Thank you...

A big "thank you" to everyone who made my trip to Haiti a success.

Many people were involved in various ways! Providing places to stay en route to Haiti, donations (monetary and supplies), encouragement, many prayers and more. I could not have done this on my own!

School presentation...

Haiti - School Presentation from Sandra Lako on Vimeo.

This is a movie version of the presentation I gave at two different Dutch schools today. The schools had raised money for my trip and so I wanted to be sure to let them know their money was well spent. It was a great opportunity to put Haiti in the spotlight again and share with the children what was purchased with their money and tell them about the Haitian children I was able to help.

Reflection & Encouragement...

This short movie shows images from my time in Sierra Leone (2005-2009) intertwined with verses and quotes. The purpose of this movie is for reflection & encouragement especially those currently working in developing countries, specifically those still on the field in Sierra Leone. Be blessed. The song 'Who am I' by Casting Crowns emphasizes God's greatness and that it is all about Him, and who He is and what He has done.

Hope for the poor...

"Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes, with the princes of their people." ~Psalm 113:2-8

Poverty...

According to the Webster’s online dictionary, the ‘specialty’ definition of poverty is: “a subjective and comparative term describing a lack of sufficient wealth (usually understood as capital, money, material goods, or resources especially natural resources) to live what is understood in a society as a "normal" life: for instance, to be capable of raising a healthy family, and especially educating children and participating in society. A person living in this condition of poverty is said to be poor. The meaning of "sufficient" varies widely across the different political and economic areas of the world.”

I think this definition goes hand in hand with what the majority of the world would consider true. To simplify the above statement one could say that a person living in extreme poverty would have no clothes, no food, no water, no shelter, no education and no health care.

I have seen people living in poverty. People without means to make ends meet. I have seen people in despair due to poverty. What surprised me though, is that there definitely are people, families, who seem to be happy in their meager surroundings. They tend to find joy in the midst of a basic existence. Children make toys out of tin cans. Women happily chat while fetching water. Children loved on by their siblings and parents. Food is being shared amongst neighbors. Although these people are poor according to the dictionary definition of poverty, they are rich in spirit. Those who may seem poor to us in the developed world may not seem poor to the people living on the other side of their village. Or maybe people are poor in the sense of lacking possessions but are rich because of their what they do have as a family – each other.

Honestly, I think poverty cannot only be defined in terms of material wealth. I think that people lacking wealth can at times have a richer life than those with an abundance of wealth. How is that possible? Poverty is relative. It has to do with what we as individuals value in life. It has to do with our priorities. But, in my opinion, it also has to do with our innermost needs. Of course, we all need food, water and shelter. But besides these basic needs there are other needs that need to be met. Needs that money cannot buy. Needs that so many people have to live without. Love. Recognition. Acceptance. Belonging. The absence of these needs make one poor. Maybe this should be referred to as more of an emotional or spiritual poverty. As Mother Teresa states: “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”

The first person that comes to mind as I write this is Joshua David; an eight-year-old boy living in the heart of Sierra Leone. He is a child who survived the grip of malnutrition at the age of one. He is a child who, in the past seven years, has had to live in multiple locations, with various caretakers and few possessions. He was placed in a Children’s Home over a year ago but to this day he lives without a sense of belonging. He has no family. He feels little love. Recently I heard from a reliable source that Joshua is unhappy and afraid. My heart breaks as I think about Joshua; he is a child very dear to my heart. A child who we tried to look after as best we could while in Sierra Leone. A child we had to let go of as we went separate paths. I so desperately want to see Joshua thrive and live life knowing there is a God who loves him deeply and wants the best for Him. It is not his lack of possessions that makes him poor; it is his lack of a family and acceptance. I only wish I could change that for him. This type of poverty is hard to beat. Lord, please hold Joshua in Your arms and provide everything He needs.

"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty." - Mother Teresa

Reflection on Matthew 25...

