Mission to Haiti – February 20, 2011
Things continue to remain quiet in the lead up to the run-off elections for parliamentarians, senators, and president. You would not know that there is an election coming up it is so quiet. The only thing we have noticed is that about once or twice a day we receive a taped voice message asking us to support one of the candidates; yesterday it was Michel Martelly and tomorrow it will probably be Mirlande Manigat, the other candidate for president.
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| From this to TOEFL |
What excitement there is around here is being is being generated by Junior, one of the 2nd year students at the Seminary. Last week we told you about he and two other students visiting Kompech, one of three very important voodoo sites in Haiti. While there he touched one of the trees that also happens to be sacred to those practicing voodoo. While myth says that anyone who touches the tree will die in two days this did not happen because he went back this past Sunday and spoke about how God created everything in the waters and on the earth including trees. Well, today we heard that a “crazy man” had burned down this sacred tree. We are waiting to hear more about why this happened, but it will be interesting to learn if the reason for the tree burning had anything to do with Junior’s Bible story about creation and the fact the his God is greater than the voodoo spirits that supposedly inhabited the tree.
Valentine’s day came and went here in Saccenville. Both John and I forgot to get cards before we returned to Haiti so neither of us could take a superior attitude because one of us had given at least a card while the other hadn’t. However, we are babysitting Lily this afternoon while Matt & Stacey go to lunch in Cap Haitien in celebration of the Valentine’s Day, and for a little bit of a time out from the day to day stresses that come with living in Haiti. We will wait until we head off to the Dominican Republic at the beginning of March for a few days at a resort in Puerto Plata to celebrate. This also serves other purpose for us because we are required to vacate Haiti within 90 days of arrival to satisfy Haitian immigration laws, and we, too, need some down time after hosting each day since mid-January. We have our next guests arrive 3 days after we return from the D.R. and from then until mid-May we will pretty much have non-stop guests until we leave to come home.
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| Handmade by Stacey Ayars |
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| Shay |
God is continuing to bless us. We’ve had some rain this week and a little thunder and lightening, so much so that John took pity on the compound watchdog, Shay, and invited him into the house. This morning we saw a most beautiful rainbow through a gentle rain. It reminded us of His faithfulness to us each day and Lamentations 3:22-23, “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
jdmhaiti.blogspot.com
