1st week in Haiti

I’ve been at Canaan now for 4 days and 3 nights. I arrived Sunday evening and we started the first day of school on Monday (kinda crazy!). I am very encouraged by the children and the staff at the school. The learning is more individualized in this school, which allows each child to work at their own level. The children here are a constant source of encouragement to me. Most of the school day, I spend one-on-one with students, listening to them read, reviewing their work, or helping them understand their work. They are very sweet kids and I think they catch on to concepts quickly. Though the school is in English, Creole is their 1st language, so I am often amazed at how quickly they understand their work.

Yesterday the rain began. Although I know it’s part of a category 1 hurricane and I worry the danger it imposes on many in Haiti, I have enjoyed the break from the heat. We usually live all day in our sweat - but you get used to that pretty quick, so it’s not a great discouragement.

The greatest blessings thus far? Ear plugs and no diarrhea! The dogs and pigs can make quite a ruckus at night, so I have been able to avoid that and still manage to hear the morning bells with some nice Kroger Earplugs. And thanks to my step-mom, I haven’t had the runs! She gave me some vitamins which have worked like a charm. Thanks to sister Debi (for buying my earplugs) and Nan (for giving me the vitamins).

I do not feel entirely useful here to be perfectly honest. But that is okay. As I learn more and more and grow in knowledge, I trust I will be more useful (or maybe not). Usefulness and efficiency is not always God’s plan. A Canadian leader that is visiting Canaan asked me today what it would take for me to get upset and leave Canaan. I told him I am a stubbornly committed type. God has brought me here for a reason and even if I feel useless, tired or empty, I will wait for him. He’ll show.

The people here at Canaan seem to live and breathe God. (How arrogant or ignorant are a people that do not?) I am challenged by their dependence on Him and their frequent times of devotion and worship. It is not a burden to carry but a blessing to enjoy here. That is probably the real greatest blessing.

Love to all. Peace to all. Laughter too. Mark