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AUGUST 16, 2008 - Friday while we were at the graduation for the Sewing School, Junior, my assistant, received a call telling him that a young lady that he knows, a friend, had been kidnapped. She before she was married used to come to church now and then. Now she is in the hands of kidnappers. Negotiations are underway for her release.
Here we were at a graduation. A time of joy and at the same time we hear the news of a kidnapping. At the graduation there was clapping and cheering, smiles and celebration. At the home of the one kidnapped there is sorrow and tears and fear and disbelief. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE YOUNG LADY WHO HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED AND FOR THE KIDNAPPERS. - It has been raining here due to a tropical storm passing over the island on its way to Cuba. The rain and clouds causes problems with our internet as we connect with a satellite dish. It seems that the rain and clouds block the satellite and the dish from communicating and so our internet during these times will not work.
I wonder if that is kind of what happened to Peter when he walking on the water, allowed the storm tossed sea to block out the call of Jesus to come to Him on the water. I wonder if that is kind of what happens to us when we allow trials and difficulties, and worries to keep us from connecting to God’s love and power and promises. - Beth will be the messenger at church tomorrow. I am looking forward to hearing what God has for us
. - Think about these words of Neil Cole, “The measure of the Church’s influence is found in society-on the streets, not in the pews.”
John McHoul AUGUST 14, 2008 I should know better to mess around with something that isn’t broken. The 98 hens (sistas) had been eating, pooping and giving around ninety eggs a day. But it seemed to me that they were eating too much and so we gave them less food. And then while at an outdoor market I saw some stuff that looked like the type of food that hamsters or rabbits eat. The lady also told me that people give it to their dogs. She said that there was meat in it and so on. So I bought a sack of it and added some other filler stuff so the chickens would gets filled up and not eat so much. Well the chickens have paid back my efforts by giving only about 40 eggs a day. So it took about a week, but it is clear that the sistas have outsmarted me and now we are giving them as much food as they would like. And it is back to the good stuff. No more outdoor market food. So now I have decided that the tilapias are eating too well and I have started to give to them the outdoor market food with filler. I hope that they don’t repay me by becoming floaters. John (outsmarted by the sistas) McHoul NO LONGER SAM’S ROOM Our son Sam left Haiti about nine years ago, but Beth still called the middle bedroom, “Sam’s” bedroom. So she would tell visitors that they will be sleeping in Sam’s room. Well Joseph, the fourteen year old who left for the States this week, stayed with us for two years and he stayed in Sam’s room. Last night we had a visitor that spent the night with us and Beth was deciding if he should sleep in “Joseph’s” room or “Morgan’s” room, our daughter who left Haiti about three years ago. So it only took nine years but Sam has lost his room. It is now Joseph’s room probably for years to come. and Morgan still seems to be holding onto her room probably for years to come as well. John McHoul AUGUST 13, 2008 - Just received an e-mail from Robert, the adoptive father of fourteen year old Joseph who left us for his new home on Sunday August 10th. He told me that Joseph after being tested at school will enter the 8th grade, which is where he should be. It appears that all the tutoring that he received from Dina at our crèche has paid off.
- Yesterday morning, the cook for the crèche came to see with a 1000 gourde Haitian bill in her hand. This is equivalent to about $25.00 USD. Daily I give her money to purchase the food that will be cooked for the workers and for the children’s evening meal. She said that when she went to pay for the food that the seller said that the 1000 gourde bill was fake and she wouldn’t accept it. Byron, Junior and I looked at the bill more closely and yes it was fake. It, from a distance, or with just a cursory look appeared to be genuine but it was not.
While looking at the bill, I starting thinking about how David prayed, “SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TEST ME AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS. POINT OUT ANYTHING THAT OFFENDS YOU, AND LEAD ME ALONG THE PATH OF EVERLASTING LIFE.” PSALM 139:23, 24 This is a good way for us to determine that we are genuine and not being fake. Spending time not just reading God’s Word but being IN God’s Word will help us to see areas in our lives that need to come into focus with God’s will. I have a friend who, when he gets fake money or really ugly, dirty, and torn money, will put it in the church offering plate. I’m sure that I won’t do this. We everyday have opportunities, as we interact with others, to respond with what seems like the right thing to do, but upon closer examination or consideration we see that it is not the biblical way that we should respond. ***When wronged do we forgive? ***When mistreated do we respond by mistreating? ***Do we exhibit grace and mercy even though it has not been shown to us? O Lord, help us to be sensitive to you and may we abide in Your Word that we may have Your thoughts as we live the gift of each day. John McHoul AUGUST 12, 2008  Joseph, pictured left with Beth, left us and Haiti for his new home in Missouri on Sunday Augusts 10th, 2008. Joseph's story could have been so much different if not for people that God brought into his life to love and care for him.
Joseph at the age of six was in his two room house when gunmen entered and shot dead his father and mother and a visitor. Several of the children were wounded in the shooting but Joseph escaped without any physical damage. Joseph spent some time staying with family and was then put into an orphanage but returned to his extended family after the orphanage he was in imploded. He eventually found himself in an orphanage run by dear friends Bill and Susette Manassero. There he found a place where he was loved and shown the love of Christ.
God had also brought into Joseph's life the Rice family from Missouri. This family loved him from afar and supported him to go to school and help with his care. Eventually Robert Rice, who would visit Joseph every several months, spoke to us about wanting to adopt Joseph and Joseph moved into our home as he, we felt, was too old to be in the creche. And so Joseph lived with us for the past two years as we worked on his adoption. He became a part of our lives and he with his winsome personalty ingrained himself into the lives of so many.
It took three going away parties to get the cross section of people together that Joseph had touched. He will be missed; but we are thrilled that we can live here so Joseph can now live with his new family.
I told Joseph to be sure to get Robert to take him to Burger King after they arrived in Miami. Well, we got a call last night and it was from Robert and Joseph. They were in Burger King in the Miami airport as their flight left Haiti two hours late and they missed their next flight. So Joseph's first meal in the States was a whopper.
Praise God for a new beginning for a young man who with the help of others has overcome tremendous odds.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT THAT BRING ABOUT SUCH SUCCESS STORIES!
John McHoul AUGUST 9, 2008 AIRPORT BLOG The airport in Port-au-Prince, coming or going, is always an adventure. Even standing in line minding your own business can turn into an occasion for laughter or tears. Yesterday I needed to return to the airport to give Katie Manassaro a document. She was leaving, much to my sadness, and was already inside. I joined the line of about 100 travelers outside. I wasn't thinking about other people except that I kept an eye out for line cutters. A major offense unless I'm the one doing it.
I'm enjoying the wait (as John says) being quiet, thinking about Katie leaving (which made me very sad) and thinking about my day. The lady behind me puts her large suitcase down on the ground, opens it and I just happened to notice that it is full of pumpkins. Yeah, those squash looking vegetables we use in Haiti for pumpkin soup. There among her clothes are several pumpkins. I can't help myself. I get involved. I'm a busy body and I inform her in Creole that pumpkins from Haiti are not allowed in your luggage into the United States. She doesn't believe me. I tell her they have dogs that sniff out pumpkins and scary looking officers that will stop her at the luggage carousel if she brings her pumpkins into the US. I tell her she is wasting her luggage space and that, trust me, she can buy pumpkins in the States. She's a little suspicious of me and tells me the pumpkins are not really in her luggage, she is going to give them to someone here. Okay. Message sent - I wonder if in Miami she wished she listened to me.
My good deed done, my advice given, I turn ahead in line looking forward to my good bye moments with Katie who has been our summer intern. A teenage girl in front of me who probably figured out I was the mother busy body type turns to me and says "do I need money to check my luggage?" Being a seasoned traveler I ask her what airline she is on. Spirit. Yes, you need to pay for your luggage on Spirit. The tears come. Here I am inching forward in this endless line, finished up with the pumpkin lady and now I have a crying teen with no money in front of me. She clutches her suitcase. It is big. Not carry on size. It's full of teen age clothes and things important to young girls. I have no US money with me I tell her - that only makes more tears come. What shall she do? She decides I should take her suitcase to her uncle somewhere in the parking lot while she stuffs her precious items into a carry on duffel type bag. It takes her a long time to make the decision of what to fly with and what to trust me with. I hope I can find the uncle. He has a stripped, no plaid, shirt on she says. Anything for a crying teen ager. I'm a mom.
I finally make my way to Katie. She's waiting, I'm still negotiating with the teen about what clothes are important to her.
Then my tears fall. I say good bye to a girl I have loved. A girl who put her hand print on the kids of our home. A girl who shines Jesus. I'll miss Katie.
Found the uncle, made my way home and started my day. It wasn't even 7:30 AM!
Beth McHoul
AUGUST 7, 2008 A SHOPPING SPREE Haitians live one day at a time! They have to, they don't have resources to do more. Unfortunately this becomes a mindset, a way of life, a prison. The trees are gone because Haitians need charcoal for today. Money cannot be saved because there are needs today.
In our women's program we try to teach principles and the ability to make good choices. We just had classes on food buying. We have taught about protein and nutrition and good habits over and over and over. The ladies had a test. We put lots of food on a table and gave each women ten Haitian dollars to spend. We had a table displayed with eggs, avocados, canned milk, bananas, cookies, crackers, infant cereal, corn flakes and corn meal. Each lady could pick what they wanted to feed a toddler for the day.
Only one lady picked a bag of oatmeal that would last for more than one meal. Most made a few good choices like eggs and avocados but also chose cookies and crackers. Only a few stayed with only the protein, nutritious foods. Small packages of crackers and cookies are part of Haitian life and although they have no nutrition the ladies could not help but buy them. They cost the same amount as a boiled egg, or a banana, or an avocado but won the competition. The other disappointing choice was almost every lady chose to buy a small can of milk even though they are breast feeding the child they were buying for.
Culture is strong. Only one lady bought for tomorrow. Only one lady had vision beyond one day.
The good thing is it only takes one to start changes. One lady got the message. The others are learning, growing and next time may make better choices. Cookies may have won today but tomorrow avocados may win. We teach for today and hope for tomorrow!
Beth McHoul AUGUST 1, 2008
I am looking at the July 2008 issue of FIELD & STREAM magazine. I am not really a field & stream type of guy, but I did fish for several years when I was a kid. And, of course, being from New England I have done some deep sea fishing. Beth and I went on a deep sea fishing charter during our honey moon. I liked it but Beth got sea sick.
Well, back to the cover of FIELD & STREAM. One of the articles is entitled NEVER MISS AGAIN-How to hit your deer at any range. Well I got thinking about the three words NEVER MISS AGAIN and I began to substitute words for the word “MISS.” Here are some of the phrases that I have come up with and that I wish could be true. I’m sure that you can add to this list.
