I still feel like an observer here. I’m doing my best to coordinate email requests from my volunteer American coworkers and actionable steps for my Haitian coworkers among the daily emergencies and disruptions here.

Yesterday I didn’t accomplish much. I tried to locate an extra commode for a woman who has trouble getting down the stairs of her home, and we thought there might be one in the containers. The “containers” are shipping containers that double as locked storage units for all our school, clinic, and orphanage inventory: everything from medical supplies to musical instruments. I saw one of the larger cockroaches I’ve seen here, but no commode.

I met the sweet grandbaby of one of our elders. Grandma brought him up here to see what we might be able to do to support her as she is taking him into her home. He is a great-grand nephew who was abandoned by his parents. Abandoned babies is a reality of daily life here.

We made some progress toward completing a housing project that has been in the works for several months. It isn’t me making the progress; rather, I get to be witness to and participant in exciting things happening here.

There is a sign on the administrator’s door here in both Creole and English: “Knock and Enter.” This has felt strange for me as a timid Minnesotan, but you knock and enter. There is no waiting for a “Come in!” or a “Wi?” Just knock and enter. If there is a meeting or phone call in progress, you may be told to wait, but you don’t know until after you enter. If no one is there, the door is locked.

It seems that this is how my projects also must proceed; walk into the middle of things and see what can be done once you are there. Knock, enter.

Today I get to go on some elder visits with an American team who is down here for the week. We show up to our elders’ homes, largely unannounced. We don’t really even knock. We just enter. And then we get to fellowship and serve.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” -Matthew 7:7