Heat and Humidity. Heat and Humidity.

That about covers anything that needs to be said about Haiti these days.  We are living in the heat and humidity and suffering it.  We are always hot and very wet.  We have greatly decreased energy.  If one hugs a child one sticks to that child.  When one bathes one feels fresh and smells fresh for 5 - 10 minutes.   My fingers are sliding all over the keys as I type so I will blame any errors on this fact.  We are surviving - well sort of anyway.

When I returned from Canada I did so with two drums for the children to use in church.  They have been enjoying using these along with the two that Beate made while here.  My first couple of days back saw Dieunel and Ti Luc practicing with the drums in my house before taking them to church. 

Practicing for Sunday morning

JJ and Moise playing drums in church

As well upon my return each of the children received new duds, the three littlest girls getting 'princess' dresses.  I do believe they felt like little princesses too.

Three princesses in princess dresses

One evening recently little Sandra, age 2, decided she wanted to lead devotions.  That little girl is smart, funny and mischevious with the cutest smile and a ton of headstrong determination.   She was the only one at devotions who had a songbook and with the book upside down she sang the words to every song and did so with gusto.  When she asked someone to pray she was peeking to see that it was done right.  She is a joy a lot of the time but boy when she decides she does not like something, or does not want to do something, watch out.  

Sandra, age 2, only one with songbook

During prayer in devotions

A friend who works at the hospital came on her horse recently for a short visit.  The kids loved being close to the horse, even getting a short ride in our yard.  It was good for the children to see a horse so healthy and well cared for.  Now they would like one - of course for Mama to take care of in all her spare time.

Peter on Dawn's horse

We have ongoing generator/inverter/battery problems which amounts to electricity problems.  Recently our generator quit running on one phase out of two which meant for a couple of days there were many areas of the compound in 'blackout'.  Again Luckner, with the help, pulled us through the crisis and for now the generator is up and running again.

Generator problems

This year Luckner decided to hold a party to celebrate Radio Creole being on the air.  Many people encouraged it and many, many people came.  He encouraged children to come late afternoon while we still had daylight and enjoy the meal before the adults arrived.  Our HATS kids, as well as many other children in the area, attended.  He gave the kids the opportunity to sing and to share on the air.  Adults from near and far attended and many of them shared, up until 6:00 a.m. the following morning, their thankfulness for the radio station.  It truly has made a difference in this area.

Radio Creole studio

HATS kids singing on the air for Radio Creole

Gwo Luckner and Ti Luckner at Fet Radio Creole

JJ has been quite involved in our little church services during the summer time as our worship leader, Yolene, needed surgery.  He has done a good job of leading worship.  Perhaps an up and coming leader for HATS and Haiti.

JJ leading worship

Preparations for school opening continues nonstop.  Eden has started work on badly needed new desks for our lower grades.  Brad will soon be putting shelves in the room next to our school office where I will be able to organize school supplies and all the books. Luckner and I are still in the uniform fabric stage, but soon we will move into textbook purchasing and organizing stage.

School desks underway

We do need new sponsors for this school year so anyone willing to help a student attend school please let us know.  Forms are available through our website at www.hatshaiti.org or through Dickie MacDonald at hatsa.yarmouth@gmail.com.  Thank you!!

Once again I say a huge thank you to all who are a part of HATS in any and every way.  Thank you.  God bless you.

Together we are making a difference.  Let's keep it  "ALWAYS  ABOUT  THE  CHILDREN".
Karen

School opening is almost upon us again.

Actually for Luckner and I and Lois and Brad, who have been helping us with the reopening of our school, the work of the school has never stopped.  Luckner had three weeks of registering students and buying fabric for uniforms, while Lois and Brad have been cutting it all up in preparation of us getting it into the hands of the students.  The next big job is to start purchasing all the textbooks.

The three weeks I was away Luckner did the registering of students for the 2013-2014 school year.  All students, returning, and new, must register to attend in September.   He registered more than 40 new students for preschool and several in our grade 7 class.

