Brooks and David are back,

...much to Allison's (David's wife) chagrin. However, it's part of our contract, so we're doing it.

4:14-7:30 - see yesterday's blog for morning routine. Pretty much the same.

 

8:00 - Get prettied up for church.

 

9:15 -  Head next door to the school for church services.

 

9:30-10:10 - Texas team discovers our lack of rythm, dancing abililty, tambourine skills, singing on pitch, and our ability to follow along with the C|reole words right in front of us. However, it is a wonderful, joy-filled time of worship with some great people. It's also great physical training. If you've never jumped up and down with 50 other people in a small humid room while worshipping the Lord, try it sometime. It's great excercise and also "medicine for the soul" according Yolene, our gifted worship leader. I'm trying to get her to come lead at my church in Amarillo if Karen will let me.

In church

Sara with a tired Sandra in church

 

10:10-10:25 - Brooks shares the message of our availability to call on our Abba Father. Kids and adults alike receive the message of the Father's love for us with joy and delight.

10:15 - During the message, rain begins to fall. This is much appreciated, as it cools things off a bit.

 

10:25 - 30 - Texas teams "sings" for the congregation. We are thankful Julie and Jennifer are talented.

 

Team singing in church

 

10:30 - 10:40 - The Hats kids sing for the congregation. They sing more beautiful than we do. It's a wondeful moment. More of the older kids from church/school join them for more songs. Then sweet Djemima sings a beautiful solo for us. She is going to grow into a wonderful worship leader herself one day. Then Dieunel comes up and sings I've Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy Down in my Heart. So special.

 

10:40-11:00 - More worship and prayer and fellowship.

 

11:00 - After church trip to Luckner's in Karen's truck which acts as a great TapTap. 26 of us squeezed in for the drive. We all got a drink and cookies from Luckner's store, the weekly tradition that the kids love so much.

 

HATS TApTap filled to capacity. Going to Papa Luckner's

Back of the truck more than full too.

Papa Luckner's after church

 

11:27 - All 26 of us load back into the HATS TapTap. We wait. And wait. Karen realizes she has lost her keys. We instantly assume Moise, JJ, and/or Peter had something to do with it. We unload and begin the frantic search for keys. After several minutes, the keys are discovered in the trash, hidden inside a cookie wrapper. Karen blames yesterday's two-minute rest for causing her to become absent-minded. Reschedules her next 2 minute sabbatical for 2041.

 

11:28 - TapTap starts and brings us home.

 

12:00 - Lunch time. They feed us so good around here.

 

1:15 - Ladies sort through all the clothes that were brought and the men travel over to the school to continue with the painting since the rain "cooled" things off a bit.

 

Three ladies laying out donations for Karen and Lois to organize

 

1:17 - Jake replaces Ryan Reneau as the designated "hang over the roof painter".  Since Jake is in training to become a proud City of Amarillo Fireman he obviously brings a certain skill set to the roof painter position that previous want-to-be's did not have.  Jake and Jennifer celebrate his designation with some PDA.

 

Secondary section of HATS school.  Looking great.

 

3:57 - Haiti Soccer Club vs Texas Soccer Club (plus the token Canadian Brad) - for 90 mintutes HSC and TSC battle it out on the soccer pitch.  Amongst boulders, rocks and Dieunel, both clubs fought, clawed, tripped, stumbled and sometimes completed all four acts toward their own son in the highlight match of the year.   Awards go to the following players:

 

Man of the Match - Stephen HSC

Best Dodge and Scream Award - Jennifer TSC

Official Goalpost Designer - Vladimy HSC

Hustle and Heart Award - Jake TSC

Father of the Match Award - Brad TSC

Bloody Elbow Award - Peter HSC

Body Blows (2) Award - Sara TSC

Hat Trick Award - JJ HSC

Best American Goalkeeper on the Pitch Award - Brooks TSC

Best Goalkeeper on the Pitch Award - Moise HSC

Best, Worst and Least Successful Attempt at a bicycle kick attempt - David TSC

Fan of the Match - Djemima

Official Photographer - Julie

 