At the ROC last week we looked at Matthew 25, a passage that I have read many times before. At first glance, it is easy to look at this passage and think of it as ‘simply’ telling us to help those in need around us. It is an easy read. It is to the point. It makes sense. And many of us use this passage as a trigger for doing relief work. This is all fine. However, I think we at times take this passage too lightly. When reading this passage in it’s full meaning it becomes apparent that it bears quite a message. In fact, it is clear in stating that we not only have a responsibility to help those in need but that there are dire consequences if we do not carry out our responsibility. It is talking about the Final Judgement of those who believe and follow Christ’s ways and those who do not believe. Either we are herded to our eternal doom or to our eternal reward. That is serious stuff. Have you ever thought of it like that? We are not simply urged to help those in need, we are ‘commanded’ to do as such. And if we do not do so, we will suffer the eternal consequences. Key message is: Let us do what is required of us and reach out to those around us and meet their needs. By doing so, we will touch their lives and touch the heart of God. There is much more to say and discuss about this passage, but for now, I will leave it at this. And pray that God will continue to grow in me that desire to help those in need.

Matthew 25:31-46

"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why: 



I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because— 



I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'

"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'

"He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.' "Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward."

When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed. ~Mother Teresa

Voices of Haiti...

"I hope this never happens again. Too many people died."

"We're afraid of the rain."

In Jeremy Cowart's stunning photo essay, Haitians tell the world what they think about 'all of this'. To see their perspective, go to: Voices of Haiti

Mercy Works Haiti video...

Below is a video that was produced by Mercy Works during my stay in Haiti. Lexie Waters describes the images seen while driving downtown devastated Port-au-Prince. In the second half of the video I tell part of Mistil's story - the 12 year old boy at the post-op clinic who lost part of his limb due to the earth quake. I have written about him before here and see this article about him as well. An amazing boy, with so much to give. I was especially touched one afternoon after Bible Study when I saw him reach out and pray for a little 3 year old girl with an amputation like his. Here is the Mercy Works Haiti report...

Haiti Report from MercyWorks on Vimeo.

Thankful...

I talked to a friend briefly about journaling this afternoon and realized that at times it is sporadic at best. However, I do have this blog, which I definitely rely on for my stories. I do enjoy going back and reading some of my stories from the past. It brings back so many memories. Maybe someday I will have to publish some of it. Anyway, I spent about 15 minutes re-reading some of my previous blog posts and have to say that I am so thankful for so many amazing experiences. The good, the bad, the sad, the happy. All of these experiences have made me into the person I am today.

I read about the difficulty of treating patients on an outpatient basis when really they should have been admitted had that been possible. Or the gladness of being able to refer a critically ill patient and hearing that they survived. The craziness of trying to get back to the team house compound after an 11 hour work day. The long hours of travel from Sierra Leone to Holland when in reality it was only a 6 hour flight. Sorrow when a patient dies due to a condition that could have been treated in a different country. The humor of a live chicken being given as a gift and needing to remain under the desk in the clinic for the rest of the day. The anger that boils up when hearing a child died at the local hospital in front of the registration desk because the family did not come up with enough money to pay the unofficial hospital fees. The feeling of arriving home in Sierra Leone after being away for 5 weeks of holiday. The excitement of traveling to Kenya and Thailand for medical courses. The beauty of visiting amazing beaches. The simplicity of living. The confrontations with myself when working in a team setting.

So many experiences. So many moments of stretching and growth. And all though there were many situations I would have rather skipped at the time they occurred, I know I had to go through them for a reason. And I pray that as I continue this journey with God, He will continue to stretch me, mold me, make me. I have a long way to go but I want to become a better person. And I trust He knows best. "He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it."

Stop ignoring...

As I'm getting ready to go to sleep tonight I find myself thinking about children. The children I meet here are busy all day/night either playing with their toys, watching television, going to school, eating snacks, riding their bikes and sleeping in warm beds. This is quite the contrast to children I have met elsewhere. (And I know that even in Holland there are children who are lacking some of the necessities in life).

My mind drifts to Haiti, where children I know are sleeping in tents, with few toys and little food and water. Children who only dream of going to school. I think about some of my patients in Sierra Leone, sleeping in shacks, having to walk a couple of miles to fetch their water, with no access to healthcare. I think of Joshua who is at a children's home right now but lacks a parent's love and affection.