NEVER MISS AGAIN
NEVER SIN AGAIN
NEVER FAIL AGAIN
NEVER FALL AGAIN
NEVER SPEAK OUT OF TURN AGAIN
NEVER JUDGE AGAIN
NEVER BE UNGRACIOUS AGAIN
NEVER BE IMPATIENT AGAIN
NEVER BE NEGLIGENT AGAIN
NEVER BE CARELESS AGAIN
NEVER BE SHORT SIGHTED AGAIN
I asked Dan and Sheila Lynch, and Junior to add to the list and here in their contribution:
Junior:
NEVER HATE AGAIN
NEVER BOAST AGAIN
NEVER LIE AGAIN
NEVER CHEAT AGAIN
NEVER BE UNGTRAEFUL AGAIN
NEVER LOSE FAITH AGAIN
NEVER LOSE VISION AGAIN
NEVER DISOBEY GOD AGAIN
Sheila:
NEVER EAT SPAM AGAIN
NEVER SET MY EXPECTATIONS LOW AGAIN
NEVER LOSE HOPE AGAIN
NEVER SAY SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO OPOLOGIZE FOR AGAIN
NEVER THIINK SMALL OF MYSELF AGAIN
Dan:
NEVER HUNGER AGAIN
NEVER HURT AGAIN
NEVER FEAR AGAIN
You:
John McHoul
JULY 31, 2008
FROM OUR JULY 30th, 2008 E LETTER
Greetings from Haiti
I have been reading a little book by Arthur Burt entitled How To be Ordinary. He writes, "But the revelation of God is that He didn't choose me because I was extraordinary. While we were yet sinners, so ordinary, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). So ordinary. I have nothing to boast in. So ordinary. I have nothing to boast in! So ordinary. He passed by and He chose me. I'm just an ordinary sinner."
Nothing in my hand I bring.
Simply to Thy cross I cling...
Rock of Ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
(Rock of Ages, Augustus M. Toplady, 1776)
As I sit here today in Port-au-Prince Haiti I am very thankful that God mines from our lives that which can be of value to Him and to others. There are times when that mining process is difficult and God often digs deep and chips much away until the useful is found. It may, at times, seem to us that He is chipping away and discarding that which we may even see as positive, or strengths, or assets. Yet God may see these things as not having value to His kingdom.
May the words of the Psalmist reflect our heartfelt desire.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23,24 NLT
John McHoul
YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR E LETTER BY SENDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO info@heartlineministries.org
HOSPITAL TOURS
One thing that God and Haiti have in common is that you never know what to expect. We have been visiting hospitals and programs available across the city looking for programs where our ladies might be able to deliver their babies. There are free programs and the key is getting them hooked in and finding out how long the wait is, how crowded the program is and how quality the care is.
I visited a hospital about 20 minutes away and they were rather snotty that I didn’t speak French, it was off the main road and up and hill. When a lady is in labor having a hospital on the public transportation route is important.
Most of our women deliver at home without a skilled attendant because they cannot afford hospital care and don’t have the resources/ability/knowhow to get into the free programs. About 75% of all Haitian women deliver without a skilled attendant. Moms die, babies die, both too often and needlessly.
One purpose of our prenatal program is to prepare our women for their delivery. We get them as healthy as possible, screen them for diseases, and check them for all the important issues. Then they are on their own.
In our attempt to do more we are searching out hospitals. Our dream of a birthing clinic is still in the dream form.
After visiting one hospital I went on to a pharmacy to check out prices. On my way I happened to notice a birthing hospital I’d never seen before. I stopped. I felt what I thought could be the nudging of the Holy Spirit. I went in and asked to talk to the director. He turned out to be a large, friendly man who kept insisting to me that he and his partners run a Christian organization. There are 18 beds and I would be most welcome to check it out, visit and volunteer.
Volunteering is important because I need more practical experience in midwifery. We chatted for a while, I told him about our program and he invited me back the next day for a tour of the 18 bed birthing hospital. I was busy the next day but made time to pop in for my tour. He had been so gracious and welcoming I thought I would follow up on this.
The following day I popped in and asked to see him. He was on his way to a cesarean section and invited me to observe. The next thing I knew I had scrubs and a mask on and there I was in the OR watching a c-section. A first for me. I attended many births in my schooling so far but never a c-section. The entire staff was friendly to me, explained things to me and welcomed me. They made sure I was standing in a spot where I could see everything. I could sense the entire time that God had opened this opportunity for me.
I stepped out when I felt the nudging of God and received a gift. What will come of this I’m not sure but a relationship has begun.
But this I know is true, God cares about our women and will lead us as we reach out to Him for their lives and for direction in this ministry. An unexpected gift.
Beth McHoul
JULY 28, 2008
LESSONS LEARNED THIS PAST WEEK
1, Don’t wear a NEW YORK YANKEES shirt when RED SOX fans from New Hampshire come for a visit. This past week a group from New Hampshire came and spent the week working at ENGLISH CAMP 2008. When I went to say hello to the group, my Yankees shirt was instantly noticed and commented on, especially by one of the guys who had a RED SOX NATION shirt on.
2, Don’t climb a ladder placed on slick cement without having someone hold the foot of the ladder.
3, Don’t wear flip flops when climbing a ladder placed on slick cement when no one is holding the foot of the ladder.
4, When the ladder slides back when placed on the slick cement and falls off the roof, pray quickly.
On Saturday afternoon, Beth was having problem connecting to the internet and so I put a ladder up to the roof of the pump house where we have a satellite dish for the internet. It isn’t all that high, just about 12 feet. Well just as I was almost to the top of the roof, the ladder gave way and slid back on the slick cement. I as well slid back and then the ladder fell and I, riding it down, had my feet on the rungs when the ladder hit the ground. The flip flops did not offer much support and so my feet took the brunt of the fall. Sitting on the ground, my feet were bleeding and hurt but it didn’t seem that they were broken. One of my flip flops broke, but I will glue it back together today. I sat on the ground for a few minutes and got back up and asked our worker to hold the ladder as I went back up there and I trimmed back branches that were blocking the satellite dish. Limping into the house, Beth had me soak my feet in ice water and she gave me Advil that expired in 2004.
It is now Monday morning, I have two socks on my right foot and four on my left and sneakers on that I have laced really tight. I suspect that my feet will stop hurting after a few more days and then I will probably forget the lessons that I learned.
BOOKS
Just read two interesting books:
1, THE WAL-MART EFFECT by Charles Fishman
2, A MIGHTY HEART by Marianne Pearl. This is about the kidnapping and beheading of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal journalist in Pakistan.
John McHoul
JULY 26, 2008
I like visiting the kids in the children’s home after they have had their evening baths and when they are kind of winding down for the evening before bed time. This week I gathered up a few of them and we went to the store to buy a bunch of junk food for a before bed snack. The kids are so good in remembering the kids that didn’t come and the nannies and they make sure that enough junk food is bought for everyone to enjoy.
I have promised them that on Monday evening that I will buy a bunch of ice cream and we will all get our spoons and enjoy.
In orphanage life, the kids are hungry when told that they are hungry. There is no going to the fridge and checking out what is in it. Oh, we feed them plenty and they get their snacks, but sometimes it is a good thing to just pour it on and let the kids enjoy some out of schedule excitement.
Last night when I got to the girl’s home, Katie was giving the kids spoons full of peanut butter, so looking in the cabinet, I found some cheerios and dumped them in the peanut butter, Katie stirred it well and the kids had a blast eating our own version of chunky peanut butter.
Beth told me that recently she brought some of the kids to the store and she let them each pick out a snack. Little Jeffrey picked out his snack and he ate it while in the store. When they reached the checkout, he told Beth that he had changed his mind and that he didn’t want the snack that he had just eaten and that he wanted to choose another snack. Beth wasn’t persuaded.
When Beth told the kids that they could only select one item, little Ally choose one whole box of 36 candy bars. Once again, Beth wasn’t persuaded.
These kids are so creative and happy. They love life and seem excited to embrace each day. We are thrilled to be a part of their lives for this brief period. GOD IS GOOD!
John McHoul
JULY 23, 2008
Robert Rice from Missouri is here for some appointments at the US consulate as we are close to having Joseph, the boy that the Rice’s are adopting travel home. He as usual brought a lot of supplies and for me he brought a five pound bag of candy and a DVD of some of the old, old westerns; and he brought a two set DVD of the Three Stooges. We are talking Moe, Larry and Curly; not the ones with Shemp or Joe. It is scary that after about forty years since I have watched the Three Stooges that I can still remember the episodes. Last night I watched two episodes and just couldn’t help laughing at their antics.
Marjorie, who is here helping with ENGLISH CAMP 2008, and who left us about 14 years ago for her adoptive family will be traveling with the Lynches to try to find her biological family in a village area about 10-12 hours from Port au Prince. We, today, nailed down the details of the trip and Marjorie who is usually quite reserved and quiet actually seemed pretty excited. They will leave early Friday morning on their quest to find the bio family.
It is wonderful to see some of the ladies in the sewing program really grab hold of the potential that they have to provide for their families. One of the ladies has made over $800.00 in the few months that she has been sewing. Before this she was making a few dollars a week selling used clothing on the street. The average wage here is a little over $2.00 a day. She is making much more than that and is now able to provide for her family.
Yesterday we had a few people from the UN visiting the Women’s Center. One of them, Ashley, was so excited to purchase a pocketbook type bag, that she kept saying over and over again, “I love this bag, I have to have this bag, I am going to buy this bag.” And she did. It sold for $20.00 and $13.66 went to the woman that had made the bag. THE SEWING PROGRAM IS A WINNER.
Beth and I have just had our 34th wedding anniversary.
John McHoul
JULY 21, 2008
Wedding Tale for the Blog:
Last Saturday the older girls, Kesline, Jenny, and Ali had the opportunity to attend a wedding for the first time. It happened to be the wedding of one of their nannies, so that made it even more special. The elaborate decorations, romantic dresses, and choreographed dances made for a fairy tale representation of “every girl’s dream.” And how do children process a significant event in their lives? Through play of course. It was not a few days later that the driveway at the girls’ home was transformed into an isle for a bridal party and a nearby bush was plucked by 6 pairs of little hands for a bouquet of flowers.
Kesline claimed the role of bride, and as the only boy present at the girls’ home in the evenings, Jeffrey was recruited to be the groom. He was a bit more concerned with getting gas in the getaway car than getting married, but was still a willing participant. He waited up at the “alter,” a.k.a. a broken stool, while each of the little girls, first Evelyn (whose visiting us this month), than Nyomi and Ashley, then Yvie marched down the isle to an improvised wedding tune, spreading their flower petals as they went. They weren’t quite sure what was going on, but they participated nonetheless and were adorable to watch. Then came Ali, then came Jenny bearing the wedding band (a ring that already belonged to Kesline), which she passed off to Jeffrey at the front and joined the other girls lined up next the altar. I can’t say the bridal party line of restless little bodies stayed in tact for the duration of the ceremony, brief as it was, but Jeffrey and Kesline were at last pronounced husband and wife.
