Gratitude

I don’t feel like my life is so different from others.  We all sleep under the same stars and rise to the same sun, we eat and drink from the same earth.  Our days may look a little different but there’s so much beauty in this, so different yet so much of the same.  For some of us beauty and gratitude seem a little easier to find and for others we might have to search a little more.  I have had quite a few people say to me over the past months "Wow you're really roughing it!  I couldn't do that!"  I've got to tell you that I am not "roughing" it.  Many things in my daily life look different from "typical" life in America such as not having hot water, sporadic electricity and limited food options.  I must say though that for everything that is different or challenging that it only increases my gratitude.  This is not something that I have to make myself do but instead it catches me excitedly by surprise.  The first time I boiled water on the stove to take a warm bucket bath was phenomenal!  I wasn’t sad I didn’t have the bathtub of water to submerge in but was instead ecstatic at the simple comfort of warm water and thankful for having water at all.  Eating a fancy meal prepared by a cook and brought to me is so much fun that you may think it was my first time in such a situation.  Again, my gratefulness for the beautiful meal increases my gratefulness for the food I have available at my apartment on a daily basis.  You see, a very wonderful thing is happening, the more simple life gets the more grateful I feel myself becoming and then in the "luxurious" moments more gratitude starts pouring in.  I’m beginning to understand this in a deeper way:

I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

        

I am not grateful because God has given me a pool to look at today or because he has given me simplicity in daily life.  I am just grateful, grateful for the opportunity to love and be loved.  Grateful to know God is near and to know He loves me. 

My heart is bursting with gratitude.

Walkin

 Glenda, Nadieuda, Madam, Gano, Christina and Me at Christina's gorgeous house

Christina, Nadieuda, Glenda and Madam

Gano

So so special that we got to celebrate Nadieudas 10th birthday!  I have been sponsoring her since May of 2011.  We had such a fun party.  This may or may not have been her first birhtday party.  It was wonderful!

Birthday girl

Davney

Most of the Birthday group

We love to have fun

Christina and Nadiueda

We taught them "Zwazo rouj"(red rover).  They LOVED it!  

Shed-ny-love helped little sister Davney

Kayla had no mercy on the little ones

I love the smiles and laughter.  And this all gets to take place in my front yard!

They taught us a game too which was hilarious!

Nadieuda wanted to watch a movie so all the kids piled into my place for X-Men VI

Got to take a scenic drive home sitting in the back of a pick up in plastic chairs.  Awesome.

Sweet boys at the bakery

Great minds think alike

Sugar cookie making

Handsome little kindergardeners 

Happy 2nd Birthday to Princess Katy

Selfies 

They are simply amazing

Im trying

We both were :) 

We had an afternoon adventure exploring

Kayla, Cassie and I hiked Mount Pignon with a two other missionaries one morning

I did that!  I love playing with their hair.  And theyre so gracious to me.

Nadieuda's little sister With-ny-love

Ovenson and Walkin show off their bread oven, they actually cook in here :)  smart boys!

Sleepy babies Woodley and With-ny-love

Selfie on our visit to Gaspa

Roro's family lives in Gaspa.  They took us out to see the amazing gardens.  We got to eat fruit right from the tree and take ginger home that we dug up from the ground.  

In school we've been learning colors

Gano and his friend

Little girl at the bakery

Wonderful dinner with Cassie and Caleb in Port-au-Prince.  I went all out when it came to food...naturally :) It was pretty fabulous!

One of my best friends Cassie came to visit for two weeks.  She was amazing!  Everyday that we were home she would go out and play soccer with the kids after school.  She didnt know a word of Creole but would still hang out with the kids on her own and they LOVED her!!  She was such a joy to have.  She fit right in and it just felt as if she'd been here the whole time.  She is missed.

Teaching in Kindergarden.  Look at those faces!!

Fishy face with Christina and Madam

Cassie and Me at market

Catsi, one of the vendors I buy vegetables from every Saturday at market

Typical: Cassie in a sea of children and laughter all around

Sunday walk to the river

Brazilians, Americans and Haitians playing phase 10.  Lots of languages rolling around the table!

We got to serve at a malnutrition clinic with the ministry "Hope for Haiti".  It was so neat to see what they do.  This man has two sons at the ministry's orphanage.  His sons are blind.  He is receiving food since he is too old and frail to work now.  

This is Mario.  His father brought him to the clinic two weeks ago.  He had to ride an hour on a motorcycle to come to clinic.  The baby is premature and the mother could not feed him because she was sick.  At the clinic he received formula and was given the option to stay for a while due to his frail condition.  He politely declined due to his need to return home to his sick wife.  Those at the clinic were sure little Mario would not make it.  Two weeks later, while we were serving, dad walks in with Mario who look stronger and healthier!  We supplied him with more formula and he'll be back in a few weeks.  Sadly the mother died last week and the doctors still arent sure what specifically was wrong.  

His weigh-in: 2lbs 12 oz

I got to feed this tiny angel

Happy little girl at clinic weighing-in and receiving food for two weeks

The ONLY people wearing rain gear in the rain! haha

Cassie and Aga

Port-au-Prince