I am reminded that Jesus called all the children to Himself. When they were being pushed aside by the disciples, it was Jesus who wanted to draw the children close to His heart. To sit with them. Speak to them. Listen to them. We are to be like Jesus. He calls us to reach out to the orphans and widows. This is what I am called to do. I want to be there for these children. Help them in times of need.

I was looking back at some previous posts and found a post I had written two years ago called TEARS OF A CHILD. A post written about an experience I had in Sierra Leone in which I ignored a crying child, to only later be confronted by this and fortunately see the child again. How often do we ignore the needs of children? Granted, we cannot meet all of their needs but we can try to help. Whether this be children in the developing world, or children in the house next door in the West. Ignorance is not the answer. Doing something is better than nothing at all. Children deserve a chance. They deserve to be heard. They deserve recognition. They are our future. Let's embrace children as Jesus did.

"The kindness one does for a child may not change the world but it will change the world for that one child."

World Water Day 2010...

As you drink water from your tap today, think of the millions of people who do not have access to safe water. Find a way to help them. And be thankful for the amazing gift of water. Most people are not as fortunate as we are. See how charity: water is responding to the water crisis.

Favorite pictures & moving on...

Above are my favorite pictures from my time in Haiti. And my favorite memories are also with the children I met in the post-op ward. I have tried to reflect and process my trip through the stories I have posted on my blog. Sharing events that took place, special moments, daily activities, frustrations, prayer requests. Of course there are many more stories to tell and I hope to be able to share those in the future (as well as share stories with family and friends in person). But right now it is time for me to move on, at least for now, as I prepare to go to Switzerland for a week of relief orientation with Medair. The time has come to focus on something new and pour my heart and energy into something else. This does not mean I will forget about Haiti. Never. The memories will remain with me. And each of these children has a place in my heart. I will continue to pray for them and for their country. And hopefully I can do more for them in the future. I will continue to seek God for direction for my future, wherever that may be. It is in His hands, just like each of these children (and those not pictured) are. These children are entrusted to His care. His shelter. His love. His comfort. His healing touch.

Aerial shots & camp site...

A few of my team mates were able to go to Leogane by helicopter and they took some photos in the air. Pictured are a large tent city, the palace, and the New Life Children's home- which includes our campground and the post-op ward.

The property is on the top half of the picture, with the colored tents in the middle of it. Near some trees is where my dark blue Coleman tent was (closest to the bottom of picture) see zoomed in below. And to the left of the property (near the main gate) was the post-op ward (seen below zoomed in) which was situated in the church building. The bigger white tents near a large tree are the 6 post-op patient tents (that were set up after the after shock on the 22nd of February).

The city...

The pictures give you enough of an impression of what downtown Port-au-Prince is like. Many of you have seen the footage. It is nothing new. Being there though was different. Driving through the streets with devastation on both sides. Some streets definitely hit harder than others. Some neighborhoods seemed almost untouched, and others were almost non-existent. The mural on the wall was a reminder of the devastation and the cry for help. The mural shows the map of Haiti, cracked by the earth quake, crying out for help and the need for prayer and God. Don't forget Haiti. Continue to pray on her behalf. (Last two photos taken by Jen Bullock - my photos of the same objects did not turn out as good.)

Children praying...

Sunday February 27 -

Best moment of the day was Bible study for the children, led by Amanda, one of the nurses on our team. She taught on the friends lowering their friend down to Jesus through the roof of a house for healing. Afterwards she encouraged the children to pray for each other. A few of the children did not understand what she was saying, a number of them did. It was precious to see Founa and Carlandia with their hands stretched out to the other one's broken leg, praying. And I could not hold back the tears when I saw 12 year old Mistil with his leg amputated, reach over to 3 year old Shakira, put his hand on her shoulder and pray for her with her leg amputation. Precious moments. God is moving.

Literacy class...

