Papprazzi

I think I am beginnig to almost know what it feels like to be stalked by the Papprazzi. Everywhere we go people stare. In the disabled school the children came up to me and were pushing in to touch me.They want to touch my skin, my hair, my clothing.People love to practice their English when they find out I am from America.Today was the best. We took the kids to the park and someone was actually taking pictures with their cell phone of the 'blanc'.Nick says that when we were in the park we had every white child who lives within 50 miles of Jacmel with us. We are odd. When Gwenn speaks Kryole they are very surprised.
If anyone wants my autograph you can send me a self addressed stamped evevlope and $2.50 processing fee and I will see what I can do. Delivery should be expected in 6-8 weeks.

A Day at Raymond Beach, outside Jacmel, Haiti and stuff

(note to reader...no spell check again!!)
Sunday after church we packed up the pick up with Gwenn, Nick, Ester, Nahomie (the two Nannies)the six children and myself and headed for the beach. Unlike in the states it was not such a big deal. We took two towels to share.It's a lot of work to wash towels here, everything is washed by hand. That's it, just two towels and the people. No car seats here. The kids and I piled in the back of the pick up. Nick was driving and they started chanting something about "Go faster PaPa Nick!" (not in English so that is a loose translation) Then the kids would scream. Listening to my six year old grandaughter Nia was amazing. Not only does she speak fluent Kryole but she often will translate without being asked. (Speak first in one lauguage and then switch to the other so everyone can understand her :)The water was very warm but Gwenn commented about it being a little chilly.The little Haitian boys played naked on the beach as if they did not know that they were. It seemed almost like Adam and Eve in the garden. Until sin entered the world they did not know they were naked.These boys are naked innocents. I was taking a lot of pictures of my grandchildren when two young boys approached me. They wanted their photo taken. Shortly I was surrounded by maybe 10 teenage boys wanting me to take photos of their karate skills. They kept on posing and I could not make them understand it was a video camera. I lost the shots because without my glasses I could not tell that it was not recording. Gwenn and Nick were piling everyone in the truck and the boys wanted me to stay so they could show off for the camera.It is so funny how open people are here.
Sure there are many who will see that I am 'blanc' (white) and put out their hand and ask for money and say things like "I am hunrgy." It is so hard not to just stop and get them food. But you can't.I think of Jesus when he said "The poor you will always have with you." I could give money to every person who asked for it and at the end of the day the poor would still be here. It is hard to wrap your head around.I need to be delibrate in my giving so that I can change what I can change. I can't change it all.Others who approach me not asking for money I think are just curious about me. Not me, per sey but me the white person. Today I went into the store with Gwenn and a young man, maybe 15, began to speak to me. I told him in Kryole that I do not understad Kryole, I am American and I speak English. He said " What is your name?" I told him, we shook hands and he walked away. There is not the same social rules here.It is kind of refreshing.
I also got to go to what is called the iron maket today.We walked from the house a very short distance. Gwenn needed diapers for Josiah. It can only be compared to a flea market but way more crowded.We had to weave your way in and out of people and fruit and wheel barrows full of stuff with men pushing them and whistleing a high pitched whistle to let you know to get out of the way.We reached a place with diapers and Gwenn asked "How much?" the reply was fifty Haitain dollars. Gwenn said "I give you 40." The woman said "45" Gwenn said "No" and walked away. The woman called after her "Madame!Madame!" Needless to say she got her price. ( About $5.00 American)
I spent the morning with Nico, Josiah and Nia playing outside and protecting them from the sharp little teeth of their beautiful puppy Bigsby.What a great time just to hang out with them and get to know their developing personalities.
I am very impressed with Gwenn here. She drives like a crazy Haitian (but not as crazy as Nick!) She talks back to people on the street. A man asked her for $ for food and she said " I see you can afford ciggerretts.You should buy food." It's like in Haiti people say all the things you want to say in America but don't dare. (Let me clarify that Gwenn is in no way unkind, she is just wise to the ways of this culture.)
I visited the deaf school today and was surrounded by all the deaf students. We had a great little visit with lots of laughs. I will go back tomorrow to meet the younger childen and sit in on their class.
Tonight as a seasonal storm passed through Gwenn collected buckets of water in the kitchen where the roof leaks. I am talking serious leaks here. And water also came in the back door. When I get home I will post videos that don't really do it justice.But it's ok.Yes it will be nice when they can be in a house that does not leak but for now, this is home. Home to Gwenn, Nick, 6 children, two Nannies and a cute black puppy. It is comfortabe and safe and there are 3 meals a day.There is singing and laughter, tears and hugs. You can climb the fruit trees to get your snack food, little fruits the size of grapes that taste like candy.If you are Fritzie you only want your "Papa Nick" to climb the tree and pick the fruit for you.It's a hard life. It's a good life. It's a simple life. It's an honest life.
I know my days will pass quickly. I also know I will start to plan for my next trip here. I am excited for whatever adventures await me tomorrow. God is good and His covering is sweet.

