 |
| Sunrise this week |
The week before saw the start of the public/private school academic year and we understand that the government has provided funding for additional students. However, there was some confusion as to where this additional funding was being allocated. We are told that each of the departments (provinces/states) was given funding for 20,000 student places. This, in turn, caused some delay in the start-up of the private schools such as those that are supported by St. Andrew's Presbytrian Church that fill the gap between government schools and no school.
All this is in addition to the more than half a million people who are still living in make-shift camps in and around Port-au-Prince waiting for accommodation so that they can regain some semblance of their former lives. Two nights this past week we had torrential rains and you could not help but think about how the people in these camps are surviving in such conditions. OMS is trying to do its part building housing with the the monies that were donated to earthquake relief.
On a local note, this week we were once again reminded of how much voodoo is a part of the Haitian culture. There is a river close by that flows into the ocean near Labadee and apparently an especially large fish swam up the river where it was sighted by villagers who immediately took this to be a sign from the voodoo gods. I am not sure whether it was an omen of good or for bad, but obviously it meant something to someone. On Wednesday night as we drove past you could see a small shrine that had been built down by the river with candles and other symbols of voodoo.
 |
| Ma Bel and her daughter with groceries and eggs |
 |
| Maxi bringing in Supplies |
 |
| The Penny Inn |
 |
| The Penny Inn Gallery |
Wednesday we attended the missionary prayer meeting and heard about what has been happening around the compound. A huge Praise the Lord is for Dr. Rodney, the Haitian doctor overseeing the Bethesda Medical Clinic on the compound. About 3 weeks ago he had a burst appendix and was taken to the hospital at Milot in very serious condition where emergency surgery was performed. He spent several days in the hospital, and then returned to stay on the compound at the home of the OMS interim director. His own home is on the compound with his wife and children but he needed rest and would not get it there. The interim director has been able to “police” the number of people visiting and the amount of time they spend with him so he does not tire too easily. Dr. Rodney had his staples removed this week and is well on the way to recovery. He has attributed his recovery to all the people praying for him in a very eloquent speech at his church last Sunday.
Our friend and neighbour, Stacey Ayars, has been very sick this week but is feeling a whole lot better. This is a Praise the Lord because He provided a doctor from Erie, PA on the compound just at the right time to make a house call and give Stacey the appropriate med she needed.
This week for several nights now Dorothy has had a very bad toothache. The right side of her face just seems to flare up. She was able to contact her dentist by e-mail at home to see if we might be able to figure out what is the problem over the net. It appears that in all liklihood the problem is an abcess for which antibiotics were prescribed. Hopefully, the Bethesda Medical Clinic will have the antibiotic or something similar to address the infection, but we won't know until Monday when the clinic pharmacy is once again open for business. One of our devotions this week talked about casting our burden on the Lord and went on to say that God invites us to burden Him with what burdens us. Please pray for Dorothy this week.
As Paul says in Ephesians 6:23-24: Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
www.jdmblogspot.com