Two of the 9 year old girls in the post-op ward had never been to school before. They did not know how to write their names. So, I took it upon myself to teach them. I love teaching children/adults how to write their names. I feel like if there is one thing people should learn to write, it is their name. One of the things I noticed when working at the Fistula Hospital in Sierra Leone was that the women were much happier when they could sign papers using their name, rather than their fingerprint.

Both Founa and Marie were very excited. On a Sunday and Monday afternoon I sat down on Founa's cot and started showing her the letters to her name. She was hesitant at first, unsure of how to even hold the pen but soon enough she was very eager to continue. It is always interesting teaching someone to write for the first time. It seems so easy, but in their minds, it's not. The logic of making each letter the same size, just does not come naturally in the beginning. And even tracing letters seemed like a very difficult task. But with lots of patience and repetition, she got it down. She was so proud of herself. Unfortunately Founa's mom died years ago and her father died in the recent earth quake. Her cousin is looking after her for now, but is uncertain if he will be able to continue. Let's pray for a home for her and the opportunity to go to school!

Marie loved the idea of learning to write. Having broken her left arm, she was fortunate to be right-handed. So, on a Wednesday afternoon we sat down and started writing. She was also hesitant to start. When I first asked her if she wanted to learn how to write her name, she said no. When I asked her why not, she said because she has never gone to school and thought she couldn't learn. I explained to her that I could teach her right then and there how to write her name. She wanted that. She caught on very quickly it was amazing. Tracing letters, copying them down, and finally putting them together to write her name. She was so proud of herself. Later she was coloring a picture and then came to find me because she had written her name on it! A few days later she pulled me over to the blackboard where she had been writing her name. I found out from one of my team mates that they had loaned her a coloring book, but seeing later that she wrote her name all over it, decided to give the book to her. Smart girl!

What a privilege to be able to help these children in so many different ways!

Sweet girl suffering...

One of the patients that tugged at my heart the most was a 10 year old that came to us from the Medishare hospital on Friday, February 19th. She has a broken lower leg on the right side which is in a long leg cast and a broken upper leg on the left side which is being fixed with an external fixator (pins). She also has a nasty ulcer like lesion on her lower back as a result of burns she suffered during the earthquake. She came to us with her aunt. However, we soon realized that her aunt was not the most committed. Apparently aunt had a job and so was gone a lot during the first few days. I started worrying however, during my last week there, when I did not see the aunt at all over a 4 day period. By the time I left Haiti, it has been a week since the aunt showed up. I am worried about what this means. Has this 10 year old been left at the clinic for good? Or is the aunt trying to do her best for her by making money to provide for her once she is discharged? Apparently the child's mother and siblings are living in the countryside, her father died in the earth quake. Long before the quake, her parents had sent her to Port-au-Prince to live with an aunt. I think they just could not take care of her as well as her other siblings and maybe hoped for a better life for her in Port-au-Prince. Unfortunately she has not yet begun school...

Everyday we spent some time with this girl. Doing her woundcare; cleaning her pins and her open wound on her back. Praying for her. Sitting with her. Helping her on a bed pan. Trying to teach her to make a bracelet. Etc.

There were a couple of moments that my heart broke for her. One time was at around 7:30 am one morning when we found this girl in her tent, laying on soaked sheets. We have no idea how long she had been laying on wet sheets or why they were wet (sweat? pee? trying to wash herself?) but were heartbroken to find her like, wishing her caretaker would actually show up to care for her or that the night nurses would check in on her now and then. Poor girl was trying to clean herself up with wet wipes. We got her out of bed, onto a clean, dry cot and took her outside to join the other children already situated out under the mango tree. We changed her bed and hoped that this situation would not repeat itself. It didn't. However, we did often have to go to her tent in the mornings to get her onto a cot and out under the tree so she wouldn't remain lying on her bed in the very hot tent till late in the morning. You see, most of the other children had caretakers to move them out, or the children could go out themselves.

Another issue was worms. This girl was unfortunate to be without a caretaker, not be able to go to the bathroom on her own, and have worms. For us, this meant helping her get onto a bed pan multiple times a day. And on 4 occassions it meant disposing of worms. Let's just say that was definitely one of my least pleasant experiences while in Haiti. Bless her though, she's had it rough. Praise God that after 2 albendazole treatments it seems she has been cured.