Our school, IMKH, fared very well in the government exams for grade six and for grade nine again this year.  Thank you for those results go to Luckner who pushed both teachers and students.  The last couple of months of school Luckner had the grade six teacher give extra classes, while he taught the grade nine students on Saturdays and Sundays to prepare them for the big exams.  Our grade six class had 18 out of 20 and our grade nine had 18 out of 21 pass.

Thank you to you, our present sponsors, who are continuing to pay for your students.  If any of you have not yet paid for the school year 2013/2014 we ask you to please do so through Dickie MacDonald in Yarmouth.  If you are willing to start sponsoring a student this year you can download a form from our website or get in touch with Dickie or Sandra MacDonald or Liette Wilson:-
Dickie - hatsa.yarmouth@gmail.com
Sandra - sandra.hatshaiti@gmail.com
Liette - liette.hatshaiti@gmail.com

We are now in need of more sponsors especially for our newly registered little ones and for some grade seven students who passed the government exams and who have chosen to continue their education at our school.

Preschool to grade six is $275 per year.  Grade 7 to graduation s $375 per year.

Thank you once again for all the ongoing help in getting the children in our area receive an education.  Attending school gives students and families hope.  Without hope the people perish.

Every aspect of the HATS-Haiti Mission is and always will be  ALL ABOUT   THE   CHILDREN.

Home Sweet Home - Welcome Home Mama Karen

I left the children for three weeks - 2 1/2 weeks in Canada (which I refer to as the Canadian world - where things are easy and comfortable) and four days of travelling to and from. It was needed. It was relaxing. It was enjoyable. It was exactly what the doctor 'would have' ordered.

First I visited in NS with Dickie and Sandra. I arrived feeling exhausted and burned out. I left there feeling renewed and recharged. I rested lots, was well fed and treated like a princess.

Then on to that wonderful island where I grew up that I lovingly refer to as 'the rock'. That beautiful island in the Atlantic ocean does have some rocky areas but it has the most wonderful people in the world that are 'rock' solid. I have not lived there since I was 21 years old. I, however, will always return there when I can. I will always be very thankful for my upbringing and always thankful that "I am a Newfie and will forever be very proud of it."

While in NL most of my time was spent in Springdale, my home town. We did not just stay in Springdale, we stayed in 'our old homestead' where we grew up. Bob and Elaine have done a fantastic job, with a lot of hard work and a lot of money, of preserving the home. How many siblings in their sixties can return to their childhood home and spend precious time together?

Old homestead

Relaxing with Lila

While there my siblings and I, along with sisters and brothers-in-law, several nephews, neices and their children, gathered to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of a very special couple - my brother Don and his wonderful, patient, understanding, accepting, gracious wife, Lila. I wonder how soon there can be another special anniversary or another reason for us to get together there. Before separating, we siblings, once again, had our photo taken in our yard in the same place and in the same order of age as our mama had done when we were children.

Family fun at old homestead for D&L's 50th Ann

Don & Lila's 50th wedding anniversary

Huxter siblings

Most of you know I had planned on taking Ti Luc to Canada with me. Once again it did not happen. Still we are waiting on his passport. I solicit your prayers for this passport to be granted. We need whatever is blocking this being finished to be removed. It was difficult to leave him behind for three weeks but thanks to Germaine he was well looked after.

When I walked off the plane in Port au Prince, on Monday, 5th, I felt like I was walking into a 500 degree oven. Welcome home Karen.

Ti Luc and all the other children were very happy to have their mama return. Luckner drove me into the yard to find Little Sandra and Jonathan (our two youngest) standing holding a sign saying "Welcome Home Mama Karen".

Welcome Home Mama

Welcome Home Mama Karen

My first night back at the mission (in my Haiti world) was much less comfortable than in my Canadian world. In Canada I was often cold even though others were comfortable or too warm. In Canada I had 24 hour electricity. In Canada I had clean rooms and clean beds. In Canada I had no bugs in my bed or my room. Loved the time in my Canada world.

Keeping warm early one morning in NL

I arrived back home to intense heat and extremely high humidity. People here were having great difficulty with it and rightly so.