And what’s wedding without a following celebration? We consumed an invisible feast, during which the groom stayed busy serving water to each of the guests and his bride. Then iTunes and a band made up of kids’ instruments accompanied a short-lived dance party. The guests and newlyweds then dispersed to trade their gowns in for PJ’s and retire for their evening movie after party.
Katie Manassero
JULY 19, 2008
I am in Beth’s vehicle today because the front seat in my pickup has kind of lost its support and because of the way I sink down into the seat, I get a backache. So I guess I groaned and grunted a few too many times and Beth suggested that I take her vehicle. I, of course, had to bring my own music as I can never be sure what she has in her cd player.
When I arrived at the crèche today, Kesline gave me a letter in an envelope that she made out of construction paper.
On the envelope is written my name JONN
Inside is a folded line paper on which she wrote LOVE, JOY, PEACE (She is learning about the fruit of the Spirit at ENGLISH CAMP 2008)
And here is the body of the letter:
JONN WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH. WE LOVE TO GO TO THE SORE SO MUCH. CAN WE GO TO THE SORE? JESUS LOVES US SO MUCH. TO JONN FROM KESLINE
And then in a heart on the bottom of the page she writes: JESUS LOVES YOU SO MUCH.
I think after such a beautiful letter that I will take her and some others to the sore.
John McHoul (JONN)
JULY 17, 2008
The group from New Mexico left yesterday and as so often is the case there were tears and faces of sadness on some of the group and on some of those here in Haiti that they have touched.
Tuesday night we had about forty people at our house as a parting meal for the New Mexico group and for a time of worship and fellowship. We ate, did some singing, Dan Lynch gave a message from God’s word and we prayed, and then ate dessert. WE THANK THE NEW MEXICO GROUP FOR BEING TO US THE HANDS OF JESUS.
And now we have more visitors that will be coming in the next several days. There as well are visitors coming in to help at ENGLISH CAMP 2008. We honestly would find it difficult to do what we do here in Haiti without the help of groups and visitors.
This past week I got my six month haircut. Someone told me that it was actually a seven month haircut this time. And so now several times a day, people tell me how nice I look; which I take to mean that I didn’t look so good before. In the past I have, at times, tried to maintain this “good looking image” by getting a haircut every month or so; but I have not been able to do it. Maybe this time; but I hope not.
A SAD DAY
I see clothes and shoes and sneakers as companions that journey with me. This is one of the reasons that I do not throw away clothes that have holes and stains and shoes that have holes and may seem worn out. So while I have a closet full of clothes as people for some reason seem to think that I need more clothes, I actually only wear a few things. I have no problem going into the laundry and fishing out what I want to wear even it has not yet been washed.
I have these sneakers that Mark from Connecticut left last year. He said that they were worn out and that he would not take them back home with him. So I took them and although they had holes and were dirty and ugly, I wore them and liked them. Well this past week I made a grave error and left them on the bedroom floor, which is not a good thing with our two mastiff puppies. A few nights ago, I heard a noise in the bedroom and looked to see that one of the cherub puppies was chewing on one of the sneakers. I hopped up quickly and snatched the sneaker out of the dog’s mouth and put both sneakers in the closet. Well this morning I finally decided to look at the mangled sneaker and see if I could wear it. I regret that the one sneaker and been mangled beyond repair and in the early morning hours I today stood over the waste basket and bids these sneaker friend a sad farewell. I usually have Beth attend such ceremonies which she will usually do just to get me to leave her alone. But I have discovered that she does not like to be woken up to attend these farewells. So today, I stood alone.
I put on new sneakers that I have had in the closet for about three years and then hopped on the motorcycle to come to the office. I have put the sneakers in the corner and am walking around in bare feet. I will eventually warm up to them, but I think that I am still in mourning.
John McHoul JULY 15, 2008
I'm in the kitchen and I hear a peeping sound coming from the other room. It's loud and insistent so I go to check it out. A chicken is in the house!!! Poor misdirected thing had no idea that four mastiffs live in this house. Unfortunately for the chicken, two large dogs and two puppies also hear the sound. With Marley in the lead the chase is on. The chick tries to take refuge in our office. It's a small, messy, crowded office and stuff starts flying everywhere. The standing fan gets tipped over, papers are flying and the dogs are barking in delight. They see chicken dinner, I see the mess. The chicken sees that her life is almost over!
There is no way to contain four hungry mastiffs and rescue a chicken. Somehow she flies over the dogs and into the living room. Not good. We have a glass table. I can see it now - glass everywhere, bloody dogs, bloody chicken. It doesn't happen. Somehow the chick escapes and goes silent. Is she in the house or did she get by the dogs and get back outside? I can't find her and the dogs settle down and go back to dog food rather than chicken delight. Crisis has been averted.
Let's hope she escaped and is not hiding behind the couch or under a table. I might come home to the remains of war.
Being a dog in Haiti has its rewards. Occasional misdirected chickens get in the house, lizards to chase are everywhere, rats are huge and great fun to catch (love those Rabies vaccines!), and people take their pictures all the time. Our mastiff Maguire who is over 200 pounds has to be the most photographed dog in history. His extra long tongue just adds to his bigness.
It may be hot and they may sleep a lot but all in all - it's a dog’s life! Gotta go - the mastiff puppy is drinking from the toilet!!!!!
Beth McHoul
UPDATE:
It was quiet for a while and then the peeping started up again coming from the living room. Marley was on it. He heard the sound and was off!
He came out victor with two chicken feet hanging from his mouth. He went into the yard to savor his prize and kept letting it go for a few feet and then grabbing it again. Our Haitian worker came after Marley with a broom so he laid down on top of the chicken. No way was he giving up his prize to a woman with a broom poking at him.
The other dogs are behind him, cheering, wishing it was them with the prize. Marley, is of course, the Alpha male so none of the other canines are crazy enough to challenge him for the chicken.
It is his prize!
This story might continue if a neighbor shows up looking for a chicken that was his favorite chicken worth lots of money.
Beth McHoul
JULY 14, 2008
The group from New Mexico is still here and are they ever being a great help. Even as I type Dan Cooley and Jothum are using the hammer drill to drill into the cement blocks to put up shelves in the office.
Dan Cooley, the pastor from Cottonwood Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, preached yesterday at church and there were quite few complaints after he finished his message. The major complaint was that the sermon was too short. The next complaint was that the message has stayed with people causing them to evaluate their walk with God. I WOULDN’T MIND SUCH COMPLAINTS WHEN I PREACH!
WOW is the New Mexico food ever good and hot and spicy. I am not sure what it is all called but it is wicked good with its red and green peppers and salsa. Rochelle invited me to come to New Mexico but first, she said, I would have to learn the proper way to eat the food.
I have won another ice cream bet as the wedding that we had last Saturday started about 40 minutes late. It was kind of long and ended about an hour after I thought that it would.
I have been thinking quite a bit about the Gentile woman found in Matthew 15. Her love for her child caused her to not accept Jesus’ refusal to help her and her persistence seemed to cause Him to respond to her heartfelt cry for her daughter. We read in verse 28: “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.”
This portion of scripture (Matthew 15: 21-28) raises so many questions and this week I am spending time looking at this scripture in different translation and in meditation and prayer. If I don’t have a lot of answers, I do hope that I will have more questions.
I like this little quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
John McHoul
JULY 11, 2008
I tomorrow am officiating at the wedding of one of our children’s home supervisors. The older girls in the home have been invited and yesterday Kesline informed me that she is coming to my wedding. The girls are very excited about getting dressed up all pretty and going to this wedding.
The group from New Mexico is doing just great. They are helping at the children’s homes, spending time with the kids and they have put on the walls some type of busy box thingies that the kids play with. They have helped at the women’s center and they are making repairs, putting up shelves, and installing fans. AND WOW DID THEY EVER BRING IN A TON OF SUPPLIES.
Here in Haiti, there do not seem to be laws about seatbelts and riding in the back of vehicles but we can’t be sure about that. Often there are many laws and they don’t matter until someone decides that they matter. I once got a ticket for driving while having shorts on; and I have a friend that was stopped because he was eating a banana while driving. Well he had forgotten his driver’s license and so he was put in jail until he was able to show his license. While in jail, he kept yelling his phone number out the window and asked people to call his wife to bring his license. I not sure how much time he spent in jail but eventually his wife showed up with his license and he paid his fine and was released.
So many of our visitors love riding in the back of the pickup. It is definitely a way to experience the sights, sounds and smells of Haiti and well as a good way to experience street grime and a good suntan or sun burn.
I was stopped not too long ago by a policeman who said I had too many people in and on the truck. I was a bit surprised as there were only twenty-five people in and on the truck. He was gracious and didn’t give me a ticket but told me to be careful. I assured him that I would and now I try not to put more than 24 people in and on the pickup.
Beth sent to me a good quote by the deceased runner Steve Prefontaine:
"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else."
John McHoul
JULY 9, 2008
Read a good quote from C.S. Lewis: “Die before you die. There is no chance after.”
Been thinking about how God is always with us and how it doesn’t make sense to me when someone asks God to be with him as they for example travel to go somewhere. It seems to me that God is with you when you leave and with you as you go and there when you arrive.
Yesterday I was putting a flashlight in a file cabinet draw and as I was shutting the drawer I noticed that the flashlight was still on. I immediately thought of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5: 15: Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.
Beth and I are watching the epic series ROOTS. While the acting is a bit dated, the horror of slavery makes me feel sick inside.
Some years ago we had a group with us from a black church in Indianapolis. This group was made up of doctor, nurses, and business people. We were in a village doing a medical clinic where we saw over three hundred people a day for the several day clinic. After one of the clinic we were sitting and chatting and one of the doctors said that if the slave carrying ship of his ancestors had stopped several hundred miles sooner that it was possible that he would be Haitian and would most likely have not had the opportunities that he has had in life. The group remained quiet for a few minutes as they contemplated his words.
Today a group from New Mexico arrives to spend several days here in Haiti. I am always thankful as I know the effort that it takes to get here and that it involves many more than those that actually set foot on Haitian soil. There are spouses, friends and family that are praying and have given to help purchase supplies. There are churches that stand behind their short termers in prayer and support. There as well are parents who are at home praying and trying not to worry.
It is 7:30 in the morning; I have been in the office since 5:30 spending time in prayer, meditation and in God’s word. Since I have been here two people have come to the gate with “urgent” needs and one has come looking for money for various reasons. By the end of this day, I suspect that I will interact with dozens that have needs in their live and no resources to meet those needs. While I can’t help all that come, I do believe that the Holy Spirit gives direction and there are times when He clearly leads me to help the person that has come. I regularly pray for wisdom and discernment.