Pray for this girl. She needs it. She has been in the hospital/post-op ward for weeks now; since the earth quake. And she still has weeks to go. Her follow-up appointment at Medishare is on the 20th. Let's pray for healed bones. And let's pray for her future- that her aunty would come back for her or that she would be able to move to the countryside where her mother lives. This girl needs to be shown the Father's love. She needs to know that when people abandon her, there is a loving Father who welcomes her with open arms, all the time. Lord, be with this girl and touch her heart and touch the heart of her aunty and mother too.

Imagine...

Imagine being in Haiti right now.

Imagine living in a sheet tent.

Imagine having to provide for your family when you are unemployed.

Imagine needing to find food and water for your family every day.

Imagine hearing that water is being distributed near the palace.

Imagine rushing to the palace grounds in the hopes to receive water.

Imagine the crowd that gathers in front of the palace.

Imagine making your way to the line.

Imagine the pushing and shoving that goes on.

Imagine waiting for hours in the hot sun, packed like sardines in a line.

Imagine nearing the front of the line only to hear the water is finished.

Imagine the yelling and screaming that goes on around you.

Imagine going back to your tented camp empty handed.

Imagine the frustration.

Imagine the anger.

Imagine the sadness.

Imagine the desperation.

Can we even begin to imagine what life is like for the Haitians right now?

Our lives are so rich in comparison.

I am praying once again for the Haitians.

Praying for strength and endurance.

Praying for His provision of food, water, shelter and medical care.

Praying for peace and joy in difficult circumstances.

Praying for a nation to turn to Him.

video footage taken in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on February 21, 2010 by Sandra Lako.

Life isn't fair...

Who said life is fair? No one. Everyone always says life isn't fair. And they are right. It's not.

It is not fair that I will sleep in a comfy bed tonight, with a roof over my head and not have to be afraid of my house collapsing while I sleep or getting soaked in the rain. Many people in Haiti are sleeping in tents made of sheets, praying they will stay dry tonight, too afraid to stay inside buildings because of the traumatic experience they have been through.

It is not fair that I had no trouble obtaining three meals today while people in Haiti are struggling to get one meal; with women standing in the hot sun, waiting for hours to get a bag of rice for their families.

It is not fair that I have running water and can drink water from the tap at any given moment while people in Haiti are lining up for hours in the streets hoping to get one bottle of water given to them for the day.

It is not fair that I had the possibility to get on a plane and leave while so many in Haiti will be stuck in the devastation caused by the earthquake; living in poverty for the rest of their lives.

It is not fair that I can call up the doctor's office for an appointment when I need to, while people are dying in Haiti because medical care is not available to everyone.

It just isn't fair. Life isn't fair. But where does that statement get us. The situation does not change. The fact is, I have a lot and they have a little. It's just the way life is. At the end of the day, I am the one from the developed world and they live in an impoverished nation. I have opportunities that they will never have. It's not fair, but it is life.

However I am reminded that in life's unfairness, God remains just. He stays true to His word. And He longs for justice. And I suppose that today as I write down these thoughts I am reminded about how blessed I am and how thankful I should be for those many blessings. Food. Water. Shelter. Medical care. And so much more. I believe that God has blessed me so that I can bless others. Let's not take what God has given us for granted. And let's use our blessings to bless others. We may not understand the unfairness of life but we can count our blessings today and try our best to make life a little better for those around us.

Praying for Deve...

Today Deve turned 2.

Happy Birthday sweet girl.

Deve spent her birthday at the post-op clinic at New Life Children's Home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

A place she has been at with her father since the earthquake.

Not because of an earthquake related injury but due to a congenital heart defect.

She was scheduled for surgery at St. Damien hospital around January 12th but seeing as this hospital collapsed, surgery in Haiti was no longer possible.

She is waiting.

While I was working at the Medishare hospital I met a cardiologist there and asked him to look at Deve.

The diagnosis written on her papers (all in French) was persistent arterial canal.

