Day Six, June 16, 2011

Today was a very different day. Jim B and I took off for Port Au Prince with Bobby to pick up supplies for the build and spend time getting to know each other. It is easy to forget with all of the week's activity that part of our mission here is to figure out the where and how of The Jospeh School and get clarity on what God has planned. We did a lot of talking and sharing and I continue to be impressed with Bobby's honesty and vision for his orphange.

Our visit to the Haitian version of a Home Depot was an eye opener. Supplies have the same price tag here in Haiti as back home. Some things were even higher. Demand runs the market and right now there is plenty of demand. It was strangely familar to be walking around a superstore, though. We also visited a supermarket that primarily caters to foreigners. While it did not have the same extraordinary number of choices as in a U.S. supermarket, it was enough like one, to be fun! We bought lots of coffee to take home.

Port Au Prince, itself is a very busy city. Evidence of the earthquake is still present everywhere and the large crowds, honking horns and jammmed vehicles on the street reminded me of Nairobi, Mumbai or San Salvador.

The VBS team reported the kids were totally out of control today and no interpreters were there to help. The children know we are leaving in the morning and that added to the chaotic energy floating through the compound today. Many of the supplies disappeared never to be seen again and the children just ran from activity to activity at will instead of waiting and going as a group to the next activity. God blessed our team who worked in the chaos. They survived! The house is moving along and they have put on stucco in two rooms. Everyone is so grateful to know Mama Sophie and Papa Tikepe and their family will have such a fine house. This is house number 5 Bobby has helped to build in the community. One of our team members has already identified a second house for us to build.

There is land for sale outside of Thomazeau and the team went after lunch to dream about The Joseph School and possible partnerships. The land sits in a beautiful valley between mountains and the lake is clearly visible.

For some reason, the weather today is slightly cooler.....what is going on! And, we had cheesebugers for lunch. Bobby picked them up when we were in town and I helped cooked them since he wanted to get to the house build. The Haitian cooks did not know how to judge when a burger was done so I stepped in and helped. Another amazing moment was when I walked into the compound from the trip to Port Au Prince and found Lynne surrounded by children who were tatooing her with washable marker.

I am personally thanking God today that Jon is feeling better. He is such a silent sufferer and it is hard to know how to help him. Davi managed to take a good slide/fall during the sports portion of VBS today and has multiple scraps down her leg and a gash at the ankle. She is such a trooper as well. Bug bites are not quite so red and the exhaustion that plagued most of us on Wednesday seems to have disappeared.

As the mission is coming to a close, I am beginning to think about my involvement in more of these trips and The Joseph School. I feel woefully inadequate and ponder what has God got me into and how will He enable me. I watch Marisa, Nick and Drake interact with the children and pray I can enter into the work with the same ease and confidence they have entered into the play and enjoyment of this moment.

James and Roger commented tonight on the wordless communciation that is going on between the local workers and our building team. In the absence of common language, people find a way whether in work or play. I know God will show the way for The Joseph School and find a way to communicate to us.