Starting next week four of us: Ted, Dave, Junior and I will meet together weekly to discuss the Larry Crabb book: BECOMING A TRUE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY.
I like these words by Henri Nouwen: “Jesus has a different vision of maturity: It is the ability and willingness to be led where you would rather not go.”
John McHoul
JULY 5, 2008
This past week I got a phone bill for $1500 for our phone that has not worked for three years. So now comes the negotiations. I will offer to pay it if they will fix the phone and they will offer to fix it if I pay the bill. We will see what happens.
A guy from church called me yesterday and asked how I was and then he said that was all. I was encouraged as usually people who call me want something or need something. And then Lisa Hojara called me as well, but I missed the call. So last night at worship practice I asked her what she wanted and that I was glad that she called me. She told me that it must have been a mistake because she didn’t intend on calling me. But I am still encouraged even if it was a mistake call.
Katie is a young 20ish girl who is interning with us for a month. She is staying at the apartment at one of the homes. She invited the older girls to spend the night with her and Beth suggested that she make popcorn. So Beth gave Katie some kernels, oil, and a pot to make the popcorn in. Katie looking at what Beth had given her did not get it, so Beth carefully explained how to make popcorn the old fashioned way. TALK ABOUT FEELING OLD.
It is pineapple season and I don’t think we have yet had one that has not been candy sweet. It is also avocado season and are they ever good.
Last Thursday we had our Thursday night Bible study over for barbeque chicken. I am so blessed and encouraged to be with these forty people. For some, it was their first visit to our house and they have never seen such large dogs before. They usually eat with one eye on the food and one eye on the dogs.
Beth was at the airport the other day waiting to pick up a visitor. While waiting a man asked her if she was the lady who runs almost every day. She told him that she was and he said that he wanted to shake her hand, which he did.
I am looking forward to church tomorrow.
I will be doing a Haitian wedding next Saturday which I always find interesting. I won the last bet on the starting time which was about 45 minutes late, but I have not yet seen the ice cream that I won.
This is definitely the group season and we have a group coming in next week from New Mexico. I am looking forward to having them. Ruth Post, our Stateside adoption rep, has been visiting us for several days with two of her adopted children, one of whom left Haiti twelve years ago. As Beth and Ruth were looking at pictures of Ruth when she twelve years ago picked up Jocello one of her children. Beth looked at the picture and looked at the shirt Ruth had on and it was the same shirt being worn twelve years later. Ruth simplyb said that she puts her money into education and travel. She is one of my heros.
Read these words by Larry Crabb, “The broken people I know seem more aware of their inadequacies than their strengths, but not with a “poor me, take-care-of-me” attitude. They feel their neediness. We feel their strength.
John McHoul
JULY 2, 2008
We continue to be busy here with our regular activities, ENGLISH CAMP 2008 and with visitors. We still have Ruth Post here, from Alaska, who came with two of her adopted children, Jocello and Wilkes, to see if we could find their bio families.
This morning Ruth, Junior my assistant, and Wilkes left at about 6:00 AM for a three hour village trip to see if they can find Wilkes bio papa before they leave back for Alaska on Thursday. This is their second trip out there, as last week we traveled there but were not able to find the papa.
Yesterday, Jocello was able to meet with his bio mom and with oodles of relatives. This is the first time that they have seen each other since he left Haiti about 13 years ago. It, as you can imagine, was a joyous reunion.
It is such a blessing to see adopted kids come back and after a day or two of being here, embrace their birth country and their birth family. As our kids get older, more and more are coming back to see their bio families and Haiti. IT IS A JOY TO BE A PART OF SUCH REUNIONS.
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Yesterday, Beth told me that we had a visitor coming in on the first American Airlines’ flight at about 8:30 in the morning. The flight was delayed and actually arrived in Haiti at 11:10 AM. So I went to the airport to pick up our visitor and waited and waited and waited as hundreds of passengers exited the airport. But I did not see our visitor. So after waiting about 2 and half hours, I retuned to the office.
It seems that she is actually coming in today and so yesterday was a time of waiting. I have discovered that there are times when I must be forced to wait and sometimes even if I am very busy that waiting is a good thing. Normally, I bring a book with me but not yesterday, and so I was blessed to watch and wait and pray as I waited. I LEARNED YEARS AGO THAT GOD IS IN THE WAIT and that IT IS IMPORTANT TO WAIT WELL.
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I just read an article about people in North Dakota that are now becoming millionaires due to oil being found on their property. Some of these people have for decades been scratching out a living as farmers. I like the quote of one of these named Lorne who is in his eighties. He says, "We got enough now to buy new stuff," Lorene said, "but we like our old stuff."
Makes sense to me.
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I have been reading the Old Testament Minor Prophets. This for sure is good reading.
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I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT the words of Larry Crabb in the book: BECOMING A TRUE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY. He first quotes James 4:1, 2: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.
Crabb goes on and writes, “CONFICTS ARISE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE OPPOSING AGENDAS, COMPETING AGENDAS WHERE SOMETHING DEEPLY PERSONAL IS AT STAKE.”
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I like the interaction between Amos the Old Testament prophet and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel.
AMAZIAH: “Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos: “Get out of here, you seer! Go on back to the land of Judah and do your preaching there! Don’t bother us here in Bethel with your prophecies, especially not here where the royal sanctuary is.” Amos 7: 12, 13
AMOS: “But Amos replies, “I am not one of your professional prophets. I certainly never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, “Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.” Amos 7: 14, 15
God will choose, but I wonder if He chooses those who choose Him.
John McHoul
JUNE 28, 2008
~~~I am looking forward to church tomorrow. Yes, it is true that I am preaching tomorrow but I am looking forward to church for other reasons.
I am looking forward to gathering together with others in corporate worship and praise. We have lots of musicians at our church but tomorrow we will worship with only the bongos and a couple of shaker type things. Instead of the stage being filled with musicians and singers, we will have only four people up there. Last night we had a practice time and WOW was it ever powerful. The presence of the Holy Spirit was quite evident.
~~~Here are a couple of quotes that I have been thinking about over the past couple of days.
• Oh, my soul, be prepared to meet Him who knows how to ask questions.
T.S. Elliot
• Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets.
Paul Tournier
~~~WE ARE HAVING SOME STRUGGLES in getting children to their new homes. The adoption process has become quite difficult and lengthy. It can be discouraging sometimes. This week we have had four children who left us some years back return to Haiti for a visit with one staying several weeks to work at ENGLISH CAMP 2008. Looking at these kids, I can’t help but see that giving up is not an option. We value your prayer support.
~~~Have just read two interesting books: THE VELET ELVIS and THE SHACK. We have lots of books and lots of cds and for several years I have found it a challenge to, for example, find music or books that do not sound or read like everything else out there.
~~~Someone once told me that frustration can be a good thing if it moves us to make positive changes. Sometimes the changes will not be easy and it is often easier to remain as we are. It is usually easier to go with the flow, to swim down stream, to move with the current than to go against the status quo.
~~~I wonder if God, at times, puts within us a deep hunger and thirst for Him beyond what we normally experience. I wonder if there are times when He holds out the privilege of going deeper and further in Him; but this will mean that significant changes must take place in our lives, priorities must be changed. I wonder if this in part is what Isaiah 55:6 could mean: SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND; CALL UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR.
I do know that this hunger or dissatisfaction or sense of emptiness and frustration will not last and that it must be acted on while it is with us. It would be wise for us believe Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:6 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY SHALL BE FILLED.
John McHoul
JUNE 24, 2008
I am feeling that something must be wrong but I can’t see it. Twice now in the past week, two people have said that I look refreshed and relaxed. I’m going to have to do something about that.
As I was typing this blog, Sheila Lynch came up to the office and said that she would pay me if I would help her. You see her propane tank ran out of propane while she was cooking a cake. So I have been trying to get Mexican food out of her and so she agreed to make it tomorrow night and so I agreed to put in the reserve propane tank. This tank is hidden away underneath the counter top in a dark, spider living corner. So under I went to change the tank. I had on a white shirt which was already stained with today’s coffee, canned ravioli and battery acid and so now it had on it some under the counter slime and dirt.
Here in Haiti we turn in our empty tanks and get full ones. So maybe you can start out with nice looking tanks but after the first change you then can have ugly tanks. You can drive to refill your nice looking tanks but it is usually the Felix Unger types that do this. Well as went inside the cavern to change the tank I saw that Dan Lynch still had his pretty tank and that he had like a cover or blanket on it. It could have been a shirt made by the women in the sewing school. This is a first for me.
So the new tank is in place and Sheila wanted to relight the oven but I suggested that she wait for the propane to dissipate before she lights the oven. I mentioned the young girl that we know who a few weeks back got burned by an exploding oven. She looked at me and said that she remembered and then told me to light the stove. Some people will do anything to get me to have shorter hair.
Speaking of Sheila, last week I asked her and her friend Hillary to come with me to check out a house for the Livesay family, who will be joining us in August. I had found a place but for sure I was not fully trusted and so a second and third opinion was needed.
As we walked into the house Sheila and Hillary started to make happy noises because they thought that it would be a great house for the Livesays. So here we are, I am trying to negotiate a much lower price than the asking price and these two ladies are making happy noises. I turned around and looked at them with a stern face and whispered, “No happy noises.”
And then a few days later I take Tara Livesay to look at the house and she somehow considered a room not much bigger than a closet to be a bedroom and so when counting up the bedrooms, she had one more than the owner of the house. NOT GOOD WHEN NEGOTIATING FOR A LOWER PRICE.
We ended up getting the house for a good price in spite of the added bedroom and all the happy noises.
John McHoul
JUNE 22, 2008
Last night at worship practice, there were ten people on the stage and five of them were teenagers. WOW, what a blessing to have young people in church on a Friday night. Let’s look for ways to encourage our young people.
THEY MADE BETH CRY: Three of our visitors, Angela, Pam and Georgia all from Missouri, did such a bang up job in arranging and organizing Beth’s office, that when she saw it she started crying. Praise God, for such visitors that make Beth cry.
There were about 25 caregivers that took the 40 hour NANNY TRAINING class this past week. Beth last night told me that the man who cleans around the house and yard wanted to know if he would get a certificate of completion because he saw most of the seminar by looking in the window. I wonder who was doing his regular work.
It is early Sunday morning and I am in the office just kind of getting ready for church. I often leave church feeling that shouldn’t more happen when God’s people gather together especially if God is there. I think that feeling dissatisfied can be a good thing maybe.
John McHoul
JUNE 19, 2008
We have about 16 people who have come to help out at the NANNY TRAINING WEEK. As I sit here in the office Police Chief Mike Healy is teaching the ladies about self defense and later he will teach on CPR. Those that have come have just been super and we couldn’t have had this seminar without them.
As I have said before, I like seeing Haiti through the eyes of our visitors; although I am thinking of putting up a sign that says, “THE THREE QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK ME.”
1, WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE GOING?
2, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY UNFINISHED BUILDINGS?
3, WHO OWNS THE PIGS, COWS, GOATS, CHICKENS, ROOSTERS, and DONKEYS that just seem to walk around.
I have lived in Haiti for almost 19 years and do not yet know the answers to these questions.
There are other questions that Beth and I do not usually give the same answers to, such as:
1, Can I drink from the tap? I say, “Sure” and Beth say, “No way.”
2, Is the street food safe for visitors? I say, “Sure’ and Beth says, “No.”
3, Is your house always this hot? I say, “It’s not hot” and Beth says, “No it gets even hotter.”
AND THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS SUCH AS:
1, Did you hear that rooster, that wouldn’t shut up last night? “No.”
2, Why were all those dogs barking? “What dogs.”
3, Why were there so many mosquitoes in my room last night? “They love visitors.”
4, Can you take us to the beach? “No.”
5, Why do the people dress so much better than you? “I don’t know.”
6, You do adoptions, why have you not adopted? “I had a teenage daughter.”
Perhaps I could do a FAQ paper that I could give to all visitors.
John McHoul
JUNE 18, 2008
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
We are near the end of the Haitian side of the adoption process with two of our children. We are waiting for passports which we should have received on June 12th. But it seems that the printer and the computer are not communicating so the passports can’t be printed and we then can’t begin the visa process.
There are people at Haitian Immigration who are making lots of noise as they wait for their passports. Some already had purchased their tickets in anticipation of receiving their passports. Some have visa appointments which they now can’t keep.
It is a German company that installed the system and so now we wait for it to be fixed, so that our children can travel to their waiting families.
We need a government official to sign a document in a city several hours out of Port au Prince. We need this document to be signed or we can’t move on with this particular case. The problem is that the official who was there is now no longer there as he has left and now there is no one there to take his place to sign the document and we do not know when someone who can sign will be there.
We have been waiting for a psychological report on one of the children. It seems that the psychologist was typing it and had almost finished it when he had a blackout and lost the report. He is redoing it and this time I hope periodically saving his work.
VISITORS
Our house is full of visitors who have come to help out at the NANNY TRAINING WEEK. And we have still more staying at the two crèches. It is always good for me to see Haiti through their eyes as they experience the sights, sound, and smells of Haiti.
Tonight twenty-five of us will gather together at the home of a Haitian family for a genuine Haitian meal of rice, beans, Creole chicken and several Haitian type side dishes. This family in an effort to be culturally sensitive usually adds a bit of genuine American cuisine as well such as canned peas. I would settle for a whopper with no onions.
John McHoul
JUNE 16, 2008
People die, some way too young, others after having lived a full life and then others having lived beyond what we may consider a normal life span. On average 155, 000 people in the world die per day.
I don’t think that I knew anyone that died this past week. But I did read that Tim Russert, the well known political commentator, died at the age of 58 and Charlie Jones the well known sportscaster died at the age of 77. I read that there will be a memorial service to honor his life and that he has stipulated in his will that men can not wear ties to the service. Sunday morning several members of a popular Haitian group died in an auto accident. Sometimes the young die.
One thing that I have learned in life is that it is easier to go through difficulties or hardships or tragedies or pain or heartache or struggles because I am not the only one and that millions or perhaps billions have had similar experiences.
You may be walking through a midnight hour that seems to have no end in sight. There is comfort in knowing that you are not traveling alone but rather endeavor to find strength in and with those who are also on that road and with those who have already travelled the same road that you are now traveling.
A few years ago I heard a woman say that she did not know what she would do if her elderly mothers died; she couldn’t live without her. I thought to myself that she would do what billions of others have done: Grieve and then continue to live and honor her mother’s life by endeavoring to live well.
Yesterday after church, we had a cookout for the worship, sound, setup people in an effort to let them know how much we appreciate them. These people are committed to Christ and to our church. It is such an honor to be a part of their lives.
Today is the start of Nanny Training Week. This would not be possible without the support of others. People are praying, giving and some have come to help out for the week. We have people here from California, Michigan, Missouri, and Indiana who have come to teach and to care for the children while the nannies are at the seminar.
We are so thankful for your love, care and support.
John
JUNE 14, 2008
Have you ever said something and then it gets back to you what it is said that you said, and it is nothing like what you said. I wonder if this is what happens to God, especially on Sunday. I am speaking tomorrow at church out of Jeremiah 1:4-9, which is about God calling Jeremiah to speak to the people and then God puts His words in Jeremiah’s mouth. In theory, preaching or giving a message is not all that difficult. You spend time with God and He speaks to you and you tell His message to others.
I wonder how much of what will be said Sunday morning in churches across the world will be messages from God. I wonder what God thinks about what it is said that He said.
Our security guard starts at 6:00 pm and finishes at 6:00 am. This guard is the one that I just had come here a few days ago after our other guard didn’t hear a car smash through our cement wall into the yard. Well I just went out to get from this new guard the two way radio, flashlight, mosquito spray and the gun, as it is time for him to leave. Looking at the gun magazine I noticed that it just didn’t look right and looking a bit closer, I saw that he put all the bullets in backwards. I don’t know much about guns, but I suspect that he would have a hard time shooting the thing with the bullets in backwards.
We between now and the end of the summer will have several dozen visitors that are coming in to help at the NANNY TRAINING WEEK and at ENGLISH CAMP 2008 and others to bring adoptive children back to visit their bio families and still others to spend time helping out during the summer months.
They come to touch lives and to demonstrate the love of Christ. I always pray that not only will they make a difference but, as well, a difference will be made in their lives that will set a course for the rest of their lives.
I just read this sentence written by Bob Ryan, a sports columnist for the Boston Globe. He writing about coach Doc Rivers, of the Boston Celtics, who are up three games to one over the LA Lakers in the championship series, and who is very careful not to guarantee a victory, writes, “He is looking both ways before crossing any verbal street.” I have never quite heard it said that that before but I think that I will remember it as looking both ways can save a lot of hurt.
John McHoul
JUNE 12, 2008
THINGS I’VE BEEEN THINKING ABOUT
• Ezekiel, the Old Testament prophet, mustn’t have had many friends. I think that if I lived backed then, and I saw him coming, I would go hide somewhere.
• Legalism is a joy stealer
• Why is it, that it is often the novices that do the nursing home services? It seems to me that it should be the most experienced and anointed speakers that stand there in front of those who are near the end of their lives
• It is good to filter some things that we allow to enter our minds or hearts.
We have a coffee maker with one of those mesh type filters that can be removed and cleaned out and then put back in for another pot of coffee. Twice now, I have cleaned out the filter and placed it in the dish strainer instead of back in the coffee maker. In the morning I put the coffee grinds in the coffee maker and turned it on and came back to find that the coffee did not make it into the waiting carafe because the filter was still in the dish strainer where I had placed it and not in the coffee maker. And so the unfiltered coffee clogged up the maker and the coffee instead of going into the carafe overflowed onto the counter.
Filtering is good because it can keep the bad stuff out but still lets the good stuff through.
• It is pretty amazing how hens can make eggs. Our sistas are putting out about 90 eggs a day.
• I’ve been thinking about these words of Henri Nouwen:
“I had been received with open arms, given all the attention and affection I could ever hope for, and offered a safe and loving place to grow spiritually as well as emotionally. Everything seemed ideal. But precisely at that time, I fell apart – as if I needed a safe place to hit bottom.”
John McHoul
JUNE 11, 2008
FOLLOW UP TO THE SECURITY GUARD THAT DID NOT HEAR A CAR SMASH THROUGH OUR CEMENT WALL
I considered firing the guard but have instead placed him at the Women’s Center where the wall is stronger.
GREEN
We are trying to do our part in not abusing the earth resources and in not adding more trash to a country that already has an abundance of trash that often flows onto the streets.
1, We reuse plastic grocery bags with the women making from then purses and small bags. One of the ladies even made me a hat which I can’t yet wear because my head is kind of big, and add to the kind of big head, hair which hasn’t been cut for almost six months, and the hat won’t fit.
2, We reuse empty rice, beans, chicken feed and laundry detergent sacks with the women using them to make bags.
3, We reuse the our egg cartons
4, We, in the office, shred paper which we give to a friend that has a casket making factory. He uses it as filler to cushion the inside of the casket.
5, We, of course, use energy efficient light bulbs.
6, We power the apartment with wind and solar power.
7, We buy remanufactured cartridges for our printers and copiers. We have tried to refill the cartridges but can't seem to get them to work well after the refill.
YES THIS STUFF HAPPENS SOMEWHAT REGULARLY
Junior called me from the office and wanted to know if we had any Elmer’s glue. I told him where it was and asked why he needed it. He told me that he is working on getting a couple of adoption documents and regular letter size paper is too short so legal size paper is needed. But the government office where the documents are being generated does not have legal size paper. So he was giving them the glue so that they could glue on an extension piece of paper so that all the information could fit on the paper.
Junior carries in his bag: tape, pens, a stapler and staples, paperclips, and wite-out as we know what it is not to be able to get papers because there is no pen to sign or a correction is needed but the official doesn’t have any wite-out.
We, at times, have left empty handed without the documents we need because:
• There is no ink cartridge for the printer and hasn’t been for days
• There is no city electricity and so the office equipment can’t work.
• No pen to sign
• No film to take the official type pictures that we at times need.
• No passport books to make passports
• The only person that can sign the document is away for a month and no one else can sign.
• No gas to get to work so the workers don’t come.
• No fuel for the generator
• Once because all the people that had a key to a locked office door had lost their keys, so they broke into the office and Junior bought them a new lock.
I’m not sure that they teach this stuff at business schools in the States.
John McHoul
JUNE 10, 2008
The power being on past 7:00 AM was a great start to the day. Laundry done and I even got to use the treadmill. Business as usual I started out to pick up Agathe for our women's program. Agathe, our interpreter, friend and huge help to the women's program lives about 15 minutes away.
Right as I turned into Agathe's road there was a dead guy lying across the street so I couldn't pass. People were starting to gather so I put the car in reverse and took a short cut that I know and have taken before. It was blocked by guys fixing their car in the middle of the road. No way were they moving for me. So, into reverse I go again. Turning around is not simple on narrow dirt roads full of housing and children. I back up hoping to find another route. It turns into a dead end with lots of children, ladies doing wash and crowded housing. Now what do I do. The kids knew I should give all of them money as they crowded around my car. How do I get turned around without hitting one of the several kids or running over a stooped washer woman or crashing into a small hut? This was not easy. I was breaking a sweat. By this time I was thinking I should have run over the dead guy. Only kidding.
About 20 5-10 year olds were yelling to me giving me instructions on how to get my car turned around. They were continuing to yell for money. They practiced their English while I practiced my 3 point turn ability.