Final Score  HSC 10   TSC 8

 

6:00 Dinner Time

 

7;00 Blog Time

 

7:30 Texas Team loads up and heads to Radio Creole 104.7 to spin some tunes and entertain the area. Entire Artibonite Valley is blessed and forever changed by the anointed singing of newly formed Christian musical group "Brooks and the 5 Blancs."  Unfortunately, the performance would have been even more top-notch if not for the uncontrolled laughter emitting from the 5 Blancs. We also discover Jennifer has an uncanny ablility ro recall of all the lyrics to Kirk Franklin music. Luckner finds our singing so beautiful (or hilariously bad) that we are invited back for the next night. We accept this invitation with eagerness, tell Karen that we won't paint on Monday and instead rehearse our new numbers. She says no. So if we're terrible on Monday, it's her fault.

 

Ready for headphones and to turn on the mikes

Julie, David and Luckner

Radio Creole now is better well known due to the the famous Brooks

 

9:30 Return home to rest our tired legs from soccer and tired vocal chords from singing.

 

10:00 Lights out.

 

10:08 David begins to snore

Texas team day 3 - Saturday

Now it's time for Brooks (along with Jake and David) to take over the blogging again. I guess we'll continue the timeline theme since it's done so well the past few days.

4:17 - Roosters begin to crow.

6:45 - After 2 and a half hours of crowing, the team decides to get up and at it.

7:30 - off to paint and beautify the school. 2nd coat of Aqua Chintz applied to the secondary building. And new coat of Big Country Blue begins to go on. Brooks rejoices, as he has painted with Aqua Chintz for a good 30 hours in his Haitian experience. Jake and Jenn engage in PDA in honor of Brooks' excitement.

Second coat of paint going on

office for assistant of secondary section

11:15 - Brad is summoned and kills many wasps. 

Noon - We enjoy chicken and mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes are as good as they come. Brooks and the potatoes engage in PDA.

1:43 - We resume painting. Heat stroke is nearly experienced, but we gut it out. Sara impresses David with her cut-in skills with a paintbrush. To his astonishment, Sara is the first blanc to surpass him as a concrete surface cut-in technician, all-though publicly he still claims to be the best utilizing a canvas medium.

2:14 - For the first time in 18 years, Karen sits down and watches other people work. 

Something new at HATS. Karen sits for two minutes and watches others work.

2:16 - New experience for Karen ends as she feels grass growing underneath her sandals, jumps up and gets back to work.

2:17 - Karen schedules next break for 2:15pm March 3, 2031

3:30 - Painting finished, team goes in to freshen up after some high quality amazing work.

Anne, Josie, Karena with their new clothes

Jake with Sandra

Sandra in her new duds

Saturday play time

Three muskateers

Sara and Jennifer cleaning paint brushes.

David and godson Jonathan

4:30 - The most interesting man in Haiti arrives at the front gate. Our dear friend Missionary James picks us up in the White Wonder of God's Provision also know as the Toyota Land Cruiser or WWGP for short. We head into Verrettes for an amaizing movie night in the heart of the village.

The movie crew

5:00 - As we begin to set up for the movie, James asks who would like to walk through the village with a bullhorn inviting the community to see the film. Right before nobody volunteers, David nominates Jake and Jenn to head into what Brooks feels is their certain death. With no further nominations, forthcoming, the motion carried, and we said good-bye to the two love birds, who head into the darkness armed only with a bullhorn and Macinzi the translator. Jake and Jenn engage in PDA for comfort.

5:30 - To our joy and astonishment, Jake and Jenn return, holding hands and the bullhorn. Jake may or may not have wet himself in fear at certain moments. Jenn did not - yet. Please see related story at 7:32.

6:15 - Hillsong music videos begins to play. Crowd begins to build.

6:45 - After numerous videos play, a crowd (estimated by professional estimator David Nance of close to 257) begins to watch a movie that tells the story of the Bible and history of God's relationship with man.

