Sometimes in Haiti, the entire country shuts down over protests, and then I am out of reasons to not sit down and type up a blog. 😉 Yes, we are grounded to the compound as a precaution today because of protests planned throughout the country.

However, the past couple of weeks have brought changes and blessings that you may like to hear about.

Attached are a few photos. First is a typical “bed” in Cite Soleil. You can see it is elevated on cinder blocks to keep it dry when the house floods, which it does regularly after heavy rainfall. Instead of a mattress, a homemade pad, filled with fabric scraps and clothing serve to provide the body some comfort at night.

There is also a before and after photo of Maxime, one of our elders who received a bed this past week through our elder program and some individual donors. He had been sleeping on a blanket on the concrete floor. Now, he excitedly points to his bed when you step into his home and even offers it to you as a place to sit if you want. There is dignity in having places/things worth sharing.

Benita is another elder who was blessed this week to receive a new wheel chair. After multiple strokes, she has recently been bed bound and unable to speak. With her continuing medical care and personal care from staff and volunteers at Hope Church, she is recovering. Her speech has gotten clearer in just the past few days, and her wish came true when she was able to go back to church this past Sunday!

This week, we were also visited by a team of four nurses, who did blood pressure checks and some training with our EKS group in Titanyen. They were able to serve in both Cite Soleil and Titanyen, and both communities were open and appreciative of their visits. They discovered high blood pressure among unknowing staff and missionaries too (gulp, I was one of them-please send veggies!). One of the staff at Hope Church came in looking concerned and said that his blood pressure was “very big!” Change starts with education; it’s hard to fix problems you don’t see.

I am learning a lot of things from working closely with Haitians. Just like working with any individual humans, it isn’t all good. We don’t always see eye to eye. We miscommunicate and offend one another, but we are united in Christ, brothers and sisters on the same mission. There is a regard for community here that is special. In conversations with staff and the elders we serve, there is a recurring theme of helping one another with whatever resources one might have.

The day we bought the bed and wheelchair, I was sent a driver from the guest house in Port Au Prince, who did the shopping and delivery for me. He is a friend of mine from multiple trips I took before moving here, and I was explaining to him what we needed to buy. His response was to ask if we could buy a pillow too, if there was money for it. I hadn’t thought of that. I was thinking checklist-wise; our instructions were to purchase a bed frame and mattress. He had the wholistic view of caring for the individual and getting him as comfortable as possible. Yes, he also has a pillow now.

“But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1 John 2:27b