Finally I got turned around and wound my way back to the dead guy and headed in the other direction. Found another route around to Agathe's house, beeped the horn and she came out smiling. "Good Morning, Beth" - she greets me like nothing has happened. Then off we go like nothing has happened. It's just another Haiti day!
Beth McHoul
JUNE 9, 2008
OUR SECURITY GUY
Last night at about 9:00 I heard a kind of muffled sound that seemed in the distance but it was not enough to get me to leave the bedroom and look around and see what it was. At about 10:30 I went out to shut off the generator as we had been on blackout and the batteries that we run off of during blackouts had lost power. We have an armed security guard that works from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am; and so before I at night go into the yard I talked to him with a two way radio. This is to let him know that I am coming so I don’t startle him in case he may be sleeping and maybe shoot me.
So last night I called him before I went out to shut off the generator and he called back. When I went out the front door, I saw a bright light off to the right and I thought that I couldn’t remember his flashlight being so bright. And then the light got brighter. As I looked closer I could see a hole in our wall measuring about 4 feet by 7 feet. I called the security guy over and asked him what happened and he said that he didn’t hear a thing. And, of course, I'm looking at him like I can’t believe that he said that. He was sitting or sleeping only about 100 feet from the hole. He told me that the wall just fell apart. I, of course, was not going for that as the cement blocks were smashed into small pieces. I told him that a car must have smashed into the wall and he said that he didn’t think so, that is until I pulled a side view mirror and car body trim out of the rubble of smashed blocks. And so now I am wondering how it is that he could not have heard a vehicle smashing into and through the wall.
So last night at 11:00, I called the mason and asked him to come early which he did at about 5:30 this morning. He is now out buying blocks and cement to fill in the hole.
And now I am wondering why I have this guy as a security guard and what to do about him. And now I am wondering what God would have me to do in this situation. My inclination is to fire the guy, but is this what God wants. I have learned that it is not wise to make such decisions before bringing it before the Lord.
John McHoul
JUNE 8, 2008
STUFF AND THINGS I HAVE BEEN THIKING ABOUT
• We now have our water pump working after a couple of weeks. It was being repaired after catching on fire for the third time; and we now have city power from about midnight to about 6:30 in the morning. A couple of days ago I heard the noise of the pump, which makes a grinding noise when running, at about 5:00 am. It ran for several minutes which is not normal and which generally means that there is a problem somewhere. So going out to the back yard, I saw that the two cherub mastiff puppies had torn the curtain of the outside shower down and had broken the pipe to the shower, so that the water just flowed onto the ground. These are same the puppies that are now working on eating the cement wall in our bedroom.
• I am going on a diet because I, in several places, have read that the airlines may charge more money for your ticket if you are fat or overweight, or larger that they think that you should be. I wonder if they will set a good example by giving a discount on your ticket, if the ticket agent or the baggage handler is overweight. Maybe if you are ten pounds over the acceptable weight, you can equal it out by having ten less pounds in your suitcase. I suspect that if this goes into effect that there will be a lot of people in the bathrooms before they get in the ticket lines. I also suspect that the food places in the main terminals will lose business as people will buy their food after they get their tickets. If the acceptable weight is determined by height, I wonder if people will buy elevated shoes to make them taller or put several layers of socks on or in my case, the length or actually height of my hair could this be part of my height?
• Last night I was at church with about 15 others that were involved in practicing the songs for Sunday’s service. Sitting there as I watched and listened to these people, I could not help but feel blessed to be among such a group that gives of their time and talents so that others can be ministered to. While the team was practicing, a mother of one of the young ladies that sing came in and waited for her daughter; I sat thinking, I wonder what she is thinking. Is she seeing herself at that age? Is she thinking of decisions that she had made and roads that she had chosen that have brought her to the place she is now at? Is she thanking God that on a Friday night, her daughter is in church? These are things that I think about when I am with my children and grandchildren.
• I have been looking at some pictures recently taken of adoptive parents that have come to visit their children. I see in their faces a joy that reflects their love for these children. A love that, I believe, has been given to them by God.
• I have been reading THE GREAT BRIDGE which is a book about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. In 1872 the workers were paid about $2.00 per day for their labor. It is 136 years later and that is about the average wage of a worker in Haiti.
• Blackouts are a part of our life here in Haiti. Lately we have been getting city power for about six hours a day and the rest of the day we are on blackout. People generally just go with the flow during a blackout. If in a restaurant and there is a blackout, the conversation doesn’t stop as people just keep on talking until candles come out or the generator is started. Last night at worship practice, we had a blackout while they were practicing a song. The electric instruments stopped but the singers just kept on singing.
Some years back we were at a church for the Thursday night prayer time. The keyboard player was playing and people were kneeling and praying and then came a blackout. The inside of the church was pitch dark but the keyboard player did not miss a key as she just kept on playing and people just kept on praying.
It makes me think about Psalm 139 and how to God darkness does not make a difference. And then as believers, even in darkness we are to be lights and walk in the light.
Psalms
139:7
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
139:8
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
139:9
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
139:10
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
139:11
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
139:12
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
John McHoul
JUNE 6, 2008
All days are busy, but some are busier than others; and yesterday was one of those days.
Appointments, buying supplies, lots of people in and out of the office, the women’s program going on, looking in on the children, nannies, hens, and tilapia and making time to tell a lady in the program that she and the father of their yet to be born child are both HIV positive. And to be sure that they are faithful in going to the free clinic for checkups and medicines. And then there was the Thursday night Bible study, where about thirty people sang, prayed and studied God’s word. By the time I got home, I was tired, but it was a good type of tired.
Life all in all is pretty short and it is a sad thing when one wastes his life or allows opportunities to pass on by. Today, I was waiting outside of an orphanage as I was trying to get in to see the director. It was at about 2:00 in the afternoon and as I was waiting, there was a man who walked by with a beer bottle in his hand and he it seemed drunk as he staggered along the road, struggling not to fall down. Looking at him, I grieved, as I thought this is his one life; don’t waste it.
As I sit here doing some two finger typing I am thinking of that quote: “ONLY ONE LIFE WILL SOON BE PAST AND ONLY WHAT’S DONE FOR CHRIST WILL LAST.”
It is a privilege to be active and busy in making a difference in the lives of others. It is important to understand that our time is limited, so we should be diligent to seize the day and not waste even one precious day that God's allows us.
John McHoul
JUNE 5, 2008
Yesterday I bought windshield wipers for my truck. It is the rainy season and one of the wipers was completely broken and I would have to pull it up vertically so the metal thingy wouldn’t keep making that screeching noise of metal against the windshield. It kind of looked like an upside down golf swing. I bought the wipers from one of the street vendors that you barter with for the price. I discovered that it is easier to get a good price, when it isn’t already raining. My negotiating powers were greatly limited as the rain steadily hit my windshield. The wiper seller didn’t say anything about it and neither did I, but we both knew. But he knew better than me.
Yesterday we had the veterinarian come for the sistas. He came in regular type clothes; you know dungarees (also called jeans by you upscale types) and a regular pull over shirt. We talked for a few minutes and then he went to see the sistas, but before he went through the gate to get to the coop, he stopped and put on a green scrub type shirt that the hospital people wear. When I saw him do that I wondered if his bill would be cheaper if he checked out the hens without his green scrub type shirt. I thought as well that it will cost more greens because of he wore his official type shirt. Next time I hope that he forgets his green scrub type shirt.
Yesterday I was on my way to the airport but decided, with about ten other people, to make a u turn as the traffic was bad and I didn’t want to be late. After I made the u turn there was a policeman there, who told me to pull over and he took my license. He told me that I had blocked traffic with my u turn. I said that it seemed that the traffic was already blocked. He looked at me and laughed and I laughed and he gave me back my license as about ten other u turners passed on by, and I went on my way.
I t will be interesting to see what today brings.
John McHoul JUNE 4, 2008
I recently was told that my towel should not be dirty with dirt after I take a shower. Beth, as usual, told me that I shouldn’t have dirt on me if I have showered and rinsed off properly, (like she does) and that the towel is for drying the body that has been cleaned. I once again explained to her that by not rinsing off all the soap that I am actually bathing while I am sweating and so although she says I don’t bathe much, I actually bathe much more than she does because this is a country of much sweating. But, as usual, she can’t seem to understand the obvious. The soap mixes with the dirt and it becomes like an all natural bath. I mean I think that some people actually pay to bathe in mud. I guess I could be called Mr. Clean even if it seems that I am not.
READING
Reading is one of life’s great pleasures. Beth and I are both readers, although we don’t often read the same books.
I have recently read: THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD by David McCullough and LEFT TO TELL by Immaculée Ilibagiza. This is book about her experience during the Rwandan holocaust and how it drew her close to God.
I am presently reading: THE GREAT BRIDGE by David McCullough which is about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. I today started BECOMING A TRUE SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY by Larry Crabb and next will read THE VELVET ELVIS by Rob Bell.
The love of reading is one of those things that I caught from others as I saw the positive impact that it had on their lives.
Recently I was in the States and had the privilege of attending our granddaughter’s kindergarten graduation. She is a reader and she asked if I wanted her to read a book to me. I said, “Sure” and she ran into her room and came back with about thirty, four page booklets that she made while in kindergarten. She ended up reading about ten of them to me and I was thrilled to see that she is growing up to be a reader.
RAINY SEASON
It is the rainy season and it is sure refreshing when the rains come and cool things down. Most Haitian homes have a cement or tin roof. Our house has an asphalt shingle roof which leaks in several places when it rains. I have been on the roof several times to fix the leaks but still they leak. It reminds me of when we actually had working telephone land lines which would stop working when it rained. We couldn’t get the phone company to come because they didn’t want to work in the rain. When it wasn’t raining they wouldn’t come, because the phones were working. This is no longer an issue since our land lines have not worked for years whether it is raining or not.
The rain does help with the heat which is a good thing. Beth says that our house is hot but I will never admit that. One day during the summer we were out for most of the day and when we returned the two candles on the table which had not been lit had simply folded over with their wicks touching the table. Beth said that clearly proves that the house is hot if the candles which weren’t lit melted. I, of course, simply recognized that we had purchased defective candles and in the future will be more careful in buying such shoddily made candles.
John McHoul
JUNE 3, 2008
HEY FRED or WHERE’S JOSEPH
Joseph is a fourteen old boy that lives with us until his adoption will be completed. He is a good kid, never overtly disobedient or disrespectful. But he for sure can be the invisible man. He is the kind of kid, that when I give him a job or chore to do and if I turn my back, he disappears. You know, like when in school and he goes to sharpen his pencil he can be gone for about an hour. Joseph, on weekends, puts the sistas in the coop and makes sure that there is water and food for them. This can take him up to two hours sometimes. I figured that he had to chase them around to get them to go in the coop for the evening and chasing one hundred sistas can’t be easy. That is until I went down there to do it one day when he was at the youth group and discovered that they all go in by themselves, so when I arrived at 6:00 they were already in the coop. Didn't have to chase even one.
