finally, the next update!

The teachers have started doing phys.ed with the kids two times a week, the kids absolutely LOVE it. They mostly play soccer but they also do some relays and stretches. Here Randy is doing stretches with the KD I class

While Petra has been visiting we have been keeping her busy... one day this past week she went around and did a craft with each class. (The supplies were brought down by the last team... thank you!) Here is the grade 1 class showing off there handiwork

Haiti Game

For those of you who would love to learn a little more about Haiti (Ayiti - Kreole), here is a link to a game that you should try. The idea behind the game is for you and your family to survive 4 years living like a typical Haitian. You have to buy food, provide education, work, and stay healthy. It is a neat game, that will show you a little bit how tough life in Haiti can be. Let me know if you win or not at it. I sure didn't win.

http://www.unicef.org/voy/explore/rights/explore_3142.html

Also, my wife is sick in bed right now with a fever, so if you could pray for her that would be great.
Strength and Peace,
Randy

1 Month of Catch-up

Well this update includes about 1 month of information. To get it in the right order you will have to begin at the end of this post, and work your way back to the top.

Last week was pretty tense here for a few days, with rioting and demonstrating, but things have cooled down again it seems. We don't have any pictures of the damage, but there were demonstrations going past our school, up and down Delmas 31 and 33. Thankfully, there was no damage done to the school, and to our house. Most of the damage was done on Main Delmas, by the Presidential Palace, and by the airport. We were at school when the violence started, and when we drove home the roads were filled with burning tires, rocks, and hydro poles all over the road, garbage bins dumped over and lit on fire, and a lot of windows destroyed. We ended up closing school for 3 days, until things were quiet enough here again. We pray that the LORD may bless the government as they continue to lead this country and work to provide for the people. We pray that the people may be set free from the chains of bondage as the devil tries to stir up chaos, violence and hatred.

These are some pictures of our kindergarten classes.
Practicing spelling.
My beautiful wife and Reginald, a student in grade 1.

I am looking more and more Haitian every day. Soon you won't be able to tell me apart.
To those who have donated sports equipment - it is being put to good use. Soccer balls, Basketballs, skipping ropes, basketball nets, mesh, pumps, etc, etc - The children and students enjoy them immensely.
Cadeau's school had a soccer game against his old school from last year, a school which is just across the road from Adoration. They lost the game, but it was fun none the less.
Cadeau is in the front row, farthest to the left.


The beginning of the game, on the dust field.

We had a BBQ at our house on Sunday night with a bunch of friends, which was nice. We had a sing-song out on our patio, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. That is what I love about Haiti - it is a great outdoor climate.

This is Leslie. She is from Brampton, and she is an accountant, and is here in Haiti volunteering with CRWRC.

This is Rod and Brittany. Rod is from Australia, and Brittany from California. They met here, and just got married about 2 months ago.

We had vaccinations at the school for polio, something, and something. I can't remember right now, but, let me tell you, the were important shots.
The bravest of the brave were the kindergarten students, and the rest weren't too thrilled to be getting shots, to say the least.



Kindergarten teacher, Marline receiving a shot.

On Friday March ?( a few weeks ago), we had a youth retreat (all nighter) up in Titayen, which is up the coast a little, outside of Port au Prince. This is a picture of the teens just before breakfast, after most of

them pulled an all-nighter. It was a fun retreat, however, i realized that i am getting old. I used to be able to pull an all-nighter very easily - not any more.



Here I am preparing a Bible story for morning devotions with the school. Samuel is helping me translate it.


After our hike up to Seguine, I went with a friend of mine, Pastor Zack, to Belladere, for 2 days as they were beginning to build a CRC church. The first day that we were there we got to help dig the foundation, very hot and tiring work.


Fortunately, they had a lot of it done. A crew of us spent the day digging and leveling the dirt, and then the next day they finished digging, and prepared all the re-bar for the footings.
The next day, Tuesday I spent the morning helping haul water up from the river. The Haitians got a kick out of me trying to balance a bucket of water on my head - they thought it was the funniest thing. Wow, that was a tough job. I managed to carry the buckets on my head and keep up with the women and youth, but i could not balance the bucket on my head without any hands. I don't know how they do it.

