Feb 12th

Today is Friday Feb 12th,and the government has named this a “National Day of Mourning” in Haiti. They had a church service on the compound this morning and we will have a prayer service tonight after supper. The music coming from the church was beautiful. As the team worked at the clinic, they were blessed by the music.
Remember that I told you about climbing the mountain with Anna last Friday? On Saturday she took Dr. Kris and her dad, Eli, Gene and Bill up again. On the way back down Gene slipped and went off the path. It didn’t seem so bad, but when he grabbed for a root to keep from slipping further down the hill, he couldn’t grasp it, and tumbled backwards down the slope. Bill and Larry ran down and helped him up. His only serious injury was a cut on his arm that required 5 stitches, but he was bruised and scraped up from the fall. They spent about 20 minutes looking for his glasses, and Anna found them in one piece. We are so thankful that he wasn’t seriously injured, that his glasses were found and alright, and that the wasps in the nest that he tumbled over stayed in their nest.
On Sunday we went to Port Margot to church. It is the largest Wesleyan church in the Northern District of Haiti. The church was packed when we walked in, but they moved over and made room for us. They had a women’s choir, and a band that played for offering. A young men’s group got up and sang with a great lead singer, and the other 10 men singing a doo-wop background. It was an amazing sound and a very long song!!!! Since it was our first time to attend that church, Bill and I had to stand up and greet everyone.
That was a surprise!!!! Bill, Larry, and Eli road to the church in the back of the truck on a board. Gene got to ride in the front seat – since he had his tumble the day before. Anna will have her ninth birthday on Feb 21st, and wants the privilege of riding in the back for her birthday.
The team finally came in from Warsaw Indiana. Four women and two men have come to paint and help fix up the clinic on the compound. They brought lots of supplies and a lot of energy to work. We are at a standstill with the plumbing for lack of parts. Bill is not able to work in the fumes from the oil paint either.
The other day we were trying to re-plumb the drain pipe from one of the sinks. (Cory had used duct tape to tape the valve shut – so nobody could turn the water on.) We went to the shop to get some parts, and when we returned there was water all over the floor. Since Bill has to sit on the floor – I was not happy! There was a young man cleaning up the water with a big smile on his face. Evidently he wanted to wash his hands, and since he helped put in the water line, he felt that he had the right to turn on the water. He managed to turn the water on with the duct tape intact. These people are amazing.
Bill and I are trying to keep the house in shape, and helping with some of the cooking. Yesterday I made two piecrusts and 48 tortillas. Bill fried the tortillas up, while Gerda made the fixings for the tortillas and citron cream filling for the pie crusts. Bill said he went from “plumber” to “cooks helper.”
We are very happy that Chris and Kathleen are returning from Port Au Prince on Monday. Keep their travel plans in your prayers, and these precious people of Haiti. They are worshipping God amidst the sadness. Our hearts go out to them.