When I tell him, he needs to be home at a certain time; he usually arrives about two hours late. When I ask him where he has been and he will say something like he had to tie his shoe.
Well, he has been on a bit of denial of privileges punishment due to a series of coming home late and me having to drive around looking for him. I always go to the children’s homes first and check the mango trees as he often is up a tree. So he has been on restriction for the past month.
Yesterday he asked if he could play soccer after church with some friends. I told him that he could but he had to be home before six and that I had to see his face before six. If I didn’t do it that way, then he could tell me that he went directly to put the sistas away and then that could mean that I wouldn’t see him until 8:00. Well at 5:40 this young man was in my house. He looked like Joseph and had that Joseph-like boy smell and even sounded like him. Not sure if it was really Joseph so I started calling him Fred and asking if he knew where Joseph was. He told me that he was Joseph but I was not convinced, but now I think that maybe he is actually Joseph.
Joseph became the man of the house while I was in the States and Beth tells me that he did his job well or was it Fred.
John McHoul
JUNE 2, 2008 The week is over and John is back. A week ago at this time I had no power and no water. I still have no water. Where is the pump guy? Hauling buckets and fighting with the baby's house laundry lady for the washing machine has lost its appeal. My car smells from spilled water and dirty laundry. My house smells from puppies learning (or not) to pee outside. You would think big mastiffs show little mastiffs bathroom procedure. I think the big guys are delighting in our lack of success. Keeps them on the receiving end of "good dog".
This week was complicated. Vaccinations are scheduled for the puppies. Joseph (this week's man of the house) and I go up to the vet about 30 minutes away. We arrive later than what I wanted and have to wait a considerable amount of time. We watch dogs come and go in various stages of illness into the vets office. We hear yelping and out comes a young girl crying. I know those tears - been there.
We wait and wait. Not a problem - I read a midwifery book for school and Joseph plays with his cell phone. The puppies take a nap. After quite a while the vet surfaces from behind the closed door, sees me, and says "Oh, hello, I have no vaccinations." He has to pick them up at customs at the airport. Not a problem he says, he'll come to our house. Off we go. Puppy registers her feelings toward the whole adventure and poops in my car. The other one pees. Adds to the odors my car already has from water and dirty laundry.
The vet keeps his word and shows up later (much later and leaves me waiting at my house for him) and vaccinates the newcomers. We learned long ago that nothing in Haiti happens in a timely fashion and if you want to get through it sane bring a book wherever you go. A big book. We are well read.
Puppies, books and Star Trek are part of the plan to keep ones wits about them in a place like Haiti. John and I are a team. He has strengths that I do not have. Like calm in a crisis. The bigger the crisis the more calm he is. I'm not so good at calm. It is really good for Sheila and I that John's office is right behind the women's center. We watch Star Trek at night because real life is more like "The Twilight Zone" or "Outer Limits". Out of 20 prenatal women we have 3 HIV+, two syphilis cases, one Hep B and about 19 anemic gals. We teach about eating your greens and getting your protein and they respond with "we have no money for food" and they are not exaggerating. We set up appointments at HIV clinics and getting all 3 ladies to show at once is not an easy thing. Life is not simple.
Too many times this week we needed John's wisdom. We have collectively decided that he cannot travel to the US again any time soon. He saw the granddaughters and the children. He got his whopper and Chinese Buffet. Good thing he likes it here because we have good mind to steal his passport. It doesn't have too many exit stamps anyway.
Haiti has his heart and people that want to see him will have to come here. And when you come - bring him a whopper, no onions.
Beth McHoul MAY 26, 2008 JUNIOR, MY ASSISTANT, AND I ARE IN FLORIDA FOR SIX DAYS. THIS BLOG HAS BEEN WRITTEN BY BETH AND PERHAPS EXPLAINS SOME OF OUR DAILY LIFE IN HAITI, AND, AS WELL, EXPLAINS WHY I RARELY TRAVEL AND IN OUR ALMOST NINETEEN YEARS IN HAITI HAVE LEFT BETH ALONE IN HAITI FOR MAYBE THREE TIMES. THIS MORNING AT 6:00 AS I WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT YARD OF CHRIS AND BEV PLOURDE WHERE WE ARE STAYING IN FLORIDA, I WAS READING A BOOK, LISTENING TO THE BIRDS AND THE ROAR OF THE QUIETNESS AND THINKING IF I WAS IN HAITI, BY THIS TIME I WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE OFFICE AFTER TALKING WITH THE THREE TO FOUR PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE AT OUR GATE EARLY. I AS WELL WOULD HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIX THE PUMPS AND THE GENERATOR AND FACING THE SMASH MOUTH THINGS THAT COME BARRELING AT US EACH DAY. John does not leave Haiti often - it's a good thing that he doesn't. As his plane was taking off the disasters started to happen. I can do this, staying alone is not a big deal to me. Staying alone without water, a sick generator, a sick dog and mud from the rain is a big deal but I can do it.
I got home from church and decided it was a good time to have the girls from the girl's home over for lunch, puppy time and a movie. Half way through the movie the inverter dies (so we have no lectricity). No big deal - we have a generator. We have diesel - we are good.
The generator starts blowing it circuit breakers whenever I plug something in. The girls want to finish their movie and I want to make ice cubes. No go. What would John do I think? I have no idea. My generator skills stop at how to turn it off and on. I can do this even in pitch black dead of night. I've lived here a long time - we can do things in the dark. Popping on and off is new. So, before John even lands in Fort Lauderdale he gets a desperate email from me on how to fix the generator.
Our water pump has been broken all week (third time that it has cought on fire in the past several weeks). The pump guy came and took it away and has not been back. It has poured rain and the puppies love to run through the house all muddy. They are also not totally trained so the mop is frequently used. A mop and mud require water. We have none.
So, I go down to the girl's home looking for water to put in large buckets to bring home. They have no water. Something is up with their pump as well. Not to worry - we have the boy's home. Over I go to the boy's home and start filling the buckets. Natacha mentions that the washing machine won't fill. With 12 boys and 12 sets of dirty diapers several times daily we need the washing machine to work. We'll call Byron to fix the washer/pump/electricity at that house. While filling the buckets the yard man mentions our mastiff Lily seems to have a hurt foot. I pick up her foot and her pad is eaten away in infection and there are maggots. John has only been gone how many hours? A sick mastiff requires a strong person to hold it down while we do doggie clean out the foot. Joseph rises to the occasion, since John is gone he is man of the house, and he holds Lily down while I clean out her foot, get her on antibiotics and bandage her up. We have seen this before, but John is usually here to clean out a wound, so I know what to do but don't like it. Maggots you say? Yes, a fly can land on a wound and 12 hours later there are maggots. It's sickening but the wound has to be cleaned. Is this neglect? If you know me you know I'm a tad obsessive about the canines in my life. I sneak them eggs (don't tell John) and pay them well for their service of security. But, this is the third world and these things happen, especially in this climate. When our vet sees me coming he rolls his eyes - that gives you a clue.
John calls - walks me through fixing the generator, Lily is resting comfortably (eggs are on the stove boiling for her) and we are settled in for night number one without John. I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring.
The day will start tomorrow with an HIV psoitive, uncooperative mom with baby in the hospital. We are daily giving her money and supplies. She is scheduled to be at the women's center at 7:00 AM. When we don't know what to do with her we call John.
I'm afraid we will be calling him a lot in the next few days. I hope between bites of whoppers he can walk us through the next crisis.
And this is only the first day. No wonder he rarely leaves. (The HIV positive baby died this morning at the hospital)
Beth
MAY 24, 2008
Unless something BIG happens I, after today, will not say much more about the hens as it seems that not everyone has the same concern for the sistas as I do.
For example Sam from Georgia wants to know if he can come down for some fried chicken. And Donna from Arkansas writes, “Tell John that if he doesn't cook his chicken so long, she'd be great with a headstone of mashed potatoes and gravy!!! In Arkansas we like ours cooked to a golden brown.”
Now I guess what really got to me were the words of Carine, our office secretary, when I gave to her the money which the workers gave (up to almost $3.50) to buy a headstone for the dearly departed sista, She took the money and said, “Is this the dead chicken money.” I was SHOCKED at her callousness. I asked if I were to die today and as she attended my funeral, would she tell people, “Hey I used to work for that dead guy over there.” WOW.
YESTERDAY
• While reading the book of Jeremiah I see that it is chock full of good stuff relevant to us today.
• While downtown in heavy traffic a guy pulled out halfway onto the road and blocked the rest of us from moving. He couldn’t move because we couldn’t move. He could have moved back about 10 feet and that would have let the rest of us pass by; but he wouldn’t, in spite of lots of horn blowing and yelling. I do not understand why it can for some be so difficult to back up or back down.
• While downtown buying supplies I was talking to a couple of gang type guys. One said to me, “John, we know you in the ghetto, you’re ok.” I usually slip these guys a few dollars as either kidnapping protection or at least a down payment on the ransom demand.
• I as well was in a store buying supplies for the crèches. It was the busiest that I have ever seen this store as it seemed to be a field day for the UN and there were at least 10 big UN trucks there that carry soldiers and the store was loaded with UN guys from Brazil, India, and Sri Lanka. The checkout lines were long and it seems that the credit card transaction approval thingy was not working well. I stood in line for about 30 minutes and watched as others stood in lines at the several checkout places. I didn’t hear any complaining or sighing or angry words from those waiting. Some lines waited quietly and others made it a social event with talking and laughing. WAITING WELL IS A GOOD THING. GOD IS IN THE WAIT.
• I, the other day, was at a place near us which is endeavoring to make a difference in the area by providing education, job training, and other such things. I was sitting in an English class which was taking place outside under a mango tree. One of the students asked the teacher if the States is a safer place than Haiti; and the teacher told him that Haiti is actually much safer than the States. I have been thinking about the teacher’s words as I pass place after place with high cement walls and with barb wire or broken bottles on the tops of the walls. And as I daily see hundreds of UN guys driving around with big guns.
• And then yesterday afternoon I was on the motorcycle and couple of guys pulled up next to me as I was at a light (YES WE NOW HAVE STREET LIGHTS). We nodded to each other and greeted one another and the passenger (NOTICE THAT I SAID PASSENGER AND NOT PASSENGERS. THE OTHER DAY I SAW SIX PEOPLE ON A SMALL MOTORCYCLE. THERE WERE TWO ADULTS AND FOUR CHILDREN) started speaking to me in English. He asked me if a liked Haiti and I told him that I do most of the time. He then told me that Haiti is the best country in the world. I was glad he said that and I thought about why he said that for the several more minutes that I was on the motorcycle.
John McHoul
MAY 22, 2008
The workers continue to amaze me with their generosity in giving toward a headstone for our dearly departed sister hen that passed away earlier this week. They have now given $3.29 which is almost enough to get the headstone.