7:32 - Jenn realizes she is in need of a restroom. Realizing their predicament, Jake asks James if he'll help them find a safe, clean, American restroom. James says "Follow me."

7:34 - James says to random man standing nearby "Can this crazy white woman use your facilities?" "Sure," random man replies, and points into his backyard.

7:35 - Jenn enjoys the random man's semi-private backyard.

7:36 - Jenn tries to celebrate with PDA. For the first time ever, Jake refuses until hand sanitizer is retrieved from the WWGP.

8:40 - Film ends, Brooks explains to the crowd that we want to pray for them. Using hand signals, they are able to tell us what the need prayer for - sickness, injury, bondage, broken hearts, etc. The crowd pretty much engulfed us. For over an hour, we were able to lay our hands on many who were sick or hurting or afraid or suffering. Multiple decisions for Christ were made. We even saw some people healed. It was an amazing evening that we won't soon forget.

9:45 - We pack up and head home.

10:06 - Lights out, headlamps on.

10:11 - David begins snoring

Day 2

April 1st

Authors- Sara and Jen and Julie

4:00 am- We are awakened to the sound of drums, chanting and roosters.

6:00 am- We awake for the day (again to the sound of roosters). Boys take ninja style showers in less than two minutes

7:30- Devotions with kids, praise and Ti-Luc dancing. Awesome start to the morning!

9:00- Tour of school and compound. Played an amazing game with Tifi. Brooks and David had a pda moment (holding hands while standing in a circle with Tifi.)

10:30-Go to recess with kids. Brooks denied soccer privileges from 10 year olds.

11:30- Ride in back of truck to Luckner's (Karen's right hand man) store for water.

12:00- Delicious rice and beans for lunch.

12:30- Paint time! The school is now blue and so are David's...pants. Julie and Sara were epic paint trimmers. Jake and Brooks knocked out the ceiling.

Workteam started work on the school

Starting to look better already

12:31-4:00- Brooks complains of defective paint brush, how he can't paint and more paint on the floor than the roof.

2:00- Luggage from yesterday finally arrives with one bag missing. :(

2:30- Brooks prepares for "the games" by carrying large waters bottles on his shoulders.

4:30- Walked the canal with the sweet kids, staff and Karen. This country is beautiful!!

Family, workteam, visitor walk along the canal

5:30- Jake, Jen and Brooks were dominated by 10 year olds in a mean game of soccer.

6:30- Ate and played with Ti-Luc.

Older kids eating late after afternoon tutoring

Sandra writing in Leica's homework. She holds the pencil better than other kids.

7:00-Showers and relax time (nothing like bunny and crocodile tan lines from dried paint on skin all day).

9:30- Settling down to the sound of Brooks, David and Julie singing 'I can only imagine'. Brooks and David hitting high notes. Great end to our day!!

Team Texas Arrives

The team has written the blog.

( Karen says "What a day of travel, and what an experience they had yesterday!" We are thanking God for a safe arrival. )

Detailed account of the travel and arrival of the Texas Team at HATS:

4:43 AM - Arrive at Amarillo International Airport

5:02 AM - Start the process of checking in our luggage and shifting around the ozarka watering station to another luggage piece

5:18 AM - Luggage check-in process complete

5:25 AM - Made it through the TSA Q&A Session and arrive at Gate 2

5:33 AM - Jennifer informs the team that we are crazy and that there are a lot of days left in February and that April does not come after March. If you are confused by this statement, so are we. And so was Jennifer.

5:35 AM - Jake reassures Jennifer with some PDA. (Public Display of Affection - Jake and Jennifer married only last July.)

6:02 AM - American Airlines Gate Counter Attendant “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, we realize that we have now arrived at our scheduled departing time however we must start the engines for the plane before we depart.” Such an obvious statement should have been our first clue that AA was not going to win the customer service award for the day (oh how I wish Air Canada flew out of Amarillo).

6:50 AM - Our scheduled 6:00 AM flight finally departs AMA on the way to DFW.

