Sunday, March 29, 2009

A Little Place Called Denial



Dear Family and Friends,

I think it’s a sign. I saw this straw container today at the same instant that I heard her exact cell phone ring tone in the Nami. I had barely finished saying, “Awww...that’s my sister’s cell phone ring. That makes me so sad,” when I saw her name in blue and white right in front of my eyes. So, here’s a virtual shout out to my sister, Molly. Molly and Anthony very graciously allowed me stay in their home while I was back in the States. She let me drive her car, go to all the places I wanted to eat, and keep her daughter out of school periodically. Molly has always been a fantastic hostess! It’s one of her many and varied gifts. This just reminded me how much I love and miss her and all my family. I'm going to take this as a sign that I'm supposed to visit her again shortly, like July :) As is turns out, that's exactly what I'm doing anyway. Nicely played, Fate. Nicely played.

It hasn’t been a bad transition. The only time I really lost it is when my plane touched down in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday morning. I was sitting pretty comfortably in this little place called Denial. (It’s one of my favorite destination vacations. I often visit there and stay until a Reality plane comes and flies me out.) In any case, my travels went well. I flew to Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday evening and “slept” in the airport. It didn’t take long for the automated update lady to drive me nuts. “The TSA warning code is orange. Please blah, blah, blah.” She must be the annoying cousin of Julie, the automated Amtrak lady. Anyway, the flights were fine, and thankfully, I was able to board the noon Tortug’ flight to Les Cayes. I went to church on Wednesday night and spent a little time with the Roanoke team. Thursday, I jumped right back into work. I have a little catching up to do but not so much that I feel overwhelmed.

Saturday, Sheila hosted a group of women that were here assisting the Domestic Center. She made a truly terrific broccoli and beef stir-fry with rice. She had mango, abricot, and pineapple for dessert. Ed and Jeni Schwartz are here for the week, and I took Jeni into town earlier (on my 4-wheeler!) to get a few items for different households. We bought the aforementioned pineapple together outside the market.

It’s been such a nice day today! I tagged along with Jon Zeller’s second work team to Torbeck church. We visited the LSM group home, ate at the Nami, made our way to Welch were LSM is assisting a group home for HIV positive children, and toured the beachfront there. Then, it was back to the Torbeck home for pictures and Frisbee and a quick trip home. I decided to stay home and get organized, but the rest of the team headed out to visit some old French plantation ruins.

I want to send out a sincere thank you to all of you praying saints that lift up missionaries around the globe. A quick story: Wednesday evening, Jan Gutwein was driving into his front yard to load up some materials in his truck. He noticed Joel, his almost two-year-old son playing in the front yard with a piece of hose. He didn’t think much of it and went inside to grab a set of keys from the house. He loaded his supplies in the truck, started the engine, and had just began to inch forward when he noticed a little piece of hose bobbing directly in front of his truck’s bumper as little Joel scrambled to get out of his way. Brothers and sisters, keep praying. But for the grace of God and the prayers of the saints, Jan would have run over his son. You are bridging the gap, calling down miracles and guardian angels, warring against the darkness, glorifying Jesus, and keeping us safe here in Haiti, even if by just a little piece of hose.

Thank you.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/March20092?feat=directlink

Abby

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Hello...Goodbye.

Well, I’m officially a bad blogger. I leave for Haiti tomorrow and this is my first and only update from the States. It’s hard to blog when you’re busy living.

I’ll let my pictures tell the tales of the past four weeks. Here is a general event guideline:

Home on Feb. 18, off to Champaign to serve lunch with Joe and Heidi and check out the growing bump, Pokagon for three days (swimming, snacking, and games), Sophie turns 3 with a big party, presents, cakes, and family, play date with Habegger cousins, food packing for tornado victims at the BDC, day sewing with Grandma Gerber, chatting with friends at the Stoller’s house, family supper and picture, an evening with Grandma and Grandpa Habegger, Grace’s play at Kingdom Academy, watching Joe’s presentation on prayer at St. Luke’s, breakfast at the Snug, reunion with the cousins at Bekah’s house, St. Patty’s Day at J.K. O’Donnell’s, supper with the Pfisters, reminiscing with the Bluffton 2008 December work team, croquet at Grandma Gerber’s, buying tuna, quart sized bags, and canned cherries, packing and flying out March 24.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aheartforhaiti/March2009Home?feat=directlink

Whew!

Thanks for the great time, everyone. I’ll see you all again in July. Now, off to pack.

Much love,
Abby