Well, since I am definitely off on my usual Monday mass email schedule, figure I will keep this short since Im sure you all have heard enough from me for a while. Also, from now on, tune into http://www.macombdaily.com/, where it says Haiti, Reports from the Front, to read more about what NPH is doing in Haiti. Most all of these are from our NPH journalists, I did not write them, but since there is so much info. and Im not sure how much people want to read, you can tune in there anytime to stay updated and I will not be forwarding the info to you. Also, please feel free to leave some comments as most of the ones Ive read so far are quite disappointing.
Well, as I think you read, Dave came back late Thursday night, and I was happy to see him. He wanted to take the weekend to rest but I think he is leaving for Haiti again tonight. Really funny story though that I forgot to share before.... While he was in Haiti, he was sleeping each night in the aid truck because the hospital was full, and Jeanvie and some of the other former orphans from Haiti, we call expequenos, were pushing and shaking the truck and making jokes screaming Earthquake, Earthquake, during the night. Yeah that should not be funny, but I guess thats how theyre dealing and they were having fun with it. Anyways, the funny part is that when the real earthquake, the big 6.1 one, happened Wed. morning at 6a.m., Dave said the truck was shaking like crazy and he thought it would fall over, but he just yelled.. Knock it off Jeanvie, quit it, Im trying to sleep... it wasn't until after the whole hospital had been evacuated and people were screaming all over in the streets that Dave realized that it had been a real earthquake rocking the truck. Ha, thought that one was too funny not to share.
Well, on the DR side, things are going good. It has been a crazy transition since Christmas but my kiddos are doing very good. I got some great new supplies with the donations from our party, including chalkboard paint in bright colors that the kids LOVE. They even try to sneak up and use it when Im not watching. But it definitely gets them even more motivated to come show off their skills on the chalkboard. So far, we have spent the first week back sharing lots of ideas about helping Haiti, and now we're doing a unit on farm animals. Hopefully this Friday we'll be visiting the NPH farm for a tour, to learn more about the animals, and take some photos. In other school news, I got a new student referral last week. He is Manuel's brother, the new special needs boy who came a couple months ago from the very harsh conditions I described, and though I am way full already, he is just too precious to turn down or pass on to someone else. His name is Carlos Daniel, and he is ten and in the first grade, skinny as a rail, dark as night with a bright white smile, and towers over the other kids in his class. I've been told he is Haitian and speaks Creole, but he wouldn't admit this to me, but when I tried throwing around a phrase or two in Creole, he laughed as if he understood. I hear he can be aggressive, but so far its just been big hugs and big smiles, and Im really excited to work with him. He seems very intelligent, just needs some help with basic vocabulary and learning to read in Spanish. Should be fun...
Friday we finally got the last of our stuff moved in, and spent the night organizing it, only to find out Sunday night that we were moving to a different room. So Monday, since there was a holiday we spent a good part of the day moving all our furniture and all our stuff all over again and reorganizing. There have been so many changes since we are housing so many new visitors. No lights or electricity yet, so lots of sitting around candles and hanging out under a dark blanket of stars, definitely makes you realize what you take for granted. And at least 1 or 2 days I think its been pretty obvious I put my makeup on in the dark, and didn't realize til hours later... insert smiley face here... One of our volunteers, Ralf, from Germany who has just been here a week and committed to a year, flew home already on Sunday. Said he missed his girlfriend too much.... and Max, a 19 year old volunteer also from Germany, whose application was turned down but showed up anyway because his parents donate lots of money, moved in today so that should be interesting. So far, the ages in our volunteer house has been 22 to 35, and he acts like he is still in high school. Sometimes I feel like Im on the Real World.... only I get along with everyone great, and unlike Real World, I listen to at least 5 languages among my roommates while hanging out on the patio.... and we spend our time playing with orphans rather than all the crazy things they do on that show... so maybe not too much like Real World. I think our house would be a much more interesting place to tape though.... another smiley face would go here if the punctuation marks on this keyboard worked.
Tim and Paola came out to San Pedro Saturday to visit, Paola is 7 months pregnant and getting bigger and bigger and I can't wait to meet the baby, my first neice, and Tim is staying busy going back and forth to Haiti all the time still. Looks like we will be seeing them more and more now which is wonderful.
Not sure what else to say, other than have I mentioned thank you yet for all of the support... again the question mark doesn't work, oh these Dominican computers.... well again Gracias, Danke, Mercy, and Thank you!!! Love you all dearly, and thank you a million for the love, prayers, encouragement, donations, and support. Each one of you is making the world a better place. Speaking of which, I read Horton hears a Who, in Spanish, today to my kiddos.... love the message there.... but here is the quote of the day to leave you in English....
A person's a person, no matter how small.
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| Thank you for helping our friends in Haiti! |
Love, peace, and prayers,
Kristin
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| Hanging out with Ditania, Alejandra, and Glorimar in Santa Ana |
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