7:45 AM - Team Texas safely arrives at DFW and speed walks over to gate D28 in order to board our scheduled 7:55 AM departure to Fort Lauderdale.

7:48 AM - PDA between Jake and Jennifer during the speed walk over to gate D28.

7:55 AM - We arrive at Gate D28 only to realize our scheduled flight left “several minutes” ago. David expresses astonishment that an American Airlines flight not only left on time, but slightly early. AA agent agrees with this statement.

8:05 AM - AA reroutes us through Miami to PAP. Brooks “Dear AA Agent, you will make sure that our luggage is transferred over to our new flight.” “Oh yes, Mr. Boyett I am making the phone call right now down to the baggage agent to make sure that your luggage is transferred.” This is the second statement from AA that would cause one to wish for a Canadian airline to set up shop in the USA.

8:55 AM - We board the Miami bound flight from DFW.

8:55:43 AM - Jake and Jennifer exchange PDA as they pass through the 1^st Class section of the Miami bound flight.

4:25 PM - Team Texas arrives in PAP.

4:43 PM - Team Texas watches the luggage carousel go round and round, round and round, round and round. Imagine – our luggage did not make it to PAP.

4:44 PM - Jake and Jennifer celebrate the news of our lost luggage with some PDA. 4:50 PM - Team Texas loads Van No. 1 for the scenic travel out to HATS.

5:17 PM - Van No. 1 pulls over and the driver and his first assistant kick the front passenger tire repeatedly.

5:45 PM - Van No. 1 pulls over and the driver and his first assistant locate a tool set within the van to make the necessary repairs.

5:52 PM - Horrendous noise heard from the undercarriage of Van No. 1. Brad externally remains cool, calm, and collected, but internally probably begins to wonder why Karen and Luckner sent him to pick up the team.

5:55 PM - Van No. 1 pulls over and the team loads into Van No. 2. Jake and Jennifer rejoice with PDA, then fall asleep for the rest of the ride home. David, Sara, Julie, and Brooks high five.

8:15 PM - Van No. 2 safely arrives at HATS into the welcoming arms of DG.

Team on site first morning with Jofky, Ti Fi and Anne

Jennifer, Ti Fi, Anne, Sara and Sandra

Friday, March 1 (yes Jennifer we are now in the month of March).

So glad to be here. So glad to worship with the HATS kids and team in morning devotions this AM. Ready to get to work. Ready to start the painting process.

Dav id with one of our students - Frantzy

Sara with Sandra

Julie with Leica

Thank you for your prayers – all is well.

Wow, how time flies when one is busy -

- dealing with a lot of different things, including electrical problems, with electrical problems comes internet problems, water problem, sick children, one child having had surgery, sick house mothers, keeping up administration at the school, at the main compound, and mothering the children - some of them sick. All in a days work!

Brad

Having the Reimers on board is good. They have been here almost a month and have quickly become an important part of the HATS family. Brad is here, there and everywhere doing what is necessary. We are starting already to share the airport pickups with Brad. Tomorrow the two directors are able to stay at HATS and do necessary work as Brad will go to the airport with Yawel and Daniel to pick up our wonderful Texas team. This is a win win situation as they get picked up in the same way as if we were going, and we get to keep up with the work at home.

We are being challenged with electrical problems, which we thought were caused by the main inverter. We took it to PAP for repairs only to be told there is nothing wrong with it. It is being picked up tomorrow and will return with the team. It appears that our problems stem from the generator not the inverter. HATS has grown since the purchase of the generator nine years ago. HATS purchased what was needed at that time and what we could afford. We reached a stage now where we have been overtaxing it - trying to have it run more than it is capable of. Lesson learned. Now we are trying to figure out what to cut out and when.

Sunday afternoon we had a fun birthday party for Leica and Lois. The children especially enjoyed roasting weiners and marshmallows.

February birthday girls - Leica and Lois

Birthday party time

We continue with our late afternoon walks as often as possible. It is good to leave the compound, get exercise, laugh and talk and enjoy time together.