Germaine had my house nice and clean. I remember thinking this feels good. I did not know that my bedroom had not been unlocked for her to clean. After spending valuable time with the children, I unlock my room so I can shower and do a little unpacking. Yikes. My room is dirty - three weeks of dust, cobwebs, and bugs galore. I decide I will not see it, but will shower and will put my very tired body to bed. I pull back my shower curtain only to see spiders, cobwebs and also hundreds of insects - fair size termites I think - in my bathtub. Okay, so I don't need a shower after all. I see spiders on the walls by my bed but I am too tired to care. I set up a fan and crash on the bed. I need a good night sleep and I will deal with it all in the morning. I do not think to find a flashlight.

The generator goes off at 10:00 p.m. I have no idea my batteries, that should get me through the night with a fan and lights, have very little charge. At midnight I feel like I am in a sauna and about to pass out from the heat and humidity. My batteries and inverter stop working after only two hours. I can not breath properly. This means I have no fan and no lights of any kind in the house, from midnight until 6:00 a.m. Just lovely. Tossing and turning, not sleeping, on the sweat drenched sheets, I feel cobwebs on my hands and face. Oh boy! Welcome Home Mama Karen.

Despite all that it was good to arise in the morning, sweaty, stinky, and more overtired than when I lay down, but knowing I would quickly see the children. For me it truly is "All About The Children". I was not out the door when little legs were running to me and little voices were yelling "Maman. Maman".

My second night home, I had a nice clean room, but from 2:15 a.m. on I again had to toss and turn in extreme heat and humidity due to not enough charge in my batteries. Again I was in 'blackout' for the remainder of the night. Hopefully tonight, Wednesday, I can have battery power until at least 5:00 a.m.

THANK YOU TO BEATE, KATHLEEN, EMILY AND HANNAH

It has been a fantastic week with these four ladies. I am glad and thankful they came. They were a lot of fun, helped in many ways, spent a lot of time with the children - in the sun as well as the shade. Too, they spent valuable time with me and were a fantastic encouragement to me. They helped a lot with Ti Luc, and were glad to do so, which was a tremendous blessing to both Germaine and I - not to mention how much Ti Luc loved it.

Beate - you are a gem. You are a special woman and I am very thankful for your friendship. You are an awesome team leader. When you come it is good for all of us on site. Thank you for coming back last week and for bringing Kathleen with you again and bringing Emily and Hannah for the first time. I will see you here again same time next year.

Beate - loved by all the children

Jofky sad as Beate says 'Bye'

Kathleen - thank you for coming back. You are special and important to us all but especially so to both myself and Ti Luc. Kathleen's parents already know how highly I think of their daughter. Since she came a year ago for the first time Kathleen has been an important part of HATS-Haiti, and no doubt always will be.

Kathleen -our 'Special Protective Services' at HATS

Early morning goodbye with Ti Luc

To the parents of Emily and Hannah - first timers with HATS - you have done a great job with these young ladies. They accepted everything, they were willing to try new things, they were sensitive and caring, they were fun, they were very helpful and . . . . They were loved by all. Thank you Stephen for thinking of me and this mission and sending them to us.

Emily battling tears as she says 'Bye'

Bye Hannah

It was sad to see them enter the airport but Luckner and I both hope they will return to us again.

Luckner & Beate at airport

Come back please

Bye - really going to miss you guys

HATS-Haiti is truly       "  ALL  ABOUT  THE  CHILDREN  "

This team helped us to continue to keep it thus. God bless all of you and thank you again for coming.

Karen and her team

It’s Kathleen again!

Well our time here at HATS has been amazing and gone by WAYYYYYYYY too fast!!!!  All week anytime someone has mentioned “Monday” I have said “NOOOOOO WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT MONDAY!”  Well now it is Monday, we still don’t need to talk about that though.  Instead we can celebrate all of the wonderful things we have done!  We got the opportunity to love on the most wonderful kids ever, play soccer until the cows come home, hugs and squeeze the kiddies, lots of cuddles, and meet new friends.  We painted black boards, moved rocks off the road for a local; took a billion and one photos.  We ate the best food in the world, got to worship together, pray together and laugh about nothing together.  We celebrated Canada day, we played dice and made drums.  The list could go on and on forever!!!