Fetching water from the river. It was a pretty hefty walk down to the river, but the walk down was nice, compared to walking back up with a pail of water. That is how they filled their cistern, one bucket at a time, so they could do conrete with it.

A short clip of us walking down to the river.

bits & pieces of March break

The last weekend that the team was here our Terrano decided that it didn't want to start anymore :( Randy and Andrew took some time trying to fix it by eliminating what it wasn't... then after the team left we got it towed to Nissan. We have been praying that it will be fixed soon BUT today Randy went to Nissan and they told him they don't know what's wrong with it...they think it's a computer problem. They have a technician coming in tomorrow from Canada who they are hoping can help them out with it otherwise they are going to try to contact Spain - where the car is orginally from - so we've been walking, taptaping, bumming rides and borrowing friends vehicles.

During our March break we took off to the mountains for a few days. We hiked for five hours up to Seguin where we stayed at a guesthouse. We were cold, the real sense of the word cold, not a fan blowing on you at full speed cold! This is the first time we have been COLD since coming back to Haiti in June! The views from the road we hiked on were absolutely gorgeous! It was really neat to be hiking alongside the people. A lot of the mountain people make this hike once a week into Port-au-Prince to sell all of their produce. We saw many women walking the trail with big baskets of produce on their heads as well as many donkeys fully loaded.

And.... we found trees in Haiti! WOOHOO! Real, big, green trees, it was a beautiful thing

Our Easter picture...

Some snap shots of the past 12 days...

Well, we had a wonderful time with the team that was here for the past 12 days. Here are a few snapshots of that time.

Kevin and Gerald working on the sidewalk by the entrance.

Below, we have Nicole and Julianne getting their mortar ready.

Kim and Carina doing something, I am not sure what it is, but i think it is work...Lots of Education Committee work!

Nicole, Julie and Reginald laying block, building the garbage bins.


Garbage bins - the finished product! Also, I can't forget Julie's step in the background !!


Ed getting cement ready for the benches and the sidewalk.


Watching the sun set from our roof. At least i think they are...they are facing the wrong way...


Me, showing off my pipes...



Haiti vs. Canada Football game! All the school watching...


Haiti scores another goal, much to the delight of all the children...

Julie and Julianna with the video camera, taking lots of footage of Haiti.


Our vehicle broke down on Saturday, so we took a tap-tap around everywhere. A real Haitian experience.




Carina painting the bars,...and whoever walked by...


Andrew, being supervised by Julianna...


Sisters?




Concreted benches and sidewalk at entrance to school. There is another bench on the other side of the door too.


Gerald and Cadeau installing more shelves for books and supplies.


Julie, unleashing yet another one of her many hidden talents...




This was Kevin's favourite job...besides painting :)
Routering! Making chalk brush holders.



Gerald, with his steady hand...




The team was able to accomplish many tasks, and they had a lot of fun doing it. Here is a list of some of the things they did:
Painted inside of school/ Built concrete benches for outside by entrance and a re-did concrete sidewalk by entrance/ Built benches for Medical waiting corner/ built garbage bins/ fixed water drainage pipe/ worked on plumbing, putting in mirrors, tp holders, sink, etc/ put up pencil sharpeners/ built shelves/ worked on water drain off on roof/ a concrete step down to garbage bins/ cleaned up food room, raised shelves, installed more screen, and made it rodent proof/ finished off sun shades/ put up some razor wire at our house/ fixed plumbing at our house/ hung up posters and pictures in school/ built chalk board brush holders for each chalk board.

A huge thank-you to this team for all the work they accomplished, and also to all those who supported them to come down. We truly appreciate it. Thanks also to those who continue to hold us in prayer, and who are fellow labourers in this work, and who do so much of the behind the scenes work. You have refreshed the hearts of the saints, and we pray that all this work that you have performed would not ony supply the needs of God's people but would also overflow in many expressions of thanks to God! We pray that people would come to praise God for the obedience that accompanies our confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else! Soli Deo Gloria.

Introducing the intelligent team....

Julie Andrew
Kim
Kevin

Nicole
Ed


Me

Roland
Julianne



Gerald

Carina
Randy