We do love our walks

Recently the house mothers and children were blessed and happy to use their new kitchen. It is now in Kay Timbrmart where the girls sleep. It is bigger, much more airy, brighter and has lots of natural light. This was an important change for a few reasons - to reduce the noise level in the Reimers' place; to enable the housemothers working in the kitchen to keep an eye on the children outside; and to enable those of us in charge to supervise the work. This was one of the less expensive and one of the most important little projects completed here.

New and improved kitchen, brighter, lighter and more air flow.

Our children are busy with school, homework, playing, bike riding, walking along the canal and devotions . A lot of children in the area have been suffering from high fevers that last 3-4 days. JJ, Moise, Judel, Jofky, Sandra, Jonathan and now Ti Luc. They keep us on our toes and also keep us amused.

Anne & Jofky lying on steps of Kid's Home

Ti Luc hiding from Germaine on a school morning

Come on Mama, let's go to Papa's

Our Djemima had surgery at the local hospital awhile ago. She is back in school and improving daily. The other children are happy to carry her backpack, etc for her.

Djemima at HAS, Feb 19, 2013

Take me home please Mama

Tomorrow we will have our own David Nance and his team back. You will, hopefully, hear from them while they are here.

Sandra on 'time out' chair

Thanks again for everything you do for the people of this area through HATS.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN

Karen here folks.

It is more than time to let you know we are all doing well here. You will still hear from me fairly regularly, but I will be sharing blogging with the who are now a part of HATS. The Reimer family already had three years of missionary life in Haiti before joining HATS, so their adjustment to life here is not difficult. They are settled in their home and are involved in everything going on here. I have already delegated some of my load to them and will, slowly and steadily, pass over more. It feels good!!!! If anyone thought I was doing all that I have been for so long because I wanted to, you could not be more mistaken. I continued to do all that was needed to take good care of the children, but I have been wanting to permanently delegate a lot of the load. I am thankful and blessed to be able to share the work load and not have to worry about having to take it back again.

Brad cutting wood for shelves in their kitchen

Brad painted a blackboard then locked his keys inside

Vlaldimy trying to get Brad's keys

For the past eight days, the main house/admin building has had electrical problems. If the generator was not running there was no electricity at all at this house. The inverter that provided electricity through a bank of batteries for this building, decided to quit working. It was interesting to say the least. Without electricity there was no internet service. No internet service at this house meant no internet at the Reimers. Kaeli does a lot of her school work by internet so this effected her. Very little electricity meant warm refrigerators and freezers, which in turn meant food thawing that should not have been. Electricity in Haiti causes a lot of things to have a much shorter life than they would in Canada. Here we have EDH (Haitian electricity, such as it is), generator electricity, and inverter electricity. Electrical appliances (and inverters) have too many types of electricity coursing through them, and it is not good for them. HATS is certainly not the only place here that suffers electricity problems. Without a trustworthy, dependable electrical company all of us will have to continue with sporadic Haitian power, generator power, and inverter and battery power. I am extremely thankful for what HATS has had for the past few years, and hopefully soon will have again.

Kaeli has organized her bedroom

Moving Reliv Kid's Now to our school for our students

Luckner and our battery/inverter service guy, Palto, have been helping with our electrical problems. When Luckner is onsite Ti Luckner likes to claim his attention, as Papa Luckner is very important to Ti Luc.

Big Luckner and Little Luckner

Mama Karen continues to walk along the canal early mornings when possible and almost always is accompanied by 4 or 5 of the older children. If I can't get out they miss it as much as their mama does.

Two of Moise or two of Peter

Saturday morning walk with our kids

In eleven days we have our HATS group from Texas returning, under the leadership of David Nance once again. We are now looking forward to renewing friendships with those we know and making a couple of new friends.

Thank you for everything you do through HATS and for the people in Haiti, especially the children, can never be said often enough or forcefully enough. I can never blog without saying thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. May the Lord bless each and every one of you.

I T   I S    A L L    A B O U T   T H E    C H I L D R E N