Home Sweet Home

The van has come back to Kids Alive! It just went on a little vacation, okay a 5 week vacation, and was found on a public transportation route in Haiti. I guess it got tired of the same old thing around the north coast and was ready for a change. Anyhow, it is now back safe and sound which is pretty incredible. To be honest, I might have lost hope that it would return. It's going to be put to use in Constanza, another ministry site where it will be loved and cared for. Now to find those New Kids on the Block tapes that were in the glove box...

Rainbow

The rain brings some pretty beautiful things as well!

It's raining still

This is how our neighbors got to wake up this morning...flooding again! It's been raining constantly for a few days but last night it rained and poured!

That is normally their driveway and the plants are not usually submerged

This is the view out my window, the water is entering their front door. Hopefully the rain stops enough for some of this water to go down and allow everyone to sweep the water out of their houses. It looks like the rain's meant to continue for a few more days. Apart from the flooding though, I LOVE the rain and how cold it is. I pulled out my sweaters and hats and socks for the occasion!

Rainy days

We got some rain today and the kids were let out early because of needing to cross the rising river. Lots of moms came to pick their kids up with umbrellas, but this mom economized and brought a tarp!

No need for school buses around these parts!

Yah, this place starts to grow on you after awhile!!

Little Darlin

I get to do a lot of things in my time at school, but my favorite has to be hugging and cuddling. This is Darlin, or Dacgnne, depending on who you talk to...that's just how names work here. Anyhow, she came in with a fever but in the end was just happy to cuddle after a bit of Tylenol. She sang me songs and told me all about her family and two moms, one dad, siblings, etc. After a little bit she was clearly feeling better and got sent back to class, but she even looked up at me and said, "Gracias por las pastillas" or in English, "Thanks for the pills", meaning the vitamins that they are now taking daily. That was my favorite part of the day.

Jazz Festival

This weekend there is a Jazz Festival happening on the beach in Cabarete. Last night Ariel and I headed out to it and then were joined by his cousin and girlfriend, Jairo and Charlotte. It was a nice time to sit on the beach and listen to music while watching the ocean and stars and talking.

The school

It's probably time to show everyone what we look like at the Care Center these days. The school is actually pretty great in looks these days. We have come to a halt on construction with the next to classrooms due to financial restraints, but otherwise, everything is looking established and healthy. The kids are using the basketball court and seating, our sidewalks are going strong, and the kids love the gazebo! We hope to finish those classrooms with windows and doors and furnishings, but in the meantime we use them as they are and pack tables/chairs back and forth daily. We have changed so much just in one year, it's amazing to look back at where we were...it's all happened so fast!

Dentist

We continue taking kids to the dentist...almost weekly at this point. They're still getting fillings and cleanings and this week should be their last visit before we start with another group. I'm still so thankful for the work the dentist is doing with us, all free, to meet these kids' needs in such a significiant way. She's even offered to come to the school and do dental checks and work regularly, so we're trying to find a way to buy the equipment to make it happen.

Christmastime is here!

As today is November 1st, Candace and I deemed it Christmas-decorating-time. After all, Christmas is just next month, right? We got out each of the Nutcrackers (my mom gives me one each year) and the lights and little trees, it's so great decorating for Christmas!

A bit of rain

Yesterday it rained...and rained, and rained, and rained. It rained so much that the drains filled, the roads filled, and then the houses filled. I know this picture is dark, but it's the road to Ariel's house which is completely covered. His house filled as did the neighbors' and many others in town. The rain eventually stopped and the water drained away in the night, and the morning was spent sweeping and mopping water away.