Thank You Mariah and Beate

Saying thank you does not seem enough but what else can I say!! Well, I can say “Come again”, and I know you will. I can say you are both missed a great deal today, and you are. I can say you were a big help and you certainlywere.

Mariah, I am very proud of you. You worked two jobs along with going to school, and saved your money to buy a plane ticket to Haiti, to come and help. You have a big heart to help others in need and it shows. You are sensitive – well not the cry easy sensitive type like Beate and myself – but you are sensitive to the needs of others.

Mariah with Ti Luc & Tayanna

You were a big help in many areas but especially with Ti Luc, and with our newest one – your namesake Tayanna Mariah. Ti Luc knew you had left yesterday but this morning he was asking for you and for Beate. Wishful thinking!! He was quite excited today when he saw the photo on the computer of you lying on sofa with both him and Tayanna.

Beate, I cannot believe that we have not known each other for years. Wow. How awesome it is when two people click like we did. You were a great help with Ti Luc too, and with the other children. The tasks you accomplished have made things a lot easier for me. Thank you for all the encouragement and support as a friend. I know I truly have another ‘friend’.

Beate & Karen

Saying “Never a dull moment at HATS” truly is an understatement. What would I do with a calm and quiet day?? Actually, I know what. I would take my Bible, my journal, and another book up to the roof and enjoy time alone. It is in my dreams!! This morning 6:30 I heard crying from the Kid’s Home that sounded serious so off I ran. Almost bumped into JJ who was running to get me. Ti Fi had taken another fall (happening a lot again lately) and had split her chin badly. One look and I decided it was not a job for Dr. Mom but for a real doctor. Antoinette, Ti Fi and I were quickly off to the hospital. Thank you, God, for the very dependable vehicle outside the door. Back home at 2:00 p.m with the chin stitched up and bandaged. Problem. Ti Fi does not want tthe bandage there and rips it off then proceeds to pick at it with dirty fingers. Yikes. I rebandaged several times since the hospital did it. This last time I also gently tied her hands together with a roll of bandage gauze. How long will it help? My guess is – not long enough.

TiFi stitched up after another fall

Saturday Mariah, Beate, and I, with four of our kids went to Pont Sonde to visit friends I had not seen for far too long due to my work schedule. Lot of hugs were passed back and forth. While there we saw something we were not willing to hug and did not fit in the friend category. A big spider of the colourful fuzzy variety that I see too often here – tarantula. (This photo is for you, Blair. It was on the wall in the corner of a bedroom.) One hour ago outside my kitchen door I saw another one that I prefered not allowing to come inside. Thus I called my security agent to ‘take care of it’. He did not need the 12 gauge and a bullet todo so, but if they keep getting bigger he might some day. If he had not taken care of it I would have myself!! Truly I would. All of you who have known me for years should be proud of how far I have come. I am. Years ago I would run screaming if any kind of insect even touched my clothing. God showed his sense of humour when he sent me here. Too bad Mariah and Beate had left my house before seeing that thing so close to my kitchen. They would have slept tied to the ceiling.

Tarantula on wall at friends’ place

Tarantula outside Karen’s house

There are no ‘ifs’ about God! HE IS GOOD ALL THE TIME !! On our way back from taking Mariah and Beate to the airport yesterday I saw a sign on a car windshield and I could not resist a photo. It gave me a good chuckle.

Seen on a car in St. Marc

On Thursday Luckner heads to Canada for a week’s visit with friends in Montreal. He is back for one week and then I head east to spend time with loved ones and to share about the work at HATS. O happy, happy day when my feet touch NS and NL soil again.

Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart. I can’t do anything here without all of you. We are in this together to make a difference in the lives of needy children. Changing lives – one child at a time!!