Beth has the best way of explaining what life in Haiti is like to others who don't live here. We are all major coffee drinkers around here so she uses a coffee cup as the example of our lives in Haiti are so full that when we add a few more things our cup over flows, spilling over. My problem is my cup can be right up to the surface for awhile and I know it is getting ready to spill over. I can feel myself needing a break. I tell myself I am good for awhile longer and all of a sudden I am in tears.
Today was one of those days:
2:00 - no power and I am not sleep thinking I will need to start the generator soon
4:00 - power, thank God
5:30 - wake up to let the guard out
6:00 - coffee made, laundry sorted and started, snacks and water bottles ready for kids
6:15 - kids up, start computer to check email, few more gulps of coffee
6:30 - still in p.j.'s while John is introducing me to the young woman he thinks would be a good assistant for me
7:00 - tara is here to do the car pool run, maddie is yelling that Uno got out of the gate
7:01 - walk down to the end of the road in my p.j.'s to get Uno back from parker boy while tara and gang wait for me
7:30 - students are beginning to arrive for the first day of sewing school
7:34 - power is finished for the day - so much for a second load of laundry
7:35 - john is back with my new assistant and we sit down and talk for a few minutes
8:00 - john takes her to the office to talk to carine
8:01 - school starts - all 23 ladies show up for school - plus a few extra that should be in literacy
9:00 - send billy to get all of the scissors sharpened for school
10:00 - finish getting supplies and get Suzanne started
11:00 - school is finished and everyone has questions
11:05 - can I please do a pregnancy test for a student that has not been well
11:07 - test is positive
11:08 - sign her up for the prenatal class as well
11:10 - talk to dan who is in the states selling and packing stuff in our house to bring in extra cash
11:30 - have another meeting with john
11:45 - take billy with me to get rid of the trash that is now attracting rats and snakes
12:00 - sewing ladies come to start sewing for the day
12:10 - stop at the doctors office to get the lab work back for the prenatal class on thursday
12:15 - get money from carine to pay for the lab work, john will have to get cash
12:20 - get the ladies thread and fabric to start sewing
12:40 - call beth to come and help me deciede if vanette's son needs stiches in his finger
12:50 - help get stuff for beth to clean the wound so she can take pictures and send them to dr. jen
1:00 - literacy class ladies are here but the teacher isn't here, she is running late
1:05- carine and my assistant teach class
1:15 - more fabric and thread needed
1:20 - maybe I need to eat since I am not feeling the best
1:21 - beth leaves to go make cake for nadia's birthday
1:59 - start the generator so the inverters don't fall
2:00 - generator dies for no reason
2:01 - call john to ask about the generator
2:02 - call tara and ask her about doing car pool since it is my turn this afternoon
2:05 - my phone is ringing but I can't find it because I forgot it in the cabinet with the bandages
2:06 - sewing ladies call me so I can find my phone
2:15 - beth is back with jenny, kesline and ali with cakes for nadia's birthday
2:20 - sing happy birthday to nadia and pass out cake to the ladies in literacy
3:00 - literacy class is over
3:02 - restart the generator
3:15 - generator dies again - wait for john
3:01 - talk to beth about tuesday's class on std's
3:05 - work on the tuesday and thursday files for class tomorrow
3:30 - say good bye to beth
3:35 - talk about what we will do with lilly when she has puppies since beth and I will be gone
3:36 - take apart zippers for sewing school project
3:40 - billy tells me some one with a baby is waiting outside to see me
3:41 - maire pierre is here with her HIV meds for me to record
3:42 - I ask her if they have checked the baby for HIV
3:42 - yes, he is positive
3:42 - cup is now spilling over!
3:43 - I am crying and recording her meds while getting money for tap tap
3:45 - I sit, I finally enjoy my day with a HIV mama and baby, I think about her face, she smiles at me
3:55 - I say good bye after talking to her about the baby
4:00 - thank you tara - my kids are home
Home work, dinner and generator all done and fixed!
Maddie's Question: Mom, you know God said, thou shall not kill - right? Yes. Well, do you think war counts?
Oh, Dear!
5 comments:
Sheila,
This is Kim Rhodes.. I met you in May with a group from the Livesay family. You may or may not remember me. We are now adopting Frankie! Anyway, I am planning on sending our Dossier to John by DHL on Thursday. Been keeping up with your blog and read that Dan your husband is in the states right now. When is he returning? Was wondering if I could send my dossier with him if timing was right. If not we'll just mail it but thought it would be worth asking. Hope all is well. Again, thanks for sharing your journey. I love keeping up with it.
Kim Rhodes
ok i know that this is SO not the point of the blog but...snakes?! really? maybe i won't come back to visit... ;)
and lily is having puppies? for real this time? that is exciting!
praying today goes better!
Love the coffee analogy and I thought my days were busy but I've only got maybe a half a cup compared with you. It’s been great reading the blog Sheila.
Kim,
We're going down on the 22nd. Do you want me to take it down for you?
Jennifer aka Mama Richardson & Ricardo
Wow Sheila, you're amazing to handle all that. I think of you and everyone else I met in Haiti often and if ever I have a chance to come back and serve I will. Praying for your strength and patience the rest of the week!
Post a Comment