Reporting Live From Jacmel, Haiti! (or Deaf for Today)

Grab a cup of coffe..this is a long one. (and the spell check is not working..so..you will reading my honest I can't spell verson.

Wow! Has it only been two days since I left Manteo? In this time warp where everything is so new and so familar at the same time. JFK and the frustrations lie somewhere back in time and I have stepped thru the wardrobe into Narnia. Time at home (now where is that again??) has stayed the same. On this side of the wood it is all so strange and yet so wonderful!
I was met at the airport by Nixon. He "tipped" all the right people and got me in and out without any fuss. The excitement erupted as I stepped on the bus to chants of "NANA!, NANA! NANA! Nick brought all six of the children to meet me.It was AWESOME! The ride over the mountains was not to bad if I didn't look out the winow. But you can't help but look out the window because of the incredible beauty, and the incredible poverty. The winding mountains ride got even a little worse when the storm came and decreased vibability to say NOTHING! Everone slept but Nia and I ( and the driver thankfully) we had a lot to catch up on. Nia is a read dear child.
I brought gifts for the children (of course I did, I'm their grandmother!)I gave dolls to Fritzie, Wildane and Princess (that's not her name but I can't remember how to spell it and princess is my assocation word :)It was maybe the most satsifying gift givig I have ever done.Their reactions where so sweet and they have played with and cuddled their new dolls all last night and all day today.
We had campout last night and I slept in the living room with the entire Mangine family!And sleep I did. Out like a light in minutes, no...seconds.
This AM was Sunday and church. Gwenn stayed home because she has been sick. Josiah stayed home with her. Nick had to teach children's church so he and Nico went there. Nia pleaded to come with me to church so Nick let her :) I wasn't the only 'blanc' person there. I saw one other. As I entered the room there was the strong, yet not offensive smell of sweat. (The temperture was in the high 80's a far cry from the 100+ temp that I had seen predicted)Still with no AC and hundrends of people in a small church and lots of dancing and clapping..well you sweat. A nice, honest type of thing. If that is weird to you it is because you have maybe not been here.
I loved that the deaf kids who I met in the Spring all smiled and waved when then saw me. My friend Marie-Denise was quick to welcome me back with a big hug. Nia and I sat close to the front and watched the deaf as they signed the worship songs but I could not see the inturperter. When she stopped to allow a young woman to sign a song I caught her eye and signed to her "May I come over there so that I can watch you sign?" With a big smile she waved me over and Nia and I crossed the front of the church and sat slap in the middle of the deaf kids! I loved that I knew what was going on and was able to follow most everything in the service.I understood for the first time why sometimes deaf people tune out and get distraced. It is hard work,at least for me, to watch an inturperter for 2-3 hours! So here is this 'blanc' grandmother with her grandaughter in the middle of the deaf section in the front of the church. SO..someone sent for Leann so she could introduce me to the church. When church was over my deaf friends lingered for a LONG time. Most of them have aged out of the deaf school which is very sad. We spoke of God raising up one of them to be a leader and maybe even a deaf pastor. I have so many things I want to get some of my friends in the states to help me help these kids!Tomorrow I will visti the deaf school to meet some more of the students and speak with Jean-Claude the teacher.
The baach was wonderful and warm. Not quite so blue today as it was churnned up but beautiful none the less. The beach is still very littered.
I have so much more to say but it is late....so I will close and listen to the fan, the distant drums and the lonesome treefrog.

