb the thick air. The daughter of the manager, a spirited 3 year-old Haitian girl is tickling Patrick then running away in giggles, which causes multiple breaks in his studies. We absent-mindedly swat at a few mosquitoes that are circling around the plants we sit by. Scents of dinner being prepared waft in speaking of the hard work the cooks have been doing in the kitchen. The occasional breeze lets us know that women are starting up their cooking fires for evening somewhere outside the walls. Patrick is practicing pronouncing words out loud. He looks a little pasty. Today Patrick officially won the award for “First To Get Sick In Haiti.” We were both hoping it would take some time for a winner to be named. Poor thing. He’s had a long day. Luckily, not much was on today’s agenda, so we’ve been relaxing in the guesthouse getting updated on e-mails and online business.
Our only activity of the day was a meeting with some members of the board of CONASPEH at a Haitian restaurant. Over fish, rice, plantains and juice, many different items were discussed. CONASPEH has just participated in helping form a central organization uniting 5 of the largest Protestant organizations in Haiti. As a unified group, they have been scheduled for a meeting with President Preval to discuss how the government can support this unified organization. All were excited at such a major development. The government has decided to allot some funding to this central organization, and a meeting will be held to determine how the money will best be used to serve the people. This is the first time the Haitian government has ever funded protestant projects, so celebration was to be had!
Patrick and I were also introduced to the board members, and warmly welcomed. They invited us to their churches, largely filling up our Sunday schedule for the next month. Patrick also found out he will have to give his first sermon in a week, which he is still in shock over. He'll have a translator (we hope). He was told that he is to talk for an hour and a half at each church, but is to leave a little time for questions and answers. Oh Lord. Longer than the 15-20 minutes U.S. churches want him to speak! Patrick looked at me with a "they must be kidding!" sort of face. And in his defense, Patrick Villier was laughing so hard over his obvious shock that we dared to think he just might be kidding. But no. --BANG--and we're off. I told Patrick V. to slow down already or he'll make Patrick's diarrhea worse, and that about sent Patrick V. tipping back over his chair in laughter. So looks like we jump in full-bore on Monday with classes, clinics and sermons!
Tomorrow we have church, lunch at the Villier's, and then will attend the weekly CONASPEH radio show. We start teaching English to the nursing and seminary students next week, I start my clinics next week and so the ride begins. They want me to also have a little traveling clinic to be held after church each Sunday as well as teaching nutrition to the congregation during church. Patrick told us to make up our schedule. We were honored with the flexibility they offer; likely an olive branch to ease the weight of the projects set before us. We likely will keep the days short for a while so that 1/2 the day can be dedicated to intensive language lessons. And writing sermons. And researching effective public health teaching points for people in developing countries. Plus, the afternoons are so intensely hot, no one really can move fast enough to make dust swirl.
Feeling overwhelmed is an understatement, but taking it one day at a time. Talk about putting your faith somewhere outside of yourself! I am only allowed one cup of delicious dark coffee a day, and that's for the best, or the anxiety would get the best of me. The heat also does its job of slowing us down and forcing patience. That is one thing the Haitians are in general... very patient. We were 20 minutes late to the BOARD meeting today because we got lost. But not an eye batted. Haitian time. Event oriented. Time is a mere reference point.
We are being called to the dinner table. Thank you for your prayers, your e-mails. Your words were a happy boost with the advent of our Internet connection, and gave us a little more energy to mush forward. Meci anpil. (much thanks)
Love from Haiti…
No comments:
Post a Comment