Excited to be at HATS for 6 Months!

Hi everyone!

My name is Jocelyn Pitman and I come from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and am the oldest of 9 kids. This is my third time at HATS in the last two years. The first two times I came, I stayed for a week. This time I’m here for 6 months and couldn’t be more excited!! God had really placed the calling on my heart after my second trip here in December 2016 and here I am! I’m so excited to serve alongside Karen in this compound and in the community.

As Brian had mentioned in the previous blog, the trip down was a bit rough but we have quickly settled in to the everyday life at HATS. It has been a bit overwhelming to realize how much there is to do and to catch up on but I’m slowly getting the hang of it. There is always a never-ending to-do list!

We have finally gotten everything that we brought from Canada unpacked and put away and organized. Not only did we have our things to put away but everything else around the compound to organize.

One of my main projects over the last couple of days has been to paint, clean, and organize the playroom. This afternoon we put the toys back in. The kids were thrilled to be able to play and use their things again. It has been a little like Christmas.

Also this afternoon we brought TiFi over from the girl’s home in a wheelchair. She cannot walk anymore and doesn’t get a chance to participate in activities very often. Brian made a ramp so we could take her to the playroom where all the kids got to play with their toys again. She had a beautiful smile so you could tell she was enjoying being around everyone. It was a wonderful to have her there. Some of the kids were playing with toys, and some of us playing games with the kids, albeit some of them like to make up some unique rules.

As I write, I’m listening to the drums being played out in the back depot. They were originally in Karen’s house but only temporarily. They now have a more permanent home out back and Brian has been giving lessons. They’re sounding pretty good out there! These kids have got good rhythm!

We took a quick trip to Luckner’s and came back to the compound where Brian and I enjoyed a game of soccer with some of the children, they sure are great on their feet!

Every Saturday morning, we get up earlier than usual and take the older kids for a long walk along the canal and river. This morning it was so dark when we left nobody could tell each other apart! The sun began to come up as we walked, and it was beautiful to watch the sun come up over the mountains in pinks and purples. We walked until the mud was too bad to walk through, then we came back and walked along the canal, crossed the bridge and then back to the compound. It was a wonderful way to start the day! Saturday’s and weekends in general are definitely a favorite of mine around here. The kids are home from school, we pause our work, and spend time with them. We ride bikes, play games, or just play with toys in the play room. It’s nice to slow down and enjoy these moments with the kids.

This morning as I was going back and forth between the house and the playroom, Dieunel had set up a classroom to do school with the younger kids. It was so sweet! He had two rows of benches and the chalkboard up front and was doing addition problems with all of them. What a good big brother!

This is the first of many blog posts and I will have many more stories to tell over the next few months! I look forward to seeing what God has in store over the next six months!

Jocelyn