My Life as a Bag Woman

Sitting on the floor at JFK by my airport cart overflowing with my luggage I think of her. Her being any woman or man for that matter whom I have seen pushing her/his cart down the street with all of their possessions in the cart and the weight of the world on there sholders.
I am only sentenced to this life for a night. The floor is hard but it's not that cold in here. Where would I go if I were her? What must it be like to have this cart as your life rather than your night?
A few weeks ago I learned that on our lovley Outer Banks of NC that we actually have communities of homeless people. They even tac pictures of their loved ones to trees.
It makes me so thankful that I have a home. A family. A soft bed and plenty to eat.It makes me so mindful of those who don't.

My Purpose

This Sunday my church prayed for me and my trip to Haiti. After the service Jim, one of our elders (and our family pastor) approached me with Daniel another man in our church. Daniel felt like he was given a Word for me and wanted to share it with me and pray with me. It was a word, one word, purpose. So before I thought I knew why I was going. I was going to visit my grandchild in their new home, to meet the new children in my daughters home,deliver the clothes and gifts collected for the orphanage, spend some time with kids in the deaf school..you know this and that. A vacation of sorts. Of course it is a vacation WAY outside of my comfort zone! Traveling alone kinda freaks me out a little. But now, Daniel has me thinking. What is God's purpose for me making this trip? How does he want to use me for the next week. And if God wants to use me what kind of restistance might I expect? I can't dwell on that because the enemy wants me to fear. That's a trick he uses to throw us off course. So tonight I committ myself to God's purpose for me. Whatever that is. I am available for His use.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
Psalm 138:7-8

Open the Flood Gates!

The Lord is cool! I had a small blurb in the local paper asking for dornations for the Children's Home in Haiti. Now I have piles and piles of beautiful children's things and more coming! Som much so that I wonder where I will keep it all :)I truly am seeing that people love to give. It is a blessing on both sides. Can't wait for Gwenn to come to the US and going shopping at my house!

Simply Sunday

The beauty of grand parenting is not that you "have to watch the kids" it's that you "get to watch the kids". Katie, Micah and Abbie came home with us after church. It was Abbie's turn to help prepare the meal. Leftover spaghetti with hot dogs..ummm... She got to cut up the hot dogs and stir it all together then she made the brownies.)We had a little lesson on fractions using the duck measuring cups to show how much 1/3 and 1/4 were.)We added some applesauce and lunch is ready.
After lunch Micah and Abbie and Grandad took a short nap while Kaite and I cleaned up the kitchen. But first we danced a little to Uncle Digger's CD. It's a very happy CD. We worked on a basic box step before we moved on to the dishes.
After naps the children got very excited that they "get to" garden. Again it is not a "have to" event. The first item of business was to look for the new fish in the pond. We only have three so far and grandad said they should be named Katie, Micah and Abbie, which is fine as long as we get more fish before the rest of the grandchildren come to visit.
Next Abbie and I worked on the compost bin while Katie,Micah and Grandad cleaned up some limbs on the climbing tree in the garden fort. Micah helped me put together the garden arch and Katie helped me decorate it with silk flowers. Katie and I raked as "the littles" worked on a design for a tent they were constructing for their dolls.I drew the line when Abbie showed up with a pillow from the sofa. :)
God smiled on us with a beautiful sunny day. I smile as I reflech on our simple Sunday. I would not trade these days for all the amusement park trills in the world.