Yeah. Kathleen is back

This mission through and through, like Karen says is “all about the children”, and this week we decided to help out in which ever ways we could and knew how.  We may have held some hands while walking and moved some stones, but at the end of the day I know for me personally the people here (Karen included tenfold) have helped me and blessed me!  Thank you too all of those who works here at HATS for putting time and energy into the lives of the next generation of Haitians.  Thank you to the board members, I cannot even begin to think of all the behind the scenes work that you guys do!  Thank you to Karen’s support system (friends, family, Luckner)!

Bringing the blocks upstairs

Beate, Ti Fi and Hannah

Helping move rocks into a man's yard so we could use the road

Thank you parents of Hannah and Emily for letting them come down so I could get to know the beautiful daughters you have inside and out! Thank you Shawna and Carmelo for letting me hang out with Mama Beate yet again!

Sandra & Kathleen

Leica & Djemima

Dieunel

Drum making

Thank you Karen for everything you do, all the hard work and dedication that you put into this place, all of the work behind the scenes. Thank you for putting up with all the craziness that we bring when we come to your house for the week, just thank you times a million and one for everything Karen. 

Emily's suitcase will be carefully checked by Mama Karen before heading for airport

Some of the kids waiting for Maman to give a morning snack

After evening devotions - time on roof top with kids

I can write about my week until I am blue in the face (maybe not write that long but if you know me I can definitely talk for that long), and can sing about kit kat bars until my voice gives out, but I cannot even begin to try and articulate in song, dance, or other random art forms how thankful and blessed I am to have been given this experience not only once but twice!  Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!

Emily here.

We got to sleep in today, Saturday! However, the roosters made sure we weren’t taking advantage of this ‘sleep in time’ so we were all up by 8. We had another delicious breakfast by the best cook in the world, Germaine: Pancakes! Yummmm so good.

After breakfast we decided to try and make a nice little wall out of some cement bricks to try and stop potential rain from washing our tents right off the roof. We figured if we could get a wall up, we might not have to sweep the water off the roof again so we went for it! After Beate VERY carefully inspected the cement blocks for any crawly furry friends (cough cough tarantulas) we started loading up the blocks. We had two wheelbarrows and after a bit of help from Brad (Mr. Wheelbarrow Expert) we had quite the little system going, especially when JJ and Moise came to help. Then the wall was up!

One working,one touching the wheelbarrow and one supervisor

Trying desperately to keep the rain from the sleeping area

After building the wall, we had a super delicious lunch of kalalou (best word ever) sauce and rice. Then we ventured to the hospital tap-tap style and had a great tour from Karen. Hannah, me (Emily) and Kaeli rode in the back of the truck (soooo hot). (A sample of temperature can be seen from photos attached - 43 in the shade and well over 50 in the sun. Can't get an accurate temperature as thermometer does not go that high. You can see that it is very wise to stay out of the sun.)

Temperature in the shade

Temperature in the sun

Lois, Beate, Kathleen and Karen were inside with that nice air-conditioning. When Hannah and I went inside the truck to get the tour from Karen, well that air-conditioning was just the best thing ever. We saw all the gorgeous stone houses built many years ago where the doctors and other employees of the hospital and their families lived when they had been here as well as where the pool was, the soccer field (my faaaavorite) and even a tennis court.

Earlier we had started some really cool drums that Beate had made with her kids at school before. They were so fun to make and such a great idea. Kaeli, Hannah, Ti Luc, Beate and I colored the boards to add some nice colors and designs to the drum. Then we wrapped them in clear duct-tape to make a spot to hit and nailed them together before heading up to Luckner’s. Best looking drums ever, and so simple to make! Ti-Luc loved his new drum and was so good at playing it… he has SUCH a great beat and couldn’t wait to show Papa! Once we got to Luckner’s, Ti-Luc showed Papa and Rose Lore how to play his drum and we all loved the excellent music.