I think perhaps I should not put away the donation basket as yesterday we almost had several sistas go to the great coop in the sky.
Beth for reasons that elude me decided to put the two dogs at the boys’ home over to the girls’ home and the three dogs at the girls’ home over to the boys’ home. Since her car is broken, the two dogs at the boys’ house were loaded into the back seat of my pickup and I drove them to the girls’ house and Beth walked the three mastiffs at the girls’ over to the boys’ house.
The three mastiffs excitedly ran around checking out their new abode. It seems that the sistas who are or used to be safe behind a chain link fence sensed something was up and they were making lots of noise. So I walked to the back yard and opened the gate and one of the mastiffs slipped in and started chasing the sistas around the yard. I quickly darted off to grab the dog and then the other mastiff started chasing the sistas around. Somehow we were able to get a hold of both dogs before they got a hold of some of the sistas. But it was a close call.
UPDATE: Out water pump is still broken at our house so we are bringing containers of water over from the children’s home. Junior, this morning hot wired Beth’s car and even as I type he is downtown trying to get it fixed.
Last night we took the graduating seniors of our church and their parents out to eat at a cloth napkin restaurant. While there it started to rain and Beth asked for my phone so she could call someone to go and see if the new puppies were getting wet. Now I don’t mean to be mean but it does seem that the puppies should have enough sense to get out of the rain if they wanted to. When we arrived back home at about 9:30 the puppies were dry and happy to see us. I guess they figured out how to stay out of the rain.
For the past several weeks we have been getting city electricity at about 12:30 am and we lose it at about 6:30 am. The rest of the time we are running off of the battery bank and the inverter. We have been running the generator at night for about two hours to charge up the batteries so we can have current until the city power comes on at 12:30 am. Last night, I shut the generator off at 11:45 pm and immediately the house was pitch black. The inverter which should have worked did not kick in and so there we were with a broken pump, a broken car and now a broken inverter. I do believe that I heard Beth saying something about that as we were engulfed in the darkness, heat and easy prey for the attacking mosquitoes as we now had no fans to keep them away. But I pretended not to hear.
I waited until 12:30 for the city power to come on as I thought that perhaps it would then be ok. Well it did come on and it was still not ok. I checked all the usual stuff but still could not get it going so that power would come into the house. After about an hour I noticed that some electrical connections were sparking and so hoping that I had found the culprit, I tightened them up with my toy size pliers and boom, on came the power. Walking back into the house, I thought that Beth would say something like, “Good job” or something like that. But I think that she must have been passed out by the blanket like heat.
Now some of my so called friends have given me a problem. I have mentioned before in this blog that a few years ago, Beth bought me a hammock as a birthday gift. Well I immediately put it in the back of the closet as I for sure do not want to be lounging around in a hammock. Even though it has been in the back of the closet, I still, on occasion could hear it call my name. IT WANTED ME. But I have resisted, the same way I resist going to the beach. BUT a few weeks ago some of my so called friends got the hammock out of the closet and hung it between two trees in the yard. But I have been strong and resisted its allure.
Last night as I was hot and waiting for the electricity to come on I thought of the hammock. So I went out to the yard and standing at a distance shined the flashlight on it. IT WAS STILL THERE. I then went back into the house as the stifling heat seemed a better option than the comfortable hammock in the not as hot as in the house nighttime air.
John McHoul
MAY 20, 2008
As I opened the gate at 5:30 am to leave for the office, there were already two people waiting to see me. One was a blind man who regularly comes to see me and who needed some money for food. The other was a young girl who standing next to a suitcase told me that she has been kicked out of where she was staying and that she now needed a place to stay. People who really want to see me know that if they are not there at the gate between 5-6 am that it is quite likely that they will not find me as I head down to the office to be alone for a bit of time before the busyness of the day begins.
The Bible talks about Jesus often slipping away to the quiet place, the desert, or the mountain to be alone to pray; and this is what the office is to me. It is, at least in the early morning hours, a quiet place where I can pray, read God’s word, meditate, and go over the day which the Lord has given.
Most of my day was spent in the office. I worked on getting the newsletter out to be printed. I had several meeting and appointments and at one point the quiet office seemed more like downtown Port-au Prince.
The women’s center which is in the same yard as the office is quite busy during the day with women in sewing school, with the prenatal classes going on, and with the literacy classes as well. The thing I like about the sewing school being here is that I can bring my clothes that have holes in them to be sewed by the ladies. They usually tell me that they don’t want to waste the thread on my sorry looking clothes but eventually they will sew them. I know that they wonder why I wear such sorry looking clothes.
The women’s activities were over and it was about 3:00 o’clock when Beth left for the crèches. About five minutes after she walked out the gate, I heard her calling me and saying that she couldn’t start her car. The key would go in the ignition but she couldn’t turn the key so the car would start. Dan looked at it and was not able to get it to work. I looked at it with the same results. And so we called Junior (the Haitian MacGyver) to look at it. He spent about 30 minutes with it and could not get the key to turn in the ignition. In the meantime Beth took my truck and I stayed with the car to see if we could get it going. Well Junior got out his screw driver and ending up hot wiring the car so that I could drive it home. And there it sits until we can look at it later today.
I have been trying to find some time to play tennis and so after I drove Beth’s hotwired car home, I hopped on the motorcycle to go and play tennis. I planned on playing from 5-6 but only got to play until 5:50 as at about that time several of the guys that hang out at the tennis courts got into a major fight. There was a lot of yelling and hitting and of course rock throwing. The Haitian rocks, which are grown here and not imported, are amazing. They are used as hammers and other tools to bang on motors or car batteries. They as well are used for brakes when parking on a hill and of course we use them as door bells to bang on gates. And they are also used as weapons to throw and as clubs to hit people with. Well the rocks started flying and people started running around.
Although I hadn’t noticed it seems that a couple of guys ran to get the police at the station only a couple minutes away from the tennis courts. So soon, there were 4 police men and 1 police women on the tennis courts. And then the yelling started as the aggrieved parties shouted out their positions. It was at that point that I left and when I play tennis again on Saturday morning, I will find out what ended up happening.
The rest of the night was uneventful and I woke up this morning at about 4:00 am and smelled the familiar smell of the burned windings on the water pump that is only a few months old but has now caught on fire three times. So I shut off the current to the pump and decided not to tell Beth as she was still sleeping when I left at 4:45 for the office. She will find soon enough when she sees that we again have no water. I must confess that on a previous blog, I may have indicated that the workers would not give money for the head stone for our departed sista hen. Well, I was mistaken the 20 plus workers have given about $1.97 in memory of our sista. I feel greatly encouraged.
John McHoul
MAY 19, 2008 DEATH NOTICE
SISTA HEN
DOB: UNKNOWN
FATHER: UNKNOWN
MOTHER: UNKNOWN
SIBLINGS: UNKNOWN
DATE OF DEATH: MAY 18, 2008 or MAY 19, 2008
DATE OF BURIAL SERVICE: MAY 19, 2008
Yesterday evening, I was checking on the sistas and the man who was giving them feed before he left for the evening told me that one of the sistas could not stand up. I asked him to bring her to me which he did and then I asked him to put her on the ground which he did and I could see that she couldn’t stand up. So I asked him to put her in our ICU cage and then tomorrow morning we could check on the dear sista.
The next morning as I was meeting with Byron and Junior, I shared my concern for the sista and we walked over from the women’s center to see her. When we arrived the man who was cleaning the coop told me that when he arrived he found the sister dead in the ICU cage. Well I of course wanted to see the body and he took me to the front yard where sitting in a shallow hole were her ashes. I was aghast that he cremated her without me first seeing her earthly body and without first having a little service.
So I called the workers together to stand around the ashes in the hole. We sang a song in French and then each worker said something nice about our dear departed sista. They all kind of said the same thing, “Good bye” and that was it. Although unprepared for such a moment I was able to muster a few kind words of appreciation to our sister for her faithful service.
I am trying to get some money out of each worker for a little grave marker but so far I have had no success.
John McHoul
MAY 17, 2008
There is really nothing new to write about the new puppies. Whatever I could write almost anyone who has a puppy could write.
The two big mastiffs that we have had for several years still have not extended a bone of friendship to the two new mastiff puppies. They are still keeping their distance and letting the puppies know with a growl or upraised lip that they are not wanted around here.
The puppies are still peeing and pooping in the house but they also go outside. So they are getting there.
They have chewed on shoes, sandals, electrical wires, a cd case, magazines, furniture, cushions and so on. The female loves to put her paw in the water dish and sweep out the water onto the floor and of course tip over the food dishes.
They are really cute puppies and their puppy like behavior will not last all that long. It has forced us to tidy things up a bit so that the puppies so that the puppies can’t chew on some of our things.
I’m sure that we will have some funny puppy stories to tell over the next few months and not so funny stories as well.
John McHoul
MAY 14, 2008
Well our adventure has begun with the new puppies. The older Mastiffs are not being very helpful in welcoming the newcomers and in fact they are being a tad rude to them.
The new puppies have begun being trained by first going pee and poop around the house. I suppose sometimes we learn what we should do by first learning what we shouldn’t do. So we are trying to teach them what not to do. It is interesting in watching the older dogs especially when the puppies are doing something that the older dogs know is wrong. Stuff like tearing up magazines and chewing on sneakers and so on. The older dogs sit or lie down at a distance and then watch and wait for the puppies to get in trouble. They certainly distance themselves from the puppies during this time.
Our workers can be that way sometimes, if not often. There are certain ways that Beth likes things done, especially in the area of child care. When new workers come, it is not unusual to have the workers that have been there for some time watch while the new workers are doing it incorrectly and then watch while the new workers are corrected.
BREAKING PUPPY NEWS: Beth just called to say that the female puppy rolled around and played in a mud puddle and covered with mud, then ran through out the house. Beth is leaving for the airport to pick up visitors and will deal with the muddy puppy when she returns.
Some years ago I had hired a new worker. It was during a time that I was meeting with all of our nannies and talking to them about helping them go to school to pursue an education and or profession. I met with each nanny individually and asked what profession they would like to pursue. Some of the professions they chose were: DOCTOR, LAWYER, TEACHER, and so on. So I asked each one to go to the school where they wanted to attend and to bring me some information about the school.
Well the only one to actually bring me information was the new lady that I had just hired. So I agreed to arrange her schedule so that she could go to school. It was a few days later when one of the workers came to my gate in the early evening and said that ALL the workers wanted to talk to me. I could tell that they weren’t calling for me to let me know how much they valued me.
When I arrived, they were all waiting for me in one of the rooms and they one by one and sometimes two by two and then eventually all together told me that they were not happy that I was sending the brand new worker to school and not sending them. I explained that not one of them brought me any information from the schools where they wanted to attend, even though I had asked for it several times, but this point was |
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