Ti Luc had a sleep over at the boys home last night and Karen had one with us on the roof!  It was cold during the night, I was cold and had 2 blankets on me and thought Karen would freeze because she only had one blanket although she was dressed like she was going to bed in an igloo instead of a mesh tent.

sleepover in boys home

We had an early morning walk along the canal and I had goose bumps on my arms at 6:30 AM and had sweat drops there upon our return home at 7:20 AM.  Once the sun is up the temperature rises quickly.  It is going to be a scorcher today.

Saturday morning walk

Almost back home

The dog house was enlarged today to include Dickie, maybe we should make it even bigger since Keith will arrive Monday and I am sure he will be in it too.

New larger design, sleeps 3

Jim, Dickie and Richard (security) have gone on an adventure today.  Dickie and Jim have a grocery list, 5 propane tanks tied in the back of the truck and a wad of Haitian goudes in their pockets.  They have gone to Saint Marc to get needed supplies.  Today is market day so it will be even more hectic than usual.

It has been an interesting morning here with Karen, we had hoped for a little quieter day so we could get some stuff done here in the house and in the depot after she finished an interview with the Nor’Wester of Springdale, NL.  Well, it is after lunch time and the interview is NOT finished and it feels like we have been in a tailspin since 8:00 AM with one problem after another.  I truly do not know how she handles it all, well yes I do…she isn’t operating on her strength BUT on the Lord’s.  It truly is amazing to see His hand at work here.  Just the other week when things were hard and busy and she felt like she was losing ground and all alone, this slip of paper slipped out of her Bible at her feet .  She picked it up and read it and sat and let the tears flow as she felt so blessed. Here is what it said : Karen, we have got your back.  We will cover you in prayer-your back is not left open, vulnerable and dangerous.  We have got your back!  It was dated September 21st, 2014 from 135 Main in Springdale.  She is so thankful for the support!

Afternoon was spent with Karen holed up in her office trying to get some important work done and I was running interference for her.  It was a full time job as a million requests came for her.  It was good for JJ because he is reluctant to speak English to us this trip BUT when he couldn’t get to mama he had to speak to me so I kept him talking as long as I could.  He has good English and understands everything you say to him or anyone else.

Karen, Jim and I sat outside this afternoon and ate a mango.  I am wearing a lot of it!  Jim is wearing some and Karen has more practice than we do and she is still clean.

The five oldest cleaned the church for tomorrow.  It is used every school morning for devotions so needs to be cleaned every Saturday.  Then came a game of train with the 4 kids who were wound up and giddy today. I am heading to the shower!  Can’t wait!
Sandra

Kids cleaning church

Dickie here.
Jim, Security and I went to St. Marc to pick up some supplies for HATS this morning. Our first stop was on the PaP side of St. Marc to refill propane bottles. We had six good bottles and two with damaged valves. They had no new valves so the worker took his bike and my money and went into St.Marc to buy two valves. He came back in an hour with two valves and me owing him 40$ more.
He then proceeded to change the two valves. All he had was an adjustable wrench and a persuader to take a valve out of a propane bottle made in 1988. To his credit and before my patience wore out he got the job done and we were on our way.

Securing the propane

Next stop was a short distance away where we had to pick up a replacement Inverter, the one we returned two days ago.

We then went to the Grocery Store to fill an order with three lines of the order being something chocolate. (Wonder who wrote that grocery list.) We did pretty good and got most things but could not find flour. Turns out the flour was in bags marked sugar. We also did get the chocolate.
We were also to pick up a case of frozen chicken in Liancourt but the place seems closed more than open.

The trip to St. Marc keeps one on their toes. Everyone passes everyone else, on a blind corner, with oncoming traffic, on a crest of a hill or where there is not much possibility of a good outcome. Having said that, I find Haitian drivers to be courteous and polite. They will stop to let you out of a side street, they will warn you not to pass, and move over so you can get by when five vehicles occupy a space for three.

Karen here.
Dickie left out something important about the trip to St. Marc.  Several phone calls were necessary between Richard, the security who went with them and Dickie and I, or Jim and I.  At one point Richard spoke to me and said he was going to pass his phone to Dickie as  Dickie needed me. I said Hello a few times but no response. I could hear Dickie talking but not clearly so asked him to speak up. I was saying “Dickie, I am here.  Speak to me”. I heard him say “I don’t speak English’. Excuse me.  What did you just say? You don’t speak English! I told him I do speak English so talk to me. I thought he was pulling my leg like Dickie likes to do.  Eventually he spoke clearly – to me – and imagine that – in English. He informed me that a policeman was talking to him and he was responding to him when I was trying to get his attention.  The policeman was trying to talk to Dickie and he responded to him in English “I don’t speak English.” Too funny! Dickie is not going to live that one down for awhile folks.

Keith and Joan are soon to return home and the nuttiness is going to get worse, I mean going to get better.  A couple of days of the six of us silly blan yo together will be great.  Now if I could keep the other three longer as well it would be really good.

Blessings everyone.

~Sandra