Drum making

After Luckner’s the older kids went for a nice walk along the gorgeous canal. I stayed here with the little kiddies to play on the swing set and bike around the yard. Sandra was giggling away on the swing as usual, too cute. I’m thinking there must be a way to sneak her in my carry-on… When everyone was back we had a nice big plate of the world’s best spaghetti.

Now devotions were pretty exciting tonight. We sang and danced and had a great time as always but in the middle of one song Gemima spotted something in the driveway… Well at first, we had no clue what was going on. And then we saw it: This furry black tarantula had come out to say hello! Karen and Beate ran over with the camera (of course, pictures first!) and Beate wasn’t scared one bit to get VERY close (too close for me). Quite the thing to see. Of course everyone sees pictures but there’s nothing like seeing something up close and personal!

Lastly, we ventured up to the roof with the older kids. What a GREAT view. The sky was a mix of purple, dark swirly gray, light robin’s egg blue and rosy pink clouds. One half of the sky made us think the rain was seconds away from down pouring, while the other half couldn’t have been a clearer blue! It was kind of like we were in the middle of the world with the mix of clear and stormy weather in the air. It was beyond cool to see. You could also see all the tall leafy green palm trees and endless tall mountains in the distance. Definitely post-card material. Good thing Kathleen was there with her amazing camera to snap the pics. We all loved it!

Finally after all the kiddies were tucked in to bed, Karen told us some more of her edge-of-the-seat stories. These stories… well they easily beat any movie or book I’ve ever seen or read. I’m going to miss her stories so much next week, I think they were one of the big highlights of this trip for me.

Sunday J

Today was also, of course, so fun. We had a great church service. We had lots of singing and WOW everyone was so into it: clapping, jumping, dancing, using tambourines. And so happy! Everyone had a big smile on their face and it was so nice to listen to. We found even though we didn’t know Creole, it was a great service and we could definitely understand enough. Then we received an awesome message from Kathleen about integrity. She’s so good at speaking and I think she definitely got the message across (at least to me she did!). Karen was there translating so it was really great to listen to.

Drum making

Sunday morning service

Ti Luc playing his drum in church

Then there was some more singing from some little groups that was so beautiful and yes… the four of us went up and sang This Little Light of Mine! (I don’t think I would call it beautiful but… we did do it that counts for something!)

Beate's singing group

Then “Maman Karen” announced the trip to Luckner’s. WELL there wasn’t one kid who didn’t have a smile stretched from ear to ear. We piled all the kiddies into the truck and rode up to Papa’s for cookies and juice. On the way, cutest thing ever, Anne says “I love you Maman!” and then Karena followed with another “I love you Maman!” and finally Jofky with another “I love you Maman!” This was repeated about 100 times over until we got to Luckner’s. Such sweet kiddies who love their awesome Maman! They all had a grand time with the cookies and juice. Another cute little episode from Sandra: She was eating her cookies and decided she only wanted the icing. So when told she had to eat the actual cookie part before having another one… she waited until she thought no one was looking and hid it in her dress! Absolutely adorable and quite the smart little cutie.

We came back and had some lunch followed by some delicious brownies from Kaeli that we all enjoyed. We told a few stories too… I think Kathleen was definitely #1 story teller today. She had everyone crying from laughter by the end of her crazy tales!

I can’t believe the week’s already over. So much fun and so many interesting experiences I will never ever forget. Karen put together such a terrific week for us all that we enjoyed so so so much. This is definitely going to be the biggest highlight of my summer. I’m going to miss these kiddies and everyone here SO much. I think I might just have to come back.

Off to play some soccer now!

Emily sure knows how to play soccer

The rain is not far away

Water coming down and water to drink

Karen here. A great game of soccer was enjoyed by our kids, and kids from outside as well. Emily is a good soccer player. Leica told me she wants to be able to play soccer some day as well as Emily and Mariah do. She has seen these two young ladies play soccer very well and she now has a goal for herself.