We weren't sure what this meant and with only auscultation the cardiologist could not be sure as to the type of defect.

So again we waited, trying to make some contacts to get her out.

Deve needs specialist care.

She needs to be accepted and flown to the Dominican or USA.

We need to pray for a miracle.

For some reason the logistics are taking forever.

Yes, she is growing well, happy and not distressed but it looks like she really does need this surgery sooner rather than later.

Please pray for Deve and for her dad.

It is her birthday today.

Let's pray that this year is one full of miracles for her.

A year of open doors and God's provision and healing.

So far, it has seemed pretty impossible to get this arranged.

But God is the master of the universe and He can do the impossible.

Join me.

Let's stand in the gap for Deve and her family.

Haiti in the Tyler paper...

Lexie Waters, an Australian volunteer currently working with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Texas, was the team leader of one of the Mercy Works teams that came to Haiti to provide medical relief. She arrived with her team during my second week in Haiti, and stayed for almost 2 weeks. While in Haiti, she was able to write and send back a few reports to the Tyler Paper. One of the reports featured the post-op clinic that I worked in for the majority of my time in Haiti. I started working there after having done a few mobile clinics and working at the University of Miami field hospital in week 1. It was a privilege to be able to serve and invest in the children in the post-op ward.

Click here for the article. The previous two articles can be found here and here.

Chili's earthquake...

Saturday's quake in Chile was huge. 8.8 magnitude. Destruction was inevitable. However, due to strict construction standards many buildings remained upright, saving hundreds if not thousands of lives. Let's hope they can rebuild quickly. And pray that there are solutions for rebuilding Haiti- maybe the Chilean contractors need to be sent in to Haiti to construct solid well-engineered buildings.

After Chile Quake, Focus Turns to Reconstruction - WSJ.com

online.wsj.com

Chile's stringent building codes helped avert an even greater loss of life from Saturday's massive earthquake, but the extensive use of adobe in the Andean nation's hardest-hit regions meant many structures were no match for the temblor's strength. Click on title to read full article.

Baby update...

An update on my 2 favorite babies in Haiti. Jean pictured on the left, Kevin on the right. We weighed Jean and Kevin before leaving the post-op facility. And both have grown! Praise God. They are now both 7 1/2 pounds (Jean - 4 1/2 months old - is a few ounces heavier than Kevin - 10 weeks old). They are doing SO well. Kevin is alert and happy, stretching his feeds to 3 hours. Jean is still a hungry little boy usually wanting to eat every 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The last few days he was full of smiles. And my last day there he started grasping objects. How cute to see them change so much. I pray that God will continue to protect them and provide for them. I am praying for a family for Jean! And praying that Kevin's situation will become clear- with his parents showing up to discuss what they want. I pray that all involved will be granted wisdom and insight as to what is best for Kevin. Lord, keep these two little ones in Your hands. We trust You with their lives.

Where am I...

I woke up a little startled this morning. Inside. Looking up at the ceiling. Peace and Quiet. Where am I? I was actually a little troubled that I was sleeping inside. But no need to worry. I am back in Texas. I do not need to be worried about an earthquake here. I am now in a place with many comforts. I enjoyed a welcome home package, a hot shower, clean clothes, a bed, quietness. Bliss. I definitely do not miss the rooster calls all through the night in Haiti. Or the dogs barking, people talking loudly in their tents, the ferocious generator noise, the mosquitoes buzzing, the sticky heat, the bucket shower, letting anything yellow mellow in the toilet, the layer of dirt on my belongings, etc. I do greatly miss the children as well as my remaining 4 team members. My prayer for them today is that they will see God move in a mighty way. That they will each be encouraged and feel loved. I pray for excellent wound care and successful physical therapy. I pray that children will be able to walk again. I pray for Rudy and Deve as they need care beyond the scope of care that places in Haiti can provide. Make a way for them God. I pray that God will continue to grow my love for Haiti. And that He will use me to tell the story of the wonderful Haitians I met there. They need our help. They need God's people to move in and minister. Thank you God for your faithfulness.